CHAPTER 17
‘So, even if we can fix the Elk Creek problem, what about our image problem online?’ Lil frowned as we drove up Elk Creek’s long, winding drive the next morning.
We’d only just escaped Jesse and Cole’s insistence that they come along, ‘for backup’.
But this conversation was just between us women.
‘Can’t you just make a video and tell everyone their video was faked? ’
I shook my head, wincing as I recalled the comments, the way followers had dropped away. The emails and booking enquiries had all but dried up.
‘No one will take my word for it,’ I said as we climbed, the huge ranch house coming into view, a smaller, older building just up the road from it. ‘If I had a whole bunch of followers who knew me, knew I wouldn’t lie, it might be different, but . . .’
I shrugged. Lil was pensive for a moment.
‘Would it take time to build followers up? We seem to have built a whole bunch real quick for the ranch?’
I smiled back at her. ‘They’re mainly following for videos of Jesse, Cole and Bailey. They’re the real reason people want to come and stay. I mean, people love the sunsets and seeing the horses at work too, and Jackson will always be super popular, but people connect with people, you know?’
We pulled up outside the big house and as Lil turned the engine off, looking around to see if any trouble might be approaching, the solution smacked me right between the eyes.
‘Oh shit, I totally didn’t think of that,’ I murmured, as Lil turned back to me. ‘We should get influencers, people who already have a following, to come and stay on the ranch. They’ll make videos, persuade people way better than I can . . .’
Lil’s forehead creased.
‘What, pay them?’ she asked. ‘Can we make sure their videos are positive?’
I nodded, conscious of the financial outlay this might require. After running a few influencer campaigns at my old job, I knew what it could amount to. But this was my mess to fix and I wasn’t about to put the financial burden on Lil.
‘Lots of them will take a trip somewhere as payment in itself,’ I lied, knowing there would be no way she’d agree otherwise. ‘We wouldn’t need to pay anything else.’
‘And that would turn things around again, get the bookings coming back in?’ she asked, so much relief in her face that I hesitated, not wanting to give her false hope about what could be another risky venture.
‘Definitely. In fact’ – I pulled out my phone, flipping to the app and finding the video I’d saved a while ago with a thought to future plans – ‘this is a beauty influencer I follow. A brand paid for her to go out to Nashville recently when they launched a product.’
We watched it, and I pointed out the engagement it’d received, scrolling through the comments where countless people had said they’d bought the products or were just about to, solely because of her video.
‘I don’t know if we can get something this big, she’s got millions of followers, but even the micro-influencers hold a huge amount of sway.
If we got maybe three or four of them over, planned out a weekend to really show them what the ranch is all about, let them get to know you guys .
. . it might just change the whole game. ’
Lil clutched my hands, and for the first time, I saw a real gleam of optimism in her eyes. But before we could start planning, a sharp rapping on the window made both of us jump.
‘Can I help you, ladies?’
‘Thanks for seeing us, Dotty,’ Lil said, setting her hat down on the seat next to her as I did the same.
Dotty Sinclair, the eighty-year-old matriarch of Elk Creek ranch, one time barrel racer and best friend to our own grandma, Liza, sat across from us in her office. Still whip-smart, her white hair styled and pinned up, she looked as glamorous as ever.
‘You haven’t changed at all,’ she said to me with a small smile as I glanced at Lil.
‘It sure was a shame when Carrie and John couldn’t figure things out – turned a lot of things upside down.
You should be proud of yourself for keeping going, Lil.
I had my doubts when Carrie left for Colorado, but I’m happy to have been proved wrong. ’
Lil nodded. ‘It’s been hard in places, but no one ever said ranching was easy.’
Dotty nodded as her housekeeper came in, setting a pot of coffee down next to us.
‘Thank you, Jennifer,’ she said. ‘Can you make sure we’re not disturbed? It’s been too long since I’ve seen these young women; the ranch will just have to live without me for a while.’
‘Yes ma’am,’ Jennifer replied, nodding to us as she left and closing the door behind her.
‘Now, what can I do for you?’ said Dotty. ‘I assume it’s not just a social call?’
I hid a smile, enjoying her blunt approach. It caught Lil, normally so composed and ready with a quick comeback, off guard, but then Dotty was renowned for her ability to unseat anyone, especially the biggest male egos in a room.
‘Well now,’ Lil said, clearly debating how best to approach things.
‘We had a visit from Zach a few days ago.’ Dotty narrowed her eyes a little, pouring a cup each for us first, then herself.
‘He . . . uh, he made it pretty clear that he wants to buy the Diamond Back, and he’s not that keen on accepting my answer, which is still no. ’
Dotty nodded, tilting her head to the side.
‘Zach has always been stubborn like that,’ she replied.
‘I’m afraid he was indulged by his father, God rest his soul.
The eldest boy and all of that.’ She sighed, giving Lil a hard look.
‘I know what he wants and I know just how long Carrie, and now you, have said no. It’s just business though, Lil.
And like all men, you’ve got to just keep firm.
I’m caught in the middle here because I want to make sure we keep doing well, expand as a business.
But your grandmother was my dearest friend and Carrie’s still my goddaughter.
So, you’re as close to blood as it can get. ’
Lil pulled her phone out at that, opening the voice memos app.
‘I appreciate that, Dotty, I really do. It’s why this hurts so much, to hear someone I consider as extended family come up onto my property and threaten Lottie and me like this.’
Dotty opened her mouth to protest, shock plain across her features as Lil pressed play and Zach’s words reverberated through the room.
‘. . . time’s running out. We’re expanding, and this place is right in the way.
You’ll sell to us, now, for a fair market price, or we’ll destroy your place and pick up the pieces for pennies.
It starts with this . . . and who knows.
Terrible wildfires this year in the south of the state – have you heard?
I know for a fact you have no insurance on this place. What if one swept right through here? ’
As the recording finished, both Lil and I let the silence linger. I studied Dotty’s face, pure shock registering there as she held her hand to her mouth.
The only thing I’d been worried about, the thing that could take us to a darker place was if she already knew, had sanctioned it herself. Then this recording would be our leverage to go to the police. But there was no way she’d known.
‘I’m rarely lost for words,’ Dotty began, gathering herself.
‘It was a shock for us too,’ Lil said, keeping her composure. ‘I just didn’t think it was the way we did things here. Not amongst old families, farming this land for generations. We’ve both been here for what – almost a hundred years now? Sinclairs and Deans, side by side?’
Dotty nodded, taking a long drink from her coffee. The tops of her cheekbones were tinged pink.
‘Elizabeth, Charlotte,’ she said eventually, looking to each of us.
‘You have my word when I say that there will be no repeat of Zach’s behaviour.
You’re quite right, that is not how we do business here – with anyone, let alone old friends.
In fact, I’ll go one better: I’ll have my lawyers change up my will.
There will be no purchase of Diamond Back without forfeiting the right to inherit Elk Creek. ’
Lil’s eyebrows were lost to her hairline.
‘I’m ashamed that my boy would do such a thing,’ she added, shaking her head. ‘But this is why we don’t ever leave the men in charge.’
Lil’s shoulders sagged with relief.
‘Thanks, Dotty.’
‘No, no, come on now. There’s no thanks needed. Although, I do thank you for coming to me on this. You had every right to take something like that to the sheriff, and then we’d all be in a whole other position.’
‘It won’t leave my phone,’ Lil replied, keeping her back straight as she held Dotty’s rigid gaze.
I held my breath; the implication was clear. She wasn’t deleting the recording. It would remain in her phone for safekeeping.
Dotty nodded in understanding.
‘Carrie raised a smart girl,’ she said, holding up her coffee in a small salute.
‘It was Lottie’s idea, actually,’ Lil said, giving me a sly look. ‘She reminded me who really calls the shots here. Took someone from outta state, outta the whole country to make me remember.’
Dotty’s clear blue eyes fixed on mine.
‘Well, your momma took quite a turn in moving all the way across the world, but it looks like the biggest piece of her came right back home, huh?’
As soon as we were halfway down the drive, a cloud of dust obscuring the back window, we turned to each other, grinning.
‘You did it,’ I said, relief overwhelming me in waves.
‘ YOU did it!’ Lil yelled, letting out a loud whoop of celebration as she smacked the steering wheel.
‘Holy shit, Lottie. Just like that, years of those assholes bullying us. Over. Thanks to you, honey. I was just so buried in trying to work through it, stay outta their sight . . . I forgot all about going to the source.’
‘It was Cole that actually reminded me, yesterday,’ I began, returning Lil’s suggestive smile and raised eyebrow. ‘He said behind every decent man in this state was a woman. I wouldn’t call Zach decent, but Cole was right about the rest of it.’