“Lynn, I think that you should come with me to the exhibit. You need to broaden your horizons and step outside of your comfort zone. With that dress on, I’m sure that you will be one of the only girls there that will be hit on by a medley of different guys.” The only way to bring her along was to appeal to her vanity. I grabbed my knee length leather coat, pulling my brown hair into a ponytail and slipping on my intellectual glasses. I could wear contacts, but I didn’t feel a need to slip something into my eyes.
I was a little squeamish about some things, including touching an eyeball, but that was only scratching the surface of those things that made me shiver.
“I’m not sure that going to that exhibit is going to be something that I’m going to like. You’ve always been into that highbrow stuff and I’m more down to earth.” What she meant to say was that I was polished and educated and she was from the street and lived by the seat of her pants. We probably would never be friends, except for the fact that we had met in that meeting. “I think that I’m going to pass on this one, but I’m glad to see that you’re finally getting out amongst the living. Just be careful, because there have been reports of something lurking in the darkness. Two women have already been killed and one man is in a coma from whatever is out there. I’m not sure what this town is coming to.
“You know that I don’t believe in any of that kind of stuff. My father made sure that when I was growing up that I didn’t believe in the boogeyman or monsters. It’s probably some rabid dog or a wolf in the forest that has come out to forage for food. It sees a smorgasbord of humans and it has no choice, but to act on its primal nature. We should not condemn what they do. We should be fascinated by how they survive by any measure necessary.” I could see that she wasn’t buying what I was trying to sell.
“I sometimes think, Shelia that you are not exactly the same, as all the rest of us. You look at things differently. Not everything has a scientific reason behind it. Sometimes you have to dispel your disbelief. A wise man used to say that anything is possible.” I had no idea who said that and I didn’t even think that she had a clue what she was talking about.
We walked down the stairs together and I knew that tonight was going to be one of those nights that she would find herself taking that walk of shame in the morning. I had had only one, one night stand and I could say with some degree of certainty that I would never want to do it again. I’d only done it, because I had a scientific curiosity and that led to me doing one thing different per day, just to say that I had done it. It mostly, involved reading a novel that had escaped me during my youth.
“Sheila, you may not believe in things that go bump in the night, but it’s always good to be prepared. Even somebody with science should be on alert and know exactly what’s going on around her at all times.” She passed me a can of pepper spray and I was hesitant to take it, but she was very determined to make sure that I had something to protect myself. I had no interest in guns, so this was a good compromise.
“I’ll take it under protest, but only because it’s going to make you feel better and not me.” I didn’t think that I would ever have a need to use it, but I suppose it was nice to have it…just in case. “Besides, I’m going to be in a reputable part of town and you’re going to be walking on the other side of the tracks. I’ll have police in the area and you’re going someplace where the police don’t even want to step into, unless absolutely necessary.” I had slipped on a blue and black dress. The top was blue and the bottom was black. If you didn’t know any better, you’d think that it was two different pieces of attire.
I got into my black equinox and I felt secure in driving on these icy roads in the middle of winter. My father taught me many things, but the one thing he did not teach me was how to drive. That inevitable task was given to my uncle and he swore by 4 X 4’s. I may be in the sciences and I had my eye on the Nobel Prize, but that didn’t mean that I couldn’t get down and dirty with the best of them. Coming from a one child family, I was afforded the opportunity do just about anything that I wanted to.
The temperature was shifting and the nights were getting cooler. This rain was cold and you could see the shiny surface of the pavement. That indicated that there was a modicum of black ice, but I had no worries. Putting the truck into 4 X 4 gave me the traction and security that I was looking for.
I wasn’t exactly sure where this exhibit was, but all I really had to do was press in the location to my GPS. It would do the rest and I was always marveled by technology. It was amazing the leaps and bounds that this century had taken. I was worried that the world was going to implode on itself. Most people didn’t realize that technology was taking over our lives a little bit more each day.
I played classical music and let it flow through my senses. It wasn’t just about hearing the music, but it was living in the music and feeling it flowing around you. Everything had a vibration and even the human body was conditioned with impulses and nerve endings to make you feel alive. That particular piece was from Mozart and I actually had my hands moving in the air. To those that were watching from other vehicles, they must the thought that I had lost what was left of my mind.
Chapter two
I was driving with two hands on the steering wheel, never once deviating from that or trying to look cool with one hand.
I saw a blur of motion, but I had no idea what I was looking at. It was too quick for the human eye. I slammed on the brakes, but I did hit something and I could hear a whimper of disapproval from whatever it was. It bounced off my hood and continued moving, until it was lost in the shadows. I was tempted to get out and render aid, but apparently it wasn’t necessary. I did see a tendril of blood on my hood and whatever I had made an impact with was injured in some way.
All I had was a semblance of something furry. It must’ve been that wild animal that everybody was talking about. If I had a semblance of mind, I should’ve grabbed my camera and put it on time lapse. That would have given me everything that I needed and I could’ve gone over it one frame at a time.
I arrived at the exhibit and it was one of those nondescript out of the way places that was all the rage these days. There was no valet parking, but there was a parking structure right near the facility. I drove in, pressing for the card and then finding a spot near the very front. This car was pulling out and I veered in to take over that coveted position.
I was glad that I was wearing my boots. If I had gone with heels, I probably would have killed myself from tip toeing over this icy surface. As it was, I was still taking ginger steps and doing my best not to slide all the way down to the road again. I hugged my black leather jacket to my considerable frame. My bodacious body was insulated from the cold that was most likely making others feel it to the bone.
“It’s really nice to see you again, Sheila.” Tanner was always putting on these insane exhibits. He always wanted to make people think and the one thing that he prided himself on was working with artists that didn’t think the same way as others. He liked the more macabre, those pieces that made you stand there and cock your head to the side and wonder what the hell you were looking at. It was those pieces that were on display. “I think that you’ll enjoy this. One artist comes from Cambodia and you can see the destitution in his work. His brush strokes are genius and you get lost in the imagery.” He was wearing a half white tuxedo and red pants.
“I have heard about this exhibit and I was meaning to come here long before now. I do hope that it’s worth my time.” I didn’t mean to sound pretentious, but these were going to be several hours of my life that I couldn’t take back. It was like watching one of those Blockbuster movies and then coming out of it shaking your head, because you could’ve been doing something a lot more productive.
The first thing that I noticed was that the place was packed. Most of these people had no idea why they were there, except that it was what everybody else was doing. I’d never got caught up in that kind of trapping and then I saw him standing there. I had to wonder
what would bring a man like him into a place like this.
He had a cowboy hat in his hand, a Stetson that looked more at home at the rodeo or in some kind of farm. Not here at an exhibit for the arts. His hair was slicked back, dark and short, but he seemed to be looking at this piece with a tear in his eye.
I stepped up to stand beside him and that was when I realized that he was a giant of a man. He had a beard that was bushy and a little unruly, but it only accentuated the wildman underneath. He also had a beige cowhide jacket on. One thing that was really out of place was his blue jeans, but it didn’t appear that anybody was questioning him further. There was definitely money involved and you could tell that he liked the finer things in life. The watch was one of those that would cost thousands of dollars.
“I don’t know about you, but I reckon I might like this use of space on the canvas. It would look perfect in my study. As I look at it, I feel happy and excited, or maybe it’s just because you’re standing beside me.” It would appear that he was a sweet talker He was 6’4, 200 plus pounds of solid muscle. This art had given him the perfect opportunity to chat up a lady in the vicinity. I did notice that he had a bandage on his hand and it was fresh. I could only tell that from the blood seeping through.
“I know what you mean. The artist seems to be painting a picture of frivolity and fun. You can see that it elicits the emotion of walking in the sunshine in the middle of the afternoon. It brings to mind walking in fresh fallen leaves in the fall.” He had broad shoulders, huge arms and his chest was big enough that I could probably sleep on top of it and he wouldn’t even know that I was there.
“I just know that it makes me smile and cry. That’s all that matters to me.” He motioned for the owner to come over. He whispered to her in confidence and her eyes lit up like the 4th of July at Christmas. I could see that he didn’t believe in haggling and he was willing to pay top notch dollar for the type of pieces that he was looking for. “I just bought it.” I saw the price tag and it made me swallow noticeably. “I know that it’s a bit of an extravagance, but that’s what money is for. Working in oil, it affords me the opportunity to seek out different pieces that make me think. If you were on a canvas, I would snatch you up just like that. You have this glow and this feeling of knowing who you are.”
“I could say the same thing about you.” I touched his arm and it made my knees buckle, but mostly I was staring at his package and watching it slink down the left side of his leg. I wanted to see it. It wasn’t because I wanted to fuck him. That was part of it, but the other part was to see if he was really that well endowed. Most men claim to be bigger than they were; at least until we got them out of their clothes and then we see the truth for ourselves.
“I don’t suppose that you would like to join me for the rest of the exhibit. A woman like you can explain to me some of these pieces. This one makes me grimace and try to look the other way.” That piece was a vivid and lively depiction of a child dying on the streets. This had to be from that new artist Tanner had mentioned from Cambodia.
I found out that his name was Eric Billings. He was an eccentric cowboy billionaire that had made a point to come here specifically for this exhibit. He had been here for a few days to conduct some business and then he was on his way back to Paris for the rest of the winter. Where most people went to a tropical island to get away from the cold, he wanted to immerse himself into the beauty of the snowcapped mountains on the outskirts of Paris.
“I think that you and I have a lot in common, Eric. We both live by our own rules. We both like art, but in an entirely different way. I wish that I could go to Paris in the winter. I just have too many obligations here in the city to just pick up and go at a moment’s notice.” We talked for some time and I found myself laughing despite myself at some of his badly punned jokes.
“I don’t see any reason why you can’t indulge a little< Sheila. You obviously have money, maybe not as much as I do, but it still makes it easier for you to pick up and go. You only allow these obligations to stand in your way. I actually have a farm on the outskirts of Paris with several acres that are quite magical when the snow finally begins to fall. It’s not the city that makes me who I am; it’s the feeling of solitude and a freedom to roam.” He made it sound like he was some sort of animal and it was quite interesting to say the least.
“I’ve never thought of it that way before, Eric. I’m guessing that you have a place for me to stay, if I ever did decide to get away from my work and find some quiet little place to reflect.” He was pointing to his nose to indicate that I was on the right track. “I’m sure that you have some ulterior motives for wanting me to come and stay with you. Don’t get me wrong, I find you very attractive and I wouldn’t be standing here this entire time, if I didn’t.” There was no point in playing this kind of cat and mouse game that most people play when they are dating someone. I liked him; he liked me and what more was there to say. If that wasn’t good enough, then his particular affliction for artists was going to seal the deal.
It was 2 hours later and he had bought that piece for under $1,000,000. He probably could have bought out the entire place, but he only had eyes for that one particular piece. I could understand the reason why and it really did make you smile looking at it. The swirling colors played on the canvas had a profound effect on your emotions.
“I think that I’m just about done here, Sheila. I know that this is going to come out of left field, but I’m wondering if you don’t have any plans for dinner. I have this outstanding reservation with a certain establishment that will remain nameless. My table is in the back and there will be candlelight and I can assure you that I can be quite romantic if given the chance.” I found myself lured by the promise of something that was going to dance on my palate. “The place is in walking distance. I’m sure that I can keep you warm in the meantime.”
We walked down the street like a couple of lovesick teenagers, talking and laughing and him holding his jacket around me like we were in our own private world. We were halfway down the sidewalk, when he stopped suddenly and raised his head in the air with his nose sniffing. I tried to smell what he was smelling, but there was nothing, but the odor of doughnuts from a nearby coffee shop.
“Sheila, I’m afraid that I’m going to have to cut this thing short. Here’s my card and if you feel a need to find me, then all be there, until the end of the week.” I don’t know what got him freaked out, but he seemed like he was standing on the edge of something. His face had that pensive look and I could tell that something was bothering him. “I’m going to flag you down a taxi.” He screamed and I thought that he was going to blow my eardrums clear out of my head. It did have the desired result of a taxi screaming to a stop with its brakes fishtailing in the street.
It was good to see that the salt trucks were out and that the temperature had risen above the freezing mark to melt some of this slime. He threw several $20.00 bills at the taxi driver and then he scurried off down the pavement with his cowboy boots clicking on the surface. I was about to get in with my hand on the door, when I slammed it shut and went after him. I know that most people would leave it alone, but I had a scientific mind. I wasn’t just going to stand on the sidelines. I had questions and I wasn’t going to stop, until I got answers.
Chapter three
I ran after him and I lost him, until finally I heard what sounded like growling coming from down an alley across the street. I went over to the other side, hugged the façade of the brick building and looked around to see something that made my eyes go wide with surprise. A black bear was tangling with a white wolf. They were attacking each other and if I didn’t know any better, I would think that there was something personal involved in all of this.
I was about to call for help from animal control, but then something compelled me to watch this dance take place between two rival factions. It didn’t look like either one of them was going to back down.
The white wolf had blood on its paw and a bandage, which brou
ght to mind the very thing that I had seen on Eric’s hand. It had to be a coincidence, but I had never believed in such a thing and that wasn’t going to be any different this time around. They were angry and they fought, until the black bear was hurt severely enough that it was necessary for it to run off in the other direction. I saw that the wolf was going to follow, but it stopped and turned towards a noise. I didn’t mean to do it, but my boots had scuffed the corner of the building. It only happened, because there was a little bit of ice left over from the rainstorm. I slipped and I caught the attention of an animal that didn’t look like it was use to being spied on.
It walked right over to me and stood there looking at me. I saw in its eyes something that couldn’t be. It sneezed and then shook its head and then it morphed and changed in a way that made me take a step back in horror and fascination.
I heard the cracking of the bones and all those things that my father said about there being no such things, as monsters came back to me in a flash of memory. I remember him telling me that life was unpredictable and there was no room for those things that didn’t have any semblance of being real. If he had seen what I had seen, then I think that he would have a change in tune. Unfortunately, he had died several months ago and I was still feeling his loss profoundly deep down inside. My mother had disappeared when I was younger and I had no way to reach out to her for comfort or anything of the sort.
Sent Away To The Highlander (Scottish Highlander Romance) Page 54