Code Redhead - A Serial Novel

by Sharon Kleve

  “No. Lots of other military patients enjoy the park.”

  She helped him into a wheelchair and outside. They called California the Golden State and he could see why. The sun was golden heat on his back and the sea air fresh like it was on Phillip Island.

  “What Errol Flynn movie shall we see tonight, Julie?”

  “The Adventures of Robin Hood.”

  He stopped sucking the dregs of the root beer through the straw. “Sorry. These are quite a treat. In Chicago, we call a root beer float a black cow,” he told her, wondering if Charmaine liked root beer floats or if they even had them in Australia.

  As they headed back, Ron looked at the surfers far out in the water. It was afternoon in San Diego and late morning the next day in Melbourne. Perhaps Charmaine was surfing right now? Maybe wearing the sexy mermaid green swimsuit even.

  August 6

  “Holy moly,” Johnnie dashed to where Ron sat in a chair next to his bed reading the paper. “Have you seen the news from Japan?”

  Japan was seventeen hours ahead of California. The news had just made the early edition. Stunned by what he’d read so far, Ron said, “I’m reading about the mission now. Is this the bomb you were talking about?”

  “Yes. Japan will have to surrender now.”

  Surrender meant the end of the war was at hand. He’d finally see Charmaine again. A ripple of nerves passed through at what she might think when she saw his condition. He let go of the negative thought. Nothing was going to ruin his hopes.

  “I got doubly good news today,” Ron told Johnnie when he came for his daily visit.

  “Yeah, what?”

  Ron reached for his cane. “Let’s walk in the park while I tell you. First, the doc said I’ll be out of here by Christmas. I’ll still need the cane but I’m a free man. Now for even better news. Charmaine wired me. She’s booked passage on the HMS Victoria, the first ship out of Sydney Harbor to the States. She’ll be here in two weeks.”

  Johnnie gave Ron a big bear hug. “That’s great. What are you going to do after you’re out of here?”

  “Julie helped me fill out submission requests to a bunch of colleges. Northwestern will let me start midterm.”

  “I’m so happy for you buddy.”

  “When do you get discharged?”

  “End of the month.”

  September, 1945

  Ron was finishing breakfast when Johnnie came in, a newspaper in his hand. “Have you seen today’s paper?”

  “Not yet.” Something wasn’t right. Johnnie always came in with a smile, snapping his gum, and relentlessly flirting with the nurses. Today he walked by the nurses, quiet and a sober expression on his face. “What’s wrong?”

  Johnnie dragged a chair over. He put the paper on Ron’s tray, opened to a back page. “I’m so very sorry.”

  “What? Tell me.” Crazy as he knew it was, Ron wanted to believe if he didn’t touch the paper, didn’t see whatever it was in print, it might not be true.

  Johnnie took a deep breath, looked away as though gathering courage. Sighing, he turned to look Ron in the eye. “The HMS Victoria hit an unexploded mine crossing the Coral Sea. There were no survivors.”

  ***

  “Is he any better today?” Johnnie asked Julie.

  “Not really. He ate a little better the last few days because the doctor threatened to keep him here longer. He was losing weight and it affected how he healed. That’s the only improvement.”

  “Where is he?”

  Julie pointed out the window. “On that same bench he sits on daily. He goes out early before you come and just watches the surfers. I assume he used to be one. Although, where you surf in Chicago is a mystery to me.”

  “He’s not a surfer. He’s remembering.”

  “She surfed?”

  Johnnie nodded.

  “I’ve asked if he wants to talk and he shakes his head. The Chaplain came but he sent him away. I’ve tried to get him to go to the movies with me but he declines. I don’t know how to cheer him up.” Julie took his hands in hers. “No man here has a friend as good as you are to him. He’s in a terrible tailspin. He needs a friend more than ever now. Help him.”

  “When you’ve held a man’s hand in hell, that’s a friendship that never dies. I knew it was bad. I didn’t know how bad.” He put the cigarette out he’d been smoking. “I’ll talk to him.”

  Johnnie sat next to him on the park bench. Ron had been poor company since Charmaine died. He half expected John to give up visiting and wouldn’t blame him.

  Johnnie didn’t say anything at first. He lit two cigarettes and handed one to Ron. The two of them sat silently watching the surfers as they waited for the right waves.

  “She wouldn’t want this for you,” Johnnie said at last. “I barely knew her but from what you told me, she was a vibrant, happy person. She had great hope for the future, plans, things she wanted to accomplish. She’d want that for you too as well, with her or without her.”

  “I suppose you think me a fool to mourn someone I only knew three days.”

  “On the contrary, I think anyone who puts a time clock on love is a fool. The human heart operates independent of logic and explanation. But if she materialized and saw the way you are now, she’d be pissed. You’re not the only person who’s lost a loved one. Sitting here like you are, you’re not the man she agreed to come halfway across the world to join.”

  In his heart, Ron knew Johnnie was right. War steals something or someone from everyone. Every person on her ship had someone who loved them and would miss them.

  “I know I should move on,” Ron admitted. “But I can’t help feeling like I’m betraying her memory.”

  “You’re betraying her memory by not being the man she fell for. The local paper called you The Indestructible Marine because you miraculously survived the injury you received. You’re alive against all odds. You’ve been given the gift of a future. Don’t waste it. That’s all I’m going to say.”

  Johnnie let him sit quietly for a while longer. From somewhere inside Ron a sense of peace settled over him. He wiped the wet from his eyes with the heels of his hands. “You’re right. It’s time. I’ve lost so many friends to battle and had to move on and now her, but it never gets easier.”

  “No, it doesn’t.” Johnnie flicked away the cigarette he just lit and said, “I saw a kiosk by the baseball diamond that sells beer. That was a pleasant surprise. Are you healthy enough for a brewski?”

  “Healthy enough? I don’t know. But I’m damned ready for one. Let’s take a walk.”

  Later that afternoon

  Julie came into the ward making a final round with her cart.

  “Julie, you’ve been talking about the movies. Are there any movies playing nearby? I don’t want to see anything sad.” Ron asked.

  She gave him a bright smile and said with a brow wiggle, “Well, there’s an Errol Flynn one, Gentleman Jim. Or, down the block there’s a Bob Hope double feature.”

  “Bob Hope it is. Hope is great.”

  “How would you feel about something other than hospital food? There’s diner on the way that makes a decent cheeseburger.”

  “A cheeseburger with grilled onions, oh sounds heavenly.” He grasped her wrist as she turned to leave. “Julie...you’ve been very kind to me these past weeks, sweet and kind. I didn’t say so at the time but I was...am grateful. Thank you for being you.”

  “You’re very welcome. I just have to put my cart away and grab my handbag.” She cocked her head. “You know you’ve great dimples when you smile. Has anyone ever told you that?”

  “Once.” The bittersweet memory of Charmaine telling him that brought another smile. “Now, shake a leg. This ravenous Marine has been promised a cheeseburger.”

  “With grilled onions.”

  “My mouth’s watering already.”

  CHAPTER FOUR

  Los Angeles, Current Time

  Burbank Studios

  “Grandpa, we’ve got your sandwich,” Ma
rk called out. “Grandpa?”

  Ron heard his grandson calling to him but he was unable to find his voice to respond. The empty glass from the scotch that Vivianne gave him slipped from his grip.

  There was a dull clunk as it struck the floor. “Mark come quick,” a woman yelled. Vivianne?

  Was he on water? It felt like he was floating. He didn’t remember moving from the chair. He’d been listening to the music, mostly Moonlight Serenade and remembering his time with Charmaine. His last thoughts had been of Julie.

  “Oh my God, he’s stopped breathing. Help me get him to the floor and call 9-1-1.”

  Was Mark talking about him? Ron couldn’t be sure. He didn’t feel breathless.

  Rhythmic pressure began to push against his chest. “Grandpa, come back.”

  Come back? Ron wasn’t on the floor like Mark said. Nor was he at the studio anymore but a place he didn’t recognize. It appeared to be a hallway with vaporous white material instead of walls. Cloud-like material gathered around his feet. Where was he? He paused trying to get his bearings in the surroundings.

  Mark called to him again, “Grandpa, come back.”

  Ron looked behind him in the direction of Mark’s voice and saw a faint view of the studio. He looked ahead and a bright light appeared that hadn’t been there before, not harsh white but warm and oddly welcoming.

  “Grandpa, don’t go, not yet.” The compressions continued.

  Ron loved Mark. He eyed the distant studio view and considered returning. From the other direction the opening bars of Moonlight Serenade played. Ron turned that way to see Charmaine in the same red dress she wore the first time he saw her. She even wore that oh so kissable fiery red lipstick.

  She extended her hand. “Ron, come. It’s time.”

  “Goodbye Mark. I love you,” he whispered and hoped Mark sensed it. Ron hurried toward Charmaine’s outstretched hand. He stepped through the doorway and she immediately embraced him.

  He cupped her face in his hands and kissed her with a longing that had lasted seventy-two years. After what some mortals might call an indecent amount of time, they broke the kiss. “I finally got to smear that lipstick,” Ron said and hugged her tight to him.

  “I waited decades for you to get around to it,” she said with a wink. “Come.” She took his hand and led him further into the room. “What do you think?”

  “It looks just like the Aragon Ballroom. Everything is exactly the same as it was during the war. How did you do this?” Ron asked without thinking it through.

  Charmaine laughed. “Ronnie, please think where you are? Wherever you want to be, we can be. But we all knew how much you loved the Aragon.” She wrapped her arm around his waist and tipped her head toward his. “We all knew you’d be coming and made sure it was as it should look.”

  “Who are we all?”

  “Everyone. We’re all here. Johnnie, the Bobs, Mel, your parents...” She let go of his waist and moved to the side. “And Julie.”

  Julie entered as Charmaine mentioned her name. Forty-seven years of marriage yet Julie looked as young and lovely as she did on their wedding day.

  He was in a place where he believed panic didn’t exist but as he looked from Julie to Charmaine and back to his late wife, guilty panic kept him from finding his voice. The heart that stopped beating a short time earlier at the studio felt like it was breaking in two.

  “Ron.” Julie hugged him in her familiar way, one hand flat to his spine, one always fisted. He’d asked about the fisted hand once. She said she wasn’t aware she did it. She kissed him sweetly and hugged him again before sliding her hands down his arms and stepping back to put a small amount of space between them. “Ron—”

  As she started to speak, over her shoulder Ron noticed a man moved into the doorway she’d come from. The man had a champagne bottle and two flutes in his hands. Ron recognized him right away. “Julie, is that Errol Flynn?”

  She glanced behind her. Turning back, she wiggled her brows and said, “Yes. He’s giving a party and invited me. Errol Flynn invited me, Julie Clark Day to one of his parties.”

  Confused, Ron said, “I don’t understand. Flynn is here, and Charmaine is here, and you’re here. I don’t know what it all means.”

  “I came to tell you, go to her. She was your first love. I’ve always known that. We had a wonderful life together. I cherish every minute of it”

  “Julie, I—”

  She pressed a finger to his lips. “I couldn’t have asked for a more loving husband or better father to our children but there was a part of you that was never mine. I was all right with that because the love we had was enough. But now it’s time for the two of you to finally be together. Charmaine has waited a long time for you and as you can see,” Julie gestured toward Errol who raised a glass of champagne, “Cheers old boy,” he said in the background.

  “I’ll be fine,” Julie said.

  Ron ventured a look at Charmaine still uncertain. “I—”

  “Ron, I’ll be fine, really. Be happy.”

  “Darling, the champagne is getting warm,” Flynn said in his Tasmanian tinged accent that Hollywood moguls couldn’t quite beat out of him.

  “I really must dash,” Julie said.

  Ron ran his thumb over her cheek. “Is it all right if I’m a bit jealous?”

  “I’d be wounded if you weren’t. See you around my love.” Julie kissed him and scurried over to Flynn.

  Ron joined Charmaine. He put his arms around her and touched his forehead to hers. “I never thought to have this moment.”

  “I never thought we wouldn’t.” Charmaine leaned back. “The orchestra’s arrived. Wait until you see them.”

  The good-sized band of white dinner-jacketed men took their places, setting sheet music in stands and tuning up instruments.

  “Oh my, it’s Glenn Miller himself and his orchestra,” Ron blurted. “Well, aren’t we the lucky ones?”

  “They play every night as does Tommy and Jimmy Dorsey, Artie Shaw, all the big bands. You’re going to love it here. I stand corrected. We’re going to love it.”

  “Moonlight Serenade?” Glenn asked Charmaine.

  She nodded.

  “You got it.”

  Charmaine stepped back, put her hand out and said, “They’re playing our song. Shall we dance, Marine?”

  A quick glance in the mirror behind the bar gave him momentary pause. There he was a young Marine again dressed in the same uniform he wore the night they met.

  “I’ll dance every dance just for the chance to hold you in my arms again.”

  Author’s Note: Ron’s Military Service

  Ron’s military service and experience in the story is based loosely on my late father’s. He lied about his age in order to join and served in the Scouts and Snipers Units of the First and Third Marine Divisions from 1941 to late 1946. He did fight on Guadalcanal, Peleliu, New Britain, and Okinawa. The wound Ron received on Okinawa where he took machine gun rounds in the stomach was the same wound my father suffered. Upon his return to the US, he stayed at the Naval Hospital in San Diego for the duration of 1945 through part of 1946 recovering from his injury. In June of 1986, the Los Angeles Times, San Diego section wrote an article on him. In it they described him as the “Indestructible Marine,” for having survived such a devastating injury.

  ABOUT CHRIS KARLSEN

  My Aunt Ruth was my dad’s younger sister. She and mom grew up in the same neighborhood in Chicago. They were best friends through childhood and stayed best friends as adults. After my mom married my dad, their relationship became an unbreakable bond through both friendship and family.

  Ruth was my favorite aunt. My mom was the woman who encouraged me to read and at least see ballets and plays, to grow culturally. Ruthie was the woman who, when I reached the age to wear makeup, took me to the best department stores in Chicago. She taught me about quality cosmetics and the value of appearance, personally and especially professionally. She was a legal secretary to a top attorney in
Chicago. She believed you didn’t have to be born pretty but with effort you can present yourself in the best way possible. She was a very proud woman. Some said vain. Was she vain? Yes, but she was also a kind woman, an animal lover, and never malicious.

  A year after she retired from her job, she was diagnosed with terminal lymphoma. When we lost her, I lost my favorite aunt, my mom her best friend and my dad his only sister. She was special in her own way to us all.

  Chris Karlsen is a retired police detective. She spent twenty-five years in law enforcement with two different agencies. The daughter of a history professor and a voracious reader, she grew up with a love of history and books.

  An internationally published author, Chris has traveled extensively throughout Europe, the Near East, and North Africa satisfying her need to visit the places she read about. Having spent a great deal of time in England and Turkey, she has used her love of both places as settings for her books. “Heroes Live Forever,” which is her debut book, is set in England as is the sequel, “Journey in Time,” the third is “Knight Blindness.” They are part of her Knights in Time series. All three are available as a boxed set on Kindle. She is currently working on the fourth in the “Knights in Time,” series. “Golden Chariot,” is set in Turkey and the sequel, “Byzantine Gold” is set Turkey, Paris and Cyprus. They are part of her Dangerous Waters series.

  Her most recent release is called, “Silk” and is book one of a new series, The Bloodstone Series. It is a suspense set in Victorian London.

  Published by Books to Go Now, her novels are available in eBook, and in paperback. “Heroes Live Forever” is also in audio format.

  A Chicago native, Chris has lived in Paris and Los Angeles and now resides in the Pacific Northwest with her husband and four rescue dogs. A city girl all her life, living in a small village on a bay was an interesting adjustment. She’d never lived anywhere so quiet at night and traffic wasn’t bumper to bumper 24/7.

  Some of Chris’s favorite authors are: Michael Connolly, John Sandford, Joseph Wambaugh, Stephen Coonts, Bernard Cornwell, Julia Quinn, Julie Anne Long, Deanna Raybourne and Steve Berry.