THE BLUE STALKER (40 page)

             
The band started to play, ‘Save the Last Dance for Me’.  Ella looked around and couples were dancing, some ladies with their head on their honey’s shoulder other’s with the guys hands around their ladies waist and her arms around his neck. All were feeling romantic. All in anticipation of a new year.

Mark pulled his guitar strap over his head and lay the guitar to the side walking over to Ella.

             
“May I have this last dance?”  Mark asked with his hand out.

             
“Well, of course, I would be honored to dance with you.”  Mark’s arm went around her waist. Ella felt good in Marks arms. Was it because she had special feelings for him or a feeling ‘in the moment’ she wondered.

             
The song was over and everyone was watching the big grandfather clock in the living room. The count down began, 10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1.….
HAPPY NEW YEAR! 
Rang out.  Clapping and kissing was in order. Horns and whistles were going off.  You could hear the firecracker in the distance. 

             
Mark and Band started to play ‘Auld Lang Syne’ and the guests sang along swaying to the music. 

             
Slowly the guests dwindled away. Each thanking Ella for a nice evening. Extending a welcome to their town.

             
The band loaded up their instruments and headed out. 
             
But not before Ella could extend her thank you.

             
“You’re welcome ma’am. We play for all the parties around here.” The tall skinny guy said as he picked the strings on his fiddle. The short guy chimed in.  “Yeah we let old Mark join us. It makes him feel important.”  He laughed.

             
The caterer’s started cleaning up. Mark and Juan helped carry the equipment and food to their vehicle. 

             
“This was a great party Ella.”  Mark spoke up.

             
“Mark you made it a great party.  Thanks so much.”  Ella told him.

             
The new year started off with a bang.  The shop was busy with the usual arrangements, birthday’s, anniversaries, get well and a few funerals.  The crew kept busy giving time for Ella to make some visits to the town people.

Ella visited from store to store meeting shop owners in the town.  Most were very friendly.  A few were a little stand offish.  That didn’t bother Ella she extended a hand of friendship and went on her way.

             
“I really need to make a trip to Pottsville to see Margo’s shop.”  She told Alicia.

             
Alicia made a nice gift basket and Ella left in her Corvette to visit her competition.  Ella didn’t want it to be her competition but from the talk around town she  knew Margo was a little upset with the business Ella had taken.  It’s always difficult for a small business to compete with another.

             
Ella noticed the blue sedan in her rear view mirror.  Dang, why is this jerk following me?  Ella thought about the country road and how he could push her off the road with his big sedan. Pull her defenseless body from the car, have his way with her.  His problem was going to be catching her.  Ella soon out ran him. In Ella’s view mirror she watched the stalker make a U-turn heading back to Coopersville.

             
Margo’s Flower Shop was quiet when Ella entered except for the bell on the door. No friendly greeting, Ella thought this was a little strange. She walked to the counter and gave out a big ‘Hello‘, anyone here?  She heard Margo’s voice coming from the back. 

             
“Just a moment I’ll be right with you.”

Margo stepped to the counter without looking up, “Can I help you?”

             
“Margo, it’s Ella from Coopersville.”  Ella said a little stunned that she didn’t look up.

Margo quickly looked up.  “Oh, hi Ella.  What are you doing in my neck of the woods?”

             
Ella could tell her visit was not welcomed. 

             
“I wanted to come by and take a look at your beautiful shop and give you this basket in return for the one you gave us.” 

             
Ella set the basket on the counter straightening up the bow.

             
Margo politely said,  “Thank you, that was thoughtful of you. I really need to get back to my arrangement.” She turned walking toward the backroom.

             
“If you ever need any flowers I have please don’t hesitate to call on Ally’s Flower Shoppe.”  Ella said as she made her way to the door.

             
Ella headed back to Coopersville. It was a nice straight highway with very few cross roads. She stupidly decided to accelerated, her head went back in the seat. She looked at the speedometer and she was doing eighty. She knew it had more but maybe not this time.  She let off the accelerator but not in time.  Sheriff Brady was setting at the next intersection with his radar pointing Ella’s way. 

Ella slowed, red lights flashed Ella as she pulled to the side of the highway.  Sheriff Brady walked to the passenger’s side of the car.

             
“Well, Ms Smith are you in a hurry?”  He asked as he flipped his citation book over to a blank page.

             
“I bought this vehicle a short time ago and….”  Sheriff Brady interrupted.

             
“And you didn’t know you were going so fast.”  He said with a chuckle and a twinkle in his eye.

             
“You know all the excuses.”  Ella said smiled leaning over the passengers seat looking up at the sheriff.

             
“Yep, got a whole book of um. I tell you what I’m just gonna give you a warning. We don’t exceed the speed limit in my county. We understand each other?”  He said nodding to Ella.

             
“Yes, sir Sheriff Brady.  Ella said trying to be extra nice.

             
“I don’t want to scrap your pretty face off the highway. You hear me, keep it down.” He flipped his citation book closed as he slid it in his uniform pocket.

             
“You have a good day.” he slapped the back of the passenger seat turned and walked to his official car.

             
When Ella got back to the shop the crew was busy. 

             
“Ella,”  Alicia called her to the back.  “We are swamped with orders. More than you and I can get out.

             
“What do you think about calling a designer in to help us?” 

             
“That would be good but I don’t know of one in town.”  Ella told her trying to think of someone.

             
“My daughter-in-law is a good designer and needs a job.  Part or full time.”

             
“What kind of experience does she have?”  Ella asked wondering why if she was so good why wasn’t she working?

             
“Honey, she worked in one of the finest shops in Los Angeles.”  Alicia told Ella as her floral knife continued working.

             
“Okay, can you have her come in tomorrow?”  Ella asked with a maybe I do need another designer thought in her mind.

             
“Ella, I need help right now. You and I even with Susan doing the prepping can not get all the orders out today.” 

             
“That busy?”  Ella said as she put her work apron on.

             
“Give her a call.  I trust your advice.”  Ella told Alicia.

             
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a
Ann walked through the door. Tall, slim wearing

black spandex pants with a long sweater past her butt and cowboy boots.

             
“I hear you need a good designer and need one now.”  LuAnn said.

             
“Yes, we need a good designer and I hear from Alicia you are very good.  Any reason you are not working at a shop now?”  Ella inquired.

             
“I got laid off from lack of business in the shop where I was working.”

             
Ella and LuAnn discussed wages and LuAnn pulled out her floral knife. 

             
“Where’s my work table?”  She looked around the work room without hesitation she headed for Ella’s work table.

             
“You can use my work table since you will be full time. I’ll work on the big table.” Ella said.

             
Ella wondered what flower shop was not busy enough to keep LuAnn working. Just as the thought went through her head she knew the answer. Margo’s flower shop that’s why Margo wasn’t friendly today. 

             
Ella worked in the corporate world and is aware how difficult it is to survive in business.  She felt she opened far enough away from Pottsville she shouldn’t take any of her business except for the people from Coopersville. The people in Coopersville deserved a local flower shop.

             
LuAnn was a good designer and a good worker.  Taking orders from her mother-in-law was a question that concerned Ella. Although she seemed to work well with Alicia.

             
Susan kept the front area looking inviting for the customers and Ron helped with cleaning the shop and with the deliveries.  All together they made a good working team.

THIRTY-ONE

             
It was the eleventh hour before Valentine’s Day.  A busy day in a flower shop.  Everyone worked late for the past three evenings getting everything ready for the busy day February 14
th
.  Everyone was heading out the door when Ella called Alicia.

             
“Alicia would you mind coming in early tomorrow morning?  I want to put some nails on the side wall to hang some of the dried and silk arrangements.  Ron will be able to pluck them off the wall as he routes his deliveries.  If you don’t mind come in about an hour early.”  Ella said locking the shop door.

             
“I’ll be here. We should be able to get the wreaths up on the wall before Ron starts routing his deliveries.”  Alicia assured Ella.

             
Ella slid into her sport car and started home. She noticed a big car following her. She made a quick right turn into an alley to see if the car would follow. Immediately looking in her rear view mirror.

             
“That’s him that damn stalker.”  Ella saw the blue sedan pass at the end of the alley.

             
Ella made a U-turn and headed on home. If she could trust Sheriff Brady she might report the incidents to him but that’s probably as far as it would get.  Anyway, he’s probably just fascinated with her and this will pass.  Ella’s dealt with guys in the big city and some hick isn’t going to unnerve her. That is if he hasn’t already.
             
             
             
When Ella stepped into the house the smell of Mexican food was lingering throughout the kitchen.

             
“Juanita, dinner smells wonderful.”  Ella hung her jacket on the coat rack.

             
“Where are Maria and Juan?”  Ella asked.

             
“Ms. Ella, Maria received another call to paint a mural. She went to talk with the people. She hoped you wouldn’t mind me cooking dinner.” Juanita told her pulling a casserole dish of enchiladas from the oven.

             
“Not at all, between the two of you, you should be able to keep the house in order.” Ella told her.

             
“It looks like Maria will be getting a lot of jobs painting murals. I can do the housework and take care of Jose when she is painting. If that’s okay with you, Ms.
             
Ella.”  Juanita said looking to Ella for approval.