Cloud Three

By D. K. Graham

Pamela Gray is a young widow facing an unknown future.

There are people who want to take her life, and she has no clue about why. Her own family has always been against her. She has no idea why.

Her only rock through everything is her cousin Steve, and even he isn't who she thought he was. She feels as if she's been in a foggy cloud her whole life, drifting along doing what she's been told to do.

She has to face the reality of the murder of her business partner, who is also Steve's fiancee'. Susie's murder is linked to the attempts on her own life.

Her friend and police-appointed bodyguard, Wendy Gladstone, helps her leap over all of the hurdles that try to block her way to a normal life.

Eventually she finds hope for her future and an unexpected ally as she climbs out of the fog and heads for the top of what she calls Cloud Three.

• Language: English
• Publisher: D. K. Graham
• Release date: Sep 2, 2014
• ISBN: 9781310468629

D. K. Graham

Working with words has been a major part of D. K. Graham’s career as she worked as a proofreader and classified advertising salesperson for several newspapers across the nation, and as a temporary line editor for the Petoskey (Michigan) News Review.She holds a certificate of completion from the Parish School of Classified Advertising, where she learned copywriting for successful advertising.She was also the editor and publisher of the school district newsletter for the Hiawatha, Kansas Unified School District 415, where she was secretary to the Superintendent of Schools for sixteen years.During her junior high and high school years, she had poems published in the local (Camarillo Daily News) newspaper, was the historian for the Horizon Club (senior Campfire Girls) Camarillo, California chapter, and was responsible for having the monthly meeting articles published in the local newspaper. She was senior class editor of her high school year book.She spent one year at Ventura (CA) Junior College, where she majored in English.She is retired from her position as an administrative assistant for a geotechnical engineering and construction testing firm in Reno, Nevada.K is an active member of the St. Joseph Writers Guild in St. Joseph, Missouri.She has three grown daughters, three sons-in-law, and two grandchildren. She lives in Hiawatha, Kansas with her husband Walter. Her friends and family just call her K.

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CLOUD THREE

by

D. K. Graham

Copyright 2014 by D. K. Graham

Dedicated to my husband Walt,

who made it possible for me to retire and devote my time to writing.

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PROLOGUE

The skies were gray; the ominous dark clouds were threatening to open up and heavily drench the rather large crowd that was gathered around the open grave. Pamela’s thoughts, which should have been riveted on the words being spoken by Reverend Callaghan, were wandering instead. As she stood there, the sun peeked momentarily from behind the angry clouds, glinting off her copper-colored hair as it would from a newly minted penny. She had covered her head with a black lace scarf, as befitting a new widow, but her long, unruly red curls peeped out from beneath it. As quickly as it had appeared, the sun faded back behind the ever blackening clouds.

How could this have happened, and so suddenly? There were no signs, no time to get prepared. He was so young, only thirty-four. What am I going to do now? I wonder if it hurt. Random thoughts, contemplations that probably had also gone through the minds of many widows and widowers before her, but right now they only pertained to her. She was all that mattered. She looked around at those who were standing near her, many … no most … of whom had tears running down their cheeks.

Why can’t I cry? Am I a freak? I did love him. I really did! Okay, so I wasn’t really madly in love with him, but I did love him, and cared about him a lot. I should be bawling my eyes out! I can’t even blink out a single tear. I guess I had better at least dab at my eyes so no one thinks I’m some sort of callous non-caring ninny. She raised a tissue to her eyes and pretended to wipe away tears that weren’t present.

All too soon, or maybe not soon enough, the minister urged her to step forward and throw the first handful of dirt over the lowered coffin. She did so automatically, and tossed on top of the dirt a white rose that she had been carrying. She stood and looked at the coffin, unable to comprehend that Bill’s remains were inside, and were about to be buried forever.

Someone stepped up next to her and took her elbow, urging her to walk away from the grave so that other family members and friends could follow her actions.

She looked up into the face of her cousin Steve and gave him a weak smile as she allowed herself to be led back to her place at the front of the crowd.

The rest of the day proceeded in a blur. Pamela planted a smile on her face and barely saw the long line of those offering their condolences, some of whom leaned over and hugged her and kissed her on her cheek. Later, she wouldn’t remember who did, or even those who just shook her hand while murmuring a few polite words and moving on.

She was exhausted by the time the last person had passed by her and proceeded on to the tables that had mysteriously been laden with food.

Steve stood by her in the receiving line. He was the only relative she had who seemed to care anything about her, and he had been a great help to her during the past few days following Bill’s heart attack and subsequent death.

Her own parents didn’t seem to know nor care what was happening in her life. She only knew how to contact them through their cell phone numbers, and believed them to be somewhere in Europe at the time she became a widow. They surely wouldn’t take the time to attend her husband’s funeral. Her older sister Julie lived somewhere in Canada with her boyfriend. Pamela didn’t even have a phone number to reach her. Several years earlier, Julie had distanced herself from Pamela, and as far as Pamela knew, their parents as well. As far as she knew, Steve was her only other living relative.

Bill’s brothers and sisters lived out of state, and they did all come back home for the funeral, but they weren’t around to help her jump through all of the legal hoops that she had been facing, and would still be facing in the days and weeks ahead. Right now Steve was her rock.

CHAPTER ONE

The phone on her desk rang incessantly. She was tired and frustrated from answering it all day long. She had work to do. She wished she was the kind of person who could ignore a ringing telephone, but she wasn’t. She reached for it as she hit the Print button on her laptop.

Hello? Oh, hi Honey! I almost didn’t answer it. The stupid phone has been ringing off the hook all day. I’m trying to get this article finished so I can send it off to the paper before I start dinner. What’s up? Pamela was genuinely glad to hear her husband’s voice on the other end of the line. In her mind, the calls that day had been unnecessary interruptions. She wished that she could afford a secretary to field them for her. She knew she could afford one; Bill ran a very successful marketing company, but she hated to spend the money. Granted, she was only a freelance journalist, but she did have obligations to meet with her clients.

A smile broke across her face as she heard Bill’s words, Let’s go out to eat tonight! I have some good news, and it deserves a celebration!

Great! What are we celebrating, by the way?

Sorry, I can’t tell you just yet. It’ll be a surprise. Do you want me to pick you up at home, or do you want to meet me at the restaurant?

Why don’t you swing by here? That way I won’t need to call a cab. What time should I be ready?

Okay then, I’ll see you about six o’clock. I’ve made reservations at Bigby’s Steakhouse for six-thirty. I know you like their fillet mignon. Bye, Sweetie! See you in a couple of hours.

Sounds great! See you soon. Love you! Pamela clicked off the call with a smile on her face.

She decided to put the phone on mute and move her laptop to the kitchen island to finish her article. That way the phone wouldn’t bother her, and she could complete her task in peace. She had three hours to finish it, proofread it, and hit the Send button, getting it off to the newspaper editor in plenty of time to meet the deadline and still get herself ready before dinner.

I wonder what his good news is. It must be really special because we haven’t gone to Bigby’s in a long time! She continued smiling as she tapped the keys on her computer, cranking out the rest of the article. After proofreading the hard copy, she hit the Send button and glanced at her watch. Five-thirty. I have time for a quick shower and to get dressed before Bill gets home. She closed her laptop and headed toward the bathroom and a warm shower.

At six o’clock Pamela was dressed and waiting in the living room for Bill to arrive. By six-thirty she was beginning to get worried. She tried his cell phone, but there wasn’t any answer.

At seven o’clock she was really worried and called the security desk in the lobby of Bill’s office building. She was assured that Mr. Gray hadn’t left the building. No, he hadn’t checked out, the security guard checked the log.

Pamela asked if the guard would please go to Bill’s office to see if something was wrong and then call her back.

Pamela paced for what seemed like hours, but actually only ten minutes had elapsed when her phone rang.

Mrs. Gray? I’m so sorry. I called an ambulance and they will be here in a minute.

An ambulance! Pamela shouted. What happened? Why do you need an ambulance? Is Bill alright?

No, Ma’am, I’m sorry. It looks like Mr. Gray has collapsed for some reason. He was lying on the floor next to his desk. He had his cell phone in his hand when I found him, but it was turned off. I’m really so sorry Mrs. Gray. The ambulance is here. I need to go. I’ll call you in a few minutes and let you know where they say they are taking him. The phone went dead and she just stood there staring at it.

Should I go down to the office, or should I just wait here. The guard said he would call me and let me know where the ambulance is taking Bill. I guess I should wait.

As an afterthought, she pulled out her cell phone and called her cousin and best friend, Steve Carver. They had grown up together, and had remained very close. She knew Steve would always be there for her. He answered on the third ring.

Steve? Oh I’m so glad you are there! I just found out that Bill had some kind of an attack at his office. The ambulance EMTs are there right now, and I’m waiting for a call from the security guard on the other phone, telling me where they are taking Bill. Can you come over?

Steve only lived a couple of blocks away, and he was by her side in a matter of minutes. He arrived before her phone rang. As she answered it, he was quick to catch her as she slowly sank to the floor. He picked up the phone that had fallen out of her hand. Hello? This is Mrs. Gray’s cousin Steve Carver. Did she just get bad news? She’s fainted.

He listened while the security guard repeated what he had just told Pamela, I’m so sorry. It would appear that Mr. Gray had a heart attack, and he didn’t make it. The ambulance is taking him to West Central Hospital. Could you see that Mrs. Gray meets them there? She needs to be on hand when the coroner signs the death certificate. I’m so sorry, that’s all I know. Will you please take care of Mrs. Gray? She’s a very sweet lady and I hate to have been the bearer of the bad news.

Um, sure. Thanks. I’m very sorry you had to be the one to tell her. I’ll drive her down to West Central right away, or as soon as I can revive her. Thank you very much. Steve hung up the phone and proceeded to attend to his cousin, who lay motionless on the floor.

Pam? Come on Sweetie. We have places to go and things to do. I’ll be right there with you all of the way. Come on, Pam. Wake up. He went to the kitchen and got a dish towel, and rang it out in cold water. Returning to Pamela he dabbed her forehead and cheeks with it. In a few minutes she regained consciousness.

What? Oh dear, I remember now. Steve? Thanks for coming over. Oh, my. What do we do now? She looked at her cousin with a question on her face.

Come on, Sweetie. Get your coat and purse. We need to go down to West Central Hospital. That’s where they, uh, took Bill.

In a daze, Pamela got her coat and purse, fished around for her keys and locked the door behind them. Feeling as if she were on the outside looking in, she silently rode to the hospital next to Steve, followed him into the building, and allowed him to lead her to the emergency room desk.

Steve spoke to the attending nurse, telling her what they were there to do. She smiled at them and produced some paperwork. Steve filled it out for Pamela and handed her the pen for her signature.

The doctor on duty came out from behind swinging doors and introduced himself. I’m Dr. Matthewson. Would you like to see Mr. Gray? Follow me. He turned and led the way down the corridor, stopping at a door part way down the hall. He stepped aside after opening the door, allowing Pamela and Steve to enter the room.

Pamela wasn’t at all prepared for what she saw. Bill was lying on the bed, looking very much as if he were just sleeping, except that his chest wasn’t moving up and down, and his face had turned gray.

I’ll give you two a few minutes to be alone. I’ll be back shortly. Dr. Matthewson turned and left the room.

Pamela pulled her gaze away from Bill’s body and looked at Steve. I just can’t believe he’s dead! We were going to go out to eat, to celebrate something. I guess now I’ll never know what his good news was. She looked very devastated at that knowledge. She reached out to touch Bill’s hand and found it to be cold and wax-like. She withdrew her own visibly shaking hand from his and held it to her cheek.

Steve offered, I’ll call Susie and ask her. She will need to know about this anyway, and she will most likely know what the surprise was. Susie Wrondel was Bill’s partner in their marketing business. She and Steve had been dating off and on for the past few years, and Steve was right, she did need to know, if the security guard hadn’t already informed her.

Steve pulled out his cell phone and hit the speed dial for Susie’s cell. She answered on the third ring.

No, the security guard had not informed her yet, and she was momentarily speechless. After recovering from the shocking news, she offered to go down to the hospital to be with Pamela and Steve. Steve said it would be really great if she would do that, and he said he would meet her in the emergency room lobby in a few minutes.

Steve clicked off his cell phone and told Pamela he knew she needed a little time to be alone with Bill, and that he would be back shortly. He turned and left the room.

Pamela pulled up a chair next to the bed and sat down, unable to take her eyes off Bill’s still body. After a few minutes she spoke to him, as if he were only sleeping. "Oh, Bill! How could you do this to