The Show (Northwest Passage Book 3)

by John A. Heldt

  Grace thought of that dark and not so distant time as she rolled to a stop at an intersection and waited for a light. She had been seventeen when she and her missionary parents, William and Lucille Vandenberg, had fled Nanking, China, just ahead of a Japanese occupation that would claim three hundred thousand lives. With nowhere else to go, they had taken the first boat to Seattle and moved in with Edith, Lucy's sister, in November 1937. They had lived in the city barely a month before a drunk driver had plowed into Bill and Lucy as they entered a crosswalk.

  Despite the shock of losing her parents so suddenly and senselessly, Grace had managed to finish high school, win a full-ride scholarship, and enter the university a few miles away. She had struggled at first, particularly socially. She had kept mostly to herself and made more friends with books than girls in her freshman dormitory. But she had slowly emerged from her shell and started to live the life that she had been meant to lead.

  Grace thought of one of her dorm mates, Virginia Gillette, as she stared blankly at the long red light. Ginny, a newspaper heiress and journalism major from Forest Grove, Oregon, had all but rescued her as a freshman. She had persuaded her shy roommate to attend numerous social events and eventually join a sorority, where Grace had grown and thrived. They had been best friends since the first day of school.

  Katie, of course, was not far behind. Grace had met the talkative, witty coed at the university library, where both worked in the circulation department. "Grace checked out books," as Katie liked to say, "and I made sure she did them right."

  Grace had befriended the Japanese American despite not-so-subtle pressure from others to associate with her own kind. She had loved Katie's sense of humor, her intellect, her generosity, and her knowledge and interest in Asia.

  The two had planned to share the house with Ginny at least until June, when all three graduated and Ginny married Tom Carter. Tom was the son of Seattle furniture magnate Mel Carter and a recent college graduate who in a matter of weeks had become Joel Smith's best friend.

  But the draft and now the attack on Pearl Harbor had put those plans on hold. Tom was fifty miles away at Fort Lewis, where he would complete basic training and no doubt head off straight to war, and the normally confident, strong-willed Ginny was an emotional wreck.

  Grace had reached Ginny by phone shortly after reading Joel's letter and learned that she had spent the night with Tom's family in the university district. Ginny said she had grown closer to her future in-laws since Tom's conscription on November 24 and wanted to comfort them as best she could. She said that the news from Pearl Harbor had left her numb, but she readily agreed to Grace's request to meet at Aunt Edith's. They had agreed to meet at four.

  When the light finally turned green, Grace drove through the intersection and noticed dozens of people on the sidewalks. They gathered in small groups and appeared to engage in animated conversations. Grace didn't need to hear their words to know what they were talking about. A moment later, she turned to her friend in the passenger seat.

  "Are you going to tell me where you got the money?"

  "Joel gave it to me," Katie said matter-of-factly. "He gave me twenty-five hundred dollars as casually as most people might tip a waitress. I didn't know what the envelope contained, of course, but he did. I'm sure it was the leftover winnings from his sports bets."

  Grace flinched when she heard the words. She knew Joel well enough to know that he would not have left Katie or anyone else with that kind of money without a very good reason. He knew things about the future that she did not. Still, the revelation stung. Joel had left a mere friend with a significant gift and the woman he loved with a broken heart.

  "When did he give it to you?"

  "He gave it to me at dinner – at the Mad Dog. He gave it to me Friday night."

  Grace sighed. Friday night. The mere mention of that evening, the last time she had seen Joel, stirred more emotions. Though Joel had apparently left Seattle, and left for good, he had done so with class. He had said his goodbyes all week – first to the Carters, then to his friends – and done so in a way that left all of them pining for more.

  He had made a special effort with Ginny and Katie, taking them out for dinner and drinks Friday and sharing stories about his past that he had not shared with anyone else. He had left each with comforting words that they had cited verbatim Saturday morning.

  Joel had saved Grace for last, of course. He had picked her up at an academic gathering that she could not miss and taken her to a new bar in town for drinks and reminisces.

  Grace had loved almost everything about that experience. She'd had a chance to talk to him, share her dreams for the future, and give him a Christmas gift that simply could not wait.

  She had also loved the short drive home to Klickitat Avenue and sitting in the front seat of Tom's Plymouth after they had arrived. For thirty blissful minutes they had held each other tightly, spoke in the hushed tones of lovers when they spoke at all, and maximized the moment as wind-driven rain tapped the car's windows to the rhythm of romance.

  Grace had assumed that the affectionate moment would lead to better things. She had assumed that they would make a seamless transition from the car to the bedroom and reaffirm a love that would surely survive a short separation. She had assumed incorrectly.

  Joel had had other plans. Instead of making love to her, he had made excuses and left her at the doorstep. Even so, he had said he would be gone only a few weeks. Joel had told all of them that he would stay in Montana only as long as it took to make peace with his estranged family.

  Looking back, however, Grace could see that he had never intended to stay. He had seemed depressed Friday night and preoccupied with catching his early morning train. He had also used words that all but telegraphed a final exit. When he had finally bid her farewell at the door, he had said "goodbye" and not "good night."

  "Are you OK?" Katie asked, bringing Grace to the here and now.

  "I'm fine. Please continue."

  "As I said, he gave me the envelope at dinner. He didn't say what it contained. He just asked me to hold it and keep it in a safe place. He said if he returned this week he wanted it back."

  "And if he didn't come back?"

  "He said I could keep it. He said he knew I would put it to good use. I got the impression that I wasn't supposed to open the envelope. Not now, anyway. But you know me. I couldn't wait. I opened it the minute I got home. I have never seen so much cash in my life."

  "Nor have I," Grace said. "Thank you for the loan. I'll never forget it."

  "It's not a loan, Grace. It's a gift. Joel left the money for me – why, I'll never know – and now I'm giving some of it to you. If this helps you find him, it will be money well spent. Let's speak no more of this."

  "OK."

  "Do you really think you can reach him in time?"

  "I hope so. I won't know until I get to Helena. It all depends on whether I can find the Buick dealer. He's my only hope. He's the only one who might remember Joel. If I can't reach him by tomorrow morning, it won't matter . . ."

  Grace choked up as she finished the words. She knew that this was probably a fool's errand. She was betting her future and Katie's cash on a seemingly meaningless tidbit of information. When she had taken Joel to Mount Rainier National Park in July, a make-or-break moment in their fledgling relationship, he had told her about a hitchhiking experience where a Buick dealer had given him a lift near an abandoned mine.

  She didn't know whether the dealer or the mine were anywhere near Helena, Montana. She didn't know if the mine was the one that had transported Joel from the year 2000 to 1941. She knew only that she had to find the truth and find it fast or she would face a lifetime of regrets.

  CHAPTER 3: GRACE

  Grace's second visit to Madison Park that day felt vastly different than the first. When she had pulled into Aunt Edith's driveway at 7:30 a.m. to take her to church, Pearl Harbor was just a place in Hawaii, the United States was still a nation at peace, and Jo
el Smith was someone she expected to see again. So much had changed in so little time.

  As Grace walked with Katie to the door of the mansion, she noticed human activity. People moved in and out of cars and neighboring houses with considerable haste. They greeted each other with hugs, not handshakes. This was clearly no typical Sunday.

  "Come in, girls," Edith said as she opened the door. "Ginny is already here."

  Grace and Katie entered the residence, gave Edith their coats, and walked through a large living room to a sofa facing a fireplace. Grace had not sat on the comfortable couch since Thanksgiving, the day she had introduced Joel to her sole remaining blood relative.

  Grace and Joel had spent much of that day sitting on the antique sofa, learning a lot about each other. He had been refreshingly candid about a number of things, but he had also been uncharacteristically gloomy. He had known what was coming.

  Edith put the coats away, walked into the living room, and looked at each of her guests. Grace and Katie sat quietly at opposite ends of the sofa. Ginny occupied a rocking chair a few feet away. She stared out a window at the rainy street beyond.

  "Would anyone like some tea?" Edith asked.

  "No, thank you," Grace answered.

  Katie shook her head.

  Ginny said nothing.

  "I know Grace called us together to say something important, but before she speaks, I would like to say something myself. I would like to ask Ginny and Katie some questions," Edith said with a West Country accent she had honed in England. She had come to Seattle in 1918 with her twin sister Lucille. "Let me start with you, Ginny. What can you tell us about Tom?"

  Virginia Gillette turned to face Edith.

  "He's still in basic training at Fort Lewis," Ginny said. "I received a letter from him yesterday. He seems to be doing all right. He's learning a lot, making new friends, the usual stuff."

  "I see."

  "He said boot camp was easier than he thought it would be, but he expressed concern about his next assignment. I can only imagine what he's thinking now."

  Ginny lowered her eyes and shook her head. She looked at Edith and then at Grace but quickly turned away in an apparent effort to hide fresh tears.

  Grace wanted to comfort her friend but opted to stay put. There was no point in comforting a distraught woman when you were about to make her day a whole lot worse.

  "I'm so sorry," Edith said. She stepped forward and put a hand on Ginny's shoulder. "If there is anything I can do for you or the Carters, please let me know. I mean it. Nothing would make me happier than to assist those most directly affected by this dreadful war."

  "I appreciate that," Ginny said. She wiped a tear and sat up in her chair. "Thank you."

  Edith offered Ginny a supportive smile. She waited until Ginny acknowledged the gesture with a nod and then shifted her attention to Katherine Kobayashi.

  "How about you, Katie? How are you doing?" Edith asked.

  "I'm doing all right, I guess," Katie said.

  "Have you spoken to your parents today?"

  "I have. I telephoned them just before we left."

  "How are they?"

  "They are upset and worried. They are worried about my safety and the impact a backlash might have on their business in Portland," Katie said. "I plan to see them on Friday."

  "That's good," Edith said. "I have thought about you all day. I know how ugly people can get when they act on prejudice and ignorance. Be strong. We will all get through this."

  As Grace listened to the others, she felt very small. She had little of substance to add to this discussion. She did not have a fiancé heading to war or a family facing discrimination and scorn. She had a boyfriend who had dumped her because he preferred the future to the present.

  Grace sank as crippling doubt set in. Could she really do this to her aunt and her best friends? What kind of person did that make her?

  Grace knew she needed time. She needed time to think things through and decide whether the love of her life was worth the life that she loved. Time, however, was the one thing she did not have. She would have to make the biggest decision of her life in a matter of minutes.

  Edith did not address Grace immediately. She instead walked into the kitchen and returned a moment later with a teacup and a saucer. She sat in a lightly upholstered wooden chair, placed the cup and the saucer on her lap, and smiled sweetly at her niece.

  "Well, dear, I take it you have something to say," Edith said.

  Grace sighed as she slowly rose from the couch. She glanced at Katie, who offered a sympathetic smile, and then at Ginny, who offered a blank stare. Whatever occupied her thoughts, it almost certainly was not a slick-talking cowboy from Helena, Montana. Grace smoothed the wrinkles from her dark blue dress and looked at her aunt.

  "I do. I do have something to say," Grace said. "I too have a problem. It's trivial compared to Ginny's and Katie's, but it's important to me. It's a matter I must address."

  "What is it, Grace?" Ginny asked. Interest filled her eyes. "What's it about?"

  "It's about the envelope Joel gave you Friday night, the one I was not supposed to open before Christmas," Grace said. She paused to catch her breath. "I found it in your desk when I looked for a pen this morning."

  "Did you open it?"

  "I did. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to pry, but I succumbed to curiosity."

  "There's no need to apologize, Grace. Joel left the card for you," Ginny said. "He just didn't want you to open it right away."

  "You're right," Grace said. "He didn't want me to open it right away – and now I know why. He explained it all in a letter."

  "What's going on?" Edith asked.

  "Joel left me, that's what. He left me for good."

  "I'm so sorry, Grace. Did he at least give a reason?" Ginny asked. "There has to be more to this. There has to. I can't believe Joel would leave without telling you why."

  Grace huffed.

  "Oh, he told me why, all right. He told me very clearly."

  "I don't understand," Ginny said.

  "He went home."

  "To Montana?"

  "No," Grace said. "He went farther than that – or at least he's going to go farther."

  "Farther? What are you saying, Grace? I still don't understand."

  Grace closed her eyes and gathered herself once more.

  "OK. I'll just say it. Joel may be headed to Montana, but he's not from Montana. He's from Seattle – and the year 2000."

  Edith dropped her teacup and saucer on the floor.

  "He's what?" Ginny asked.

  "He's a time traveler," Grace said. "Joel Smith is from the future. He came here from the year 2000 and plans to return to that year tomorrow."

  "That's preposterous," Ginny said. "Time travel is impossible."

  "That's what I thought at first. But then I saw the coin."

  "What coin?" Edith asked.

  Edith ignored the broken porcelain on her hardwood floor. She instead stared at Grace as if she were an alien from another planet.

  "The coin in Katie's purse," Grace said.

  Grace gave Katie a knowing nod.

  Katie retrieved the coin and handed it to Grace. A familiar-looking eagle spread its wings on one side of the golden American dollar. A not-so-familiar-looking mother packed an infant child on the other, next to the year of the second millennium.

  Grace passed the coin to Ginny. She watched closely as her friend studied the object.

  "Joel included that coin with the card and the letter, which I left at the house," Grace said. "Have you ever seen anything like it?"

  "No," Ginny answered. "I haven't."

  "Let me see it," Edith said.

  Ginny gave the coin to the hostess.

  "It looks authentic," Edith said.

  "I'm sure it is," Grace replied. "It may be the only thing about Joel Smith that is authentic. He lied to us about a lot of things – important things. He also withheld knowledge about some of us, including knowledge I'm reluctant t
o share."

  "Such as?" Edith asked.

  Grace wrestled with indecision. She knew she had to tell Ginny something. But did she have to tell her everything? Was it fair? Was it cruel? She decided to proceed slowly.

  "Such as his relationship to someone in this room," Grace said.

  Grace walked to Ginny and put a hand on her shoulder.

  "I don't know if Joel's story is true, Ginny. I don't. I know only that it would explain a lot of things, such as his winning bets, his mood the past few weeks, and his decision to leave this weekend. But if his story is true, then you are more than just his friend."

  "What do you mean?" Ginny asked.

  "I mean you're his grandmother."

  Ginny slumped in her chair as she digested the words. She appeared both shocked and confused. A moment later, she turned to Grace and shook her head.

  "I refuse to believe it," Ginny said with a hint of anger. "I refuse to believe any of it. Time travel is impossible. It's a creation of literature, not science. Joel simply got cold feet. Men do that, you know. He'll be back. I'm sure of it. He loves you."

  Grace looked at her oldest friend as tears formed in her eyes.

  "I know he does. It's the one thing about him I do not doubt. But I'm afraid I can't count on him coming to his senses soon. It's the reason I must go to the airport tonight. There is an eastbound flight that leaves at eight forty and arrives in Helena at one thirty in the morning."

  "You're going to Montana?" Edith asked. "You can't be serious."

  "I'm very serious. I love Joel and can't live without him," Grace said. She looked at her aunt. "I won't live without him."

  Grace stepped away from Ginny, moved to the middle of the room, and turned so she could face everyone. It was time to address the three as a group and not as individuals.

  "In his letter, Joel said he entered a mine on December 8 and returned to his time," Grace said. "I believe the mine is near Helena, but I don't know for sure. I know only that I have less than two days to determine if what Joel wrote is true. Staying here is not an option. I have to leave if I hope to find him. I have to leave today."