Bitter Grapes

Jana's big green eyes popped open. Disoriented, she sat up, alarm bells ringing in her mind. She squinted trying to make sense of her surroundings. It was pitch black and she was shivering. "I'm not at home," she thought "Where am I?" She wracked her memory, but nothing was coming, only a wave of dizziness. Jana tried bringing her hands up to her face to wipe her eyes, but she couldn't, well, at least not with her left hand. Her left hand jerked and there was a sharp pain. She cried out and then froze, holding her breath, listening to see if she had woken anyone or...anything. Silence. Reaching over with her free right hand to see if she could feel what was binding her left: a rope? Jana also felt something tacky and wet. Jana moaned realizing when she yanked her arm up, she had cut herself and now her wrist was bleeding. Panic began to build in Jana's chest again as she frantically searched her mind for memories of how she had gotten here, who had tied her up, and how to get out when she couldn’t see anything.

"Jana dear, can you come help Mr. Henderson with putting this art piece in his car, please?" Elaine Gillean waved a bespangled arm. Elaine, Jana's boss at the local art gallery, was a 52-year-old powerhouse. Elaine owned and ran Uptown Art Galleria since she herself was a young 20-something artist and had made it her mission to hire young artists like Jana to work straight out of art school. This is exactly what happened when Jana graduated art school and at her final showcase, Elaine introduced herself and offered Jana a job. One of the biggest perks for Jana, along with being able to admire and learn from the works of other local artists, was that Elaine allowed Jana a single gallery wall to display her own art for sale. She hadn't sold much, but she was excited to at least have people seeing her work alongside more notable artists.

"Sure thing, Elaine!" Jana chirped cheerfully as she set down the duster she had been using to clean the art pieces. She walked over to the pair standing with a large piece of canvas wrapped in protective brown paper for the ride home. "Did you find something beautiful to take home with you today?" Jana said with a big smile.

"I did if you're offering to come home with me, but then again, we just met." The man standing with Elaine flashed a coy smile on brilliantly white teeth that Jana thought must've cost a fortune. He was an attractive man, fitting the tall dark and handsome stereotype to a tee. His dark brown hair, cool blue eyes, and fit physique were definitely enough to make Jana blush at his words. "Hi, I'm Mark, Mark Henderson." He extended his hand.

"Hello, I'm Mclain. I mean Jana, I mean, Can I help with that?" Jana tried to suppress her embarrassment and reached for the canvas. "Where are we taking this Mr. Henderson?" Jana picked up the piece and placed it squarely between them to create some distance. She knew she was acting like a teenager and she wanted to quell the feelings quickly.

"Just to my car, the blue BMW, just across the street." He gestured with his hand. Jana began to walk quickly toward the door carrying the painting. Mr. Henderson followed. He removed a set of keys from his blazer pocket and unlocked the trunk. As he lifted the trunk lid Jana noticed there was a large wooden crate in his trunk with the word 'FRAGILE' stamped across it. "I apologize," he said quickly, "I forgot that was in there, do you think the piece will still fit?"

"I think so, there should still be enough room to lay it on top." Jana began maneuvering the piece atop the crate. The sound of ripping paper made her heart drop and she stopped cold. The protective brown paper had gotten caught on the trunk latch and ripped all the way down. Terrified she had damaged what was likely a very expensive piece of art, Jana hurriedly pulled the painting back out, removed the paper and examined the canvas. "I'm so sorry Mr...Oh!" she exclaimed, surprised by what she saw on the canvas. It was Jana. A self-portrait she had done as a student. Something she had in her portfolio but it hadn't even been on display. Suddenly her own words inquiring if he had found something beautiful came back to her and she was mortified. Why had Elaine sold him this piece, why did he even want it? Jana realized Mr. Henderson was watching her look at herself and she tried to find some sort of professionalism. "The art piece looks undamaged. would you like me to rewrap it for you?" Looking up at Mr. Henderson's face, he now seemed uncomfortable and nervous.

"No, no, it's my fault for having that crate in there anyway. the piece isn't damaged, so no harm done." Half smile. He then took the painting, laid it down and hastily shut the trunk. "Thanks for all your help, Miss. Mclain." Nodding, he turned to get in the car, but then turned back around. Jana hadn't moved, unsure of what to think. "I'm the owner of a vineyard," he blurted, "Maybe you've heard of it? it's called Vine and Barrel?" Jana shook her head. "Can I maybe buy you a glass of wine to show there are no hard feelings? After work of course." Nervousness gone now; the smooth-talking suave guy returned.

"Thank you so much for the offer, Mr. Henderson, but I think I'll have to pass." Jana didn't know if he was asking her out or not, but she had a strict personal rule of not mixing business with pleasure. "However, if your art ever needs to be retouched or you need something else, please let me know." She smiled and began to walk back across the street to the gallery. An uneasy feeling washed over her though as she could feel him watching her walk away. However, upon opening the gallery door and hearing his engine rev and him drive away, Jana relaxed. Time to get back to work.

Ripped from her memory, Jana heard something moving in the darkness. She squinted her eyes in hopes to see something, anything. A swishing noise and then a low “whooooo” and realization dawned. There was an owl in here, wherever here was. “How did you get in here Mr. Owl,” Jana thought to herself, “Do you know the way out?” Even with as little as her eyes could see, she could tell the owl was perched somewhere above her. Looking up she said “Hi there, shall I call you Wilson?” Jana chuckled to herself at her own joke. “At least you’re actually alive and not a just a volleyball, right?” Another low hoot came from above. Had he answered her? Was she already that far gone she was losing her mind?

Jana began to hear footsteps and froze. It was definitely coming from outside. She closed her eyes and listened intently. Realizing someone may be there to do her harm, Jana opened her eyes again, tense with fear. Suddenly shadows started bouncing around at what Jana could only infer was the door. The dancing shadows continued but the footsteps stopped. Jana could feel her heart hammering like horses on a track. She stopped breathing. Slowly the door slid open with a creak that only old wood can make. Jana blinked. The light was not bright, just a simple kerosene lantern, but after the total darkness the light stung her eyes. As her eyes adjusted to what she was seeing, a man, in blue jeans and dirty red t shirt, wearing what looked like hiking boots stood in the doorway. Jana looked at his face. The man wore a stern scowl; his tanned skin was quite wrinkled for how young he looked and belied a lot of work in the sun. Jana could see not much if any hair peeking out of his baseball hat. The man studied her looking down at her wrist, covered in a cut and now dried, blood. No recognition flashed between the two. Jana had no idea who this man was or why he’d taken her.

“What do you want?” Jana asked. “I don’t have any money, I'm the only child of divorced parents and my dad isn’t even alive anymore, my mom works as a librarian. I really have nothing to offer you.” Jana gulped down surge of acid that filled her throat as she prayed that was true.

“Oh, you have something we want, it’s just not your money. Funny really because it IS going to make us a lot of money. If you keep up your end of the deal, you might even make a little something too.” His voice was gravely and low, not like he was disguising it, but like he was hoarse from talking too much. Jana recalled every cop show she had ever seen. Something terrible was about to happen to her and she just knew it. ‘Sex trafficking?” she thought, “But if I’m being trafficked, why am I alone? Shouldn’t there be a bunch of us?” Snapped once again from her mental wandering another voice broke the silence and lantern guy turned just enough for the room to be dark again.

“Is she awake? Is she fighting? Did she agree to work for us like the boss said she would?” Jana couldn't see whomever was talking, but the voice was high and nasally reminding her of a male version of Janice from “Friends.” Jana then reflected on the word Boss, thinking that perhaps she had been taken by some sort of mafia. Picturing male Janice in her mind she thought Italian Mafia? “Wait...” another thought hit her like a ton of bricks, “work with them? Not for them, but with them?”

“I haven’t gotten there yet, give me a second, will ya! She is awake and not fighting, but she might refuse and then things could get interesting!” Lantern guy gave a terse laugh. Jana tensed and moved backwards slightly, her back suddenly against something rough and hard. Jana didn’t dare look away from the door to see what it might be. Turning back toward her the room lit up again and Lantern guy spoke again. “So, Miss. Mclain, do you think you’ll work with us? Or do we need to go a... different route?” The pause made the hair on the back of Jana’s neck stand up.

“I don’t know what you want from me though! How can I help you if I don’t know what it is you want?” Jana was shouting, partly to try and convince Lantern guy that she wasn’t afraid and partly in the hopes someone might hear her. Lantern guy simply stared at her blankly.

“I’ll be back. I’ll explain when I return, but really, the boss already assured us that you could do it. So, you will.” He set the lantern down and walked back out the door, sliding it closed. For the first time Jana was able to really look around at where she was. She was in a barn; A rope was tied tightly around her wrist with a very complicated knot that Jana was sure was tied by either a sailor or a boy scout. She was tied to a barn support pole, a very thick one. There wasn’t much in the barn that she could see. Quickly, remembering the hooting, Jana looked up scanning the rafters for Wilson. There he was, right above her, a beautiful brown barn owl. Wilson was asleep and something about that made Jana’s heartrate slow slightly. Animals sense danger, don’t they? Surely if he sensed danger he would’ve flown out of here. Jana continued studying the barn and as she turned to look at the wall behind her, realizing that she was not leaning against a wooden wall at all. It was composed of several large stacked wooden crates. A tingling of recognition made itself known in Jana's consciousness. A little bit of lettering was stamped on the side, but Jana couldn’t quite make out what it said.

Her memory flashed, a bit hazy, but a familiar face came into focus, and Jana felt like a lightbulb had gone off in her mind! Jana knew who must be behind this! She closed her eyes again, attempting to recall every detail of what had happened thus far and to figure out why. Jana clearly saw Mr. Henderson’s face, but his motivations remained a mystery. Outside of the fact that maybe he was obsessed with her? After all he had bought a literal painting of her. She thought back to that day and if she remembered anything from their interaction that might have given her some clue. Mr. Henderson had asked me to come home with him, hadn’t he? He also asked me out for a drink. Jana was wondering if maybe he had been trying to get her alone. A small moment before Jana went over to help with the painting came back to her. When Elaine and Mr. Henderson were talking. There was a moment where the two seemed to be leaning in and whispering. They had stopped when Jana looked in their direction but assumed maybe they were discussing the price of a piece and some people like to be very hush hush when they discuss money. Maybe it was something more sinister?

A noise reverberated in the big empty barn, a barn owl flapping his broad wings. Jana looked back up at Wilson “How am I supposed to get out of here, huh? Get away from this creep?” She looked around but found no sharp objects and doubted she had the time to untie the complicated knot before Lantern guy returned. As if on cue the sound of footsteps grew louder outside the sliding barn door and Lantern guys deep voice could be heard, but no one else’s so Jana assumed Lantern guy must be on the phone. She was, however, able to strain and hear the tail end of the conversation.

“Yeah, boss, I’m brining the stuff now. You’re sure she can do this? Wouldn’t it have been easier to just ask her? I understand boss. Bye.” The door slid open and Lantern guy appeared holding a tote and an…easel? Jana was really confused now. Jana was no professional artist, none of her work had even sold for more than two hundred dollars, she was no Leonardo Davinci. Lantern guy began setting up what looked like specialty paints and what looked like very old papyrus paper. Oh no. Realization dawned. They want me to forge a painting! A painting of what though? My technique is nothing like any of the greats. Jana waited with bated breath to see which artwork she was supposed to be replicating, though Jana thought she would resist and make excuses if she could, but Lantern Guy’s “other options” threat popped back to mind. When the last thing that Lantern Guy pulled from the bag was an empty wine bottle Jana was perplexed all over again.

“Here is everything you will need Miss. Mclain. Here is a photo of what you need to replicate, exactly.” Lantern Guy handed Jana a photograph of a bottle of wine. Pictured were both the front and back of the bottle. The photo was crystal clear. There were dark stains and beautiful scrawl that said Romanee-conti circa 1945. “You will make a label to match this bottle and if the wine sells at auction next week and you have kept your mouth shut, “ he paused for effect, “You will be compensated for your work. Potentially we will contact you again in the future.” Jana opened her mouth to argue that she would indeed not offer her skills to commit a crime, but at this point she knew who was responsible and where she was, now she just needed to figure out how to escape!

“Can I at least have both of my hands to paint?” Jana asked petulantly holding up her tied wrist. Lantern guy looked at her and shook his head a smug look on his face that said, do you think I am an idiot? “Fine. Now go so I can work.” He nodded and turned toward the door. He walked out, turned and made eye contact one last time as he slowly slid the door closed. Jana looked at the paintbrushes, paints and antique paper he had brought. There was nothing Jana saw that she could use to escape. She did contemplate breaking the paintbrush, but there was no guarantee that would work and if Lantern Guy was to return and she had not escaped there could be a consequence. “What do I do, Wilson?” Jana looked up to her feathered friend. Jana bent down to pick up her paintbrush and tripped over the rope binding her wrist. In the midst of falling Jana knocked the easel over and it crashed with a loud clacking noise. Jana screamed, a new surge of pain coming as the rope once again dug into her already damaged skin. Wilson hooted loudly and began to flap his wings. “Oh no!” Wilson left his place in the rafters and came diving down towards Jana. Panicking she curled into a ball and covered her face. Then, nothing happened. No owl talons scratched her nor wings flapping in her face. Jana lifted her head just enough to see Wilson flying past the lantern that had been left on the floor toward the door. However, the door was closed. As Wilson descended his wing grazed the top of the lantern knocking it over. Jana was first afraid that the light was going to be extinguished, then a whole new terror came when she realized that the lantern had cracked. Kerosene was slowly spilling onto the ground and moving toward the end of the row of wooden crates. These crates were made of wood and flammable, but what frightened Jana even more was the idea that they may be full of highly flammable alcohol! The flame began to spark spreading quickly into the puddle of kerosene in a straight line toward the crates. Jana started screaming. “Help! Fire! Someone!” she heard nothing and she presumed Lantern Guy wanted it that way. Jana gulped cursing her owl friend who had returned to the rafters to escape the flames. Well, I didn’t think that if I was going to end up hurt during all of this it would have been a barn owl to cause my death! The flames began licking the side of the wooden crate and although it was far enough away, Jana knew she didn’t have much time. She couldn’t move very far with her tether, but she thought that if maybe she curled up the paper, she could reach the flames with it. Fashioning a tube out of the paper Jana extended her body as far as she could reaching the paper out to touch the edge of the flames. The roll lit up and Jana knew she had to work fast! Holding her makeshift torch to the rope a few inches from her skin the rope began to burn. Soon Jana was able to pull her wrist away, the rope breaking but still burning like a very long wick on a candle. Unsure of what might be on the other side of the barn door, she guessed it couldn’t be as bad as burning to death. Jana ran to the barn door and slid it open, a loud whooshing noise over her head let her know that Wilson, her almost killer, but actual savior, had escaped the burning barn. Jana heard breaking glass behind her and began to run down a dirt path. There were grape vines on either side of her and in the darkness, she had no idea where she was running. Thankful that she always wore tennis shoes to work Jana kept going until the dirt road ended. She paused momentarily, breathing labored, to look around. As she did a bright light clicked on and shone right in her face. Squinting she couldn’t tell where it was coming from but assumed that Lantern guy had found her. “Please! I ran because the barn was on fire, you don’t have to hurt me!” As if proving her point a large explosion erupted behind her, no doubt from the alcohol finally catching fire. In the glow that emanated from the blaze Jana could now see the face of the person holding a heavy tactical flashlight. Mr. Henderson?! Jana tried to make sense of what she was seeing. There stood Mr. Henderson holding a flashlight and dressed in a bulletproof vest that read “POLICE” across the front.

“You’re a cop?” Jana yelled, confused all over again. “Then why are we at your vineyard and who took me?” Mr. Henderson produced a badge and I.D. from his pocket.

“My name is James, actually. James Hendricks. No joke.” A reassuring smile. “How about we go somewhere safe and talk.” He held out his arm pointing toward an area in the distance that was now covered in SWAT officers, police vehicles and spotlights. Jana could see a handcuffed Lantern Guy being put into the back of a police car.

The conference room at the police station wasn’t much warmer than Jana imagined an interrogation room was. A long table, Uncomfortable desk chairs and fluorescent lighting. It was charming, really or maybe that was James? After taking Jana to have her wrist looked at, he provided a fast-food dinner and a hot cup of tea. He had made small talk, telling her that they would debrief when they got back to his precinct. However, upon Jana blushing at the term ‘debrief’ James had quickly changed his wording to taking her statement.

“So, what is actually going on officer? Clearly you are not the vineyard owner named Mark Henderson, whom I thought had kidnapped me because you were some sort of creepy stalker. Then whom I thought was a criminal art forger and lastly a wine forger.” Jana chuckled at her own errors, but definitely was in need of some answers.

“Listen, it’s kind of a long story. Two years of an investigation and six months of undercover work long. We got wind of a counterfeiter who was selling fraudulent items at private auctions. Come to find out your boss Elaine, was taking young art students who needed jobs based on their specific skill sets and basically forced and then blackmailed them into helping, telling them that since they accepted the money they were given if they were caught, they would be charged as an accomplice. Considering that they kept quiet. You are the fourth employee Elaine has done this to and the most recent scam was for a vintage wine auction, so I stepped in as Mr. Henderson, poking around the galleria and Elaine and keeping an eye on you. I thought it was only fair to buy one of your art pieces since the police were footing that bill.” He smiled. Jana couldn’t believe that the kindly older woman who had offered her a job, drugged her tea and ordered her to be held captive and forced to commit a crime using the very talents Elaine claimed to admire about Jana. Thankfully she had not painted anything illegal and escaped relatively unscathed. Jana glanced down at her bandaged wrist. Looking back up at James, who now was saying something about her being called for court in the future and other details, Jana’s mind wandered. She pondered the wine that must’ve been in the barn and the counterfeit wine Jana had learned they were hoping to sell for over three hundred thousand dollars. Jana wondered what it might’ve tasted like. Bitter grapes, she decided, the wine must’ve tasted like bitter grapes. At least for Elaine and her crew of forgers. For Jana, however, it was pretty sweet, even if she was now out of a job.