“I think she’s checking me out!” Kate gasped.
“Cockatiels are almost like dogs,” Don said with a grin. “They show affection, they listen when you talk to them, and they want to be with you.” He stroked Belle’s soft, yellow feathers and brought Belle around so that he could look into her eyes. “I miss you when I’m away so much, Belle. It’s good to be home so that I get to see you.” Belle stretched her wings and Don grinned. “See that? That’s the same thing as a dog wagging its tail.”
Kate let out a little squeal. “Do you want to hold her?” Don asked.
Kate’s long silver earrings waved back and forth as she nodded her head, and Don showed her how to extend her index finger and put it up next to Belle. Without hesitation, Belle stepped on Kate’s finger. Kate sucked in her breath and glanced at Don with delight before returning her gaze to the bird. After a few moments, Don laughed.
“It’s okay to breathe while you’re holding her. She wouldn’t like it if you passed out, you know?”
Kate exhaled without making a sound and then stroked the little bird’s soft feathers. “You’re about the size of a robin, aren’t you? I’m pleased to meet you. I’ve never held a little birdie before.”
After a few moments, Belle looked at Don and flew over to him. She almost didn’t make it. Kate raised her eyebrows as Don moved so that Belle landed on his finger. “I get her wings clipped every two months or so. I like to hang out on the deck with her. Don’t want her to fly away. She could get lost.” He stroked Belle again. “I would miss you, Belle.” His voice became almost a whisper.
Kate’s heart softened as she watched them. “I can definitely see why you are so careful with her. She’s absolutely precious.” Kate glanced around Don’s condo. “This is a really nice place.” Kate’s eyes fell upon the pictures that were on the mantel above the fireplace and she moved towards them. She spotted Uelle’s picture and picked it up. “This is Uelle, isn’t it? She was really beautiful. Sabrina told me about her.”
Don gazed at the photo as he had countless times. “She was perfect,” he said in a low voice. They stood without moving for a few moments.
Not sure what to say, Kate offered the photo to Don. “Do you want to hold it?”
“No, that’s okay. I hold it all the time. You can put it back.”
Kate placed it back on the mantel and found another photo to take down. In the picture, Don stood next to a young man who held a football while Don gave him some sort of a document. “Is this one of your players?”
“Yes. That is Martin Martinez.” One corner of Don’s mouth went up in a half-smile. “He graduated from high school and earned the first annual Uelle Layden Memorial Scholarship for our recreational football league. He’s going to college now and his books are free.” Don paused. “I hand one out every year. I found a small way to let Uelle live on.”
Kate patted Don’s arm. “That’s wonderful.” Kate pointed to heaven. “I’m sure she loves it.”
“I hope so.”
Kate found Don’s family ski photo to bring down and grinned. “What a neat picture! You were such a cute kid! Is this your family?”
“Yes.”
“Where was this taken? Did your dad teach you how to ski?”
“It’s Michigan. I grew up there. There was a ski slope not too far from our house. Yeah, he taught all of us. My mom could ski a little bit when I was learning and then we all just always went whenever he could take us. Great family time together.” Don considered the picture for a moment. “My dad was a great man. My mom was pretty cool too.”
Kate replaced the photo and noticed an intricately carved box next to it. She traced her fingertips along the carvings. “This is nice.”
“Yes, that’s where I keep my dad’s badge.”
“Oh,” Kate breathed as she took it down and opened it. She took the badge out and held it. “Is this why you chose this profession?”
“I really want to live up to his memory.”
Kate noticed something else as she started to put the badge back. “There are letters in here. Are they old letters from your dad?”
Don raised an eyebrow. “You ever thought about being a journalist? You ask a lot of questions.” He waved off her look of dismay. “That’s okay. Just kidding.” He motioned to the letters. “My father was shot in the line of duty. Those are from the man who killed him. When I was in college, I found out where he was incarcerated. Decided to write him and find out why he killed my father. When I started writing, I just couldn’t stop. Lots of pain and anguish ended up in that letter. He wrote me back begging for forgiveness. I was surprised.” Don glanced at the floor for a moment. “He shared a lot of pain and anguish with me as well. Then he said that he found Jesus while he was in prison. A lot of inmates do that. Anyway, he taught that to others. I could tell he was sincere. I forgave him and we’ve been writing each other ever since.” Don shrugged. “I keep some of the letters in with my dad’s badge. Not sure why.”
Kate replaced the box with care and turned towards Don. Her eyes were glistening as she placed her hand on his arm. “Don Layden, you have a beautiful heart. There is no doubt in my mind that your father is insanely proud of you.”
“Thanks. Now let’s get you fixed up with some clothes. I need sleep.”
He showed her the guest room and then went into his room and stepped into his closet. With great care, he pulled down a pink box and grabbed a dirty T-shirt out of his hamper to wipe off the slight film of dust that had gathered on the lid. In the box was a woman’s shirt that was just Kate’s size. Closing his eyes, he rubbed it on his cheek and held it to his nose to smell it. After a few moments he kissed it, put it back, and returned the box to its resting place. Then he went through some hangers and brought Kate some of his own clothes. “These will be big on you, but I brought a belt to hold up the sweat pants.” Don shrugged. “They’re clean.”
Kate thanked him and Don closed the door behind him as he left her room and walked back into his own.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
A few hours later, the sound of the alarm rang in Barry’s room and he turned to shut it off. Throwing the blankets aside, he got up and dressed in the same clothes he wore when he went to Alicia’s. He placed the axe in a chair at his kitchen table and stared at it as he ate his muffin and drank some coffee. The knife he brought back from Brazil sat next to him, gleaming. Retrieving his black trench coat out of his closet, he placed the axe and the knife in a pouch he designed. Perfect. That will work. Time to head over to Kate’s condo.
Picking up the stuffed dog, Barry held it so he could look right into its eyes. “Kate looked away when she saw me, didn’t she? Tried to pretend I wasn’t there. For crying out loud, she worked for me for a year! She was my employee. Mine. What makes her think that she can treat me like that?” He stuffed the dog into a front pocket. “Well she’ll learn the hard way, won’t she?”
After a short drive, he walked into the modern lobby of Kate’s building. He looked over at the guard’s station and smiled. The guard was asleep, head down on a fleece coat he’d bundled up as a pillow.
Barry wiped some sweat off his forehead and controlled his breathing. He held his arms close to his body, certain that he looked normal as he searched for a doorway to the courtyard, pressing on all the doors leading out there as he walked by them. Bingo. The door farthest from the guard opened.
He slipped outside and turned around to get oriented. He found Kate’s side of the building, her floor and what had to be her unit. Time to climb up the fire escape. So cool! When he got to the sliding glass door on her balcony, he peered inside. Boise State was everywhere. A smile broke out on his face and his heart pounded against his chest. The curtains to the bedroom were closed, so he got some tools out of his pocket and worked on the lock to the kitchen. Before long, he slid the door back and crept into her condo.<
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He got the axe out and licked his lips as he made his way to her bedroom. He peered into her room and saw the bed wasn’t slept in. The axe dropped to his side and he stood and stared at the bed. Where the hell was she?
He leaned against the doorway and looked around the room. A jewelry box was open, a satin hanger sat on the bed, and what looked like a bag of panty hose stuck out of a drawer that wasn’t completely closed. She went out on some hot date and wasn’t home yet!
Then he noticed a flyer next to the jewelry box. Vail. Picking it up, he studied it and noticed an ad for early ski season discounts at a ski shop he knew of. The ad was circled. He placed the flyer back where he found it.
His shoulders drooped as he trudged back to his car. Turning on the radio, he sat there staring at the dashboard while the engine ran so that the car would stay warm. He couldn’t believe she wasn’t there.
The radio blared “And it’s a beautiful day to enjoy some of that famous Colorado skiing listeners! Vail is still selling those early season discount passes! Come on up and take some turns at the world class Vail Ski Resort!”
Barry turned his head and gazed at the radio. “Vail. Maybe she got home from her date and went up to Vail this morning, Buddy. I remember she talked about skiing there sometimes. Maybe she went to that ski shop.” He checked his watch. “I bet we could get there right as it opens.” He put the car in drive and headed up the interstate toward Vail.
Chapter Thirty-Seven
Downtown in Denver, Don’s phone interrupted his deep sleep. He groaned and rolled over to glance at the caller ID. It was Luke.
“Got some more information for you, Cheeto. Barry Witt was in Brazil. Looks like he invested some money there. The money trail after that is sketchy. I’ve got a call into the authorities down there to find out more. There’s the time difference and the language barrier, but I’m working through that.” Luke sighed. “We keep running up against these horrible hurdles.”
“Yeah, I know. I haven’t been able to get in touch with the app lady either.” Don paused. “How’s Lucy?”
Luke glanced over at his daughter. “She’s the same,” he said in a monotone.
Don fell back on his pillow. “Give her a kiss from her Uncle Don for me,” he responded in a low voice.
As Don put down his phone, he saw the message that there was a voice mail.
“Hi, Detective Layden, this is Teresa Williams. I worked with Gail Gonzalez. I left for New York the same day Gail was…the same day Gail…” Her voice trailed off and she cleared her throat. “I think you were trying to get in touch with me. Please give me a call when you get this.”
Don dialed and introduced himself. “When can you meet? I’d like to make it as soon as possible. I can come to the school or anywhere that’s easy for you.”
“Actually, I have a dentist appointment early this morning. There’s a little coffee shop next to his office. How about if we meet there at seven? Would that be enough time?”
“Sounds good,” Don said as he wrote down the address. He jumped out of bed, grabbed a shower, made some coffee, and wrote a note to Kate. He said goodbye to Belle and took off to meet Teresa.
About thirty minutes later, Kate stirred as the aromatic scent of coffee drifted into her room. Eyes still closed, a smile came to her lips. “Why is he up so early?” she murmured to herself.
She threw back the covers and sat up, stretching her arms over her head. She glanced over at her red gown, laid over the back of a chair, and her pantyhose and shoes on the floor next to it. Then she stood up and looked down at the huge Denver Broncos sweatshirt she had on. It was like a dress on her. And she’d pulled the sweatpants practically up to her chest. Thank goodness for the belt!
She sat on the ottoman and put on some socks Don had given her to wear as slippers. Running her fingers through her hair, she wandered into Don’s kitchen. “Don?” She looked around and saw a coffee cup, a spoon, and a couple of muffins wrapped in plastic wrap. A note, a key, and some money were next to the little spread.
KATE – A COLLEAGUE OF GAIL’S CALLED AND I WENT TO INTERVIEW HER TO SEE IF IT WILL GIVE ME A LEAD. I PUT THE GRAY TOWEL OUT FOR YOU IN THE BATHROOM. IF YOU GO BACK TO YOUR PLACE TO GET SOME CLOTHES, THAT’S OKAY, BUT HAVE THE GUARD COME UP TO YOUR ROOM WITH YOU. THEN LEAVE YOUR PLACE. YOU ARE WELCOME TO COME BACK HERE. I LEFT A KEY FOR YOU AND SOME MONEY FOR A CAB IF YOU NEED IT. WHATEVER YOU DO, BE CAREFUL. THIS GUY IS UNSTABLE. DON
Sipping coffee, Kate leaned against the counter and read the note again. Then she turned and headed for the shower.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Miles west of Denver, Barry sat on a bench that was near the door of the ski shop but situated amongst a few trees. He watched as an associate unlocked the door. No one was waiting to get in. He sat there until he had to stamp his feet to keep them warm. “Buddy, I think we got skunked. Let’s go have some breakfast.”
He walked over to one of the many spectacular hotels in Vail, and a uniformed bellman grasped a brass handle opening a beautifully carved oak door. “Is the Quaking Aspen restaurant still here?” Barry asked.
The bellman nodded and made a sweeping motion with his hand. “Right over there, sir.”
“Yes, I remember where it is from my childhood. My parents used to bring me here frequently. Thanks.” Barry walked in and was seated. He looked around and took in the luxurious linens, the rich curtains, the polished china, and the sparkling sterling silver. Hasn’t changed.
His food soon arrived, and as he ate, the sound of a little boy’s voice got his attention. A family of three sat near him. Barry looked at them without turning his head as he put some strawberry jelly on his toast. Easy $5K just in ski clothing sitting right next to me.
“Lookie at the Christmas tree over there, Mommy. It has Santa ornaments on it! I want to go look!” The little boy’s face shown with excitement as he gazed at the tree.
“No, honey. You can see it from here. I’m sure they don’t want little boys running around in here. You don’t see anyone else running around do you?” The mother was decked out in the latest ski attire, including a fur-lined hood on the back of her jacket. Her emerald earrings glistened in the light and she pulled a compact mirror out of a pocket to check her make-up.
“I promise I won’t run. I’ll just walk. I’ll be careful. I just want to see the Santas.”
Still admiring herself in the mirror the woman shook her head. The boy’s head fell as he looked down at the white linen tablecloth.
The father signaled for some coffee. Every hair on his head was neatly in place thanks to whatever hair product he used. He also was dressed in this year’s top-of-the-line ski apparel. “Hey, Stewart, how about some hot chocolate?” Head down, his son nodded.
They ordered and the father patted the little boy on the back. “Ready for your ski lesson today?”
The boy raised his head and looked up at his dad. “Can I ski with you a little bit today, Daddy?”
“Oh, no honey, we’re skiing with the Gleasons,” the mother answered. “We already paid for an all-day lesson for you.”
The boy turned to his mother. “But I want to be with you and Daddy. You said we would get to be together after you got back from your trip.”
The mother put a hand on her son’s arm. “Why, we are together right now, dear.” She patted his arm, pulled her hand away, and addressed her husband. “Did you book the babysitter for tonight? Remember, we were going to meet Jim and Sheila for dinner.” She didn’t notice her son’s head go back down or see him rubbing the tears out of his eyes.
Barry pushed the rest of his breakfast away and signaled for the check. Throwing some cash on the table, he hastened out of the hotel into the crisp air outside. He pulled out a cigarette and watched as the smoke curled up in the air against the backdrop of the snow-covered mountains.
The bellman finished helping some guests and spotted Barry. “Did you enjoy your breakfast? Was everything as you remembered it from your childhood?”
Barry looked at the bellman. “Yes. Everything was exactly the way I remember it from my childhood.” The bellman smiled and turned to attend to a couple as they exited. Barry walked to his car and headed down I-70 back to Denver.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
At the hospital, Luke sat by Lucy’s bed staring at the computer screen. “Come on! Pull up the info for me. Why does it take so long for you to search?” He sat back and glanced at his daughter.
He put the laptop on a nearby table, clearing away some items to make room, including the little guardian angel Kate brought. Luke picked it up and put it in Lucy’s hand as he leaned close to her. Stroking her forehead, he murmured to her, “Good morning, sweetheart. How is my baby girl today?” He kissed her head and smiled. “I want you to know that Christmas is coming pretty soon. You have to wake up so you can tell Santa what you want for Christmas. We have to write Santa a letter so he will know what to bring you. Why don’t you wake up today so that we can do that?”
Sabrina walked in and stopped to watch for a second. Then she walked over to the other side of the bed and held Lucy’s hand. “Yes, Lucy, and you have to help us put the ornaments on the tree. I’ll make some cookies and hot chocolate and Daddy will put up the tree and we’ll decorate it. Maybe we can go shopping and buy a new ornament this year. You can pick it out.”
They were both silent for a few moments and then Sabrina covered her eyes as tears rolled down her cheeks. Luke walked over to his wife and hugged her, rocking her. Sabrina buried her head in Luke’s chest and started moaning. “I want to go shopping with my Lucy. I want to take pictures while she is on Santa’s lap. I want to make sugar cookies with her and decorate them and go around and take them to the neighbors.” She took a ragged breath. “What if she never wakes up?” Sabrina sobbed.
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