“All right, Manny, draw up a list of everything and a budget and special-delivery it to me tomorrow. Then you go ahead and start putting everything together. How much is the use of the ranch and ranch house going to cost us?”
“Five grand, and they’re tickled to get it.”
“How long do you need to put the whole thing together and be ready for us?”
“Two, maybe three weeks.”
“I’ll give you a month, but you have to think of everything.”
“Leave it to me.”
“Thanks, Manny. I look forward to your budget.” He hung up, feeling a surge of enthusiasm for his new project. He walked to Eddie’s office and filled him in.
“Okay, you start exteriors in a month. What’s your shooting schedule up there?”
“Five weeks, and they’ll be building sets for the interiors while we’re up there. We’ll be back here before the snow flies up there, then we’ll need another three weeks for interiors, and we’ll be in postproduction.”
“So, even if you have to deal with bad weather, we could handle a spring release?”
“That should be fine.”
“How’s casting coming?”
“It’s going quickly. Because we’re using so many new faces, most of the cast is working for scale.”
“You got a budget yet?”
“No. In a couple of days, though, and it will be very complete.”
“Can you bring this in for a million dollars?”
“Less, I expect.”
“Looks like you’ve got yourself a western, kid.”
“Looks like I have.”
9
Later that afternoon a call came from Rick’s father.
“Hey, Dad.”
“Hey, Boy. Your airplane’s finished.”
“Good news!”
“Yeah, I flight-tested her yesterday, and the overhauled engines are right on the money. We’re painting that Centurion thing on her right now.”
“So she’s ready to fly?”
“She is.”
“I might want her tomorrow; I’ll call you about that.”
Jack hung up, and Rick pressed the intercom button. “Please get me a flying weather forecast for tomorrow and as far into the future as possible from L.A. to Jackson Hole, Wyoming. I’ll want it in writing.”
His secretary came back a few minutes later. “They say it’s ideal from tomorrow through the weekend and maybe beyond. I’m sending a messenger over there to pick up the written copy.”
“Great.” Rick buzzed Eddie Harris.
“Yeah?”
“Your airplane is ready to fly, Eddie; what say we take the girls and Sid Brooks and his wife up to Jackson Hole for the weekend, take a look at our locations?”
“That sounds great, kiddo.”
“We’ll meet out at Clover Field at nine A.M., then?”
“Good.”
“Tell Suzanne the nights will be chilly.”
“Okay. And remember, you, Glenna and Vance are expected here for dinner tonight.”
“Right.” Rick hung up and called Glenna and put the trip to her. She was enthusiastic.
“Can I bring the girls?” she asked.
“Too much for them and for us,” Rick said. “Rosie and Hannah can handle them.”
“Okay. What time?”
“We’re meeting at Dad’s place at nine tomorrow morning, and don’t forget dinner tonight at the Harrises’.”
“You’re on.”
Rick hung up and called Sidney Brooks.
“Hi, Rick, your production people have been keeping me abreast of work on Bitter Creek. I hear it’s going well.”
“It certainly is, and we’ve found a location for the exteriors at a place called Jackson Hole, Wyoming. Eddie and I are going to take our wives and fly up there tomorrow morning for the weekend. Would you and your wife like to join us?”
“Would I! Absolutely!”
“We’re meeting tomorrow morning at nine at Clover Field at a big hangar called Barron Flying Service. It’s my dad’s place.”
“I’ll find it.”
“Bring outdoor clothes and something warm for the evenings. Nothing fancy for the ladies.”
“We’ll be there.”
“See you then.” Rick hung up and buzzed his secretary. “Track down Manny White up in Jackson Hole and tell him six of us... No, wait a minute. Get me Vance Calder first. He’s probably on the back lot.”
Fifteen minutes later, Vance was on the phone. “Hello, Rick.”
“Vance we’ve found a location up in Wyoming, and we’re going up there tomorrow morning for the weekend. I’d like you to come.”
“Love to.”
“Bring a girl, if you like.”
“There’s nobody to bring, at the moment.”
“Meet us at Clover Field tomorrow morning at nine at Barron Flying Service. It’s a big hangar. Bring outdoor gear, and tell your girl to bring a jacket for the evenings, and don’t forget dinner tonight.”
“I’ll be there.”
Rick buzzed his secretary again. “Okay, now find Manny White and tell him eight of us are coming up there tomorrow morning for the weekend. Tell him to find us the best accommodations he can for three nights and to scout around for someplace to eat. Oh, and tell him to find us some horses, too.”
“There’s a bar up there he’s been using for an office; I’ll try him there.”
“Tell him to hire us some decent transportation, too.”
“Will do.”
Rick hung up and called his father. “Okay, Dad, we’re on for nine A.M. tomorrow.”
“She’ll be ready. You’ll need full fuel?”
“Right. We’ll probably need some internal fuel, too; as I remember, there’s a bar in the cabin.”
“I’ll stop at the liquor store on the way home tonight.”
“Thanks, Dad. What sort of heating does the airplane have?”
“It’s got two good heaters, so you should be comfortable, but if you want me to, I’ll buy some blankets, just in case.”
“Good. Get expensive ones; these passengers are used to that. I’ll reimburse you, of course. And please be sure the oxygen bottles are charged.”
“Wilco.”
He hung up and called the studio commissary. “Hi, this is Rick Barron. I’m going to need a picnic lunch for eight people — the works — plus paper plates and utensils, delivered to Barron Flying Service at eight A.M. tomorrow morning. Can you handle that?”
“Yes, sir. Hot food or cold?”
“Cold is just fine. Put in some beer, wine and Cokes, too.”
“It’ll be there, Mr. Barron.”
Rick got out his charts of the west and plotted a course that would take them over Death Valley, then Nevada and cut the northwest corner of Utah and the southeast corner of Idaho. The field at Jackson was just over the Idaho-Wyoming border.
He calculated the distance at 680 miles, which was good, since he’d have a maximum range of about 1,300 miles, no refueling, coming or going. There were mountains all along the route, many of them nearly 10,000 feet; he’d go at 13,000 so his passengers wouldn’t need oxygen, though he would, to be safe.
His secretary buzzed him. “Manny White’s on the phone.”
Rick picked it up. “Hey, Manny.”
“Hi, there. I hear you’re coming to see me.”
“That’s right, and I’m bringing Eddie Harris, Sidney Brooks and Vance Calder and their women.”
“I spoke to the people who own the ranch, Mac and Ellie Cooper, and they’re happy to have you all stay at the main house. It’s big and comfortable, and they have a full-time cook, so all your needs will be taken care of. I’ve rented their big ’41 Ford station wagon, and I’ve already got two Jeeps here, too. And they’ve got a barn full of horses, so you can ride all you like. There’s good fly fishing in the Snake River, if you want that.”