Grey Skies in Mourning

© 2010 Mr. David R. Dorrycott

Chapter Eight

Candor Ranch turned out to be on the opposite end of the valley from March Field. Far enough from March Field that the aircrafts noise was inaudible, though Nikki knew that if they built a studio here that the Base Commander would quickly be getting complaints of joyriding pilots buzzing filming. All young pilots were full of themselves, she would just have to satisfy herself with skinning a few of them every class to stop the game. Charlene drove up to the main gate and stopped, blowing the cars horn four short blasts then turning the engine off.

“Yes I’ve been here before, the Candor’s are huge fans of the Petunia series and I’ve spent a few weeks out here before I Jean and I ended up a couple. Four short blasts means a friendly visitor, I shut off the engine because it will take at least ten minutes for anyone to get here, more likely twenty so we just relax.” Saying so the vixen slouched down in her seat and closed her eyes.

Instead of relaxing the mare stepped out, looking at the landscape around her as behind her the cars rear door opened and a white furred arctic fox followed, tightly woven chain mail armor covering her torso. Taking out the cars road map Nikki opened it, letting it flutter a bit in the light wind as she made sense of where she was. They were, she decided, up against the San Bernardino National Forest and looked to be at least twenty miles from Redlands city limits but close enough to be useful. There was also an active train line to Redlands that might be extended to aid the movement of heavy and bulky items.

Though they were far from the ocean Nikki liked the place, there seemed to be fresh water and with the National Park on one border there wouldn’t be a problem with homes suddenly building in that area. The only thing she didn’t like was something Charlene had called ‘Sundown laws.’ Many cities in California, Glendale being a prime example, had laws that all blackfurs had to be out of the city limits by sundown and that angered the mare. What difference was a persons fur color to do with who they were? Nikki herself was pure thoroughbred Spanish blood directly from Sevilla, her fur just happened to be black as was most thoroughbreds from that city so she herself wasn’t blackfur as the American’s labeled it. Still many American’s seemed to classify her as blackfur upon sight before even speaking to her, if they lowered themselves enough to even do that.

A sound of hooves on earth caught her attention some time later and turning towards the sound she found herself staring at an interesting figure. Upon a great black horse, one just as black as herself rode an old goat wearing a sombrero. He was smoking a long stemmed pipe and appeared to have all the time in the world. Though he was riding slowly his great stallion quickly ate up the distance, arriving at the gate only seconds after Charlene woke from her little nap.

“There is no danger in this place” Illie whispered from behind Nikki, “We are safe here.” She had spoken in her still halting Spontoonie, not yet knowing more than a handful of words in English.

Slipping out of the car Charlene ran to the gate, her skirt flying about her. “Mr. Candor, you didn’t have to come yourself” she called as she reached the gate. “Where are Jose and Carlos?”

“In San Bernardino, ‘splinin to tha Judge why they done put down the Righteous brothers. Boys were rustling cows, when Jacob challenged ‘dem thay shot him so Jose and Carlos returned tha favor. Only tha better shots.”

“Is Jacob all right?” Charlene asked, genuine concern in her voice.

“Boy will be don bout ah month Doc says, buh he’ll live. Already talked tah tha sheriff. Can’t move fer another week thou. This yer Spanish woman?” he finished.

“This is Mrs. Benevedo yes sir. Her family is from the Fillypines, Mrs. Benevedo is partner with a native woman in Spontoon. They have a cargo and tourist flying business on Casino Island.”

“Si” the man said, then launched into a fast paced line of pure Spanish.

Nikki waited until he had finished, then in her best high society voice answered in even purer Spanish. “We are here because Miss Van Pug Pug thought that I may be interested in purchasing some of your land to begin a movie production studio sir, not to start a cock fighting or bull fighting arena. Such things turn my stomach, I have no love of blood sports” she explained most politely to the elderly man.

Candor smiled. “It is rare those who know the pure Spanish. Please, come in and be welcome. Your white furred companion?”

“Is a bodyguard, loaned to me by a close friend” Nikki explained returning to English.

“Ah yes, this day one must be careful” Candor agreed. “Every little boy thinks all is for taking. Beautiful women as you are, body guard a must.”

“Your English?” Nikki asked.

“You are welcome guests, not people to steal what little I own. We have tea, cool and iced.” He swung the gate wide open, allowing Charlene’s car to drive through a few minutes later then just as carefully shut and locked it behind him after she had passed. In minutes the three women were in a covered courtyard, Mr. Candor spreading a map of his land out on a separate table as a maid went to the kitchen to prepare their drinks.

“As can see” he explained, pointing to colored lines on the map. “I plan to deed this western finger land to American Forest people. They ask for many times, I will take their offer I think then maybe return to Spain. It keep cities from advancing further.”

“That is a very good idea sir, it cuts your land out of any possible expansion as it leaves only one road for access and that one no more than two lanes wide. I see that you have broken your land into four more parts sir” Nikki noted, “Which do you hope to sell to us?” She was speaking in her best English, occasionally lapsing into Spanish when such was needed.

“Ah, center section” the goat answered. “Son’s want these lands here to East. They play often there, want build homes, live with wives there.”

“I see that the center section has your home, they do not wish the home as well?” Nikki asked. “I certainly would want my birth home if nothing more than to render it safe from those who would damage it for fun.”

Shrugging the goat held his hands out as if in supplication. “I not understand either Senora. It is the largest piece yet they want only small land, thirty acres each to raise children away from white mens influence I think.”

Charlene had been running the numbers using Candor’s map scale as a rough number. “Seven hundred dollars an acre and you told me my last visit that you were selling 640 acres in a near square. I have gone over our finances Senor Condor, it is much much more than we have. Could we perhaps make a deal for less land?”

Smiling the goat leaned back in his chair, studying the very attractive vixen sitting across from him. Without turning his eyes away he spoke to Nikki. “She is already taken yes?” he asked in Spanish.

“Very much, she marries soon. Why do you ask sir” the mare replied in faultless Spanish.

“No cock fighting ring, no bull ring you have said.” The goat licked his lips, his mind elsewhere. “You will give your word to buy her serial rights, put out at least one a year until I die?”

Nikki raised an eyebrow, pointedly looking at Charlene who nervously looked back. “That I would happily put in writing sir, the series is hugely popular after all.”

“Then I will sell you the land at one hundred dollars American, and a real kiss from Miss Pug-Pug before she becomes?”

“Mrs. Ulrich” Nikki answered. “But why? Your land is so obviously worth so much more than a mere hundred dollars an acre.”

“Those who want to buy want to dig for gold, no gold this land, we look for long time find nothing, want place for rich to hunt, want to make private this or that. Want to ‘develop.’ You want turn into film studio, that mean most land remain wild. Adventure films, cowboys film even serial films. You make best use of land without crushing it, that is why I do this. With another provision, wife and I live here, until we die. Buried here.”

“Then I add a provision” Nikki countered, amused at Charlene’s confusion, her Spanish was limited to rote sentences, material in her scripts that she learned to speak phonically without understanding exactly what the words meant. “That you, your wife and your home appear in some movies, to which you will be paid well.”

Mr. Candor smiled widely. “Maybe her serial once?”

“I will put pen to paper on that” Nikki agreed. “Deal?”

“Deal” the old man agreed.

Nikki turned to look at Charlene and shook her head no. “To think that Sand would be so valuable” she told her companion, emphasizing the word Sand to trigger Charlene’s training. Seeing Charlene slip into that personality at her words both pleased and in a way disappointed the mare. Sometimes she went too far, with this vixen she had barely stopped in time. “Charlene’ she continued, pleased when the vixen slipped out of Sands mind set. “Petunia has just helped us purchase six hundred and forty acres of land for the sum total of $64,000 dollars and some agreements. One of those being that he and his wife appear as extras in a future Petunias Perils serial, another being that one Charlene Van PugPug gives Mr. Candor a toe curling roll down the socks kiss.”

“You are joking” the vixen replied. “I like Mr. Candor but he is married and I am engaged as you recall. Then there is his wife to consider.”

“Mr. Candor?” Nikki asked, “Your wife?” It was after all an important question and did need to be addressed. Should Mrs. Candor disagree not only would it cause bad blood between the two, it would nix what was becoming an unbelievable deal.

Smiling the old goat stood. “Por favor, un momento” he said softly before vanishing into the kitchen. Nikki just looked to Charlene and shrugged, neither knew what to expect after all. Within minutes a portly doe, apparently the family dam, came in ahead of Mr. Candor.

“I Mrs Candor” she said in greeting. “You need what please?”

Quickly Nikki explained, using the Spanish that bound all three. At first Mrs. Candor was upset, sell her land for so little? Then as the agreement was explained she began smiling. To appear in some films as extras, perhaps even with speaking lines. Live here until she died then be buried in her own place? All this changed the doe’s opinion of the deal for as with her husband she both loved h land and movies. Then Nikki hesitated, and in the hesitation Mr. Candor explained about the kiss.

For a few seconds Mrs. Candor stood silent, a potential bomb with a very short fuze, then she started laughing. “Sí, puede besar a su” trhe doe managed through her laughter. “una sola vez” she continued, making her way back to the kitchen where her laughter continued.

“She is amused” Nikki noted, still speaking Spanish.

“To me I am her little boy sometimes” the goat admitted, looking at Charlene who was still sitting and still somewhat confused. She did though have a good idea that she was going to be kissing that old goat soon.

Finally Nikki relented and explained the doe’s answer to her vixen companion. “One time only” she explained. “Two and she chases us out with a frying pan.”

“Ah, the things I do for my future wife” the vixen stage whispered as she stood. Walking up to the goat she gave him a come hither smile, a smile he took as invitation.