Flower Girl: A Burton Family Mystery (13 page)

The next morning Reddy learned from Hamish that three of the twenty cases were at the Parks' Singapore Clinic where Dr. Sincere Kim Park signed off as attending physician on the death certificates. The paperwork on the three cases of infant death also noted, 'fetus cremated.' Worse, all twenty infants were girls, and all but two were of mixed extraction, what are called exotics.

Hamish also was headed to pick up some pornography, call it investigative video material, on Courtney Grey and his Arab buddy at play. While Reddy was tracking the red shoes girl, Hamish's agents had videotaped the trysts of Khamal and Courtney. "Their own proclivities were giving us the clues and info we need to bring them down."  Reddy concluded.

Reddy finally had the documents that tracked Zinni's daughter to of all places, Cheju-do Island. The original documents were under lock and key at Hamish's, and a copy was sent to Berkeley at Dalisay's Oakland Clinic and kept in a safe room.

The documents revealed the truth about Dr. Evel Park and his child slave trade. He specialized in mixed race children who were difficult to trace with regard to ancestry and more easily could pass in a higher class social environment when called for. Dr. Park specialized in child brides. He spent years with each of his precious girls preparing them as brides for wealthy clients whose custom of multiple wives was well known. Malaysia was a popular source of clientele. Several clients had been Arab sheiks, even a prince or two. Some Japanese businessmen kept second homes in southeast Asia with their illicit child brides. Park once serviced the needs of an eighty-five year old man from Deliverance, Utah.

I marked the Zubaida case accepted, and Reddy began formulating a plan to rescue her granddaughter from the Parks' Home for Girls compound in Cheju-do.

"Check out the copy of the documents from Hamish," Reddy said. In addition to the "still-births" list which clued us that Zubaida's granddaughter was alive and being transported to the Parks' Home for Girls on Cheju-do Island, there was a second list labeled ‘completed sales.' A file in this second list read, ‘Sale completed to E. G., Euros 150k, 17 May, 2009ce. Letia, blonde, aged 13, parents both deceased, of Swedish and Philippine ancestry- attending physician Dr. Evel Park Jr.'

"Get in touch with Hamish. He can fill you in on the rest of the document story."

I left a message for Hamish. He got on a secure line and called me at my place in Berkeley a few hours later with some exciting new information on the Zubaida case.

"I have verified that the initials EG on the Parks' Clinics documents we liberated in Singapore is Edvard Grey," Hamish began. "Grey took delivery of Letia, a thirteen year old girl I am about to tell you about. She was delivered from Cheju to here in Seoul. They married and honeymooned on Cheju-do for three days, then immediately departed for parts unknown in Russia."

"Damn, why weren't we invited to the wedding?" I said with a smirk.

Hamish added, "Letia is a Philippine/Swedish girl who was ten when Grey put a down payment for her services as a child bride. However, here comes the surprise. Grey underestimated his child bride. Letia tipped me off that she was not a willing partner for Grey. She sent me a series of coded messages, begging for my assistance. While I searched for a reliable and safe way to respond, Letia's language instructor acted as her messenger; and I was later able to bribe one of the martial arts instructors at the nearby dojang to assist.

"Letia was resigned to her role as his wife, but she hated Edvard. Her messages told me that he was cruel to her, frequently leaving her alone for many weeks at a time. Near her wedding time, a nine year old from the Parks' Home for Girls who was to be one of Letia's flower girls, brought me a final message containing a blueprint on the layout of the compound known as Parks' Home for Girls and Clinic on Cheju-do. The Parks had added several underground rooms and some hi-tech security systems, as well as guard schedules and guard-dog modifications, concertina wire barriers, and a double chain link electrified fence with a dirt path in-between.

 “Letia's messages also indicated that Singapore was the Park's family business record center. Apparently they did not want to keep records in Seoul where the local police had been snooping around their clinic a bit more often than usual. She had put herself in grave danger."

Hamish took the next flight to Singapore and orchestrated the break-in of the Parks' Singapore clinic that resulted in the discovery of the documents he shared with Reddy. Hamish also left a few clever clues that indicated that it was the Singapore Police, perhaps in collaboration with the ROK police who had perpetrated the break-in.

"Hamish has a dark sense of humor," I said.

"Yes, nevertheless his little ploy threw suspicion away from Letia," Reddy replied. "The man is a genius. Along with the other evidence, that blueprint gave me the confidence that we are ready to spring Zubaida's granddaughter."

I sensed that Reddy was eager to return to Cheju-do to fine tune and then execute his rescue plan. He had bumped heads with their operations before, fourteen years ago when he rescued me, but the new blueprints were going to be invaluable in breaking into their compound and rescuing Zubaida's granddaughter. Putting their child bride slavery ring out of business was on his mind and mine; however, for now our focus was on rescuing the child.

"I should be back in Berkeley in a few days,” Reddy said. “I still recommend that you do not share this latest info with Princess Zubaida and Zinni. I will contact them face-to-face when we know more. My best regards to Dalisay and Angie. By the way, is Angie still hanging out with that CIA guy?"

I really liked Reddy's tone of total confidence. He did not say, "If we are successful in rescuing Zubaida's granddaughter." However, I sensed that something else was on Reddy's mind. For the second time he said to me, "You're ready, Shannon. We'll talk more en route to Cheju-do." I knew better than to press the issue; however, my curiosity and anticipation was surging. I wanted to shout out, “Who's my target?” However, I was also thinking, at last I shall visit my mother's grave.

 

Chapter 7: Cheju-do Island   

Exactly when Reddy returned from Singapore is a mystery, but he did call in irregularly with updates on the Zubaida case and to let us know he'd be back in the Bay area soon. Okay, so he wasn't yet perfect at keeping his family informed of his whereabouts, but what else would we expect from an ex-agent sniper.

 Reddy bursts out of his basement hide-away looking disheveled as if he hadn't slept in a week.

"How's Michaela coming along?" I asked nonchalantly.

"I got in at 4am this morning and stayed up until I finished my work on her. She's good to go."

I looked at Shy and Comet and said, “Great watch dogs!"

Being dogs, they totally ignored my sarcasm.

Reddy abruptly changed the subject. "We need to take off for Cheju-do Island in a few days. Can you get away from your lab job without creating too much attention? Sarge just finished removing the pontoons and adding extra fuel tanks to the Pilatus PC12 for our flight to Cheju-do. The man is a genius with bush aircraft and he has increased the range of the Pilatus PC12 to nearly 2,200 miles. He's flying her to Oakland day after tomorrow. When can you be ready to leave?

I thought, 2,200 miles range. That can't be enough to get across the Pacific Ocean via the Ring of Fire. However, I let it drop for now. "Speaking of Michaela and those who covet her, before I go anywhere with you, I want some answers to a mystery that has been puzzling me."

"Shoot!" Reddy replied.

"The Burton family, such as it is, has enjoyed two months of bonding and training time at Skeleton Lake for each of three straight years." I asked Reddy, "Why hasn't the CIA discovered our regular summer visits to Skeleton Lake?"

"It helps to have a contact in the CIA who keeps them chasing false leads," Reddy replied. "Besides, if you can't figure out where I am most of the time, what makes you think they can find me?"

"Okay, so you keep me in the dark as to your whereabouts just as a part for me to play in your little game of hide and seek," I replied.

"I told you I like remote places. Someday maybe I'll share some of my magic." Reddy was genuinely smiling; it was a devilish sort of smile. Reddy's voice remained calm as he continued, "Actually, my main strategy is just to keep moving; however, I built a small home on Cheju-do Island off the southern coast of the Korean peninsula. The house is near the southern base of 6,000 foot high Halla-san Mountain, a dormant volcano. It is sixty kilometers from Udo Island and Seongsan Ilchulbang, another volcanic crater, close to Sunrise Peak which overlooks the emerald green waters of the China Sea in the Korean Straits. We get sunrises and sunsets that are stunning. Cheju is full of history about mermaids and women pearl divers, archaeological and legendary tales. Meanwhile, you can expect a call from Hamish; we have some arrangements to complete on the Zubaida case."  

I should have asked him "what arrangements?" However, I was too excited about visiting Cheju-do Island to ask. I have longed for years to see the place where Reddy buried the ashes of my mother and me.

"Okay, I'll call my boss at the Berkeley Labs and say that I'm taking a month of my accrued vacation time, no details. I've been continuing my research on Korean history with an emphasis on the contributions of women, and I just heard from Rhyly earlier in the week that she's researching Korean women during Silla dynasty times. She actually suggested doing an historical tour of Silla era artifacts and sites. She's arriving in Berkeley to give a lecture at UC on Friday; can she come with us to Cheju-do?"

"That should work out," Reddy said. "However, I need her to do us a favor and fly here with Sarge. Sarge was going to deliver the PC12 by himself; however, he'll be glad for the company. He can get Rhyly qualified to fly the Pilatus PC-12 and she can be our co-pilot on the four day flight to Cheju." It was as if he'd planned this all along. Was this a sample of his magic? Damn, he's grinning again.

Meanwhile, I called Rhyly and told her to cancel her commercial flight and get together with Sarge. She sounded really excited. She had finished her RVU teaching duties until July when she would again honcho the Moosonee Factory archaeological dig for Professor Craft.

"Okay, Rhyly's travel arrangements are set. More importantly, you're assuming that I want to visit your hideaway on Cheju-do Island; however, I must insist on visiting my mother's grave. June 2nd is nearly upon us," I replied.

"After we take care of business, we will visit Anne's grave," Reddy said with another big grin, adding, "What are you waiting for? Pack lightly or whatever you want. The PC12 can handle the weight."

Sarge filed a flight plan from River View to Oakland with Rhyly as co-pilot. She landed the Pilatus PC12 at Oakland International and checked in with Reddy and me by cell phone. "We've arrived. Sarge is staying with some friends in San Mateo. Shall I take a taxi to your place?"

"Let's meet at the Clinic. It's right near you in the old Oakland Naval Yards. After we visit Dalisay at her clinic, we can head to my place in Berkeley. See you soon." I rang off.

"I'll bet you're really pumped up about visiting your mother's grave," Rhyly said as she gave me a hug and I tried not to cringe.

By the time we arrived at my place Rhyly had already come up with a flight plan and suggested we depart from Oakland International Airport (OAK), first refueling at Vancouver/ Richmond, BC (YVR), then refuel in Juneau, Alaska (JNU), with another refueling stop in Bethel (BET) in west Alaska on the banks of the Kuskokwin River (inYupik, Kuskokwin meant a slow moving thing), then across the Bering Straits, flying over many of the Pacific Ring of Fire active and inactive volcanoes to Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky (PKC) on south Kamchatka Peninsula, with a final refueling at Hakodate, Hokkaido, Japan (HKD), then on to Cheju-do Island, Jeju International Airport (CJU). The extra fuel tanks that Sarge added made this route possible.

Reddy never flinched. He just said, "Sounds good to me. File the flight plan for a take off in two days."

Rhyly asked, "Can we spend a couple of days checking out the brown bears and volcanoes near Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky (PKC)? Also, there is an Ainu village near PKC that I would like to visit, part of my research."

"Great idea," Reddy replied. "We'll do it on the return flight."

I couldn't let the mileage thing drop, so I asked, "You said Sarge increased the PC12 to a flight range of 2,200 miles. How will that get us across the Pacific?"

"Rhyly Raincrow, copilot here. Good question, young lady. Your pilot will be Reddy Burton. We have one passenger, Shannon Burton, cargo manifest attached. Flight Plan: Pilatus PC-12 tail # N577RB, depart Oakland (OAK) 11 May for Vancouver BC (794 miles) to Anchorage (1,326) to Kamchatka Peninsula (1,794) to Northern Hokkaido/Hakodate (1,310) to Cheju-do (966). Total miles 6,000 plus. We will be in Cheju-do in five days."

"I get it, we will be hopping across the Pacific via the Bering Straits at less than 2,200 miles per leg with a few hundred miles of fudge factor on the fuel allowance for each leg," I said.

Two days later (11 May 2014), Reddy was eager and happy to get back behind the controls of the Pilatus PC12. I was even more eager to visit Anne's grave. Rhyly was excited about making a tour of Silla era artifacts and sites. Dalisay was busy packing and keeping Shy and Comet out from under foot. I was sure they thought they too were going for a flight.

We said our goodbyes to Shy and Comet. Clearly disappointed that they were not joining us, sad eyed and tails down, they watched from the driveway as we headed for Oakland International Airport. I was certain that Dalisay would take good care of them and run with them in the hills each morning.

Rhyly filed the flight plan with Oakland Tower while Reddy and I loaded our bags and sniper gear into the PC12 and completed a pre-flight check. I asked Reddy, "How do you plan to get these weapons cases through customs in Cheju-do?"

"Hamish has it covered."

 We departed from Oakland on time for Vancouver with Reddy in the pilot's seat. I could think of only two things, visiting my mother's grave and who might my target be? I was pretty sure it would be one of the Parks, but which one, Sincere or Evel Junior?

Rhyly took the controls and flew the leg from Vancouver to Bethel, Alaska. Reddy got in back with me away from the engine noise, and we discussed the plans that we hoped to execute to conclude Zubaida's case. Reddy was planning ahead for a getaway after hopefully rescuing Zubaida's granddaughter from the Parks' Home for Girls on Cheju-do Island. He did not want to be reliant on commercial flights for our getaway. That's why the PC12 arrangements were so crucial.

"Hamish sent us enough documentation, video, and wire tap evidence on the Greys' and the Parks' Clinics at Cheju-do and Singapore to prove that they have Princess Zubaida's granddaughter. However, before we spring her, I need to reconnoiter the compound using Letia's blueprints," Reddy said.

"Evel Junior is in charge now, and he's a hell of lot more ambitious and evil than his daddy ever was; and Sincere isn't far behind. Rumor has it that Junior has tripled the price of his child brides and that he once cut up a guard at the Cheju-do compound for just making eyes at one of the girls. Likes to call them 'my girls,' thinks he's their benefactor and surrogate father." As he said this, Reddy's eyes narrowed ever so slightly. I don't know for sure why, but my guess was that he was reliving or envisioning something disturbing.

"Reddy, what really perplexes me is that all these clinics that the Parks run are sorely needed and they are very profitable without the child bride slavery angle. I can only attribute it to greed or one of Matte's psychiatric terms like sociopath, meaning one who is mean and violent, antisocial and lacking in empathy. Someone like Dr. Evel Park, Sr.," I said.

"Likely both," Reddy replied. "Dr. Evel Park, Sr. was a real sicko, addicted to wealth and as greedy as anyone I've ever known. Now he has two successors cut in his mold to be proud of, Junior and Sincere. That is, if pride is possible from beyond the grave."

I added, "Most likely from hell or the nether world."

Our re-fueling stops in Vancouver, then Juneau and Bethel, Alaska, were followed by another at Kamchatka. The winter ice and snow was melting at Bethel, allowing the river to flow and life was reawakening. We flew over the volcanoes and even saw several brown bears making their way south, a preview of our return visit.

As we neared Hakodate the next evening, our engine was skipping a beat here and there, like a bum heart or a faulty pacemaker. Reddy nursed the PC12 the last 100 kilometers, as he called Hakodate tower. "Hakodate Tower, this is Pilatus N577RB, 80 kilometers north of Hakodate. My engine is misfiring but should be able to make it to runway. Do you have a mechanic that can maintenance a Pilatus PC12 turbo engine? "

"Pilatus N577RB, this is Hakodate Tower. We have you on radar and will monitor your progress. Stay on this channel. I will check on mechanics. Over."

As we touched down at Hakodate, the tower told Reddy to transfer to ground control. "Taxi to runway 17, then turn port to hangar 11. A mechanic will meet you. Go to ground control now. Good luck, Pilatus."

"Hakodate Tower, arigatou gozaimasu," Reddy replied, adding, "thanks for the assist."

It took us two days to get the engine parts flown in from Tokyo; I won't bore you with the prohibitive cost. Rhyly filed a revised flight plan and we took off from Hakodate for Cheju-do Island.

My eyes widened to take in one of the most beautiful sunsets I have ever seen - a rusty red, orange, and yellow mixed with shades of lavender, purple, and blue all contrasting with the lush green of Mount Halla, a gaping hole of a volcano that dominated the island. The flickering sunlight glanced off the wings of the PC12 as Reddy banked her around the volcano, then dipped down to 1,500 feet altitude and flew over the rippling ocean waters, past several rows of green glass fishing net buoys gently bobbing in a cove below.

"Green glass buoys, rows and rows of them, bobbing gently in the water near the shoreline." I exclaimed.

Reddy laughed and said, "This is where my gift to you came from."

"Everything is so green. Is the volcano extinct?" Rhyly asked as Reddy steadied for a landing.

“Halla-san Mountain is an inactive volcano. It stands over 6,000 feet high, making it the highest point in South Korea. Jeju-do Tower, this is Pilatus PC12  N577RB, 15 miles west, requesting permission to land."

Reddy pointed to the starboard side as the PC12 banked and said, "That red roof halfway up the mountain is my place." Seeing my look of amazement, he grinned and said, "You were expecting a shack?"

As soon as Reddy, Rhyly, and I arrived at Jeju-do airport and refueled and tied down the PC12, Reddy did a post-flight check. Then, we got through Korean Customs without even a baggage check. Hamish definitely has some bodacious contacts, and Reddy was familiar with the right amount of baksheesh. Most critical, we did not want anyone rummaging around in our luggage.

While our taxi drove up the mountain to his place Reddy began briefing Rhyly and me on the history of the island.

"What does the name Cheju-do mean? I read that it is also called Jeju-do," Rhyly asked.

"It is known as the ‘Island of the Gods.' Before the Japanese occupation, the Dutch called the island Quelpart. When Korea was annexed by Japan in 1910, Jeju became known as Saishū. At the turn of the century the Seoul government changed the Romanization of Korean, and Jeju-do became Cheju-do. Cheju-do was what the island people called this place when I first visited, so that is what I still call it."