“Now that’s what I’m talking about!” I yelled loudly until I saw Sensei’s stern look of disapproval.
After I’d calmed down, we went through the movements again and again until I’d memorized the dance steps. When Sensei was satisfied that I knew the steps to take, he became the attacker. I waved my hands and yelled as he had done, but his response was a derisive snort.
“Convince me!” Sensei shouted. “Show me that you’re afraid! I want to hear it in your voice. You must be frantic to convince the assailant! You must make him think you’re a coward, a sissy, Michael-san!” Sensei shouted. “Otherwise you will die. Practice these steps until you can do it in your sleep!”
I visualized the new dance steps day and night. I could now climb the rope, pulling myself up it hand-over-hand in three minutes, but Sensei demanded more, faster and better. He wouldn’t tolerate anything less than perfection.
Chapter Thirty-One
Joe stopped by with coffee and we sat on the deck to drink it. I lit a cigarette and sipped the hot coffee as I waited for him to discuss the reason for the visit. Whatever was on his mind had him hesitant.
“Look, Mike, I want you to know that I put you under surveillance when you got back from France. A couple of my guys have been tailing you. We know that you visited with Sal D’Angelo, and we know about the trip to Vancouver and Albany. If we know these things, so do the other guys,” he finally began.
I was surprised. I hadn’t spotted Joe’s agents. I hadn’t spotted the company men tailing me either, but that didn’t mean they weren’t there. I was still being watched and it was a sobering thought.
“They’re very well-trained, Mike. We haven’t been able to get to the bottom of it. If we arrest one group, another one shows up in only a few hours. I’m going to pull in an additional car soon, when we get the available manpower,” Joe paused briefly, and then took a deep breath, “I had to let you know that you’re being followed, Mike. Even if you change your name and run, what’s to keep them from tracking you to a new destination and snatching you there?”
He was worried that my plan wouldn’t work. Now, I was concerned too. If they were keeping a close eye on me, they’d know as soon as I changed my name. They’d know the moment I did anything. This had to stop.
“Damn! This is so complicated. Why in the hell don’t they just leave me alone?” I exploded. It was pointless. I took a deep breath to calm myself.
That night, Sensei Wakahisa and I continued to practice the dance routine. One, two, three, four and five; the practice would continue until my execution of the steps was as smooth as peanut butter. Sensei would tell me when satisfied with the performance. So far, he wasn’t.
“See it in your mind! Practice it until you can do it in your sleep,” Sensei ordered. “And, again!” he yelled each time we completed the fifth step.
“Hello cousin,” Magin said when I answered the home phone.
“How are you doing?” I asked, deeply concerned.
“I’m great. In fact, I’m planning a trip. Ever since I got the job offshore, I’ve rushed about everywhere: home to check on Dad and then back to the job. I’ve never stopped to see any sights along the way or to ‘smell the roses,’ as they say. I’m going to do that this trip back to Galveston,” Magin said, a sense of satisfaction clearly evident in his voice.
“Oh? What’s caused the big change?”
“Dad left me a shitload of money—it’s nearly a million dollars. All those years, he never did a damn thing. He sat in this house and waited and saved his money. Heck, he didn’t even eat fine food, and he could’ve. The house was paid for and he didn’t have any real living expenses. He was never sick, so he didn’t have any medical bills other than his annual check-ups. Looking at all the money he was sitting on makes me frustrated, disappointed and sick. To be honest, it makes me angry as hell,” Magin said. “He could’ve had a different life altogether, but he just sat on the money. He pissed away his opportunity to enjoy life. I’m not going to do that, dammit. I just bought a new car and I’m leaving tomorrow. I have 14 days to get to work and I’m going to drive through every Podunk-town I once flew by and take time to see it.”
“What route are you taking?”
“I’m going to catch Route 66 in St. Louis and travel it through Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico, and then all the way to Los Angeles. I’ll fly to Galveston from there, and when the job-stint is over, I’ll fly back to Los Angeles, pick up my car, and see what I missed on the way back.” Magin laughed. I could tell he was excited.
“Good for you, Magin,” I replied. He was a grown man and I wouldn’t stand in the way of whatever he felt was a good time or means to finding happiness.
“You want to come with me?” he politely asked.
“Nope, I can’t say that I do,” I replied and then laughed, “but I’m sure you’re going to have a helluva good time. I’m glad you’re doing something that feels right for you.”
“I’ll call you when I get back,” Magin promised.
Every night, I practiced the dance lessons, climbed the rope, and followed Sensei’s training routine. I visualized all the activities at every opportunity. It was paying off. Now, when I reached above my head to grasp the first section of rope, my movements were different and more confident. It took less than two minutes to pull my weight hand-over-hand up the twenty-foot length. Sensei knew I could do better and, for the first time, I did too.
Chapter Thirty-Two
Mr. Brown’s secretary, Karen, called to let me know the will was ready to sign. “Can you come by before noon to sign it?” she asked.
“Yes,” I replied. “Is there any specific time that’s better?”
“No, I’m here all morning notarizing signatures. It’s first come, first served on this part of the paperwork.” After the call ended, FedEx arrived with a package from Becky. She’d sent the requested changes and a pre-addressed return envelope. Karen could notarize these too.
Is this an omen? Is everything falling into place to make Magin an even wealthier man? Are things lining up so my life can end without any unfinished business?
That evening I disarmed Sensei of the baton. He immediately left the room and returned with a gun. His look was so stern that, for a moment, I thought he might shoot me. Instead, Sensei surprised me even more.
“Well done Michael-san,” Sensei said with a slight bow, “you’re ready to begin training with a more dangerous weapon. It isn’t loaded today, but tomorrow it will be.”
I bowed in return and the practices continued. It was different. The gun was heavier and more intimidating. That night at home, I shifted my gaze and visualized climbing the rope, practicing the fast hand movements, and doing the five-step dance repeatedly and perfectly. The practice continued even while I slept. That was the real key to my success. The visualizations increased my ability to learn the routines a thousand-fold.
I’d spent a great deal of time thinking about Nelson and his involvement with The Rodante Group. They had to be the company responsible for the recent havoc in my life. If I could unravel how he was involved, maybe they’d call off the goons who followed me.
I wanted to confront Nelson. I needed to find out what he knew about the company. Adom had only suspected that The Rodante Group was responsible. No one seemed to know for sure. Casey sure as hell wouldn’t admit it. Perhaps Nelson knew. When I was sure he’d already left for the day, I called Sarah and invited myself to dinner.
“Oh, Mike,” Sarah joyfully exclaimed, “it’ll be great to see you and catch up. I’ve been asking Nelson to invite you over, but he always has an excuse. I’m dying to see you! Can you be here tonight at seven? I know dinner is usually around eight for most people, but the kids need to eat earlier and get to their homework. It’s sickening how much homework the schools give, even on the weekends, for Pete’s sake. We rarely have any quality family time anymore,” Sarah rambled on and I laughed lightly as she did. “I can’t begin to tell you how excited I am! See you tonigh
t.”
Does Sarah know Nelson’s been making reports on me since our days at Columbia?
I wore soft-soled shoes with jeans, a cotton-ribbed turtleneck and a leather jacket. I was cautious on the way to the Fitch residence. Sarah had surely told Nelson I was coming to dinner and Nelson might’ve notified the company. If so, they could be waiting to grab me. I rang the bell and Nelson answered the door.
“Shalom! My friend,” he greeted me, but there wasn’t any warmth in his eyes.
“Shalom, Nelson.”
“When Sarah told me you’d called and were coming to dinner, I couldn’t believe my luck,” Nelson said with a forced smile that didn’t reach his eyes.
“I’ve been busy helping my cousin,” I explained, “but, I needed to spend time with friends tonight. It’s been a sad ordeal dealing with a family death.”
“We’re honored that we’re the friends you chose to be with,” Nelson replied.
Has he always been this slick? Has it always been easy for him to betray those close to him? It must be effortless after twenty-five years of practice.
“Nelson, if that’s Mike, bring him in and quit monopolizing him,” Sarah called out cheerfully.
Nelson escorted me to the dining area, a spacious room that extended from the front of the house to the back. The dining table sat to the left before large bay windows that overlooked the front yard. It was an oversized wooden table with eight chairs that sat in the middle of a handsome hand-tufted rug. To the right, there was half again as much room with another hand-tufted rug in similar colors and a drop-leaf table sitting underneath identical bay windows that overlooked a spacious backyard. A crystal cut vase with fresh flowers sat on the drop-leaf and glistened beneath the chandelier’s light.
Behind the dining area, was a large kitchen with an island bar. Sarah rushed out to give me a warm hug and, after everyone was seated, dinner was served. Sarah had prepared a delicious brisket steeping in onion gravy with a peppery potato kugel. For dessert, there was a mouthwatering, flourless chocolate cake accompanied by dark espresso with frothed cream. I couldn’t believe how much the kids had grown. Daniel was now fifteen and Katherine was thirteen. They were young adults.
“How much are they paying you to make those reports on me, Nelson?” I asked as soon as the children took their desserts upstairs. Sarah had started to clear the table but at my question, the dish she carried slipped out of her hand and shattered against the wooden floor. She looked at Nelson with disbelief; her eyes wide while her mouth was agape. Sarah also studied my face. She knew I was telling the truth.
“Mike, that’s not fair!” Nelson protested loudly.
“Isn’t it?” I asked and then continued without giving him a chance to answer, “What’s not fair is that a beautiful thirty-five-year-old woman is now dead because of your deceit. The thing that isn’t fair, Nelson, is that Maria could’ve been killed when two men held her hostage in my living room. What’s not fair is your profit over the secrets I shared!”
“That’s where the money came from all these years!” Sarah asked incredulously. She whirled around to stare at Nelson, growing pale as the reality hit home.
“Honey, it’s not like that,” Nelson said in an attempt to soothe her. “Let me explain.”
“Then, what is it like, Nelson?” Sarah asked with bitterness. She was quick to grasp the enormity of the discussion thus far. “I knew it didn’t make sense. I knew you couldn’t provide for this home and start a business on your salary from Columbia. You only teach a few classes a week. Your practice only has a few dozen clients. I knew it didn’t make sense. I knew it, dammit, why didn’t I trust my own reasoning? I didn’t want to believe it,” Sarah said, each sentence gaining in momentum until finally she reached hysteria, “but for you to betray our friend!” Her voice became a crescendo echoing the reality—the man she’d married all those years ago duped her—and it hurt. There’s not much worse than that kind of betrayal. Nelson wasn’t what he appeared to be to either his wife or friend.
“Sarah, honey, please let me explain,” Nelson said again in a soft, beseeching voice, but the look he gave me was as cold as ice. He blamed me for Sarah’s upset.
“When did it start, Nelson? Was it in college? When the company men came around offering my closest friends money to observe me and make reports; did you accept when the others refused? How did you justify that Nelson?” I asked.
“Yes Mike, it began in college, but you don’t understand,” Nelson tried to protest again. His voice didn’t hold any conviction. Sarah, weakened from the reality of what she heard, sat down at the table again.
“I want to hear everything, and I want to know what reports you’ve made on Mike. Start talking now or this might be the last conversation we ever have,” she said coldly. Nelson knew his wife was serious. He began from the beginning. He admitted that he’d agreed to observe Mike in college and make reports. He knew he was cornered and that there wasn’t any reason to deny his involvement any longer. He looked defeated, but he told the tale anyway.
“For years, there wasn’t anything to report, but they paid me anyway,” Nelson said. “The first check was fifty thousand dollars and it was enough for me to have the money to pay any expenses while finishing my degree. I thought that was it, but every year another fifty thousand dollar check came. When Sarah and I were first married, it was enough with my salary to live the lifestyle we deserved. I made reports every time we saw you, Mike. They paid extra for those, even though they were only observations of how you appeared to be doing. You never told me about the kaleidoscope, but I already knew about your sixth sense, so I reported on your mental health and well-being. Every year, like clockwork, the checks came and they grew substantially. After I reported that you’d set an appointment to see me a couple of months ago, I received a million dollars to persuade you to contact a research facility. I was to direct you to their site in San Francisco.”
“So that first appointment was just an act? You weren’t tempted to call for a psych evaluation; you were going to call them?” I interrupted Nelson.
“They left it up to my discretion and I decided not to call them, but yes, I already knew about your ability. As I told you in our first meeting, I’d known since college that you had a sixth sense. Later, the company confided that your ability was broken and that now you saw things differently than you had in college. I had to act surprised when you told me, didn’t I?” Nelson petulantly replied. “You refused my suggestion to contact a research facility every time I brought it up, so they changed the agreement. I was to keep them apprised of everything you told me in the sessions and about your personal life. I knew you weren’t going to go with them willingly, so they took a different approach.
“They used Casey. She was your type and she had access to your home. When you decided not to bring the journal to my office, Casey searched for it. Whoever turned in the journal would get a large bonus. They wanted to talk to you at their lab, but you made that impossible with the two failed abductions, first in New York and then in Marseille. They hired more competent people for the last attempt at your home where Maria was involved,” Nelson rushed to explain.
“What was your involvement in that?”
“They wanted me to help. All I had to do was tell them our appointment times so they could make contact with you either before or after, but you started dropping by unexpectedly and wouldn’t keep to a schedule. They assured me you wouldn’t be harmed,” Nelson hurriedly added and then paused.
“Did you tell them I’d be here tonight, Nelson?”
“Yes,” Nelson replied meekly, looking at his hands. Sarah sat in complete silence and utter disbelief while Nelson admitted his participation, but after he said that, the icy stare returned.
“Jesus Christ, Nelson!” Sarah yelled. He felt her disdain and rushed on, trying to defend his position.
“Sarah, you know that we needed that money to put the kids through college. Don’t act as if I’m doing this solely for
me. We’ve had huge expenses and as you said, I only teach a few classes a week. I had to do something to supplement our income.” Nelson’s voice was mousey but now trailed off to almost a whisper and he sheepishly refused to maintain eye contact with either his wife or guest.
“Yes, but to sell out a friend for your personal gain, Nelson! You betrayed the very friend who introduced us. Mike has only done good things while what you’ve done is evil. This is beyond unethical, this borders on criminal!” Sarah said each sentence in a higher octave until the final statement crescendoed, filling the room.
“Nelson is your home and office bugged like mine was?” I asked trying to steer the conversation back on topic. I needed to know if they could be listening right now.
“No,” Nelson replied with uncertainty.
“Are you sure?” I prodded.
“They wouldn’t do that. I’m not their interest, you are,” Nelson replied hesitantly. The look on his face, however, revealed he honestly didn’t know the answer to that.
“Who are they, Nelson? Who’s behind this? Is it The Rodante Group out of San Francisco?” I demanded.
“Mike, I can’t tell you,” Nelson responded softly, “I signed a nondisclosure agreement with them that is binding. They wouldn’t like it if I told you their name.”
“That’s what Casey said, and she ended up dead, Nelson. You need to tell me what you know.”
Only a few moments later a heavy knock sounded at the door. It startled all three of us. Nelson wanted to ignore it, but the loud banging sounded again. He excused himself from the table to answer it.
“Get rid of whoever it is. We’re not done here!” Sarah blurted out.
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