Mona Lisa My Love

Chapter Twenty-one

I looked at the windows and for the first time realized it was pouring out. How long had it been raining? I looked at Doc again and said, "No. I do enjoy talking to you, but I did come here for a different reason. Have you heard about Brian and his plane being missing?"

Doc shook his head no and asked, "What happened?"

I told him as much as I knew and said, "I came for a favor."

"Sure, anything," he replied. "But what can I do?"

"Is Bobby's old motorcycle still around? I have an idea where Brian is."

Doc was nodding. "Sure; it's in the barn. It runs well, too. I take it out about once a week to keep it running. I know it seems foolish for an old man like me to have a dirt bike, but I keep it running in hopes that Bobby will come back someday and be pleased that I kept it. It's an old father's dream, but Bobby is all I have, and I would do anything to have him back in my life again. I love him and miss him so." He stopped talking and looked at me. "What do you mean you might know where Brian is?" He wrinkled his face a touch, not knowing what to think.

I started my theory, "They said he took off around 5:30 this morning, with a flight plan to head to the city." Doc nodded, accepting that. "Doc, do you remember how fond he was of Bonnie, over on the Smith's farm?"

At this, Doc laughed. "Sure, son. Everyone knew he was sweet on her."

"Well, when he and I used to fly together, whenever we took off from this field instead of leaving in a left pattern like most every pilot does, we always went with a right pattern. It never mattered, as there was never much traffic, especially in the early morning hours. Brian always listened to the radio and scanned the sky well before we would take off. Brian was always careful when flying."

I could see Doc was with me so far. "Anyway," I started again, "Making a right pattern would take us west heading toward Bonnie's house. I don't even think that she lives there anymore, but he always liked to fly over the house and farm to look for her. Brian once said it was a ridiculous thing to do, but it took him back in time, if just for a minute or two. I never truly knew what he saw or was looking for, but I didn't care, I was flying and enjoying myself. If he wanted to look for something or someone, that was fine with me."

Doc just listened and smiled every so often, but he seemed mostly to be supporting me. "If I am right, he would have been heading into that storm, which hit early this morning. He at least would have seen it. I believe after buzzing Bonnie's house and seeing that storm; he headed up the canyon. We did that often. The mountains and canyon are beautiful from the air. We both know that area, both from the air and from the ground. The only time I ever had a problem with directions up there was at night. For some reason, I can't tell directions at night."

"Well, all that makes sense, but where would he be? Is there another airport he would have landed at?" Doc asked, trying to understand.

"No. Brian would have flown up the canyon and out over the lake. You know the one; we all used to call it Lucy Lake."

Doc nodded his head and looked very sad, "Yes, I know the lake. Lucy Hitchens, that poor girl. She was found drowned up there, so far from anyone. I did the autopsy, not that we could tell much after all that time in the water. Sorry about that, go on. You think Brian would have flown up the canyon?"

"I didn't know you did the autopsy. That had to be hard. I know it was rugged bringing Lucy's body back down here. I didn't know her or her family. Did they ever figure out what happened? I never heard anything, but then I had my issues, so I wasn't listening anyway."

"We never found out a thing. Never knew why Lucy was up there or why she was in the water. There were no obvious signs of foul play — just a mystery. We started calling the lake Lucy Lake, in her honor. Not officially, of course... we all just kind of accepted the name. But go on now and finish your thoughts. Could be you are on to something. It makes sense, so far."

"Yes, I think Brian would have flown up the canyon to get away from the storm. It would have been the quickest way. Then, I am not sure. If he made it up to the canyon, he would have turned east and squawked his transponder and made it to the city or they would have found his plane. I figure if he had crashed on the mountain, someone would have spotted the wreckage already. I'm sure they would have flown over that way, but there is no place to land a plane. It's all trees up there. What I am thinking will sound crazy, and maybe it is crazy, but here goes. I think that the front of that storm would have brought some strong winds. Flying up the canyon with winds like that would be tricky, but we have done it many times, in the past. Brian would have known all that, but what if during a strong downdraft something happened? I know this time of year the purple poopers are out."

At this, Doc looked lost. I continued. "I know that is not their real name, but have you ever parked your car under a tree full of those birds?"

Now Doc knew what I meant as he started laughing and said he had never heard them called that before. "Purple poopers. I will have to remember that." Doc was still smiling.

"I have watched them fly many times," I went on, gesturing with my hands. "The flocks don't fly in formation like geese or other birds. They fly in kind of an ever-moving, ever-fluid kind of motion. As a young boy, I would watch my parents' old lava lamp make shapes, and the birds' flight reminds me of that. Always in motion, but at the same time never the same shape. The flock is constantly changing its pattern."

Doc understood now. "But what does that have to do with flying up the canyon? Surely Brian's plane would be above any flock of birds."

"That's what I thought as well, but imagine if a flock was in the trees and Brian got a severe downdraft, forcing the plane lower, which in turn scared the birds and they flew into the engine. It sounds farfetched, but what if something like that happened? That's what I've been asking myself." I hesitated, "I am just guessing," I said. "I thought of bad gas, but that usually shows up at takeoff. Brian's plane would be close to the airport if that were the case. If he just turned around his plane would be in view somewhere, to the east. No, all I can think is he went up the canyon but didn't make it. A lightning strike maybe, but I didn't see any lightning driving in, and it wasn't in the forecast. Doc, I don't know."

I put my head on the table. I felt drained. I have been overthinking, I thought. My head was starting to hurt. What was that old saying? Oh yeah, smoke must be coming out my ears because I was overthinking. I smiled a little, but I was not in a humorous mood.

"Have you talked to Chris about any of this?" Doc asked.