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the-real-tc · 2 years

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Bad Business Chapter 2: For Better

Author's Note: Thanks for all likes and re-blogs so far, everyone! I appreciate the encouragement. Here's the next installment. Things are still relatively calm, as you'll see. This time we have a small side plot involving what I'd call Heartland magic, you know, that not quite true-to-life horse-healing stuff that's nevertheless entertaining (or at least I hope it is). While it may seem like nothing much is happening in this chapter, I can tell you it's laying a foundation, so pay close attention.

Special thanks to tnwalk7rach for her help with this chapter as she provided invaluable information. Any inaccuracies are solely my fault, as creative liberties were taken.

***

Chapter 2: For Better

"I'm so glad to get that announcement out of the way," Amy sighed after making sure Lyndy was tucked in safely for the night. "It was driving me crazy keeping it a secret. As it is, I think Lisa and Lou were getting a little suspicious."

"I'm relieved to get it out of the way, too," Ty said in agreement.

"You're not planning to bubble-wrap me again this time, right?" Amy said to her husband as they prepared for bed.

"Uh... No," Ty said, a grin creeping up on his lips. "I think I'm over that 'super-over-protective' phase."

"Well, good!" Amy said while sliding under the bedsheets. "Because bubble-wrap spooks the horses."

"Does it, now?"

"Mm-hmm," Amy replied with a mock-serious nod, brushing her fingertips across his chest. "Noise-sensitive equines could be set back weeks just by being exposed to the stuff. Snap-crackle-pop! Instant horse trauma."

"Now you're sounding like an old Rice Krispies cereal commercial," Ty said, snuggling in close to Amy. He rested his chin against her shoulder and brought an arm over her belly.

"Ty..." Amy began slowly.

"Hmm?"

"How would you feel about it if I decided to ride during this pregnancy?"

Ty hesitated before answering, leading Amy to believe he was not thrilled with the idea. "I think... if your Ob/Gyn says the risks are minimal, then I think you should follow her advice," he finally answered.

"You didn't really answer my question," she said.

"What do you mean?"

"Be honest: would you or would you not be okay with it if I got the all-clear?"

Ty inhaled sharply. He knew Amy was not trying to bait him, but he felt cornered, nevertheless. "Amy, I will always have your safety and that of our baby as my highest concern. But I know I can't bubble-wrap you. I don't want to be that guy who dictates everything his wife does because he's too insecure. If you want to ride this time around, then go for it."

"Okay," she said. "I'll see what the doctor says when I go in for my check-up."

"All right," he said agreeably, but to Ty's ears, his wife did not sound as if she fully believed him.

***

"Have I told you lately how proud I am of you?"

After donning one of Jack's old shirts that she had claimed for sleepwear, Lisa looked at her husband over her shoulder with a quizzical expression. "No. Why do you ask?"

"Tonight," Jack said, moving to stand close behind her so he could place his hands on her shoulders. "You didn't make a peep about being the reason why Scott can take on Cassandra as full partner at the vet clinic."

"Why should I have? It was a group decision," Lisa said, trying to deflect any praise.

"Mm-hmm," Jack murmured, bringing his lips to her cheek. "And who was it that brought the clinic to the group's attention in the first place?"

"Well, I may have suggested it," Lisa conceded. "And though I voluntarily abstained from the final vote, the rest of them still had to unanimously choose to support Scott."

"That could not have been an easy task with Dan Hartfield being involved," Jack grunted, trying without success to hide his personal disdain for the man.

"Actually, Dan helped convince the others," Lisa said. "Some of them were concerned there was too much of a personal interest on my part since Ty is family, after all. I pointed out Ty has his own practice at Heartland with Amy apart from the clinic, and Dan mentioned how much Scott has done for all of us in the horse business in Hudson."

"Really," Jack said dubiously.

"Yes. And you'll never guess who seconded the motion."

"Who?"

"Val Stanton."

"I have to say I had my misgivings when Dan roped the two of you into this," Jack said with a shake of his head, "but I admit I was wrong in this case. This little investors' group has been doing a lot of good."

Lisa did not reply immediately, but simply gave a cold, abstract "Mm-hmm."

Jack instinctively interpreted her chilly response to mean she was thinking once again about Lanny and Paige. "I heard about the reward the group is offering in the Barick murder case," he said quietly, lowering his hands from Lisa's shoulders to encircle her about the waist. "Your idea again?"

"No. Tanner Gunn's idea," Lisa answered, turning now so she could wrap her own arms around his frame as she leaned into his chest. "It was an easy decision to put up the reward money. After all, Lanny was one of the original members of the investors' group... That poor family..."

"Yeah," Jack said, now rubbing a gentle circle into Lisa's back. "I sure hope someone out there can provide answers."

"Me, too," Lisa said with a soft sigh. "You should have heard Paige's family at the memorial and press conference today, Jack. It's been a year, but the pain there is still so raw."

"I tell you, if someone had done that to Marion, I wouldn't have rested until her killer was brought to justice," Jack said passionately. "As it is, losing her in that auto accident wasn't easy, either. But it was an accident. It was something I could come to terms with, even if it wasn't fair."

"That must have been a terrible time for you. For all of you," Lisa murmured. "I wish I had known you then. I wish I could have been there for you."

"I know. But you're here now, and I'm grateful."

"I wish I had been able to meet her," Lisa said wistfully as they separated and climbed into the bed. "I knew about her only vaguely, which is really a shame."

"The two of you would have got along very well," Jack declared.

"Really? You think?"

"Why, sure. You love horses. Marion loved horses. She would have liked the way you treat your animals and staff at Fairfield."

"Would she have liked me—with you?" Lisa asked. It was a question that occasionally occurred to her, but had never found an opportunity to broach the topic with Jack.

"Oh, I don't think that would have been a problem for her," Jack said dismissively, pulling the covers over them both.

Lisa raised an eyebrow. "Having a step-mother younger than she was wouldn't have been strange?"

"'Strange'? Naw. She would have loved you, Lis. Where is this coming from all of a sudden?"

"Oh, I don't know. Just thoughts about family, I guess," Lisa said, lying back while Jack switched off his bedside lamp. "Amy's announcement... Things are going to be busy around here again with a new little person. I love my life with you and everyone else at Heartland. But sometimes, I wonder..."

"You wonder what it would be like if you'd had kids of your own," Jack said knowingly, inching nearer to her. Lisa slid readily into his arms, bringing her head to rest beneath his chin.

"Yeah," she whispered. "But then I think, if I had been able to carry the ones I lost to term, I think: I would want them to be exactly like the family I have, right now."

"Well, good," Jack said happily, kissing the top of her head. "Because I think if Marion had been able to choose the kind of woman to look after her children and grandchildren, she would have chosen someone exactly like you."

"Would she?"

"You love them as if they were your own," Jack said earnestly. "You've been able to do things for them I couldn't, and I'm not just talking about money."

"No?"

"All right, it's true you have spoiled them more than I ever could, but it goes beyond that. You're generous with your time, your advice, and your business expertise," Jack stated. "For example: If it wasn't for you, I might not have been convinced to let Lou have her Dude Ranch on the family property."

"And see how beautifully that turned out," Lisa said contentedly, instantly remembering a magical winter's night at that same Dude Ranch, cabins strung with bright lights, and the exchange of rings and vows.

"Yes, for the most part, you're right about that," Jack said with a soft chuckle, his mind also drifting back to the same winter's night, and the joys that followed since.

Sleep came easily to the happy couple, secure in each other's embrace.

***

Two Weeks Later

"So?"

"Dr. Hawthorn has given me the all-clear," Amy said as Ty opened the truck door for her. "She says everything looks good and it's okay for me to ride during the first trimester."

"That's good, Amy," Ty said, hoping he sounded genuine.

"It is," Amy said. "Now, are we ready to take on our latest client?"

"I think so," Ty said, as he started the truck.

"Great," Amy said with a smile while she buckled her seatbelt. "Because he's supposed to be arriving with his horses just after lunch."

Earlier that morning, Amy had received a call from a potential new client named Marvin Clancy about a case of foal rejection.

"Bring them to Heartland as soon as you can," Amy had advised. "My husband is a vet, so if there's something medically wrong with the mare, he can determine the issue. If it's something behavioural, I'll get to the bottom of it."

Now as the couple drove back home, they compared notes.

"Did you find out if it's a maiden mare?" Ty asked.

"No, but we can ask when Marvin arrives," said Amy.

"Okay," Ty said. "Is the mare showing any signs of aggression?"

"Fortunately, no," Amy answered. "Marvin told me she just won't let the little one suckle and seems to be fearful of it."

"Hmm," Ty murmured. "Could be a few things going on in this situation."

"Right," Amy said. "I can't wait for us to figure it out. We make a great team, Ty."

"I know," Ty said with a grin. "I love working with you at Heartland."

"I'm thinking it's probably still way too early for this foal to be weaned," said Amy, picking up their topic at hand.

"Yeah," Ty said. "I'm a little worried because it could be really difficult to find a surrogate on such short notice. If push comes to shove, we'll start a bottle-feeding regimen, obviously."

"You up for some late-night feedings, 'Dad'?" Amy teased.

"Practice for when Number Two arrives," Ty replied smartly, reaching over to rub Amy's belly.

"Good answer," Amy said, giggling at the ticklish sensation resulting from her husband's touch. "On a related note, I'm looking forward to having you as my birth partner this time around, Ty."

"What, your dad isn't your first choice? Didn't he do a good enough job last time?"

"Umm, let's not go there," Amy replied, rolling her eyes and laughing.

***

Due to the unusual circumstances of the mare's rejection of her foal, Marvin Clancy was obliged to trailer them separately.

"Sassy was not too pleased when I tried to transport little Windy with her," he explained. "I know it's best for the foal's first trailering to be with its mama, but mama wasn't having it."

"Well, you managed to get them both here," Ty said, "that's the important part. How old is Windy?"

"Six days old," Marvin answered.

"And have you started bottle-feeding him?" Amy asked.

"As soon as we noticed Sass wasn't feeding him," Marvin replied. "My wife and I have been in the stable pretty much since he was born, keeping an eye on things, getting him used to being around people. It's the first foal born on our farm, so it was a pretty big deal."

"So this is Sassy's first foal?" Amy asked of the Quarter Horse.

"No, it's her third," Marvin answered, "but the first she's had on my farm. I bought her two years ago from a friend. He said she'd had two before."

"Hm," Ty said reflectively. "And no indication she rejected the foals in those instances?"

"None at all," Marvin said, "which is why it's so concerning. I'd like to get to the bottom of this as soon as possible, obviously."

"Did Windy at least get some of the colostrum?" asked Ty, wanting to ensure the newborn had benefitted from the early nutrients and antibodies that first milk provided.

"Yeah, he suckled just fine the first two days," Marvin said. "But by day three, Sassy-girl started avoiding him and wouldn't let him feed."

"Okay, I'll do an examination of Sassy and run some tests to rule out a few things like mastitis or something more serious," Ty said.

"And if it's not something medical?" Marvin asked, sending a knowing glance in Amy's direction.

"Then I'll take over," Amy said. "For now, we'll keep up with the bottle-feeding routine. In the meantime, we should both try putting out some feelers into the community to see if there's a mare nearby that can come in as a nursemaid—as a last resort."

"All right," Marvin said with a hint of reluctance. "I'll try."

"Good," Amy said. "We all want what's best for these two, right?"

"For sure," Marvin said with a smile. "I'll call tomorrow to check in."

"Sounds good, Marvin," Ty said, shaking the man's hand. "We'll be in touch."

***

Next Day

"We can definitively rule out mastitis or any other problem affecting Sassy's mammary glands and milk production," Ty informed Marvin over the phone. "No indication of inflammation, swelling, ulcers, or tumors."

"Well, that's good, right?" Marvin asked.

"It's a good start," Ty acknowledged. "It means Sassy isn't rejecting Windy because she's experiencing pain or discomfort due to nursing."

"Okay, so what do we do next?"

"Well, we're continuing with bottle feeding, but Amy is going to turn them out into the paddock today and observe how they interact," Ty said. "Sometimes, horses don't like being cooped up in a stable. It could be Sassy just wants some space."

"But y'all are still handling Windy and getting him used to people, right?"

"Right, when we feed him," Ty replied.

"But nothing more?"

"What do you mean 'nothing more'?" Ty asked.

"I mean, I had hoped you and your animal-behaviour specialist wife would be more pro-active with the, y'know, the imprinting process," Marvin said, an edge of irritation creeping into his tone.

The concept of imprinting was not foreign to Ty, but it was one both he and Amy discouraged their clients from attempting too early on in a foal's development.

I don't even think I need Amy to diagnose what's up with Sassy and Windy, Ty thought ruefully. Marvin and his wife have probably been too hands-on with this poor foal, and his mama doesn't like it.

"Marvin, I'm sorry to disappoint you," Ty said as calmly as possible. "It's been our experience that over-handling a newborn foal can be detrimental to the bonds it's supposed to develop with its mother in those critical early days."

"Yeah, but this horse expert guy we follow on YouTube makes the point that the earlier you imprint on your horse, the easier he'll be to train up," Marvin argued. "He's a published author. Says de-sensitizing them early makes 'em more docile and more likely to trust humans."

Ty, not wanting to sound combative, said, "Mr. Clancy, I know there are plenty of people out there on the Internet with plenty of opinions, and I'm glad you're interested in doing what's best for Sassy and Windy, otherwise you wouldn't have brought them here, right?"

"That's right," Marvin said in agreement.

"So I'm asking you to trust me and my wife," Ty said. "There's still plenty of time to get Windy to 'trust humans', and my wife can even help you with that process. She's gentled wild horses; she knows what she's doing."

Marvin huffed, and grudgingly accepted Ty's request of trust. "Fine. But if Windy doesn't train up right, you know who I'm blaming."

***

"Well, I think we can draw a very strong conclusion about what the problem is with Sassy and Windy," Ty said, as Amy came down from the loft after putting Lyndy down for a nap.

"Oh?" she asked, fully curious.

"Yep," Ty said with a curt nod. "I spoke with Marvin just now, you know, to tell him there's nothing physically wrong with Sassy, and he mentioned he and his wife bought into the whole early imprinting thing with foals. They were apparently in there handling Windy as soon as he was born."

"Oh," Amy said. "That actually could explain a lot about why Sassy is rejecting Windy."

"Exactly," Ty said. "I mean, I don't blame him for doing what he thinks is best for his horses, but in this case, it's doing more harm than good."

"Well, the good news is we can probably fix the problem because we've caught it early. Windy is due for another feeding right about now, but when that's over, it will be time to turn them out."

"That's what I told Marvin you'd be doing," Ty said.

"And it needs to be done now more than ever," Amy added. "In fact, I think I'll turn Sassy out right away. It will give her space, and maybe it will give her time to miss her baby. Her mothering instincts don't just disappear overnight; we just need to help her remember them."

To Amy and Ty's disappointment, however, Sassy showed little interest in Windy by the afternoon. The foal's full stomach meant he was not inclined to want to suckle due to hunger, but he knew his mother's scent anyway, and craved her maternal closeness. Sassy wanted nothing of it. Every time the foal neared, she distanced herself from him. The window to get Windy nursing again naturally would be closing swiftly, and the pair of horse healers fretted this might be a rare case when they would have to accept defeat.

***

By the next morning, Amy wanted to persist in turning Windy out with the rest of the horses after each of his bottle feedings. She decided to hold off introducing any sort of dry feed for the time being, just to give the foal more time to observe the adults foraging so he would get the idea. Sassy persisted in her avoidance tactics.

When Georgie arrived home from school that afternoon, she went immediately to saddle Phoenix for a round of jumping practice. She noticed Amy watching the latest arrivals on her way from the stables.

"How are they doing?" the teen asked her aunt.

"No breakthroughs yet," Amy replied. "But at least we think we know what the trouble is."

"Yeah? What is it?"

"The owners were trying to do something with the foal called 'imprinting'," Amy explained. "In theory, it's supposed to help the foal become used to humans so it's easier to train later on, but instead it can really interfere with the natural bonds the baby is supposed to have with its mother if it's done too early or too aggressively. Since there's no medical reason for Sassy to be rejecting Windy, we think it's the over-handling by humans that's turned Sassy off from her own foal."

"Gee, that's too bad," Georgie said in sympathy. "Poor baby. I hope you guys can work it out."

"Me, too," Amy said with a sigh. "Anyway, I'll let you get to your practice."

"Thanks," Georgie said, snapping her helmet chinstrap and pulling it snug. Remi, upon seeing Georgie mount up, scampered from her spot on the porch to be closer to the action.

"Here comes your shadow," Amy said with a chuckle, giving the dog a quick rub around her furry jowls.

"Hi, girl," Georgie cooed. "Did you come to watch me practice? Good girl!"

Remi snuffled and gave her tail a few vigorous wags before settling down on the sidelines to take in Georgie's practice rounds. But before long, the dog wandered off towards the paddock, drawn to the pair of new horses. She yawned once with an extravagant stretch, and sat herself down next to Amy.

The dog and the human looked out upon a few of the permanent equine residents standing lazily in the paddock, grazing about. Windy the foal, having discovered other large animals not his own mother the previous day, would take a few tentative steps towards a strange horse, then suddenly prance off, as if playing a game of keep-away. The elder horses generally paid the foal no attention. His mother, though, avoided him at each playful approach, trotting off in a different direction each time he chanced to get near.

"Come on, Sassy," Amy said under her breath after observing this behaviour for close to an hour. "Take care of your baby. We stinky people aren't going to get in your way anymore."

Remi huffed and whined once, as if picking up on Amy's exasperation. She got to her feet, gave her tail a few gentle wags, then padded over in Sassy's general vicinity.

Amy watched in awe as Sassy sniffed curiously at this canine invading her space. Remi tolerated this attention with perfect calm and acceptance. Next, Sassy's large tongue came out, giving Remi's snout a long lick.

"Pals for life now," Amy said, a grin spreading across her face.

Ten minutes later, Remi was lying down at Sassy's feet, and the horse was nibbling calmly at some grass. Windy, however, was wary of the dog, its earlier curiosity around new creatures evidently forgotten.

***

"I think we've had a breakthrough," Amy said to Ty that evening after another round of bottle-feeding Windy was complete.

"Oh? What happened?" Ty asked.

"The canine companion factor," Amy answered triumphantly. "You know as well as I do that some nervous and stressed-out horses respond well to a companion animal. I mean, remember that goat Lisa had with Fairfield Flyer's clone a couple years ago?"

"Right," Ty said, thinking of how the high-strung thoroughbred had benefitted from the smaller animal's presence in its stall.

"Well, this afternoon, it was like Remi knew Sassy needed a friend. She went right over to her, and that seemed to break the ice. Sassy let Remi get right up to her and even licked her."

"You're kidding," Ty said.

"Nope. Remi just lay right down next to her out there in the paddock for the whole afternoon," Amy said. "It's the most relaxed I've seen that horse yet. I'll let her stay out tonight with the other horses, but I'd like to try turning Windy out again tomorrow and see what happens."

"That's excellent," Ty said. "Fingers crossed that Sassy will let Windy nurse tomorrow."

"I have a feeling she will," Amy said. "Gut instinct."

"Well, sure hope your gut's right, 'cause I actually forgot how tiring these round-the-clock feeding schedules can be."

"Oh, having second thoughts, 'Dad'?" teased Amy.

"Never," Ty said, stretching over to kiss her.

***

True to Amy's "gut instinct", Sassy was not on the alert when Windy's spindly legs carried him towards her early the next morning. Amy and Ty had purposely not fed the foal at the appointed time in the schedule so as to encourage it to seek out "breakfast" from its mother.

"Ty, look," Amy said in an excited whisper. "She's not running away from him."

"I see it," Ty said, his own excitement building.

The couple watched as the foal, ears flicking, crept closer, drawn by the promise of his mother's warm milk. He stretched his tongue out to the teat, latched on, and started suckling. Sassy remained in place, completely unperturbed by this activity.

"He's nursing!" Amy cried happily.

"Yes!" Ty exulted. "Marvin is going to be a very happy man when we tell him."

"He sure is," Amy said. "But make sure he knows he needs to get himself a Shepherd now, because I have a feeling Georgie isn't about to give up Remi."

Indeed, the canine was still out in the paddock, snoozing peacefully near the nursing mother and foal in the dewy morning grass.

***

Two Days Later...

"I know I said it earlier, but thanks for deciding to come to this one with me," Lisa said to Jack as they climbed into the Fairfield truck in preparation for departure to the vast Westfield estate.

"I have to admit this whole faux fox hunt deal really isn't so bad, despite the presence of certain individuals," Jack chuckled, a wry smile partially hidden beneath his generous moustache.

Both knew exactly which individuals Jack was referring to. Upon arriving at their destination, they walked with their horses on leads towards an open area before Paula Westfield summoned Jack.

"Hold him?" asked Jack, handing Lisa the line tethered to his jumper for the day, a Fairfield horse named Striker.

"Sure," Lisa said, taking the line from him. They were early still, as only a handful of participants had arrived, mostly those directly involved in a more official capacity. Moments later, she heard a voice she instantly recognized calling out a greeting, so she turned in response to it.

"Hello, Lisa! I see you managed to drag that fine husband of yours to another one of these things," Val said with a dry laugh and a half-grin.

"Hi, Val. Yes, I certainly did," Lisa replied warily. She was never entirely comfortable when Val referred to Jack in such familiar terms. But I really need to remember Jack has known Val longer than he's known me, she thought, they're just friends.

Jack was oblivious to Val's scrutiny while he stood talking with Paula about his role in today's proceedings.

"I guess he had such a great time at the last one, he couldn't stay away this time, eh?" Val laughed again, this time a little too harshly for Lisa's liking. "My, he sure does look handsome in those breeches and that jacket, I'll say!"

"Mm-hmm," Lisa agreed with a tight-lipped smile.

"Let's hope the weather cooperates," Val chatted on. "No more freak snowfalls, please and thank you!"

Lisa was about to add "And no more drinking so much you can't stay on your horse, Val," but charitably stopped herself before making such a pointed dig at her former rival for Jack's attention and affection.

"That is a very fine animal," Val stated, nodding towards Lisa's steed.

"He's something, isn't he? His name is Herring," Lisa responded, glad for the change in subject. "You remember Ben, my nephew?"

"Of course I remember Ben. I seem to recall my Ashley had an eye for him while he was staying at Briar Ridge."

"Well, Ben's horse—Red—is the sire," Lisa said.

Val sent a dubious look at Lisa. "Red's the sire of Herring? Seriously?"

Lisa tried to conceal a laugh. "Seriously. I know, it's not a very creative name. It wasn't my idea."

"I might be interested in him, if you're looking for a buyer," Val said, stroking the horse's neck.

"Well, I did have another client interested in him earlier," Lisa replied. "But why don't I have Herring trailered over to Briar Ridge next week or so? You can try him out; see if he's what you really want, and we'll see if we can hammer out a deal."

"All right, sure," said Val. At that moment Paula dismissed Jack and called for Val's attention to deal with some other matter. "We'll talk soon, Lisa."

"Okay."

"Hello, Jack," Val said huskily, a bright smile flashing across her face as they passed each other.

"Val," Jack responded cordially, about to tip a non-existent hat before remembering his head was bare. He continued on to where Lisa was waiting with their mounts.

"What was that about?" he asked as he reached his wife's side, having seen the tail end of their conversation.

"Val might be interested in buying Herring," Lisa answered while staring after the other woman's retreating figure, somewhat surprised she had not found some excuse to linger in order to chat with Jack.

"No kidding," Jack uttered.

"Jack," Lisa began tentatively, "I know these kinds of events are out of your comfort zone, but I'll say it once more: I really appreciate everything you do to make it out here with me."

"Well, I seem to recall a fly fishing date that was out of your comfort zone some years ago," Jack said with a twinkle in his eye. "Not too many ladies would have agreed to that. But you went the extra mile and even bought all the gear, just so you wouldn't disappoint me."

"I knew I wanted to spend time with you and to get to know you better," Lisa said, gazing up at him with affection. "I wasn't about to let that opportunity pass me by."

"And I'm forever grateful you came," he commented, remembering how she allowed him to hold her close and guide her hands and arms while holding the fishing rod. It meant so much to him that she trusted him implicitly, even at that early stage in their relationship.

I caught a real beauty, he recalled saying to the kids when he returned from that date; his meaning slowly dawning on them as he shuffled inside with a very contented smile on his face.

"We should do that again sometime," Lisa said, reaching for his hand and taking it in hers.

"Sounds like a plan!" Jack answered heartily.

*** Chapter 3: Or Worse

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iwriteaboutfeminism · 1 year

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Thursday Morning Update on Congressional Races

Races yet to be called:

Alaska

AK-1: Mary Peltola (D) leading by 20.6% 🔷

(Alaska has ranked-choice voting)

Arizona

AZ-1: Jevin Hodge (D) leading by 1.6% 🔷

AZ-2: Eli Crane (R) leading by 7.4% 🟥

AZ-4: Greg Stanton (D) leading by 13.8% 🔷

AZ-6: Juan Ciscomani (R) leading by 3% 🟥

California

CA-3: Kevin Kiley (R) leading by 6.2% 🟥

CA-6: Ami Bera (D) leading by 11.6% 🔷

CA-9: Josh Harder (D) leading by 12.8% 🔷

CA-13: John Duarte (R) leading by 0.2% 🟥

CA-15: Kevin Mullin (D) leading by 11.8% 🔷

CA-16: Anna Eshoo (D) leading by 17% 🔷

CA-21: Jim Costa (D) leading to 6.8% 🔷

CA-22: David Valadao (R) leading by 8% 🟥

CA-23: Jay Obernolte (R) leading by 21.2% 🟥

CA-26: Julia Brownley (D) leading by 7.8% 🔷

CA-27: Mike Garcia (R) leading by 15.2% 🟥

CA-29: Tony Cardenas (D) leading by 24% 🔷

CA-34: Jimmy Gomez (D) leading by 6.2% 🔷

CA-35: Norma Torres (D) leading by 12.2% 🔷

CA-37: Sydney Kamlager (D) leading by 22.8% 🔷

CA-38: Linda Sanchez (D) leading by 6.8% 🔷

CA-40: Young Kim (R) leading by 18% 🟥

CA-41: Will Rollins (D) leading by 8.4% 🔷

CA-45: Michelle Steel (R) leading by 10% 🟥

CA-46: Lou Correa (D) leading by 16.8% 🔷

CA-47: Katie Porter (D) leading by 1% 🔷

CA-49: Mike Levin (D) leading by 2.2% 🔷

Colorado

CO-3: Adam Frisch (D) leading by 64 votes 🔷

CO-8: Yadira Caraveo (D) leading by 0.4% 🔷

Illinois

IL-17: Eric Sorensen (D) leading by 3.4% 🔷

Maine

ME-2: Jared Golden (D) leading by 3.7% 🔷

Maryland

MD-6: Neil Parrott (R) leading by 2.2% 🟥

Nevada

NV-1: Dina Titus (D) leading by 3.6% 🔷

NV-3: Susie Lee (D) leading by 1.6% 🔷

NV-4: Steven Horsford (D) leading by 2.8% 🔷

New York

NY-18: Pat Ryan (D) leading by 0.8% 🔷

NY-22: Brandon Williams (R) leading by 1.6% 🟥

Oregon

OR-4: Val Hoyle (D) leading by 8.4% 🔷

OR-5: Lori Chavez-DeRemer (R) leading by 2.6% 🟥

OR-6: Andrea Salinas (D) leading by 1.6% 🔷

Washington

WA-3: Marie Gluesenkamp Perez (D) leading by 4.6% 🔷

WA-8: Kim Schroeder (D) leading by 5.2% 🔷

If these leads hold, the Republicans will have a 5 seat advantage in the House.

#midterm elections #election results #congress

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kwebtv · 4 months

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Monsters at Work - Disney+ - July 7, 2021 - Present

Animated Fantasy (10 episodes to date)

Running Time: 22 - 24 minutes

Voice Stars:

Billy Crystal as Mike Wazowski

John Goodman as James P. "Sulley" Sullivan

Ben Feldman as Tylor Tuskmon

Mindy Kaling as Val Little

Henry Winkler as Fritz

Lucas Neff as Duncan P. Anderson

Alanna Ubach as Katherine "Cutter" Sterns

Recurring:

Bonnie Hunt as Ms. Flint

Curtis Armstrong as Mr. Crummyham

Jennifer Tilly as Celia Mae

Stephen Stanton as Needleman and Smitty

Christopher Swindle as Jeff Fungus

#Monsters at Work #TV #Disney+#Animated #Fantasy #2000's

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daitranscripts · 1 year

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Wicked Eyes and Wicked Hearts Pt. 6

Introductions to the Empress

Wicked Eyes and Wicked Hearts Masterpost First: Gaining an Invitation Previous: Enter the Winter Palace

Gaspard heads off as the Court Herald approaches and bows to the PC before guiding them to the ballroom floor.

Royal Herald: And now, presenting: Grand Duke Gaspard de Chalons. And accompanying him…

Herald (Qunari PC): Lord/Lady Inquisitor Adaar! Herald (Dalish PC): Lord/Lady Inquisitor Lavellan! Herald (dwarf PC): Lord/Lady Inquisitor Cadash! Herald (dwarf PC, ???): Lord/Lady Inquisitor Cadash! …Or possibly Inquisitor Gavron, Helmi, Aeducan, or Paragon Fancypants. [I do not know what triggers this.] Herald (human mage PC): Lord/Lady Inquisitor Trevelyan, of the Ostwick Circle of Magi! Herald (human non-mage PC): Lord/Lady Inquisitor Trevelyan, son/daughter of Bann Trevelyan of Ostwick!

The PC continues down the steps and across the floor as the rest of the Inquisition party is announced.

Herald (allied mages): Vanquisher of the rebel mages of Ferelden, crusher of the vile apostates of the Mage Underground! Herald (allied templars): Shepherd and leash of the wayward Order of Templars, purger of the heretics from the ranks of the faithful!

Party Comments:

Vivienne: Remember to smile. This is all for show, my dear.

Sera: He is so full of it! That’s not how it went.

Varric: This guy writes better fiction than I do.

Herald: Champion of the Blessed Andraste herself!

Gaspard chuckles.

Gaspard: Did you see their faces? Priceless.

Herald: Accompanying the Inquisitor:

Party Introductions:

Herald: Seeker Cassandra Allegra Portia Calogera Filomena– Cassandra: Get on with it! Herald: … Pentaghast. Fourteenth cousin to the King of Nevarra, nine times removed. Hero of Orlais, Right Hand of the Divine.

Herald: Madame Vivienne, First Enchanter of the Circle of Magi, Enchanter of the Imperial Court, mistress of the Duke of Ghislain.

Herald: Renowned author Varric Tethras. Head of noble house Tethras, deshyr of Kirkwall to the Dwarves Merchants Guild.

Herald: Lord Dorian Pavus, member of the Circle of Vyrantium, son of Lord Magister Halward Pavus of Asariel.

Herald: Warden Blackwall of Val Chevin, constable of the Grey. Bearer of the Silverite Wings of Valor.

Herald: The Iron Bull, leader of the famed mercenary company Bull’s Chargers. As the name might imply.

Herald (male PC): The Lord Inquisitor’s elven servant, Solas. Herald (female PC): The Lady Inquisitor’s elven serving man, Solas.

Herald: Her Ladyship Mai Bhalsych of Korse. Sera: (Snickers.)

(Cole has no introduction.)

Herald: Ser Cullen Stanton Rutherford of Honnleath. Commander of the forces of the Inquisition. Former Knight-Commander of Kirkwall.

Herald: Lady Leliana, Nightingale of the Imperial Court. Herald (recruited in DA: O): Veteran of the Fifth Blight. Herald (romanced Warden, Warden rules with Alistair): Mistress to the Queen of Ferelden. Herald (romanced Warden, Warden rules with Anora): Mistress to the Prince Consort of Ferelden. Herald: Seneschal of the Inquisition and Left Hand of the Divine.

Herald: And Lady Josephine Cherette Montilyet of Antiva City. Ambassador of the Inquisition.

The PC joins Gaspard on the steps below Celene.

Gaspard: Cousin. My dear sister.

Celene: Grand Duke. We are always honoured when your presence graces our court.

Gaspard: Don’t waste my time with pleasantries, Celene. We have business to conclude.

Celene: We will meet for the negotiations after we have seen to our other guests.

Gaspard: Inquisitor.

Gaspard bows and leaves.

Celene: Lord/Lady Inquisitor, we welcome you to the Winter Palace. Allow us to present our cousin, the Grand Duchess of Lydes, without whom this gathering would never have been possible.

Florianne curtsies.

Florianne: What an unexpected pleasure. I was not aware the Inquisition would be part of our festivities. We will certainly speak later, Inquisitor.

She turns and leaves.

Celene: You arrival at court is like a cool wind on a summer’s day.

Dialogue options:

General: It’s an honor. [1] +10 Court Approval (Vivienne in party)

General: The weather may turn foul. [2] +5 Court Approval

General: An assassin is here. [3] - 15 Court approval - Vivienne greatly disapproves

1 - General: It’s an honor. PC: I am delighted to be here, Your Majesty. Celene: We have heard much of your exploits, Inquisitor. They have made grand tales for long evenings. [4]

2 - General: The weather may turn foul. PC: Let’s hope the breeze does not herald an oncoming storm. Celene: Even the wisest mistake fair winds for foul. We are at the mercy of the skies, Inquisitor. [4]

3 - General: An assassin is here. PC: Someone here is working for Tevinter. Celene: To the uninitiated, the court is full of intrigues which might seem sinister, Inquisitor. But they are of little note. [4]

4 - Scene continues.

Celene: How do you find Halamshiral?

Dialogue options:

General: It’s lovely. [5]

General: I can’t do it credit. [6]

General: Call off the ball! [7]

5 - General: It’s lovely. PC: I’ve never seen anything to equal the Winter Palace. Celene: We hope you will find time to take in some of its beauties. Feel free to enjoy the pleasures of the ballroom, Inquisitor. We look forward to watching you dance. [8]

6 - General: I can’t do it credit. PC: I have no words to suffice. Halamshiral has many beauties, and I couldn’t do them justice. Celene: Your modesty does you credit, and speaks well for the Inquisition. Feel free to enjoy the pleasures of the ballroom, Inquisitor. We look forward to watching you dance. [8]

7 - General: Call off the ball! PC: You’re in danger. End the ball. Send everyone away. Celene: Inquisitor, we suspect that our court has overwhelmed you. You may benefit from a glass of wine and some time to recover. No doubt you will find something in the ball room to entertain you. [8]

8 - Scene continues.

The PC bows and leaves up the stairs. Leliana approaches them.

Leliana: Inquisitor. A word, when you have a moment.

She leaves.

Next: Speak with Leliana

#dragon age #dragon age inquisition #dragon age dialogue #dragon age transcripts #dai transcripts #dai dialogue #wicked eyes and wicked hearts #wewh #long post

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dhecr33 · 1 year

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パフォーマンス

パフォーマンススタジオ：ビジュクラシックス時間： 87分女優： Al Parker Bob Moore Dean Barey Derrick Stanton Jim Rogers Julien le Cocg JW King Melchor Nick Rodgers Shawn Victors Steve Scott Steve Taylor Steve York Val Martin Onstage and off with male strippers, this popular Steve Scott classic features dozens of hot men in the cast, which is packed full of popular vintage favorites doing strip and sex scenes, including J.W. King, Derrick Stanton, Nick Rodgers, Steve York, Melchor, Shawn Victors, Jim Rogers, and more. Ho 【DVD・DVD販売 DVDネクスト】正規版のDVDをオンライン販売するDVDネクスト　お客様のご��望に必ずお応えできるラインナップの数々。ぜひご覧下さい。

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thehorsedispatch · 2 years

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New Post has been published on https://horsetoloan.com/heartland-tv-show/wanda-cannon-val-stanton-heartland/

Wanda Cannon Val Stanton Heartland

Who Is Wanda Cannon? 6 Facts About the Val Stanton Actor on Heartland

Wanda Cannon is the actress who plays Val Stanton, the mother of Ashley and Jesse Stanton, in Heartland. Her character is a tough woman who is easy not to like but adds some necessary drama and animosity to the show. It is also the hallmark of a great actress to play a character that is unlikeable like Val is– and to do it well!

She was born in Kitchener, Ontario, and mainly grew up in Saskatchewan. She then lived in Toronto for many years before moving to her current home in Vancouver. Wanda was born in February 1960 and is a Pisces. Read on for some more facts about her!

Also Read – Who is Kerry James?

Wanda Cannon Started Out as a Musical Theater Actress

Wanda Cannon actually got her start in the acting world by working in musical theatre. She acted in live theatre and then was able to transition into television and then onto film, too. She still takes part in theatre by directing and acting in theatre plays, alongside her television and movie roles.

On the Heartland Q and A blog, Wanda has said that her acting on screen was a gradual development that happened over the years, after she was beginning to become more well known in the live musical theatre world.

Wanda Cannon’s Biggest TV and Movie Roles

Of course, we know Wanda from her role as Val Stanton on Heartland, but she has many other credits to her name, too! One of her most prominent roles was as Betsy in For the Moment, which was a romantic war drama. The role won her a Genie Award nomination in 1994 for Best Supporting Actress.

She also acted in several Hallmark movies, including Angel of Christmas, Christmas List, and Love In Winterland. She was a regular on the Canadian TV show My Secret Identity from 1988-1991 and played Katherine Weir in The 6th Day, as well as Caroline Monroe in The Final Cut. The 6th Day and The Final Cut, along with For the Moment, as mentioned above, are some of her biggest and most well-known roles to date.

Further Reading – Who is Ziya Matheson?

Wanda Cannon and Cindy Busby are Close Friends

Cindty Busby is the actress who plays Ashley, Val Stanton’s spoiled daughter, on Heartland. Therefore, Wanda and Condy would have many scenes together and spend a lot of time around each other on set. This has led to a strong friendship between the two actresses, built on shared laughs, collaboration, and time spent together!

Besides Cindy, Wanda has gushed about the rest of the Heartland cast, too, saying that the amazing team makes it fun to come to work every day and put on the show. Being on set was what finally got Wanda to learn to ride horses, too, even though she grew up on a farm!

“Val has many sides”

Wanda does seem to have a soft spot for her character Val Stanton on Heartland. Though the character comes across as harsh and abrasive, Wanda says that there is more to meet the eye– and the character shouldn’t be judged too harshly by viewers. After all, the character can be kind and gentle, too, at certain points. She is not only the willful, intense mother that will manipulate people to get what she wants– which is how she typically appears when she is on the screen!

Wanda does her best to portray Val as a three-dimensional character and show her side of the story, too. She does always keep Val’s edginess, though, because, without it, Val would lose her strength.

What Happened to Val Stanton on Heartland?

Val actually disappears for a bit on Heartland. She is gone after Season 4 and does not return until Season 7. In Season 7, viewers learn that Val began living in Florida after Ashley left to go to college. She disappears again until Season 11, where she resurfaces to get involved with Georgie’s showjumping career.

Val wants help fixing Flame, her expensive jumping horse, in Season 11, and asks Amy to help her. Georgie assists Amy with this, and she and Flame forge a strong bond. Once Val sees how well Georgie jumps with Flame, she invites Georgie to compete with the horse. However, she ends up pressuring Georgie to choose between showjumping with Flame and trick riding with Phoenix, and of course, Georgie chooses to stick with Phoenix. She was pressuring Georgie about doing that because she felt like she wasn’t seeing results fast enough, and she wanted results quickly! Val blamed Amy’s abilities for this lack of progress.

Unfortunately, this is the last we see of Val. It would be great to see her return to the show, at least to give us and the other viewers closure and to wrap up her storyline a bit better! It can be assumed that her character is back in Florida, but it would be even better to know for sure where she is and what she is doing.

5 Facts You Didn’t Know About Wanda Cannon

Here are some additional fun facts about Wanda Cannon.

She loves to scuba dive.

If she wasn’t an actress, Wanda would have worked with marine animals.

She loves to cook, work out, and host her friends at home.

Her favourite actress is Gena Rowlands.

Cindy Busby used to call Wanda Cannon her West Coast mom.

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confessions-heartland · 1 year

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“Ty was a very impulsive, not to mention DANGEROUS man! Instead of getting to marry Amy, he should have gone to jail for beating up Jesse Stanton. He got off way too easy and the only reason he did was because Val felt pity for him ;> in the real world he’d be done for! #ilovejessestanton“

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heartlandtfln · 8 months

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"Val: You’re not a very nice young lady.

Georgie: And you’re not a very nice old one."

#heartland #georgie fleming morris #georgie crawley #alisha newton #val stanton #val grant #wanda cannon #georgie/val #source: cruel summer

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heartlandians · 5 months

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What’s been going on with Lisa lately this season? I know about Dan, but I haven’t watched anymore since.

Episode 2 - Jack mentions having a phone call with Lisa to Tim and bragging to her how he drove a carriage while training a pair of carriage racing horses with Amy. It's not explained where Lisa is.

Episode 4 - Lisa cosponsors a teen community dance and becomes part of the committee. She receives a two-stepping class as a gift from one of the cosponsors and wants Jack to join her. Jack does it, but does not enjoy the experience, which makes Lisa frustrated about how he's reluclant about doing things that might be a bit uncomfortable for him but would mean the world for her, so they had a bit of an argument about it. Lisa says she'll go to the dance alone because she rather have fun than watch Jack complain and mope the whole time. Later, when Lisa goes to the teen community dance with Katie, Jack makes a surprise appearance and asks her to dance with him. Lisa accepts his apology and his invitation to dance. They make up.

Episode 5 - Lisa finds about Dan's death from Val Stanton few days after his passing and keeps the information to herself while Jack is training Blue for an upcoming event. She then mentions about it casually to Jack after dinner, which shocks him, and he expects her to feel sad about the news. Lisa's anger about the passing and how she found out on top of her refusal to grieve confuses Jack, so he makes attempts to talk about it. He even says he'll drop out from the event so he can attend the funeral with her. Lisa tells him to go, as he's been training so hard and been so excited about the whole thing, and shares that she won't go to the funeral, anyway, so that's that. When Jack keeps pressing the matter, Lisa finally confesses that she feels like she can't really talk about Dan and her life with Dan to Jack because they never got along. Finally, there's a break-through after Jack says he's okay with Lisa saying whatever she wants to say and he suspects that she didn't just have bad times with Dan and it's only natural for her to grieve the loss of her ex-husband. Eventually Lisa breaks down in tears as she recalls some of their good times together and accepts Jack's offer to join her to the funeral.

Just before his death, Dan has mailed a framed newspaper clipping to Lisa about their first winning horse together, which now arrives in mail, and she feels like it was his way of saying goodbye to her and thanking for the good times. Episode 6 - Lisa writes a speech to Dan's funeral as per his sister's request. It makes her think how adventurous Dan was, even if sometimes drove her crazy. While writing, she voices to Jack that she wishes they too would have that kind of care-free attitude, because they've become somewhat stagnant, mostly focusing on their businesses and supporting the family. Jack says his life with Lisa is an adventure itself, but Lisa doesn't feel like "it's enough".

Later on in the episode, she and Jack attend the funeral which has made her think even more about the time they have left together. She then asks Jack if he thinks they're living their best life. Jack says his life has become better ever since Lisa came into it, and Lisa replies by saying: "That doesn't really answer my question".

When Jack opens the truck door for her and says they have leftovers to eat at home, Lisa suggests they'd do something unexpected instead, since they're all dressed up, like go to a pub to eat. She challenges Jack to "live a little". Eventually Jack agrees.

They then go to a pub to have a dinner. While eating, a familiar song comes on, and Lisa suggests they should dance. Jack is confused at first because they're in the middle of a dinner, but finally agrees as it seems to make Lisa happy. They go to the dance floor to two-step and while dancing, Jack spots his old belt buckle that he had to sell when he and Lyndy (Sr.) were having money problems back in the day.

Hoping to get it back now that Jack has money, Jack and Lisa have a talk with the owner of the pub, hoping he'd sell it back, but the man refuses. Lisa then challenges the guy to wager; if the guy wins a round of pool, they'll pay him 500 dollars, but if Jack wins, he gets the buckle. Jack doesn't like the idea, but Lisa pushes it.

Eventually Jack plays against the owner and loses. The owner is smug about his win, but Lisa says she wants to try to play against the winner, and the guy accepts, thinking he'll just get more money from them.

Turns out, Lisa is actually really good at pool because she and Dan used to play it a lot. She wins the round, and they get to take the belt buckle with them. Jack finds it funny that Dan played some part in winning back that buckle, after everything they went through.

As they get home, Lisa is happy that they got to "live a little".

Episode 7 - Jack says he has "a phone date with his wife" when a Dude Ranch guest tries to invite him over for a wine. It's not explained where Lisa is.

That's it, so far. The latest episode that aired was number 7. She's going to be in episode 8 (airing this Sunday) and I suspect in episodes 9 and 10 as well.

#replies

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the-real-tc · 2 years

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Bad Business Ch. 5: Moving Target

Author's Note: Not much to say here, except, "Please don't hurt me" and another massive "Thank you" for all the likes so far. Your support for this story so far is much appreciated.

***

To the childless wife he gives a home, and gladdens her heart with children.

- Ps. 113

***

Chapter 5

Moving Target

The Hudson Hawk: Your Eye on Hudson

A BLOG

Is It Foul Play in Briar Ridge Owner's Death?

Thursday, May 2, 2019

Anyone who knows anything about Hudson has heard about Briar Ridge and the late Val Stanton. She was a well-respected pillar of the community who supported various causes and elevated the sport of showjumping. Her death comes as a shock, especially due to the unpleasant circumstances surrounding it.

Authorities have been slow to finger any suspects, nor have they publicly speculated about possible motives. It would seem they would rather chalk this one up to an unfortunate hunting accident than entertain the notion it could be willful homicide.

This blogger finds it hard to believe her death was accidental. There have been recent reports of bears in the Hudson area, but only a visually impaired hunter mistakes a woman on a horse for a bear. A woman on a horse also cannot be confused for cougars, wolves, coyotes or any other type of prey animal a concerned rancher or farmer might have cause to take down.

I mean, sure, an errant bullet is a possibility, but if so, Stanton would have to have been especially unlucky to be struck by a round so far off the mark. Furthermore, Hudson police have been unable to find any proof of active hunters in the general vicinity of the fatal incident.

The question, then, is who would want Stanton dead?

Facts so far, as reported by the press:

1) Stanton went for a ride on a horse by herself on the morning of her death.

2) Stanton did not return by the expected time.

3) Family members reported her missing, citing the particular urgency of Stanton's health as a reason for concern.*

4) Stanton's body found early the next morning at Lookout Point by a Hudson resident out for a ride.

5) Coroner determines cause of death to be a single gunshot wound; Stanton fell from her mount, causing further trauma, but the injuries sustained in the fall did not ultimately contribute to her demise.

*I've been unable to find out exactly what "health" issue might have been troubling Stanton, but sources close to this blogger say she had fought two bouts of cancer in the past decade. It should also be noted that one need not wait a specific time frame in order to file a missing-persons report in the province of Alberta (i.e., 24 or 48 hours).

Comments? Theories? Let me know in the comments below.

I've got my eye on you, Hudson.

- Hudson Hawk

Comment: The Hudson Times said the horse Stanton was riding was attacked by a bear. Do you know anything more about this, Hawk?

-Animal_LuvR

Reply: I can confirm the story the horse was attacked by a bear. I'm told it is in a safe place now and being treated, but I cannot reveal my source.

- Hawk

Reply: Okay, thanks. Is the horse going to be alright?

-Animal_LuvR

Reply: My source tells me he is in expert care and will most likely make a full recovery.

- Hawk

Reply: Good. Thanks!

-Animal_LuvR

Comment: No theories, but just want to say it's crazy what happened. I hope the cops get to the bottom of this. This used to be such a safe place to live.

- A Hudson Rez.

Reply: Hey "A Hudson Rez". I noticed your handle. You're not the "Hudson resident" they talked about in the papers who found the body, are you?

- Guest

Reply: No, totally not. Why?

- A Hudson rez

Reply: OK, thanks. Just curious.

- Guest

***

"Okay, I'm heading off to my investors meeting in Calgary," Lisa said as she flew through the kitchen towards the mud room, pausing as Jack turned from the sink to catch up with her. He planted a kiss on her cheek and bid her a safe drive. "Good luck talking with those detectives today while I'm away."

"Thanks, I think I'll be okay," Jack said, noting the hint of warning in her voice. He had heard all about how uncomfortable the investigators had made her feel the week before during her own interview. "What time do you expect to be back?"

"In time for a late afternoon glass of wine with you," she said, eyes dancing merrily. "I'll text if I'm delayed."

Jack gave the phone at his hip a pat. "I'll make sure it's on," he said.

"Yes, you've got a lot better at that, Mr. Bartlett, haven't you?"

"What are you insinuating?" he retorted with mock indignation.

Lisa's mouth twisted into a playful smile as she swallowed a chuckle. "Oh, nothing."

"All right, all right, I know my track record has been the pits when it comes to these things," Jack said, raising his hands in submission. "But it is on, and I will be paying attention."

"Good. And on that note, I'm off."

"Love you," Jack said.

"Love you more," Lisa responded sweetly, then was out the door.

***

Traffic on the Range Road was seldom busy, and today was no exception. Lisa counted maybe two other vehicles that passed her along the way; none from the opposite direction. She knew she could expect to hit heavier volumes once she reached Calgary, which was one reason she left Heartland with enough of a buffer to ensure she was not late for the meeting.

The nature of the meeting would be more serious in nature than others in the past. It would be the first time the group of investors would be meeting since Val died, meaning there was an empty spot Tanner Gunn would be looking to fill. Fortunately, someone was willing to do just that: Jesse Stanton.

Val's death sure has brought about a real change in Jesse, Lisa thought. She admittedly never had dealings with the heir to Briar Ridge, but with his mother gone, Jesse seemed to be willing to step up to the plate and continue as an investor with Tanner Gunn's group. Lisa had heard stories of how miserable Jesse had tried to make life for Ty once upon a time; that immature, vindictive phase was clearly behind him.

He would be in attendance today; one major item on the agenda would be the rather perfunctory business of naming Jesse as Val's replacement in their group. Other items included the possibility of raising the reward money amount for information leading to an arrest and conviction in Lanny and Paige's murders.

It's so terrible the police have nothing after all this time, Lisa mused sadly. And now Val... Thinking of the seeming lack of progress in Chief Parker's investigation, she wondered if Tessa Haywood, Jesse's girlfriend, was simply blowing smoke when she bragged Jesse was planning to hire a private investigator to look into his mother's death.

Maybe it's something Paige's parents ought to be doing, Lisa thought, knowing the case had gone cold in Calgary. Maybe I should suggest it at the meeting. Maybe we could offer to put up money to hire a P.I., instead of raising the reward.

From some distant point behind her, the obnoxious roar of a motorcycle reached Lisa's ears. A quick glance in the rear view mirror confirmed it: a lone rider approaching at a clip. Lisa kept glancing at her mirrors to keep tabs on this motorcyclist's movements. A few moments later, she watched as he pulled out into the oncoming traffic lane, then pulled back in behind her.

Is he trying to pass? Lisa wondered. She purposely let up on the accelerator so the rider could safely go by. When he didn't, she lowered her window and stuck out her arm, waving to encourage him; nothing was approaching them at this time from the opposite direction.

"It's clear," Lisa muttered more to herself, since she knew he could not possibly hear her over the roar of the bike's engine. Again, the motorcyclist swerved out, only to inexplicably pull back in behind.

What is he doing? she thought in borderline annoyance. She had already reduced her speed; maybe letting up some more would embolden him. Once more, Lisa released the pressure on the gas pedal; beckoned through the window more insistently now.

"I'm fifteen under the limit, buddy," she spoke out loud, voice heavy with exasperation, "if you're going to go—"

No sooner had she said this did the motorcyclist put on a burst of speed. He pulled abreast of her, keeping pace with the Porsche. Lisa glanced to her left, taking in the rider's dark leather jacket, mirrored helmet, and the pricey-looking bike. His head turned in her direction, but he still did not overtake. Lisa gave a slight shrug before returning her attention to the road ahead. If he did not want to go past, that was his business. He would only be risking a head-on collision if someone did happen to come up ahead on the road.

Lisa glanced at him yet again, still puzzled and now growing annoyed at his unusual actions. Is he trying to play "chicken"? she thought. An incline was in the distance, and she wondered if he would ever pass, as it would be dangerous to attempt on a hill. His right hand now clutched a pistol, which was pointed at her. Lisa's breath caught in her throat, instant fright replacing her annoyance. Instinctively, Lisa twisted the steering wheel to the right in a desperate attempt to veer away from the threat.

Two shots rang out.

The Porsche careened off the road into the ditch, its engine racing for several seconds before finally cutting off.

The would-be assassin continued down the road towards the incline without stopping as he shoved the weapon back inside his breast pocket. He instantly regretted the action, having misjudged how hot the piece had become after firing it, nearly yelping in pain when the metal radiated scorching heat through his jacket and shirt.

He chanced a final glance behind him at the wreck; the thought crossing his mind that he should perhaps turn back to see if he had been successful in carrying out his deadly objective. As he reached the hill's summit, he cursed himself when a horn blared. What seemed to be an inevitable collision with a pickup truck was avoided by mere inches as he finally pulled back into his proper lane.

In a flash, he realised he recognized that pickup before it vanished from sight behind the hill: it belonged to the Hudson veterinarian, Dr. Scott Cardinal. One side of his twisted brain urged him to turn back and kill Cardinal, too, but the more rational side prevailed. There were too many risks and unknowns at play now. What if someone else happened upon them? It was not worth it. So he rode on, anxious to put as much distance between himself and this job. In any case, Cardinal wouldn't be able to identify him. He was safe. But if the veterinarian did somehow become a threat, he would not be difficult to find…

***

"Scott, watch out!" Ty shouted in warning as they crested the hill.

Scott's heart skipped a beat when the guy on the motorbike narrowly avoided being splattered all over his windshield.

"Idiot," Scott spat in disgust, watching in the rear-view mirror as the retreating rider slipped from view behind the hill. His heart nearly skipped another beat when he saw a familiar silver-grey SUV sunk in the ditch just up ahead on the left.

Ty saw it, too. "Wait, I think that's Lisa's," he said, cold dread drenching him.

Scott eased up on the gas and pressed the brakes, bringing his truck to a complete stop while activating his emergency flashers. It could only be Lisa's; it had to be. No one else in Hudson drove that exact make and model in that colour. Even if it was not Lisa, the pair would certainly have halted to assist any accident victims.

"Ty, call for help!"

In seconds, Scott had snatched some gloves from his vet kit and hopped from the cab of the truck. He pulled on the gloves as he sprinted across the road towards the SUV. There was no discernible motion from within. Scott reached the driver's side window, which was still rolled down.

"Lisa?!" he called.

What he saw caused him to reach in to unlock and yank open the driver's side door in one frantic pull, willing himself not to panic or lose his focus. Lisa was slumped over the steering wheel, face partially obscured by the folds of the deflated airbag. The upper portion of the left sleeve of her dark grey blazer was saturated with blood.

"Lisa! Can you hear me?"

No response. He reached over to feel along the carotid artery; listened closely to determine if she was breathing. Her breath seemed shallow and laboured. Pulse? There it was: rapid, but barely perceptible beneath his gloved fingers. His attention quickly returned to the perfectly round wound to Lisa's upper arm, the first obvious source of the blood. Scott immediately squeezed his hands around her arm just above the site, applying as much pressure as he could manage, hoping to stop the flow.

"Ty!" he barked over his shoulder. "Grab our kits and get over here!"

He realised they would need to apply a tourniquet as soon as possible. At first, Scott could not figure how such an injury could have occurred in a car accident, since there was no evidence of shrapnel or anything of the sort. For a second, he flashed back to the thigh injury he sustained in the plane crash from several years ago. Nothing like that appeared to be the reason behind Lisa's trauma. It began to dawn on Scott there was already far too much blood soaking Lisa's blazer to have been caused by a single entry site. With the utmost care, he shifted her arm for a closer examination. What he saw caused his spirits to sink further: another perfectly round hole in Lisa's side that matched the ones perforating her left bicep.

"Scott, is she okay?"

Ty stood next to his mentor now, trying not to crowd him; his own hands currently wearing protective gloves as he lugged the kits over and set them down. He unclipped his cell and activated the speaker function, waiting for the 911 operator to answer.

Scott's face was grim. "Ty, I think Lisa's been shot."

"Shot?!" Ty echoed in dismay, angling for a closer look into the SUV. "What—are you sure?"

"It went through her arm and into her side," Scott said, throat constricting as he tried to swallow; his mouth bone dry. "It's pretty bad."

"911, what is your emergency?"

Ty shook himself after seeing the streaks of blood on Scott's own gloved hands which were still clenched firmly around Lisa's arm.

"Yes, I'm at the site of an automobile accident on Range Road 292 heading south towards Hudson," he answered the dispatcher. "Uh, a woman has been badly hurt."

"Okay, sir. What is your name, and can you confirm how many people are involved in the accident?"

"I'm Ty Borden—I'm a vet; I'm with Dr. Scott Cardinal," he stated. "The woman is Lisa Stillman. She's the only one hurt. We just found her. She's not conscious but she's bleeding pretty badly from, uh, from what looks like a gunshot wound."

If the 911 operator was fazed by what Ty described, her voice did not betray it.

"Thank you, Dr. Borden. We're dispatching police and ambulance services to your location right now. Did you say Dr. Scott Cardinal is with you?"

"Yes," Ty confirmed. "He can hear you; I've got you on speaker."

"Scott, it's Heather LaPlante," announced the dispatcher. "You're my vet. I know you guys are animal doctors, but your medical training will still be extremely useful here."

There came a series of additional questions and instructions from Heather, clarifying the extent of Lisa's injuries, and what more the two veterinarians could do to keep her alive.

"Don't move her unless it's absolutely necessary," Heather cautioned, once she had verified from Scott that Lisa was still breathing and a pulse was present. "Is the bullet wound a puncture or perforation?"

"Both," Scott advised. "The bullet perforated her left arm through the bicep and punctured her side—the ribcage. No discernible exit wound."

"Then the bullet is still inside her somewhere," Heather remarked in a matter-of-fact manner, but both men heard an edge of anxiety colouring her words. "You said her breath sounds are labored and the pulse is rapid, so you could be dealing with a pneumothorax. If you haven't already done so, you and Dr. Borden need to apply a tourniquet immediately to her arm, and you've got to deal with that side chest wound until more help arrives."

"Scott," Ty interjected with urgency, "the air bag. Look."

Scott took a moment to follow his protégé's gaze. His stomach flipped. A red stain bloomed ominously on the white material of the air bag below Lisa's face. "Ty, you gotta check her for a head or face injury," he said. "I don't want to let go of her arm until we can get the tourniquet."

"What's happening?" asked Heather, having heard the exchange.

"The air bag deployed when she crashed," Scott explained to the dispatcher, "but we're seeing bloodstains. It looks like she sustained a head injury on impact, or…" His voice trailed off, not wanting to voice the alternative. He knew they were all thinking the same thing, anyway.

There was barely room for Ty to maneuver. He clipped the phone back to the holder on his belt so as to have both hands free for this next action. The way the Porsche was angled in the ditch meant it would be impossible to gain access through the passenger-side door, so Ty popped the lock on the backseat door. Once inside, he squeezed himself over the console between the front seats to get closer to Lisa.

Life over limb, Ty thought grimly, as he cautiously supported the neck of the still-unconscious woman while raising her head for Scott to get a closer look.

"What do you see, Scott?" he asked, straining to keep proper support from his awkward position.

A bloody welt, gory and deep red in colour, showed plainly on Lisa's pale skin, just below the hairline, an inch above her left eye. Blood was now streaming down, darkening her left eyebrow, lid, and eyelashes. A single rivulet crept its way down her cheek; droplets stained the collar of her light blue blouse.

Scott sighed, his apprehension ramping up even higher. "She's been shot in the head, too, Ty. That ambulance had better get here fast."

Ty blinked hard. "Heather, I'm going to lean her back so her face isn't pressed into the steering wheel."

"Okay, do it gently as possible, always supporting her neck."

"Right."

Once this action was complete, he dashed out of the SUV and snapped open the vet kits. After withdrawing the necessary items, he and Scott applied a neat tourniquet to Lisa's left arm. Knowing they might need to shift Lisa to address the wound to her side, Ty reached in to unbuckle the seatbelt and carefully snaked it back to its original position.

"Make sure you keep paying close attention to her breathing and pulse, Scott," Heather warned. "Let me know right away if anything changes. If her chest cavity fills up with too much air, her lungs could collapse… and she could die right there before the paramedics can get to her. Here's what you have to do immediately to buy her some time..."

***

"All right, everybody's here except Lisa Stillman," Tanner Gunn said, calling the investors' group meeting to order.

"Yeah, that's Lisa—always on her own timetable, never mind what everyone else is doing," Dan Hartfield said disparagingly.

"Really?" Tanner remarked, turning to look at the other man. "I hadn't ever noticed that about your ex-wife, Dan. As I recall, she's normally early for these meetings."

"I'll send her a text," Dan grumbled, having been caught in his lie.

"Car trouble, maybe?" Fred Garland posited with a frown.

"That Porsche of hers is over ten years old," muttered Dan, still tapping on his phone, "but it's in excellent condition. I'll see if she responds to my message."

"I say we just start the meeting and get her up to speed when she arrives," Stanley Belmont, owner and operator of the Hudson Funeral Home said impatiently.

Emma Fitzroy nodded. "I agree. We have quorum in any case, and since we're not deciding on any new investment opportunities this meeting, we don't need any unanimous votes."

"Any objections from anyone, then?" Tanner asked, looking around the room. The members, plus newcomer Jesse Stanton, were all shaking their heads in the negative. "No objections. Good. Let's get a recap of the last meeting's minutes to start. Hopefully that gives Lisa enough time to get here before we move onto the first item of business on the agenda, which is namely you, Jesse..."

***

Jack heard the unexpected approach of a car. This was unusual, since he knew Lisa could not possibly be back at this time, and it was early still for his appointment with the detectives. He peeked out the kitchen window, mildly surprised to see it was indeed a police cruiser. It pulled to a stop and parked in the spot normally occupied by Lisa's Porsche. Are they here already? Jack thought. He was further surprised to see both Jim Parker and Ty exiting the vehicle. A strange disquiet stirred in the pit of his stomach. Some instinct told him this was not going to be a social call from the Hudson chief of police. He did not wait for the knock and instead opened the door right away for the two men.

Ty let the senior officer go ahead of him, unable to meet Jack's eyes. He was thankful Chief Parker was there and would do all the talking.

"Jim, it's good to see you," Jack said heartily, offering a firm handshake.

"Jack," Jim replied cordially, though his manner was reserved as he tried for some professional detachment.

"To what do I owe the pleasure of this visit?" asked Jack uneasily, his eyes wandering momentarily to Ty, who continued to avert his gaze. The younger man hung back, unsure now if he ought to be present for this. But no, he thought, Jack needed his support. Better to stay.

"Let's sit down first, please?" Jim implored, nodding towards the kitchen table. "Ty, you can join us, too."

Jack offered the chief something to drink while he pulled out a chair for him to sit down. Jim politely declined. The old cowboy rounded the table to take the place opposite. Ty mutely took up a third spot at the table to Jack's oblique left.

The Bartlett patriarch sensed something must be terribly amiss but could not quite make any sense of both Ty and Chief Parker's presence. He tamped down the rising tide of foreboding. "All right; what's this about?"

"I'm here because your wife—Lisa has been in an accident," Jim said plainly.

The words slammed into Jack like a gale-force wind, knocking the breath from his lungs. "Wha-? An accident?" His eyes flew once again to Ty for an explanation or some kind of confirmation of the chief's news. "Is she all right?"

"She's still alive, but her condition is critical. They've taken her to the South Calgary Health Campus," Jim replied evenly. "But, Jack, there's more."

Ty sucked in a sharp breath, knowing full well what "more" Chief Parker was referring to.

All kinds of dark memories engulfed a dumbstruck Jack; images and emotions from the night a similar conversation occurred between him and another officer about Marion and Amy.

"It wasn't merely an 'accident'," Jim continued, monitoring the other man's features carefully. "Someone shot your wife."

The words were so incongruous, Jack needed Jim to repeat them. "Excuse me, but did you just say someone shot my wife?" he exclaimed, his mouth hanging open in disbelief.

Ty covered his own mouth with his hand, remembering the sight of an unconscious, injured Lisa in the seat of her SUV.

"That's correct," Jim acknowledged.

"But—who? W-why?" Jack sputtered, rising from his chair, staring at the chief as his heart clenched painfully within. Rage soon replaced the disbelief as he imagined tearing to pieces the person who had dared harm his wife in this way.

"We don't have any suspects right now," Jim said calmly, noting how Jack's face had deeply reddened and how his hands were gripping the back of the chair. "I was actually hoping you might be able to help with that."

"How could I possibly 'help'?!" Jack snapped. Someone had shot his wife. She was in critical condition in the hospital, and Chief Parker was keeping him here, insinuating he might know who did it.

"Can you think of anybody who might want to hurt her? Does Lisa have any enemies?"

"'Enemies'? Lisa?!" echoed Jack, his voice rising from its usual gravelly timbre to a higher, incredulous pitch. The idea was absurd. "No!"

"Forgive me for having to ask," Parker said soothingly. "I know she is in the high-stakes racehorse breeding business. Have there been any disgruntled clients or staff? Jealous rivals? Think carefully, now."

Jack lowered himself into his chair once more. He attempted to focus; he forced his voice to speak something coherent. "Jim, you've met my wife. She's one of the kindest, most generous people I've known my whole life. She would rather sell her vacation home in France than let go her staff when she was going through a rough financial patch. That's the kind of person she is. Of course she has no enemies!"

If Parker was disappointed with this response, he did not let on. However, he did not give voice to what he was thinking: Very seldom in his experience did he encounter a person who went through life without upsetting someone else. The question, then, was if Lisa Stillman had ever upset someone else enough to want to end her life.

"Um… There was this jockey…" Ty murmured.

Jim turned to look at him expectantly. Jack glanced over in surprise, having nearly forgotten Ty was there.

"Go on, Ty," Jim encouraged.

"His name's Liam," Ty said, clearing his throat. "Liam Comox. He once jockeyed for Lisa. Amy and I—we suspected him of using an illegal shock device on one of the horses that was acting up. Lisa found a bunch of buzzers among his possessions and fired him. She also reported him to the Steward's Office. He was barred from racing."

"When was this?" asked the chief eagerly, seizing on this potential lead.

Ty considered. "Uh, maybe eight or nine years ago?"

A dubious expression replaced the hopeful one on Jim's face. "Hmm. Do you think he's still hanging around and holds a grudge against Lisa after all this time?"

Ty expelled a breath. "I don't know," he said with an honest shrug. "That is a pretty long time to be nursing a grudge. As for where he is now, I have no idea."

"Thank you, Ty. This is definitely something we'll be looking into," Parker said, scribbling down the details provided.

He turned now to Jack. "Thanks for answering my questions. If anything else occurs to you that you think might be important, I want you to call me right away, okay, Jack? No matter how insignificant you may think it is."

"I will," Jack said, rising as Jim stood up to leave.

"The same goes for you, Ty," Parker added, placing his card on the table. "I know you gave us a statement at the accident site, but if you think of anything else—something you remember that you didn't tell us—you call us."

"Okay," Ty replied with a nod.

"I'm sorry we had to meet again like this, Jack," Parker said with sincerity. "I don't like it when things like this happen under my jurisdiction, especially so soon after what happened to Valerie Stanton. You have my word my team and I will be nose to the grindstone to bring the responsible party to justice."

Jack was almost too numb to speak but managed a feeble "Thank you."

"I'll be in touch, Jack. There's bound to be more questions at a later time. You have my best wishes for a speedy recovery for your wife. Now, I'll see myself out," the chief said as he made his way over to the mud room.

Once the door shut behind the Hudson chief of police, Jack turned his attention to Ty. The numbness receded as his mind begged for more details. "Ty, what the hell is going on?" he hissed. "What is this about your giving a statement at the 'accident site'? How come you were with Chief Parker?"

"Because Scott and I were the ones who found Lisa," Ty answered, eyes downcast. "Her Porsche went off the road."

"And?" Jack prodded, his heart again screaming in pain while his mind conjured up horrific images of his wife trapped inside a mangled vehicle. "Don't you dare B.S. me, either, Ty. You tell me everything you know."

"It's—It's bad, Jack," Ty admitted, rubbing the back of his head. "We must have got there almost right after it happened. She, uh, wasn't conscious when Scott got to her. We could see one bullet wound to her left arm. That one did the most damage. It actually went through the arm into her side. No exit wound, so…"

"What else?" Jack demanded, steeling himself for what he feared he might hear next.

"There was another bullet wound to her forehead," Ty replied slowly, pointing out the approximate location on his own head. "I know that doesn't sound good, but when the paramedics arrived and got her out of the SUV, I think they were optimistic the bullet didn't actually penetrate her skull."

"Jeez," Jack breathed out, unable to articulate anything further.

"Scott and I applied a tourniquet to her arm. Sealed up the chest wound with gauze and… it's possible she could have a collapsed or punctured lung," Ty added reluctantly. "But she was still breathing when the paramedics and police got there, then Chief Parker arrived."

"I need to get to her right now," Jack stated resolutely, already moving to exit the house.

"I'll take you," Ty rushed to say. "You're in no state of mind to drive, Jack. Don't argue with me on this one, please."

Jack gave a swift nod without pausing in his tracks. "Fine," he grunted, tossing his keys to Ty. "Let's go!"

***

The drive out to the hospital was filled with a stifling tension. Ty dared not say a word while Jack sat in stony silence next to him. By the set of his jaw, Ty knew Jack was seething in mental torment and emotional anguish. Only once did Jack say something when they reached Calgary city limits and were minutes from the South Calgary Health Campus: "If she dies, I will kill the bastard responsible."

Ty sent a cautious glance over at the man who had become like a father to him. He saw a deadly resolve in the older man's lined face; his words clearly not an idle threat. Ty felt a chill pass through him at the thought Jack might actually resort to murder to avenge Lisa. He wanted to say something to get Jack off that destructive thought pattern but held his tongue for the time being. Had Ty not almost beaten Wade to death for his abusive actions towards Lily? He understood well that blinding rage and irrepressible need to exact justice for wrongs committed against innocent loved ones. The irrational emotion gripping Jack would eventually run its course—or at least Ty hoped it would—and there was still the chance Lisa would pull through.

***

Chapter 6: Fragile

#heartland #heartland fanfiction #JISA #JISA fanfiction #Lisa Stillman #Jack Bartlett #Ty Borden #Scott Cardinal #Val Stanton #Jesse Stanton #Tanner Gunn #Emma Fitzroy #Fred Garland #Chief James Parker #Bad Business #my fics #my fanfiction #A Heartland Murder Mystery #Dan Hartfield

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