AFatBoyisMissing

by A Fat Boy Is Missing (v1. 0) (lit)

  Jake was still holding her but only in a lose embrace.

  "Jake, wake up. I've got to ask you a question."

  Jake protested because he had not had a full night sleep.

  He heard Sarah and wondered what she was thinking about.

  "You know this is grounds for a divorce." He muttered, but she didn't let him off the hook.

  "Jake, I'm serious. Now the way I see it you now belong to me in more ways than one and I sort of like the idea of belonging to you. I'd like to get married!"

  Jake's eyes flicked open and saw her staring intently at him. Her face was deadly serious.

  "Sarah, my darling from where I'm lying I'd say we are married.

  Now in the normal state of things it's the male who proposes and since I already belong to you I was just waiting to see if my bedside manner was acceptable before I asked you for your hand in marriage."

  She smiled and said, "your bedside manner was excellent. I'm glad you see it my way too and if you are asking me to marry you, the answer is yes."

  Jake gave her a hug and stifled a laugh as he pulled her on top of him. "You know this is an equal opportunity relationship. I think you should be aware that once we have started there is no turning back and I don't want anything less than to wake up beside you every morning for the rest of my life."

  So began a new phase in their lives. Both suddenly felt the joy of being together and being a part of each other. He told her what he had learned about her father's flight.

  "Oh Jake, I never thought I would put anyone in danger because of my girlhood wish."

  "I'm rather surprised by the reaction I got. Something must have happened and that something must be serious enough to keep it a secret this long. I'm not too sure how serious a threat it is, but this lady certainly warned me and she's no fool. She is about the cleverest survivor who has lived in the centre of the power mongers and excelled in living in that sort of rat race."

  Sarah looked troubled, "I think we had better not pursue this. I have a terrible feeling about this and I don't want anything to happen to you."

  "Sarah, nothing is going to happen. It seems almost ridiculous that you can't find out what happened to your father. Hell, it's over 20 years ago, but if things get difficult we can walk away anytime."

  Later as they got dressed for a late breakfast Sarah was in a better mood. You know when we did the deed this morning I suddenly realized that life has some very special moments. I could see that you loved me. That's a rather amazing thing to see and feel."

  Jake bent over and kissed her tenderly.

  "Come on, I'm famished. You are a hard task master making me do all the work," Sarah said.

  Jake pulled her to her feet. "You are an ungrateful wretch, you weren't complaining earlier this morning!"

  "No because I needed you. Now I need breakfast. You used up all my energy loving me last night."

  "You know if we keep on doing 'what is natural' you're going to make me pregnant! So I think you should visit a drug store and get some protection."

  Jake could see her point. "I guess I had. I believe there are several choices."

  She looked at him and blushed, "I've been told that there are a choice of colours then when we get together you can come to bed and you wouldn't clash with the surroundings."

  He saw the laughter in her eyes. "I thought when we were in the buff together that only one colour mattered. You know you'd have thought that when the creator made

  us, he'd have at least figured out that getting pregnant after just one event is hardly fair. It should require a regime. You know those couples who want a child should have to practice at least one or maybe twice a day for say 20 days. And then they could become pregnant. If you decided that having a child at a certain time was not on, then you could forego a session and you'd have to begin again."

  Sarah looked at him with an odd look in her eyes. "Have you been thinking about this new approach for long?" The laugher in her eyes made him suddenly self-conscious and he wasn't too sure how to reply.

  "Well, it would make things less risky."

  "That's true, but there is something flawed about your argument!"

  He looked up to see if she was serious. "And what might that be?" he said in mock anger.

  "Well, it's quite simple in order for your scheme to work you have to take a break from being together. And I for one don't think I'd let you off the hook. I'm sort of partial to your attention and a one-day absence would be too long. So you

  can see that your plan won't work."

  She broke out in laughter.

  "Yes, I guess I sort of underestimated the prowess of my mate. What about you, are you considering other measures?"

  "Yes, I'll go to a doctor and see if I'm a good candidate for the pill. Then after being on it a month you might not need your colourful condoms. But you know I might like a little colour in my life!"

  So they made plans for the day. After a visit the drug store the next thing on the agenda was to check on a civil

  marriage certificate and any blood testing which might be necessary.

  "Sarah, you are sure you want to do this? Wouldn't you rather wait and have a big wedding?"

  She turned and shook her head. "We can do that too. The only one of our parents who will be surprised will be my mother. She doesn't know about you and your bedside manners. Your father I think already suspected that we were getting together. Maybe he knew before I knew. But I'd like to get married now. The full ceremony can wait. But I don't want to be your mistress, we had better tie the knot while we have the chance."

  Jake knew she was serious and he agreed, but he realized he hadn't even thought of a ring.

  "OK, I'll do my chores and find out what the rules are here in California. Then I'll come back and we can go down to city hall or wherever we need to go. Then I can make an honest woman of you!"

  "With you scheme of procreation on a schedule I didn't realize that I was marrying a sex maniac, but now that I know I'm prepared to do my duty to God and the Queen!"

  Her laughter was stopped as a pillow sailed across the room.

  "You're a smart ass and God will get you for that!" Jake replied.

  When they got together in the afternoon Jake had arranged everything. He didn't need a blood test because his last check up had been recorded and his doctor had indicted that he was in top shape. Sarah too had been cleared because of her need for a full check up while working in Mexico.

  "With that hurtle behind us all we need to do is go down to city hall." Jake said, "But we can't go. We can't get married!"

  The panicked look in Sarah's eye was profound and he saw that his joke had fallen flat.

  "Jake what are you saying?" Tears had started to form in her eyes.

  "Oh Sarah, my darling all I'm saying is that we can't get married until we are engaged. And to be engaged you need to have an engagement ring."

  "Sarah Redbourne would you do me the honour of becoming my wife from this day forward and forever?"

  He opened up his hand and in it was a ring box. She looked at the ring he held out to her and then at Jake, her expression changing from fear to happiness.

  "Don't ever frighten me like that again. It's a beautiful. Yes, I will marry you, but the way you rattled my heart just now is inexcusable." She held out her left hand so that he could slide the engagement ring onto her third finger.

  Chapter Fourteen - The Assassin

  Across the continent Betty was bringing coffee to the General.

  "You know Betty I'm getting too old for all this crap. Jake came to me with a simple question and now I feel like everything I am doing is under a microscope. Even friends who go back to my academy days are suddenly becoming either unavailable or too busy to talk. I feel like I'm a leper."

  Betty knew exactly how he felt. She too had noticed the big chill with her own contacts. Someone had put out the word that it was unhealthy to be associated with herself and the General.

  She returned t
o her office and thought about Jake and the girl he had fallen in love with. She hoped he'd be happy. It was late and nearly the time to close the office for the day. The last person due for a meeting had phoned in with a feeble excuse of being under the weather. Under the weather indeed! It was more like they were under the thumb of someone.

  She looked up at the sound of someone in the outer office. Strange, she wasn't expecting anyone.

  The door flew open and hit her just as she was going to investigate the sounds in the outer office. She crashed heavily against the wall. A stranger entered the General's office in three strides and two shots rang out. The General didn't even have time to rise from his chair as he was hit in the forehead and chest.

  The man turned and fired a third shot that hit Betty in her chest and with that silence and darkness followed.

  As fate would have it, a patrol car was passing General Forest's home as the shooter left. Something about the fellow caught the officer's attention. The officer pulled his squad car over to the curb and called to the man, "Stop, this is the police. Stop and keep your hands above your head!" The Shooter turned and fired a shot at the officer.

  A flash of light from the lamppost when the bullet ricocheted was all that the police needed and he pulled the trigger of his automatic.

  The man squeezed another shot away, but his muscles were failing him and he slumped to the ground.

  "Dispatch, officer needs assistance I've been shot." Officer Burns cried into his walkie-talkie.

  They quickly found the other two victims. General Forest, a national hero in the Korean War was pronounced dead at the scene. His secretary was alive with had a bullet in the chest.

  The police noticed something strange. The shooter who had been killed by Officer Burns had no identification, no wallet and even the clothes he wore had no labels. Whoever he was, he had all the signs of a professional. This was no attempted robbery. The only thing unusual was a moon-shaped crescent scar on his right temple. Nothing else was noteworthy. The man was in his 50's and had kept himself in good physical condition. Why he had killed the General and tried to kill his secretary was not immediately obvious.

  The wedding ceremony at city hall was short and a secretary acted as a witness, but for all that Sarah didn't care. She knew that Jake loved her and she loved him in return.

  * * *

  "This is not much of a honeymoon!" Jake said after the ceremony was finished.

  "Here I should be taking you off to an island paradise, but it's just another road down our path to finding about your father, and why someone is trying to keep us quiet."

  Over their wedding lunch Jake asked, "Sarah did you say that Baker the side gunner lived in this area?"

  "Yes, that's right. When he wrote to me two months ago he was in a convalescent home called Sequoia Grove. He said he was dying of cancer. Why do you ask?"

  "According to my source, he's the only one who I know that is still alive from your father's flight. Baker may shed some light on the intelligence officer, what he said and did and maybe he could even give us a description. It may be more than 20 years ago, but at least we'll have something more to go on."

  The Sequoia Grove Convalescent Home was nestled in a grove of huge red cedar that had been growing for hundreds of years. Bert Baker, whose cancer was in remission, was happy to receive visitors.

  "So you are Ted Redbourne's daughter! I guess you got my letter."

  "Yes, I did and I wanted to thank you for sending me the information. You see I never knew my father. I was only 18

  months old when he died and I've always wanted to know exactly what happened," Sarah said.

  She watched his face as Bert's memories came flooding back. "It was a terrible night. The storm was playing hell with everything. Three engines caught fire and the captain told us to bail out.

  I could hardly believe what was happening to us. Your father successfully jettisoned the bomb but the bombardier who had come on in Anchorage was a strange bloke. I guess when the plane started to pitch and roll, he just freaked out. He started screaming and attacking anybody who was near him. He hit your father with a hammer, but I managed to grab Ted before he fell through the open bomb bay. Then the bombardier started smashing the crate in the other bay. It was awful.

  I was so busy trying to get the crew to bail out that I just saw the bombardier step out into the black void as if he was taking a midnight walk. Your father was stunned, but he got up and he headed towards the cockpit. I started to herd the crew to the tail. That's the last I saw of him. He was a good man."

  Jake listened and watched as Baker's story woven a picture of that dark night.

  "There was another man on board apparently. I'm told he was an intelligence officer!" Sarah said.

  "Yeah that's right. He was another person who came on in Anchorage too. Kept to himself pretty much, but there was something dark and foreboding about him. He was in his 30s and he hardly talked but when he did it was with a slight European accent, maybe Polish or something similar. He had a darker complexion and the only thing I noticed about him was a scar above his right eye at the temple. It was shaped like a crescent-moon. I don't remember seeing him jump. He was not among the survivors who were picked up." After a quiet moment, Bert said, "you know I never flew again."

  Jake and Sarah were happy to get out into the sunshine again.

  "I don't know how significant that information is, but at least we are gathering more clues. I wonder if the General has had any more luck?"

  They drove back to their hotel and as they passed the lobby, a small TV in the little sitting area near the bell hop desk caught Jake's attention. It was broadcasting the latest news on the assassination of General Forest and the ensuing shoot out with his assassin.

  Jake froze in mid-step and Sarah bumped into him. "Jake you should signal.." But she never got any further.

  "Oh God, it's happening!" his voice was filled with anguish and Sarah saw that he had turned white.

  "Jake what is it? He pointed numbly to the TV as the newscaster again highlighted the latest information about the assassination.

  "I was at his home two days ago. He was trying to help me and now he is dead."

  "Oh Jake, I'm so sorry. Come on, I'll get you a stiff drink."

  The alcohol didn't help as Jake tried to think over everything they had discovered. "The General was loved and respected and for someone to kill him now just shows that we are in a very dangerous game. I don't know who the enemy is. I don't know what happened to your dad. I only know that my other source gave me the name of the top air force man, and I don't know if he had anything to do with your father's flight and the missing prototype atomic bomb. But, it's clear we are in danger. I've got to think this through. I've endangered you by asking you to come here. But I didn't want to lead them to you back in Mexico. Right how I don't know where to turn and what to do."

  "Jake wherever we go and whatever we do, we stay together." She reached for his hand and held it to her heart. "This is a nightmare."

  How Sarah got Jake up to their room was a mystery.

  "Sarah, I have to go back to New York. I need to see how Betty is. I need to find out more about the gunman. It's better to know your enemy than to kept jumping at shadows."

  "I expected you to say that. We are going back together. Besides, remember our agreement I'm not letting you off the hook. I want to wake up each morning knowing that you are within arms reach, so I'm going with you."

  The assassination did ruffle more than one set of feathers. A man sat quietly in the darkened library in a home that was recognized as one where the powerful resided. There were no lights on and only the faint light that filtered in from the city down below, gave a pale outline of the sole occupant.

  Having the General removed should have been a clean execution, but for once a quirk of fate had interfered. Who'd have thought a police cruiser would have been going past the house as the assassin was leaving it? It could and should have been different. Now the
shooter would never return. He didn't give a damn about the General or the secretary and hoped that officer's wound would turn gangrenous. He would never see his friend again. He would never have someone to help settle some of the irksome problems that occasionally cropped up. But the worst was to realize that he had lost the only sibling he had ever had. When his brother by birth, brother in heart died a part of him had died too. Now he was truly alone.

  * * *

  The detective walked into the medical examiner's office. "Have you discovered anything about our shooter?"

  The pathologist looked up, "I haven't a clue who he is. His fingerprints aren't on the records with the FBI files and Interpol has given us sweet nothing. All I can say is you've got a professional hit man. And from the type of gun and its ammunition, he packed his own load or had it packed for him. It's unusual and it makes it more difficult to trace.

  He was in his mid-fifties. His physic suggests he is European. He's clothing is second hand and has been carefully vetted of all tags. His shoe size is 9 Triple E and he favoured his left foot. The shoe wear suggests he had a limp, but his legs are in good shape and have no indication of a fracture. I can even tell you what he had for lunch. Polish sausage and sauerkraut. But if you want me to tell you a name, well I believe in miracles and Santa Claus, but today I'm fresh out of miracles."

  "How is the secretary?" the detective asked.

  "I heard from the hospital that she will make it. She's unconscious right now, but when she wakes up we may find out what provoked the attack."

  "We'll make sure she is well protected. Her insight may be what breaks this case. You had better do a complete history. Maybe the General wasn't as clean as we thought."

  The doctor threw up his hands and reached for his pipe. He had a premonition that they had stumbled onto something that was bigger than anyone knew. He had no proof, but he just felt it in his bones.

  He wasn't surprised when the detective returned. "There is a man who says he may have some information on the motive for the killing of General Forest. He wanted to talk to the medical expert. I said that I would check to see if you were available and I told him that I was responsible for the investigation. So I thought we could kill two birds with one stone."