Ed Nelson [Nelson - Third Time Is a Charm

The Richard Jackson Saga

Book 7: Third Time is a Charm

By Ed Nelson

This is dedicated to my wife Carol for her support and help as first reader and editor.

Also the BHS class of 1962 just because.

That is exactly how it happened, give or take a lie or two.

James Garner as Wyatt Earp describing the gun fight at the OK Corral in the movie Sunset.

Copyright September 2019 by E. E. Nelson

Eastern Shore Publishing

7545 Lovey Lane

Parsonsburg, MD 21849

No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage retrieval systems without written permission from the author, e xcept for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, organizations, places, events, and incidents are either products of the authors imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.

Contents

Chapter 1

I had to hit the ground running Monday, well not actually hit the ground, but I had a very busy day ahead and had to get moving. Up at five, I still did not beat Ben Carpenter to the stables. Bob had been told of Bens coming on board so there was no surprise.

Bob acted relieved to be going back to the ranch. I think all the socializing he had to do was getting to him. Though I must say his nods were more at ease than they had been. I dont think he was quite the introvert he thought he was. Why he had a three second nod last night, and it had a little side-ways bob to it. Neat, Bob was bobbing his head.

I hate Mondays!

Anyway, before I even started my run I oversaw the hand over from Bob to Ben. Bob explained the daily routine to Ben. I found out Bob had been holding out. He could speak full sentences. Last night Dad had tipped Bob one hundred dollars for his efforts so that might have helped his mood.

Ben and Bob had a good conversation about each of the horses. I understood about half of that and learned a few things along the way. The horses had been vaccinated for strangles last month so they should be good for a year with the usual precautions, they had been dewormed before leaving the ranch so they would be due next month, and none of them had the laminitis stance.

I pretended to know what they were talking about, but I dont think I fooled anyone. I finally broke down and asked questions. Turned out strangles is distemper, all horses need deworming on a regular basis depending on the climate and laminitis which results in sore feet and hunching of the back was from too much grain. Good to know.

A last instruction was to watch out that Mary didnt over feed Misty. Misty would let Mary get her so fat her belly would drag on the ground.

After that short education Bob and I helped Ben move his things into the apartment above the stable. Bob had his truck all packed and ready to go, with a sharp nod he headed out. It was a nice nod, saying, Hey, I enjoyed this, you arent too bad for a bunch of city slickers, lets do this again some time, and if youre out my way look me up.

Well at least that is what I thought it meant. At long last I was able to go on my morning run. I saw the sprained ankle couple and waved. I couldnt remember their names.

Breakfast was busy. First Dad reminded me that we had a full business review at the office on Thursday. Then Mum informed us that Sybil and Popeye would be arriving tomorrow and staying through Saturday. They would be going to Boeing with them on Wednesday.

Next was Susan Wallace who had joined us in response to the beach party news, but I had to talk to her about Dennis anyway.

Our first discussion was about the tabloids and Alice. Pictures were everywhere. I loved the one that identified her as a Hungarian Princess that was incognito. I wondered if Hungary had Princesses anymore.

Susan told me that I would pay for that. The tabloids were a vengeful bunch. I wasnt too worried. It wasnt as though I were courting public opinion as if I were running for office.

Sometimes things work out, the phone rang and Mrs. Hernandez answered it with her usual, Jackson House. It was for me, one of the tabloids competitors was on the line. They were one of the few that had not run the story. They wanted to know about the Hungarian Princess.

I explained that the other tabloid had made a terrible error; she was not a Hungarian Princess, but rather a Bulgarian Princess. They were excited by the chance to point out their competitors poor investigative reporting.

Susan was shaking her head the whole time.

You are going to have an alien love child by the time it is over.

Whats an alien love child, asked Mary.

I had an urgent need to go the bathroom so quickly left the table. I dont know what was said while I was gone, but Mary told me I was bad when I got back.

The truth about Alice she is a sixteen-year old sophomore at Hollywood High. Her last name is Liddell and her Dad is a key grip at MGM. I wouldnt mind getting to know her, but thought I would let things settle down, before I tried to contact her.

Next, I told Susan about how I had hired Dennis Lawson to be a publicist for Jackson Enterprises. I could see she looked uncomfortable when I started explaining things. It dawned on me that she was in charge of my acting publicity, which came under Jackson Enterprises.

Susan, it has just occurred to me that I havent thought this through very well. I do need someone to publicize the manufacturing side of Jackson Enterprise. While Dennis has a general business background, he really doesnt know the Publicity side of things. I should be offering you the position of Vice President of Publicity for all of Jackson Enterprises with Dennis reporting to you.

Rick you really have started a mess. Think about what I do, it is a very specialized form of marketing; Im marketing Richard Jackson the performing artist. Dennis will be bringing a higher visibility to the Jackson Enterprises brand. Do not confuse visibility with selling the product.

Think about it, companies publicly traded need visibility, so people will know about their products and services, so they will invest in the company. In your case you dont need that. What you need is marketing.

Since you have licensed out most of your inventions, the licensees perform the marketing. The only place you dont have marketing is the containerized shipping business. There you are the only game in town, so you dont have to market.

Cripes I see what you are saying. I have really screwed up. I shouldnt have hired Dennis, but I refuse to let him go. That would really mess up his life for my mistake.

Not my point at all. Yes, you have charged into this without thinking. So now figure out how to use Denniss talents in your business that achieves a win for everyone.

The whole family was sitting at the table listening to my latest faux pas. It was Mrs. Hernandez who spoke up in Spanish, What about your Dads newspapers?

Talk about a lifeline. None of the adults sitting at the table spoke Spanish, but of course my brothers and sisters did. They all made positive sounds.

I asked Dad if he needed a business editor for his papers. He thought for a moment.

Rick, my papers are local papers, same for the TV and radio stations. The only business news they carry is local. Anything other than that comes off the wire.

Could you use someone to expand coverage?

That was not in the business plan. Im not opposed to it, but Im not sure if we can recover the cost.

Its my error, what if I cover the cost of starting a business news department which provides stories for all of your outlets?

Susan spoke up, Rick your creative mind is getting ahead of itself again. First Dennis could provide print stories for the papers with no problems. That is his background. Im not aware of anyone providing the same services on air, other than snippets when a major company has a breakthrough, or a problem.