The Daily Novel

~ EPILOGUE ~
Jessie strode out of the McCarey office building and drove outside of town, thrilling to the feel of the wind whipping through her hair with the top down on her convertible. Heading to one of her favorite places, where the sprawl ended and the beauty of the countryside began, she quickly reached her [...]

| CHAPTER EIGHTEEN |
At the McCarey ranch, Jessie and Stephen huddled together in the living room, intently studying documents. Jessie quizzed: “Is there anything I can do, legally?”
“Well, Jess, the actions of the board will be based on their belief of what’s in the company’s best interests … financially. If the board chooses Buchannan over [...]

| CHAPTER SEVENTEEN |
1960
Jessie groggily raised her head from the pillow. Yes, that is the phone ringing. She wearily rolled out of bed to answer it, and, hearing MaryBeth’s worried tone, snapped to attention.
“Jessie, Ben’s real bad. The doctors don’t think he’ll make it through the night.  Please come.”
Telling MaryBeth she’d be right over, Jessie [...]

| CHAPTER SIXTEEN |
1931
William Murray, Governor of Oklahoma, ordered the oil fields shut down because of the glut of oil on the market. Kansas and Texas joined in an eighteen-day suspension, which raised prices somewhat.
Jessie and Roger labored closely with their new marketing manager to develop a strategy for purchasing small retail outlets from independents [...]

| CHAPTER FIFTEEN |
After Jake’s accident, Jessie flung herself like a tornado into her work at McCarey Oil. It didn’t assuage the pain she felt over the loss of her husband, but it helped her get through the days.
Jessie never removed the collection of photographs of Jake that adorned her credenza. When contemplating some difficult [...]

| CHAPTER FOURTEEN |
1928
Jake’s awfully late getting home tonight. It isn’t like him to be this late without calling. Jessie intermittently calmed herself with the thought that the weather between here and Dallas must be rough and he was waiting for it to clear, or he had run into a meeting with a client he [...]

| CHAPTER THIRTEEN |
A few weeks later, Jessie worked late at the office. Strange … but she thought she heard the outside door. She glanced up just as Jason fretfully materialized in the doorway.
“Well, this is a nice surprise, kiddo. What brings you to the office?”
Jason looked soberly at Jessie. “Jessie, it’s Papa. He’s real [...]

| CHAPTER TWELVE |
Jake paced, waiting for the operator to fuel his plane. He was completely frustrated about not getting that Tillman contract. Things were really tight lately, and he needed that contract. What would he tell Jessie? She had been so successful, he was more than a little intimidated by the amount of money [...]

| CHAPTER ELEVEN |
December, 1917
Josh stopped by the family office to say a last goodbye to Jessie and Ben. His army unit was leaving for England, and then on to Europe for combat duty. Jessie had been optimistic that Josh wouldn’t be sent overseas. But now she had to face reality.
Ben extended his hand to [...]

| CHAPTER TEN |
1916
Something was frightening Jessie lately: all the activity in Europe. With Germany at war with its neighboring countries, rumor was that the U.S. might soon be involved. She worried about the men in her family: Would they be required to enter the service? Jake had even mentioned that a representative from the [...]