THE BLUE STALKER (20 page)

“That would be me.”  Ella said as she put her hand in his.

             
“I deliver for Fred’s Wholesale Flowers.  We have the best flowers in the valley. We also have our own nursery and can supply you with beautiful green or blooming plants.” 

             
Ella was happy to meet Tony.  She was hoping they would stop by on their rounds.

             
“How many deliveries do you make up this way a week?”  Ella asked.

             
“We come by on Monday, Wednesday and Friday.  “You will need to call in your order before noon the day before the delivery day.”  Tony informed Ella.

             
“What about Monday deliveries, when should we call our order in?”  Ella asked.

             
“You can call on Friday or leave a message on the answering machine before noon on Saturday.”  Tony told her.

             
“Fair enough Tony.”  Ella said with a smile.

Come on in and take a look at the shop.  We are opening on Monday.”  Ella told him.

             
“Next Monday…next Monday?”  He questioned.

             
“Yes, next Monday.”  Ella confirmed the opening day with Tony.

             
“Well, lady you best get an order in pretty quick.  You need to stock this store.  Sure would be bad to open and not have any fresh merchandise.”  He laughed.

             
“I’ll get my order ready and have it to you tomorrow morning.” 

             
“I best be on my way.  Margo’s Flower Shop in Pottsville will be chomping at the bit if I don’t get her order there on time.  She pretty much takes care of the flower business in these here parts.  But I’m sure you will do well.”  Tony said looking around the sparsely furnished shop.

             
Ella wasn’t worried about the competition and hoped she and Margo could be good friends sharing flowers and plants when the occasion arose.

             
Ron and Susan came walking up just about eight o’clock. 

             
“Morning you two.”  Ella said with a wave.

             
“Good morning Ella.”  They said as they climbed the steps to the shop.

             
“Here are the plans I promised.  I hope you approve of them.”  Ron said as he handed Ella the roll of paper.  Ella unrolled the eighteen by twenty four inch drafting paper.  Her eyes became big as saucers. 

             
“This is great.  You are so talented.  Thank you so much for getting this back to me.”  Ella smiled as she rolled the plan for the sign sliding it back in the cylinder.

             
“I’m going to get them down to city hall and hopefully get it approved today.”  I’m sure you all can find something to do while I’m gone.

             
“Of course Ella we will get busy.”  They said in unison.

             
Ella marched into city hall with plans for her sign under arm.  The clerk took the long tube slid the plan out of the cylinder and gave it a quick look, rolled the plan and just as quickly dropped it back in it’s cylinder. 

             
“Have a seat while I show this to the planning department.”  She said as she walked through the door to the planning department.  Within moments she returned empty handed.

             
“Miss Smith the mayor would like to meet you.”  She said gesturing Ella to the big oak door. 

             
Ella grabbed her overstuffed purse, tugged at her skirt and followed the receptionist to the mayor’s office.  Behind the double doors sat a handsome man in his late forties, slightly graying at the temples.  He stood up as Ella entered the room.  His long arm stretched across the big desk he commanded.  Although he looked somewhat casual in an open collar white shirt.  His black slacks were neatly creased.  “Miss Smith, I’m Ray Brandon, the mayor of this fine city, have a seat.”  He said as he extended his hand to her.

             
“Nice to meet you sir.”  Ella said as she felt the long slim fingers grasp her hand.

             
“Oh, drop the sir, call me Ray.  He said with a flirtatious smile.

             
“Ray it will be.  Are you related to Mark Brandon, what a silly question?  Of course you are.  Ella said.

             
“Mark’s my little brother.”  He said giving a big brother smile.  “I’m sure you met him.  He gets to know all the new people in town, especially the pretty ladies.” 

             
“Yes, his my shop landlord and he sold me the lodge house on the outskirts of town.  I guess that would be your grandmother’s home place.”

             
“Yes that it would be.  Just about all us Brandon’s lived in that place one time or another.”

After chatting a short time Ella stood up.  “It was nice meeting you Mr. ’excuse me’ Ray.  I need to get back to the shop there’s lots to do before we open on Monday.”  Ella said extending her hand to say, “Nice to meet you.” 

             
“You plan to open on Monday well we best get this plan approved.”  With a flip of his wrist he scrolled his name across the plan.

             
“Well, thank you, Mr. ‘I mean’ Ray.”  Ella smiled.  “I owe you for getting this done so quickly.”  She said.

             
He smiled he sat back in his chair and cracked his knuckles.  Ella smiled as she walked through the double doors.

             
The receptionist raised her brow as Ella walked past her.  Ella nodding a good -bye as she made her way out the door with stamped and signed plans in hand wondering what kind of favors this warrants.  Ella wasn’t worried as she knew how to handle his type.  Remember she’s been on the corporate ladder.

             
Ella drove directly to the sign company.  She walked in with plans under her arm. 

             
“I need to have a sign made for my shop.”  She told the gentleman at the counter.

             
“You’ll need to get your sign approved by the city.  Mayor Ray Brandon will need to sign it off.  Ma’am I hate to tell you but that sometimes takes months.

             
“I’ve taken care of that.”  Ella said as she placed the plans on his counter.

             
“You have?”  He said with a bewildered look on his face. The man behind the counter and his young assistant looked at the plans.

             
“This is a very professional drawing.  I don’t recognize the signature.”  The young man said.

             
“He’s a good friend of mine.  Ella said as she smoothed out the plans.

             
“It looks like everything is in order.  We can get right on this.”  He said.

             
They went over the drawing inch by inch down to the last detail.

             
“I want cursive letters in forest green with a rose stem across the bottom and a partially open red rose at the end of the word ’Shoppe’…… I want it laminated with a timer.”  She added.  “But I guess everything is spelled out on the plan.  I just want to be sure we don’t miss anything.” 

             
They agreed on a price.

             
“I believe we have everything in order.  We require a deposit up front.  He said in a shy manner. 

             
“Of course, how much for the deposit?”  Ella asked as she pulled her checkbook from her overstuffed purse.

             
“We ask for fifty percent deposit but if that’s too much we could take less.”  He said in a questionable voice.  Hoping that would suit her. 

             
“When will you have the sign ready?”  Ella asked as she wrote the deposit check.

             
“We should have it ready to install by Saturday.”  The older gentleman said.

             
“Saturday, that would be fantastic.  We are opening on Monday.”  Ella said as she put the cap on her pen, tore the check from her book and handed it to the gentleman.

             
“Do you gentlemen know of a good vehicle sign painter?”  Ella asked.

             
“As a matter of fact that’s my forte.”  The young man told her.

             
“Can I see pictures of your work?”  Ella asked.

             
“I just finished with the local donut shops van sign and it’s in the back, if you’d like to see it.”  He pointed to the door leading to the back. Ella followed him through the back room to the alley.

             
“This is some of my work.”  He said with pride.  “I can show you my scrap book with my work if you would like to see it.”

             
“No, that won’t be necessary.  I’m looking at the man I want to paint my sign.  You are a talented young man.  I will leave you the particulars I want on the van and you call me when you have something drawn up.”  She told him.

             
“What type van do you have, ma’am?”  He asked

             
“It’s being delivered today.  It’s a new tan Chevy van.

             
“How many days before I can see the drawing?”  She asked.

             
“How about you stop by tomorrow noon? I will have something for you to look at.” 

             
“I’ll be here at noon tomorrow.” 

             
Noon, she thought the van is being delivered at noon and I need to be at the shop to sign for it. 

             
Ella hurried out the door in route to her shop.  A tan van was parked in front of the shop with Ron and Susan checking it over.  In fact the jeweler from across the street was giving it the once over.  And the lady from the dress shop next door stuck her head out the door to say, “Nice van.”  As she gestured a hello good-bye wave.

             
“Hi,” Ella said as she drove up and hopped from the station wagon.

             
“What do you think, Ron?”  This gonna fit the bill for a delivery vehicle?”  She asked with a grin.

             
“Well, of course Ms. Ella. When did you buy this, its real nice rig?”  Ron said as he closed the hood.

             
“Yesterday.”  She answered.  I’m having a sign put on it and the young man at the sign shop is drawing up something.  I’ll have the drawing by noon tomorrow.”  Ella told him.

             
Ella ate lunch alone at Joe’s Coffee House.  Again, Joe tried to sell her on the “Special of the Day’. Ella declined and ordered a Caesar Salad.  Ella feels pretty safe with Joe’s Caesar Salad.

             
Mark and Ray Brandon entered the restaurant jut as Ella was taking care of her bill at the front register.

             
“Well, what a surprise Ella, so nice to see you again so soon.’  Ray said as Mark stumbled over the rug wadded up at the front door. 

             
“Dang it, Joe,” Mark yelled, “You’re gonna have a lawsuit on your hands if you don’t do something about this rug.”

             
Once Mark gained his balance he tipped his hat and said, “Howdy ma’am.”  They exchanged hello’s and Ella excused herself and was on her way to the printing shop to place an order.

             
Ella ordered business cards, three page order sheets and a three by five card with a place to put the name, address and phone number for the drawing on Friday evening.  She also ordered rolls of gold foil sticker’s with ‘Ally’s Flower Shoppe’ accented with a red rose.  The foil stickers will go on all orders.  The red rose is in memory of Ella’s mother’s love for red roses.

             
Ella made her way back to the shop.  Alicia, Ron and Susan were busy putting things in order.  Alicia made good use of the work room.  Juan set the work tables where customers would have a good view of the floral designers at work. 

             
Ella stood back and took a good hard look at the shop. 

             
“This place looks so good and you are all a part of it.”  Ella told them.

The day was at an end and the crew gathered up their belongings and headed out the door.  Alicia got in her big sedan, waved as she drove off.  Ron and Susan started to walk home she Ella called to them.  Ron turned just as Ella said, “here you go.’ Tossing the van keys to Ron. 

             
“Ella, I can’t drive your new van home.”  He said in almost shock at the offer.

             
“Yes, it will be safer at your place than setting in front of the shop.  The sheriff only drives by once in a blue moon.”  Ella said.