In the Southfork study Ellie, sitting on the edge of the desk, listens to an account by Paul to cap the oil leak in the gulf. She turns to Mateo, “And?”
“Well no one is doubting sabotage but we’re still looking into who.”
“Who do we have?”
“Aleksey Potanin, chief investor in Dellos Investments, Russian Oligarch.....” She cut him off by holding out her hand. He places in it a thick file folder.
She sets it on the desk and says, “Hit him hard.”
“In the making.”
“My Aunt Antonia?”
“Her money was in a trust over seen by an very easy to get at man.”
“And you got at him?”
“She’s broke. Nothing left but the clothes on her back. The word’s spreading now that she’s tainted. Any help will illicit the anger of her enemies.”
“Which are said to be?”
“The Russian mafia out of New York.”
“Good. Let’s see how she does in a homeless shelter, the little bitch. Jesse Amos?”
“An x-boyfriend called him up to whisk him away for a weekend of debauchery.”
“I don’t want him back here.”
“He’ll be lucky to remember his name afterwards”
Paul says, “Is that the guy Steven’s seeing?”
Ellie answers, “He’s Jeb Amos’s son. And Jeb’s Potanin’s bitch. To dangerous to have around here.”
“Does Steven know you’ve sent him away?”
“What we discuss in this room is only known to those in this room. So consider this a test.”
Ellie walks through the grounds of a lush condo complex to the club house and then the pool. Ryan comes walking up out of the water. “Miss Ellie.”
“Dr. Evans.”
“Please, Ryan. What brings you here?”
“Lovely complex.”
“Shopping for a condo?”
“No. I wanted to thank you in person for taking care of my brother and my father’s wife.”
Drying himself off. “Of course. Most family members don’t come to my home to thank me.”
“Most family members aren’t Ewing’s.”
“This is true. I do find your family interesting.”
“I hope that’s a good thing.”
“It is. They seem very tight knit. And, I don’t have a family so to see one as close as yours. Well. I hear you all live together.”
“On the same ranch, most of us, yes. My uncles live else where, a few cousins, a couple brothers. Live elsewhere. But most of us live on Southfork.”
“Must be nice.”
“I suppose it is. Never thought of it otherwise. Lucy’s always trying to get her brother and sister to visit. She remodeled the old Henderson house on the property for them. They visit, often. So does Lucas’s sister, Margret, she stays with him. Supposedly she’s going to retire to Southfork. She’s a D.C. lobbyist. And two of my brothers stay in the main house when they visit. Christopher’s the only one who’s never around, and his father, my Uncle Bobby.”
“I see.” Ryan watches her babble and smiles.
“I’m sorry. You don’t even know all these people.”
“No. Please continue. It’s interesting.”
“You’re very young to be a neurosurgeon, aren’t you?”
“I graduated from college before most graduate from high school.”
“Oh I see. That’s impressive.”
In the hospital John Ross sits with Pamela, laying unconscious in a hospital bed.
Outside the room a doctor says to Jack, “I know this isn’t a good time for this news, but your father should start chemo again, right away. It’s still early. We can fight this and win. Get him back into remission. But we can’t wait.”
Lucy walks into the hospital cafeteria and sits across from Ryan. “You always eat alone.”
“Is that a question?”
“An observation.”
“From one observation you deduct always?”
“No of course not. What’d your mother say about me?”
“You’re not the sweet little southern bell you pretend to be.”
“Well since your mother’s not the genteel northern debutante she portrays, I guess she’d know.”
“Yes she would.”
“So I’ll be honest with you Ryan. I’ve raised Ellie like she was my own daughter. Her mother died after childbirth. Jack’s mother went to prison and Steven’s mother, well. That’s left me to help my cousin raise them. Jack was such a sweet young boy growing up. Just my little hints about Amy Anderson were enough. They’ve been happily married for some time. Steven’s proven more challenging to be coaxed. But Ellie. Well you don’t coax her into anything. And finding the right man has been a challenge.”
“And you think I’m him.”
“Yes I do. So I was thinking you would come over for dinner this evening. Ellie’s dealing with some bad news about her father. It’ll just be a small gathering. Her father won’t even be there. Now that Pamela’s out of danger, thanks to you, he’s goin’ ta go hide out in the woods. He calls it hunting.”
“I’m happy there doesn’t appear to be any lasting damage. But I still should be keeping a very close eye on her.”
“I agree but I think I they both needed to get away.”
Up in a tree, in a deer blind, Pamela cuddles with John Ross wrapped up in several blankets.
