Chapter 22: War Council

Reese and Buck, battered and bruised but healing, returned to the Yankee Girl where they assured themselves that Gran, Diane, and Melody were rested and feeling okay, not suffering or complaining of any emotional depression or fears.

“You’ve had some pretty rough experiences,” Reese said. “Gran’s run-in with our kidnappers was extremely serious. But she came through, far beyond what anyone expected. She saved herself, Buck, and Lucella. Gran, you feeling unsettled about taking out those two kidnappers?”

Gran nodded, glancing down at her hands. She was having counseling sessions with Diane who also worked with little Lucella (Bug) to ease her nightmares of being captured by the bad mans.

He glanced around at the family group, five adults gathered at the small conference table in his private downstairs office. The kids, three teens and one preschool age, were in the recreation room playing video games or reading.

“Buck and I have discussed this and we’ve decided it’s time to bring you three into our corporate circle, to let you know that there is more to the Yankee Girl enterprise than what you’ve seen here. Do any of you have suspicions or questions that you’ve hesitated to ask before now?

Gran nodded. “I’ve suspected that you two carry more weight — more influence with more contacts — than two ordinary mine owners. Am I right?”

Buck touched her hand and nodded.

Diane spoke up. “I don’t see any mining going on here. Are you doing any? Are these claims still active gold-bearing placer mines? And why aren’t there any workers here? I haven’t seen either of you going off to work. Do you?”

Reese and Buck grinned at each other, and Reese shook his head ‘no’ and began to explain.

“First, I must ask the three of you to promise that nothing we tell you will leave this room, ever! No exceptions! Very, very few people know what we’re about to tell you and what I and Buck — who is my business partner as well as my closest friend — have guarded all our lives. Do I have a solemn promise from each of you? Gran? You first.”

Gran nodded her head.

“Melody, do you understand? Do you agree?”

Melody looked fearful. “Does this involve anything illegal or shady, or something I’d be worried about?” Her voice faded and she wrung her hands, half afraid of the possible answer.

“Absolutely not,” Buck replied. “We have always operated within the law, and beyond that we have a pretty strict code of personal ethics. I promise that we’re not involved in anything outside the law, the laws of this country, or the laws of the several other countries we’re involved in.”

At that several other countries statement, all three women looked sharply at Buck.

“Diane, you’ve known me for most of our lives. Do you have any reservations?” Reese asked.

“No, Reese. I trust you. And I promise never to reveal what we’re told. Do we need to sign non-disclosure agreements?”

“No. For a family group, I think that would be counter-productive. We must live and work together on a basis of trust and commitment, or it won’t work. You came into our lives here at Yankee Girl for intensely personal reasons. We’ve shared some life-altering experiences. So you’ll understand when I say that I’m moved to trust all of you without question.

“First, Buck is a fifth-generation owner of Yankee Girl Enterprises, and half owner. I am a sixth-generation owner, surviving my parents. I inherited their share when they were killed. Yankee Girl Enterprises is a privately-held corporation, incorporated under Idaho law in 1869. It has operated continuously under Adams-Buckmaster ownership ever since.

“Four years later, in 1872, our forebears opened mining explorations in northern Mexico. Over the decades, Yankee Girl has developed or purchased and expanded a succession of lead, silver, nickel, and gold properties in the Sierra Madre range in that region, principally in the Mexican state of Sonora.

“The first wives, two Spanish women whom Abner Adams and Woodrow Buckmaster had rescued from bandit treachery, were the Yankee Girl links to the Obregon and Ochoa families. Our Mexican investments were family partnerships, later expanding into mineral interests in Central and South America.

“To date, we are heavily invested in five countries on two continents. We have a central office in Mexico City to manage and service our holdings. All of our management and accounting operations are based there. Buck and I, as principal owners, receive weekly reports and if necessary we are in daily contact via secure satellite connections here.”

“So that explains the two satellite dishes on the equipment garage roof!” Gran said.

“Yes. Those are communications links, encrypted end-to-end for obvious reasons,” Reese said.

“Another issue, one that will reinforce our concerns and our demand for secrecy, is our ancestral connection to mainland China. Our namesake founding ancestors, Abner and Woodrow, were benevolent employers and sponsors of Chinese laborers during the early years of the Yankee Girl claims.

“Mostly unknown to them, their wives, Maria Ochoa and Elena Obregon, were enlisted in a Chinese investment network by their healer and friend, Soo Lin, a Chinese business woman in pioneer Ketchum. The wives sent gold to Soo Lin, who sent it on to Chinatown associates in San Francisco. Apparently, according to family diaries, they did much good with it both in social and in desperately-needed relief work, as well as in land and business investments in California and in China. We have documented proof that the Yankee Girl name and reputation is held in high regard in a certain region of China. In fact, Yankee Girl Enterprises sends a generous donation each year in the name of Lee Wong to a Chinese provincial charitable trust.

“Lee Wong was rescued by Abner and Woodrow from a near-death whipping in the Wood River valley by a slave-keeping miner. He soon became the lead foreman at the Yankee Girl diggings, and later a working partner. In his old age he offered his share back to the Yankee Girl partnership. Instead, before he died, Abner and Woody had their corporate lawyers draw up a permanent charitable agreement in Lee Wong’s name to honor him among his descendants in his homeland.”

“So what became of Soo Linn, the healer and investment conspirator?” Gran asked.

Buck cackled. “She became rich! So rich that she returned to San Francisco and became the Veiled Queen of San Francisco’s China town. She ruled from her gilded towers there. Very little got done in that city without Soo Linn’s touch or influence. She was quite old when she arrived there but in a few short years she was a powerful behind-the-scenes player, socially and politically, according to Abner’s journals.”

“As for their wives, well ... Abner and Woody wisely deferred to their wives’ judgments and actions. In truth, they knew about the conspiracy but they trusted that every last grain of gold dust was going to honorable use. In fact, it did much good wherever it went. The links of the extended Obregon and Ochoa clans proved to be a force for increased economic development in northern Mexico and later in the southern continent investments.

“And that’s enough history for now. You’re welcome to read the early-day journals if you wish. But I warn you. You’ll discover that truth often is stranger than fiction!” Buck grinned.

“That rifle, that gleaming antique weapon resting on the pegs above the fireplace with the polished brass dedication plate engraved with Abner Adams’ name ... that rifle is ... it’s authentic? It actually was owned ... and used by your ancestor?” Diane asked.

“Yes,” Reese answered. “It’s one of the most amazing stories in his earliest journal. I sometimes go back and read it and I feel ... I feel a real connection to him. I hope you will read it. You’ll better understand just what kind of man he was, who they both were, their courage, their kindness and generosity.”

“So,” Gran said after a long moment of silence, “if I may ask, how much is all of this worth? How much money do you two owners have?”

“Gran, I hesitate to answer that,” Buck said, softly squeezing her hand. “I don’t know if your old heart could take the shock!” he grinned.

“Spit it out, you old coot!” she glared at him. “I’ll take my chances. I already figured I’d not be marrying a pauper if he ever got up the gumption to ask, but I’d like to know if we could afford a luxury cruise or two?”

“Gran, if you marry me, and later today we’ll take a walk and I’ll propose properly, you should know that I could write a bank draft to buy the cruise line, the ships, and assume the payroll for their crews. And then I’d go on to buy any chalet or villa in every port you’d like to visit. Just for starters.”

Gran’s mouth fell open, her eyes wide: “You sneakin’ old man! You’re foolin’ with me now, right?”

Reese grinned. “If Buck could do that — and I’m here to testify that he could do that and a whole lot more — I’m half owner with my own share! What do you think I could do?”

All three women stared, their heads on swivels looking between themselves and back and forth between Buck and Reese who sat there grinning. Finally, Diane came to her senses and stared long and hard at Reese.

“Did your family always have that kind of wealth?”