Chapter 11

Business Affairs

Soon after returning from their honeymoon Ernie and Gayatri have a visit from John to discuss the Argent Estate income. This is separate from the Mount Station trust as it’s part of the Wells Trust. Estate rental income is now twenty-one thousand dollars a week. Add in his book royalties and the trust income is just over one and a quarter million dollars a year. John wants to know how Ernie wants to deal with it. Previously he put all of his inheritances and compensation pay-outs into stocks, which were sold to pay for the work on the estate and the farm. Now what does he want done with the money?

They talk for a while, and decide there’s no point in buying any more land in the area, nor is he happy with the stock market or the way the world economy is right now. Gayatri asks about better communications between the farm houses so they don’t have to pay for so many phone calls. Ernie grins as pulls out an A3 map he has of the farm and estate.

Each field has a single vehicle width road running around the inside of the fence, this is to allow for crop vehicle turning and access. Due to the recent changes the bulk of the farm is like a grid of squares. There are no internal gates except in the stock paddock, because having no gates makes for quicker and easier access to the fields. All of the farm houses are up close to Mount Road with their vegetable gardens and orchards between them and the road. The way Jason set out the fields there’s one fence and road that runs along the back of all the farm buildings except for the manor and the fish-farm and the road also runs up to the side fence of the estate just behind the houses’ back fences. The access road for the manor and fish-farm is one of the field roads that runs up past the main farm homestead where Jason lives.

After studying the map for a while Ernie runs his finger over the main internal farm road he says, “John, get a quote on putting a fibre optic cable along this road so we can run a line into each farm building. You’ll need to run a link down to the fish-farm and manor and also run it along the back of the estate houses so every building in both can be on the network. Put up a small building with its own power and set up a few server computers. We’ll set up our own gaming, email, and VoIP network for internal communications for the farm and the estate.”

“I can do that. But why the farm and the estate?”

“All of the kids on the farm know the kids living in the estate. This way they can interact over the internal network by playing games and with VoIP study sessions. We can have a server or two set up for study help as well. Set up a system for them to share files too.”

Gayatri grins as she says, “I like that. It’ll allow the kids to be more involved with each other. Can we hook it into the Internet as well?”

Ernie looks up, “Why the Internet, Love?”

“So the kids can involve the kids they know in town in their study sessions too.”

“Hmm! If it has full Internet they’ll play games and the like at our expense. I suppose we can set it up so it has a limited Internet access for chat rooms we control and they use. Look into that too, please, John.”

After more discussion they come up with a list of local charities to make donations to as well.

A few weeks later Will organises a meeting in Ernie’s office with the trustees, Jason, Harry - the fish-farm manager, and Ernie to discuss the farm operations. This is a good time for the meeting because there’s not much that can be done on the farm due to the rain. A heavy storm three days ago was the start of a continuing drizzle expected to last for a few more days, according to the weather experts. One item on the agenda is the rising river level and floods.

They gather mid-morning on the Wednesday and Jason raises the first discussion item with, “I’d like to concrete the two main farm roads if we can afford it.” He has a map out and is pointing at the road from Mount Road to the manor and the road along the back of the farm buildings. “These are our two heavy use roads and they’re getting cut up in this rain due to the constant usage.”

Will nods agreement as he says, “It’ll be expensive, but we can do it!”

Ernie says, “Can we defer it for a while. I’ve got John looking at the installation of a fibre optic cable along those roads to improve the farm communications.” Both Jason and Will think that’s a good idea and nod agreement with the delay.

Jason adds, “What say we get Serge to do both jobs at the same time to save on the costs. Anyway, we’re going to have to wait a few weeks to get anything done on them.” He gets two yes nods in reply. “While we can’t do field work I’ve got the men on the major maintenance of all of our equipment. Most of it’s early, but we may as well make good use of this time.” He turns and looks at Ernie, “Those barns you had put up for the stock are paying for themselves. Instead of being stressed out by the weather all of the stock are happy and comfortable in them. They made their own way there within the first hour of the storm and have stayed there since. We go up to put fresh hay in the feed troughs twice a day and once a day we take a tanker up to wash out the fresh fertiliser.” They all laugh about the last item, but the place would be a real mess if they didn’t clear out the cow crap each day.

Harry asks, “With the river rising how are we set up for a flood?”

Will grins, “I was worried about that so I had the planners look into it. The level the fish-farm buildings are on is the same as the dock and is a metre and a half above the highest recorded flood level. To simplify the construction all of the tank fences are the same height as the dock and have walkways on them with fencing going a metre higher to provide rails. Thus the fence tops are two and a half metres above all of the prior flood levels. You shouldn’t have anything to worry about there. The rest of the farm is a metre higher than the dock level and the manor itself is another five metres higher.” He grins as he adds, “I was pleased to see the new fencing system works as designed and it’s keeping water on the fields so it can soak in.”

Jason nods, “Yeah! I was out earlier doing some tests on the soil. The water has already soaked in deeper than we’ve previously recorded for water penetration. So that’s good, and it should soak in a lot more. Also, the anti-erosion measures in the gully have worked well. But we may have to dig out the miniature dams due to soil from upstream.”

Ernie nods agreement while saying, “We can use that to finish filling some of the holes we still have from the construction work on the gully. What happened to the power poles?”

Jason says, “I inspected them and they weren’t good for anything except burning. I removed the metal, cut them into firewood, put some at each house using wood, and sent the tar coated ends to the dump.”

Harry asks, “One thing we’ve noticed with the rain and the higher river levels is all of the fish are breeding more. I’d like to put some into the river while it’s running so fast. That way they’ll spread out along more of the river faster.”

The matter is discussed and ends with Will saying, “OK! Release one percent of the stock into the river. Use the staged release plan you have, and keep a record so we can let the government know what nice guys we are.” Harry nods agreement as the rest grin. They’ll all be taking home a good bucket of fresh fish from the farm when they go.

Jason has a list of some equipment he’d like replaced and a few new items he’d like. They’re discussed and approved. Harry talks about the work being done by the uni students studying the fish-farm. Overall the farm is doing well in all aspects and the current plans should see it continuing to do well.

They’re finishing up when Jason says, “Ernie, you make a damn good farmer, especially so for a city boy. Not only did you get the farm back to its original size you’ve made it totally self-sufficient. We’ve got our own power, water, fuel, vegetables, fruit, the crops, meat, and will soon have our own communications network. I’m not worried about all of the doomsday stuff we see on the television.”

Ernie nods, “The research I did when I first arrived showed me farms were self-sustaining and self-sufficient until the nineteen fifties, but that changed to large field single crop farming. I don’t see that as being a good idea so I worked to get things like they are now.” They all pack up and go back to their other work with the end of the meeting.

Family Problems

Four months after the wedding Gayatri and Ernie are in Rivers on a Friday evening with plans to catch a live show being put on by the local theatre group at the council hall. They’re having dinner at Mistri Meals when two men walk in and pull out handguns. One points his gun in the direction of Mrs Mistri while saying, “Give me all your money,” and the other is looking around the room full of diners.

Gayatri and Ernie are at their usual table which is in the rear corner on the same side as the cash register. Ernie has his back to the wall and is facing the front, so he sees it all while it happens. His staff is in the corner behind him and Gayatri is on his left against the side wall.

When he sees them reaching into their pockets while walking in the door Ernie is suspicious so he slips his right hand off the table and into his lap. He has the pistol he bought last year in a cross-draw clip-on holster on his belt in front of his left hip. He’s worn it there every day since he bought it, and he’s had no need of it before now. However, like any insurance policy, you don’t need it until you really need it. With the pistol out, held just below the table level, and to the side, Ernie waits until the one at the register lets Mrs Mistri move out of the line of fire to open the register. The other man has his gun in hand but pointing at the floor. It’s clear they think having the guns in view is enough intimidation to keep them safe, but they’re very wrong.

Picking his time while the first man is watching Mrs Mistri and the second has his head turned to check the far corner of the room Ernie is quick to raise his hand with the pistol. When the foresight comes in line with the base of the neck of the man watching the diners he has a good sight picture so he fires. Shifts target to the second man and fires when the man starts to turn his head. Both rounds hit the collar bone to smash it into many pieces while knocking the men down at the same time as the bullets and broken bone rip apart their throats, spines, and arteries. Both men fall to the floor, dying without realising how bad their wounds are due to the pain ending when their spinal columns cease to exist because of the bullets tearing them apart to end the messages from their body.

Ernie stands up as he says, “Gayatri, please call the police emergency line.” He raises his voice, “Everyone please stay seated until the police arrive and get a statement.” He turns to Mrs Mistri, “Mum, sit down and take several slow deep breaths.” While talking he grabs his staff in his left hand and walks up to the two men. Squatting beside them he confirms they’re dying and there’s nothing he can do for them. With the danger over he puts the pistol away and gets his licence out.

He has time to stand and lean on the counter before the screaming siren of the police alerts them all to their imminent arrival. The screech of hard braking tyres soon follows.

Two officers race in with the guns in hand, they see no one has a gun out except the two men lying on the floor with bloody upper chests so they kick the guns away from the hands of the men while they put their guns away. One asks questions while the other speaks on his radio.

Another two police cars arrive, one with Sergeant Mason. Ernie and the Sergeant remember each other from last year. Mason sends two of the officers back on patrol before he asks Ernie for his version of events, noting it all in his official notebook, along with the details of Ernie’s pistol and his licence. The first two officers are getting statements from Mrs Mistri and Gayatri. Once they’ve got those three they get a list of the other diners and statements from only a few of the better known ones.

Almost half an hour later most of the witnesses are allowed to go on their way with little more than a note of their name, contact details, and being told they’ll be contacted later if a full statement is needed. Also the dead are being removed to the morgue.

Sergeant Mason says, “It’s clear, from the independent witnesses, you did the right thing. I doubt you’ll have any problems with this. But it’s up to the Prosecutor what happens next.”

Ernie smiles because that’s what he expected and says, “About what I thought.” He hooks a thumb over his shoulder, “And the video from the camera in the ornament in the corner should help that decision.” He turns to his wife, “Gayatri, will you show one of the officers how to get a copy of the video, please!” She nods yes and leads the way to the office.

In a half an hour the police are gone, the blood is cleaned off the tiled entrance area, and Ernie is asking, “OK, Dad, what’s going on?”

Mr Mistri says, “Many years we do business with no trouble, until now. However, many years we have no trouble with the landlord.” He shrugs, “I have no proof, but I suspect this is to do with our lease. We signed a new five year lease just before the wedding. Two months later the owner who operated the shop next door died. His two daughters are married and their husbands have made them close the furniture shop after selling off all of the stock cheap. The building is up for sale. However, the lease we have limits what can be done with it until the lease runs out or they buy-out the lease. I don’t want to move so I set a high price to buy-out the lease. Enough to cover finding and setting up a new place plus the lost business while we do that. They do not like the price I ask. Although it wasn’t a big issue until a company offered them a price of over double the valuation for empty possession in a month. If they buy-out my lease I get more than half of what they get, so they try to force me to sell by interfering with deliveries. I have a court order to stop them, John did that for me. I think this is the next step.”

“OK. Dad, I’ll see what I can find out and do.” Mr Mistri smiles at Ernie calling him ‘Dad’ because he likes how much Ernie accepts them as his family now. “I do wish you’d told me about the building being on the market when it first went up for sale.”

“Why? What good would that have done?”

“I could’ve bought it cheap and then we could’ve expanded here to have more room and hire more cousins as staff.”