Page 66 of Grit
Manny said, “I might have to make an appointment with the Yokuts council to see what they think about this.”
“I think that’s a great idea.”
“Thanks, Melissa.” Manny held out his hand and turned his voice recorder off.
“Thank you. We really appreciate the coverage.”
“So your last name is Rhodes now, right?”
“Yes. My late husband was a Rhodes.”
“I was really sorry to hear about that.” Manny put his recorder in his backpack. “I remember that accident, but I didn’t realize that was your husband. What do you think he’d think about all this?”
Melissa shook her head. “He’d be appalled. He loved Oakville. Loved the hills and Jordan Valley.”
Manny squinted. “I was talking about the Rhodes family and JPR Holdings.”
Melissa froze. “What about them?”
Manny’s eyes went wide. “Oh my God. Do you not know?”
Self-preservation took over. “Manny, are we off the record here?”
Manny spread his arms out. “Dude. You danced with me at senior prom when everyone else was ignoring me. I’m not gonna be biased, but I’m not looking to ambush you.”
“I had a feeling that they knew something because Abby recognized the guy they sent to the council meeting, but honestly, my in-laws and I don’t have the best relationship. So no, I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
Manny scratched his chin. “Shit. So… I did some digging to find out who were the actual owners of JPR Holdings because it sounded dodgy to me, and I thought it might be an angle.”
“Is it?”
He shook his head. “Not really. It’s just a bunch of different people. Nothing even close to illegal. The guy who actually bought the property put it together once he realized ranching wasn’t a weekend sport, you know? He decided to develop it, and he went looking for investors.”
“Where do the Rhodeses come in?”
“Kind of on the ground floor. They know the guy and were some of the first people involved.” Manny grimaced. “I hate to tell you this, but all in all, your in-laws own about a quarter of the company that’s trying to turn Jordan Valley into houses.”
Melissa waslivid when she showed up in Kettleman City later that afternoon to pick Abby up. She gritted her teeth, smiled, and waited until her bouncing daughter had bounced herself into the truck.
Then she approached Greg. “You’re part of JPR Holdings.”
His eyes narrowed. “Yes, we are.”
“Why would you do this?” Melissa no longer had any fucks to give. “Why would you do this to Abby? You know how Calvin felt about our ranch. Do you really think money you don’t need is worth this? What’s the game plan? Make us so miserable we want to leave and move to the coast?”
Greg’s smile was patronizing. “Not everything is about you, Melissa.”
“Bullshit. This is definitely about me. About me and Calvin refusing to be under your thumb. About us choosing to raise Abby in Oakville instead of near you. Well, I can tell you one thing, it’s not going to happen. This Allen Ranch thing? It’s dead. My mother and I—”
“Wrong.” Greg’s smile never left his face. “You and your mother aren’t going to do a damn thing to oppose this. In fact, you’re going to dissolve the little protest committee you have going. I want you to make it happen.”
Melissa was incredulous. “Are you nuts? Why do you think you have any right to—”
“I have every right.” His voice rose. “You’re going to shut up about Allen Ranch, Melissa. You’re going to shut right the hell up or I’m going to call in the note. And I know you don’t have an extra seventy-five thousand dollars to pay us back. Not yet.”
Her chin rose. “We have a contract. Calvin drew it up. He didn’t trust you either.”
That stung Greg—she could see it in his eyes—but his smug smile never wavered. “My son was brilliant. Far too brilliant to have married you. You’re right. You did have ten years. That ten years is up.”
