Without hesitation, he replied,
“Kiss me.”
As her eyes grew round with half fright and half anticipation, she closed them and leaned forward for the first true kiss she had ever had. Though it came as a surprise to her, she liked it!
26
The water was so still and smooth that it almost had a mirror effect. Jacks leaned across the railing to yell at someone, as Garrett maneuvered the boat out into the open sea. There were all the familiar sounds of a boat dock, horns blowing, birds screeching, and men yelling to each other from boat to boat. Commercial fishing boats were long gone with anglers already coming in with the fresh catch of the day. It being Saturday, theirs was not the only sailboat preparing for a day of sailing and Jacks was yelling back at one passing them by. The elderly captain was cordially holding up his mug of coffee as he yelled out a greeting in Greek. Jacks smiled when he saw the boat’s name was Second Wind.
The chartered boat Garrett had reserved for the day was most likely the most eloquent of all the island’s sailboats and he figured it cost a pretty penny. With as much money as Garrett had at his disposal, he knew the funding for the boat, and everything else on the island came from Asa’s coffers. The inheritance meant for him, now Garrett was enjoying. Thinking this, Jacks silently thanked God for sparing him from Asa’s grasp. But, for your grace Lord, there go I.
“Jacks!”
Jacks moved to where Garrett could see him and waved.
“Over here!”
He could see that Garrett had released the rudder to one of his crew and was coming to where he was. The Garrett he knew was in evidence as he bragged about the workmanship of the rig. Jacks listened politely, inserting questions at various points to seem more interested. Truth was, he could not care less. The point of getting the man on the water was to bring Garrett’s personality forward as Asa’s took a back seat. It was beginning to look like Asa was always present and Garrett was the visitor.
They talked about sailing in general and recalled some exceptional experiences they had shared,
“Well Garrett, I must say the high life suits you well!”
Garrett grinned smugly,
“You think so?”
“I do.”
“All that I have you could have too, you do know that? Actually I owe all this to you.”
A flicker in his eyes told Jacks that Asa was not going to take a back seat to Garrett.
“No, Garrett, you always did know what you wanted out of life. It was your ambition that got you here.”
The smugness was back.
“You are right. I never could understand why you wanted to settle for so little. You made the grades that would have landed you next in line for the presidency, whereas I struggled just to pass the bar. Just shows that one can come from behind to win the race.”
“True, true. You got it going on. I am interested in hearing more about what has been going on this last year with you, if you want to share.”
They had ambled around to the front side of the boat where there were chairs placed where they could relax and catch the sunrays. Comfortable, Garrett laid back.
“It has been the roller coaster ride of a lifetime Jacks. I have hobnobbed with people you only dream of meeting and man, the women! My pick, any time night, or day. That pinup you were always so crazy for?”
Jacks sat up.
“Get out of here! You met her?”
The smirk on Garrett’s face made Jacks sick, but he grinned as big as he could.
“Not only did I meet her, I kept her for a whole week before I tired of her.”
“You do not mean…”
“I mean exactly that and there is more, much more. My life has been one amazing one since you jumped ship, so to speak and I got to be captain!”
As soon as he said that, he looked sorry and quickly added,
“Well, you know when you turned down that senator’s seat, it did open up new doors for me.”
“Glad I was so helpful.”
Noticing the mood swing, Jacks backed off to give Garrett time to get back into his ego. Knowing how much Asa hated the water, he suggested,
“Let’s jump in! Come on Garrett, last one in is the rotten egg!”
It proved useless getting Garrett into the water as far as Jacks’ purposes went, but he definitely saw more of Garrett than Asa while they frolicked about, swimming with the dolphins. When they tired of the play, Asa was completely back in control.
This irritated Jacks and he felt he was getting nowhere with the plan to rescue his mother. The day ended and so did Jacks determination to ingratiate himself to Garrett. He was tired of playing around and knew it was time to be straight up with the thing in control of Garrett.
He desperately wanted to hear from Honey. Was she getting better or was his absence making her worse. If only he could hear word from her, perhaps he could concentrate better on finding out about his mother.
The next morning he stayed in his room with a migraine or the pretense of having one. He had made up his mind that if he had to ‘get’ his memory back to confront Garrett, then it was time to remember his last year. Realizing the danger he was putting himself in, he prayed more.
27
It was getting harder for Frank to catch his victims alone. Security tripled on high profile personalities soon after his third victim. Now, after his fifth, they were wary of what was being called the elite serial killings. It did not deter him, but only challenged him more. He knew he could not take them all down, but he could make a small contribution to society by ridding the world of some of its scum. The last one he took out almost got him caught, so it had been a while, but there was a perfect opportunity coming up which he could not resist for the next one on his list was very intriguing and someone he actually knew. One he was looking forward to looking in the eyes as he snuffed the life from him.
He and Cranford had taken the calendar to Anna only to find out it was just that, a calendar with a pretty picture on the top. They left it with her to take back and turned their energy to other matters. There were more and more reports coming in about young girls disappearing and it looked as if this tied into their investigation of other activity in the area. Frank had his suspicions and shared them with Cranford.
They were in their office going over details and strategies of the investigation and he asked Cranford if he thought the two might be connected. Cranford looked thoughtful for a minute before answering.
“You mean with the sacrificial rites going on in the city using innocent young children? Hell why not, you do or you would not have mentioned it. I am interested so share your thoughts on it and I will either agree or not.”
Frank pulled up a chair close to where Cranford was sitting, so they could keep their voices low.
“First, let me tell you how much I appreciate you not saying anything to the captain about what I told you the other night.”
“I figure something that personal should stay private.”
“Well, thank you. It is not something I generally go around talking about…now about these girls that keep coming up missing and classified as run-a-ways. I have been doing a little side research, here look at these stats.”
He handed a printout over to Cranford and taking it the older man scrutinized it and asked,
“What about it?”
“Not one of these girls is over the age of fourteen. I say the same people we are tracking are behind it. Here is my reasoning. Remember, I told you these people raise their sacrificial offerings sort of the way some raise cattle. What better way than take these young girls, impregnate them and after delivery traffic them underground to sell to the human slave market? They only take first-born, so after one delivery, they are finished, and off she goes. That way there is no mother around for things to get sticky down the road. We do know that sex slavery is big business so not only do they gain a very important sacrifice but they also make a killer profit!”
“Hmm, you just might have
something. Keep working that angle, you are doing a good job, son.”
Frank looked up at Cranford. No one had ever called him son before. He knew it was meant just in general, but for some reason Frank felt gratitude. Before it could show, he got up and walked over to the file cabinet. Feelings were not something he could afford to have.
He found what he was looking for and for some reason thought about Jacks. Wondering aloud,
“Reckon Jacks has found our man yet?”
“Don’t know. The tail lost him and he could be anywhere. I did call the place Honey is recuperating at and talked to a friend of hers, Jean, and she told me they have not heard a word from him since leaving the hospital. Called the good pastor too and same there, nothing. You can bet he remembers everything and went after the big man, whoever he is, and where ever he is.”
Frank took a long breath of air and deliberately slowly let it out so that it puffed his cheeks out. Jacks was definitely a renegade.
“Just pure luck that man is still living. Somebody wants him to stay alive mighty bad!”
“You are right. I do wish him luck though.”
“So do I, Cranford, so do I!”
He knew one day he would have to answer for his own actions but he was willing to stand before God and take any punishment he deserved. If he saved only one little child it would be worth it. He looked at his watch just as the phone rang and as Cranford reached for it, he gave a hand signal, which meant, be back soon.
Cranford finished the call and walked to the door, stopping to pick something up that Frank had dropped. He had thought to catch him before he got out of there but it was not important, so he went back to his desk and looked at the folded paper he was holding. Putting it in his jacket pocket, he decided he would quit for the day. He needed to go home and think on what he had just read.
28
Jacks met Garrett in the breakfast room the morning after the day at sea with determination. He planned to confront him about everything but when he sat down and started, he stopped when Garrett interrupted him.
“Save it Jacks. You really do not think that I am so gullible as to not know what you have been doing. I have been around a lot longer than you have and I can assure you that there is not much goes on that I am not privy to. Now, if the game is over and I do hope it is, let us get down to business, shall we?”
Jacks fury knew no bounds but he concealed it well, as he nodded.
“You want your mother, Jacks? Guess what? You may have her.
“What is the catch?”
“If I give you her and spare the lives of those you love most in life, what is it worth to you?”
“I know you are not talking about money or valuables Garrett…or should I call you Asa?”
The man leaned back with a loud laugh.
“Call me what you will. I have many names. One as good as the other. I suppose though, in honor of this body, you should just continue calling me Garrett. After all, look at the price he paid.”
Again the evil laugh.
Then he looked directly into Jacks eyes with his burning red and Jacks never stopped praying to himself causing the eyes to flash pure anger for they saw not the contents of Jacks mind. Undaunted though, he posed a bargain for Jacks to consider.
“Would you give me ten years of service for your mother?”
“I would not.”
“Would you give me eight years for your mother?”
“No, I would not.”
“Would you consider one year of service for your mother and all that you could possibly wish for in this life.”
“My time belongs neither to man nor you but to my Lord and Savior, Jesus the Christ.”
With this, Jacks bowed his head low, expecting to die right then on the spot. Instead, after what seemed a long time, he looked up to discover Garrett gone. Looking all about him, he saw no sign of him. Leaving out of the room, he ran right into the woman that he had seen the first night he was there.
“Did you see where he went?”
She was looking at him with large round eyes.
“Oh, he has been summoned by his master!”
“His master? What are you saying? There is someone above this…this devil?”
“I think so, for sometimes he disappears like this, instantly and without warning and when he returns, he is fearsome! There will not be much time…”
Jacks stopped her. He had no idea if she could be trusted but throwing caution aside, he gambled.
“Listen, I am not sure if I should, but I am going to tell you anyway…what is your name?”
“Jessie, never mind that…!”
“Jessie, I am not going anywhere until I find who I am looking for, so you may as well calm yourself. Do you know if there is a woman, who could possibly be my mother, kept here? She would have part of her little finger missing…I do not know which hand…”
To his consternation, the woman sat down and started crying.
“Look, I did not mean to make you cry. You said there is little time and I just need your help. That is all. Can’t you help me, please?”
She looked up at him.
“You have no idea do you?”
“No, no, I only want to help this woman. I want to get her away from him! I have proof that there is a woman who is my birth mother and he has her. I want…need to find her. Won’t you help me?”
She grabbed his arm.
“Come with me, but we must hurry. He is never gone for very long and he appears as quickly as he goes.”
She pulled him along a corridor until stopping in front of a door.
“I was trying to tell you back there but you would not stop talking! The woman’s name is Amelia; Millie for short and yes she is your birth mother…she is also my mother.”
She kept talking as she pulled a key from her pocket.
“No, there is no time for talk. You must take her and go. Go quickly and you will escape.”
“What about you? I can’t leave you here!”
“You have no choice. I will not go with you. I have my reasons.”
Jacks balked.
“No, I tell you. I will not leave you here with that…that…whatever he is! You are coming with us. How are we supposed to get off this island anyway? I have a passport but...”
Before he could finish, she swung the door open to reveal a lone woman sitting near the window. She turned as they came into the room but then turned back to looking out the window with a blank look on her face. Jessie never slowed down, but taking a small bag from the closet, she began to throw some things in, talking all the while. Jacks went over to the woman and knelt beside her in awe. She was so familiar but surely he could not remember her from the last he must have seen her. She smiled at him, and with her good hand touched his face and looked directly into his eyes. Only for a moment before gazing, back out the window. He stood. He had seen the bandaged hand and was feeling a fierce anger coming on. Time enough for emotions later, for now he had to get her away from the monster, Asa.
“What can I do to help?”
“I am only packing what is absolutely necessary and we do have passports as we travel often. She will be like this until the drugs wear off. He has kept her drugged for forty years but recently doubled the dose, so it may take some time.”
She pulled a drawer open and took something out.
“Here they both are. Take this one, no, not mine. I will keep it with me, but no worry. If all goes well, I will meet you in Athens. There is no more time to argue. Take her, take this, and go!”
Jacks tried several times to say something but she kept talking, giving him no chance to oppose her. He took a good look at this woman who had just told him that she was his sister and saw that it very well could be true. She was like him, yet different. She pulled her mother up from her chair and handed her to him. It was the eyes, he decided. It was more than the fact that her eyes looked like his. There was something he could not put his finger on, but he felt it was very import
ant. His mind was whirling as he held his mother close and followed Jessie. He had seen both these women before, he was sure of it.
“Hurry! We have to hurry! The guard could come stop us, hurry! We are lucky the maid and gardener are not here.”
She took them to a door close to the kitchen, which when opened revealed a stair going down. She shoved him toward the stairs and hustled them all the way down, where there was a covered boat dock. A powerboat was close by and Jessie grabbed her mother in a hug, while Millie looked at her and smiled very docile like, allowing Jacks to put her over into the boat.
“Mother, you will be safe with Jacks and I will see you both real soon! I promise!”
Turning to Jacks, she warned him.
“Stop for nothing or anyone. When you come out at the cove, take a right and keep going until you see the town. You will recognize the harbor from your sail yesterday. Leave the boat and go ashore. Take the first taxi you see and go straight to the airport. It is small, but there is a plane for Athens every hour on the half hour. You should not have to wait long for one to leave. You will not need passports until Athens. Book the first flight out of there to anywhere. You do have money?”
For the first time, she gave him a chance to respond but barely, for when he nodded, he started to say he also had credit cards but she cut him off.
“Only use credit cards in an emergency. Of course, he will know where you are going but no need to make it easier for him to stop you. Once you are away his power is void and I have a feeling he will not come looking for you again.”
“Why do you say that?”
“Because now he has the attention of Lucifer himself and he has been warned too many times about personal vendettas. He is a very high-ranking general, but no one is indispensable. Now go, and Jacks?”
She reached up and hugged him.
“We have waited a long time for this. Please be careful and take care of our mother!”
Without waiting, she turned and ran up the stairs, looking back before disappearing out of sight to watch as the boat sped away. Then she ran as fast as she could to the fourth story of the house. If she were lucky, there would be enough time. There was only one guard posted and she had managed to slip something into a cream cake she knew he was fond of, and he was fast asleep.
Another Deception Page 15
