Vincent van Gogh Likes Cats

Chapter 1

Brussels, Belgium, 1895

Rodney looked out the front door of the apartment building, watching for the carriage. His employer, Henrietta Vanderzanden, waited upstairs in her apartment for her ride to the Central Train Station. As Rodney waited in the foyer on the main floor, he watched as the rain came in sheets and pounded on the windows. It was a typical spring day in Brussels: maybe a little wetter than normal, but not by much.

As Henrietta’s manservant for the last two years, he had watched as his employer left every spring at this time of year and headed to Paris. She often commented that April in Paris was the best time of year to visit the City of Lights. Rodney had been hired two years ago to assist the 43-year-old Henrietta after her husband had died suddenly of a heart attack.

While he had never been to Paris in April – or at any other time of the year for that matter – it must be better than another spring in Belgium. Rodney had been hired in London, which was not known for great weather, but at least London had a brightness to it compared to dreary Brussels. If he had known more about the Continent, he might have passed on this job. But Henrietta’s agent had made an offer that was substantial by domestic help standards, and Rodney had needed the extra money.

As he contemplated his plight of another season in Brussels, he noticed a carriage pull up in front of the apartment building. The driver waited with the horses while his assistant climbed the front stoop. Before the man could ring the bell, Rodney had opened the door and directed the man up the stairs. Henrietta lived on the third floor. When they reached her apartment, Rodney instructed the man to begin carrying the five suitcases arranged inside the door down to the carriage.

Carriage, Mum. And the weather is abysmal outside, Rodney called out as he opened the door.

I’ll be right there. Yes, I noticed the typical Belgium spring weather, Henrietta said as she walked down the hall toward the front door. I’ll lock up.

Right, Mum. Rodney said. He picked up two of the suitcases that had been left by the man. He escorted Henrietta down the stairs, and after loading the suitcases into the carriage, climbed in after his employer. The carriage attendant closed the carriage door. He made sure he sat opposite his employer so that they were face to face. Domestic help didn’t sit next to their employers. Maybe French or Italian domestics would sit next to their employers, but not British domestics.

The ride to the train station was a short one as Henrietta lived in the nicer part of central Brussels. While many of the rich company owners had taken to living in the countryside, Henrietta’s neighborhood still retained the safety and comfort required for the well-to-do.

Rodney, we have gone over your duties while I’m gone. You have your household account to keep you in necessities and the bank will be issuing your monthly pay as usual. If something comes up, I’ve left the name and address of my solicitor for you to contact, Henrietta said.

Yes, Mum. Everything will be fine. The last two years have worked out splendidly while you were away and I’m sure this year will be as routine. You’ll be returning at the end of May again this year, right Mum?

Yes, the end of May. You’ll have two months of light duty again. And you are still planning a three week stay back in London to visit relatives? Henrietta asked. Rodney did like the light duty during her vacations. He just had to keep the apartment clean. Without an employer around, he didn’t have any of his other duties to perform. He enjoyed the extra time reading and catching up on his correspondence with friends and family. And he also liked his opportunity to go and visit family back in England. Yes, he thought, this was a good position.

As the carriage rattled across the wet cobblestone streets, Henrietta suddenly looked to her right. Did you see that?

Rodney was taken aback. He had been half daydreaming about getting back to the soon-to-be-empty apartment and hadn’t noticed anything. What was it, Mum?

I thought I saw Wilhelm Vanderzanden riding a mount on that side street. You remember I’ve talked about my deceased husband’s oldest son. He and his brother, Otto, have filed a suit against me over their father’s will. That was one of the reasons I hired you. I don’t trust those two. They’ve been angry ever since Karl and I married. I wouldn’t put it past them to try something while I’m gone.

Henrietta got more agitated as she went on. You have my solicitor’s name and address if they cause any trouble. They could be looking to get into the apartment and retrieve their father’s belongings that they think rightfully belong to them.

Yes, Mum. I’ll be on the watch for any suspicious activity. You don’t need to concern yourself while you’re in Paris one bit, Rodney said. Things like this wouldn’t be happening in London. The Continent seems to be a place for scoundrels compared to home, Rodney thought.

The carriage pulled up to the front of the train station. A porter with a hand cart was motioned over by Rodney, and the suitcases were loaded. Henrietta paid off the carriage driver and his assistant. Rodney and Henrietta then led the porter through the bustle of Brussels Central Station. Carts and carriages of all types were pulling up and dropping off passengers as well as picking up arrivals. Everyone scurried through the rain as the entire station hummed with energy.

Henrietta already had her reservations, so she headed straight for the Paris platform down through the underpass and under the adjoining train tracks. Vendors were selling their wares down in the tunnels that moved the hordes of people from one platform to another. The porter worked hard to keep up on the stairs as he worked his cart up to the waiting area.

Platform 3 was reserved for the express train to Paris. The other platforms were just as crowded as other passengers waited for trains to other cities. Henrietta took up her usual spot at the far end of the platform. This would be where the First Class carriage would stop.

Rodney, I forgot to purchase those delightful chocolate croissants back at the patisserie by the flower stand. Would you be a dear? Run back there and buy me two. We have time and the food on the train just doesn’t compare.

Yes, Mum. I’ll be quick. Rodney took the money offered and quickly walked back to the stairs leading down to the tunnel. He would be back in ten minutes if the line at the patisserie wasn’t too long.

The line wasn’t long at all. He made his purchase and was headed up the stairs quicker than he thought. As he emerged from the tunnel, he noticed the crowd had grown waiting for the Paris train. He turned to his left and saw the train pulling into the station. It was still 200 yards or so up the track and although slowing, still traveled at a high rate of speed.

Rodney turned back and caught a view of his employer standing on the platform with the porter and his cart close to her left. The porter was a little closer to the edge of the platform as he was anxious to deposit his load in the train compartment and be ready for another customer. Both he and Henrietta were noticeably closer to the edge than other waiting passengers. That meant they were both nearer to the tracks with the speeding train quickly approaching.

The crowd tended to step back from the train as it pulled in to avoid the shower of steam, cinders, smoke and wind that the locomotive brought with it. Henrietta and the porter stood their ground which left them in front of everyone else on the platform. As the train slowed and approached Henrietta, Rodney noticed a dark figure in a heavy overcoat and a fedora hat pulled low over his face. The figure stepped up behind her.

Rodney was still too far away to see any details, but it was definitely a man about six inches taller than his employer. Suddenly, in horror, Rodney heard Henrietta scream and watched as she flew into the path of the oncoming locomotive. Everyone on the platform turned and saw Henrietta hit the tracks, fall down and was immediately run over by the moving train. It was over in a heartbeat. Henrietta’s mangled body was further torn apart as the stopping train rolled over the spot where she had fallen.

Everyone screamed and turned in horror to avoid seeing the gruesome results of tons of locomotive crushing the life out of Henrietta. Rodney ran to the spot and turned away. But he looked for the dark man who had been standing behind his employer. Rodney searched frantically. The crowd panicked as people headed to the stairs to get away from the carnage on the platform.

Rodney raced for the stairs to the tunnel, as there was no other escape for the dark man. When he got to the bottom of the stairs he looked both ways, but the crowd was so dense he couldn’t make out the person he had seen. He heard the whistle of the police as they came through the tunnel from the main station. Rodney turned back up the stairs. His job was to still to take care of his employer and the police needed his information.

Chapter 2

Moscow, Idaho, 2011

Sophia hit the switch for the walk signal on Highway 8. She held on tight to the leash of her best friend. Cresta was anxious to get across the highway to the small creek that flowed through Moscow, Idaho. Cresta was an eighty-five pound Bernese Mountain Dog with black hair and all the right highlights in brown and white for her breed, except for one fun difference. Cresta had beautiful white freckles on her nose.

Cresta was anxious to cross the road for her daily walk along the creek. Bernese Mountain Dogs were Swiss originally, and a cousin to a St. Bernard. Bred for pulling carts through the Alps, they were powerfully built with a large chest and extremely strong front legs. At times, it was all Sophia could do to hold the dog back, seeing as Sophia was close to eighty five pounds herself. And she hadn’t been bred for pulling carts.

As the cars began stopping for the flashing walk lights, Sophia eased Cresta out into the crosswalk. She checked to her left to make sure both westbound lanes of traffic had stopped. Too many times she had seen kids start across the highway and not pay attention. Then they would have a near miss of being hit by the second lane of traffic not stopping.

As Sophia entered the middle turn lane, she checked right to make sure that both lanes of the eastbound traffic had stopped. Cresta made sure crossing the five-lane highway was done quickly as she had her nose down and her front legs out. She was in her aggressive pull mode. Sophia more directed the charge than anything. As soon as Cresta reached the small creek, she put her nose down and relaxed. This was her morning sniffing time. Now it was a battle for Sophia the get Cresta to move from her smell routine.

The creek that passed through downtown Moscow still had water flowing even though it was the end of July. Paradise Creek generally carried water the whole year, although by August it was barely a trickle.

Moscow was located between two large hills, one north and one south. Sophia lived at the top of the hill to the north and had a large towering water tank behind her house that supplied water to the city.

Across from her hill was an even larger water tower on the south hill with a large University of Idaho logo on the side. The University campus covered the south slope below the water tower. The creek collected all the runoff from both hills. Sophia walked along the north edge of the campus which followed the stream. Paradise Creek eventually found its way to Pullman, Washington, another college town to the west.

Pullman was just eight miles away and the home of Washington State University. The Cougars were the cross-town rivals of the University of Idaho Vandals. But in this case, they were cross-state line rivals since the Idaho Washington State border lay just to the west of Moscow and essentially made up the western city limits.

Sophia turned east toward downtown Moscow because she was on a mission this morning. Tomorrow was the family float trip down the Salmon River and she had to talk to her dad. Sophia headed down 3rd street close to Ghormley Park. This had been a regular route for Sophia because she had just finished at West Park Elementary School in June. Come fall, she would be heading to Moscow Junior High School across town.

This was familiar territory for both Sophia and Cresta, and right up ahead was even more familiar territory. Her dad stood next to his Ford crew cab pickup talking to one of his employees. The truck had Bob Allen Construction on the side and the back tailgate was down. The two men were looking over plans rolled out on the tailgate.

Hi, Dad, Sophia said.

Hi, kiddo. How’s the morning walk with Cresta? Getting your arm pulled out of its socket? Bob said to his daughter. He loved giving her a hard time, especially when it came to walking Cresta. He had a hard time himself holding the Bernese back when she got her mind to go somewhere. He could only imagine how hard it was on Sophia.

Yeah, but I’m getting used to it. I just make sure I switch hands often so I get stretched out evenly. I don’t want to grow up with one side longer than the other, Sophia threw back at her dad. She could banter with her dad with the best of them.

You remember my foreman, Mike Eshelby, don’t you, Sophia? Bob asked.

Good morning, Mr. Eshelby, good to see you again, Sophia offered.

Come on, Sophia, Mike is fine. This is Idaho, not New York City. And good morning to you. And good morning to you too Miss Cresta. You’re looking cute as always with those freckles, Mike said.

Hey, Dad, if you have a minute I need to ask you something, Sophia inquired.

Hang on a minute, honey, I need to get Mike squared away since we’re going to be gone for a week, Bob said. Now, Mike, as we talked about, the crew needs to get the portable fencing in place all around the building. Put the fence out far enough so we can get around the building. Then get the recyclers in here to reclaim any of the windows, doors, and other wood they want. Have the crew pull out all the metal fixtures and take it back to the shop. There’s plenty of scrap iron in there and I’ve spotted some copper piping that’s actually survived. It’s amazing that it hasn’t been stolen for as long as this old building has been sitting here empty.

I can handle it, Boss, you get going and get loaded up for your float. The crew will be fine, Mike responded.

I know I’m leaving things in good hands. I’ll check in with you this afternoon. And Mike, remember, no heavy demolition equipment comes in ‘til I get back, Bob instructed.

Mike chuckled, Right, Boss. No demo till you come back. We’ll have all the prelims done and we’ll be ready to crunch this puppy up and haul it away.

The ‘puppy’ that Mike referred to was an old feed store that had stood on the corner of Ashley and 6th St. for over 100 years. The building had started out as a feed and grain business supporting the wheat farmers in the area.

West of Moscow rolled the Palouse: thousands of acres of rolling wheat fields, stretching from Idaho to the Columbia River in Central Washington, and from the Snake River to the south to mountains bordering Canada to the north. The area was an immense agriculturally rich area of farms and small farming communities.

Bob Allen Construction had purchased the building and the city block that it sat on for redevelopment. After all the useful stuff was taken out, the big excavator would come in and start chewing out parts of the building, loading it into dump trucks and hauling the remains off to the county landfill. According to the construction software management program Bob used, a new commercial building with apartments on the second story would be taking shape by mid-August.

The site was within the commercial area along W. 6th St. that supported the University of Idaho. With the growth of the University over the last ten years, it was an opportune time to improve the area between campus and downtown.

The University had just rebuilt the main entrance between campus and Hwy. 95, the main north-south road through Idaho. In fact, Hwy. 95 was the only north-south road in the entire state – at least the only one that went the entire length of Idaho.

Tying the campus commercial area to the commercial area of downtown was part of the University plan to improve its connection to the downtown area. And Sophia knew that making a few dollars for the Bob Allen Construction company was fine with its owner.

Suddenly Sophia disappeared from sight. Or more specifically, she left the area in a lateral movement as quick as a twelve-year-old, eighty-five-pound girl could move. Cresta was off the mark and heading fast for the old feed store. Sophia scrambled to keep up.

Bob and Mike both jumped at the explosion of four paws throwing dirt as well as the two small sneakers spinning hard to keep up. Cresta had seen a cat walking by and the instant-on switch had been activated. The cat made the quick life-and-death decision to seek immediate shelter and the feed store was the closest cover handy. Cresta was determined to be quicker and cut the cat off.

Except for the eighty-five-pound human anchor that Cresta pulled, the dog might have beat the cat to the small hole in the wall of the feed store. In fact, Cresta almost went through the old wood boards after the cat as the dog had so much momentum. Sophia finally could catch her breath and steady herself on her feet as Cresta attacked the wall trying to get through the hole.

Cresta! Sophia yelled. Stop it right now and leave that cat alone.

Cresta paid no attention. It was only Sophia pulling on the leash and the choke collar around Cresta’s neck that got her to move back from her mission. And even then, Cresta coughed as the choke collar did what it was designed to do. Finally Cresta turned away and could breathe once again.

Sophia admonished her buddy. Cresta, I don’t know why you have such a thing for cats. Some cat sure must have ticked you off when you were little. You need to get over it, you’re much bigger than they are now, Sophia added, chuckling.

Are you all right, kiddo? I thought you and Cresta were going to take out that wall all by yourselves. We don’t do demolition ‘til next week! her dad yelled laughing. You and Cresta are welcome to come back then and go at it. I think if we round up a few cats inside the building that Cresta will do the job all by herself. It sure would save money on excavator time. That elicited a big laugh out of Mike.

Hey, that would be cutting into the crew’s work. They won’t like getting put out of work by the Doginator, Mike laughingly added.

Very funny. I think one arm is longer that the other now, Sophia quipped.

If it’s your right arm, that’s good. Better to hit volleyballs with. Bob threw back.

Dad, can we talk now? I have something to ask you, Sophia said as she got Cresta settled down. Hopefully all the other cats in the neighborhood had picked up on the commotion and would be giving the area a wide berth.

Just in case, Sophia tied the dog leash to the Ford’s bumper. Let Cresta chase cats pulling a Ford F-250 for a change, she thought. She rubbed her shoulder to get her muscles and ligaments back into position. The quiet sound of Cresta licking herself showed she was happy with herself. A good cat chase per day and all was right with the world, Sophia thought.

Dad, about our float trip tomorrow, Sophia said opening the conversation as Mike headed off to check on the crew. I know that this trip has always been an annual get-together for you and your brothers. You guys have been floating some river together for longer than I’ve been around. I also know that when you started having kids that when we were old enough to float with you, that you’ve let us go. And I know that the Moms have never been included in the guys’ float trip and I’m glad that you let the daughters join in, Sophia continued.

Ah. Yes, honey. Is there a point to this story? Bob said as he smiled.

Yes, Daddy, there is, Sophia quickly added. Daddy, I know I’ve been down the Lower Salmon five times now and I love floating with you in the raft. I even love riding with the uncles in their rafts or with the older cousins when they get to row the rafts. I even enjoy rowing myself when you let me. But I was hoping this year that I was old enough to take a kayak. I’ve worked hard on my paddling the last two summers on the day trips we’ve done. I think I’m ready for the harder rapids, Sophia said. She gave her best ‘I’m too cute to say no to’ look to her dad.

After lingering longer than Sophia was prepared for, Bob finally relented to the wiles of his daughter and said, That would be fine, honey. I think you’re ready to take on Snow Hole and China Bar. Snow Hole and China Bar being the big rapids on the Lower Salmon.

Yippee! Did you hear that Cresta? I get to paddle the mighty Salmon all by myself, Sophia yelled excitedly.

Not quite all by yourself, Sophia. I’m sure one or two of your cousins will be kayaking also, Bob said. He tried to tone down the excitement level a bit.

Sophia had worked hard on her paddling skills whenever she got the chance. Her body grew stronger each year so she would be able to muscle her way through the rapids on the Lower Salmon.

Luckily they would be on the river with the flow below 5.000 cfs. When the Salmon River ran big water, the Lower Salmon was a whole different river. Slide Rapids was as big as anything on the Colorado River in the Grand Canyon. And the Grand Canyon was the measure that all other rivers compared to for big water rapids.

But the Allen family annual float trip was always scheduled for late July when the river flow slowed down. Lower water made for a more relaxed float trip with more sandy beaches available for camping. The water was warmer and the weather more reliable in July. All this added up to an enjoyable float with time to get caught up on everyone’s lives.

The lower water had also allowed the kids to go on the trip. When the Allen brothers starting having children, the talk each year was whether to include the kids on the brothers’ float trip when they got old enough.

Actually, there wasn’t much discussion since all the brothers wanted their children to grow up enjoying the bounty of rivers in Idaho. Often called the Whitewater State, Idaho had some of the most famous whitewater rivers in the country. Not learning to enjoy all the rivers Idaho had to offer would be inconceivable to the Allen brothers. They had starting running rivers when still in their teens and couldn’t imagine life without floating on them each year.

The first big problem however came when Sophia was born. Before Sophia, the brothers had produced three boys. Sophia was the first female Allen grandchild. No females had ever been invited on the Allen brothers’ annual float trip. As Sophia grew out of her baby years, talk turned to whether Sophia would join the men on the trip. Actually, it wasn’t much of a discussion as none of the uncles would deny any of the grandkids the opportunities that they themselves had learned to love all these years.

The hard part of the discussion was what would happen if the wives asked to go along on the brothers’ trip. A solution was conceived before Sophia’s first trip on the the annual float trip.

The Allen brothers adopted the Allen Family Float Vacation in August each year, a couple of weeks after their July float trip. Although not a week-long trip like they were about to have, the family would meet on the South Fork of the Payette and spend time floating each day on a different section of the Payette River. The wives liked this plan because the brothers had campers and RVs and would bring them along. The wives could then enjoy a lot more comfort than sitting and sleeping on a sandbar each night. Everyone liked this arrangement – especially the brothers – because they got to float and fish for close to two weeks per year.

Load up, Sophia, we need to head home and get our gear packed. I have to stop at the bank on the way. Come on, Cresta, you get your favorite seat, Bob said. Cresta seemed to