by John Molloy
Chen looked at the big knife. “I will do as you say, don’t kill me.”
“I won’t kill you, but be careful.”
He stood off the south side of the rock and signaled. The wait was interminable. Then the signal was returned. Chen reversed the launch back into a narrow opening between high rocks and in the dark this was no mean feat. He shone the lamp to see how close he was at either side. Then stopped the engines and called to Henry to throw the packages into the water.
Chen heard the splashes and Henry shout all gone. Because the drop had taken place in the dark, Henry reluctantly decided it was too dangerous to tackle Pedros with his high powered rifle. But he vowed to himself, your time will come, you can be sure of that.
With engines restarted, they were out and under way heading to Kingstown.
After tying up the boat, Henry gave Chen the money and all the packets of white powder from the safe. “Now, get away from these islands and make an honest life for yourself.”
Chen walked along the pier looking like the small, insignificant, lonely figure he was.
There was an air of job well done as they opened a bottle of wine and celebrated.
“What’s the next procedure Henry?”
“We’ll go to the police tomorrow and report all. Then back to Maiquetia for our Amber Witch.”
“Great, but I hope they won’t try to keep us in custody when we report tomorrow.”
“I doubt that. If they do I’ll have to invoke all the powers that be in Scotland Yard.”
First thing next morning Kerstin insisted in bringing Ayola with them; she wanted to buy some new clothes for her. They met the police superintendent and told their story from start to finish, having it all recorded. It took over two hours and young Ayola was bored sitting in the waiting area. She ran up to Kerstin when she came out with tears in her eyes. “I thought they were going to keep you there.” She threw her arms around Kerstin’s waist. “You are my only person I know.”
“Don’t you worry, I’ll look after you. No one will ever harm you again.”
After shopping, Henry met Juan in town and told him what had happened. “We must go back for the Amber Witch and then we are coming back here. When we return will you and Annabel come to Havana with us to visit your grandmother?”
“Yes, but first I would like to see the fellow who killed Lilja caught.”
“You will see him caught. I told the police that he’s on Milligan Cay and they are busy setting a trap for him and the pick-up launch.”
“I hope they catch him Henry. I can’t believe Tukola was such a bad man. He was trying to get so close to Annabel, and it makes me feel sick when I think of what could have happened.”
“Juan, we’ll be back in a week or so. Will you take a photograph of Alicia’s grave to bring to her mother, and would like to visit her grave when I come back.”
“Yes of course.”
They journeyed to Maiquetia to collect the Amber Witch and arrived back into Kingstown ten days later. Henry went to the police and they told him with help from the CIA they caught the drugs gang and arrested Johnny Pedros who was now in custody. Henry told them to come down to the yacht with him to get the diving gear with the bullet holes and the cartridge shells. They then went to the Windsong and he gave them the venom that Tukola was using. Henry asked the officer to send on the blood sample he had taken from the cabin table to Scotland Yard, and an accompanying letter that he’d drafted. The police superintendent congratulated him and Kerstin before handing Henry a sealed envelope with an official looking U.S.A. seal on it.
Henry took Kerstin into a cabin and closed the door. “Here, I think it might be a private communication from our friends in the CIA.
She opened the heavily embossed envelope and read:
“I want to convey our sincere thanks and congratulations on your success in helping us to catch and dismantle a major drug running operation. I believe some of our naval personnel might have had some confrontations with you on the launch, Windsong/Ayola. Your evading tactics are still being talked about among our naval men and I want to convey their admiration and apologies, belated though they may be.
Yours Sincerely,
- - - - - - - - - - -
In keeping with CIA protocols, the letter was unsigned.
She handed it to Henry. “I’m so proud of you.”
“Proud of me? you were the heroine, I just followed you!”
Juan came down to the dock when he heard they’d arrived back. Secrets don’t stay secret very long on small islands such as St. Vincent, and they were treated like celebrities wherever they went. Annabel and Juan threw their bags on board. Ayola was a little apprehensive when Annabel arrived but they quickly became friends. Juan took Henry out to Alicia’s grave where they laid two fresh floral wreaths, and Henry said his private, belated goodbye. They took some more photos for Martha and returned to the yacht.
Chapter Forty-Three
They sailed next day and had some enjoyable adventures before arriving in Havana. It was a wonderful home-coming for Juan and he remembered some of the streets and his house. Martha welcomed her lost family and the beautiful Annabel. She cried and laughed, hugged and kissed; she called in all the neighbors and for the first time in many years, her heart was full of joy.
Henry visited his old friend, Enrique. While he was there they planned between them a trip around the island for all, to include a visit to Enrique’s family’s farm. A week later they hired two cars; Juan drove one and Henry the other. They experienced an enthralling week touring around the island. The day they spent at the farm brought bitter-sweet memories for Enrique as he recalled the happy times before it was confiscated by the state.
In a quieter moment, Kerstin took Henry to one side and kissed him passionately. “You know our love life has suffered since all this excitement. We’ll have to make up for lost time!”
“I didn’t notice,” he joked as he playfully pinched her bottom.
Returning the pinch, she pursed up her lips and put on her most seductive coy look. “I need a husband.”
He held her in a bear hug and kissed her. “Well look no further.”
“Oh Henry dearest. But I have a kind of ulterior motive besides loving you. I also want your permission for us to adopt Ayola.”
He held her hands in his. “You’ve made me the happiest man in the world, but a family?” he pondered, as if it was some great surprise.
“Yes Henry, the family I could never have and the family you have never had.”
“But first Kerstin we will have to think of Ayola. Have you said anything about adoption to her?”
“Yes, I spoke to her this morning. She has no family that she knows of in Venezuela; they were all lost except one young sister in the terrible mud slides that engulfed their village. She and her sister survived because they were away collecting firewood and took shelter in a mountain cave. They were rescued after five days and she later found out that all her family had perished in the disaster. Ayola was sent to a home for young girls and later snatched by that old woman you saw with Tukola. Her younger sister was taken into a UNICEF orphanage and she hasn’t heard of her since. She never wants to go back there again and asked if we could keep her.”
“I would want nothing more than to adopt her, but we must do it legally for her sake as well as ours. We have no papers for her, and how can we go about it here in a foreign country?”
Her lip trembled with emotion.
“Kerstin,” he brushed a little tear from her cheek; we will go to the Cuban authorities today and enquire to see if we can get some kind of legal custody of the child; then we can take things from there.”
She hugged him. “My goodness Henry, what would I do without you? That’s good thinking and knowing the close relations between Cuba and Venezuela, hopefully, it shouldn’t be too much hassle.”
The Cuban authorities couldn’t be more helpful and sent off to Caracas for her birth certificate. They insisted that Henr
y and Kerstin would have to be married before they could legally adopt her. The couple didn’t have to think twice about tying the knot. The news delighted Martha who dutifully insisted in taking control of all arrangements!
The wedding took place in the Christ Cathedral in Havana. It was a joyous occasion which attracted hundreds of onlookers who filled the streets around the cathedral.
Two weeks later, Annabel and Juan went back to St. Vincent. The local government eventually took control of the hotel and asked Juan to continue in his role as manager. Annabel stayed with her grandparents in Helsinki where she carried on with her studies. Henry and Kerstin rented a berth for the Amber Witch at the yacht club in Havana and took up residence in a spacious house in the Mirimar district. Ayola, who was now their legally adopted daughter, attended a leading school in Havana.
Henry received a letter from Scotland Yard confirming that the DNA from Tukola’s blood sample matched the DNA taken from Shirley’s body back in 1958. He opened the draw in his office desk and took out the dusty box file where he kept all the documents relating to Shirley’s murder. As he filed away the final piece of evidence, he noticed his trusty old atlas. Turning to the last page, he took out his pen and with a tear in his eye he wrote in large letters: ‘CASE CLOSED.’
Thank you for reading The Atlas Murders. I have done my bit by writing what I hope you have found to be an entertaining novel. Now, if I may be so bold, I would like to ask of you a small favor. Like many authors, feedback from readers is always appreciated. The best way to let me, and other potential readers know what you think about my book, is to go online and write a review. Unlike my book, it doesn’t have to be long! Just a few words expressing your thoughts would be great.
Many Thanks
John Molloy
US English Edition first published in 2013
Published by The Electronic Book Company
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