Silent Witness

by Patricia H. Rushford

  “But they were talking about a murder.”

  “Yes, well unfortunately, murders aren’t that rare today—especially in Portland.”

  Annoyed that Gram didn’t find her discovery as enticing as she did, Jennie took a bite of what was supposed to a fiber bar, and grimaced. It tasted more like cardboard. Too hungry to fuss, she ate it anyway and washed it down with a ginger ale.

  “It probably doesn’t mean a thing,” Gram turned back to her. “But, just to satisfy your curiosity, why don’t you see if you can talk to them?”

  As soon as she finished her meal and the carts had vacated the aisle, Jennie slipped out of the seat. It felt good to stretch. Even though Gram had given her the outside seat, she felt like one big cramp. Jennie made her way to the bathroom located at the back of the first-class section.

  While she used the facilities, Jennie rehearsed what she’d say to Maggie. Should she get right to the point? “Excuse me, but I overheard you talking about the bomb threat and a murder and was just curious …” Get real, McGrady, an opening like that would probably get you ejected from the plane. Not a pleasant experience at twenty thousand feet. Maybe you could just ask her about Sarah. “Excuse me,” she could say, “I couldn’t help noticing that your daughter seems a little strange.” Strange? Maybe you should forget it, McGrady. Ifs none of your business, and after this flight you’ll probably never see them again anyway.

  She wasn’t sure why, but Jennie was more nervous than she’d been when she’d had to read her history report in front of the entire junior class. Her palms were sweating, and she felt as if a thousand butterflies were about to take off in her stomach. Jennie eased out of the cubicle and stepped into the first-class section.

  “Can I help you?” Jennie whirled around and came face-to-face with a smiling flight attendant.

  “I … ah …” The butterflies took off. “I was just …”Jennie broke off as she noticed she was standing next to Maggie and Sarah’s seats. They were both sound asleep. Jennie smiled back at the woman. “I was going to talk to Maggie and Sarah, but they’re sleeping. Maybe I’ll try later.”

  The flight attendant nodded. “Do you want me to tell you when they wake up?”

  “No … I’ll catch them during the layover in St. Louis.” Jennie made her way back to her seat and folded her lanky body into her allotted space. “I think I’ll design airplanes when I grow up,” she said to Gram. “The first thing I’ll do is put in wide seats with lots of leg room.”

  Gram, Jennie, and their seatmate talked for a while about developing the perfect airplane, and in what seemed like only a few minutes, the pilot announced their arrival in St. Louis.

  By the time Jennie and Gram emerged from the tunnel, Maggie and Sarah had disappeared. Give it up, McGrady, Jennie told herself. Think about Gram. You’re here to spend time with her, not to try and solve another mystery. Besides, the last one should have cured you. But it hadn’t. Jennie had to admit that after the diamond caper, even though she had come close to losing her life, she was more into solving mysteries than ever.

  Jennie resolved not to think any more about Maggie and Sarah. Instead she would concentrate on two things—talking Gram into finding Dad and having a good time in Florida. Make that a great time.

  3

  Even though Jennie had decided not to think any more about Maggie and Sarah, she couldn’t help looking for them as she and Gram hurried through the St. Louis terminal. “It just isn’t fair,” she muttered as they waited in line to board their flight.

  “What isn’t fair?” Gram looked up from the newspaper she was reading and slipped her reading glasses down on her nose.

  “Maggie and Sarah. Those people I was telling you about. I admit I’m really curious about them, but there’s something more. I can’t stop thinking about them. And, well … I can’t explain it, but I have this eerie feeling that Sarah’s in danger. And now they’re gone.”

  “And you feel frustrated because you were hoping you could help?”

  “Yeah. I don’t know how, but maybe you and I …”

  Gram smiled. “You and I are very much alike, Jennie. I meet people nearly every day who are in need or troubled. I wish I could help them all, but it’s simply not possible.”

  “Are you saying I should forget about them?”

  “No, not forget, exactly. But you might think about doing what I do.”

  “What?”

  “I pray.” Gram folded her paper, set it aside, and removed her glasses. Jennie cringed. Gram was about to share one of her “theological insights.” That usually meant an in-depth discussion on something Jennie didn’t especially want to hear. But Jennie indulged her, partly because what Gram had to say usually made sense, but mostly because she adored Gram and didn’t want to hurt her feelings. Gram’s deep blue eyes turned thoughtful. “You see, Jennie, I don’t think anything happens to us by chance.”

  “You mean, like there’s a purpose for everything?”

  Gram nodded. “God often gives us glimpses into other people’s lives. You may never have the chance to talk to them, but you can help by praying for them. Sometimes that’s the only help we can give.”

  The ticket agent called for passengers to board, and as Jennie made her way through the gate and onto the plane, she did pray for Maggie and Sarah, especially for Sarah. God, I don’t know what’s going on, but keep her safe. Then as an afterthought Jennie added, … and if it’s all the same to you, could you let me see them again so I can find out what this murder thing is all about?

  This time as they took their seats, Jennie was pleased to see that she and Gram occupied the only two seats on their side of row fifteen. No seatmate. That meant Jennie could talk to Gram about finding Dad. As she rehearsed what she’d say, the butterflies started in again.

  For Pete’s sake, McGrady, Jennie lectured herself, this is your grandmother. What are you nervous about? Just tell her how you feel about Dad being alive, then ask her to help you find him. What’s so hard about that? But Jennie wasn’t nervous, she realized. She was afraid. She’d been waiting for just the right time to talk with Gram, and this was it. But what if Gram said no?

  Jennie glanced over at Gram and gave her a weak smile.

  “Did you want to talk about Maggie and Sarah some more?” Gram said gently.

  “No,” Jennie answered. “I just … I was just thinking about how much my dad looks like you.” That wasn’t exactly what she’d meant to say, but as the words escaped her lips, she realized how true they were. Even though Gram’s skin was wrinkled and her hair had turned gray, there was something about her expression and her eyes.

  Gram’s smile vanished, and her deep blue eyes clouded with tears.

  Nice going, McGrady. “I’m sorry,” she mumbled and turned away.

  Gram put a comforting hand on Jennie’s arm. “It’s all right. I always get teary when I think of Jason … your father. I don’t think a parent ever gets over losing a child. Even when they’re grown. If you want to talk about him, it’s okay.”

  “I don’t want to just talk about him. I want to find him.” Jennie groaned inwardly. So much for diplomacy. Well, now that I’ve jumped in, I might as well keep swimming. “What I mean is, I … well … Mom is going to marry Michael and I have to find Dad so she won’t.”

  “Oh, my dear girl. I had no idea you were so unhappy about your mother and Michael. You seemed to be handling it so well.” Gram took hold of Jennie’s hand. “Maybe we better talk a little more about this.”

  Jennie took a deep breath and tried to organize her jumbled thoughts. “Okay. It isn’t just about Mom and Michael. I’ve been wanting to search for Dad ever since he disappeared. I miss him so much. You know how you always said you felt that Dad was alive? You said what happened to Dad was like a story without an ending. You still feel like that, don’t you?”

  Gram leaned back against the seat
and closed her eyes. Jennie’s chest felt tight and she couldn’t breath. She’s going to say the same thing Mom and Aunt Kate said, that Dad is dead and I need to accept the fact. She’s going to say no.

  “Yes,” Gram whispered and opened her eyes again. “Yes, I do.”

  Jennie let out the breath she’d been holding. “Then you’ll help me find him?”

  Gram shook her head. “I didn’t say that. Jennie, I understand how you must feel. After his disappearance I hired private detectives and had every law enforcement agency in the country looking for him. We hit nothing but dead ends. All we have is a record of the flight plan he filed and a recording of his mayday call to the Sea-Tac tower.”

  “So you’ve given up too?” Jennie pulled her hand away and folded her arms against her chest.

  “I’ll never give up completely, but I just don’t think it would do any good to launch another investigation.”

  “Well, I have to. And if you won’t help me, I’ll just have to do it myself. Maybe J. B. will help. She said he thought Dad was still alive.”

  “You’re really intent on doing this, aren’t you?”

  Jennie nodded. “I want my dad back. And I have to stop Mom from marrying Michael.”

  “Even if we could find your father, I doubt …” She hesitated, but Jennie knew what she’d planned to say.

  “I know, there’s no guarantee that Mom will take him back.” Mom hated his working for the FBI, hated the danger and the days and weeks when he’d have to be away from home working on some important assignment. Mom had never understood how important that work was. Jennie reached out and placed her hand on Gram’s arm. “I know it probably sounds crazy, but I have to try.”

  “Well, I can’t promise anything, but I will talk to J. B. about it when we get home. It’s been a while … who knows, something may have surfaced.”

  Hope ballooned in Jennie and she burst into a wide grin. “Thanks.”

  As soon as they reached the hotel, Jennie rescued Nick’s blanket and Coco from her suitcase and arranged with the manager at the front desk to Express Mail them back home. Back in her room she placed a call to Nick and her mom to let them know the valuable cargo was on its way. After assuring Mom that everything was fine, she talked to Nick.

  “Hi, little buddy. How are you feeling?”

  “Fine. Michael’s playing horsey with me. Kurt’s here and we’re gonna watch a movie and have pizza and everything.”

  “I miss you, pumpkin, but I’ll be home before you know it.”

  “Okay, I gotta go. Bye.”

  Jennie was glad he’d gotten over her leaving, but at the same time felt a twinge of disappointment. He could have at least said he missed her too. Quit acting like a baby, McGrady. You should be thankful he’s okay.

  She talked with her mom for a few more minutes, then donned her blue Speedo swimsuit, a matching cover-up, and thongs. “Want to join me at the pool, Gram?” Jennie called through the bathroom door.

  “Sounds great, but I need to make some phone calls first. You go on ahead, I’ll be down in a few minutes. Oh, here,” Gram opened the door, “you’ll need this.” Jennie grabbed the thick white towel and headed for the Olympic-size pool in the hotel courtyard. Orlando was a balmy eighty-three degrees, and even though it was getting dark, Jennie didn’t want to waste a minute of her Florida vacation.

  The next morning, in shorts, sandals, sunscreen, and sunglasses, Jennie and Gram headed south. They reached their first stop around noon—Dolphin Playland on Miracle Key, near Key Largo. They grabbed a quick lunch at the theme park’s adjoining restaurant and resort. Part of Gram’s interview was to tour the facilities and watch the sea lions and dolphins perform. Jennie had been invited to join them. As they made their way toward the park entrance, they encountered six demonstrators carrying picket signs. A young woman in denim shorts and a pink tank top and a shirtless guy in tattered cut­offs approached Jennie and Gram. The woman, probably college-age, carried a sign that read, STOP EXPLOITING DOLPHINS. The guy’s sign read, DOLPHIN KILLERS.

  “Hi, I’m Melissa and this is Scott. We’re with the DPA—that’s the Dolphin Protection Agency. You might want to read this before you go in.” She handed them each a flyer.

  Jennie scanned the paper titled, “Dolphin Killers.” Under the heading was a newspaper article about a dolphin named Maria who had died at Dolphin Playland from unknown causes. The flyer went on to say the DPA suspected foul play. The dolphin had been disposed of before the agency could do an autopsy.

  Jennie looked up and found Scott scowling at her. “You’re going in there anyway, aren’t you?” He stepped forward, his face only inches from hers. His sea-green eyes flashed with anger.

  Jennie backed away. “I … ah, my grandmother …”

  “People like you make me sick,” Scott went on. “All you care about is having a good time.”

  “That’s not fair,” Jennie flashed back. “You don’t know anything about us.” She straightened to her full height and faced him eyeball-to-eyeball. The brief look of surprise on his face told Jennie he wasn’t as tough as he appeared.

  “Yeah? Show me. I’ll bet you ten bucks that you go in, even after reading that article.”

  “Yes.” Gram put a hand on his arm as if to draw him away from Jennie. “You’re absolutely right, young man. She is going inside.” Gram handed him a twenty-dollar bill. When he didn’t take it, she took hold of his hand and stuffed the money into his fist. “We both are.”

  Scott opened his mouth to protest, but Gram continued. “We’re going in, but not for the reason you think.”

  Gram introduced herself and Jennie and explained why she was there. “I’m gathering information, pro and con, about dolphin research. Then I will put together what I feel are fair and honest articles. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m late for my appointment.”

  “I’m sorry for the hassle, Mrs. McGrady,” Melissa said. “Scott hasn’t been with us too long, and he tends to get carried away.”

  “So I see. Well, young man, if you think you can hold your temper, I’ll be happy to sit down with you when I’m through here and listen to your side in all this.”

  Scott seemed surprised at her offer. “Th … that would be great.”

  “Then, I’ll meet you here at about two-thirty.”

  “Oh …” His eyes clouded, reminding Jennie of fog settling on the ocean. “I can’t … I have to get back to Key West—I work for Waterworks Cruises and have to take the sunset cruise tonight.”

  Gram smiled. “That’s fine. We’ll be staying in Key West for the next couple of nights. You can reach me at this number.” Gram scribbled the number on the back of one of her business cards and handed it to him. When he reached for it, the twenty-dollar bill fell to the ground.

  “Oh,” he flashed Gram an embarrassed grin. “I forgot I had this. Here …” He scooped it up and handed it to her. “I guess you’ll want it back.”

  “Keep it.” Gram held up her hand. “Consider it a donation to the DPA.”

  Melissa and Scott both murmured thank-you’s as Jennie and Gram made their way into Dolphin Playland. “He’s a nice boy, don’t you think?”

  “Nice?” Jennie grimaced. “He’s obnoxious and arrogant and …” She turned back. Scott was still watching her. Their gazes met, and Jennie felt fluttering in her stomach. She turned abruptly and followed Gram inside. Good grief, McGrady, have you lost your mind? The guy’s a total jerk. But despite his less-than-charming personality, Jennie realized she was looking forward to seeing him again.

  4

  At two-thirty Jennie and Gram passed through Dolphin Playland’s exit bars. The protesters still stalked the entrance, handing out brochures and trying to talk people out of going inside. Scott and Melissa were gone.

  “I still don’t see what the big deal is,” Jennie said. “I mean, it’s no different than Sea World
or a zoo. It’s fun and educational to see the animals and pet them. I had a great time.”

  “It was fun,” Gram agreed. “Although I wasn’t too crazy about petting the sharks. I loved watching the dolphins and sea lions perform. And they seemed to be having as good a time as the audience.”

  “From the way Scott and Melissa were talking, I wasn’t sure what to expect. I still can’t understand what the protesters are so upset about.”

  “I guess we’ll just have to ask Scott.” Gram unlocked the car they’d rented, a white LeBaron convertible. “Would you like to drive for a while?” Gram asked. “I’d like to go over my notes.” At Jennie’s enthusiastic yes, she handed Jennie the keys and climbed in the passenger side.

  “Where to?” Jennie asked as she followed the arrows leading out of the parking lot.

  “Just get on the main road and head south.”

  Jennie giggled. “I know that. I meant where’s our next stop?”

  “Grassy Key. The Dolphin Research Center there. We’ll go on a tour and talk briefly with the director. I really wish I had more time to spend there. It’s one of the best dolphin research centers in the country.”

  “So why aren’t we staying longer then? We’ve got two weeks.”

  “The program there is similar to the one on Dolphin Island up near Fort Myers. The directors are good friends and have invited us to stay as long as we want for free. That way I’ll be able to get a real feel for what dolphin research is all about. I think what will be most fascinating is seeing how dolphin therapy works firsthand.”

  Jennie eased the car onto the freeway, then asked, “What’s dolphin therapy?”

  “Basically, it’s using the dolphins and the way they interact with humans to treat people who might benefit from it. Some psychologists feel they can be helpful in treating certain clients.”

  “Oh, yeah. You mean like that little boy with Down’s syndrome in the article you gave me. His mom said since she started bringing him to the dolphin center he’s gotten a lot better. I saw the show on one of the news programs too. That was so cool.”