White Cloud Retreat (12 page)

Three hours later Kelly and Rich, who Kelly had called
from the hospital when they were getting ready to leave Sunset Bay, helped a
still very drowsy Mike into the house and into his favorite chair by the
window. With the time spent taking x-rays and talking to Doc, along with
everything else that had happened, Mike had missed the sunset by more than an
hour. Fortunately the x-rays had shown that there was no skull fracture and
Mike didn’t even have a concussion.

Rebel sensed something had
happened to Mike and sat down next to him, whimpering. Mike reached down,
petted him, and began to talk.

“Kelly, what happened? I
remember getting out of my car to go into Deidre’s apartment building and
rolling the window down so Rebel could get some air. I didn’t expect to be gone
very long. When I was walking up the steps to the front door, I felt something
hard jabbed in my side and heard Deidre tell me to walk to the elevator, that
she’d been waiting for me. She said she had a gun in my side and if she shot
it, no one would hear it because she had a silencer on it. I remember yelling
‘On Guard’ to Rebel. Deidre opened the door of her apartment and I saw my
photographs on the wall and none of Scott.

“She said something like,
‘I’m giving you one more chance to be with me rather than Kelly.’ I remember
shaking my head and saying no. She started talking, almost like someone who had
lost her mind. She said she’d asked Scott to be with her when he was doing the
walking meditation and when he said no, she’d pulled her gun out of the
waistband of her yoga pants and shot him. She said she’d asked him before and
if he wouldn’t be with her, she’d make certain he’d never be with anyone. She
said she’d done the same thing to the guy in Arizona when he wouldn’t leave his
wife for her and it was time for her to do the same to me, but first she needed
to take pictures of my feet. That’s the last thing I remember. She must have
hit me on the head with the pistol. The next thing I remember is waking up in
the hospital with you and Doc next to my bed. Want to tell me what happened in
the interim?”

“I think you’re very lucky
the only lasting thing from your meeting with Deidre is going to be a big lump
on your head for a while. Doc says it looks like a giant goose egg. He gave me
some pain pills for you.”

“How did you get there?
And what about Deidre?”

Rich interrupted, “Mike,
Kelly, I’m recording this. Just want to make sure it’s okay with you. I’d
appreciate it if I can get it on record that you both gave me permission to
record this conversation. Thanks.”

Kelly told Mike about
noticing his patrol car on the street and seeing Rebel in it and it looked like
he was barking, which was unusual. She said she heard Rebel as soon as the door
of her minivan was opened. Kelly told him how she’d unlocked his patrol car and
let Rebel out, then she described what had happened from the time they’d
entered the apartment building until she went to the hospital to meet Doc.

“Mike, you’re lucky to be
alive. If I hadn’t decided to renew my driver’s license and seen your car with
Rebel in it and acting strange, I don’t know what would have happened. Deidre
snapped or had a mental breakdown or whatever you want to call it. When I left
for the hospital, she was muttering about killing Scott and a bunch of other
men, even that guy in Arizona you told me about. I have no idea how many men
she’s killed. Evidently she stalked them and when they either became afraid of
her or turned her down, she killed them. She was talking about taking pictures
of their feet.”

“Good grief. I wondered
where my shoes and socks were. Do you know what happened to them?”

“Yes. She was in the
process of removing them from your feet when we got there. There was no point
in putting them on when you were in the hospital, so I brought them home. Here
they are.”

“I don’t think I want them
now. Whenever I put them on, I’d only think of Deidre.” He turned to Rich,
“What did you do with her?”

“I took her to the station
and booked her. Then I put her in isolation because she seemed to have suffered
a complete mental breakdown. She was about as loony as anyone I’ve ever seen.
I’m no expert on mental illness, but I’d say she’s had a major break with
reality. She keeps muttering about the men she’s killed and feet and all kinds
of other weird stuff. It’s Friday night so she won’t be arraigned until
Monday.”

“What will happen to her
then?” Kelly asked.

“She’s entitled to a
public defender,” Rich said, “and usually in cases like this, she’ll plead not
guilty and given the circumstances of the case, the judge will probably send
her to the state mental hospital for a psychiatric evaluation. Between what
she’s admitted to and her obvious mental state, I don’t think she’ll be back on
the streets for a long time. The whole thing is downright weird.”

“Mike,” Kelly said, “I
thought we had a deal. I promised to keep my gun on me at all times and you
promised to have Rebel with you at all times. Why wasn’t he with you?”

At his name being mentioned,
Rebel’s ears perked up. It seemed as if he, too, was waiting for Mike to answer
and was wondering the same thing.

“I decided to let him stay
in my patrol car. I figured I wouldn’t be gone long. I was simply going to meet
with Deidre and take a routine statement from her. I didn’t think I’d need
Rebel with me. It never occurred to me that I could be in danger. I mean, who
would expect a beautiful young woman to be a killer?”

“Well, it’s rather obvious
you didn’t. I’m just glad your bad experience had such a happy outcome.”

“Believe me, you’re not
the only one.”

They were interrupted by
Kelly’s cell phone ringing. She pulled it out of her purse and answered it.
“Hi, Doc. Thanks again for taking care of Mike.” She listened for a minute.
“Sure, you can talk to him. He’s wide awake.” She handed the phone to Mike.

“Thanks, Doc. I felt a lot
better when I came to and saw you next to my hospital bed. I knew I was in good
hands, but you don’t need to spend your weekend time calling to see how I’m
doing. Honest, I’m fine.” A moment later he said, “You didn’t call to see how
I’m doing? You called to see if I would be the best man in your wedding? What
are you talking about?”

Kelly started crying when
she overheard Mike’s conversation with Doc. What with the events of the day and
now the good news that Doc and Liz were going to get married, she gave in to
the tears that had been hovering at the edges of her eyes for some time. Mike
pushed the end call button on his phone and said, “Did you know he was going to
ask Liz to marry him tonight?”

“Yes, he was in the coffee
shop earlier today and he showed me the diamond ring he bought for her. What an
ending to this week! You’re almost killed and Doc’s going to get married. Don’t
think I could have scripted this one.”

“Kelly, the longer I’m
around you the less surprised I am at how things always seem to turn out all
right when you’re involved.”

“Well, Sheriff Mike, since
we’re in a two week countdown until our wedding, you have one thing to do
between now and then, and that’s rest and get rid of what looks like a large
appendage growing out of the back your head. Some wedding pictures those will
be if that thing’s not gone in two weeks.”

“Time for me to leave,”
Rich said. “Other than that huge thing on your head, Mike, I think you’re going
to be okay. Kelly, Mike, I’ll have the conversation I recorded transcribed and
then you both can sign it.”

“No problem,” Mike said.

“By the way, the other
deputies and I will be taking turns working overtime for the next few days so
you can get some rest. We all want to see you looking good at the wedding.”
Rich turned to Kelly. “Mike, time for you to get in bed. I think that’s a real
good place for you to be until you get back to normal. Okay with you, Kelly, if
I help cart him off to bed?”

“Yes. That’s an excellent
idea. He can stay there all weekend and I’ll wait on him like I’m his own
personal slave.”

“I’d like that,” Mike
said. “Probably be the last time that’ll happen.”

“You got that right,
Sheriff Mike, so don’t get used to it. This is a one-time only kind of thing.
Now, down the hall with you. I’ll bring you something to eat a little later.”

Rebel followed Rich and
Mike down the hall. When they were gone, Lady looked up at Kelly as if to say,
“Remember me? I’m the one who also helped save Mike’s life. I think a special
treat is in order. What do you think?”

“Lady, good job. I think I
have a little piece of roast beef in the refrigerator that just might have your
name on it. Rather imagine you’d enjoy it. You deserve it. Thanks, girl.” Lady
wagged her tail and followed Kelly to the refrigerator. If dogs could grin, she
clearly had an ear-to-ear grin on her face.

GUIDO

Phew
, he thought as he cleared airport
security,
it’s a
lot easier when you don’t have to worry about
sneaking a gun through. Glad I left it with the Pellino Brothers. Since they’re
part of the Family, they can probably find a use for it. I mean, I like to pop
someone as much as any other hit man who works for the Family, but poppin’ some
spiritual idol? I dunno, maybe it’s that church upbringin’ Mom forced on us
kids, but killing some Zen Master who wears robes, well, just glad I didn’t
have to do it.

I was all set to pop the
good Zen Master during the walking meditation when I followed him down the
trail he took and hid in the bushes next to the trail, waiting for him to
return. All I had to do was just step out of the bushes, hold my .22 right next
to his head, and bingo, the job’s done. Figured by the time all the dust
settled I’d be sittin’ on a plane headed back to Chicago. Then all of a sudden
along comes that crazy redhead broad running down the trail in the direction of
the Zen Master. Good thing I stayed hidden, because the next thing I know, that
dumb sheriff is hotfootin’ it down the trail and I overhear some students say
the Zen Master has been shot and killed. Always a little easier when someone
else takes care of the Family’s business. Odds are my next hit won’t be some
spiritual guru and it will just be business as usual.

Looking forward to goin’
home. Lotta people don’t like Chicago in January, but it’s better than the damp
cold out here in the Pacific Northwest. Anyway, the kids and wife’ll be happy
to see me. Yeah, it’s good to be going home and not havin’ to look over my
shoulder.

DANTE AND LUCA

They were glad Guido had gone back to Chicago right
after the murder of Scott Monroe. He was a cold-blooded killer working for the
Family and they were frightened just being around him. However, they had to
agree that his idea to become one of the Zen Master’s students so he could get
close to Scott and be ready on a moment’s notice to complete the assignment Mr.
Rossi had given him, was pure genius.

The Pellino brothers were
certain that the high-end pinot noir wine they were getting ready to introduce
would make the Pellino Brothers Vineyard synonymous with the best pinot noir
wine in Oregon. They expected some disarray at the White Cloud Retreat Center
and vineyard because of the murder of Scott Monroe, its founder and head
winemaker. They hoped his death would help the sale of their wines. With Scott
gone and his fine wines presumably on hiatus, they were sure they’d be able to
convince The Crush’s owner, Jesse, to carry their wines and help make them a
household word in the local area and all of Oregon. They knew they had to
succeed in order to maintain Mr. Rossi’s faith in them or otherwise they might
be on the receiving end of a visit from Guido, which was not a pleasant
thought.

DOC

A reconciliation with his sons, a restored medical
license, and now engaged to the town psychologist – life was definitely looking
up for Doc Burkhart. Planning a wedding, more visits from his sons, and
enlarging his medical practice was keeping him very busy. His fiancée, Liz, was
trying to talk him into taking up boating, telling him how much his sons would
enjoy it when they came to visit, but he didn’t think that was going to happen
given his lifelong fear of the ocean. The gift he’d received from Kelly, the
yellow Labrador named Lucky, was growing up to be a very faithful friend to his
master.

LUKE

Luke called Kelly a few days after Deidre had been
arrested to tell her he’d decided to stay on at the White Cloud Retreat Center
and take over Scott’s position as Zen Master. He told her that although he’d
written some phony checks to a fake business he’d opened up so he could siphon
money out of the Center’s bank account without Scott finding out, a few days
after Scott died he’d been meditating and had a moment of enlightenment that
was life-changing.

He returned all of the
money he’d taken from the Center and gave up any ideas he’d had about escaping
to Mexico. He said he’d decided to continue on with Scott’s dream of making
White Cloud Retreat Center a haven for all who sought spirituality, as well as
a good glass of wine.

Luke told her he’d already
asked Jesse at The Crush to give him a crash course in making wine and that
Jesse had agreed to help him. He told Kelly he was hoping she’d be coming to
the Center to take some more classes and she’d replied that her wedding gift to
herself was just that.

JIM

He continued to work for the electric company,
troubleshooting wherever he was needed. Fortunately, he’d been able to take
care of the electrical service problems the Center was having and never had to
return to it. With the Center’s problems fixed, he left his .22 pistol at home
because the forest area near the Center was the only place he’d ever seen any
bears.

The pastor of Jim and
Ellie Duncan’s church made Jim a lay pastor because of his commitment to the
church. He ministered to people who were unable to come to church and on
Sundays, was the pastor’s right hand man. Ellie was sure his work with the
church would assure them both places in heaven and she reminded the Tuesday
morning Bible study group of that every week.

DEIDRE

Deidre is now a permanent
resident at the large red brick Oregon State Mental Hospital in Salem, Oregon,
locked in the high security section reserved for the criminally insane. She
spends her days in a world of her own, unreachable through therapy or
medication. She was diagnosed as psychotic by psychiatrists at the institution
and never stood trial for Scott’s or anyone else’s murder. Her mutterings
indicate she killed many other men over the years, but none of the bodies have
ever been recovered, and the photographs of their feet taken from her apartment
have been untraceable.

Her pistol with the
silencer on it was recovered from her apartment. Ballistic tests confirmed it
was the gun used to kill Zen Master Scott.

BLAINE

He returned to the Center
a few days after he’d mysteriously left. Blaine told Luke he’d crashed and
burned when he ran out of his medication and decided to leave the Center. After
he left he’d gotten in touch with the doctor at the Oregon State Mental
Hospital where he’d previously been a patient and the doctor had given him
several new prescriptions. The new medications worked and he now felt stable,
recovered, and ready to go back to work. He asked Luke if he could have a
second chance at the Center and told him he’d still very much like to become a
Zen priest, but had given up thoughts of becoming a Zen Master. Luke agreed to
take him back, but only if he promised to take his medications daily. Blaine
promised he would and since he had more experience in the vineyards than any of
the other residential trainees, he gladly agreed to be in charge of it.

SHERIFF MIKE

The bump on his head soon went away and he was back at
work in a few days, making sure the people of Beaver County and Cedar Bay were
safe. There was a hiatus in crime and Mike used the extra time to help Kelly
get ready for their upcoming wedding and spend time with her children, Julia
and Cash. Rebel had become his constant shadow and it was widely known around
town that Rebel could always be seen in the shotgun seat of Sheriff Mike’s
patrol car, preferably with the window open and his head sticking out, enjoying
the sights and smells of the Cedar Bay area.

KELLY

Kelly was glad that for now, there were no serious
crimes to investigate and solve in the sleepy little town of Cedar Bay and she
could spend her time getting ready for her upcoming wedding. Two of Roxie’s
friends volunteered to come to Kelly’s Koffee Shop the week before the wedding
and work so Kelly could take the week off and spend it with her children and
taking care of last-minute preparations. It was Roxie’s wedding gift to Kelly
and it may have been the most thoughtful and appreciated wedding gift she
received!

REBEL AND LADY

Rebel continued to show Lady how to be a guard dog by
always checking to make sure their masters were safe from danger. When they
were together they were inseparable, whether they were eating, sleeping, or
playing, but as soon as they got a call from their master, that took precedence
over everything else. Sometimes life is just so good you have to smile, and
anyone who saw the dogs, swore they were always wearing a friendly smile!