by Terry Segan
I took over the conversation. “I know about the special slides. How do we find them? I know only special distributors have them.”
“No…those are…wrong. Family…Slides.” His pale face bore testimony to the toll the effort was taking. “Only…four...you need…get…them.”
Sitting back on his heels, Jimmy looked at me in disbelief. Everything swirled about us. I felt betrayal at having knowledge he didn't. There hadn’t been time to fill him in on the part of my journey he hadn’t witnessed as a young man.
I returned my attention to Francois. His head had fallen back at an odd angle. His eyes closed.
“Francois. Francois! Tell me where we can find these Family Slides. Please!”
His eyes remained closed. I released the pressure on his wound and sat back. Suddenly his eyes shot open, but it was too late. He vanished. Time was up.
Chapter 19
I sat on the porch staring at the spot Francois occupied moments ago. A pool of his blood stained the oak boards as it seeped through the cracks.
Jimmy knelt beside me with an arm wrapped around my shoulders. The late afternoon sun beat down on us, but I couldn’t feel its warmth. My body shook, and he pulled me closer. Burying my face in his chest, I cried. I cried for Francois, for the women whose lives Carney had taken, and for the part we unwittingly played in all this tragedy.
“Shhhh, sweetie.”
His shirt became damp from the tears I couldn’t turn off. I wasn’t sure I could handle any more. Part of me wanted to walk away from it all. The consequences be damned!
Jimmy helped me to my feet and into the house. Everything was a blur. He guided me to the living room couch and pulled me down next to him. My throat tightened at the thoughts of Francois.
After several minutes, I struggled to form words. “Jimmy,” I pushed out in a hoarse whisper, “we need to finish this. Whatever it takes.”
“I know,” he muttered, hugging me tighter.
Pulling away, my voice gained strength. “We need to find the Family Slides, but I don’t see how you can set more than one location on one slide, even if it’s the same place.”
“He said ‘them.’ Maybe we need all four.”
“We don’t even know how to find one. Maybe we need to only find two. He said both locations.”
“Please, let me handle this. I’m responsible.”
I was appalled he would take the blame for all this. Jimmy had to know Carney’s actions were beyond his control. “How do you figure?”
“Carney was my friend.”
“And the Frenchman brought both of you into this. Carney’s grandfather, for God’s sake.” My tone escalated, and I couldn’t control it. “That is not your doing.”
“Maybe it is. Think about it, Sami. The Four Families. One of them must be mine, for three generations, maybe more. Francois’ and Carney’s must be another one.”
“We have no clue who the other two might be.”
“Then that’s why…”
“Don’t you dare!” I cut him off. “Don’t give me that lineage crap. Regardless of who belongs to the Four Families, we’re in this together. Whether it be by genetics or selection, we are both part of this, and we both need to work on solving this mess. Even if it means destroying everything in the end. Maybe it’s time the process stopped.”
Jimmy sat back into the couch cushions, his brow furrowed. I’m sure the thought to end everything, not just Carney’s rampage never crossed his mind. It was ever-present in my head. This might be the only way to stop the evil.
“What are you suggesting?” he asked.
I took a deep breath. He wasn’t going to like my proposal. “We have another slide that will take me back to talk to your grandfather. The emergency slide from Christy and Jackson would land me in Monterey, California in 1984.”
“No,” he blurted.
“What do you mean ‘no?’ The only way to get more information is to talk to your grandfather. There’s no other option. Without it, we’re at Carney’s mercy. I’m not waiting to see what he does next. We have to do this. I have to do this.”
Jimmy swiped a hand through his hair in frustration and looked down at the floor. After a moment, he straightened up and turned toward me. “You were right the first time.”
The confusion on my face must have been obvious. “What?”
“The part where you said we have to do this. We will go back and talk to my grandfather.”
“How do you propose that?” What he suggested sent shivers of apprehension down my spine. I knew what he meant, and it terrified me after hearing about April’s demise.
“Honey, you know it can be done.”
“In theory, yes.”
“Not in theory. We just have to go about it the right way.”
I gripped my knees. “Jimmy, please, let me go alone. Besides, what if you run into your young self?”
“I won’t. By 1984 I lived in this area, nowhere near San Francisco. If we both go, Grandfather will know the need is dire. He might be more willing to share what he knows.”
I sank back into the couch and placed my hands over my eyes to relieve the pressure building behind them. It was incredibly risky yet I, too, believed it could work. “Okay. It still makes me nervous, but we’ll both go. First, the preparations need to be made for Dede’s journey back to Milton. If we’re going to do this, we must keep moving forward with our matches. Being so close to finishing our quota, it would be senseless to quit now.” Despite saying the words, I didn’t really believe it in my heart, but I felt we needed to try.
Jimmy looked at me for a moment, then nodded. “Tomorrow I’ll get her credentials started. Do you have Dede’s information sheet filled out, so Daniel can create a plausible background she can remember?”
“Yes, it’s in my desk. I’ll get it.” Having a plan of action gave me a new sense of purpose.
Glad for an excuse to focus on something other than Francois’ brutal murder, I got up and walked to the office. Upon entering, I noticed the light blinking on my answering machine. I’d forgotten the phone rang the other day while Jimmy told me about April’s attempt to leave Carney. With trepidation, I hit the play back button.
“Hel…Hello? Hi. Sami? I’m not really good at these things. Okay, hi. My name is, Stella. I work with Dede. Well, sometimes I do. At the flower shop, I mean. Oh, sorry. Um…anyway…she told me she was coming to see you. Well, that you did old time photographs. Dress up and take a picture I guess. Um…well…it sounds like fun. And…um…oh darn. Sorry. Okay, I would like to have my picture taken too. You know, dress up and do a photo shoot, I guess? I need some fun in my life. So…anyway, please call me so I can set up an appointment. Okay, bye. Oh! My number is 310-555-0210. Okay, thanks! Hope to hear from you soon. Bye!”
I mulled over the message. Stella seemed to be another lost soul in need of help. If things went well, she would be number 29. Damn! Even with thoughts of abandoning the whole match-making thing, it apparently wasn’t willing to go away. My work loomed before me.
Remembering the reason for being in the office, I opened the right-hand drawer of my desk and grabbed the form with Dede’s information. Hers was the only one in there. Once a Betrothed went back on her second journey, the sheet was destroyed. Didn’t want a paper trail on any of the women.
As I walked back into the living room, Jimmy spoke on the phone. He was ordering Pad Thai Noodles with a side of shrimp shumai from a local Thai restaurant. I loved shumai. By the time it was delivered, I might be able to eat.
The Frenchman being shot in front of us nagged at me. Not even the delicate aroma of the take-out filling the kitchen sparked our appetites. As we picked at the food, we talked about our upcoming journey.
“So, we go tomorrow?” I asked Jimmy as he pushed his noodles around the plate with his fork.
“Yes. I’ll go see Daniel in the morning to get Dede’s credentials started. Now, tell me what you and Grandfather talked about.”
It struck m
e he wasn’t present for most of our discussion in the past. I filled him in on everything Mr. Chang told me, as well as the questions I asked that weren’t answered.
After my visit to 1979, young Jimmy had grilled his grandfather about my visit, to no avail. The old man told him nothing.
Hearing April was supposed to be involved in the process shocked my Jimmy. He kept going back to that point. “You’re sure Grandfather said April was supposed to be a Photographer?”
“Yes, just not Carney’s Photographer.”
“That makes sense. She possessed great compassion and tried to make good matches. Sadly, she didn’t have full access to all the Suitors. Tony wasn’t involved in the process, and she wouldn’t have stayed with him.”
“How do you know that, honey?”
“I have to admit to checking up on his history years later.” He gave me a sheepish grin. “It always bothered me how Tony lost out on a life with April. Turns out he did get married—to another man. Guess he and April wouldn’t have worked out anyway.”
Funny how life takes such twists and turns, even without the slides. At least Tony had love in his life. I wondered who the other Collector was that April should have spent her life with as a Photographer.
Chapter 20
The next morning, I woke to find myself alone. Heading downstairs, the aroma of coffee lured me into the kitchen. After pouring myself a mug, I wandered through the house looking for Jimmy.
Hearing scraping noises from the front porch, I stepped outside. The smell of bleach assaulted me. Jimmy knelt on his hands and knees scrubbing the boards where Francois had lain. He turned as I sat down in a nearby chair.
“You really are my hero.”
“I know,” he said. Turning back around, he continued working at the blood stains with a wire brush. The scratching of his strokes echoed across the boards. Some discoloration remained, but most was gone. With time, all the signs would be erased—at least visually.
“How’d you sleep?” he asked, still fussing with the scrub brush.
Thinking back to the twisted sheets and blankets I left curled over the bed, lying was out of the question. “Not well. You?”
“Like I’d been in a wrestling match.” He turned, gave me a wink, then returned to his task.
“Sorry.” My restlessness had robbed both of us of sleep—me waking on and off from pieces of scattered dreams, him trying to win back some of the covers. “When are you going over to Daniel’s?”
“Around 11:00.”
The time on the coffee maker had been 10:15. He must have been out here a good hour or two to have removed all those stains before I got up.
“So, by the time I’m back,” he continued, “we should be able to go at about 2:00.”
“Sounds like a plan.”
“And, Sami,” he said without turning around, “please wait for me to go with you.”
“Honey, I wasn’t…”
Turning, he chastised, “Don’t tell me you didn’t think about it. I know you too well.” His tone softened. “Promise you’ll wait.”
Looking down at my coffee, I mumbled, “I will.”
“No. Look me in the eye and say the words.”
Taking a deep breath, I raised my head and looked directly at him. “I promise. No going alone.”
“Thank you. You may resume your caffeine intake now.” He grinned and stood up.
Returning the smile, I shifted my gaze to the vast ocean below. It promised to be another beautiful day on the Southern California coast. Thoughts of what lay ahead of us, darkened my mood. It wasn’t going to be easy, but this journey had to be taken.
While Jimmy showered and changed clothes, I remained on the porch sipping coffee. Nervous tension rippled through my body as I thought about our impending trip.
Jimmy kissed my cheek then gave me a stern look on his way out. His meaning was unmistakable. I would wait until he returned for us to go together to speak with his grandfather. I kept my promises.
After a second cup of coffee, I hopped in the shower. Standing there, reveling in the warm water cascading over my skin, I didn’t want to step out and prepare for our journey. I allowed myself several more minutes before turning off the water.
Unlike the last time I went back to speak with Mr. Chang, a chill of foreboding coursed down my spine. If we failed to get all the information we needed, there would be no second chance. We would be out of slides that could put us close enough to San Francisco in the right time period.
This made me think about the Betrotheds I sent back. Is this how they felt if they had the slightest bit of doubt about the life they were throwing themselves into? The second journey was always the most critical, as it was permanent. While this trip wouldn't forever strand us in that year, the journey still had a finality about it. With the slides we had, there would be no third attempt. Our only chance lay in discovering the location of special slides that allow the operator to select a date and place. I hoped we wouldn’t need one.
Since I had my doubts about Mr. Chang disclosing all the information we needed to stop Carney, I also wondered about his willingness to share the location of those slides. Hopefully, Jimmy would know how to get to his grandfather.
About 1:00 p.m. I went into my office and unlocked the safe. Removing the red-framed slide from Christy’s union with Jackson in Monterey, I hesitated. Thoughts of this journey sent shivers down my body. Maybe it was a good thing Jimmy insisted we go together. Despite my determination to stop Carney, I wasn't sure if I was up to going back alone.
Taking enough money from the cash box to cover any emergency, I grabbed the slide holder. After locking the safe, I carried the items to my studio.
Setting the holder on the table and slipping the frame securely in place, I depressed the power button. We would leave in one hour.
I moved the bench out of the way to allow room for both of us.
“It’ll be all right,” Jimmy said from the doorway.
He startled me as I didn’t hear him come in. “I hope so. This journey makes me more nervous than my first time going back to talk with your grandfather.”
“He’s really a warm and fuzzy guy, once you get to know him.”
We looked at each other for a second, then burst out laughing—more from relief than humor.
“Thanks,” I said, “I needed that.”
Jimmy walked over and wrapped his arms around me. I buried my face in his chest and breathed in the clean musky scent of his aftershave. Kissing the top of my head, he pulled back and said, “Come on, Sami. Let’s get all 1980’s-like.”
“Okay, but if you start talking like a Valley Girl, I’m going alone. I mean it!”
“Like fur-sure.”
With a playful scowl, I narrowed eyes my eyes at him.
He changed his tune. “I mean, okay.”
“Better.” With a quick kiss on his lips, I slipped from his embrace and headed upstairs.
He followed me as far as the hallway.
In the bedroom I grabbed my denim jacket to go with the jeans and t-shirt I wore.
Returning down the steps, I heard the metal clunk of the safe door closing in my office. He walked out and handed me a driver’s license from the decade we were going to with a current picture. He removed his current identification and credit cards from his wallet and slipped a similar driver’s license in their place. He also took some bills out of his pocket and stuffed them in his wallet. I was going to tell him I already had cash, but we had to be prepared in case we were separated for any reason.
When I went back the first time, I forgot to bring my valid ID. Luckily, at the hotel, when I pretended to have lost my license, they didn’t press me for anything else since I had enough cash to cover the room for the night.
Carrying my jacket, I walked into the studio and deposited it on the bench before returning to the kitchen. We still had half an hour until the holder would be at full power. We should eat a quick lunch, but my stomach was so full of knots that fo
od wasn’t an option. Jimmy, however, made himself a turkey sandwich.
I sat opposite him at the table with a bottle of water, silently reviewing all the questions we needed Mr. Chang to answer.
“Stop it, Sami.”
“Stop what?”
“You know.” He reached out and covered my hand with his. “Quit making yourself crazy trying to second guess everything we need to ask Grandfather.”
“Honey, I just want to make sure we don’t forget anything.”
“We won’t. Try to relax,” he implored me. “You keep riling yourself up and you’ll get me all worked up too. We need to stay focused.”
Pulling my hand away and carrying my water, I walked out of the kitchen toward the front door. I needed fresh air. Out on the porch I glanced to the right at the discolored boards. With a shudder, I turned left and went to the chair at the far end.
All I could do was breathe deeply for a few moments. The plastic container crinkled as I tensed and released my grip.
I reached over to set my water on the small round table next to my chair and misjudged the distance. The bottle hit the edge, and I dropped it. With a loud splat, it landed on the boards and rolled toward the end of the porch.
Jumping out of my chair, I bent down and retrieved it, mere inches from the edge. As I stood and turned toward the front door, a card on the floor caught my eye. A California driver’s license sat on the back of the porch against the house. I picked it up to look at the name and picture. Made of unfinished card stock, not the plastic ones I was used to seeing, it belonged to a man named Paolo Fortuno. The license was issued in 1965, and the man had been born in 1941.
How on earth could it have gotten here? Maybe it blew up from the beach, though why someone would be carrying a driver’s license from 1965 was beyond me. The picture was grainy, yet familiar.
As I turned to take it into the house to show Jimmy, my eyes focused on the spot where Francois had lain, his blood seeping out of him. In a flash, something Carney casually mentioned came back to me. Something about a young Italian man being most helpful.