Sedona: City of Refugees

The waiter delivered their lunches. Philip picked at his Caesar salad.

“Your father would have never gone for the land exchange idea except that he was negotiating with high-placed government officials before he died. They expressed interest in buying outright the Edgarville property. They were talking about it being used for some kind of government project.”

“What kind of government project?” Natalie asked, a note of concern in her voice.

Jessica cut in, her voice as sharp as the knife she used to cut her rare steak sandwich.

“Don’t worry, Natalie. There’s no place out there in Edgarville where your friends do their mumbo jumbo,” referring to the Native American medicine wheels New Agers build out of rocks and use for meditation ceremonies.

“Go to hell,” Natalie answered her sister in a low tone.

Philip growled. “Stop it! Nothing will happen out there that will be of any consequence to either of you.”

He was growing tired of the constant argument between them. What would it take to convince them to agree to discredit their father’s reputation enough to get the will changed?

Philip watched Natalie bite into her vegetarian quiche. She seemed to savor every tidbit. He knew from what she said before that she enjoyed good food and loved the surroundings of the posh resort. Despite her New Age spiritual and environmental leanings, Philip knew Natalie needed money to continue to live like she did, playing at the New Age game, but living outside the quirkiness of it.

Jessica sliced up her steak sandwich, devouring the red meat like she devoured men. Philip also knew Jessica could never live a life without wealth. Her high-priced sexual haunts demanded such resources.