Gatekeeper's Secret
Copyright© 2026 by Fick Suck
Chapter 44
“These travelers been treating us like country bumpkins, Claire,” Grady lamented as he summarized his trip to the gateway a few days later. For a hundred years, we’ve been accepting weapons without knowing they were weapons and second, not asking for a storage fee. This creature had the fee, but unless I mentioned it, he was going to keep it for himself.”
Claire tapped a button on her keyboard. “I’m not sure of the term ‘country bumpkin’, sir, but I surmise you are referring to ignorance and naivete. Yes, some have been taking advantage. However, others have not. We could speculate that your financial portfolio could be exponentially one to the tenth larger than it is, but your ability to live well and create a secure facility for these weapons is well within reach of your capacity. Where is the demarcation line between greed and sound financial capacity?”
“Financial capacity,” Grady said, mulling the term. “I forgot to tell you that Linh has decided that the house needs new furniture and Jessica volunteered to lead the search. I’m going to be sleeping in the barn for the next six months, I know it.”
“Changes are occurring throughout your holdings, sir,” Claire said. “Upset is a common reaction when one is driven by intellect instead of instinct alone. Good consequences: The basement was poured and as of yesterday, set. They will start building my accommodation tomorrow. Some of the mechanicals have been delivered. I stored them in the second shed, after having all the old equipment pulled out of there.
“Other consequences: There is a long list of tasks and decisions concerning the ongoing installation of the geothermal power plant, the new West County building, your new cable company manager, and your business venture with Mr. Trang. While your investment in the reorganized Paramount Group has been shunted to your accountant, Maddy has another list of questions she submitted last week. The timeline for your new facility to store non-weapons for trade is rapidly reaching its active phase.
“Bad consequences: To be frank, this accumulation of tasks is compromising my work on the inventory.”
“The weather is dry and I’m drowning,” Grady said. “Recommendations?”
“Your friend, Darla, sir,” Claire began when Grady immediately protested.
“Sir, your impulsiveness is shining through,” Claire responded. “My recommendation is not the young woman, but her mother. She presently executes the administrative work of her husband’s business and will soon be redundant.”
“I thought she was still mad at me for letting Darla and Randy use my house for doing-the-dirty. I’m untrustworthy in her eyes.” He poured more iced tea in his glass. Since Linh had shown him how to make sun tea and how to change up the flavors from the different mason jars, he was more amendable to giving up his beloved soda.
“Sir, I determined that the discomfort was based on her reaction at the time of discovery of their liaison,” Claire said, sipping her own tea. “I was not there, but the repercussions are still perceivable. Since you converse well with Mr. Jenkins, this may be an opportunity for repairing the relationship.”
“I’ll have to take her for a ride up to the gateway stones, which would be awkward,” Grady said.
“Let Ms. Jessica make the invitation to ride,” Claire said. “Really, you are making excuses at this point.”
“This entire project is getting too big with too many people, Claire. My grandparents managed with one employee.” Grady stood up and paced around the kitchen, poking his nose in cabinets and opening the refrigerator, but taking nothing out.
“Jedidiah and Zechariah before him nearly blew up the ranch or even the planet because of their ignorance, sir. From my seat, you are acting responsibly. The need for secrecy adds delays and layers of complexity, but adding staff will overcome the worst of these new obstacles, challenges, decision nexuses. You are also adding employment slots, which you have argued in the past is the best way to give back to the community and ensure its future.”
“I want to be nineteen years old, and I want to be unreasonable,” Grady said. “I want permission to do stupid shit and make an ass of myself. I want to throw temper tantrums, act like an asshole, and get regrettably stupid drunk. I’m sick and tired of adulting.”
Grady threw his glass against the wall, watching it shatter. “If I bring Darla’s mother on board, she’s going to sit right where you’re sitting and judge me for acting my age. I like my age, and I don’t want to be anything other than my age. I don’t want her judgments.”
“A reasonable argument, sir. The glass – not so much. If this person will not do, then let us find someone who can act as your operations chief in a manner that compliments your own work. Who shall we ask that may know possible candidates?”
Grady pulled the broom and dustpan from the laundry room as he thought about who he could call. He had asked Maddy if she had a younger sister, but she had dismissed his inquiry with a smirk and a scoff. Still, she had helped him write and post his ad for a cable manager. Even though the process took months, the new manager and her two children had moved to town and begun to settle into the job.
Grady whipped out his phone, noting the worn spots on the case, “Maddy, I’ve got another job opening to fill. Oh. What’s the matter?” Grady sat down in the living room as he listened to her somber story of applying for partner in the firm and in the end, being turned down. When he asked her what her plans were, she admitted the rejection was this past week and she was still raw. “Pardon my indelicate question, but how much were they paying you?”
Grady listened as she mentioned her benefits and little perks. When she finally mentioned her salary, he blurted out, “Shit, Maddy, come work for me and add $100,000 to that number. No, I’m not kidding. I joke about all sorts of crap, but not someone’s livelihood. I only got one question.”
“What’s that?” she said.
“Can you ride a horse? Everybody who works for me must ride on the ranch. No matter what your position, you will need to ride. This is God’s country and there isn’t a better perk anywhere in the county.”
She snorted. “Are you being an asshole?”
Grady blew out a breath. “Maddy, I’m offering you the job and I mean it. Come out tomorrow to discuss terms. If you don’t know how, Jessica Witt or Brianna Coles are going to teach you how to ride. Wear loose fitting jeans, a brimmed hat, and cowboy boots, old, broken-in ones; 9:00, Maddy.”
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