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Tag Archives: Unreleased
Mammoth Pink Floyd Box Set for Nov 2016 Release! Pink Floyd The Early Years 1965 to 1972
Pink Floyd The Early Years 1965 to 1972 Box
Pink Floyd will release a mammoth box set covering the Early Years of 1965 to 1972. It is released on 11th November 2016. There will also be a 2CD version available digitally and physically.
Pre-order now from Amazon.co.uk or Amazon.com.
Pink Floyd Early Years Box Set
The Early Years 1965 – 1972 is a comprehensive 27-disc boxset that sees Pink Floyd delve into their vast music archive to produce a deluxe package that includes 7 individual book-style volumes, featuring much previously unreleased material.
The seven book style volumes include the following themes:
1965-1967 – CAMBRIDGE ST/ATION – includes unrelased material from pre-EMI contract like Vegetable Man and an unreleased concert performance from 1967 in Stockholm.
1968 – GERMIN/ATION – explores Pink Floyd following Syd Barrett's departure where the band are trying to find their feet and sound.
1969 – DRAMATIS/ATION – The Man and The Journey content is covered here.
1970 – DEVI/ATION – Zabriskie Point material covered here.
1971 – REVERBER/ATION – pre Dark Side of the Moon from Nothing to Return of the Son of Nothing.
1972 – OBFUSC/ATION – live at Pompeii and recording Obscured by Clouds in France covered here.
BONUS – CONTINU/ATION (Exclusive to 'The Early Years 1965-1972' box set) – material includes 3 feature films: 'The Committee', 'More' and 'La Vallée'
Pink Floyd Early Years Box Set 4
The Early Years box set contains unreleased tracks, BBC Radio Sessions, remixes, outtakes and alternative versions over an incredible 11 hours, 45 mins of audio (made up of 130+ tracks) and live and TV performance in over 14 hours of audio-visual material.
You can look at the full track listing of the Pink Floyd Early Years 1965-1972 box set on our forum.
The content includes over 20 unreleased songs, more than 7 hours of previously unreleased live audio and over 5 hours of rare concert footage are included, along with 5 meticulously produced 7" singles in replica sleeves, collectable memorabilia, feature films and new sound mixes.
Previously unreleased tracks include 1967's Vegetable Man and In The Beechwoods, which have been mixed for the first time, specially for this release.
The Early Years 1965-1972 will give collectors the opportunity to hear the evolution of the band and witness their part in cultural revolutions from their earliest recordings and studio sessions to the years prior to the release of The Dark Side Of The Moon, one of the biggest selling albums of all time.
From the single Arnold Layne to the 20-minute epic Echoes, fans will see the invention of psychedelic progressive rock via an insightful collection that explores the Pink Floyd story from the time Roger Waters, Richard Wright, Nick Mason and Syd Barrett met at London's Regent Street Polytechnic, through to Syd's departure and David Gilmour joining to form the iconic lineup.
Each individual book-style package will be released separately early in 2017, except 'BONUS CONTINU/ATION' which is exclusive to this box set.
Pink Floyd Cre/ation The Early Years 1967 – 1972:
Pink Floyd Creation Front Cover
A 2CD collection the Cre/ation The Early Years 1967 – 1972 highlights set will also be available.
It will be available as a digital download and also the physical variety.
Pre-order the boxset now from Amazon.co.uk or Amazon.com.
2016BoxsetPink FloydThe Early Years 1967 to 1972UnreleasedVideo
Why Pink Floyd – CD DVD Vinyl Boxset – New Pink Floyd Official Website for Boxsets
May 10, 2011 Pink Floyd 1 Comment
"Why Pink Floyd…" Pink Floyd – Re-mastered CDs, DVDs, SACDs and Downloads
The new "Why Pink Floyd" mammoth collection of new re-mastered albums, new boxsets and digital releases shall be promoted with a new official Pink Floyd website.
The site is due to go live very soon as per the image to the right which currently occupies the home page of the site.
I have been guessing at various URLs to try and reveal a sneak peak at the new site but it appears it is not loaded to the server just yet!
Why Pink Floyd – New Albums and Boxsets
The entire back catalogue of Pink Floyd has been remastered and will be released under the title of "Why Pink Floyd…" and features three groups of releases and even a new best of called A Foot In The Door. The collection will feature rare songs, unreleased songs and unheard pieces, including a song from Household Objects.
Discover – This group features all of the studio albums remastered by James Guthrie. The albums will be available separately or as part of a new box set. Lots of new artwork by long term Pink Floyd artwork designer Storm Thorgerson.
Experience – Takes the Discover album and adds another CD of joy and some other goodies to allow you to experience the album at a greater depth.
Immersion – Three of the albums in Why Pink Floyd (Dark Side of the Moon, Wish You Were Here and The Wall) will be presented each in its own big box set with lots of DVDs, CDs and other fun memorabilia. These look absolutely brilliant and I cannot wait to get my hands on them!
Why Pink Floyd – Release Dates
The release dates are in three phases on 26th September 2011, 7th November 2011 and 27th February 2012.
September 26th 2011: All 14 remastered studio albums 'Discovery' editions, Box-set of all 14 albums with photo book, Audio downloads of 'Discovery' albums and box-set, The Dark Side of The Moon – 'Immersion' and 'Experience' editions, Vinyl LP and digital editions
November 7th 2011: A Foot In The Door -The Best of Pink Floyd, Wish You Were Here – 'Immersion' and 'Experience' editions, Vinyl LP and digital editions
February 27th 2012: The Wall – 'Immersion' and 'Experience' editions, Vinyl LP and digital editions
Why Pink Floyd – Further Details
To see the full details of the Why Pink Floyd collection, have a look at "Why Pink Floyd" Exciting New CDs, DVDs and Blu-Ray With New Material.
20112012A Foot In The DoorBoxsetCDDark Side of the MoonDVDHousehold ObjectsPink FloydRareRemasteredSACDThe WallUnheardUnreleasedVinylWhy Pink FloydWish You Were Here


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Kayaks for Review!
Two kayaks have just arrived for review, and I'm so excited to be trying them out. Advanced Elements makes the best inflatable kayaks I've seen. You can see them at advancedelements.com and decide for yourself. Try them out at Paddlefest in Ladysmith this May or Victoria this June and see what you think. They've got three different lines of products, and with these two samples I've got one from each line.
The Dragonfly that can be seen in several photos on the Kayakyak site is one of their most popular boats. With a few changes, the new model is called the Lagoon. It's a bit like an inflatable dinghy in a rec kayak-shaped bag, 8'4" long, very manoeuvrable and easy to handle.
The AdvancedFrame line is different. This is more like a folding kayak with inflation chambers instead of wood or metal rods. Our friend Dennis paddles the 10.5 foot version. I've just received the 13 foot Expedition version, and am itching to see how it handles for various sizes of paddler. Our group has one of just about every size of person, so we'll each take a turn.
The second kayak that arrived for review is the StraitEdge2, a sit-on-top that adjusts for one or two paddlers. This is the first sit-on-top in our paddle group's fleet, and it rides very differently from what we're used to handling. If sitting in my Eliza feels like wearing a well-fitted hiking boot, the first outing in this felt like borrowing my husband's shoes. Notes are being made!
There will be photos as well. Stay tuned!
Labels: boat demos, gear
Just Around the Corner
Yep, it's February all over. Even the sunny days are pretty chill. So on Saturday the 21st, when Richard and I went paddling, I just had a short trip while he did a second, longer loop before going back to shore.
Launching at Gyro Park is easy for me, with the wheels to roll my Eliza from the house down to the water. Lucky for me, Rich was willing to meet me there instead of at a new beach, and lately, he's been ready at a moment's notice to go kayaking because he's been keeping his boat on the roof of his van.
The tide was just ebbing from high, so there was no current to speak of. Out we went, past Flower and over to look at Cadboro Point. There was a bit of a breeze over the calm water that picked up as we got closer to the point, and through the gaps in the rock we could see chop and whitecaps on the other side. Amazing how one side of a point will have such different conditions from the other side...
Turning around, we went towards Jemmy Jones Island until the chop got me unsettled. Back towards Flower Island, then, no seals or otters in sight, though I saw both earlier that week. That's where we split up, so I could get back to shore before getting chilled and Richard could do another loop and get a good workout.
It was a good moment to get back to the beach, by the way -- saw my neighbour who gets on the water 200 days a year, in his kayak or on his paddleboard. The evening before, Friday, he'd been on the paddleboard out by the Chathams and surprised a male Stellar's sea lion. "Yep, the heart monitor was showing my heart rate at a steady 120 beats per minute until I saw him," he reported. "Then it spiked up to 170." No kidding -- bull sea lions are 18 to 20 feet long! Now he was on his way in his kayak with a camera to see if he could get a picture. What a man, what a man...
After Rich got back to shore, there was coffee, there was hot cocoa and hommous at Olive Olio's, there was sundry scanning of Volume one of the BC Atlas for Coastal Recreation Kayaking and Small Boats and various plans for attending Ladysmith's Paddlefest and doing some day trips around Nanaimo, but that was all after the fact. Getting on the water was what mattered, out under the bright blue-and-white bowl of the sky.
New Babies
After losing 7 members last year, the local orca pods have two new babies this spring. One was born to J Pod, the other to L Pod and they bring the population of the endangered local resident group to 85. However, one adult male, 31 year-old L57, hasn't been spotted yet this year and is missing.
The new orca calves were first spotted off Victoria on February 6, then off Nanaimo a few days later, and were probably born sometime in January. It's unusual for the resident pods to be in the local waters at this time of year. Also unusual is that all three pods J, K and L are wintering together. Usually they winter independently off California, so their early return suggests to some researchers that they are following a food source, probably chinook salmon. Salmon stocks are dropping, raising fears that the local resident orcas, already endangered, could be facing starvation.
Labels: orcas
Marina Follow-Up the Third
The T-C has a story here about last night's public hearing on the proposed harbour marina.
Labels: Mega Yacht Marina, Victoria Harbour
Marina Follow-Up Follow-Up
The Victoria Times-Colonist has a story today about the proposed marina for mega-yachts in the harbour and tonight's public hearing here.
Paddling to be Banned From Esquimalt Lagoon?
According to this story by the Victoria Times-Colonist, The Canadian Wildlife Service in co-operation with Esquimalt Lagoon Stewardship Initiative is considering banning paddlers from Esquimalt Lagoon. While officials are saying they won't ban all paddling in the lagoon, they want to restrict paddling in the north and south ends of the lagoon. Since the entrance into the lagoon is at south end, this will result in canoes and kayaks not being able to paddle into and out of the lagoon, although presumably one would still be able to launch from the shore as long as one avoids the "off limits" areas.
The Esquimalt Lagoon Migratory Bird Sanctuary has been in existence since the 1930s. Check out some of our paddles at the Lagoon here.
Labels: ocean studies
Marina Follow-Up
As noted earlier today by Paula, a large marina for luxury mega-yachts has been proposed for Victoria's harbour. According to an article in Monday magazine, it will moor up to 50 yachts anywhere in length from 65 to 135 feet, and will cover an area of 6.4 acres.(You can view plans for the marina at their website here.)
The South Island Sea Kayaking Association has already spoken out against the project with this letter to Transport Canada, and the Victoria Canoe and Kayak Club will be sending a delegation to Tuesday's Public Meeting. Brian Henry of Ocean River Sports has also sent a letter opposing the mega-yacht marina.
To me, this proposal seems wrong-headed for a number of reasons. First, as a kayaker an increase in marine traffic makes it harder for kayakers and other paddlers to enjoy the harbour. It takes a large chunk of what is now public waterfront and makes it private.
As a business plan, it doesn't make any sense to me. We are past peak oil. Surely the price of oil is only going to go up as worldwide demand increases and supply falls, and any tourism-based enterprise that depends on the use of gasoline as its only source of getting tourists to come (and therefore to earn revenue) is going to struggle in the future.
And thirdly, mega-yachts have large carbon footprints. We can't continue to embrace projects that will speed up the process of climate change.
This is a bad idea. See you at the public hearing on Tuesday.
New Large Marina Proposed
Hey, kayakers and boaters in the Greater Victoria area!
Have you heard about the proposed new Marina in Victoria's Outer Harbour, near West Bay Marina? There's been very little buzz about it except rumours that it would be *very* large. There's a public meeting happening Tuesday evening at City Hall, so That's The Place To Be. Also, this week's Monday Magazine carries an article, available at www.mondaymag.com.
Denise Savoie MP and the Victoria West Community Association invite you to attend a PUBLIC MEETING to review and comment on a MEGA-YACHT MARINA proposed for Victoria Harbour
Tuesday, February 17th, 2009 7:00 p.m.
information (250) 382-3378
Eastern Horizons Available for Pre-Order
Bryan Smith's new sea kayaking DVD Eastern Horizons is now available for pre-order here.
Labels: Bryan Smith, Eastern Horizons
My New Ride
I'm thinking that I need a new vehicle to transport my kayak to launching sites. This looks like it may fit the bill as it does have a long roof line to support my Delta 18.5....
Kayaking Rivers Affected by Regulation Changes
Dunno where YOU paddle, but many of the places I go in my kayak are shallow enough that big yachts can't fit, but a boat with a three foot draft can go there. That's a basic definition for "navigable waters" in Canada. There are regulations governing what kind of works can be built affecting these waters: bridges, watergates, etc.
The regulations are being re-written by the Canadian conservative government. The news is not good. Small rivers where boats with three foot draft can go are to be considered "minor" and exempt from protection from random construction of "minor works" like bridges.
I learned of this from Jim Miller, of Werner Paddles at wernerpaddlesblog.com/ -- he wrote:
I was alerted about this through our good friend, David Johnson, who blogs at paddlinginstructor.com. Navigation rights are under attack in Canada. Read on and then take action...
Here is a broadcast email:
This is a broadcast email from the Canadian Rivers Network.
We remain concerned about the Harper government's intentions to gut the Navigable Waters Protection Act and exempt thousands of waters from the provisions of the act by calling them "minor waters" and by exempting "minor works" from the provisions of the act.
Our position is:
- there is no such thing as a minor water in Canada
- there is no such thing as a minor work on a waterway in Canada
- you cannot save the economy by gutting Canada's environmental laws
Please review this material and help any way you can:
1) Distribute this information through your networks.
2) Encourage your contacts to visit our website, sign the petition we have posted there, and review the information we have available on this issue.
3) Act and encourage others to act by initiating efforts to inform politicians at every level that navigation rights and environmental laws in Canada should not be tinkered with under the guise of helping the economy.
4) If you are a member of an organization that wants to be publicly listed as a supporter of the Canadian Rivers Network, let us know by sending us an email with the name of your organization, and contact information for a designated representative.
5) Speak the media about the NWPA issue at whatever level you can, local, regional, proviincial or national.
6) Let us know if you have the name of anyone who is qualified and willing to speak to the national media on behalf of the Canadian Rivers Network.
Please let us know if you require any additional information or assistance.
Canadian Rivers Network
www.ispeakforcanadianrivers.ca
Check out I Speak for Canadian Rivers to learn more and take action.
Posted by paula at 12:21 pm 2 comments:
How To Not Launch Your Double Kayak
Labels: failed launches, stair kayaking, video
Big, Fat, Hairy Seal
Yes, as the Times-Colonist newspaper and John reported, there is an elephant seal on the beach at Gyro Park, Cadboro Bay. Yes, it is moulting and shedding its fur and outer skin.
There are a lot of people looking at it, and coming rather too near. If you do go see it, the seal is near the big concrete storm drain outfall. Don't get closer than a couple of yards, and tell anyone you see getting too close that they should NOT scare the elephant seal. And for pity's sake, keep your dog on a leash and away from the seal!!
The National Geographic website has some information on elephant seals at http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/mammals/elephant-seal.html
I'm sure glad that elephant seals seem to ignore kayaks most of the time when they're in the water near a kayak... and when they're on shore, they're pretty easy to see around here if they move. You'd be surprised how hard they can be to see, though. Check out John's photos here on Kayak Yak of harbour seals -- they can appear many different colours from white through russet to black when wet or dry. The sea lion he photographed near Albert Head was hard to tell from a beach log till it raised its head.
This fella yawned and showed a nice, wolf-like set of teeth. But it was just a yawn. Gotta say, nice to look at him. (The newspaper said it was a male, but if so he's pretty young, not a big 4-metre galoot like the one that washed up in Nanaimo Harbour recently.)
So the beach has a new sunbather lolling and dozing, a bit bigger than most sunbathers usually seen here, and WAY bigger than the harbour seals that cruise along the beach in the early morning. As my brother Karl said of another elephant seal that moulted at the Kinsmen Gorge beach a few years ago, it looks like it would really like to have its tummy scratched. But we're not supposed to touch it, and luckily the people watching it stayed at least a metre back.
I took several photos on my cell phone, but they don't seem any better than the one John found in the Times-Colonist.
I keep saying that Cadboro Bay is a terrific place to take a kayak, and see some wildlife. Sure enough, even elephant seals pop in to visit now and then.
Labels: seals
Speaking of Seals....
Following up on Sunday's story of the baby elephant seal being born at Race Rocks, today's Times-Colonist reports that another seal has beached itself to moult, this time at our prime kayaking launching spot at Cadboro Bay.
This is the third seal to come ashore and moult in the city this month, which is highly unusual for this area, as seals usually moult further south.
Baby Seal Born at Race Rocks
A baby elephant seal was born a few days ago at the Race Rocks Ecological Reserve near Victoria. It has been dubbed Ninene by workers at the reserve and is believed to be the first elephant seal born there. It may even be the most northerly birth of an elephant seal ever recorded. According to the Victoria Times-Colonist:
"This area has long been a place where elephant seals come but we've never seen anything like this," said Garry Fletcher, a volunteer warden who also manages racerocks.com. "The babies are usually born in Baja, California, not this far north."
This isn't the first elephant seal to make the news in these parts recently. In early January, a young elephant seal settled in a roadside ditch to moult in an upscale Oak Bay neighbourhood, and in November the body of an enormous elephant seal washed ashore near Nanaimo. It weighed 2700 kilograms and was over four metres long, and this particular species had never been seen in the Georgia Strait basin before.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Internet Explorer >>How to customize an unordered list on IE6?
Internet Explorer / IE >> How to customize an unordered list on IE6?
unordered list items, with a ">" character, throughout my site?
find a newsgroup that handles questions about your editor.
> unordered list items, with a ">" character, throughout my site?


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by Michael Koryta
Little Brown and Company Logo
ON SALE: August 18th 2015
Audiobook Downloadable Unabridged	Trade Paperback	Mass Market
Markus Novak just wants to come home. An investigator for a Florida-based Death Row defense firm, Novak's life derailed when his wife, Lauren, was killed in the midst of a case the two were working together. Two years later, her murderer is still at large, and Novak's attempts to learn the truth about her death through less-than-legal means and jailhouse bargaining have put his job on the line. Now he's been all but banished, sent to Garrison, Indiana to assess a cold case that he's certain his boss has no intention of taking.
As Novak knows all too well, some crimes never do get solved. But it's not often that the man who many believe got away with murder is the one calling for the case to be reopened. Ten years ago, a teenaged girl disappeared inside an elaborate cave system beneath rural farmland. Days later, Ridley Barnes emerged carrying Sarah Martin's lifeless body. Barnes has claimed all along that he has no memory of exactly where — or how — he found Sarah. His memory of whether she was dead or alive at the time is equally foggy. Tired of living under a cloud of suspicion, he says he wants answers — even if they mean he'll end up in the electric chair.
But what's he really up to? And Novak knows why he's so unhappy to be in Garrison — but why are the locals so hostile towards him? The answers lie in the fiendish brain of a dangerous man, the real identity of a mysterious woman, and deep beneath them all, in the network of ancient, stony passages that hold secrets deadlier than he can imagine. Soon Novak is made painfully aware that if he has any chance of returning to the life and career he left behind in Florida, he'll need to find the truth in Garrison first.
"This moving series launch from bestseller Koryta (Those Who Wish Me Dead) illustrates why he's among today's top thriller writers. Koryta sensitively portrays regret and grief while plunging the reader into exciting, claustrophobic scenes deep inside the massive cave."—Publishers Weekly (starred)
"With each book, the talents of New York Times best-selling author Koryta (The Prophet) just get better."—Library Journal (starred)
ACCLAIM FOR THOSE WHO WISH ME DEAD:
"Warning: Michael Koryta's wonderful, riveting, and harrowing Those Who Wish Me Dead may just move you to tears. Enjoy at your own risk."—Harlan Coben, #1 bestselling author of Missing You and Six Years
"Outstanding in every way, and a guaranteed thriller-of-the-year...Stephen King would be proud of the set up, Cormac McCarthy would be proud of the writing, and I would be proud of the action. Don't you dare miss it."
—Lee Child, #1 bestselling author of Never Go Back
"Those Who Wish Me Dead is an absolutely thrilling read. I read most of it with my breath held, occasionally exhaling to ask myself, 'What will happen next?' I highly recommend it."—Kevin Powers, National Book Award Finalist and author of The Yellow Birds
"Absolutely breathtaking, nail-biting, and edge-of-your-seat. Michael Koryta is a master at maintaining suspense and a hell of a good writer. Those Who Wish Me Dead is one of the best chase-and-escape novels you'll read this year - or any other year. The pace never lets up."—Nelson DeMille, author of The Quest


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Secretary General, United Bible Societies, Global Membership Organisation.
UNITED BIBLE SOCIETIES
Global:Europe/Asia/North America/Africa/Oceania/South America
Negotiable, depending on location
Charities, International, General, Faith-based
Senior executive
Postgraduate degree (senior business/technical)
Fully remote option
United Bible Societies (UBS) is passionate for a world where everyone has access to the Bible and can recognise its value for them, their families and communities.
For our global network of 150 Bible Societies operating in over 240 countries and territories, it is a moment of tremendous opportunity to reimagine and reshape the way we approach Bible ministry. Sustainability and digital transformation are pivotal challenges to be faced into in light of COVID-19's impact, and yet we are already seeing the exciting changes that new thinking and approaches can make possible.
The Secretary General role is certainly significant in scope and challenge, but it is even more significant in terms of both global and eternal impact. Key to this role will be a global perspective, exceptional relationship skills, strategic thinking, and most importantly, a genuine sense of calling.
The Secretary General of United Bible Societies serves a unique role within the life of the global United Bible Societies fellowship:
Global missional leadership across the shared life of our 150 Bible Societies (the majority of whom have local autonomy)
Executive leadership of the United Bible Societies Association organisation of around 120 staff and $50 million annual income (mostly in international grants)
Therefore, the role captures the functions of an ambassador, a shepherd and a servant leader. A key skill will be casting global missional vision within a complex and cross-cultural context, inspiring Bible Societies to be both effective locally and willing to work together for greater global fruitfulness.
We seek a leader who has:
Theological understanding and knowledge of Christian confessions
Missiological expertise and experience
Proven global leadership skills and management experience
Experience in organisational development and managing change
Track record of leading effectively in international, intercultural and interconfessional environments
Exceptional strategic thinking abilities in a global intercultural context
Maturity of faith that is rooted in a daily walk in prayer and Scripture
Demonstrates faith by inviting God's voice into every decision: personal or organisational
An ecumenical thinker; recognises, understands and appreciates the richness and value of different cultural and confessional perspectives and values
Servant-hearted leader with the heart of a shepherd and the attitude of a servant
Senses a vocational calling to this role and the mission of the organisation in this season
Desirable Experience and Qualifications
Knowledge and understanding of service-oriented or membership-related structures within a culturally diverse and global context
Relevant post-graduate qualifications, for example – MBA; Masters in missiological or biblical studies; etc.
Outstanding interpersonal, written and public-speaking communication skills
Intercultural intelligence and ideally first-hand cultural immersion experience (i.e. someone who has lived and worked in more than one country, preferably one in the Global South)
Leadership marked by humility
Able to demonstrate empathetic listening and influencing ability
A conciliator with exceptional emotional intelligence
Future thinker, innovator, creative, curious
Intellectually agile
Ability to speak English and at least one other major language
Consultative rather than authoritarian leadership style
If you believe that the Bible for everyone should be a reality, we encourage you to prayerfully consider whether this may be an opportunity God is opening up for you: a unique leadership role at a unique moment in history.
The diversity of our community is our strength and we are committed to increasing and promoting diversity at all levels in our organisation. We warmly welcome applications from people from the widest possible range of backgrounds and nationalities.
For more information about this role and how to apply candidates should visit our website at unitedbiblesocieties.org/vacancies/
Please note: it is the intention of the Search Committee to undertake initial online interviews in early January. Therefore, applications will be reviewed as they arrive and the vacancy will close once there are sufficient applications that meet the criteria for interview.
© 2013 - 2022 Guardian News and Media Limited, all rights reserved. Madgex Job Board Software


A white camera case, designed to house the Raspberry Pi Camera with a clip-in grooves that requires no screws at all. All the cut-out parts are pre-cut previously into the case they do not require more mods. In addition, the white case makes look very neat and very practical nad matches the official Raspberry Pi case color.


View current agendas and minutes for boards and commissions. Previous years' agendas and minutes, as well as all Board of Commissioners actions, can be found in the ARCHIVE CENTER. Meeting videos for previous years' Board of Commissioner meetings can be found on YouTube.


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Category: Face Masks
Face Masks Nitrile Gloves PPE News
Has there been a PPE shortage in the UK, and why?
The ongoing coronavirus pandemic has ruined the world in a myriad of ways. It has killed or hurt millions of lifes, made life troublesome for practically every human on the planet, forced us into repeated lockdowns, and put restrictions on everyday activities. But not only has it had a humanitarian impact, but the massively increased demand for medical protective clothing such as PPE has also resulted in overdrive manufacturing and chaotic distribution processes. In this article, we'll examine whether there has actually been a PPE shortage in the UK, whether or not it is ongoing, and why it is there in the first place.
When the coronavirus broke out in Wuhan, China late last year, the UK government didn't pay a great deal of notice to it – much the same as many other countries in the world. As the virus arrived in the UK and began to spread rapidly, the government was overall fairly slow to respond to it, despite the science strongly suggesting that restrictions or lockdowns would have to be enforced. When the UK was finally put into a lockdown, it was quite a bit later than many other countries. As a result of this delay, the UK hadn't stockpiled PPE resources fast enough, and as the infections mounted, a shortage of PPE set in.
The PPE shortage in the UK during the early and mid-stages of this year's pandemic was primarily in the main items of personal protective equipment rather than gloves, which are generally very fast to manufacture and distribute in large quantities. However, the shortage did affect basically every item that needed to be produced, and many hospitals ran particularly low on personal protective equipment at the climax of the coronavirus' spread.
Eventually, this shortage in PPE was dealt with, in part due to increased demand from hospitals, medical institutions and the government, but also due to demand from consumers for gloves, hand sanitizer, face masks and face shields, etc. These two factors pushed manufacturers to suddenly crank up their production rate and now there is far less of a PPE shortage than there was in the worst moments of the pandemic.
As producers continue to supply more and more personal protective equipment and gloves, there is more than enough supply to go around. There is also still sufficient demand for these products so it's unlikely that suppliers will decrease their batch sizes in the near future. This means that we're successfully able to stock large amounts of nitrile gloves with fantastic distribution speeds and quality. If your practice or household needs any nitrile gloves, we're ready and waiting for you to make a purchase.
Tags face mask, Nitrile Gloves, PPE


Alison over at Astraware dropped me a line to let everyone know about this month's Club Astraware special offer on Astraware Solitaire. As many of you know, I rave about Astraware's games. They are just that good.
The Club Astraware Member-only discount offer for September 2008 is Astraware Solitaire for just $9.95, that's a huge saving of $10 off the regular price!
In addition to our regular offers for Palm OS(R) and Windows Mobile(R) device owners, this discount is also available to Club Astraware members who own Symbian(R) S60(R), and UIQ(R) smartphones.
Astraware Solitaire features 12 of the most well-known and best-loved single player card games, chosen based on direct feedback and suggestions from Astraware customers.
The games included in Astraware Solitaire are Klondike, Pyramid, Spider, Clock, Yukon, Canfield, Four Seasons, Sultan's Harem, Idiot's Delight, Golf, Calculation, and Freecell, and to make the playing experience both familiar and fun, each game has custom gameplay options so everyone can enjoy the games using their favorite variation on the standard rules.
There are 3 double points offers in Club Astraware this month, so members can build up their points even quicker and get bigger discounts on games in the future! The games offering double points this month are Westward, Hidden Expedition: Titanic and Platypus. Simply buy any of these games at full price and get twice the regular number of points! For example: buy a game for $19.95 and you'll get almost $4 worth of points to use against your next purchase!
These offers are only available in Club Astraware until the end of September 2008. To get your hands on them simply join or login to Club Astraware at http://www.astraware.com/club. It's quick to join and completely free too!
To read more about Astraware Solitare or to download the free demo, visit the Astraware Solitaire web page.


Goal: To share innovative experiences of mountain scientific knowledge, and promote debate on new directions and on how research can contribute to practice.
08:00 - 09:00 - Registration.
09:00 - 09:30 - Opening ceremony.
09:30 - 10:30 - Keynote Address 1: Mapping Mountains: lessons from global and European experiences. - Martin Price - University and Highlands and Islands/UNESCO. Scotland, UK.
10:30 - 10:45 - Dialogue - Moderator: Isabel Ferreira, Mountain Research Centre, Polytechnic Institute of Bragança, Portugal.
10:45 - 11:15 - Coffee with Letters.
11:15 - 12:15 - Keynote Address 2: Reduction and management of disaster risk: the challenge of connecting science to practice- Irasema Alcântara Ayala, - Universidad Nacional Autônoma de México, Mexico.
12:15 - 12:30 - Dialogue - Moderator: Qui Dunlian - Institute of Mountain Hazards and Environment (IMHE), Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), China.
12:30 - 14:00 - Lunch.
16:00 - 16:30 - Coffee with Letters.
9:30 - 10:00 - Coffee with Letters.
10:00 - 11:00 - Presentation of scientific journals focusing on mountain issues.
12:30 - 14:15 - Lunch.
14:15 - 15:15 - Keynote address 3: Making connections for our changing mountains: The role of the Mountain Research Initiative in connecting people and knowledge for sustainable mountain development. Ricardo Grau. MRI-Mountains Research Initiative, Universidad Nacional de Tucumán. Argentina.
15:15 - 15:30 - Dialogue - Moderator: Fausto O. Sarmiento. University of Georgia, USA.
16:15 - 16:45 - Coffee with Letters.
16:45 - 17:00 - Lumont - The Lusophony Mountain Research Network. - João Azevedo. Mountain Research Centre, Polytechnic Institute of Bragança, Portugal.
17:00 - 18:00 - Establishment of the Latin America and the Caribbean Mountain Research Network.
18:00 - 18:15 - Closing ceremony.


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Published on June 24th, 2019 | by Debbie Martin
Using Ear Cleaners For Otitis Externa
Otitis Externa aka inflammation (redness and swelling) of the external ear canal is a very common condition in dogs – in fact, despite it being one of the most common conditions seen in dogs – it can be a frustrating condition to manage. It occurs when the outside part of a dog's ear (from the ear flap and along the ear canal to the eardrum) becomes inflamed and thickened in either one or both ears. This condition can be uncomfortable and in some circumstances very painful and if left untreated, may require surgery to resolve it.
The Risks of Otitis Externa
The risks of leaving Otitis Externa untreated can be serious as the dog can go on to suffer inflammation of the middle ear infection or in very severe cases the inner ear which is where the ear and brain actually meet. This can lead to the eardrum rupturing (resulting in deafness) and also life-threatening infection. Dogs that have severe cases of Otitis Externa may require surgical intervention to carry out ear canal ablation which is the removal of the ear canal.
A Vicious Circle
Most cases of Otitis Externa and associated ear infections can be managed and treated successfully so long as the initial trigger is discovered and treated. If the initial cause is left untreated dogs may keep on developing secondary infections until the trigger is diagnosed and eliminated.
Severe cases are sometimes seen in veterinary practices where the initial trigger has not been identified, and Otitis Externa becomes stuck in a loop of inflammation and infection. This can lead to the ear canals narrowing and infection taking hold in the middle or inner ear. Scar tissue can then form in the ear canal with the effect of preventing some prescribed medications reaching the problem tissue as well as preventing skin, cells and hairs from leaving the ear which causes further problems.
Presenting Cases
Most cases are often mild but they can worsen very quickly, and this is why timely diagnosis and treatment is important. Signs of otitis externa include the following:-
Head shaking
The underside of the ear may look inflamed and feel warm to touch
Scratching and pawing at the ear
Unpleasant smell coming from the ear
Apparent discomfort or pain
Discharge of brown, yellow or black wax
Tiredness and irritability including perhaps not wanting to be touched around the head
If the eardrum ruptures then the dog may tilt their head, be unable to walk in a straight line and show a reluctance to eat. They may also be in severe pain and become deaf.
The Causes of Otitis Externa
Causes are varied but include such factors as:-
Food allergies are a common cause of itching as well as allergies to something in the environment that causes itching and swelling in the ear.
Humid weather, swimming and foreign bodies in the ear from walking etc. all increase the risk for developing Otitis Externa.
The shape of an individual dog's ears
Dogs with larger hanging ears may be more at risk due to trapping warmth, moisture and foreign bodies in the ear canal. Dogs naturally have a long, narrow L shaped ear canal – an ideal breeding ground for bacteria and yeast if warmth, moisture and foreign bodies build up.
Growths in the ear canal may trap in warmth, moisture and foreign bodies encouraging yeast and bacteria to grow.
Ear mites can cause itching and swelling that can lead to a secondary infection.
Other medical issues
Auto-immune diseases, a build-up of dead skin (keratinisation) or hormonal disorders can all create a breeding ground for bacteria and yeast to grow.
Ironically – over enthusiastic ear cleaning can be one of the causes of Otitis Externa. Cleaning a dog's ears too vigorously or incorrectly can cause irritation or debris to be pushed further into the ear canals and cause the problems you were trying to avoid in the first place!
When Cleaning Aids Treatment Success
The key to successful treatment is not only issuing the right medication; commonly a topical antifungal, antibiotic and anti-inflammatory preparation is prescribed but cleaning the ear in the correct manner has proven to be a significant indicator in the overall success of the treatment.
Treatment is usually begun at the acute phase of Otitis Externa symptoms, but once control is achieved and there is a substantial reduction in symptoms, it can be necessary to continue with an ear cleaner as part of a maintenance routine in order to prevent relapse. This is especially important where a dog has a predisposition to chronic Otitis Externa perhaps because of underlying problems such as canine atopy or when epithelial migration and regeneration is poor due to existing damage thus setting the scene for further episodes of otitis externa. The risks can also be generally reduced by regularly clipping dogs ears and drying the ears after swimming.
The Importance of Using an Ear Cleaning Product at Home
It is of utmost importance, therefore, that the dog's owners are taught how to use an ear cleaning product correctly in order to ensure its maximum effectiveness. This is where a veterinary nurse can help in demonstrating how the ear cleaning routine should be performed.
How to Use an Ear Cleaning Product
It is important that you are shown how to clean your dog's ears correctly as the main risk is that you inadvertently push something into the depths of your dog's ear canal such as a foreign body or dirt particles which could not only damage the ear but trigger an infection.
Massage the base of your dog's ears for around twenty seconds to soften and release any material. You may wish to consider using a suitable dog-friendly ear cleaner to make this more effective.
The ear canal should be filled with the product, and the vertical canal massaged for approximately 30-60 seconds to soften and release any material within the ear. The excess product and any dirt or debris can then be gently wiped away moving from the tip to the ear, and the ear dried gently with a towel afterwards.
Ear Cleaning Maintenance
Once the ear canal is clean and not releasing any further dirt or debris then this routine can be carried out weekly but initially the frequency of cleaning; depending on the severity of the condition, may need to be carried out daily or several times a week.
Choosing the right ear cleaner for the patient, depending on the symptoms presenting, is of vital importance in not only treating but preventing cases of Otitis Externa. Along with the education of the dog's owners regarding carrying out a regular ear cleaning maintenance – this is the best two-pronged approach in symptomatic relief and prevention of what can be a difficult condition to treat.
Debbie Martin Debbie has worked for Beeston Animal Health for a number of years and although generally involved with the marketing these days she has a great deal of knowledge on many things to do with small animals.
Understanding Veterinary Prescriptions a Guide	February 12th | by Debbie Martin
High Blood Pressure in Cats	September 23rd | by Debbie Martin
Arthritis in Cats – What You Need to Know	July 19th | by Debbie Martin
Using Ear Cleaners For Otitis Externa	June 24th | by Debbie Martin
Categories Select Category Cats (31) Dogs (44) Horse (3) Pet Health (68) Pet Tips N Tricks (11) Uncategorized (1)
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Problems By Breed


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Daisy's Choice
Tale of Two Hearts Series, Book 2
In the game of hearts there can be more than one loser…
Take Daisy Johnson, for starters. She came from nothing but now she has it all: a thriving business, a beautiful daughter, and the financial security that makes her the master of her own destiny. Yet the memories of two very different loves cast a shadow of doubt and fear that keeps her trapped in self-imposed isolation.
Aiden Keane remains haunted by the games he played with one woman's heart. Now she's gone, and his obsessive nature has fueled a five-year mission to find her. Her rejection and disappearance has left him wondering if he'll ever see her again. But what Aiden wants, he wants, and he will risk it all to find and claim her once more.
Pete Doyle wants a fresh start. He's sure as hell earned it. It's taken him five years to get over his first love and the role he played in destroying it. Now he has a new girlfriend and a business opportunity of his own. Pete wants closure, or maybe something more. Until he understands which of the two is most important, his life continues in limbo.
Tragedy hits the small town of Hollow Creek, and the paths of all three players collide in the most unexpected of ways. Daisy had her reasons to remain hidden from both of the men in her past. When all her secrets are uncovered, Daisy is faced with one question: does she have any choices left?
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Sienna, November 2015
The Shamrock Casino
He hated dreaming. Daisy always visited his dreams. Aiden's eyes slowly opened. From beneath the shadowy veil of his lashes, his vision cleared. The patterned molding of his vaulted ceiling drew into focus. Soft amber lighting illuminated each corner of his bedroom, but the darkness claimed him. So did the dull ache of excess. There was movement next to him as the mattress dipped and his pillow shifted. Aiden's head dropped to the side, and he tried once more to focus. His thoughts and vision weren't connecting. Next to him lies a stranger, exposed, strawberry blonde hair covering her face. The sharp smell of sex and the fruity perfumed lotion filled his nostrils.
Who is she? More importantly, why is she still in my fucking bed?
He sighed and changed focus. The night's events returned. The booze, the whores, all of it flashed through his mind. Self-loathing was now his game of choice. He was getting good at it.
Aiden threw back the sheet and sat up. He slumped forward and dropped his face into his open palms. He felt the rough edges of a tiny package at the sole of his foot. Lifting it, he uncovered the dispensed purple foil of a condom wrapper and another not further from it.
"Aiden?" a breathy yet soft voice whispered over the pounding beat of his headache, hammering his skull.
"Get dressed and get out," he rasped. "Now!"
"Call me, okay? Okay?" His bedmate for the evening ran her hand over his back with her acrylic nails grazing his skin. The bed shifted, and he listened to her hurried actions. There was a clanking of her bracelets and the sibilant rip of a zipper running up the back of her leather mini. Those parting sounds made her just another regrettable memory. Aiden lifted his face from his palms. The private line to his suite blinked on the phone. His presence was needed. He should have been in his office two hours ago and not boozed and barely conscious next to Trixie, Mixie, Bixie, whatever the hell her name was.
Aiden rose, stiffly. Nude, he snatched his pants from the back of a chair and slipped them on. As he zipped his fly, he crossed the cool mahogany floors out of his bedroom into his suite. There was a reason for his restlessness. He'd been on edge since he left Hollow Creek. The moment his people told him of the fire at Daisy's father's church, he was on his jet and circling the town. The minister lingered in his comatose state surrounded by friends, family, reporters, but no Daisy. After a week, he decided to return. Now, barely here two days, he regretted that decision.
But it's been five years. Why should I think she'd return now?
One sip of vodka and his mind cleared. The bitter aftertaste revived the tastebuds in his tongue as he walked over to his desk. He moved the mouse and sat in front of his computer's monitor. Typing in key words he opened the new file in his inbox. No change in the preacher's condition. No Daisy sightings.
He hit the message button on his phone and picked up the receiver.
You have 2 messages. First message:
Aiden, flying down to L.A. for business. Will stop in to see Andria, then head back for the meeting with the Gaming Commissioner. What's this I hear that you were in Hollow Creek?
He pressed seven and deleted the message.
Next message:
Mr. Keane. This is Mathew Sterling; there's no change in Charles Johnson's condition. No sighting of Ms. Daisy Johnson. Will report when and if there is more news.
Aiden hung up. He dropped back in his chair, frustrated. Five years of exhaustion had finally gotten the best of him. In the first two years, he nearly went mad. He checked every lead, invested a small fortune and nothing. He tailed the punk kid, Pete, with no luck. The third year, both he and Pete grew weary of the search, but not of the feeling. The need to find her never lessened. Soon, with the fourth year came acceptance. She was never his. He had her only one night. He told his cold barren heart that clung to hope for a rescue, to get the hell over it and convinced himself it was the price of the game they all played. No woman, especially one as naïve and inexperienced as Daisy Johnson, was worth the trouble.
He was a good liar.
Aiden rocked back in his office chair reaching for his half smoked cigar. He smirked. How did she manage it? How did a girl of barely twenty-one, like her, slip past the best investigators in the business? Slip past him? His confusion and outrage fueled his guilt and desire. Black, white, yellow, brown no woman in his bed had affected him this deeply before or after Daisy. And now she was in the wind, beyond his reach, and he was growing tired of the chase. What if Donovan was right and she was dead? The cold reality of that truth disturbed him most of all.
Some evenings, her ghost visited him. She'd appear on a security monitor; a young brown skin woman strolling between slot machines with a familiar sway to her hips and toss to her dark copper-brown locks. He'd rush the casino rooms chasing her phantom around the floors, only to be proven a fool. She'd beat him well.
Then, one day, he gets a call. Reverend Charles Johnson of Hollow Creek was a hero. He'd saved thirteen of his flock from his burning church before collapsing himself. It was reported by his parishioners that the minister lingered in the hospital between life and death, not expected to recover. Surely his sweet Daisy would come out of hiding for her father. The fire had made national news. How could she not know?
If she's alive, she would know, but I need to consider the truth; that maybe she isn't.
Aiden's eyes closed, and he tried to recall her face, the feel of her skin, and the way she shuddered in his arms when he possessed her. His hand tightened on the glass. Daisy was gone. There was no such thing as second chances.
"Can you tell her to call me when she gets a break?" Pete asked.
"Sure thing, Pete. She's on rotation now."
"Thanks, Bea."
Pete tossed the phone and kicked off his paint-splattered workman's boots. Sniffing the funk from his socks, he pulled them off as well and dropped them on the floor. It was a long day at the garage with his shift running into the night. It usually did when Nina pulled a double shift. With the remote in his hand, he channel surfed, his thumb repeatedly hitting the button. Nothing caught his eye. The phone rang and he jumped at the chance to speak with Nina.
"Babe?"
"Hi. Can't talk long."
He could hear the smile in her voice. "I'm making strawberry pancakes and your favorite peach mimosa."
"Pancakes? Really? What's the occasion?" she asked.
"Got some news. Something to celebrate."
"Sounds serious?"
"Oh you're going to love this. Just call and wake me before you come home so I can be up."
"Love you, Pete."
"Yeah, see you soon, babe," he said before ending the call. Smiling, he reclined into the sofa's flattened pillow. If it weren't for Nina, he'd probably still be wandering, unsettled. She wasn't Daisy, and that was fine with him. She too was black, petite, with an infectious smile and round brown eyes. The second ethnic woman he's dated. Nina's mother was Dominican and father African American. He hadn't chosen her and never noticed her beauty when they were in school. Then one day standing in line at the meat section of the grocery store, there she was. It was natural for them both every day since.
Pete looked up at the television. A music video of some chocolate vixen, dancing and singing with a troupe of girls around her, played across his screen. He didn't go there often. Didn't think of Vegas, Aiden Keane, and Daisy. He couldn't. It cost him too much when he obsessed. Three years of his life had been spent obsessing. She was gone. Time made forgetting easier. That was until a fire at First Baptist thrust the Johnson family into the limelight. Now, everything he saw or heard and even tasted brought Daisy to mind.
The truth was he expected her to return. He held his breath and selfishly hoped Daisy would come home. Why, he didn't know. Five years was a long time. He wasn't that lovesick kid anymore. He was sure Daisy wasn't the same greedy heartbreaker that crushed his spirit either. Still, the not knowing kept part of him immobile. It was his excuse from saying the three words Nina deserved to hear.
Well, he was wrong. Daisy hadn't returned. Pete was beginning to wonder if she ever would. Either way, it was past time to move on. Reaching in his pocket, he withdrew the ring he purchased. He vowed never to buy another for a woman unless he was sure. Nina was the real thing. There were plans he had for them. In the morning, he'd tell her the news that he got the loan. Now, he was going to open his own garage. And after they celebrated, when the time was right, he was going to tell her his heart.
They were going to be fine.
St. Anna's Hospital – Hollow Creek, Kentucky
Bea's left brow winged up. Her beady eyes were magnified behind the thick lens of her square-rimmed, schoolmarm glasses. A short stout woman with a face full of moles, Bea was the reason why black women shouldn't wear blue eye shadow or dye their hair blonde.
"What-chu need?" she chomped her gum like a cow with a tasty blade of grass.
"Fifteen?"
"Ten," Bea smirked.
Nina sighed. Why did everything with this one have to be a battle of wills? She was ready to fight for the full fifteen—the un-smoked square burning a hole in her pocket demanded it. She opened her mouth to reason and stopped herself. From her peripheral line of vision, she noticed the shadow of the grief stricken wife of Reverend Johnson. The austere black woman who would always be seen with her head held high, kind of shuffled along the hall with her shoulders sagging. Nina turned her head and watched in silence as she passed by.
"We aren't negotiating here, Nina. I don't play those games. Janice does. You get a break when scheduled. We have a full floor tonight."
Returning to her thoughts by the brittle clipped tone of the charge nurse, Bea, she gave the woman a sideways look. "Fifteen and I'll change out old-man Arthur's bed-sheets first. It's my final offer. Sold." Nina hit the counter like an auctioneer with her open palm. Bea gave her a wide-eyed look and blinked, her mouth moving wordless before Nina walked off. She hurried after the reverend's wife with a deep pang of sorrow buried in her breast. Everyone in Hollow Creek either knew the Johnson family or had at one time worshiped at their church. Sister Johnson slipped inside her husband's room. Slowly, Nina pushed open the patient's door to find her standing at his bedside.
"Sister Johnson? You need anything?" Nina asked.
She didn't appear to have heard her. Nina entered. She crossed the room silently and placed her hand gently on the matriarch's shoulders. And when their eyes met, she was sure they weren't seeing her.
"There's no change." Her reply was hollow.
Reverend Johnson languished in a coma. He had a heart attack not long after a fire swept through his church, which he fought valiantly to save. The paramedics had managed to start his heart again, but he hadn't opened his eyes since. No doctor in the hospital held hope he'd make a full recovery, but miracles do happen. The prayer circles were strong, and their hold over his weary soul kept him breathing on his own. All that was left was the sweet shepherd's wife to keep vigil. Special permission was granted so Sister Johnson could remain after visiting hours. It was just another example of how Hollow Creek took care of the ones they loved.
"Maybe you should get some rest. If there's any change, you'll need your strength."
Mrs. Johnson nodded, "I think I'll go home tonight."
This surprised Nina. For the past week it was rarely mentioned in front of the reverend's wife, even though her daughters came to the hospital and pleaded with the administration to make their mother leave and get rest.
"Let me walk you out. I'll look after him for you. Call you if there's any change." Sister Johnson sighed. She located her purse and Nina guided her out of the door. Together, they left the hospital in silence. Nina followed her into the parking lot. She smiled with words of encouragement, then watched as the Reverend's wife gave one final parting look to the hospital before succumbing to her own fatigue and driving off.
Nina dropped her hands into the thin pockets in the front of her scrubs. Her finger brushed the 'cancer stick' she'd been holding on to and smiled. She pressed the cigarette to her lips and fished out her lighter. The flame flickered but held under the cover of her curled hand. Pete hated smoking, smokers and the mere idea of his woman with such a filthy habit. She did quit, three times, but this past week she'd been on edge. Dragging on the filtered end, she let the bitter tar flavored smoke fill her lungs before she exhaled through her nose. Her eyes surveyed the night. The hospital was next to the children's annex.
Both buildings towered over her. The alley itself was clear of any obstruction or litter. That was another thing about her town, one of the cleanest cities in Kentucky. She could remember the funk and stench of New York alleyways when she was in college. Rats with red beady eyes that hissed, vagrants lying in their own stench, sewage pipes and lines running along were all common sights. She made the mistake of stumbling into a few after partying late with friends. Those were different times.
Nina licked her parched lips, cigarette clasped between two fingers. She took another forbidden pull and then another until that magic hit of nicotine did its job. A calm settled over her as she walked the side of the building heading to the front. No, dark corners weren't her thing.
Nothing much happened at this hour. Quiet moments were always her coveted ones where she could let her mind drift to thoughts of Pete. Her head went back and her eyes lifted to the half-moon in the sky. Nina exhaled a cloud of white smoke and smiled. Two years and still the simplest things reminded her of her guy.
A loud crunching of tires over gravel approached. The soft hum of a nicely tuned engine followed. Nina stepped back so as to not be seen. Standing at the shadowy path to the alley, she had a perfect view of the sleek limo slowly moving through the empty parking lot. The vehicle drove around the circular drive and stopped. A limo in Hollow Creek at this time of night? Interesting. She narrowed her focus and took a small step forward. The door opened. A young woman stepped out with the aid of the driver. Even in the distance and the limited night, she was striking. Her hair, long and layered, lifted from the sides of her face, and Nina's heart stopped.
"I don't believe it. Is that Daisy?"
Daisy shifted closer to her door. She stared for a second at the red glowing sign: EMERGENCY. How appropriate. There was no other word in her vocabulary to explain the urgency she felt when she learned the news of her father. The door to the limo opened, and again a sharp whiff of Kentucky air breezed in.
"Ms. Locke," the chauffeur extended his hand. She accepted it. He tipped his head, eyes shielded under the front of his cap.
"Wait here. I… I don't need you to come in," Daisy said softly.
"Yes, mam."
Daisy's hurried steps fell short at the entrance. Doors of glass reflected the night and her strained expression. A cold wave of longing moved through her. How she missed mama and daddy over the years. How she ached to reach out to them and share her life with them once more. But with each year that passed, it became easier and easier to leave the Daisy they knew behind. Now here she was, and no matter her accomplishments, all she saw was Daisy staring back at her.
The doors parted to grant her entrance. At this hour, she could only hope to remain unseen.
Nina stubbed out the cigarette with her foot. It is her! There was something demure and refined about her appearance. She wore a grey pencil skirt and a cranberry-red blouse under a very classically tailored grey cashmere coat and matching red pumps. In stunned silence, she watched Daisy until she disappeared from sight. Daisy Johnson. She had changed quite a bit. Her long hair was polished and blown straight, framing her face from a center part. She looked fancy. No, she looked wealthy.
"Well I'll be damned," Nina mumbled.
It took Pete three years to give up on his search for her, and still Nina knew part of him remained locked in the past. He shared with her what he and Daisy did. A man named Aiden Keane entered their lives and destroyed their love and Pete's faith in Daisy. When Nina heard the story, she had a different take on it. She'd never tell Pete, but for her it wasn't Aiden Keane that divided him from his first love. It was Daisy. Anybody but Pete could see how starry eyed and money hungry Daisy was. She put down everything in this town along with that motor mouth best friend of hers, Jessiemae.
Nina was a freshman in college when Pete and Daisy ran away. By the time she returned home, the scandal had lost its hold, and Pete had become one of the walking wounded. It broke her heart that Daisy would treat somebody as sweet natured as Pete that way. From the look of her now, Nina surmised, Daisy was still chasing dollar signs.
Even in school, things came easy for Ms. Daisy; cutest boy in the Hollow, popular in everything she chose. Daisy Johnson was Ms. Perfect, and they all had to live up to the standard she set. Now her family was in crisis for nearly two weeks and she decides to return? Yes, Nina feared this moment. She started smoking again to try to convince herself it wouldn't come. But she saw it with her own eyes. Daisy Johnson had returned. What would that mean for her and Pete?
"I understand. Visiting hours may be over, but I really, um, I have to see him. Please."
"I'm sorry. The rules are the rules. Come back in the morning."
"I can't," Daisy said. Her voice was strained and a little too desperate. She was prepared to beg. She'd given up her pride before. She'd surely sacrifice it once more for her beloved father.
Wiping at the sting of moisture building in the corner of her eyes, she chewed on her bottom lip, and then nervously clenched her hands. Why couldn't she have encountered someone neutral?
Susanne smirked up at her with a smug look of disapproval and open judgment. She was sure that by morning the rest of Kentucky would know she was home from the mouth of this gossipy bitch. Worst yet, was the accusation in Susanne's eyes, as if her pain was staged. There was no need in guessing; Pete had probably shared with the town what happened between them in Vegas. Yes, this one, Susanne, was related to Pete by marriage. In the Hollow, everybody was related somehow.
"I can't let you up on the floor, Daisy. Sorry."
"It's okay, Susanne. Let me take her to him."
Daisy turned to familiar friendly eyes. It was Nina Stevens, a girl she remembered vaguely from high school. She was a year younger, kind-of geeky. Not anymore. She had changed. Nina had toffee brown skin and her hair tapered low to her face and neck with tiny curls. She was an inch or two shorter than Daisy. Somewhere along the way, Nina had ditched the thick glasses to reveal her best feature, her hazel brown eyes. Dressed in pale blue hospital scrubs, Daisy assumed she worked there. They weren't friends. In fact, Daisy was almost certain she and Jessiemae made fun of her and a few other girls like her during their mean girl days. Hopefully, time had healed any grudges Nina might carry.
"Hi, Nina."
"Hi, Daisy. Come with me."
Susanne shot up off her stool, knocking it over. "Nina… you know that Bea won't allow it."
"I said it's okay. I'll clear it with Bea." She tossed back over her shoulder, giving Daisy an understanding nod. It was a touch of kindness that Daisy was ever so grateful for, because it helped to ease the pressure pounding at the back of her skull. Her flight into Louisville was exhausting. The ride to Hollow Creek was equally draining. Being turned away would have certainly killed her.
Nina pressed the button to the elevator. Together they stood, shoulder-to-shoulder, in silence and boarded the same way.
"How is he?" Daisy finally asked.
"He hasn't come out of his coma."
Daisy said nothing more. She stared ahead. She could feel Nina's eyes on her.
"He's a hero," Nina spoke up.
"He saved a lot of people. I read that." Daisy stopped herself. She sure as hell didn't want to share that she visited The Hollow Creek Tribune weekly via the Internet.
"Oh, yes. He saved my cousin too. He wouldn't stop until he got them all out. Even went around the firemen. They don't know what caused the fire. Bible study that night was in the basement and choir practice in the sanctuary. Many were trapped, but all got out. It's Reverend Johnson who saw to it. We all love him, Daisy."
The elevator doors parted.
"Me too," Daisy said, sadly. "Me too."
Daisy hoped she wouldn't have to be paraded before others who would regard her with the same silent shock that Susanne gave.
"Let's go this way," Nina smiled. As if she read her mind, Daisy followed. Together they walked down the halls, her heels clicking over the linoleum squares polished to a shine. It was the only sound between them, that and her racing heartbeat that thundered in her ears.
"Take all the time you need."
"Thank you," Daisy mumbled, never looking her way. She pushed open the door and went inside.
Charles Johnson was a strong man. Daisy forced herself to remember that strength. He was also a loving father. She recalled how she and her sisters would sneak in their parent's bedroom. Daddy would be asleep, mouth open, snoring. Mama would be downstairs in the kitchen baking. Daisy was given the task of being the lookout. She'd put her fingers under her father's nose to feel him breathing as they searched his favorite chair in the room. It was the one he sat in on Saturday evenings and wrote his sermons. Her sisters would dig between the seat cushions to collect loose change, then hot tail it over to Ms. Ana's for a frozen cup and penny bubble gum.
He'd come downstairs later and say:
"Martha?"
"What is it, Charles?"
"Think we got a squirrel in the house."
"Why's that Charles?"
"Something round here digging in between the pillows of the chairs. That's why."
"Interesting, Charles."
Daisy and her sisters would giggle. They'd laugh and run out of the back screen porch swearing they fooled him. She remembered every sweet experience with her family. The thoughts ranged from popping bubblegum and drawing a new game of hopscotch in the dirt to playing with bottle caps.
I remember daddy. Daisy closed her eyes. When she opened them, she forced herself to take comfort in the fact he was there, alive. "Hi."
She walked toward the bed. Thankfully, he wasn't connected to too many tubes. There was only an IV in his hand and some wired pads on his chest under the covers. He was breathing on his own. The papers said that he was in a coma. How did that happen? Why would God put his mighty disciple to sleep?
"Look at you. Got 'em all fooled, huh?" She set her purse down at the foot of the bed. Charles Johnson made no movement. He lay perfectly still with skin ashen and pale and his coal black hair now a knotted mass of grey that grew down his long sideburns over his cheek. Five years had changed him and aged him, or was it she that added years to his life by staying away?
"I've missed you, daddy. Every day. It feels so good to see you again." She moved around the bed to where his hand lay. Easing hers under his cool palm, she gently stroked his skin. "There's so much I want to say to you. I hope you can hear me."
Her voice faltered. She swallowed and tried to steady it. "I never meant to disappoint you. I never meant to hurt you and mama. Things got confusing, and I was so ashamed. I should have handled it differently. Now all I want is a chance to explain myself to you, to pray again with you. I want to hear you say it will be okay."
Daisy's eyes swept his still form. The thin blanket tucked around him. Daisy watched his chest rising and falling from his uneven breaths. Can he hear me? She couldn't share her burden, her secrets, and stress him that way. How would that be just? But there were so many things unsaid between them.
"I do pray, daddy, every day. Just like you taught me. I got a blessing from my prayers too. A little girl. Her name is Amy. Oh daddy, she is so much like me. Stubborn!" Daisy smiled. "She's why I didn't come home. Not because I didn't want her to know you. The truth is, I didn't want her to know me. I couldn't bear for Amy to learn how selfish I was to leave you behind and mock the things you taught me. It took some time but I learned a lot. I know who I am, and who I'm not. How can I make you understand? I don't know. All I can say is, I grew up. And I love you so very much."
She dropped her head and sighed. There was little comfort in squeezing a listless hand. What she would give to have him hold her just once more, call her his sweet pea and tell her that the Lord didn't make mistakes. People did, and all could be forgiven. Her sweet daddy. How she ached for him.
Daisy's voice lifted once more. "I've changed. I have my own business. I did it on my own. You should see my company, my house."
"Daisy?"
With a jolt, she looked to the room door. It was her mother. Daisy had intentionally waited until she thought she saw her drive away from the hospital. She had planned to stay in the shadows to be sure that this reunion wouldn't happen. But there she was.
"Mama? I didn't know you were here."
Martha Johnson looked her daughter over with equal shock. "I left my blood pressure medicine so I came back… I don't believe it." The light of compassion in her usually kind eyes darkened with anger. In a flash, her face tightened with disapproval
"Hi, mama." Daisy circled the hospital bed. Her mother stepped back, staring at her coolly. The look on her mother's face stopped Daisy cold.
Martha Johnson narrowed her eyes and dropped both hands to her hips. "What are you doing here?"
"You heard me. What are you doing in here!" she demanded in a hushed yet angry tone.
"I came, um, too—"
"To brag? I heard you. Standing there telling your father how better off you are since you abandoned our family, broke his heart. Broke my heart." Martha clutched her chest.
"No, I wasn't."
"Shut up! Not another word, Daisy! I don't want you lying and weaving those tales over his sick bed. Have some respect!"
Daisy watched in horror as tears dropped from her mother's eyes, angry, unforgiving tears. The kind a mother should never shed for her child.
"Five years, and you didn't call, write, nothing. For five years I watched your father pray for you and weep over your foolish thoughtless ways. He begged the good Lord to send us a sign that you were okay. Five years! And it takes for him to be at deaths door for you get dressed up and parade your yella tail in here. I oughta knock you back to where you came from. Thank you Lord that Charles can't see what you've become!"
Daisy slowly shook her head. "I couldn't come because—"
"Really? Pete came home. He's been up in here seeing the man who gave you life! I hear tales all over town how you run off and leave him for some rich white man? How you're his… his whore!"
"Look at you," Martha said, shaking her head in disgust. She swept her gaze over her daughter's attire and the scowl lines around her mouth deepened. Daisy felt dirty, unclean, unworthy under that stare. "My God!" Martha covered her mouth, shaking her head in disappointment.
"Mama, please. You don't understand. Things happened to me. Something remarkable."
"Remarkable? How dare you!" Martha put up her hand to stop her. "I don't want to hear it. All your life you were selfish and thankless. Charles spoiled you and I let it go. Who am I to interfere with a father's love? But look at you! Just look at you! I tried with you, Daisy. Your father tried hard, but we weren't good enough. Life in the Hollow wasn't good enough. Is it better for you now?"
"Mama stop. You never listened to me. Not ever. I have so much to tell you and I don't even know how. Can we not fight? I came a long way. I've been so worried about daddy. Please, can we do this later?" Daisy begged. "I love you and daddy. I love Hollow Creek. I dreamed about this place everyday. I wanted to come home. I really did."
"Then why didn't you?"
Daisy froze. The lump in the center of her chest rose to her throat. Her breath hitched and words failed. She held to her secret. It was how she protected her daughter under an intricate web of lies. And God help her, she wanted to unburden her soul. But her mother looked at her with such disappointment. How could she? How could she tell her all she'd done and the price she paid?
"Get out. Go back to your fancy life. Give your father some peace. You think he wants to know his daughter is nothing more than whatever you are now. You Jezebel!"
Daisy picked up her purse. She opened it and removed a business card; flipped it over and penned her home and cellular number. "When daddy wakes up, can you call me? I just want to know he's okay."
Martha stared at her daughter but refused the card. Daisy laid it on the tray next to her father's bed. "Mama, he's strong. A fighter. He made us all that way. I know I disappointed you and him," she said as she looked back to her father. "But I'm still your daughter, and I love you both."
Martha closed her eyes. Daisy couldn't stand to see her mother in pain. She couldn't stand to see her father suffering. In that moment, she knew Pete was right. Hollow Creek was no longer her home. The damage was done.
"Bye, Mama."
She walked toward the door but stopped at her mother's side. "I'm so glad to see you again."
Then she left. She did so quickly because the moment she reached the hall the tears exploded. She nearly crumbled under the weight of them. When she looked up, she saw Nina at the other end. A concerned look was on her face. Daisy turned from it and went the other way, desperate to leave the Hollow once more.
"Mrs. Johnson?" Nina said, her head half way in the door. Martha sat at her husband's side, weeping, stroking his hand. Her head turned slowly and her glazed over eyes met with Nina's. "Don't you ever let another person in this room without my approval."
Martha rose from the chair. She wiped the traces of tears from her cheeks. Nina could see the slight tremble to the matriarch's hand. She stopped and looked at the card resting on the tray. Picking it up, she frowned at what was scribbled on it, shook her head, tossed it to the trashcan and then walked out. Curious, Nina fished out the card.
Jahi Salon and Spa
Danielle Locke CEO
"Who is Danielle Locke?" She sniffed the card. It smelled expensive and faintly like Daisy. Turning it over, she saw scribbled on the back another number with the words, I love you, Daisy.
Nina looked to the sleeping minister and slipped the card into her pocket, an action she would regret days later.
Daisy closed the door. She punched in the alarm code in the keypad and set it to 'off'. The open foyer led to a sunken living room that faced windows that gave a brilliant view of the Pacific Ocean. She had driven the entire night out of Hollow Creek to Louisville and boarded the next plane home. She couldn't wait to put miles between her and the past. Walking through her million dollar beach house, she stopped and smiled. Clara was curled up on the couch.
"Hey, Sleeping Beauty."
Clara blinked awake and stretched. "You're back?" she said, confused.
"Thanks for this, Clara."
"No problem," she yawned. "Everything okay?"
"Yeah, why?" Daisy asked, avoiding her eyes.
"I dunno. You ran out of here like the devil was chasing you. Never seen you so upset. You said you weren't coming back for a few days, and then you call and say you were on your way home. I waited up but fell asleep. What's up?"
"I'm fine. I'm tired. And we got plenty work to do. I'm going to go shower. How was she?" Daisy asked shedding her suit jacket.
"She's your daughter. You know how she was," Clara chuckled.
Daisy smiled. "True."
She climbed the steps slowly, a winding open stair that led to the lofty top level of her home which overlooked the lower half. When Amy first started walking, Daisy would have nightmares of her baby falling down them. Now her little darling commanded this place.
She went directly to her room. The door was ajar. Slowly, she eased it open. Immediately, she felt the love that had sustained her for so many years. Sweet Pea was definitely a good name for her. Amy slept in a sea of pink and yellow. Her canopy bed had a mini crib next to it where her dolls slept. Daisy stopped to pick up tossed aside books and crayons on the floor. Amy was reading and writing words, or so she thought by the way she scribbled. She kicked off her shoes and eased into the tiny toddler bed. Lying next to her daughter, she kissed her nose.
"Hi, mommy," Amy yawned. "Time for school already?"
Daisy smiled. "What if we skipped school and went to the zoo today?"
"Skip school?" Amy's eyes stretched open. The brilliant color that changed from hazel to green on any given day sparkled like lights on a Christmas tree at the news. She was in Pre-K, but Amy behaved as if she was in her first year of college. Daisy marveled at how confident and smart her angel was.
"Why?" Amy asked. "Do I have to go to the doctor?"
Daisy laughed. "No." Amy always considered any doctor visit to be a form of punishment. She combed through her daughter's soft natural locks with her fingers. Amy's skin was a dusky shade of brown, a tad lighter than her own. "Mommy missed you. That's why. We can get our nails done." She picked up her little hand with her pink polish, kissing the tips. "And our toes done. Go to the boardwalk and ride the Ferris wheel."
"Really? You gonna get on with me?"
"I sure am."
"M-kay."
Daisy smiled. "I missed you."
"Me too, mommy. Oh, can I get a toy too? All of mine are broke."
Daisy laughed. "Come here."
She pulled her close and pressed her to her heart. Finally the emptiness eased away, replaced by the feeling of love she had with her little girl. This was the only home she had now. She'd continue to find ways to make peace with that.
Three Days Later
A tendril of hair dropped over Daisy's left eye. She brushed it in place with her hand and slumped back in her chair. Closing her eyes, she opened them once more and tried for focus. Her mind wouldn't allow her peace; her heart wouldn't allow her to forget. Daisy looked away from the invoices on the computer's monitor to the windows of her office. There beyond the stretched palms and nicely groomed Cyprus was a winding road. It led out of the mountain into the small community of Mango Grove.
Daisy stared at the grass greener than Kentucky's, and her thoughts again drifted to home. Her mother's parting words echoed through her subconscious, sending spasms of sorrow and regret piercing her heart. Quiet moments like this were torture. She forced herself to understand her mother's pain over her own. Could Amy ever disappoint her to the point she'd turn her away as her mom did? Daisy doubted it. She wouldn't be that mother, because she learned something that the walls of her church didn't teach her; something Aiden Keane's lesson burned into her soul. Pride cometh before the fall.
Daisy closed her eyes to reject the tears building and gathering like an internal storm. What happened broke her heart, but even worse, it severed a bond she and her mother shared. She deserved it. Even if five years later she longed to be just Daisy Johnson again.
"Danielle?"
Daisy blinked away tears. Clara, a twenty-something brunette with a California tan and Malibu figure, tossed her dark locks and stepped inside of her office.
"We need to talk."
She watched her reach back and close the door, deciding on the conversation before Daisy could agree to it. Clara approached in high-heels that seemed to stretch her legs and make her taller while dressed in a short brown skirt and a powder-blue silk blouse. Her hands clasped before her and she looked too cheery for this day.
Clara was the first and only friend she made. That friendship was just shy of three years. Now they were business partners, a 60/40 split that helped Daisy secure the anonymity she so fiercely protected.
"It's about Serenity."
"Not now, Clara."
"Hear me out. I found land. A perfect little spot that's near Tucson, Arizona. It's famous for their spas but not like ours. Not with your flair. We need to strike now while the iron is hot. They are dying to meet with us, Danielle."
Daisy shook her head to the same argument. Clara's ambition was becoming a problem. She'd gone against her wishes and booked celebrities. The last one had them on TMZ with paparazzi helicopters circling. She couldn't risk it. The phones were ringing off the hook to learn more of the exclusive spa and its owners. Clara was handling the press, but soon the camera would turn her way. If that happened, all bets were off.
"Before you say no, think about it. Serenity will be a sister spa to Jahi. We can keep Jahi as exclusive as you want. Serenity could expand and give service to—"
Daisy waved off the rest, "Let me think on it."
"I booked time for us next week. We can fly out there and check it out."
"You did what?"
Clara blinked, unapologetic. "I'm your business manager and part owner of your business, remember? For two years, you've trusted me to be the face and personality of Jahi. And look what we've done in just two years! We're busting at the seams."
"Then cancel appointments. Take those we can manage. Cut back on the staff, and focus more on quality than quantity. You know how I feel about this."
"Feel about it? Danielle, you won't even talk about it. This is a business, a good one, not your personal shelter."
"That was out of line. I apologize."
"No, don't backtrack now. Finish. Say what you mean."
"Sometimes I feel like you're paranoid," Clara sighed. "You won't let the press in here. You barely meet with clients. You live like you're ready to bolt at any moment. And then you left town and came back without explanation. After two years of my knowing you and never seeing you with a single person, it is a little strange. I'm not stupid. Something keeps you locked away. Danielle, you won't even date."
"That's ridiculous. I'm a grown woman with a daughter. I have priorities. Okay?"
"Sorry. Sure. But the day I arrived here you said this was your dream. You deserve success. All of it. I just want to get us there."
"I'm not trying to get rich. I'm just trying to take care of Amy." Daisy sat forward. She rubbed out the pressure in her temples with her fingers.
"Too bad, you are rich. This place is the sought after spa on the West Coast. Right now, we only service the elite. But we can't sustain like this. It's not our destiny."
Daisy sighed. She didn't want to continue with the same debate. Destiny? Clara, in her twenty-something years, had no clue about destiny. Nor did she understand the truth.
"Fine. I'll take the meeting, and then we talk about it. Okay?"
Clara winked. "It's going to be great. You'll see. This will change our lives. Forever."
Daisy watched her go. She shook her head. Forever didn't seem long enough. She wanted her life changed permanently. Reaching for the mouse, she moved it and the screen saver swiped away. Her fingers quickly typed words on the keyboard: The Hollow Creek Tribune. She checked the local report for news on her father. Nothing. No news was good news. Right?
"Nooooooooooooo!"
The deep gut-wrenching wail cut through Nina's heart. She turned from the scene and pushed past Dr. Johannes, Bea and other members of the Johnson family to rush out into the hall. Dropping back against the wall, she sucked in deep breaths, but her lungs burned from a shared feeling of despair. Martha Johnson's wails and the sobs of her daughters hit her hard.
Charles Johnson, minister, counselor, faithful leader of First Baptist Church, was dead.
He slipped away peacefully without fuss, but the heartache and grief left behind had ripped apart the seam of his family and this town. Nothing would be the same.
Nina put her hand to her mouth and closed her eyes. She would have to call Pete. Call him now.
Aiden faced the wind as he strolled away from his chauffeured car over the gravel parking lot to Ed's Diner. He yanked open the glass door. Bells and chimes looming above the threshold sang. Entering to the smell of fried meat and fresh brewed coffee, Aiden paused. His eyes swept the diner and the booth seats. The sign before him said he should wait to be seated, but the word 'wait' was missing the letter 'i'. Aiden smirked and walked through the diner.
Mathew Sterling looked up halfway at his arrival. He rose, abruptly nodding respectfully and extending his hand. "Mr.… um… Mr. Keane," he said.
"Sit," Aiden advised, coolly taking to the barely comfortable bench seat.
"Ah, forgive me. I um… ordered. Would you like—"
"You said it was important. Daisy? Is she here?"
"Well, not exactly, sir."
Aiden narrowed his stare. "What does that mean, not exactly?"
"We've been monitoring the hospital. Actually, we've hired some inside help. A woman by the name of Susanne Doyle. She works the nightshift," Mathew said, removing his notepad to check his notes. "She's related to Peter Doyle."
"You hired Pete's family?"
"Yes, sir. And she's received a nice stipend to stay loyal to us. The Doyle's are no fans of Daisy Johnson. She keeps tabs on the boy and also the reverend. She called and informed me that Daisy made a visit three days ago."
Aiden tensed. He tried to hear the rest, but all he could see of the man before him was lips moving as everything went mute. All he could focus on was the fact she had returned. She was alive and out there. And close.
Then the sounds of the diner came back. Again he heard dinnerware clinking and orders being shouted to the cook. The door to the kitchen cut through the air with a swoosh as it swung back for the staff that kept coming and going.
"My contact held on to the news. Said she couldn't find my number. Nonsense. I think she's hustling me to keep the money coming. However, she was successful in gaining us access to the hospital security system. These pictures were taken from the inside cameras at the emergency entrance and Charles Johnson's floor.
Aiden accepted the folder. He laid it flat before him and opened it slowly. It was Daisy. She stepped through the double doors. Impeccably dressed. Her hair was longer and cast in a straight style past her shoulders, colored dark brown and streaked with a hint of sunshine. He couldn't see her face in the first image, but he knew it was her. The next image was clear, as if she looked into the lens of the camera just for him. Beautiful.
"Wh-where," he stammered.
"Sir, unfortunately we don't know where she came from. We got information on the limo service. They claim she rented the car from the airport and paid in cash. She gave them her real name, Daisy Johnson and used her real identification, not the assumed one we believe she lives under. After the visit, they returned her to the airport and she departed, to where they didn't know. That morning there were only four major connecting flights. She could have boarded a plane to Los Angeles, Chicago, New York and Atlanta. From there she could have flown anywhere."
Aiden turned over the next picture. He studied Daisy. She wore a solemn yet determined look. The next image showed her leaving in tears. He felt a tightening of his chest at the sight of her distress. Words could not describe what it was to see her again. Changed. But still it was her. Where had she been? Where did she go?
Aiden swallowed. He closed the folder. His eyes smoldered with rage before he looked up at the man before him. "Is this all?"
"Is this all?"
The couple across from them stared. Aiden felt their eyes but didn't care. Mathew Sterling's phone rang inside his coat pocket. He retrieved it and smirked at the number. "It's the hospital, Mr. Keane." He took the call as Aiden watched, deciding on how he'd destroy everyone in his path until they brought her to him, starting with the inept detective before him that let her slip away.
Mathew nodded, said a few words, and then hung up. "Sir, that was the hospital. Reverend Johnson is dead. That means Daisy is coming home. And we'll be ready for her this time. I guarantee it."
Aiden sat back. He tapped a finger on the table. It was a nervous habit since he parted with his golden coin. Some of the tension squeezing his heart released but not all. She was coming home. He'd be waiting.
Other Books in the "Tale of Two Hearts Series" series
Aiden's Game


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