Vanished into Plein Air

by Paula Darnell

  “Oh, no! What happened?”

  “I picked up Olivia myself at the truck stop. When Ulysses didn't show up, she called the resort. Of course, the kidnappers had disposed of her cell phone, so she had to convince the store clerk that it was an emergency before he'd let her use their business phone. She was practically hysterical by the time I arrived. Once I made sure she was all right, we drove around, looking for Ulysses, but we couldn't find him, so I took Olivia back to their suite at the resort. That's when the police showed up, looking for a relative of Ulysses. Luckily, he was driving one of the resort's cars, and the night clerk recognized his name.”

  “What happened?”

  “An accident. Evidently, it was a hit and run. The back of his car was smashed in, and he ended up in a ditch on the outskirts of town. He must have gotten lost on the way to pick up Olivia, because the accident happened out on the highway. Anyway, we're at the hospital now, and we've just spoken to his doctor, who told us he should be fine. He has a concussion, and he's suffered some bumps and bruises, so they're keeping him overnight for observation. We'll pick him up tomorrow afternoon as soon as the doctor releases him.”

  “Poor Ulysses! After everything he's been through with the kidnapping, then this has to happen. I'm glad they're both all right.”

  “I want to thank you again for your help, Amanda. You really went above and beyond for someone you barely know. Both Olivia and Ulysses are very grateful. In fact, Ulysses wondered if you wouldn't mind stopping by the hospital in the morning so that he can thank you in person.”

  “Oh, well, uh, sure. I guess I could do that if that's what he wants.”

  “Great! Well, I'd better take Olivia back to the resort now so that she can wind down and Ulysses can get some sleep. It's been a stressful day for everybody.”

  “That's for sure.” I still couldn't quite believe that I'd delivered a half-million-dollar ransom to a kidnapper, but I was very relieved that Olivia had been released unharmed. It was bad luck that Ulysses had been involved in a traffic accident, but since his doctor had told Olivia and Brooks that he'd be OK, I could go to sleep without worrying about either the artist or his wife. Even so, it took me several hours to relax enough so that I felt I'd be able to sleep, but when I finally did go to bed, I made up for my lack of sleep the previous night.

  The next morning, I walked Laddie to the park before we had breakfast. I would have asked Belle to come along with Mr. Big, but it was a bit too early for her. She was something of a night owl, often staying up late, and she preferred to sleep in whenever she could. I was bursting to tell her about the kidnapping, now that Olivia was back safe and sound, especially since I knew I could count on her discretion not to tell anybody except Dennis, of course.

  After I fed Laddie and Mona Lisa, I decided to make some date muffins for my own breakfast. I'd bought the dates at a farmers' market in Prescott, directly from the farmer who'd grown them. He'd driven up to Northern Arizona from the Yuma area to sell his sweet Medjool dates at the market. I smiled as I chopped the dates, remembering what fun Belle and I had had shopping at the outdoor market and discovering all kinds of goodies.

  I popped the muffins into the oven and brewed some strong tea while I waited for the muffins to bake. They were a perfect golden brown when I removed them from the oven and tested them with a toothpick. I lingered over my tea, enjoying a warm muffin so much I couldn't resist having a second.

  I hated to go to the hospital to see a patient empty-handed, and I thought maybe Ulysses would enjoy some homemade muffins after a breakfast of hospital food, so I arranged a few in red plastic wrap, set them in a small wicker basket, and added a red ribbon, tying it with a simple bow. Satisfied with my handiwork, I changed from my dog-walking jeans and sneakers into tan linen pants, a turquoise blue top, and sandals. I draped one of my tie-dyed silk scarves around my shoulders and arranged the folds. Its turquoise and cinnamon hues went perfectly with my top. I fiddled with the knot until I was satisfied with the way it looked, and I was soon ready to go.

  Laddie nuzzled me and whimpered softly when he realized that I was about to leave the house without him. He frequently visited Belle to hang out with Mr. Big when I was going to be gone for a while, and I knew he preferred a play date with his buddy to staying home with only Mona Lisa, who usually ignored him, for company. Gazing into his big brown eyes as I petted him, I assured him I'd be back soon. I felt slightly guilty for leaving him, even though I knew he'd be perfectly fine.

  I hadn't had occasion to visit Lonesome Valley Hospital since I'd moved to town. When I arrived there, I found the small parking lot in front packed. I drove around back, looking for a place to park, but the entire area was blocked off for construction work. It appeared the hospital management planned to solve the parking problem with a new multi-story garage. I ended up parking on the street a couple of blocks away.

  At the reception desk, I asked for Ulysses's room, and I was directed to the nursing station on the second floor. When I stepped off the elevator I was shocked to find the nursing station for the hospital's intensive care unit right in front of me. There was a small waiting area to the right, which I didn't notice until I heard someone calling my name. I turned to see Brooks rising from one of the chairs.

  “It's bad news, I'm afraid. Ulysses is in a coma!”

  Chapter 11

  “But I thought the doctor said he was going to be fine.”

  “The doctor was wrong,” Brooks said grimly. “They've called in a specialist.”

  “I'm sorry. I'm just stunned. I brought him some homemade muffins,” I said lamely, holding up the red, plastic-wrapped basket.

  “I'll see that Olivia gets them. I'm sure she'll appreciate the gesture.” Brooks reached for the little basket, and after I handed it over, he set it on the end table, where he'd put his laptop when I arrived.

  “Olivia must be worried sick.”

  “She is. I insisted that she go down to the cafeteria to get a cup of coffee. Unfortunately, there's not much I can do for her here, other than keep her company, but I need to get back to the resort. I'm just waiting for Gabrielle to take my place. She'll stay with Olivia for a while, at least.”

  I nodded. There was nothing I could do, either. I returned to the elevator, pressed the down arrow, and waited. In less than a minute, the elevator door slid open, but since the going-up indicator was lighted, I decided to wait until it came back down before boarding.

  Gabrielle, dressed in a navy sheath and red-soled Louboutins, emerged from the elevator. Giving her long blond hair a flip, she walked past me, without acknowledging my presence, and gave Brooks a quick kiss on the cheek.

  “What's that?” she asked, pointing to the basket of muffins that sat next to Brooks's laptop.

  “Amanda brought some homemade muffins for Ulysses. I said I'd give them to Olivia.”

  “You'll do nothing of the kind,” she said, picking up the basket and depositing it in the trash can.

  Gabrielle had her back to me, but Brooks glanced my way, a look of embarrassment on his face.

  About that time, the elevator arrived, its door opening with a little dinging tone. Saved by the bell, I hopped inside and stepped to the back, past a couple of nurses, out of Brooks's sight. He wasn't the only one who felt embarrassed, but my own embarrassment was quickly turning to anger, although I admit I felt a bit hurt, too.

  I wondered what had possessed Gabrielle to discard the basket. If she had something against me, I had no idea what it could be. I'd encountered her only a few times in my life before today. The first time I ever saw her was in Brooks's former art gallery in downtown Lonesome Valley, but that had been several months ago in the spring, when Dustin had visited me, and I was showing him around Lonesome Valley for the first time. Although she'd paid plenty of attention to my son, she'd never spoken to me. I hadn't seen her again until Emma and I attended Ulysses's opening at Brooks's new gallery in the resort's mall, but that was from across the room, and we never really cro
ssed paths. She'd been at the paint-out and the art auction, and we hadn't spoken either time. In fact, I was pretty much the invisible woman, as far as she was concerned.

  Except for one time.

  I remembered the one occasion when she'd actually noticed me, now that I thought about it. She and Olivia had been talking when I descended the path at the paint-out to use the restroom, and as soon as they noticed me, they'd stopped talking. I'd felt like an intruder, even though I'd had as much right be be there as they had.

  When the elevator reached the first floor, the nurses filed out, and I followed, almost forgetting that I had another errand to attend to before I left the hospital.

  Across from the reception desk was the hospital's gift shop, run by a group of volunteers called Friends of Lonesome Valley Hospital. I'd researched the gift shop and added it to my short list of the retailers Belle had suggested I pitch to carry my silk scarves in their shops. I reached into my bag and pulled out a business card, my wholesale price list, and a full-color brochure I'd had printed at a local copy shop. Taking a deep breath, I entered the gift shop. I'd been hesitant to make personal sales calls and had mailed my information to a few local shops, instead, but I realized that I'd have to follow up with personal calls if I hoped to make any sales.

  Inside, two women wearing blue cover-all aprons with the hospital's logo embroidered on the patch pockets greeted me politely and asked how they could help me.

  I explained my mission, taking off my yard-square scarf and holding it up so that they could see my design more easily.

  “That's really beautiful,” the younger woman said.

  “Yes. I love the colors,” her white-haired companion agreed. “We can pass your information on to Xena. She's our treasurer, and she does all the ordering. She's not here today, but if you'd like to speak to her, she's scheduled to work tomorrow morning. Maybe you could drop back then.”

  “All right. I can probably do that.” I thanked them and draped my scarf back over my shoulders, fastening it with a fancy knot.

  I should have remembered to find out who the decision maker was before showing up for a cold call, but now that I knew she'd be in the shop the next day, I'd try again.

  As I left the gift shop, I heard someone calling my name. I looked around and spotted Olivia, a large Styrofoam cup in her hand, coming toward me.

  “Amanda, I want to thank you for what you did for me,” she said. “I know Ulysses wanted to thank you, too, but unfortunately. . . .”

  “Brooks told me. I'm so sorry.”

  “I just can't believe it. Last night the doctor said he was going to be fine. I never should have left him here alone.”

  “He had a whole staff to look after him, and even the doctor didn't suspect he'd take a turn for the worse. Besides, you'd had quite an ordeal yourself.”

  “Yes, well, I'd better get back upstairs.”

  I thought it understandable that she didn't want to talk about it.

  She scurried off, giving me a quick wave as she headed for the elevator.

  On the way home, I stopped at the supermarket to pick up some salmon and baby carrots. My golden boy had succeeded in making me feel a wee bit sorry for leaving him home this morning, rather than taking him to Belle's, and even though Mona Lisa didn't seem to care whether I left her or not, I planned to share some tidbits of my salmon lunch with both her and Laddie.

  Mona Lisa must have smelled the salmon before I reached the kitchen door; she pounced on my feet the minute I opened it. Laddie wasn't far behind as he ran to me, elated with joy, his tail whipping back and forth. Although I suspected Mona Lisa's enthusiasm had more to do with the fish than it did with me, it was still nice to be wanted, I thought, as I set the plastic grocery bag on the counter and stooped to pet my furry companions.

  After lunch, I played with Mona Lisa, flipping her favorite feather toy back and forth while she chased it. Laddie lay beside me, watching the game, but, wisely, not trying to participate. He knew his turn was coming. After I returned the feather to Mona Lisa's toy basket, she leaped to the top of her kitty tree and settled herself with her chin resting on her paws. Laddie and I went out to the backyard for a game of fetch. By the time we finished, he was panting, and I was dripping with perspiration. A cool morning had turned into a warm afternoon, and we moved into the shade on the patio. I relaxed in my chaise lounge while Laddie stretched out beside me. Fatigue was catching up with me. I told myself I'd close my eyes for a minute and promptly fell asleep. An hour later, I awoke to a persistent paw patting my arm. I stretched and shook my head, still feeling somewhat groggy after we went back inside. I refreshed the water in Laddie's bowl, and he lapped it up eagerly.

  By this time, I figured I wouldn't be accomplishing any creative work today. I procrastinated for a while before deciding to tackle the mid-month bills that would be coming due in the next few days. I returned my laptop from the studio, set it on my tiny dining table, and logged into my bank account. By the time I finished paying bills, the balance in my checking account was practically nonexistent. Brooks had told Ulysses that the artists' checks for their sales at the auction would go out Monday. If that were still the case, he'd mail the checks today, and they should arrive tomorrow. I planned on making a run to the bank to deposit mine and withdraw some cash since I didn't have any folding money left in my purse after spending the last of my cash at the grocery store earlier. I was making a concerted effort not to run a balance on my credit cards, but it wasn't always easy. Thanks to the sale of my painting at the auction, I'd squeak by once more this month. Next month, I could count on the last half of the payment due me when I completed my two commissioned pet portraits. Although it was hardly enough money to see me through the month, at least it was a head start.

  I sighed, contemplating my on-the-edge finances, but I didn't regret moving to Lonesome Valley or my efforts to make my living from selling my artwork.

  After spending the rest of the afternoon doing laundry and a few household chores, I made a salad for an early dinner and filled my pets' bowls, setting them at opposite corners of my dinky kitchen. There was barely enough room to separate them in my small kitchen. I was picking up my dishes when Laddie, his tail wagging furiously, ran to the kitchen door. This maneuver usually signaled a visit from Belle. Most guests came to my front door, and only Belle and Dennis habitually entered by the side door closest to their own house.

  Before Belle had a chance to knock, I opened the door, and Mr. Big rushed in ahead of her. I shooed the dogs into the living room, out of Belle's way.

  “A dozen date cookies for you,” she said, as she set a plastic container on the kitchen counter.

  “Sounds good, and I saved some date muffins for you and Dennis,” I told her, putting a small tin next to the container she'd placed on the counter. We both laughed.

  “Great minds think alike, I guess,” she said. “Somehow, it never crosses my mind to buy dates at the supermarket, but I always make a point to buy them whenever I go to the farmers market.

  “How about some iced tea? We can take it out on the patio.”

  “Yes. Let's.”

  Laddie and Mr. Big eagerly followed us outside, where they were free to romp around the backyard, which was enclosed by a wall. I'd found the walled backyards typical of my new neighborhood when I'd moved to Lonesome Valley. They kept cooperative dogs in, but, from what I'd been told, walls weren't always enough to keep coyotes out, so Belle never let Mr. Big go outside alone. She'd explained that coyotes have been known to attack even large dogs, so I kept a watchful eye on Laddie when he was outside, too. Mona Lisa never left the house, so I didn't have to worry about her ever encountering a coyote.

  We sipped our iced tea as we sat on the patio and watched Laddie and Mr. Big playfully running around the backyard. Belle was astonished when I told her the story of Olivia's kidnapping.

  “It's unbelievable!” she exclaimed. “So that's why you were so quiet on the way home from the auction.”

&nbs
p; I nodded. “I wanted to tell you, but I literally promised not to tell a soul.”

  “Is Olivia going to report it to the police, now that she's back?”

  “That's a good question. She didn't mention it when I saw her this morning, but, of course, she was so upset about Ulysses's condition, she probably couldn't think about anything else. It's ironic, isn't it? We were so worried about Olivia, but now Ulysses is the one in danger.”

  “You could have been in danger yourself, Amanda. How did you ever work up the courage to deliver that ransom? I would have been petrified myself!”

  “Believe me, I was shaking every second. I've never been so scared in my life.”

  “Thank goodness, it's over now.”

  “Yes, but not for poor Ulysses.”

  “Terrible luck. I suppose the driver who hit his car was drunk or maybe distracted by talking on a cell phone. I don't know what else would explain a driver hitting the car ahead.”

  “Hmm. I can think of one reason. What if it wasn't an accident?”

  Chapter 12

  “You think it was deliberate?”

  “I don't know, but it could have been. Why didn't the other driver stop?”

  “Could be lots of reasons. People don't always think clearly, especially if they've been drinking. Or the person could have been talking on a cell phone and become distracted. Maybe whoever it was didn't notice Ulysses's car until it was too late. Or maybe the driver at fault doesn't have auto insurance or has been in one accident too many. However it happened, I bet the driver knew he'd be in trouble and didn't want to face the consequences.”

  “You're right. I know hit-and run accidents happen all too often.”

  Still, I couldn't help wondering if perhaps there were a more sinister explanation. What if Ulysses had been deliberately targeted? Maybe Olivia's kidnapping had been a ruse to draw Ulysses out alone. That really didn't make any sense, though, I realized. If that was the goal, the kidnappers would have insisted that Ulysses deliver the money alone, putting him in a vulnerable position, but, instead, they'd designated me to deliver the ransom. Belle was probably right, and we could put Ulysses's accident down to bad luck.