The Rainbow Conspiracy

by Stuart Hopps

  Shirley pointed out that was rather too obvious a form of disguise and revealed that she had another idea for Clive’s transformation, which she hoped he might find much more amusing. So once again she took command of the situation, advised him to shave, and he did as bidden. She was now convinced that it was imperative for Clive to travel totally incognito and so she’d laid out a printed cotton frock, a pair of tights, her hairpiece and a headscarf, which she was sure would come in handy later and finish the job off nicely.

  Now back downstairs and waiting, from the large bay window in the lounge, all three saw Michael, punctual as ever, arrive and get out of a different car. Once through the front door, he told them that he had driven past the hospital on his way over to meet his folks and described how as he approached, he could smell the stench of burning debris through his open car window. From a distance he could see that the little that remained of the bungalow was still smouldering and he confirmed that there was virtually nothing left of what had been Allen’s clinic. He said his dad had quickly gone over to the Men’s Center after he had phoned him, and had indeed found Shane manning the reception desk. What he didn’t tell them however, was that he had decided to telephone Allen from his parents’ house and that since there was no reply, he’d left a message for him on his office answering service, which he hoped he would somehow pick up.

  ‘You know, I trust my dad implicitly and I was genuinely curious to find out what he would do, were he in my shoes. After all, he treated Dennis like a son, and has got to know Allen real well. And, by the way, my folks more than enjoyed meeting you both last night and they know that Den was like family to you too, Clive.’

  ‘Well, I appreciate that, Michael,’ Clive responded. ‘But what did Douglas actually find out at the Men’s Center?’

  Michael’s dad had told him that the place was packed to the rafters with a very good turnout from the Columbus gay community, as well as many press and media people, including a team from the local television station. Douglas had pushed his way through the crowded reception area and finally got Shane’s attention.

  ‘I have to admit, guys, it’s just as you predicted,’ Michael continued. There are no survivors and no one seems to know how the fire started nor who was responsible. Shane told my dad that the police had taken statements from him and some of the other guys who were at the Center when it first opened this morning, but apparently there were no witnesses at the clinic.’

  Steve admitted that he was glad to hear that, and he was relieved to learn that no one had seen Michael drop the Brits off there for Clive’s appointment, since he felt that the last thing they all needed was for that brown sedan of his to have been recognised as it drove away from the clinic.

  ‘By the way,’ Michael added, ‘from now on I’m using my mom’s car.’

  Steve said he’d noticed and thought it a very smart move. He was also curious to know how many people it could take.

  ‘Five I should think. It’s an estate. She uses it for getting the groceries. Why?’

  ‘I’ll let you know later. Carry on telling us what Shane said.’

  Shane had told Michael’s dad that the police believed that Allen and the nurse had been on the premises earlier this morning, but that there were no signs of them now. According to Shane, one of the firefighters had been badly injured trying to deal with the burning building, but the flames had become so intense that he had had to abandon the site.

  ‘Were there any charred human remains, do you know?’ Clive was keen to ask.

  ‘Apparently not. The police thought that the building had been evacuated.’

  ‘That’s a blessed relief,’ Shirley volunteered. ‘I don’t suppose for one moment that anyone could have possibly survived that explosion. And so is there any news of where Allen and Edith are?’

  ‘For what it’s worth,’ Clive added, ‘my Spoke nose tells me that the two of them were blown to bits.’

  ‘But Clive, I don’t think it’s as simple as that,’ Steve insisted. ‘I’ll come clean with you all. I realised that after Den had told me what he had learnt from Jim, there was a very strong possibility that his life was also in danger. Then, when he got sick after the blood test Allen gave him, I started to get suspicious. The more I began to find out about Dr Levitt, the more I started to distrust him. And now, to tell you the truth, after what you two guys have found at his clinic, if I were Allen, that’s exactly what I would want the whole world to believe: that I had been blown out of existence.’

  And although Steve was demonstrating his somewhat unsympathetic colours again, Clive welcomed his line of reasoning. ‘You mean, simply disappear into thin air? Now that’s very interesting, Steve. I suppose that makes total sense.’

  ‘Well, put yourself in Allen’s shoes,’ Steve continued, ‘and remember his story. He arrives in Columbus, a young and attractive fully trained medic. Little is known about him, and then he becomes totally committed to helping the AIDS cause. On arrival, he claims to be gay but for religious reasons, he’s troubled by his sexual orientation and no one has ever seen him with a boyfriend or even a trick in tow.’

  ‘That’s perfectly true, Steve. And guys,’ admitted Shirley, ‘surely that’s a little weird.

  ‘And how come he can afford a Cadillac on a local doctor’s salary?’ Clive chimed in.

  ‘We’ve already been over that one,’ Shirley reminded Clive. ‘He’s probably inherited his money.’

  Steve agreed with Shirley and pointed out that his wealth wasn’t important but everything else about Allen was concerning. After all, Allen knew all about Den’s involvement with that senator friend of his, because Dennis had told Allen what Jim had discovered in Tucson. He concluded: ‘Dennis had to be got rid of and Allen has to be inextricably involved.’

  Then Clive turned to Michael, who was clearly not liking Steve’s last remarks and, in an attempt to change the subject somewhat, asked him if Allen had ever discussed his family background with him.

  ‘Well as a matter of fact, he did. One night, when we were getting slaughtered, he told me that he had rather a difficult relationship with his stepfather.’

  ‘Do you think he was abused by him as a child?’ Clive responded.

  ‘He didn’t imply that much. Allen simply said that he had a problem with his stepdad, that’s all. And remember, we’d both had rather a lot to drink.’

  Clive simply admitted that he was just trying to understand what caused Allen to hate homosexuals to the extent that he had allowed himself to be brainwashed, ‘put under’ and been driven to become a serial killer.

  Steve agreed that it was all food for thought, but added that if Allen had been programmed, it was therefore not in the least bit surprising that he would have been prepared for eventually being found out.

  Clive agreed with Steve and claimed he now firmly believed that if Dr Levitt was part of a national conspiracy plot, he would have been briefed and prepared by his bosses for any eventuality and would most definitely have had a an escape strategy up his sleeve.

  Shirley pointed out that Allen already had more than four hours to escape since the explosion at the clinic had occurred, and thought that was enough time for him to try to get out of the country and be well on his way to Mexico.

  ‘I bet he’ll soon be across the border, go into hiding and simply disappear,’ Shirley stated. ‘And who knows? He may even have Nurse Edith with him as a decoy. Well, am I right, boys?’

  ‘I think Nurse Edith is more than a decoy: I think they’re doing it and I don’t believe he is gay at all! That’s just a cover up, he’s as straight as a die.’

  ‘I think he’s a real smart alec,’ Steve continued, ‘and, wherever he is, I think that he must have informed the FBI about what was stolen from his office, and I now believe we’re all in great danger.’

  Michael had sat silent during this discussion and looked very troubled by what he was hearing, and then suddenly shouted: ‘Listen, all of you, if you think we’re in so much danger,
then do you mind telling me what the fuck we’re doing just sitting around like this?’

  ‘Michael, you’re absolutely right,’ agreed Clive. ‘But we all have to keep calm.’

  Shirley turned to them and told them that she felt it was now turning into a summit meeting.

  ‘It sure is, Shirley,’ agreed Clive. ‘I feel we should not approach the local police until we’ve had the opportunity to talk all this through together. I do realise this may appear somewhat cowardly on my part, but after all, we have no proof that Allen did actually booby-trap his clinic.’

  ‘Clive’s right,’ added Shirley, ‘and because of us, you two have both now become heavily implicated.’

  ‘Let’s face it, guys, we’re running out of time, said Clive. ‘And what worries me is that a visit to the police would involve me having to return the evidence I managed to acquire and divulge the real purpose of our visit to the clinic. And that’s before we’ve had the opportunity to get this precious stuff scientifically scrutinised.’

  ‘And do you think the local police would believe our conspiracy theory anyway? I mean to say,’ Shirley continued, ‘how much communication do you think really goes on between the FBI and those local police officers of yours?’

  ‘Well, I would imagine a good deal,’ affirmed Michael.

  The thought again flashed through Clive’s mind that Michael did perhaps know a little too much about such matters. However, again using all his thespian skills, he calmly continued, ‘I know that I can speak for Shirley when I say that we may have been the catalyst for Allen’s actions. I sincerely believe that if we were to turn ourselves in to the local police, they might just take us for a couple of “potty Brits”. We would rather get back home and have this stuff looked at by the appropriate authorities in London who I’m sure would contact your police force should they discover anything untoward.’

  ‘And judging from what I read about President Kennedy’s assassination and the business of the three bullets,’ added Shirley, ‘I gather the crime laboratory department of the American police force is not currently held in the highest esteem. I for one would certainly not want to hand anything over to them. So, what do you say, guys? Can I go ahead and make our flight reservations from Canada?’

  ‘Michael, what do you think?’

  ‘I’m sorry to say that I’m really not sure.’ And then, after a long pause and showing more than a certain amount of embarrassment, Michael finally came clean.

  ‘I’m not a hundred per cent convinced that you would be doing the right thing. I told my folks everything I know and I’m afraid Douglas thought we should all go to the police here in Columbus and come clean with them. He even volunteered to come with us.’

  ‘So you told your dad that you took us to the clinic this morning?’

  ‘I’m afraid I did, Clive, and I trust my dad totally. He thinks we should be a little more proactive, as do I.’

  ‘Well,’ said Clive throwing a quick glance at Shirley, ‘I suppose that’s clear enough.’

  ‘You see, that’s why I drove past Allen’s house this morning,’ continued Michael. ‘I thought if he’d been at home, I would have gone in and had it out with him, and tried to get to the bottom of all this.’

  Camouflaging his true feelings and convinced that Michael may have indeed tried to get in touch with Allen, Clive responded. ‘I must say Michael, I think that would have been very brave of you. Steve, why don’t you tell us what you’re thinking? You know how much we all value your judgement.’

  ‘I can see both sides of the coin,’ said Steve. ‘I fully understand why Douglas thinks we should face up to the police here; but I can also see why you two feel you don’t want to pursue matters further on this side of the pond.’

  ‘Well, that’s all very Switzerland of you, Steve. But it doesn’t answer my question. Do you really think we should go to the local police and tell them that we went to the clinic to steal this evidence?’

  ‘Actually,’ Steve responded, ‘you know, while I was making the sandwiches, I decided that I was prepared to go to them myself, and tell them that it was me who went there this morning, on my own, and stole the needles and stuff. But then I changed my mind.’

  Even Clive was thrown to hear this coming from Steve, and his last statement reversed any feelings of doubt he might have had about him. So with one knowing glance from her boss, Shirley was now assured that she could trust Steve and also treat him as an ally.

  ‘That would have been most courageous of you, too,’ Shirley announced, ‘and your loyalty is quite overwhelming.’

  ‘But,’ Clive resumed, ‘you both have to know that we would never have left either of you in any impending trouble with your police. We wouldn’t dream of letting you cover for us. Would we, Shirley?’

  ‘Clive’s absolutely right,’ confirmed Shirley.

  Michael broke the silence. ‘Honestly Clive, you need to know that when I called your office in London, I had no intention of getting you mixed up in any of this. At the time, I really had not realised what Dennis had discovered and what it might all lead to. I simply wanted you to know that we had both lost him and that Dennis was dead. But as for Allen, you have to understand that he has become a very good friend of mine and I have developed a very trusting relationship with him.’

  As Michael uttered these words, Clive had one of his Spoke premonitions. He experienced an uncanny feeling that he was right about Michael after all. He noticed how much Michael defended Allen, and wondered whether he might even be an accomplice and in communication with the good doctor. So, in an attempt to cover up his true feelings, he changed the subject back to Dennis.

  ‘You do know Michael, I just wanted to come here to comfort you and be near you, and pay my respects to Dennis. It’s I who should be apologising. I should never have taken matters into my own hands. But you see, I kept thinking of Dennis and what he had found out and somehow I just couldn’t help myself. I couldn’t bear the thought that he died for nothing.

  ‘And I have to take a share of the blame too,’ added Shirley. ‘I really think my coming to Columbus added fuel to fire, since I encouraged Clive to go to the clinic this morning, and remember, my role in the deception was just as great as his.’

  Then Clive rose to his feet. ‘I realise we mustn’t waste any more time, but there is one more thing Shirley and I want to discuss with you. We both think we should share what we removed from Allen’s office and have taken the liberty of dividing the stolen goods in half. The capsule, which we think may contain the deadly toxin, is sealed and cannot possibly be tampered with and I am more than happy to assume full responsibility for that. But you must both discuss what you do with your share and decide whether to pursue the matter here in the United States or do absolutely nothing about it. Shirley and I leave that totally up to you. I have every intention of bringing our half of the samples back to London and placing them all in the appropriate scientific hands and getting them analysed under the strictest supervision, as soon as possible.’

  Then he handed some of the stolen goods over: ‘Here Steve, please take this; I’ve wrapped everything up in a hand towel I found in your bathroom.’

  ‘Now I appreciate that very much indeed. I’ll hang on to these if you don’t mind, Michael, and lock them away for the time being.’

  Michael on the other hand, thought that they should get the stuff over to Douglas immediately, for safekeeping, which only served to increase Clive’s feelings of distrust for Dennis’s partner.

  Steve suddenly took command of the situation. ‘Michael, I really don’t think that will be necessary. Look, I’m going to bring this pow-wow to a close. We’re wasting very valuable time and I think the most important thing now is for us to get out of Columbus as soon as possible. Are we all agreed?’

  ‘Whatever you say, Steve.’

  ‘Thank you, Clive. And you, Shirley?’

  ‘Absolutely.’

  Then Michael added, ‘I’ll go with the majority!’

&
nbsp; ‘Good. Now I know we’re all in total agreement, I can tell you my plan. But there’s just one thing before we leave. Shirley, I’m impressed with your attempt at disguise, but Clive, I’m afraid you have to change your appearance more radically until we cross over into Canada.’

  Shirley informed Steve that she’d already thought about that and explained that she’d set out some of her own clothes for Clive to wear but added that she was concerned about what he’d wear on his feet. Apart from that, she was convinced that no one would recognise him once she’d finished with him, and maintained that it would then appear that her Columbus boys were travelling with two female companions. Shirley explained that she and Clive needed to get cracking, so they went back upstairs and she assured Steve that they wouldn’t take long.

  ‘Go ahead, you two! I need to explain our route to Michael, since he’s going to be doing most of the driving.’ And much to Steve’s amusement, the two Brits hurried back up to his bedroom to organise Clive’s transformation.

  ‘Michael, those two never cease to amaze me. I suppose that’s what comes of working in “the show business”, as they call it.’

  ‘Yes’, Michael somewhat grudgingly agreed. ‘I suppose you’re right … they sure as hell are full of surprises.’

  The two Americans sat for some time and pored over the map which Steve had carefully marked out, and after a while it was decided that, rather than stay on the highways, they should opt to go cross-country in order to keep a low profile. Steve thought that by doing so, they would be able to tell whether they were being tailed or not. He explained that they were going to drive north and stay just outside Toledo in his friend Ron’s house.

  ‘Our objective is to get across the border and into Canada, and Toledo is en route. We have to make for the Great Lakes and, once on Canadian soil, Clive and Shirley will be out of American jurisdiction, relatively safe, and will quickly be able to get back to England. Then you and I can make our way out to the west coast, where I’ve got some other friends and we can stay with them on Vancouver Island.’