Finally, Laura just decided to let the women’s conversation peter out.
Ruby was the first to bring her attention back. “What are our grandnephews up to, then?”
“They’ve got plans to—”
“Oh, I do hope they fix it up,” Pearl said brightly.
“They’re good at that. Eddie and Jack. They have their own business, you know.”
“Are they going to fix it?” Pearl asked. “We can’t allow drifters into Sierra Falls.”
“That’s what I came to talk—”
“Or vagrants,” Ruby said with a gasp under her breath.
“A big hotel hired them,” Laura interjected quickly and loudly. She was trying to keep her cool, but she felt like she’d burst from frustration.
“Isn’t that exciting?” Pearl cooed. “Big-city types coming all the way out here to vacation.”
Ruby agreed. “Exciting.”
“No,” Laura snapped. “It’s not exciting.” She softened her tone. “That’s what I’ve been trying to say. I mean, tourists are good, but they’re going to put our lodge out of business.”
The ladies’ expressions grew grim. “Ohh,” they said in tandem.
Ruby wrung her hands. “Surely our boys don’t mean to do that.”
Laura breathed a quick sigh. They’d finally heard her. “Whether they mean to or not, it’s happening.”
Pearl frowned and looked at Ruby as she said, “Our Eddie and Jack would never try to put Bear out of business.”
Laura sensed their bias wavering and was quick to amend, “They wouldn’t, no, of course not. But this big corporation is powerful—they’re the ones who’ll put us under. They’re making it a resort and could add, well, anything. A pool, greenhouse, gym, spa…” She racked her brain for what might most horrify ladies of the historical society. “It’ll probably be new, modern construction. All steel and glass.”
That got the sisters, and they frowned, aghast.
“How can we help?” Pearl asked.
“The historical society keeps the town records, right?” At their nod, Laura continued, “I thought maybe if the ranch was on the registry, we could halt construction.”
“The registry?” Pearl asked Ruby.
Ruby looked to Laura. “Which registry?”
She forced a calm smile. Patience. “You know, the historic registry.”
Understanding dawned on their faces. “I’m sorry, dear. That ranch is old, but it’s not historic.”
“Not precisely.”
“Well, could you check maybe?” Laura’s jaw was beginning to ache from forcing the pleasant smile.
The sisters disappeared into the records room, and she fought her impatience. She really should’ve been home, working. Discreetly, she checked the time on her phone. She could make a call to the California Historical Society—that was where she should’ve started, not here.
Just as she began to debate whether it’d be rude to find the number while she waited, the women reemerged with a tattered manila folder.
“Wow.” Laura shoved her cell back in her purse. “That was fast.”
“The records were pulled recently.” Ruby settled back in her chair and began to riffle through the stacks of paper. There were yellowed photographs, old survey maps, and notes on scraps from a steno pad that looked to be older than Laura.