“No. He didn’t do it. I’m certain of that. We go way back to childhood. He isn’t the type to go around killing people. Plus, he has absolutely no motive; he is here only because I forced him to come.”
“He seems pretty scary to me.”
Matt glared at her.
Abigail turned her attention to observe Danny reading a book, and Lisa lying on the floor asleep.
“Why don’t you like Jack?”
“I just don’t trust him. That’s all.”
“Think what you want, but he’s my best friend. I know his character.”
“Why are you defending him?”
“We’ve been friends since junior high. We met on the baseball team. He was the catcher and, I, the pitcher. We work well together. Jack gave excellent signals; he knew exactly where the ball was moving. We spent hours practicing together.”
“What does baseball have to do with him not being a murderer?”
“Nothing, I guess. Maybe I’m thinking out loud. The kids at school found him intimidating, too. With his deep voice and large size, he scared the other kids. But, he never scared me, and he knew it. That’s why we hit it off. But, I noticed, even when we were kids, Jack kept to himself, he was almost shy.”
“Nothing about him seems friendly; he’s a cold man.”
“Jack has never been the warm, friendly type, but he always had incredible instincts. He always knew when things weren’t right.”
“Like what?”
“Once, at the park, Jack needed to take a leak. Sorry. Use the restroom. When he returned, his face was as white as a ghost. He seemed terrified. He said, ‘Some pervert looked at me funny and gave me the creeps. The guy tried to take a peek.’ His eyes darted back and forth in genuine fear. ‘Don’t go in there alone,’ Jack said, and made me promise. I told him, ‘Don’t worry, I get the point. The last thing I want is some pervert checking me out.’ Well, the next day, we heard that some kid was killed. His body was found the same day in the same restroom. We were too terrified to tell anyone, afraid he might come kill us, too, if we told.”
“Do you regret not telling your parents, or the police?”
“Later on, as adults, sure, we both wished we spoke up.”
“That experience must have made an impact on two young boys.”
“It wasn’t as dreadful as another occasion.”
“What?”
“We were hiking up a hill, near our homes. When we reached the top, we saw a parked car. Jack said, ‘Hey. Something’s wrong. Cars shouldn’t be up here.’”
“We heard noises coming from under the car. We both were trying to get a better look, so we laid flat on the ground to get a better look. It was then that we saw two naked bodies going at it. Neither of us had even seen a Playboy, so, what a shock! At first, we were concerned the woman was being hurt.” Matt went silent.
“So, what did you do?”
Matt stood up, visibly upset. “I never told anyone about those incidents before. Thinking about them gives me the creeps.” So he quickly returned to searching.
Matt’s mind raced -- he didn’t want to tell her the rest of the story.
The woman under the car started weeping. When they were about to go for help, the man said, “Now, Sally, don’t go and do something foolish and tell your husband. You know, he’ll kill me if he finds out.”
“If he doesn’t kill me first,” the woman said, between sobs. “What have I done? What on earth was I thinking? If he finds out, he’ll kick me out. I will never see my kids again.”
“Pull yourself together,” the man said harshly.
After she calmed down, they got up, got dressed and drove off.
It was then that we noticed the bleached blond hair on the woman. “My God, she looks like your mother. Oh shit! Her name is Sally! That’s your mother’s name.” We were in shock, horrified and speechless. We both watched his mother having sex with another man, how awful!
Soon Jack became physically ill. While sobbing he said, “How could she?”
I was unable to move, say a word, or to comfort. It took years before either of us spoke about what happened. One day, out of the blue, Jack asked how it affected me.
It was crazy, right up there with the man in the park who murdered that boy. Seeing his mother like that! I kept asking myself how I would feel. It would be too humiliating for words.
Jack never told his father or mother about that day. Soon after the incident, his mother started going to AA meetings. I think it was her wake-up call for what happens when she’s drunk.
Abigail walked up to Matt. “What happened? All of a sudden you shut down.”
“I told you. Talking about those things gives me the creeps. I haven’t thought about those things in years.”
“What you told me still doesn’t eliminate Jack as a murder suspect.”
“True, but I know he would never intentionally hurt anyone. Maybe in self-defense or to defend a friend, but that’s it. He’s a loyal friend. Someone I can count on. And, he’s a man of his word.”
“If he is a man of his word, then ask if he did it.”
“No. I know he didn’t,” Matt said, flatly. “For starters, he and I arrived on the yacht together. He didn’t have time to kill them.” He moved back to the bookshelf to examine the last set of books.
She moved closer. “I need to ask you something. How did you and your men know where to find us at sea?”
“Forelli faxed us the yacht’s course.”
Abigail walked toward the children and whispered, “Did you tell Lisa about our plan?”
“No.”
“If Matt and I talk again, will you tell her?”
“Sure.”
In a normal voice, she said, “So, what have you been up to?”
Danny pointed to an object in the corner sitting on a pedestal table.
“What do we have here?” she said, as she picked up what looked like a Russian Fabergé egg.
“Come. Look what Danny found.”
Matt dropped his book and walked over. After carefully examining it, he said, “Yes. It is a gem. But, why would they leave it in plain sight?”
“I thought the same thing.”
He grabbed the jeweled egg to examine it more closely. His eyes opened wide during his inspection.
“I found it!” Danny yelled.
“We found it together,” Lisa yelled back.
“If this thing is genuine, it is worth a bundle. This diamond looks to be two carats.” He glanced toward Abigail. “Unfortunately, some good cuts of zirconium sparkle like diamonds. I’ll have Jack evaluate its authenticity.”
“But, why would the Kilgores keep it in plain view?” Then, she remembered what a good sense of humor the couple had. They would have gotten a kick out of having it out. “If it is genuine, you can bet Larry put it someplace safe before letting guests disembark.”
Matt grinned. “This might be real. Let’s say the diamonds, rubies and emeralds are each worth $200,000, plus the value of gold and workmanship, it could be worth a lot. If it’s rare or has historical value, it is worth much more.”
“What do you mean?”
“Let’s say someone like Hitler or Stalin owned it -- the egg could be priceless. Who knows? It might be what we’re looking for.
But, just as easily, it could be a good fake, worth little, or secondary to the real treasure.
Jack’s a jeweler, by trade; he has a good eye. He can tell its value.”
Abigail’s mouth dropped open. “You mean you’re planning on showing this to Jack?”
“Yes. We’re a team. We split any money.”
She was concerned at the thought of him showing the egg to Jack. He might trust his friend, but she surely did not. No matter how many stories he told her, she would never trust the guy.
Great! If the egg ends the search, the children and I might be in more danger. We’re the only witnesses. I need to notify the Coast Guard, and quick!
After walking to the hatch, Matt said, “Let’s take a break. I need to show this to Jack.”
As they climbed the ladder leading to the main salon, the children argued. “You know, we found the egg together,” Lisa said. “You have to split the reward with me.”
“No way. I found it first.”
Matt stepped in, “Tell you what. If it turns out to be what we’re looking for, you both get a reward.”
They grabbed some snacks before bringing them to the main salon.
The children were motioned to sit by the portholes. “You two need more sunlight. Watch over your sister for me.” She whispered, “Tell Lisa to act sick the next visit to the helm.”
Danny grinned. She hoped he would remember to tell his sister about their plan and hoped he wasn’t more interested in his reward money.
“How did you determine the egg’s worth so quickly?”
“From Jack -- he owns a jewelry store in La Jolla. He specializes in appraisals. Even he finds it difficult to discern the authenticity of a diamond without an eyepiece. There’s a lot that goes into an appraisal.”
“Would it be okay if we go to the wheelhouse? The children need some fresh air. Perhaps our captain can use a break.”
“No. He’ll let us know when he needs us.” Matt glared at her for a moment, as if trying to read her thoughts.
Her palms became clammy, and she was hoping he couldn’t sense her anxiety. I desperately want to alert the authorities, but Matt just said no to going to the wheelhouse. Now what?
I should have made a dinner date with Carry, Abigail fretted. Everything would have been different. I would have said no to Larry’s invitation. The couple would still be alive, and we would be home. She glanced over at Lisa. Carry and I were younger than she is now.
It seems like yesterday that Carry English and her family pulled up to their new home across the street. My dad helped bring in their heavy furniture and boxes, while Mom cared for the children and prepared dinner for both families.
Steven and Stan played in the front, while Carry and I visited in our backyard. Alisa was away with a friend, so I had Carry all to myself. I was thrilled to play with someone my age, and we both were going to start kindergarten in a month.
We stood under a large umbrella tree that covered the wood patio deck. A small table with child-sized chairs sat near the house. My dolls were on the chairs, and the table was set for a tea party. Carry didn’t seem too impressed. I took my dolls off each chair and placed them on the deck. We sat on the chairs without speaking.
“I can’t wait until school starts,” I said.
“Why?” Carry asked.
“Silly, so we can play with other kids.”
“I don’t want to go,” Carry pouted.
“Why?”
“I don’t know anyone. Dad got a job here.” Carry’s eyes welled with tears. “I didn’t want to come here.” “But why?”
“I like my old house. I miss my friends. I want to go to school with them. I will never see them again.” Carry’s tears cascaded down while she said, “My dad made my whole life go away.” Her eyes opened wide. “He told me his job is here, and the weather is great. No snow to shovel. But, I said, ‘I like snow and helping him shovel. We have fun. We throw snowballs at each other.’ When I said that, my dad looked sad. Now, I don’t say anything.” Abigail smiled. “I never lived near snow.”
Carry looked up, “My mom said I have to support Daddy. No one wants me to talk about it,” she said, with eyes filled with tears.
They both silently sat.
“Come eat,” Mom called out.
Before entering the house, we could smell homemade cookies.
“Wash your hands, girls.”
Carry and I hurried to the bathroom, quickly washed and ran to the kitchen and went directly to the cookie sheet.
“Eat your sandwich first, girls.”
We picked at our food. When Mom left the room, we abandoned lunch, grabbed two cookies each and hurried out. We giggled on our way back to the table. Both of us had grins as we gobbled down our treats. We were glad my mom never came to scold us.
“Where’s the school?”
“Over there,” I pointed behind us. “It’s across from the store.”
“Do other children live close?”
“Mom counted eighteen.”
“Any my age?”
I nodded. “Dick’s seven. Lillie’s five. They live that way.” I pointed to the left. “There’s a boy named Berry. He’s older. He lives at the end of the street. No one likes him. He throws rocks at cars. He hits Steven. Mommy gets mad.” “Let’s pretend we’re having tea with our cookies.”
Carry nodded.
Remembering those days, it seems like another lifetime ago,
Abigail thought.
I’ll be telling her every detail of our ordeal.
She listened to Lisa tell Danny, “I want a tea set with my reward money.” Abigail laughed.
“What’s so funny, Aunt Abigail?”
“What?”
“You’re smiling,” Danny said.
“Oh, just thinking about Carry. We also liked having tea parties.”
Lisa smiled. “I miss her. Can we see her?”
“When we get home, I’ll call. Okay?”
Great, Abigail thought, I left my stupid cellphone in the car. Everything happened so quickly that I forgot.
*
In the early evening, Carry English arrived home. The answering machine light flashed. She pushed the button and listened. One message was from Steven. She hadn’t heard his voice for a long while. She quickly returned his call. When he answered, he wasn’t his cheerful self. “Can I call you back?” he asked. “My parents and I aren’t home right now. Can I call you later?”
“Sure. Steven, are you okay?”
“Yes,” he said. “I’ll tell you about it later, okay?”
After placing the phone down, she stared at it for a moment. Her forehead started to form lines, and her smile disappeared.
I hate not knowing what’s going on. I bet it’s about Abigail. Why else would he be calling? She shrugged her shoulders. I hope I’m just overreacting again, she thought. But, Abigail should have called by now. She picked up the phone and dialed Abigail’s home number. No answer. She called her cell -- no answer. She left messages at both numbers for Abigail to call back ASAP.
Hearing Steven’s voice brought back childhood memories about the fort he built in his backyard.
Abigail was ill one day, and he invited me to join him and his friends in his fort. I felt glad he didn’t know Abigail and I often entered his sacred place while he was at little league.
While in the fort, the boys and I ate crackers and drank water from a canteen. Everything was going well until fifteen-year-old Berry pulled out his penis. Everyone stopped talking, and didn’t move. The boy reached for my hand and tried to force me to touch it. The other boys giggled and squirmed. Steven screamed, “Stop! What do you think you’re doing?” Everyone went silent, their faces red.