Third Time Is a Charm Read online

  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, except 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 author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.

  Contents

  Title Page

  Dedication

  Copyright

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Chapter 25

  Chapter 26

  Chapter 27

  Chapter 28

  Chapter 29

  Chapter 30

  Chapter 31

  Chapter 32

  Chapter 33

  Chapter 34

  Chapter 35

  Chapter 36

  Chapter 37

  Chapter 38

  Chapter 39

  Chapter 40

  Chapter 41

  Chapter 42

  Chapter 43

  Chapter 44

  Chapter 45

  Chapter 46

  Chapter 47

  Chapter 48

  Chapter 49

  Chapter 50

  Chapter 51

  Chapter 52

  Chapter 53

  Chapter 54

  Chapter 55

  Chapter 56

  Chapter 57

  Chapter 58

  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 Ben’s 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 don’t 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 don’t 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 didn’t 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 aren’t too bad for a bunch of city slickers, let’s do this again some time, and if you’re 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 couldn’t 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 wasn’t too worried. It wasn’t 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.”

  “What’s an alien love child,” asked Mary.

  I had an urgent need to go the bathroom so quickly left the table. I don’t 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 wouldn’t 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 haven’t 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 doesn’t 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; I’m 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 don’t 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 don’t have marketing is the containerized shipping business. There you are the only game in town, so you don’t have to market.”

  “Cripes I see what you are saying. I have really screwed up. I shouldn’t 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 Dennis’s 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 Dad’s 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. I’m not opposed to it, but I’m not sure if we can recover the cost.”

  “It’s 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. I’m not aware of anyone providing the same services on air, other than snippets when a major company has a breakthrough, or a problem.”

  “So, we could set Dennis up as Business Editor for stories in the paper, then record radio programs with those stories and some discussion about them, do you think we could sell the programs to other stations?”

  “I don’t know Rick, you would have to have a sales and marketing group to handle that.”

  “Groan. Okay, Dad if I funded it would you let Dennis start running business related stories in the paper?”

  “I will Rick, but realize the cost is more than Dennis’s salary, it takes time to set type while the price of paper and ink in that quantity is not cheap.”

  “This is my error and I will pay for it. But I’m going to try to make lemonade out of this mess.”

  Susan asked, “What money have you offered Dennis?”

  When I told her there were groans around the table. Well Mary didn’t groan, she just got a calculating look. I think Mum and Susan would be facing some negotiating of their own with their miniature reporter.

  “Rick, what do you know about the pay scale at newspapers?”

  “Nothing.”

  “I don’t either, but I think you may have another problem.”

  Dad spoke up, “I know he has, I’ve just been through the budgets for all these operations. That is as much as or more than the top person at each paper. Then there is another issue. I’ve no doubt Dennis is a good reporter, based on the one big story he has got into print. That doesn’t mean he will be a good editor. An editor of a newspaper not only makes certain a story is well written, but that the story should be printed in the first place.”

  I hate Mondays.

  Mum threw in her thoughts. “Why don’t you tell everyone that you are looking at creating a new business unit? Assign a senior editor to review Dennis’s stories, but let him pick the stories to print. Send those stories out on AP or UP and see which ones are picked up. Those which are picked up, but don’t have a critical time factor about them can be used to create a package for radio stations. Since it is a special project that is being paid for by Rick it shouldn’t cause pay problems. Just be certain that Dennis knows not to discuss his salary.”

  Dad then built on it. “We can easily track the audience on the radio programming. The Nielsen rating service does that. If the ratings are good the stations do have advertising sales people in place. We will pick one of the better ones to pitch the program to other stations not in our broadcast area. If we get lucky maybe one of the networks will pick up the program.”

  Even Denny got into the act. Once that is going you can see if a show on nothing but business will work on TV. Maybe you could have a group of businessmen talk about one of Dennis’s articles.”

  I love my family.

  “Okay, Dad what would you have to do, to start Dennis up at the papers.”

  “Since I’m the owner I could force it down their throats, but I don’t like to work that way. Why don’t you come up with a presentation on how you would like to use a column on business to expand into the broadcast world?”

  “That sounds doable. Susan would you work with Dennis and me to come up with a presentation?”

  “Rick, I would love to, do you realize that your error may result in an entirely new business? I wouldn’t miss this for the world.”

  “Now I have to break the news to Dennis. Susan, I told him that you and I would meet him at my office this morning.”

  “Okay we will go directly there when we are finished eating.”

  “Mum change of subject. I need your help in finding a beach house on Huntington Beach. Nancy Katin helped me realize that I don’t know the first thing about selecting a house.”

  “It’s seems to be your day for education Rick.”

  “School work is so much easier than this life stuff.”

  “Bingo! Anyway, what are your concerns?”

  “Well Nancy put the question to me, was it a place to change clothes or a place to live?”

  “What was your answer?”

  “I would get back to her after talking to you.”

  “Good answer. I suggest you think of it in the long term. Do you want a shack to change clothes in, which inevitability you will treat as a shack or a place to live which you will take care of and that will have future value?”

  “Uh, that answers the question, doesn’t it?”

  “If money was the concern, no, but since it isn’t yes.”

  “Would you help me find a place?”

  “Rick how could you!”

  Oh, oh what have I done now?

  “I’m sorry Mum, shouldn’t I have asked.”

  She was laughing her head off. Well it didn’t fall off her shoulders or anything.

  “Ask a woman if she wants to go house hunting? You do have a lot to learn. Susan would you like to go with me?”

  “I would love to Peg.”

  Mary piped up, “Can I go to?”

  “Certainly dear.”

  I think I hate my family.

  “After we speak to Dennis this morning I have to pick up my dry cleaning and then I want to stop by the studio and talk to them about that fiasco Sock Hop.”

  When I mentioned the dry cleaner, there was absolutely no reaction from my parents. Their tradecraft was great. I would have to strive for that level.”

  At last the breakfast from Hell was over. Well to me it was Hell.

  Chapter 2

  As we were leaving Dad touched my arm and directed me into the library.

  “Rick, you did well, there was a problem you created, and then it was brought to your attention. You didn’t get defensive. Instead you faced it directly and recognized a solution, then accepted others help. The most important thing is you were concerned about the people involved not the cost.”

  I love my family. What a great day!

  Susan and I arrived at the office about the same time as Dennis. He had on a suit and tie for his first day on his new job. We settled into the conference room with coffee and a closed door. I introduced him to Susan and they made the obligatory noises. I then started to explain my problem to him.

  From the look on his
face I jumped ahead.

  “Oh, you have a job, just not the job I first had in mind.”

  You could see the relief wash across him.

  I then started over and explained what we had in mind.

  “Rick this is great, I was worried about the publicity end, I know nothing about it. The reporting is different. I think any reporter would give his eyeteeth for this opportunity.”

  “The pay stands as is. I would like you to consider Susan as a mentor. Even though she doesn’t know the reporting business, she certainly knows which buttons to push to get a story out there. I think you would be a formidable team.”

  Susan and I had discussed this and other possibilities in the car on the way down to the office so I hadn’t stepped into it again.

  I then had the embarrassing task of informing Jim Williamson of my error. However I tried to learn from my mistakes so I led off telling him there would be no changes in our planned raises but that we were taking a different direction with Dennis.

  He told me he wondered, but didn’t know if it was in his place to question my decisions. I informed him it was very much in his place. I also made a mental note that Jim was more of a yes man, than a no man and that I should keep that in mind when I had my brainstorms.

  Susan rode with me on to Chinatown. I asked her not to mention to my parents about the pay raises I had given. She grinned and asked me what it was worth to me. As I gaped at her she giggled.

  “Gotcha!”

  “Of course I won’t, it sounded like it was time for a series of increases anyway. I’m surprised the compensation committee on your Board of Directors didn’t address the issue.”

  I changed the subject.

  The stop at the dry cleaners was short. I had remembered my ‘tickee’ so I was prepared to hand it to the grandmotherly type at the counter. The beautiful Chinese girl at the counter may have been her granddaughter.

  She told me, “Bring some more clothes in for cleaning next Monday, there will be an envelope to pick up.”

  She smiled, winked at me and added; “Besides we need the business.”