Small Town Rumors(80)

“I have thought about it, and this is what I want. You can advise me through the process, and when it’s done, I will want your input along with my CPA’s to help me decide where and how to invest the money. Next, I want whoever buys the company to either retain the employees that are here or else give them at least six months’ salary and benefits to last until they can find something else—that includes Lawrence, even though he’s a son of a bitch.”

Justin laughed loudly. “That he is, but he’s a smart businessman. What next?”

“Are the savings accounts and checking accounts available to me at this time?” she asked.

“Yes, they are,” Justin said.

“Okay, that’s enough for me to buy the bookstore.”

“Why would you do that?” he gasped.

“I like to work there,” she answered. “Oh, and I want you to hire a carpenter to go over to Lettie’s place and measure that little lending-library box beside her mailbox. Then I want an ad put in the Bloom Weekly News saying that all a person has to do to get one like that in the color of their choice is to come into my bookstore and fill out a form. As I get the completed papers, the carpenter can build and install them.”

“Again, why?”

“Because that’s a dream of Rick’s, and he is my friend,” Jennie Sue answered.

“What else?” Justin asked.

“That’s enough for today. If I think of anything else—I need your card. I don’t have you on speed dial like Daddy did. His office isn’t to be touched by anyone. I’ll be cleaning that out before I do anything else.” Her confidence was building with every single argument. “I don’t want anyone to go through his computer or his other things, understood?”

“Yes, ma’am,” Justin said. “Is that all?”

“For today. I’m sure I’ll think of smaller things along the way. When I do, I’ll call, or when you have news about the sales, then let me know. No doubt about it, we’ll be in close touch. You can call them in here and relay what I’m doing now. Cricket and I won’t be stayin’. We’re having milkshakes at the Main Street Café. You will let me know about Texas Red as soon as you get in touch with them, right?”

“I’ll talk to them tomorrow morning. Until the papers are all signed, it will be business as usual, right?” Justin said.

“That’s right, with Lawrence running things. He’s a good vice president, and I’m sure he’ll manage things fine,” she said.

Cricket got to her feet and picked up her crutches. Jennie Sue followed her to the elevator and pushed the “Down” button. The doors opened immediately, and Jennie Sue let Cricket go inside before her.

“I can’t believe you just did that,” Cricket said.

Jennie Sue leaned against the elevator wall and sucked in big lungfuls of breath. “I couldn’t have gotten through it without you, Cricket. Every time Justin argued, I just thought, What would Cricket do?”

“Hey, don’t fool yourself. I would’ve folded if he’d glared at me like he did you.” Cricket shivered.

The doors opened, and they stepped out of the elevator and headed toward the door. “I’m glad it’s done,” Jennie Sue said.

“Do you realize what you are giving up? You could be the head of this company. You could live in that house and never have to worry about pickin’ beans again. And what if the new company brings in a whole new crew? Bloom depends on the jobs that this place offers.”

Jennie Sue helped Cricket into the car and then got into the driver’s seat. “Pickin’ beans is exactly why I made those decisions. I want a simple life. And I hope that the new company will recognize good help when they see it and keep most of them on. Now, do you want to go back to the café when the doctor releases you, or will you come to work for me at the bookstore?”

“You are offering me a job?” Cricket’s voice shot up several octaves.

“I was going to ask Amos about a story hour two days a week through the summer for the little kids. But now that I will own the store, I realize I’ll need help.” Jennie Sue made plans as she drove toward the café.

“I can’t believe you’d be willin’ to work with me every day.”

“Why?” Jennie Sue snagged a parking place in front of the café. “We’re both up-front and honest, and that makes for good business partners.”

“You’ll own it. I’ll be an employee, not a partner,” Cricket said.

“I’ll make you a full partner if you agree to help me.”

“I’ll think on it until I get a doctor’s release and you actually buy the store,” Cricket said.

Jennie Sue got out and held Cricket’s crutches until she hopped up on the curb and got them situated. When they entered the café, the silence that greeted them was almost as deafening as the company conference room’s had been an hour before.

Then Amos waved from the back of the place and headed their way. Cricket chose the booth closest to the door as chatter started up again and set her crutches against the wall. Jennie Sue took the other side from her, and Amos pulled up a chair to the end.

“So how did it go?”

“My lawyer will be calling you in the next day or so to ask about buying the bookstore,” she said. “I hope you were serious.”