Eye of the Beholder

now," Brad remarked.
    There was a rumble of assent from the other shopkeepers.
    "I'm starting to worry about her," Margie Ferris, the proprietor of the toy shop, said. "I wonder if one of us should say something to her brother."
    "Talk to Webster?" Dylan frowned. "I don't know about that. Joanna wouldn't appreciate our interference in something this personal. Besides, she and Webster are really close. If she wanted to discuss something with him, she would."
    Margie's expression darkened. "We can't just ignore the fact that she may be sliding into some sort of clinical depression."
    Alexa studied the familiar faces around her. They were all concerned, she thought. But no one could think of the next move.
    Dylan shifted slightly. "Tell you what, if you feel it's the right thing to do, I'll call Webster this evening after work and have a heart-to-heart talk with him. We've known each other for years. Maybe I can convince him that Joanna needs professional help."
    Stewart and the others nodded quickly, relieved that someone had volunteered to take action.
    "Okay, then, that's settled." Dylan picked up a stack of papers. "Back to business. Alexa just gave me some handouts from the Festival Committee. You'll find the final schedule for the downtown activities. There are no major changes for us. The shops here in the Plaza will stay open for the Gallery Walk until seven tomorrow night, as planned. Any questions?"
    Alexa listened absently to the handful of comments that followed. Her thoughts churned with images of Liz's shadowy meditation room. The sense of gathering urgency that had been pressing down on her since she and Trask had searched Liz's house that morning was becoming a heavy weight on her shoulders.
    When the meeting adjourned ten minutes later, she picked up her cup of tea, bid her friends a good morning and walked toward the door.
    "Should be a good day," Brad Vasquez said as he followed her outside. "The town is jammed with tourists. This is far and away the biggest festival weekend Avalon has ever had. The opening of the new resort really gave it a boost."
    Alexa glanced toward the door of Crystal Rainbow. "Joanna must have been feeling very unwell not to show up on what could be one of the busiest days of the year outside of the Christmas season."
    "You can say that again. Speaking of opening up, I'd better get moving. See you when the rush is over, Alexa."
    "Right." She went down the walk to the door of Elegant Relic.
    In spite of the warm sunshine and the festive crowd of shoppers that consumed her morning, the sense of disquiet grew stronger.
    At
eleven o'clock
she picked up the phone and called Joanna's home number. Relief shot through her when Joanna answered on the sixth or seventh ring. Her voice sounded slurred and flat.
    "Hello?"
    "Joanna? It's Alexa. Are you okay?"
    "No sleep last night," Joanna mumbled. "Took some more pills this morning."
    "Do you need anything? I can stop by after work."
    "Tea," Joanna whispered. "I'm out of my special blend. I'd give anything for a cup."
    "I'll bring you some."
    "Thanks." There was a pause. "Alexa?"
    "Yes?"
    "Never mind. Can't explain now. Too tired."
    The phone clattered loudly as it was dropped back into the cradle. The line went dead.
    Two hours later there was a short lull in the tides of shoppers. Alexa stepped outside to get some iced tea for herself and Kerry.
    Cafe Solstice was doing a landslide business. Alexa ordered the teas and a package of Joanna's special blend from one of the counter assistants.
    "You look like you're swamped, Ted."
    "We are." Ted gave her change. "And wouldn't you know it? The boss had to go take care of some problem at the bank. Right at the height of the
noon
rush."
    "Hang in there," Alexa said. "It will all be over on Sunday."
    Ted grinned. "That's what I keep telling myself."
    Alexa picked up the Styrofoam cups and the package of Joanna's tea and walked back to Elegant Relic. Kerry was in the process of boxing up two medium-sized gargoyles for a customer.
    Alexa waited until the transaction had been completed. Then she picked up the phone and called Joanna again.
    She counted ten rings. This time there was no answer.
    Alexa's anxiety deepened. She wondered how many pills Joanna had taken.
    She couldn't stand it any longer.
    She replaced the phone and looked at Kerry. "I hate to leave you alone, today of all days, but do you think you can handle things by yourself for an hour? I'm really worried about Joanna. I can't get