Ch. 20
Mon. July 16, 2008
Memphis, TN
Daniel
On Monday evening, a loud knock sounded at the door and Gary Stephens reluctantly climbed from his Laz y Boy and ambled to the door in his stocking feet. He grasped the doorknob painfully, his arthritic knuckles twisting with the movement of the knob.
“Just a moment, please.” his voice was hoarse.
“Who is it?” his wife Sarah called out from the kitchen.
“Dunno yet.” He responded. Gary opened the door and looked up at a tall, white man in his twenties with blond hair. He was dressed casually in a red polo and khaki shorts.
“Can I help you, young fellow?”
“Yes, sir. My name is Daniel Johnson and I am a good friend of Grace’s. I learned from her father, Phillip, that she and her mother Hope would be visiting here for a few days. I work with Grace and I’ve come to pick up some valuables that must be returned to the camp. Philip said I could meet them here. I hope I am not disturbing you. I know it’s after 8:00,” he said.
Gary scratched his gray beard and frowned. “I think you’re confused, Son. Grace and Hope aren’t here. In fact, I don’t know anything about any plans to come stay for a few days, although we would love to have them both just as long as they would stay.
That girl is just as sweet as sugar. I call her “Shug”. She’s always been my sweetheart. Well, you might as well come in until we can get this hashed out. Come in, and meet Sarah, my wife.”
Gary swung the door wide and motioned him in. When Gary turned away to call to Sarah, Daniel quickly closed the knife blade and put it in his pocket where he could get to it if he needed it. He pasted on a smile. “Good evening, ma’am. I’m afraid Grace and I have our signals crossed. I understood I was to meet her and Hope here. I spoke to her yesterday and she told me that they were planning on leaving this morning. Perhaps they’ve run into a traffic jam of some kind,” Daniel said. They shook hands and Sarah motioned for Daniel to take a seat on the couch.
“I was just cleaning up the kitchen. Have you eaten dinner? I could fix you a plate. It wouldn’t take a minute. You must be tired if you’ve driven from Texas.” Sarah bustled into the kitchen, calling back over her shoulder, “Is sweet tea, ok?”
“Yes ma’am. I appreciate it.” Daniel answered, feeling grateful for the Southern manners he learned from watching the older sponsors at camp.
“Have you tried to call Grace?” Gary asked.
“No, I was just going by what she said, that she and Hope would meet me here.” Daniel answered.
“Well, it wouldn’t do you any good anyhow. We don’t have any cell reception out here in the country. Doesn’t bother me a bit. I never went in for all that technology and stuff. Seems silly to send an email when you would do just as good to talk to someone in person. I know you kids use it, though.” Gary said.
“Yes, sir.” Daniel said.
“Gracie gave us quite a scare the other day. I guess you know all about that?” he asked.
“Yes, that’s why I was so anxious to meet her today. I hope they are ok. Two women traveling alone and all.” Daniel trailed off as Sarah set a plate and napkin down in front of him on the coffee table.
“This looks wonderful. Thank you so much.” he said. Daniel looked down at his plate. His mouth watered. Meatloaf and green beans sat on a red plate with a mound of white potatoes swimming in brown gravy. He preferred brown and so apparently did Grace’s family.
“So, do Grace and her folks travel much?” Daniel asked, keeping his tone light.
“Oh, I guess so, a fair amount. They used to have an RV.” Gary replied.
“Did they ever camp a lot around here?” Daniel asked, inhaling his potatoes and gravy. He looked steadily at me then and I knew he was sizing me up. “No, not around here much. They always stay with us. Seems like Hope always enjoyed Arkansas in the fall. It’s real pretty over there. Phillip carried us on a trip there once.”
Daniel finished his plate and wiped his mouth with a napkin. Sarah came in from the kitchen and he thanked her again.
“Well, I’m just thrilled to have Grace and Hope on their way. I can’t think why they wouldn’t call and let us know they were coming.” Sarah said.
“Things have been real busy at the camp lately and the owner of the camp passed away just this week. They were probably just anxious to get away. I feel the same way. It was a real blow to lose her. She was a nice lady.” Daniel feigned a yawn.
“Daniel, where are you going to stay in Memphis while you’re here?” Sarah asked.
Daniel was taken by surprise. “Oh, um, I am not going to be able to stay. I’ll have to head back.
I’ll just rest for a couple of hours at a truck stop or something. There is a big visitor center in Texarkana. I can sleep there and get some coffee and head on back to the camp.”
Sarah and Gary exchanged a look that only a couple who had been married for 50 years could. Gary gave a small nod and Sarah said, “Well, if the girls are coming and you are going to meet them anyway you must stay the night here with us and let me fix you a decent breakfast in the morning. It would be my pleasure. I miss having someone to cook for.”
Daniel looked uncertainly at Gary. “It’s fine, Son. You don’t want to be on the highway all night. Get a good night’s rest and start fresh in the morning. What is it you are picking up from Gracie?”
“Well, sir. I’m not exactly sure.” Daniel fidgeted in his seat and scratched the back of his neck.
“She called me this morning, early, and said she had something for the kids for camp. She needed help getting it back to Texas and wondered if I could help. I told her I would be happy to.” Daniel rose to his feet and thanked Gary and Sarah for their hospitality. Gary bid him goodnight and went about his nightly routine of locking up and letting the cat out.
“Well, now Daniel. Let’s get you set up in the spare room. I’ll put the girls in the front room.
That’s where Grace always sleeps.” Daniel followed Sarah down the hall, pausing at a linen cabinet to unfold a beautiful puffed quilt that would easily fetch $300. They entered a room containing a large bed and a walnut roll-top desk. A picture window was covered in sheer curtains and in the driveway Daniel could see the outline of Tong Pham sitting in the truck.
He was very conscious of the barrel of the Ruger that Tong had shown him as he got out of the truck only an hour ago. Daniel had been amazed to find Tong in the seat next to him on the plane. He hadn’t seen him in person in years. They had communicated mostly by email and cell phone for the last few years. However, he easily recognized the man who had visited him in juvenile hall when he was just 14 years old. He was thin with a long pony tail and sported a dragon tattoo on the top of one hand. Time had added a bit of weight to his face but the look in his eyes was more steely than ever.
Daniel had been in on a burglary charge and was scared stiff when a guard came to get him to see a visitor. He had been arrested before but never charged and he was terrified.
When he walked into the visitors’ room, he made a deal with the devil that would change his life forever. Getting his Mom clean for the gold that Richard had hidden under the building. Tong had made it sound so easy. He asked if Daniel knew much about the Vietnam War. He told him how the gold had been stolen from his people and given away. Daniel had a
responsibility to care for his mother. Tong told him it was his duty as a man since his father was gone. Since that moment he had lived in dread of what would happen before Tong and the Vietnamese Mafia were satisfied. What else could he have done?
Giving the gold to Tong meant getting his mother back. She was an alcoholic and a drug abuser. Getting her the help she needed was a dream come true. How
could he not help her? It meant that they would be able to live together again. Stacy had been “intercepted” as they called it, in the night, and taken to a house where she was kept under lock and key by specialty personnel hired by the Mafia. The weeks until her body was free from the grip of the drugs she had been poisoning herself with for years were horrific. Stacy wouldn’t speak of those weeks but she was very grateful to have a second chance at life and was just as anxious as Tong to find the gold so they could finally be together as a real family.
Daniel sat down on the bed and put his head in his hands. He felt relieved to be alone. His stomach churned with dread at what he would have to do. Tong was not a patient man. He now felt the responsibility for keeping Grace and Hope safe. He hadn’t been able to save Shirley. He couldn’t just sit there. He had to keep moving. He had to get information.
Daniel moved over to the desk and quietly opened the roll top. Inside, the pigeon holes were crammed with envelopes and he began searching. He was looking for anything that would lead him to where Hope was. He cast aside a calendar from Kaui and grabbed at a handful of postcards from Hot Springs,
Arkansas.
On the back of one was Grace’s handwriting.
Dear Granny and Papa,
We are having fun camping in Hot Springs. I got to touch the hot water at the park and Dad treated Mom and me to a hot spring pedicure at the Quapaw Bath House. See you soon.
Love,
Grace
Bingo! At least it was a lead. Daniel felt sick for a moment and knelt by the bed to clear his head in the only way he knew how. “Dear Father God, please help me. I know I have done wrong. I couldn’t protect Shirley. I’m so sorry. Please help Hope and Grace. I don’t know what to ask for, except wisdom to keep alive and keep moving. Please help me get the gold to Tong. Please bless my Mom and Charlie. Forgive me. Please forgive me…” He stood up. He felt some relief. God would find some way to provide for him. He would keep on having faith. He slipped silently through the house and out the door. Tong already had the motor running. They programmed the GPS for Hot Springs and began checking their iphones for campgrounds.
Carolina Key Page 16
