11 - Danger
It was four weeks later. The building had gotten it's minor remodeling, the artworks were inside, the security was guarding. It was opening day for the *Far Shore Art Gallery*. Maria, after getting some advice, had named it that, for being on the outskirts of town.
She woke up the morning expecting to feel excited. But although she did, there was a twang of sadness in her heart. She thought about Eric. *Today he goes on the cruise with Nancy *.
"I did the right thing," she said softy to herself as she slipped into her bathrobe. It was her last day living at Carmen's so she had to step around boxes in her bedroom.
Maria got to the Gallery three hours before the opening. She was surprised to see Annie there all as well.
"Annie, what are you doing here so early?" she asked.
"To spend some time will you," said Annie. "We really don't see enough of each other."
"I know" said Maria.
"I think that should change," said Annie.
"Here's an update on the Richards for you, Maria." Annie laughed amused. "AJ found Cole. Cole and Caitlin were supposed to go on a romantic cruise today but it got delayed."
"It *did*?" said Maria.
"Yup," said Annie.
Somehow, Maria knew it was the same cruise Eric has a ticket for. "Well, that's too bad for Cole and Caitlin," she said although she didn't feel *too* badly. "At least things are working out for them."
"And for me too," said Annie. "Maria, can I move in with you?"
Maria would be living in an apartment right above the Gallery. "Oh Annie, I'd *love* to be roommates again."
"Okay, let me go and get my things. I'll be right back!" she said.
A half-hour before things were to begin -a crowd had assembled outside. It included Ricardo, Gabi, Antonio, Jude, Carmen, Benjy, and Ben and Meg -who were back from Venice.
"I'm so happy that things are going well for Maria," said Meg.
"Me too, Meg," said Ben. "And of course things are perfect for us." He kissed her passionately.
"Uncle Ben, Aunt Meg, when can we go inside?" Benjy asked.
"Soon Benjy," said Ben. "Soon."
Meanwhile a dark figure saw that Maria would be alone in the art Gallery until it opened. He did what he had been paid to do and left.
Ten minutes later, Maria was feeling quite dizzy. "I forgot to eat breakfast," she muttered. "Left me go find something upstairs."
Ignoring the coughing fit that she was starting to have, Maria stubbornly continued up the stairs. She only seemed to be feeling worse, however.
"No, I am *not* going to get sick today!" she swore determined.
Meanwhile outside, the crowd was getting restless. More time had passed than Maria had thought. "Where's my Mi Hija?" said Carmen. "I'm getting worried. Something is very wrong!" She tried to run past the security guards but they held her back.
"If Miss Torres is not out in ten minutes, we'll go get her,' one said.
"She gave us explicit instructions not to go inside. She has something very special planned,:" the other said. Suddenly a police car drove up. *I'm in time* came the thought.
"Shouldn't Maria be out here," said the voice after he parked and came up to the front.
"She should be," said the first guard.
Eric flashed his badge. "Well I'm going in."
The guards tried to stop him, but he ran past. They shrugged. "Well he can deal with Miss Torres," they muttered.
Meanwhile inside, Eric looked on the first floor. "Maria! Maria!" He called. "But it's stuffy in here," he said. Something compelled him to go upstairs. He opened the door to one room and yelled: "Maria!" he ran to her.
She wasn't breathing.
It was four weeks later. The building had gotten it's minor remodeling, the artworks were inside, the security was guarding. It was opening day for the *Far Shore Art Gallery*. Maria, after getting some advice, had named it that, for being on the outskirts of town.
She woke up the morning expecting to feel excited. But although she did, there was a twang of sadness in her heart. She thought about Eric. *Today he goes on the cruise with Nancy *.
"I did the right thing," she said softy to herself as she slipped into her bathrobe. It was her last day living at Carmen's so she had to step around boxes in her bedroom.
Maria got to the Gallery three hours before the opening. She was surprised to see Annie there all as well.
"Annie, what are you doing here so early?" she asked.
"To spend some time will you," said Annie. "We really don't see enough of each other."
"I know" said Maria.
"I think that should change," said Annie.
"Here's an update on the Richards for you, Maria." Annie laughed amused. "AJ found Cole. Cole and Caitlin were supposed to go on a romantic cruise today but it got delayed."
"It *did*?" said Maria.
"Yup," said Annie.
Somehow, Maria knew it was the same cruise Eric has a ticket for. "Well, that's too bad for Cole and Caitlin," she said although she didn't feel *too* badly. "At least things are working out for them."
"And for me too," said Annie. "Maria, can I move in with you?"
Maria would be living in an apartment right above the Gallery. "Oh Annie, I'd *love* to be roommates again."
"Okay, let me go and get my things. I'll be right back!" she said.
A half-hour before things were to begin -a crowd had assembled outside. It included Ricardo, Gabi, Antonio, Jude, Carmen, Benjy, and Ben and Meg -who were back from Venice.
"I'm so happy that things are going well for Maria," said Meg.
"Me too, Meg," said Ben. "And of course things are perfect for us." He kissed her passionately.
"Uncle Ben, Aunt Meg, when can we go inside?" Benjy asked.
"Soon Benjy," said Ben. "Soon."
Meanwhile a dark figure saw that Maria would be alone in the art Gallery until it opened. He did what he had been paid to do and left.
Ten minutes later, Maria was feeling quite dizzy. "I forgot to eat breakfast," she muttered. "Left me go find something upstairs."
Ignoring the coughing fit that she was starting to have, Maria stubbornly continued up the stairs. She only seemed to be feeling worse, however.
"No, I am *not* going to get sick today!" she swore determined.
Meanwhile outside, the crowd was getting restless. More time had passed than Maria had thought. "Where's my Mi Hija?" said Carmen. "I'm getting worried. Something is very wrong!" She tried to run past the security guards but they held her back.
"If Miss Torres is not out in ten minutes, we'll go get her,' one said.
"She gave us explicit instructions not to go inside. She has something very special planned,:" the other said. Suddenly a police car drove up. *I'm in time* came the thought.
"Shouldn't Maria be out here," said the voice after he parked and came up to the front.
"She should be," said the first guard.
Eric flashed his badge. "Well I'm going in."
The guards tried to stop him, but he ran past. They shrugged. "Well he can deal with Miss Torres," they muttered.
Meanwhile inside, Eric looked on the first floor. "Maria! Maria!" He called. "But it's stuffy in here," he said. Something compelled him to go upstairs. He opened the door to one room and yelled: "Maria!" he ran to her.
She wasn't breathing.