Idaho Springs, Denver Cereal V16

by Claudia Hall Christian

  The young man nodded.

  “Why don’t you come on back?” Rudy asked. He pointed to Jacob. “You coming, too?”

  “I’ll tag along,” Jacob said.

  “Try to keep up,” Rudy said.

  Rudy took off, and Honey easily caught up with him. Jacob ran behind. They wheeled past the wheelchair-access gym on the ground floor.

  “It was full this morning before work,” Rudy said with a nod to the gym.

  The Physical Therapy facility had a few therapists working with people. The three-lane lap pool had swimmers. They took the elevator to the first floor. Right off the elevators was a round nurse station. Two nurses were working on computers.

  “Oh Jake,” the nurse said. “The WiFi’s been in and out today.”

  “Got it,” Jacob said with a nod. “Thanks.”

  Jacob leaned into Honey.

  “We need to hire someone to take care of this kind of thing,” Jacob said.

  “Noted,” Honey said.

  “Everyone’s moved in,” Rudy said.

  A corgi came running up to them. Jacob leaned down to pet the yellow and white dog. The dog’s owner rolled down the hallway a moment later.

  “Sorry,” the woman said. “He needs to go out.”

  “You know where the grass is?” Rudy asked.

  “I thought I’d take him for a little walk,” the woman said. “Take a look around a bit.”

  “The neighborhood’s not great,” Jacob said cautiously.

  “That’s okay,” the woman said. “My vicious dog will protect me.”

  She waved and got on the elevator. They waved back. Rudy picked up where he’d left off.

  “There are a few whiners on the top floor who say the elevator’s too slow,” Rudy said.

  “Slow but safe for every level of non-ambulatory person,” Jacob said. “It’s a state requirement.”

  “That’s what I tell people,” Rudy said. “I’ve been running these tours non-stop. Seems like a lot of folks want to live here.”

  Jacob nodded. For a moment, they looked down the long hallway. The walls were painted a nice shade of sunny yellow, and someone had put up oil and watercolor paintings.

  “That’s Margo’s work,” Rudy said. He looked at Honey. “She asked Jake, and he was okay with it. She sold a couple paintings when people were moving in. There’s a few artists here — seven, I think. They’ve already arranged to rotate the work.”

  Rudy nodded.

  “People are getting along?” Honey asked.

  “So far,” Rudy shrugged. “I just tell the complainers that they can move out. Shuts them right up.”

  “That doesn’t seem smart,” Jacob said.

  “Trust me,” Rudy said. “Everyone who’s here wants to make it work. Whatever problems we have, we’ll bring to our monthly meeting with you, MJ, and Honey.”

  Honey and Jacob smiled.

  “It’s so quiet,” Honey said.

  “People who have jobs are at them,” Rudy said. “The van to downtown left about fifteen minutes ago. A bunch of people are in the computer lab, looking for jobs. The artists are sorting out the storage space in the back.”

  “Storage space?” Honey looked up at Jacob.

  “The empty storeroom behind the gym,” Jacob said. “Margo asked if we had space. Blane got Tink and Charlie to paint it, and the other kids cleaned out the junk. Margo and a couple other people want to work there. We haven’t decided if we should rent the space to them or have it be a perk.”

  “We can talk about it,” Honey said.

  Rudy nodded.

  “It’s really perfect for wheelchair-bound and people with mobility issues,” Rudy said. “One guy even got his old job back. The big problem was that he couldn’t get to work on time reliably. With the shuttle, he can get there on time every day.”

  He beamed at Honey.

  “Shall we head up?” Rudy asked.

  Honey nodded. They spun around and went back to the elevator. Rudy pressed the button and they waited.

  “Okay, it was me who complained about the elevator,” Rudy said.

  Honey and Jacob laughed.

  ~~~~~~~~

  Wednesday late afternoon — 4:32 p.m.

  Denver, Colorado

  “You’re quiet,” Sissy said to Ivan.

  They were changing into their warm dance gear. Wanda had asked if they would dance in City Park like they had in Central Park. Ivan looked up at her from his spot on the bed. He shrugged and went back to pulling up his fleece tights.

  “Has something happened?” Sissy asked.

  “Besides our friend Wanda changing her entire life?” Ivan asked. He gave her a slight smile.

  “That is a big deal,” Sissy said. She stepped into a long sleeved leotard. “I’m glad she’s doing okay.”

  “More than okay,” Ivan said. He looked at Sissy and shook his head. “She’s so brave and strong. I am very happy for her.”

  “I couldn’t believe it when we opened the door,” Sissy said, as she wiggled the leotard up and stuck her arms through the sleeves.

  “And she was laughing?” Ivan asked. “Talking. Happy. She seemed so very happy.”

  He gave Sissy a soft smile.

  “It’s nice to see,” Ivan said.

  Sissy smiled. She had her hand on her head and her hair in a clump when he turned to her.

  “Let me braid your hair,” Ivan said.

  Not sure what was going on with him, she nodded and sat down on the bed. He got her brush and brushed her long, light-honey colored hair.

  “Your hair is getting darker,” Ivan said.

  “I was going to have Sandy do it while we were here,” Sissy said.

  “If you like,” Ivan said. He began to separate her hair into clumps for braiding. “It’s very beautiful, as are you.”

  Sissy blushed. He kissed her neck.

  “You asked why I was quiet,” Ivan said.

  Sissy didn’t say anything in the hopes that he would feel comfortable enough to tell her what was going on.

  “I had a powerful dream last night,” Ivan said. “Crazy. I was here, in this place, just outside our little basement apartment, and I saw this . . . creature. Delphie told me that it was a Chiron.”

  “You talked to Delphie?” Sissy asked, trying to keep the surprise out of her voice.

  “Yes. I, myself, am surprised,” Ivan said. He began braiding her hair. “The creature was horrifying. I have not felt that kind of fear since I was in gulag and before when I was a child. When the creature bowed to me, I felt the fear just flush out of me. All of it. Every bit of anxiety, fear, every need to control, everything. Then I was in bed, dreaming of golden light and peace.”

  Sissy nodded but held her tongue.

  “I had to ask Delphie about this . . . thing that happened,” Ivan said. “This morning. First thing.”

  “You did?” Sissy asked.

  “I did,” Ivan said. “She said that my sister and parents were waiting to speak with me and . . . My mother . . . My sister . . .”

  Ivan stopped talking. Sissy felt more than saw his eyes well up. He cleared his throat. She turned around as the first tears rolled down his face. His eyes flicked to catch hers.

  “They want me to be happy,” Ivan said. “They want me to live to the fullest, without fear or pain or . . . My sister said that she moved the bullets so you didn’t die and caused the knife to miss my spine. She saved us, and . . .”

  Sissy watched his face. For the first time in all of the years she’d known him, his face was open and free of the control he usually held over himself.

  “I believe her,” he said softly. “I don’t know why, but I do.”

  Sissy had to use extreme self-control not to fill up all the gaps with words about his sister and mother. She needed to keep silent to really hear him.

  “I don’t have words to say,” Ivan said. He tapped her shoulder for her to turn around. “Please.”

  Sissy turned away from him, and h
e went back to braiding. They sat in silence for a moment while he worked.

  “Delphie wouldn’t let me go until we had processed everything that happened,” Ivan said. “It was a great kindness to me. She stayed with me while I cried. She read cards and held my hand. Ivy was there. We drank tea and ate cakes. It was . . . lovely.”

  With her back still to him, Sissy smiled.

  “I wasn’t there long,” Ivan said. “So much in such a short time . . . I feel like a new man. Whole — or I should say, ‘more whole.’ I am more sure of you, of me, of our life. I feel like I can step forward in ways I’ve never been able to do since everything that happened.”

  He finished her braid and kissed her cheek.

  “I went back to this room and slept until you returned from taking the children to school,” Ivan said.

  “You slept most of the day,” Sissy said.

  “I am still tired,” Ivan said. “Sleeping off years of . . . self-injury.”

  Sissy smiled and went back to getting dressed. They had agreed that she would wear a sweater that Delphie had knit for her. She was getting it from the closet when he spoke again.

  “I always thought it was just you,” Ivan said. “You had this eating disorder. You had this problem. And me . . .”

  Ivan shrugged.

  “I was just Ivan,” he said. “I see that all of those crazy women . . . The emptiness of my life before Nadia moved in and . . . even after. I’d held myself so far apart for fear of . . . Well, I’m not quite sure now.”

  He sighed. She watched him under her long eyelashes.

  “I am exhausted, my love,” Ivan said. “I need rest. Quiet. Peace. You. And then, I need to get on with my life.”

  Sissy looked up at him. He nodded.

  “What do you think?” Ivan asked.

  “It sounds good to me,” Sissy said.

  “You need to be dancing,” Ivan said. “Go back to school.”

  Sissy wagged her head.

  “What is it?” Ivan asked.

  “I want to apply again,” Sissy said. “When I got in last time, it all seemed weird and terrifying. I felt like it was magic that I got in at all. Now, I have you and Schmidty, and a lot of life experience. I’d like to look at all of my options.”

  “Good idea,” Ivan said. “I still have a contract with the ballet company.”

  “Do you wish to keep it?” Sissy asked.

  “For now,” Ivan said. “I will go back to work when we return, if that is all right with you.”

  Sissy nodded.

  “I’m tired of sitting around,” Ivan said. “Life is so short, so precious. We know this more than most people.”

  Sissy tipped her head at him.

  “Let’s get on with it,” Ivan said.

  “Let’s,” Sissy said.

  She moved toward the door, and he followed her out. They went upstairs to meet Teddy, who was ready with his camera. Noelle came down with Nash and Chet. Tink came out of the back with Charlie. They took Sandy’s car to the park.

  Chapter Four Hundred and Sixty-three

  Author’s note: Denver Cereal is an ongoing serial fiction project. It started in June 2008 and has continued, one chapter a week, every single week, since then. This means that regardless of what is happening in my life, I write at least 3,000 words to keep Denver Cereal going. Every single week for more than 10 years.

  These chapters were written after I had an extreme spine surgery. The surgery took more than 10 hours. I was physically ill for almost five months. Day in, day out, I was vomiting, sleeping most days, and on heavy medications.

  In this time, the key story for the fourth Seth and Ava Mystery came to mind. This chapter belonged in the fourth Seth and Ava Mystery, called “The Cigarette Man.” This chapter was removed from this book because it belonged in the Cigarette Man.

  But you’ve been here as this story developed! It doesn’t seem quite fair to close the cover and make you get another book. Please accept this 50% off coupon for the book. To use the coupon:

  1. go to Smashwords.com.

  2. Search for “The Cigarette Killer by Claudia Hall Christian”.

  3. At check out, use coupon: QM89L.

  Enjoy the book. Thank you for reading!

  P.S. If you’re curious, you can always read the chapter at StoriesbyClaudia.com. Denver Cereal continues there and at DenverCereal.com.

  Glossary of Characters

  Aaron Alvin:

  Father of Ava; also called “The spider” by Yvonne Smith.

  Abi the Fairy:

  General in Fairy Corps; great-grandmother of Tanesha; Fin’s partner; First mother

  Aden Norsen:

  CEO at Lipson construction; single father of Nash and Noelle; husband of Sandy.

  Alma Fontaine:

  Mother of Heather Lipson; Psyche.

  Alexandra Hargreaves:

  Identical twin to Max Hargreaves; ‘The Fey;’ the leader of the Fey Team; wife of Dr. John Drayson; sister to Colin and Samantha Hargreaves.

  Anjelika:

  Megan, Mike, Steve, Candy and Jill’s mother; grandmother to Katy; wife of Perses.

  Andrea Menendez or Andy Mendy:

  Mother of Sandy; Seth’s love & lover from the time he was 14 until he lost her when he was 30.

  Annette:

  Reality television star; mother to Jabari; Jeraine Wilson’s ex.

  Arthur “Raz” Rasmussen:

  Member of the Fey team; boyfriend of Samantha Hargreaves.

  Ava — Amelie Vivian Alvin:

  Denver Police Crime Lab Technician; fiancé of Seth O’Malley; daughter of Aaron Alvin.

  Ben Red Bear, Detective:

  Denver Police Detective in charge of investigation of rapes; possibly involved in the distribution chain.

  Bestat Behur:

  Partner to Zack Jakkman; stepmother to Teddy; dragon.

  Beth Baker:

  Ava’s best friend; Child Psychologist; murdered by Saint Jude.

  Blane Lipson:

  Jacob’s ‘cousin;’ assistant to Jacob Marlowe at Lipson Construction; Chinese Medicine doctor; husband of Heather; father of Mack; getting bone marrow transplant for HIV infection.

  Bob aka ‘Blood spatter Bob’: Former expert forensics instructor with the FBI; currently a laboratory technician in Ava’s Denver Police Department lab.

  Bumpy Wilson:

  Good friend of Seth’s; medical doctor; father of Jeraine Wilson, husband of Dionne, born Leroy Wilson.

  Candace or Candy Roper:

  Daughter of Anjelika; sister to Jill.

  Charlie Delgado:

  Stepbrother of Sandy; street kid; drug addict; moved in with Sandy in Cimarron.

  Chesterfield or Mr. Chesterfield:

  Rodney Smith’s large black dog, which he was given in prison from the Puppies for Prisoners program; best friend of Jabari.

  Celia Marlowe:

  Wife of Sam Lipson; mother of Valerie Lipson and Jacob Marlowe; Delphie’s best friend; died of cancer nine years before Denver Cereal begins.

  Cleo:

  Black and white cat belonging to Sandy.

  Colin Hargreaves:

  Brother of Alex, Max and Samantha Hargreaves; Homeland Security Agent; Fey Team member; father of Paddie Hargreaves.

  Dale:

  Boyfriend of Beth Baker, Amelie’s best friend; housemate of Amelie; Handyman who lives with Seth O’Malley, best friend to Charlie.

  Delphinium or Delphie:

  Psychic; beekeeper; master gardener; best friend of Celia Marlowe; girlfriend to Sam Lipson.

  DeShawn Jones:

  Ex-drug dealer; current site manager at Lipson Construction

  Dionne Wilson:

  Wife of Bumpy Wilson; mother of Jeraine and LaTonya; medical nurse; singer.

  Erik Le Monde:

  Father of Wanda; plumber; works for Lipson Construction.

  Edie the Fairy:

  Second daughter of Queen Fand & Manannán; younger sister to the Blue Fairy and e
lder sister to Mari; nanny to Jill and Jacob’s twins.

  Edith Stiefel:

  Mother of Wanda. Ex-wife of Erik Le Monde.

  Evette:

  Secretary of Jacob’s for one week; claims romantic relationship between them.

  Fand, usually Queen Fand:

  Queen of the Fairies; wife of Manannán; ancestor of Jacob Lipson.

  Fin, Finegal, sometimes Prince Finegal:

  Eldest son of Queen Fand and Manannán; heir to throne; great-grandfather to Tanesha; partner to Abi; medical student.

  Fran: A laboratory tech in Ava’s Denver Police Department lab.

  Frankie Aziz:

  Boyfriend of Wanda Le Monde; videographer of group of rapists; brother of DPD Sergeant Aziz.

  Giovani:

  Live in helper to Ivan and Nadia. Lives in New York. From small village in Italy.

  Gilfand:

  Loyal male servant of Queen Fand; one of the oldest fairies; appears as a gargoyle.

  Heather Lipson:

  One of Jillian Roper’s group of best friends; mother to Mack and Wyn; wife to Blane Lipson; mother of Tink; Hedone, child of Psyche and Eros; current acting Eros/Cupid.

  Honey Lipson:

  Paralyzed; stepdaughter of Sam Lipson; wife of Sergeant MJ Scully; mother of Maggie; Lives at the Castle and works at Lipson Construction.