Chapter 75

It finally looked as though I had some options. I could move on without any suspicion falling on me. I could also stay right where I was and enjoy the fruits of my labors. I was making a little money from the art world, but far from enough to cover my expenses. At best it was break even, if I could live on air and live in the woods.

Still I had about half a million dollars spread over accounts in Mossberg and Forest Grove. I also had an empty battery pack worth about $25,000 in cash once it was converted from gold and silver bars.

In theory I could run fast and run far from Mossberg Alabama at the drop of a hat. I just didn't feel as though I was finished with Mossberg just yet. I had a pretty strong sense that none of my sins were going to find me out. So there was no pressure on me to leave town.

In the two months following Sam's funeral, I had developed a reputation. My plan to shoot photos and get releases to make drawing had paid off. I gave away about three dozen photographs, but I sold over a dozen drawings at $250 each. The buyers must have seen something in them. Why else would that pay so much for so little. Of course I really was getting good at my trade as well.

It didn't hurt that the drawing always made the people look younger or more noble than they were in real life. Some of the buyers told me it made their loved ones more real than the photograph. I always appreciated the compliments but I didn't let them go to my head. I knew I wasn't as good at Luis with the shading and subtle little touches yet.

I had also made six drawings for my show. They were all original but not limited to one from the same photograph. I usually made three to five and numbered them. It was my plan to hold on till the summer festival season, so I could travel to some of them.

The image I drew of Miss Sadie was a hit with several of her kids and grandkids. I was glad to make the sales, but I almost hated to take their money. I knew I was in business to make a profit, but Miss Sadie had given me a heads up to a lot of things which I needed to know.

I was busy hunting for after Christmas festivals and finding none, when I got an email. One I would not have expected in a million years. It was from Andrew and came in on the dead drop petunia address.

'Looking forward to our meeting on the Sunday the 21, see you then. silver bear xx.'

I remembered the keys very well. The meeting meant he was coming to me. So I hadn't hidden from him after all. The xx meant subtract two to the all numbers inside the message. He would be in town on the 19th. That was the next day. He didn't give me a time, so I just had to stay near the burner phone. The one I had used to call Silvia.

I had a hard time sleeping I was so pissed at myself. I thought for sure I had been careful enough but obviously I had not. I slept until 4 AM when the burner rang two times then stopped. It was not a message with which I was familiar, but I figured it meant come down stairs and let me inside. I did just that.

In the five months I had been gone Andrew had improved. He walked with a cane but wasn't leaning on it nearly as much. He took a couple of steps without using it at all. When he was off the street, the SUV that dropped him pulled away. I hugged Andrew because I was really glad to see someone I didn't have to pretend with.

"What the fuck are you doing here?" I asked.

"I could ask you the same thing," he replied. He looked around before adding. "What is it about the women in this business. None of you live anywhere normal."

"It fits my new life. These days I'm known as a crazy artist," I admitted. "So I try to appear to be struggling. It makes the people appreciate what I do for them more.

"Don't you want to know how I found you?" he asked. He was obviously dying to tell me but I couldn't resist.

"It's been almost three months since Wilson send me the dead drop files. I'm guessing he used the same parameters, the ones I set for him, to follow the newspaper reports of missing girls updates," I said.

"Exactly we did some checking. It was good to see you still can out think anyone I ever met. Did you kill that Sam guy?"

"It was someone else," I said.

"Good it was sloppy," Andrew said.

"You do what you can with what you have," I suggested. "I'm a little surprised it took you this long. I thought one of my customers was an agent of yours. She bought one of my drawings of a stray dog," I said.

"Really she wasn't ours. Frankly she may be why I'm here though. We aren't the only ones looking for you," he said.

"Homeland Security?" I asked.

"No, it's a private security force. They are not as familiar with your colorful past. I just wanted to give you a heads up," Andrew said.

"Come on, you didn't drive all this way to tell me I have an admirer," I suggested. "So why are you really here?"

"It is really was one of the reasons. The other is if they contact you, we would like for you to accept the job," he admitted.

"You want a spy inside?" I asked.

"That's what they want, I think," Andrew said. "Anyway if you are inside we can have some idea whether they are the good guys or the bad guys."

"Hell Andrew you know you can't tell the good guys from the bad guys without a program," I said.

"True, but will you do it?" he asked.

"I will talk to them, if they show. I'll try to figure out what it's all about. That is all I will promise," I said.

"That's fair enough," he said. He grew quiet then asked, "So how you doing?"

"I'm fine and thanks for asking. The wolves didn't get me, even after you threw me out on the tundra," I said.

"Either you have been watching Eskimo shows on TV, or you are losing your mind," he said.

"Both," I replied. "And a flair for the dramatic as well."

"That is for sure. You never do anything in a small way. So are you really doing alright?" he asked.

"I'm fine I get bored some, but I manage," I said.

"We would love to have you come back but I'm afraid we are staked out by somebody looking for you. They have a description but nothing else," he said.

"Yes they would look around the Camps. One day I would be there," I agreed.

I couldn't go back to sleep after he left, so I made coffee and waited for the sun.

Christmas came and went that year almost unnoticed by me. I still worried about getting caught up in Sam's murder investigation. It was three more months before it was accepted by everyone that Sam had killed himself. True to his nature, he had wanted the last laugh. At least that is what the people who knew him said.

The people who knew him personally also gave a great sigh of relief. The parents of three of the girls also got some closure. It was a horrible way to think of your daughters last hours but they no longer were tormented by the phone which never rang.

March came in like a wounded Lion. Temperatures were mild to me but it rained a bunch. The rain even in the mild temperature made the weather pretty miserable. I still hadn't set any summer festivals. They were either too far away for the trike, or on dates to which I was reluctant to commit. Summer was for play, I decided.

So I continued to work on my portfolio. I also worked on the display. Just in case I ever found a show. Actually I had begun to enjoy the slow pace of my life. I have forgotten all about Andrew and his warning by the middle of March. I should have known better. No sin goes unpunished, I later thought.

"Hello," the middle aged man with the shaved bald head said. His voice boomed in the small gallery space.

"Hello, what can I do for you?" I asked. I was pretty sure I knew since strangers hardly ever came to the shop.

"My girl friend bought this print from you several months ago. I was wondering if you had any more?" he asked showing me the drawing.

You guessed it was the stray dog and road kill. "I have a few but you really should look around some. She bought the best one of the series," I said. I had a pretty good idea who he was, but I was playing at artist/sales agent.

"Well then maybe a companion piece," he said.

"Feel free to browse through the books as well as the gallery," I said.

"My name is John and to be honest I'm more interested in you, than the drawings," he said.

"John, I don't date customers." I said it to make him work his magic, If he had any.

"I'm afraid my girlfriend wouldn't like me dating you, or anyone else for that matter," he said with a smile.

"Then I have no idea what you are talking about," I said.

"I'm in the business," he said handing me the card. It read John Smith Executive Protection Service.

"Interesting, but I know nothing about protecting executives," I said.

"Then it's a good thing I do," he said. "So would you like to learn?"

"Why me?" I asked. I knew why but I wanted him to explain it, if he could.

"Shall we stop dancing around and put our cards on the table?" John Smith asked?

"With a name like John Smith, you think I'm going to believe anything you have to say. Come on get real," I commented.

"It's as much my name as Iris is yours," he said. "So Miss Seabold do you want to talk real or shall I go away."

"I have no idea what you are talking about. Sorry you have me confused with someone else," I said firmly.

"Okay, I'll go, but you really should hear me out before I do," he suggested.

"Why should I?" I asked. "You have nothing I want."

"Come on, you have been in the movies so do you really like sitting in the audience now?" he asked.

"It makes going home from the movie, a lot more certain," I suggested.

"Well we pay good," he said. "$500 a day and all you find laying around is yours to keep." I looked at him with a 'huh' look on my face. "I told you that I knew all about you."

"Oh really," I asked.

"Yes, I also know whether you agree or not, you will likely call Sylvia just as soon as I leave," he said.

"You are okay with that?" I asked.

"Sure, if you worked for me I would expect you to be loyal, even after we part company. For the record you got a crappy deal from the Swamp people."