Waiting to Heal Read online

  Several large geese circled overhead as she continued brushing Blazing Nightmare. Megan paused her brushing and watched the geese come in and flare their wings as they settled into the lower pasture. "What a rush that must be, to be able to fly around with an unhampered view of the ranch area and then land in the plush pasture to gather and peck away at whatever nourishment they found so enticing as to draw them to this particular ranch," Megan softly spoke out loud just for her own ears. Blazing Nightmare took this moment to nudge Megan with her nose to bring her attention back to the brushing she had been enjoying. “Ok, ok, I’m back at it so you can just relax and enjoy.”

  Megan made sure she brushed the horse down completely. She hugged the horse’s neck, patted her on her head then kissed her on the cheek while saying, “See you later big girl.”

  She had been wanting to get over to the upper pond and check out the beautiful lily pads that had sprung up there since the end of the drought. Now that she had a little more mobility she thought this was a perfect opportunity.

  Quiet had overtaken the pond on her approach. The water run off from the surrounding hills had refilled the pond and for unknown reason the lily pads had come back fully flourished and now covered the pond from bank to bank. The pink and gold flowers over the huge green almost twenty inch in diameter pads was a lesson in what can come naturally without any human contributions or planning. She placed her hand on one of the pads near shore and was humbled at the size of each pad and amazed at the speed at which they had grown. Megan sat on the bank quietly waiting for a while. She looked at the unbelievably beautiful lotus blossoms and then after a few minutes the frogs began their songs again rocking the quiet with their melody of croaks and buzzes.

  Megan wasn’t there long before she heard the bell that signaled breakfast was ready. The sound and tone of that bell was so clear and loud that it carried to all corners of the ranch. That particular bell came from Switzerland by way of a friend that worked as a Director at Genentech. This Director friend had been sent to Switzerland for a conference with managers of all the Genentech's facilities. While out shopping, in her spare time, she spotted the large bell with its unusual and colorful attaching harness. After hearing the volume and tone of its ring, she decided to bring it back for her friend to use at her ranch. Sophia has been using it ever since to get everyone’s attention for whatever and from wherever they might be on the ranch.

  "Smells like heaven in here," Megan said as she entered the ranch house turned and washed her hands in the kitchen sink then dried them on a paper towel, "what is with the bacon you are cooking, it has the best smell and it is the best I have ever eaten."

  "Local organic farm raises cows and pigs and then they butcher them and make the product available for purchase to surrounding neighbors and local merchants," Sophia replied, "and I agree with you, it is the best. Come, sit, I'll bring coffee and your breakfast."

  Megan knew she would just be in the way if she tried to help herself in the kitchen so she took that offered seat and let Sophia do her thing. She also knew that Sophia would bring her bacon, two eggs over easy, hash browns and a couple slices of buttered toast with the homemade blackberry jelly in place on the table.

  "Heard the bell and headed in, am I late?" Paul asked as he also turned and washed his hands in the kitchen sink following with the paper towel which was evidently the routine at the ranch.

  "Right on time. Sit, I'll serve, coffee or juice?" Sophia asked as she lovingly guided Paul to his chair.

  "Coffee please and thanks hon."

  “Paul, I have to ask. Blazing Nightmare, why would anyone name that beautiful gentle horse a nightmare?” Megan asked.

  “You’re not the first to ask. You are right about her here at the ranch, she is just the best to work with and to be around.”

  “So, you admit that the name doesn’t fit her.”

  “I didn’t say that. What you haven’t seen is her at the race track during a race.”

  “What could that venue have to do with that Nightmare name?” Megan asked as she didn’t understand what could be different.

  “Well, you know she is the fastest horse I have ever seen or had a hand in the training. I also think she is determined to win every time she goes out on the track, she seems to sense the importance of being in front,” Paul held up his hand indicating he wasn’t finished. “When she wins her races everything is just fine, however, if for some reason she looses, and doesn’t cross that finish line first, she becomes impossible and will continue running around that track long after the race is over. If the starting gates haven’t been removed she will charge those gates and slide to a stop seconds before crashing into those gates. It’s not a pretty site and the jockey can only hang on as he has no control, and for whoever might be on board, it is like that nightmare you can never wake up from.”

  “I would never have guessed, I just thought the name was inappropriate.”

  “The name has a two part meaning. Blazing when she is in a race, Nightmare if she doesn’t win,” Paul explained. “Not only that, sometimes she is so anxious to get on with the race it is impossible to get her into her stalls in the paddocks. I’ve seen her drag two grooms around the area when they try to back her into a stall. The last race she was in they had to walk her around the paddock and saddle her while she walked pulling the groom around by the harness lead. I saw the jockey mount and then I saw him quickly dismount because she was going to head for the track before they were called. Somehow she was controlled enough so she did get to compete and won that race by three lengths.

  Chapter Six

  There’s No One Here

  Mrs. Logan had made tea and was resting in her chair when JJ, after knocking and getting permission, entered the small apartment.

  “How are you doing Mrs. Logan?”

  “Oh, I’m ok, please call me Shirley as I believe we are friends now. Please have a seat,” she said and shyly smiled. “Would you care for some tea and where is your friend?”

  “Tea would be great, Earl Grey, if you have it. Oh and, Jim will be here shortly, he had to check out something real quick.”

  JJ started to rise but Shirley motioned him back down, “I’ll get it, I know where everything is.”

  Shirley returned in no time at all as the pot was already hot. “Sugar or honey?” She asked.

  “A spoon of honey would be great.”

  “A man after my own heart, I love honey in my tea.”

  “Mrs. Logan, ah, Shirley, I need to ask you about things since my partner, Megan’s accident.”

  “Oh posh, that was no accident but you go ahead and ask away.”

  JJ nodded in agreement with Shirley, “We were up on the roof and noticed that some equipment had been removed from up there recently. We were wondering if you had heard any unusual activity or noise in your hallway, out on the fire escape or maybe something coming from the roof?” JJ asked. “Anything ring a bell or seem unusual?”

  “Well, as you probably realize, my hearing is not as good as it used to be but I have still heard some things but was afraid to investigate.”

  “And well you shouldn’t, we don’t know yet what or who we’re dealing with,” JJ forcefully stated.

  “Well, that old fire escape is bolted to the wall there and when someone or something goes on out there it causes some vibration on the wall and shakes my wall hangings,” She said as she pointed at the window and end wall of the living room. Then she continued, “What I was hearing mostly was late at night and it simply sounded or felt like someone walking up the fire escape, it shook my pictures on that wall,” Shirley again pointed at the wall and window that led to the outside fire escape.

  “Is that still going on?”

  “Actually no, for the last week or so it has been quiet with no activity as far as I could tell.”

  “It has been about two weeks since Megan fell, so you’re telling me that the activity stopped about a week after Megan fell and then nothing since.”

&
nbsp; “I think so but I can’t be exactly sure.”

  “JJ?” Jim said from the hallway as he tapped on Mrs. Logan’s door.

  “Hey Shirley, there is my friend Jim, could you invite him in?”

  “Sure,” Shirley said as she rose and went to the door, “Hey Jim I’m Shirley, will you come on in and would you also like some tea?”

  Jim looked at JJ sitting there, a cup raised as if saluting and said, “Thank you and sure, tea would be fine.”

  “Tea? We have time for tea?” Jim asked JJ after Shirley left the room.

  “I always have time for Earl Grey with a touch of honey,” JJ said as he again saluted with his cup, this time with a big smile on his face.

  Shirley returned with a steaming cup of tea, handed it to Jim then took her seat.

  “Shirley was telling me that there was quite a lot of activity out on the fire escape for about a week after Megan fell then for the last week or so nothing.”

  “Did you see anyone out there?” Jim asked Shirley.

  “No I just heard things. After Mr. Logan fell and then Megan fell there was no way I was going to even attempt to see what was going on,” Shirley said as she slowly shook her head.

  “And I told her that was the smart thing to do as we have yet to know what was going on out there or who we are dealing with,” JJ added.

  “I was wondering about the people in these apartments. Shirley, do you know any of the other occupants?” JJ asked.

  “I know the old guy across the hall, Mr. Bailey. He is a retired postal worker. He lives by himself as his wife passed away several years ago,” Shirley Logan paused a moment then continued, “There were a bunch of young men who lived down on the next floor, but I think they moved.”

  “Moved? So the apartment below you is empty, is that correct?” JJ asked.

  “Yes, I believe it is empty. Why, are you looking for an apartment?”

  “No, no, I just thought the young men there might have seen or heard something.”

  “They might have, they only moved a couple weeks ago, shortly after Megan’s accident. They said it was too dangerous to live here.”

  “Any idea where they might have gone?” Jim put in.

  “No, I don’t. Maybe the super has a forwarding address or knows where they went.”

  JJ and Jim shook hands with Shirley and said thanks for the tea, the help and the info, then they said goodbye. Their next stop would be to try to track down those young men who had vacated the apartment below the Logan’s. They went back out on the landing and retrieved their ladder before leaving.

  They stored their ladder in their vehicle and headed back inside to try to find the apartment manager. They found the office on the first floor and both read the small sign that was duct taped to the door of apartment # 1. Apartment Manager along the top of the sign with Pete Miller right below all on the same sign. JJ looked at Jim and both shrugged then JJ knocked on the door.

  “There’s no one here!” came from somewhere inside.

  JJ and Jim both laughed at that comment and then JJ said, “I fell for that one when I was in kindergarten but I’m a little older and smarter now.”

  “You’re not going away, are you?”, came from inside but much closer to the door and the hallway.

  “We just need to ask you a couple of question, it will only take a minute of your time.”

  A shadow moved across the peephole and a moment later they heard the lock being thrown then the chain and slide removed with it swinging down and rattling against the door. The door was slowly opened and a man of about forty stood in the doorway.

  “Mr. Miller?” JJ said.

  “Pete will do and you are?”

  “Sorry Pete, I’m JJ and this is Jim, we are with M&M Investigations and we are looking into the two incidents that occurred on the fire escape on the fifth floor.”

  “You need to talk to my lawyer, he can answer your questions,” Mr. Miller started closing the door in their face.

  “Our questions are not about the case they are about your tenants that lived on the fourth floor below the Logan’s,” JJ said as he placed his palm against the door preventing it from closing without some considerable pressure from the manager.

  “That room is empty, those tenants checked out.”

  “We saw that, do you know where they went, did they leave a forwarding address?” JJ persisted.

  “No, they left me a note inside the apartment that they were leaving but I never actually saw them go or receive anything about a forwarding address from them. The door was open when I made my rounds one day and I saw the apartment was totally empty. We go month to month here and they didn’t owe me any rent so I didn’t pursue them in any way. This management job is a part time thing, I have a real job that keeps me away most of the day so I don’t see a lot of things first hand, in fact, most of the things I find out about are after they have happened.”

  “It’s ok, I understand completely. Thanks for your time Pete, if you think of anything please give me a call,” JJ said as he handed Mr. Miller his business card.

  Chapter Seven

  Maggie’s Rig

  Mimi Stroud, a very cute 18 year old, was back on the street again. She was still somewhat in shock over what had transpired. She sat down in the back of the alley, closed her eyes, and let her thoughts return to when she left home several weeks ago.

  She remembered sitting on her bed and waiting in her room until her mom had left the house on her way to work. Even though her room was on the second floor she clearly heard the front door as it slammed with just a little more force than necessary. Mimi thought that maybe her mom was just as pissed off as she was and maybe, this time, she had let her mouth take her just a little too far. They both had said some things that they would have a hard time taking back.

  Whatever, it was done and she had decided to now prevent recurrence of another verbal assault. She rose from the bed and went to the window and watched as her mom backed out of the driveway and sped away. She went to her closet and drug out her smallest roller suitcase. She selected just the minimum clothes she would need to simply exist, folded them neatly and packed them in the small case.

  Down stairs she selected one of her mom’s shopping bags then did some pantry and refrigerator raiding. She didn’t overload the bag and only took items that wouldn’t require cooking. She had no idea when she would have a stove she could use.

  She got a blank sheet of paper and sat at the table thinking about what she could say that would make sense and not be so melodramatic. Deciding she wrote, ‘Mom, we obviously have different ideas on where my life should be headed. I’m 18 and considered an adult so I have to try to be one. I know I don’t know everything but I need time to think and clear my head so maybe I can see what I want. I have my cell and I’m not going to block you but I’m not going to answer for a little while. I will call you when I am ready and maybe we can sit down and talk without being so ugly with each other, Mimi Stroud.

  She put the note on the refrigerator and held it there with one of the small magnets that stuck to the door. She left by the front door and carefully locked it before she left softly patting the door frame as if saying goodbye.

  Mimi walked through their small town out to the main road that would lead her out of town. She walked down that road and hitchhiked every vehicle that came along. She knew it was dangerous but it was important to her to get some distance behind her before she changed her mind and turned back.

  Her being cute or her being female and alone could have been the reason the trucker slowed and pulled the trailer pulling rig to the side of the road a short distance passed Mimi. It sat for a moment idling then the air horn on top of the cab let out a ear piercing sound. Mimi hoped that that sound was calling her so she ran along side the vehicle then stepped up and opened the passenger door while dragging her case up and climbed in.

  Margaret Keenan said, “Hey sugar, what you doing out here all alone?”

  “You’re a woma
n? Mimi said with surprise in her voice.

  Margaret put the truck in gear, checked the rearview mirrors, left turn signal on she pulled back onto the road as she replied, “Bet your sweet ass I am, that surprise you that a lady could be driving a big rig like this?”

  “Yes somewhat but I know women are taking on more things nowadays and I shouldn’t be surprised.”

  “Well you are lucky that I am in such a good mood or you would have still been standing back there with your thumb out.”

  “What has you in such a good mood?”

  “Pete, my husband, called me this morning and apologized all over himself and asked for my forgiveness. He’s almost as stubborn as I am,” Margaret said.

  Another large rig went by going the other way and suddenly her cell phone rang and Margaret said, “answer call.”

  “Morning Maggie, what cha hauling this morning?

  “Hey Clyde, I thought that was you. I got a load of grain for horses going up to Marysville to the grain store.”

  “Noticed you got a friend with you, not Pete, huh?”

  “Not Pete, a friend I picked up to ride with me but Pete called this morning and I will be with him later today if all goes as planned.”

  “Okay, that is great. I was worried about you too, you’re both so stubborn sometimes.”

  “One of our best qualities, nice talking with you, have a really good one. We’ll get together soon and double date, okay?” Margaret said.

  Clyde said, Later Maggie.”

  “Hey that was cool, much better than the old CB radio contact,” Mimi said.

  “Those CBs were a real step up from only being able to wave as trucks bypassed each other but you are right, cell phones make it too easy.”