Photographs in Time

by Terry Segan

  I could see the pain in her expression. She knew that by sending her granddaughter to another time, she would never see her again. Yet this would allow the young woman to be safe and happy. I thought about the 30th Suitor we had left.

  “What’s your granddaughter’s name?”

  “Cecily. Her name is Cecily, and she’s desperate to get away from this man.”

  “Have you told her how you and Milton met?”

  “No. I didn’t want to get her hopes up. We’re desperate. Sami, there’s no other way to keep him away from her. Can you help us? Will you help us?”

  I sat there thinking of Doug Pendry in New York City. If he wasn't a good match for Cecily, there weren’t any other options. And it wouldn’t be fair to Doug to throw a Betrothed at him that wasn’t right. Yet, maybe fate played one more hand here. What if she were the one to finish our quota? The only way to know would be to talk to her in person.

  “Did Cecily come with you?”

  “No,” said Dede. “Like I said, I didn’t want to get her hopes up if you couldn’t do this for us.”

  “Understandable,” I said. “We do have one more Suitor. Now that doesn’t mean she would be a good fit. I need to meet and talk with her a bit. That’s how it’s done. Would you be willing to bring her here, with no expectations?”

  “Of course,” Dede exclaimed, sounding relieved. “Cecily is so much like me, it’s almost like looking in a mirror. Her adventurous spirit is mine. The only exception is her artistry in painting, which she gets from her grandfather. When can we come back?”

  I didn’t want to give her false hope, in case something went wrong retrieving Jimmy. There were too many variables at play. “Let’s set it for next Wednesday. I have some things that need attending to over the next few days. Would Wednesday work for you?”

  “Oh, yes!” The hope shining in her eyes brightened her whole face. Dede apparently loved Cecily very much. If it were in my power to help the young woman, I would.

  By the time our tea cups were empty, the storm clouds had rolled away, and the sun shone through the windows. We finished our chat and I sent Dede on her way.

  Hurrying into the studio, the slide indicated full power. It probably had been for almost twenty minutes. Time for my leap of faith.

  Chapter 42

  Sitting on the bench in my studio facing the slide, I waited for the flash. It blinded me when it came.

  The sound of gently lapping water could be heard as my vision returned. My eyes cleared to reveal a beach. I sat on a boulder of a small jetty. A narrow expanse of white sand ran between a border of blue-green water on one side and sea grass on the other. Early morning dampness swirled about me.

  Perhaps fewer occupants of the Italian island would be wandering about this time of day. I didn’t see a dock or boat launch area, so any fisherman setting off to work wouldn’t leave from here. If my luck held, Jimmy would arrive nearby.

  Standing up on my perch, I surveyed the surroundings. The area looked deserted. The land rose up into rocky hills behind me. Scanning the immediate vicinity, it didn’t show signs of life such as footprints or beaten down pathways. I patted the bulge in my right front pocket where the pistol was stowed. Once again, I hoped it wouldn’t be necessary to take it out, let alone use it.

  Looking at the watch on my wrist, five minutes remained until Jimmy and Carney would appear. I thought it best to stay out of sight, hidden amongst the boulders. While there didn’t appear to be anybody around, I wanted to avoid encounters with any of the locals. I wasn’t anxious to become a part of history.

  As the minutes counted down, I scanned the beach. Five minutes became ten, and still no sign of them. Climbing over the boulder, I scurried to higher rocks. On the other side of the jetty, I spied the men wrestling in the grass.

  “Jimmy,” I yelled, as he now lay motionless.

  Carney stood over him holding a rock. As I scrambled off the jetty, he tossed it back and forth between his hands. Moving closer, I saw Jimmy lying face down in the grass with blood trickling from the back of his head.

  “You bastard!”

  “Well, look at you,” Carney said, as he glanced at Jimmy, then back at me. He continued, “I was just repaying the favor your buddy Paolo extended to me.” His hand reached up and rubbed the back of his head. “I think my aim is better though.”

  Approaching them, the weapon in my pocket weighed against my leg. I wasn’t anxious to bring it out for fear of Carney overpowering me. I stopped short.

  My love finally stirred. “Jimmy,” I called.

  He moaned as he rolled over and struggled to sit up. Carney turned toward him, raising the rock as he approached.

  “Stop right there!” I drew my pistol and pointed it at him. It took all my concentration to steady my hand. If he knew I was unsure, he might call my bluff.

  “I guess all the sweetness just drained out of darling Sami. Is it in your resolve to shoot, my dear? What if I walked toward you, so we can see how determined you really are to protect the man you love?” He took a couple of steps in my direction.

  “Don’t,” I held the gun higher.

  Carney stopped walking. “I must say, it’s a surprise to see you here. How long do you have? You only get one try at this. Did you allow enough time to swoop in and rescue your fiancé?” he sneered.

  Finally, something he didn’t know. This man wasn’t aware of my lineage. There would be other tries if I failed to reach Jimmy in time.

  “So, I guess you managed to find dear old Grandpa’s Family Slide. That fool Paolo didn’t think I knew trapping someone in time would destroy the two devices used. All it would have taken on my part was a bit of sleuthing in San Francisco. With Junior’s slides, I could have done it, but maybe now you made it easier.” He took another step in my direction.

  He was calling my bluff. Time for action. I fired off a shot just to his left. While I didn’t like using a firearm, Jimmy had ensured my skills were honed to hit a target.

  Carney froze, then gave me an appreciative nod. Maybe that should be the plan—just shoot him to get Jimmy and myself back to our own time.

  Glancing at my watch, two minutes remained.

  “You’re out of time, aren’t you?” Carney gloated, “Failed again. My buddy Jimmy and I will have lots of time to get reacquainted.”

  “I don’t think so,” Jimmy said. He had managed to get up and stagger in my direction.

  The distance proved too great. As the seconds ticked down, I ran toward Jimmy. Carney launched the rock at Jimmy, forcing him to dive onto the sand. Getting up and stumbling, I knew he wouldn’t make it to me in time. With twenty feet between us, we couldn’t close the gap fast enough.

  “Jimmy, catch!” I hurled the gun his way. It soared for his outstretched hands. “Ten minutes!” I screamed.

  Still running, my shin banged on the table against the wall as I appeared back in my studio. My hands instinctively rose to stop my momentum.

  I hoped Jimmy knew what I meant when I yelled “ten minutes”. His grandfather might have shared my lineage with him. Knowing the old man’s reluctance to impart more knowledge than necessary though, he may have kept quiet.

  Manipulating the slide, I repeated the process to set up my journey and arrive ten minutes after I left Elba. If Jimmy stayed on the beach, finding him should be easy. Having left behind the only weapon available, I would be defenseless. Since our outlandish garb would give us away immediately, I hoped not to have to wander. It might keep me from getting to him, if I chose the wrong direction.

  Waiting another hour was like enduring an eternity. Finally, the minutes ticked down and it was time to activate the 30-second counter. I prayed this journey would be a success and not require another jump.

  With my back to the slide this time, I waited for the flash. It illuminated the room. Back on the jetty, the boulder dampened my jeans. Sitting where I had landed the first time, I immediately jumped up and scurried over the rocks to the side where I’d left Ji
mmy.

  Scanning the area, I found him in the grass. He lay prone and not moving. “No!” I screamed.

  I jumped down onto the beach and ran through the tall grass to where he lay. Rolling him over, blood stained the ground. I gently slapped him in the face, hoping to awaken him.

  No response.

  No pulse.

  No breathing.

  “Jimmy, no,” I cried.

  His skin felt cool to the touch, the life drained out of him. Looking at where the blood originated from his chest, I saw two gunshot wounds side by side. Dammit! Carney must have gotten the gun away from him. My heart wrenched in pain.

  I sat there holding him until my time was almost up. Releasing my grasp with seconds to spare, I reappeared alone in the studio. Shock ran through my body leaving me immobile. This time, I didn’t hurry to reactivate the slide to get back.

  Coming out of my stupor, I tried to figure out the best course of action. The timing had to be just right to stop Carney from killing Jimmy.

  I went into the kitchen and grabbed a bottle of cold water from the refrigerator. Taking it out to the porch, my body collapsed into one of the wicker chairs. A cool breeze tickled my face. I knew I could save Jimmy and bring him home, yet Mr. Chang’s prophetic words haunted my thoughts. The more times the slides were used for personal gain, the more I put both Jimmy and me at risk for things to go awry. Even though it was my choice, did I have the right to choose for Jimmy? Would he make the same decision if our roles were reversed? Yes. He would.

  Lost in a bubble of thought, I jumped, knocking over my water. Paolo approached from the edge of the porch.

  “How long have you been there?” I asked, standing to retrieve the bottle.

  “Not long. I did not want to intrude. Your thoughts were far away.”

  I motioned toward a chair. “It’s okay. Please, sit down. Would you like something to drink?”

  “If it is not too much trouble, water would be refreshing.”

  I retrieved another bottle from the house, glad for the company. Sorting this out on my own was pushing me over the edge of sanity. I attempted a smile as I handed him the water.

  “I wanted to see how you were doing,” said Paolo.

  Rather than filling him in on the day’s events, I decided to get more information. “Did you know I was the sole survivor of the Manchester family—the British family as you referred to them?”

  “I suspected. The matching name seemed too much of a coincidence.”

  “Why didn’t you say anything?” I asked.

  “It did not seem important at the time. Now, with Jimmy gone, I am sure you are trying to find a way to retrieve him. Correct?”

  I looked at him before casting my gaze back out to the ocean. “It seems I was given assistance from an unlikely place.”

  Chapter 43

  “This process is full of many unexpected twists and turns,” said Paolo.

  “So, it seems,” I replied, taking a sip of water. The liquid trickled down my throat, giving me the soothing effect I’d hoped for. It wasn’t a cure for my current anxiety, but a much-needed respite.

  “How did you find out about your lineage?”

  “Mr. Chang was waiting for me when I returned from your house. He offered a gift, as well as some valuable information.”

  “Can I assume he gave you the means to retrieve his grandson from the 1800’s?”

  “Yes. Remember how you told me the Manchester Family Slide perished in the fire along with the remaining heirs except the child? Well, the slide managed to survive unscathed.”

  “This is news. I wonder why Chang felt the need to keep that a secret. Did he retrieve it from Britain?”

  “No, Francois had a hand in the acquisition. He entrusted Mr. Chang with it’s safe keeping until he could return it to the family. My mother was never interested, so he held it for me.”

  “Why have you not used it then?”

  “I did—twice. The first time I found them too late and didn’t make it to Jimmy in time to bring him back. The second time, he was…he…” I found it hard to say the words. A seagull swooped by the porch giving off a raucous call, as if to chastise me for my improper use of the process.

  “What is it, Sami? What did you find back there?”

  “He was dead. Jimmy was dead. I’m sure Carney shot him.”

  “How could he have gotten another weapon so quickly? The one he had at my house is still there.”

  “It was mine. Just before I disappeared, I tossed the gun to Jimmy. Carney must have gotten it away from him and used it.”

  “Now you have a dilemma. Do you use the slide a third time to prevent his death, not knowing if that is how it was supposed to happen anyway?”

  “How did you know?” I looked at Paolo in utter surprise that he suggested the notion, despite its truth.

  “It is the same struggle I endured when you told me you acquired the Fortuno Family slide from Carney. Did I have the right to use it and attempt to stop Junior’s death? The consequences may not have allowed us to live a happy life, despite his being saved. Perhaps when someone dies due to this process, it’s what would have happened anyway, whether it be in the present or the past.”

  “That’s my fear. Maybe Jimmy was supposed to die. But he went back without a weapon. What if my going back to save him changed his timeline? There are too many permeations when we meddle with time, aren’t there, Paolo?”

  “I wish I had all the answers. The question now is, will you go back once more?”

  This query hung in the air between us. The seagull hovered nearby again, as if it were looking for answers too. The bird was so close I could see the blemishes in its feather pattern.

  Paolo’s question seemed almost like a dare. Would I temp fate one more time to make things come out right in my world? Would I be allowed my indulgence? Fate could be as fickle as time. You may get what you want, yet it might not be as imagined.

  With resolution I answered him. “How can I not? If there’s a chance of saving Jimmy and bringing him back to the present, I have to try.” I stood up and walked to the far end of the porch, rolling the water bottle between my fingers. Sunlight reflected off the liquid and danced on the ground. More memories flooded in as I remembered finding Paolo, Jr.’s, license from the 1960’s. So much turmoil.

  “There is your answer then.” As if to punctuate his comment, Paolo set his empty container down on the table next to him with a loud crinkle as the plastic hit the surface. He rose out of his seat.

  I turned and looked at him. This man lost much, as we all had. How much was our right to reclaim?

  “It seems you have a journey ahead of you,” he said as he gave me a nod goodnight. Turning slowly, he walked off the porch toward the driveway.

  “Paolo?” I called.

  He stopped and turned his head my way.

  “Would you’ve gone back, given the chance?”

  After hesitating a moment, he simply shrugged.

  I watched him walk down the driveway to his vehicle. My gaze returned to the ocean, while I leaned against the nearest post. It creaked with my weight. The noise of a car engine ignited with a roar, then faded as he drove away. The sound of the surf pounding on the shore echoed up to my ears.

  The damp air chilled my skin as I finished my water, so I went inside. Out of recent habit, the front door was secured. After depositing the empty containers beside the kitchen sink, I went about the house making sure all the windows and outside doors were locked.

  As anxious as I was to go back and save Jimmy, the stress of the past day took its toll. If I wasn’t well rested and primed for action, things might continue to go wrong. I doubted sleep would find me tonight, but I had to try and get some rest. My mind needed to be sharp. With great reluctance, I removed the Family Slide from my studio and locked it up in the office safe.

  Despite concerns, sleep consumed me quickly. I awoke to the morning sun peeking through the blinds of my bedroom window, still wearing
the same clothes from the night before. My memory failed as I couldn’t remember lying down. It must have happened at some point; otherwise how would I have gotten here?

  Getting up and wandering downstairs, I set up the coffee maker and selected the strong brew button. While waiting for it to finish, I went back upstairs, showered and changed into fresh clothes.

  When the coffee finished dripping and the scent of hazelnut wafted through the kitchen, I poured myself a cup and went into my studio. Besides getting rest, I needed to prepare myself mentally for this next journey. Reflectively studying each portrait, I wondered how all their lives really turned out—except for the four women that never got the life promised. Sadness overtook me thinking about their fate, but I shook it off. It wouldn’t do any good dwelling on the evil that befell them. All had perished at Carney’s hands. That notion made me even more certain I was justified in cheating death to save Jimmy. It seemed a fair trade.

  I lingered in my studio longer than intended. The doorbell rang and dragged me out of my reverie. Looking at my watch, it was about 10:15.

  Cautiously looking through the peephole in the door, there stood a delivery man wearing a beige uniform. As I opened the door, he held a small padded envelope and an electronic clipboard.

  “Samantha Manchester?” he inquired.

  “Yes,” I said, “that’s me.”

  “Sign here, ma’am,” the courier pointed as he held out the device then handed me the stylus to scribble my name. Always made me wonder why they bothered as most signatures on those things didn’t look legible.

  “Thank you, ma’am,” he said as he handed me the parcel. “Have a nice day,” he added with a cursory smile that was gone in an instant. Turning away he strode off to his truck parked at the curb.

  Looking down at the tan and crinkled parcel in my hand, I immediately noticed the return address written in the upper left corner with no name. None was needed. I recognized the Chinatown location in San Francisco immediately—The Jade Pagoda.