LITMIR.BIZ

      Martha was elated to be back working with Arnold. Remembering Liisa’s warning about Arnold’s health, she kept a close eye on him. Long-time customers were delighted to see Martha again. Word of mouth encouraged several people to come in to see Martha again. Most of them purchased something making Arnold very happy.

      On Thursday morning Martha came in a few minutes early and went back to the office to talk to Arnold. They were both anxious for Liisa to have a successful day at the auction. Arnold was eager to see the items she was buying from the chief’s home.

      Martha gritted her teeth and smiled when two ladies came in demanding to see Liisa. They felt that Liisa was the only one who could wait on them. They stomped around the store loudly expressing themselves until Arnold came to the front and told them that Liisa would return on Monday. They threw their noses in the air and informed him that they would return when Liisa was back.

      Martha became troubled when Arnold staggered to his office breathing heavily. He finally carne to the front telling her that he was going home and would be back on Friday morning.

      She called his housekeeper and alerted her to keep an eye on Arnold. Her heart was heavy the remainder of the day. Liisa called later but Martha didn’t want to upset her with the disturbing news about Arnold when she was so far away and couldn’t do anything about it.

      The road was clearer than Liisa expected while driving to the DiGrazia Estate. Her stomach was full of butterflies with the apprehension and excitement. This was the first time she would be on her own.

      Liisa found a parking place near the front gate so that she wouldn’t get blocked in. She walked toward the large barn at the back of the property where a table was set up for signing in. Liisa signed in and claimed a card with a number on it for bidding. She wasn’t interested in the farm machinery, the buggies or the tack. She wandered into the house to view the items listed for sale.

      Liisa made a notation of a sale item of jewelry, some first edition books and a few paintings. She wasn’t impressed with most of the household items. Quilts were beautiful but not an item Arnold would be interested in. She found several nice items but they were not what the GALLERY would handle.

      Going back outside, she sat in one of the folding chairs and prepared to listen to the auction. She was a little uneasy when a man sat too near her and kept staring at her. She watched him from the corner of her eye and was relieved when she saw a State trooper walk through the crowd.

      “Miss. Miss. Excuse me, but I feel that I know you. Are you from around here?”

      Liisa shook her head and moved a little to the side pretending that she was trying to see the auctioneer’s stand. He moved closer. “I’m sure I’ve seen you or have met you. What is your name?”

      Again she shook her head and stood to walk closer to the auctioneer. She walked around even walking by the policeman and smiling at him. She found an empty chair near the front and sat again.

      The auctioneer welcomed everyone and gave his instructions. When he started listing items for sale, Liisa forgot about the man. She was pleased to get the jewelry collection for only six hundred dollars. Some of the lockets looked to be hand painted in the late seventeen hundreds or early eighteen hundreds. She bought two of the paintings for the GALLERY and then decided to purchase some of the vintage clothing for herself. The time passed quickly as she listened with interest. It was amazing what some people wanted and what they were willing to pay for something she didn’t consider worthwhile.

      Well, she reminded herself, one man’s trash is another man’s treasure.

      Liisa felt that Arnold could double his money on the jewelry and the paintings. For his sake, she was sorry that there weren’t more items that the GALLERY could sell.

      When the bidding started on farm equipment, cars and animals, she decided to leave. As she was walking to her car, the man rushed up to her that had tried to talk. “I remember. You sat by me on the plane coming back from Europe and you asked me to stick dose to you because you felt uneasy as if someone was stalking you.”

      “I’m sorry, sir. You are mistaken.” With her cheeks burning and her heart thumping, Liisa hurried in her car. She backed up and left without looking at the man. Now why did I run from him? He might have given me a clue as to why I can’t remember my trip. Maybe I should go back and tell him I now remember and see if he can tell me anything else.

      She wrestled with her thoughts for a couple of miles and finally went on to her room. I’ll call Uncle Ben and tell him about this. But what can I tell him? That I was a coward and foolishly ran without trying to find out if the man knew anything? She worried her thoughts like a dog chewing a bone.

      She did call Paul to tell him of her finds and that she would come home on Saturday. Each time she thought she’d tell Paul of her morning and the stranger, she just couldn’t bring herself to talk about it.

      Later, in the restaurant, she gave the server her order and sat back to drink her Diet Coke and relax. Her heart gave a jump start when she saw the man sitting three tables away. He hadn’t seen her yet and she hoped he wouldn’t. Then she hoped he would and debated with herself as to whether she should go to him. He finished eating and got up to go to the cashier. He had to pass her as he left. He stopped and looked as if he were debating with himself as to whether he should speak to her or not. She smiled and nodded which encouraged him to stop at her table.

      “Forgive me, but I’m so sure you’re the lady who was seated beside me on the plane.”

      “Please, sit with me. I’m embarrassed to tell you, but I don’t remember anything about that trip. What did we talk about? What did I tell you? It’s so frightening to not be able to remember even making the trip.”

      He reached over and placed a gentle hand on her arm.

      “Don’t get yourself upset. I’m not a doctor, but I know that it can’t be good for you to be so disturbed. Why don’t you eat and we’ll visit. Then, with your permission, we go into the lounge and talk quietly.”

      Liisa didn’t tell him where she lived, but she did tell him she was at the auction on a business trip for the gallery where she worked. He told her he was a college professor in Albertus Magnus College in New Haven. He had been head of a Business Administration unit for six years. His trip to England had been to see relatives and to take a rest. He introduced himself as Roger Burleson.

      As they talked Liisa began to relax and tell him part of her story. She did tell him that her family told her she had been gone for a few weeks and she didn’t even remember making the trip. She told him of several paintings being shipped home with her that she didn’t remember painting.

      “Can you describe the man to me that you thought was stalking you? Maybe he had hurt you in some way and frightened you so badly that it caused you to block it all from your mind?”

      “No. I don’t even remember seeing you or telling you about anyone that caused me to feel fear. It’s embarrassing. It makes me sound out of my mind.”

      “Not to me. I’ve never met anyone with amnesia, but I can imagine how frightening and lost it makes you feel. I wish we had more conversation on the plane so that it might have helped you in some way.”

      They continued to talk until both Liisa and Roger were tired enough to go to their own rooms. Roger said he would like to keep in touch, but Liisa talked fast and walked off without telling him her last name or how to contact her. She did explain that she normally wouldn’t tell a stranger all she had told him, however, he was the first clue she had as to what happened to her during her trip.

      Friday morning dawned bright, clear, but cold. Liisa ate her breakfast hurriedly for fear she would see Roger. She didn’t know what to say to him. She left quickly to meet the

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