Valley of Decision
chapter twenty
Axle ran back down pier 39, dodging and weaving through the crowds of tourists at a Taxi stand near the foot of the pier. He waved to the first car in line, heaving out of breath, while leaning on his knees, wheezed out, "St Francis Hospital", through the open cab window. He was about to say, "Pine and …” when the driver cut him off.
“I know where it is, hope in!”
Axle got a text from Rosa saying Angela was well, but she was still being held, and asked to lay down and rest a bit. So there was no need to hurry anymore. Axle took a deep breath and sunk back into his seat. He now realized he was sweating like a pig and the cab window wouldn’t open. He wanted out badly and felt claustrophobic.
The radio was talking about a major fire on a Bolinas beachfront estate, but Axle was too concerned with his present worries to allow anything to register. His phone buzzed again; it was Rosa speaking excitedly, “Red is checking Angela out now. As we speak.”
“What!” yelled Axle into the phone, startling the Cabby. “Red is there now?” asked Axle.
“Si, Mr. Rivers,” answered Rosa. "He says he wants to take her to his own Doctor. He wants me to go stay with my sister. Or stay at the hotel, he’s leaving it up to me. What should I do Senior?”
“How in the hell did he even know where she was?” screamed Axle.
“I don’t know Senior. She must have called him again, She’s not thinking straight?”
“Aha Rosa,” sighed Axle into the phone. "Wait, I’ll be there soon. Where 'bouts are you?”
“I’m at reception, in emergency,” whispered Rosa.
“Why are you whispering?”
“I don’t know Senior, I’m worried. I no like Senior Red anymore. He frightens me. He could tell I was afraid of him, I know him, Senior. Everything is so different, and strange now. Angela must have said something to him. Or I act so scared he could see. He must see that you know now too?” Rosa, sounding even more scared, with that realization?
Axle forgot all about his sweating and claustrophobia when he saw the corner of the hospital coming into view. “Emergency," he repeated to the driver. “Rosa I’m here now, I’ll just be a few more minutes!” And he hung up. He started berating himself for leaving them alone, and wondered what he will say and do when he gets there? When he caught up to Rosa she was sitting wringing her hands and stood when she saw him coming.
She was crying when he hugged her, “Don’t cry Rosa, be strong…OK?” Rosa nodded her head. Axle ran over to reception, and was told Angela had been released by her Doctor, and had been checked out into the care of her father. She had been sedated and was taken by her father down the east wing in a wheelchair.
"Apparently, he’s taking her to his doctor? I don’t know for sure where he took her?” the receptionist said.
“To where?” snapped Axle at the nurse. Causing her to jolt back in her chair. The receptionist said she was sorry but didn’t know?
“Isn’t it the law that everyone needs to be checked out?” screamed Axle, in a panic.
An older nurse ran over and firmly told Axle to lower his voice. The two nurses conferred in a huddle. The older nurse finally came over to them and said that the attending doctor, was being paged to come to the front desk. After about ten minutes he appeared but had nothing further to offer. He just assumed that they had come to the front desk? He said that he had put her on a mild sedative, and that she seemed much more relaxed.
“Did she say anything?”asked Axle.
“Yes, she did say to her father that she wanted nothing more to do with him. But he just ignored her as they left the quiet room. I Just passed it off as a small family squabble."
Axle told Rosa to sit, and that he’d be right back. He ran to the exit doors at the end of the east wing, but there was nobody there, He ran out to parking. Still no sign of them.
“What are we going to do Senior?” said Rosa to Axle when he returned dejected.
“We still have the hotel rooms for another night. Lets go back there and wait. Maybe she’ll call? There is nothing else we can do.”
“Senior Red said we could extend our stay if we wanted to. He left the day to check out open, and left instructions for them to do so if I wanted?” offered Rosa.
“Ok, that’s what we’ll do then. We wait.”
They took a cab to the hotel and went to his room. “Rosa, why not try to rest a bit. I’m going to look around the hotel?”
“Si Senior, good idea, I’ll go to my room and lay down for a bit.”
Axle went to the bar and ordered a whisky straight up. He texted Angela. There was no reply. Then he saw her typing. Then nothing. His drink arrived, and he downed it cowboy style. Relieved, he knew then that she was trying to reach him.
Axle looked about the elegant bar, at all the amazing details that went into building it. And there sitting at the corner of the bar was the woman, in the blond wig he’d seen and spoken with at the Grab joint on the pier. But before he could look away and leave, they locked eyes. Is she following me? thought Axle, smiling back at her. No, can’t be, it's just a wild coincidence, he told himself. The woman began to boldly walk over with her drink and took a stool beside him.
“I’d better lasso you here and now cowboy. Or you’ll be off roping some other little heifer?” laughed the woman. Seeing her close up, Axle could see that she was older than what he’d first assumed. Still very beautiful, with a wonderful full figure, but older than himself. A hooker, or a very rich spinster, looking for a man, he thought, judging by her expensive clothing, and style? “O right, because we saw each other before, in that bar?” said Axle a little caught off guard by the woman. “Wild eh, what’s the odds?" he paused. “You following me?” joked Axle. “I could say the same thing myself," replied the woman. It sounded more sinister to him then. He had never thought of it that way, and he could tell by her voice that she was very intelligent? “You have expensive tastes,” she added, motioning with her hand at the elegant room. The bar tender arrived. Axle acknowledged him, and asked her if she would like a drink? “No thank you, so sweet of you, I’m still drinking this silly old one eh,” she continued. Spinning the ice around in her glass. Axle ordered another whisky. “I’m staying at the hotel here, in room 3407.” She said. digging through her purse, then peering into it. “Ya, funny so am I,” he replied. “You’re in 3407 too?” laughed the woman. “Ha, you got me,” he laughed, not mentioning his room number. “So, like you say, what are the odds of us meeting up twice in a huge city like Frisco, all in the same day eh?” “You’re Canadian?” said Axle abruptly. The woman, taken back by his statement looked surprised, as the bartender placed a new coaster down and replaced Axle's empty shot glass with a full one. “You said eh!” said Axle, nodding a thank you to the bartender. “That’s a sure sign of being a Canadian,” he added, seeing her confusion and clearing up the little mystery. Angela and Red walked by, but neither saw each other in the milling crowds. “Sorry, I’m not Canadian. I’m visiting from Texas. Lucy Brown, very pleased to meet you,” she said, extending her hand. “Axle Rivers,” he replied shaking her hand. She had a hard-firm handshake and cold fingers. Must be from her glass, Axle thought? “Clever, you know what? It must be because of my x-husband's niece visiting us. She’s from Canada. I must have picked it up from her?” offered Lucy. "They live on a silly houseboat now. Up in Sausalito." “Like a cold,” replied Axle. They both laughed. “Up by Waldo there? Ya, I know the marina. Its called?” said Axle racking his brain.
“Kappa!” interjected Lucy, after waiting for him to speak.
“Ya! That’s it, Kappa Marina," repeated Axle.
“You must know California?” asked Lucy.
“Yes, I’ve traveled extensively throughout the southwest. It's in my blood. I was just about nineteen on my first visit here. Came with my Uncle, he took me here on a business trip. Been hooked ever since. I don’t see the southwest as being in the United States, I just see the land, and the people. Man and borders just ruin it!”
“I see,” replied Lucy. “Very philosophic!” she said into her drink. Her words echoing and mixing with the rattling left-over ice cubes.
Axle was enjoying her wit and company. He noticed an odd gold pin over her left breast. “That’s interesting," he said, pointing to her pin. "Is that a cattle brand?” asked Axle.
Lucy tucked her chin and looked down over her breast, forgetting she had put on a brooch that day. A pin her husband had given her. The way her painted red lips perked, when she looked down, aroused Axle. “O this, yes it’s the BB brand. You know about cattle?” asked Lucy. "It’s registered with the Texas Cattle Branding Association,"she said handing the gold brooch to Axle. She liked the look of his hands, as he fondled the gold pin.
“A bit, I’ve worked or stayed at ranches from Mexico to California. I know the lingo, and you speak it well,” replied Axle, admiring the expensive and well-made piece of jewelry, then handed it back to her, which she dropped into her purse with a snap. “Darn, I thought I spoke English?" laughed Lucy, sipping at her empty glass. But guess I still speak Texan?” she continued, holding out her glass for another. After a few more drinks, and fun banter, Axle remembered Angela, and their ordeal. It must have shown on his face? “Why, what’s wrong, you look like you’ve seen a ghost?”
Axle couldn’t believe he’d forgotten about Angela and their horrible predicament so fast? He felt ashamed. He didn’t know it was the brains safety measure? “I have, in a way!” replied Axle, waving the bartender over. He had been in the southwest before, both in Mexico and here. And he knew a rancher when he met one. No matter how well they tried to hide it? It was clear Lucy had been a wealthy rancher's wife, looking for fun and companionship, in a sea of wolves. The old cowboy must be rolling in his grave, he thought? “You going honey?” asked Lucy, disappointed. “Ya Sorry," replied Axle, throwing down way more cash and tip than was necessary. “I’ve really been having a good time, seriously,” assured Axle. “But I’ve forgotten all about my appointments, having such a great chat with you. I would love to do it again, really." “Well, you know my room number. Lucky old 3407! Come by anytime,” she said, handing him her business card. Axle liked the woman, but not in any romantic or sexual way. He glanced down at her card, Lucy Brown, MD it read.
“You’re a Doctor?" he asked surprised. "And you live on a ranch?” smiled Axle. One outta two, he said to himself! "Why didn't you mention it before? Most doctors love mentioning that fact?"
"I don't like mixing business with pleasure!" smiled Lucy. "Look," she said to him as they were shaking hands goodbye. "I want you to know, I don’t go around picking up men. I just figure meeting twice in one day was some kind of sign, and plus I think you seem like a good man. Eh!” Axle laughed. He left her sitting at the bar alone, and although he didn’t really know her, he felt bad. He returned to the bar and said to her, “Lucy, I really did enjoy meeting and talking with you. And I just may look you up sometime, if only to finish our conversation." A lovely big smile crossed her face, and he could tell she was lonely and disappointed. “You made my week, Axle Rivers. You really did. Happy trails!” she yelled after him, watching him walk away. Axle waved goodbye to her as the elevator door closed, but she had already tuned her back.
Dan Ger