“Somebody somewhere knows something,” Josh said.
He and Tom were sitting at Syd’s bar on a quiet Monday night. He’d had to tell his mother some of what had transpired in the last few days, but he’d left out the part about the Palmer and Sun Valley link. He would wait until he had a proper plan in place before he troubled her with that information. “I find it hard to believe that our workers had anything to do with what’s been going on.”
“I’ll bet they don’t,” said Tom squarely. “I’ve spoken to every single worker and remember, Josh, I’m related to some of these people.” He took a swig of his beer. “I think I would know, and you know me and my instincts with people.”
Josh nodded, for it was true. If he ever wanted a second opinion on a situation or a character reference, it was Tom’s judgment he trusted most.
Tom looked hard at his life-long friend. “Why do I get the feeling there’s something you’re not telling me?”
Josh looked away, shook his head, and found himself at a loss for words.
“That bad, huh? Is everything with you and Lucy okay? I’ve never seen you this happy with anyone. She complements you, man. You’re good together. Besides, even Denise likes her and you know how tough she can be.”
Josh let out a long and worried sigh. “Unfortunately, this is where things get rather complicated.”
Tom gave him a puzzled look.
“I’ve been doing a lot of research lately and I’m pretty sure I know why hostilities have reignited with Sun Valley. Hans Bekker would never try such brazen stunts on his own. He has powerful backers.”
“Big money from Johannesburg, right? Some big consortium?” Tom asked.
“It’s worse than that and believe it or not, Lucy’s background plays a role in all of this.”
Josh filled Tom in on the story of Lucy’s involvement with the Palmers and the links he’d discovered with Sun Valley.
Tom let out a low whistle. “Well, now that is one hell of a situation.”
“Tell me about it. I could now stand to lose the farm and the woman I love. The outlook could hardly be worse.”
“So, what exactly do they want, these Palmer people?”
“That’s what I’m trying to find out. We know what Sun Valley is after. It’s what they’ve always wanted.”
“You mean to drive us out of the valley and take over our 3000 hectares. To turn a three-hundred-year-old farm into a full-scale winery to supermarket outfit,” said Tom.
“Yep, they have some good vineyards but just not nearly enough for what they have planned. They didn’t care about the eighty-year-old vines they massacred because they wouldn’t want to use them anyway.”
“Wouldn’t know how to use them,” added Tom cynically. “Too old and therefore the yield is too small if you’re planning on quantity over quality. Do you think they know about our present financial situation?”
“It’s possible. I mean, all of that should be confidential, but from what I understand, the Palmers bend the rules wherever they go. They may be aware we’re rather overstretched at the moment.”
Farming, especially wine farming was a merciless business. In the past two years, Mountain Shadows had enlarged its winemaking capacity. Bought newer and better equipment and diversified into some different and potentially lucrative varietals. All of these new investments had yet to bear fruit. A brilliant crop this year was an absolute necessity.
“So, do you think the Palmers would actually try and take over Mountain Shadows just to punish Lucy? I have to say it sounds kind of far-fetched,” said Tom.
“I don’t know. I think this way they get to kill two birds with one stone. They get their wine farm and revenge in one neat package,” said Josh.
“What lovely people,” Tom gave a heavy eye-roll.
“Powerful people. Entitled people, who can’t handle it when life doesn’t go their way. In exposing Jason, Lucy released an avalanche of bad publicity for the Palmers. Jason’s father, Jack Palmer, at one point aspired to become President. He was well into campaign season as a front runner for the Republican nomination when he suffered a serious heart attack. Since then, his mother, an oedipal nightmare from that sounds of things, poured all of her hopes into her spoiled son.”
“I get it,” Tom said, draining his beer. He’d have to order another after hearing this story. It was hard to believe that such high-level intrigue had found its way to their farm. “So where is the ex-fiancé, this Jason character, in all of this?”
“It’s hard to say. If I had to guess, I’d say that the entire family is in on it with the mother in the driving seat. They’ve been putting pressure on Lucy’s family business in the States too.”
“So, they’ve managed to track her down and now are busy putting the squeeze on her from all sides. I have to tell you that these Palmer people teamed with Hans Bekker is not an appealing prospect.” Tom looked pensive.
“Josh, I’ve known you all my life. Are you sure that Lucy is telling you everything? These situations always have two sides. Do you think there could be anything she’s hiding from you?” He cleared his throat. “I’m not trying to sow doubt, it’s just that the entire future of Mountain Shadows could be at stake.”
“She’s been honest with me and owned up to her role in this mess. She blames herself for the most part. If she’s guilty of anything, it’s speaking truth to power. And we all know how dangerous that can be.”
“Where is she now?” asked Tom.
“Off to Cape Town for a few days. She is attending an educators conference.”