Page 12 of Enlisting Redemption

  Chapter 9

  Unexpected Aide

  Washington - January, 1971

  Trevor glanced about, the scene before him one of total chaos within the small warehouse. There were parts strewn everywhere, machines placed here and there for metal and wood working. Although the building was clearly ancient, it was at least clean and well-maintained. There were four men within, each working methodically on the development of a specific mechanical device.

  Trevor and Bryan were struggling to attach a rather complicated looking appendage to the stump of Bryan’s right leg. Over in the back of the garage, Dan was working on a piece of metal with the lathe and, briefly halting his work, Bobby was sweeping up the floor in an attempt to stay ahead of the burgeoning mess that was seemingly growing by the moment.

  “How does that fit, Bry?” Trevor inquired.

  “Fits okay! Let’s see if it hurts when I stand on it. Give me a hand up from my wheelchair.”

  Trevor tugged Bryan forward, holding him so that he wouldn’t tumble onto his face.

  Gaining his balance momentarily, Bryan now added, “Okay, this is working. This just might be the breakthrough that we’ve been looking for, Trevor. Let me go now.”

  At this Trevor eyed him hopefully, but nevertheless refused to let go.

  “I said, let me go, Trevor! I’ve fallen more times than you could ever begin to count. There’s only one way to find out if it works, so let me go!”

  Trevor backed up doubtfully and, still holding Bryan, he released one arm ever so slowly, then the other.

  Bryan, now standing motionless, announced ecstatically, “Oh, man, this feels good! I can place even weight on both legs. Both artificial limbs feel really comfortable.” He continued to stand motionless for a moment, then said, “Okay, let’s try this really slow now. First, I’ll put all of my weight on the left leg. I’ve done that a thousand times before. That should be easy. He slowly lifted his newest appendage and stood on his left artificial leg. He kept his balance without difficulty. “Okay, so far so good,” he exclaimed. “Now, for the real test – standing on the right leg - the one with the newly attached pronating knee. Okay, here goes, Trevor!” At that moment, all eyes in the warehouse turned to watch apprehensively.

  Bryan slowly lifted his left leg and stood on his newest appendage. “My goodness!” he spluttered. “I don’t want to get too overly optimistic yet, but this is looking really promising! Okay, now for the home run ball, boys. First, pull the wheel chair away, just in case I fall down, I don’t want to be tripping over it.”

  At this, Dan moved the wheelchair.

  Bryan, slowly leaned forward and took a single step, subsequently announcing, “Okay, that was the easy one. The pressure’s on the non-pronating leg. Now, here we go, the difficult one,” at which point he stepped forward, landing with all of his weight on the new appendage. “Oh…my…God!” was all he could think of to say.

  At this Trevor grabbed him in a giant bear hug, exclaiming, “Right-o! We have it, Bry. You’re walking! I knew it. You’re back! This is beyond description. We are in business!”

  Bryan thrust Trevor away and walked precariously about the room. “Wow! I’m walking, and it doesn’t hurt at all! I know, it looks bad to you guys, but I’ll get better. You’ll see. Before long you won’t even be able to tell they’re artificial. Trevor, I can’t begin to thank you. I confess, I doubted you, but why I did I’ll never know. When you said I’d walk again, I thought it was a pipe dream. But here I am. You’ve given me my life back, and not once, but twice. Thank you!” and at this, Trevor grabbed and clutched him yet again.

  Baltimore - September, 1971

  Mimi sashayed onto the stage for her final performance of the evening. The crowd was average and she was worn from the long hard week, but she was nevertheless determined to perform like the pro she was. Giving it her best, she ensured that her performance was to the satisfaction of every member of the audience.

  Towards the end of her act she noticed a somehow familiar person in the audience. She couldn’t be certain in the darkness, but something told her that it just might be an old friend. Still, having a show to complete, she maintained her composure to the end, subsequently making her way as quickly as possible backstage.

  Once dressed, she rushed back out in the hope that the person was more than an apparition, but the now empty chair forestalled her anticipated reunion. Glancing around the room, she determined that there was no one fitting the description of the person she was certain she had not imagined. She raced outside and, standing before her was the apparition, silent, motionless, awaiting the appearance of her adored friend Mimi.

  “Oh, my God! It IS you! Oh God, Wendy, or Rebecca, or whatever your name is. Come here, girl. Give your girlfriend Mimi a hug!”

  “God, it’s great to see you,” Rebecca beamed, and so saying, the pair embraced.

  “Come on. Let’s get out of here,” Mimi said and, joining arms, they marched together into the awaiting darkness.

  In keeping with the working hours of exotic dancers, the following morning they awoke late, breakfasting at noon in their favorite diner. “So, you’re living in London. How is it?” Mimi asked between bites.

  “I just love it, Mimi! I can’t even begin to tell you how much better my life is since I moved there.”

  “Good for you, girl,” Mimi grinned at her in satisfaction. “So what on earth has brought you back to Baltimore?”

  “Actually, you have, Mimi.”

  “Don’t tell me you came all this way to find out about my last meeting with Trevor Sutherland!”

  “No, it’s not that at all, although, since you mention it, I am curious how that went.”

  “So what ARE you here for, Rebecca?”

  “Hee hee,” Rebecca giggled. “That’s the first time you’ve ever called me that!”

  “Well, thank you very much. I had to find out your real name from some schmuck!”

  “True, and likewise - also true. Anyway, I just love hearing you say my real name. Mimi, you’re my very best friend in the whole world. You know that, don’t you?”

  “Aw, geez, girl, don’t get maudlin on me. You’ll make me cry when you leave town.”

  “Right. Well, that’s why I’m here.”

  “Ok-kay…” Mimi responded, now nonplussed, but nevertheless intrigued by Rebecca’s cryptic response.

  “How old are you, Mimi, thirty-three?”

  “Thirty-four,” she responded unabashedly.

  “Have you ever thought about the possibility that the muffins might someday, let’s say, let you down?”

  “Hee,” Mimi giggled and, hugging her chest proudly, she added, “Yes, of course, but I will never forsake them, whatever their lot in life.”

  “Well, that’s certainly comforting to know,” Rebecca responded irreverently, “But completely beside the point. The point is this - dancers eventually need to find other means of employment, if you know what I mean.”

  “Of course I know what you mean. So what’s your point?”

  “Mimi, I own a pub in London. How would you like to move to London and go into business with me?”

  “What! I can’t do that, girl!”

  “Give me one good reason why not,” Rebecca responded assertively.

  “Well, there’s…no, that’s not a reason. Well, then there’s…oh, hell, I don’t know. I guess I’m just afraid. After all, I don’t speak like folks do over there.”

  “Let me ask you something, Mimi. Have you ever thought about getting married? I mean, would you like to be married someday?”

  “Well, heck yeah. Doesn’t every girl dream of that?”

  “Right. How many exotic dancers do you know that are married?”

  “Not a lot,” Mimi responded.

  “Exactly. Now, suppose that instead of being an exotic dancer, you were a respectable owner of a pub, and suppose also that it was located where nobo
dy knew that you’d ever been a dancer. What do you think your chances of getting married would be then?”

  “Okay, okay, I get your point. But I can’t afford to be part owner of a pub. I don’t have any money. See, there’s a really good reason!”

  “Well, I suppose I may as well tell you, that is not exactly true, Mimi.”

  “What? I don’t understand.”

  “You own twenty percent of my pub in London.”

  “What! What exactly have you gone and done, girl?”

  “Don’t act like you’re dumb, Mimi, because we both know that you’re sneaky smart.”

  “Oh, whatever. I’d still like to hear it straight from your lips, girl. What’s going on?”

  “I miss you, Mimi. I miss you tons. I need you with me in London.”

  “Thanks,” Mimi replied, “I miss you, too, a hell of a lot. But this is big. I have to think.”

  “Don’t think, Mimi, just come with me. And if you don’t like it, you can always come back home. But trust me when I say this, you’re going to love it. And those London guys are going to worship you like a goddess. There’s something about London boys and bountiful muffins, especially bountiful Yank muffins. Mimi, you will be the rage, you’ll see.”

  “Aw, heck, you got me going, girl. I’m thinking that I might just do it. God, it would be great to be together again.”

  “And think about this, Mimi – no more lecherous deviates to deal with!”

  “Well, there is that, but I’ve always kind of enjoyed the attention.”

  “Believe me, Mimi, you won’t have to take off a single stitch of clothing, and you’ll have them eating out of your hand.”

  Three days later the pair boarded a plane for London.

  London – October, 1975

  Lady Sutherland sat at the table awaiting the arrival of her lunch partner. As she did so, she thought back over the events since that night on the Potomac. How and why Rebecca Carey had made her way to London was a mystery to her, but in any event, it appeared that she was about to have her questions answered. Indeed, she had been beside herself with anticipation ever since she had received the telephone call the previous Monday.

  Staring into space in reminiscence, she was suddenly distracted by the approach of a red-haired young woman. Immediately struck by her elegant appearance, Lady Sutherland noticed that not only was she gorgeous and well dressed, she exuded self-confidence. Advancing directly toward her table, the young lady said politely, “Excuse me, the maître d’ informed me that you are Lady Sutherland. Are you indeed?”

  Rising from her chair, she responded, “Yes, my dear, and you must be Rebecca Carey.”

  “Yes, my lady, it’s me, good old Rebecca,” she replied self-deprecatingly.

  “My dear Rebecca, it is so good to finally meet you after all these years.”

  “Thank you, Lady Sutherland, and thank you for agreeing to meet me for lunch.”

  “I assure you, the pleasure is all mine,” Lady Sutherland replied graciously. “Please, won’t you have a seat?”

  Accepting the proffered seat, Rebecca responded cordially, “Thank you.”

  They shared a pleasant lunch, conversing about nothing of importance, simply making use of an opportunity to get to know one another. By the time dessert was concluded Lady Sutherland could contain herself no longer, inquiring, “So, what brings you to London, my dear?”

  “Oh, I live here. I’ve lived here for five years.”

  “I see. That is certainly interesting news. How did you come to move here?”

  “I’m in the U.S. Federal witness protection program. I asked for and received approval to move here incognito five years ago.”

  “Then why ever on earth are you meeting with me, my dear if you are in hiding?”

  “Oh, I’ve wanted to meet you for some time, Lady Sutherland. Of course, it was necessary to obtain approval from my handler in order to do so. Once it was finally granted, I telephoned you immediately.”

  “Is it safe, my dear?”

  “I should think so,” Angelica responded. “If you will glance in that direction there,” and she nodded to where she meant, “The gentleman who is sitting alone is my handler, Agent Farnsworth.”

  “Ah, that explains quite a bit,” Lady Sutherland replied approvingly. “So what do you do here in London?”

  “I own a pub.”

  At this, Lady Sutherland giggled reprovingly but responded, “Well, that certainly sounds exciting. I’ll bet you have plenty of lads continuously hovering about. You are quite lovely, you know.”

  “Thank you, but I’m not really interested in ‘lads’, as you put it.”

  “Why, my dear? Life is far too short to miss out on the fun.”

  “I’m too busy. I’m trying to keep up with the operation of the pub. That keeps me going night and day.”

  “I see,” Lady Sutherland replied knowingly. “So, perhaps we can now move on to the purpose of your invitation to dine together.”

  Momentarily gazing doubtfully at her, Rebecca said, “I’m not sure. Actually, I have no idea why, now that you ask. I just knew that I needed to meet you.”

  As no one had ever accused Lady Sutherland of being a fool, she immediately sized up the source of Rebecca’s angst, replying accordingly, “My dear, I cannot do you justice by apologizing to you for my son’s unforgivable treatment of you, but were it within my power, you must know that I would do anything to make up for the awful things that you were subjected to due to the actions of my own offspring.”

  “Thank you, Lady Sutherland. That is a great comfort. Actually, you don’t know how much that means to me. The truth is, I suppose I’m not yet over it. Perhaps I hoped that by coming here today it might help me to move on with my life. However…” and at this point she paused thoughtfully.

  “However what, my dear?”

  “However,” Rebecca reasserted, “It seems that I was mistaken. Perhaps I hoped that you might be some haughty self-righteous reprehensible person that could help me to understand from whence your son acquired the despicable traits that he employed to affect my demise.

  “But you destroy my theory, Lady Sutherland. You have thoroughly laid waste to it by your absolutely marvelous treatment of me today. Thus, sadly, I fear that I shall find it necessary to look elsewhere for the underlying cause.”

  At this, Lady Sutherland responded, “My dear, I can see that you are in terrible pain. I am so sorry that you feel this way. Had I known of your circumstances I should have offered my help long ago. But now that you have so boldly revealed yourself to me, I simply cannot sit by helplessly and allow this to continue. Please, I beg of you, let me help you.”

  “I don’t understand,” Rebecca responded, “How can you help me?”

  “My dear, trust me. I am already forming an idea in my mind. You may be surprised to know this, but I am not completely devoid of abilities where matters of the heart are concerned.”

  “Matters of the heart? I’m sure I have no idea what you are talking about, Lady Sutherland.”

  “There, there,” Lady Sutherland responded, patting her on the hand, “You just give your newest friend a bit of time, and I can promise you some progress that will surely meet your approval. Agreed?”

  “That is very kind of you. Under the circumstances, I accept.”

  “Now, where may I reach you when I have news to report, my dear?”

  “Crown and Arms Pub, North Dulwich.”

  “Excellent! I used to live in North Dulwich, you know, quite a long time ago. I shall be in touch,” and at this the two clasped hands politely, Rebecca rising thereafter to depart.

  Washington – November, 1975

  Trevor was in the lab working on a variation of his latest prosthetic device for soldiers whose legs were amputated above the knee. He loved doing this sort of work. He was not born to be a manager of a multi-million dollar corporation, but he nevertheless accepted the respons
ibility because he understood that someone had to do it.

  Since the successful implementation of Bryan’s artificial leg, the team had worked night and day seven days a week for more than three years without even stopping to catch their breath. With literally thousands of Vietnam War veterans to equip, each one with special needs, there had been little time for rest. Their company, Lifelike Prosthetics, had turned the profitability corner and was now the largest supplier of prosthetics in North America. The tiny warehouse of yesteryear had long since vanished due to the necessity for larger quarters.

  Trevor was quite proud of what they were doing, not only for servicemen, but for limbless people from all walks of life. Between his mechanical engineering instincts, Dan’s and Bobby’s indefatigable work ethic, Bryan’s innate business talents, and Sarah’s people skills, they had built a successful company that now employed more than a hundred full-time staff.

  The phone in the lab rang and, answering it absentmindedly, he mumbled, “Trevor.”

  “Mr. Sutherland?”

  “Yes, Wanda. What’s up?”

  “There is a man on the phone. He says he’s an inspector at the Washington, DC Police Department. His name is Stephen Rush. He says that you know each other. He asked if you could give him a minute of your time.”

  Wondering what the inspector might be calling about after all these years, he responded, “I see. Put him through.”

  After a moment he heard a click, a voice on the other end saying, “Mr. Sutherland, this is Inspector Rush. I assume that you remember me.”

  “Yes, of course I remember you, Inspector. I can still feel the twinge from your well-placed barbs, even after all these years.”

  “You deserved it, Mr. Sutherland. I assure you, you deserved it.”

  “Yes, Inspector, I cannot deny that I deserved that and far worse.” He then added, “But that is surely not what you called about today. How may I be of service to you?”

  “Mr. Sutherland, I would like to ask for a bit of your time. I wouldn’t blame you if you declined my invitation, but I believe that I may have information that would be of interest to you.”

  “Exactly what do you have in mind, Inspector?”

  “Could you meet me at lunchtime?”

  “When? What day?”

  “Why today, of course. Could you meet me for lunch at The Minuteman Inn, near Washington Circle at, say, one o’clock?”

  “Certainly, sir. I would be happy to meet you. I shall see you then,” at which he hung up.

  “I wonder what that is about,” he thought to himself, summarily returning to his work on the prosthetic device.

  He arrived for lunch right on time, the inspector already sitting at a table awaiting his arrival. Approaching him, Trevor held out his hand, saying, “Good afternoon, Inspector Rush.”

  Politely taking his in return, the inspector replied, “Good afternoon, Mr. Sutherland. Have you eaten here before?”

  “No, I’ve not had the pleasure,” Trevor replied. “What might you recommend?”

  “I personally prefer the crab cakes,” he responded. “They’re to die for, much better than you could imagine.”

  “Right,” he replied pleasantly, and it was clear that their rendezvous was already off to a much improved start over their previous encounters. They ordered lunch and, first discussing both the requisite weather and global politics, Inspector Rush eventually worked his way around to the reason for his visit.

  “Mr. Sutherland, I have been keeping tabs on you ever since the unfortunate incident on the yacht some years ago. As I recall, in our last conversation I informed you of my impression of your impending demise should you not dramatically alter your ways post haste.”

  “Right. I remember your advice all too well, Inspector,” he replied with a slightly self-effacing grin.

  “Well, sir, it appears that you have taken that advice to heed, and exceptionally well, if I do say so myself. I am forced to reconsider my former opinion, quite happily, I might add, to the point that I feel the time has come to disclose a piece of information for your disposal.”

  Completely befuddled by the discussion thus far, Trevor replied, “And what might that be?”

  “Mr. Sutherland, I am aware that Miss Rebecca Carey is alive and well at this moment.”

  “What makes you say that, Inspector?” Trevor responded doubtfully.

  “Sir, she is under my supervision within the U.S. Federal witness protection program.”

  “I say, that explains quite a lot,” Trevor responded. “How long has she been in the program, Inspector?”

  “Since two days after you went looking for her in Baltimore, Mr. Sutherland.”

  “Good God, man! Surely that implies that she was afraid of me, and that is the reason that she came to you!”

  “That is more or less correct, Mr. Sutherland.”

  “I see. So that would mean that she’s been in protection for the past five years?”

  “Give or take, yes.”

  “I see. And is she doing well?”

  “Under the circumstance, yes, she is.”

  “What does that mean?” Trevor queried suspiciously.

  “It means exactly what I said.”

  “Right, let me put it this way - to what circumstance are you referring, Inspector?”

  “The circumstance that she is not very happy, Mr. Sutherland.”

  “Why is that?”

  “Because she still hasn’t gotten over the events of the night on the yacht nearly seven years ago.”

  “I see. That certainly stands to reason. As you may recall, I was witness to what happened to her that night. I wasn’t even a participant, and I’m not sure I’m over it either, Inspector. Then there is the unfortunate fact that she’s still unable to live her life unfettered.”

  “Well said, Mr. Sutherland, well said indeed. And that is where you come in.”

  “Oh, and where might that be?”

  “I believe that you can help.”

  “Help? Me? You mean – help Miss Carey?”

  “Yes, Mr. Sutherland. That is precisely what I mean.”

  “I say, I doubt that there is anything I can do to help her, but if there is indeed anything at all that I might do to improve her circumstances, I am at your service, Inspector. I should in fact consider it a great honor.”

  “I expected nothing less from you. Now, here is what I want you to do, Mr. Sutherland. Please think on what I have said today. Now that you know that she is alive, if you care for her the way that I think you do, you will rekindle your obsession with her. And if my guess is correct, you will find yourself unable to carry on with your life without taking proactive measures on Rebecca’s part. You see, we do not have sufficient evidence to indict Theofilio Andrakis. If you are as bound up in Rebecca’s well-being as I think you are, you will relive the horror of that night, and perhaps, just perhaps, you will recall the single piece of evidence that is sufficient to indict that disgusting vermin.”

  “I say, this is all quite far-fetched. But I must say, I will indeed think about your suggestion, Inspector.”

  “There is another reason that I am telling you this, Mr. Sutherland.”

  “What is that?”

  “Theofilio Andrakis has risen far within the Greek government. There are rumors that before long he will be considered for the position of Prime Minister of Greece. That being the case, Rebecca could well be in renewed danger, perhaps even mortal danger. Thus, unless and until Andrakis is neutralized, she cannot ever emerge from hiding.”

  “Yes, I see your point,” Trevor responded in grim realization, “Well, that is certainly sufficient impetus. I shall henceforth endeavor to do what I can, I assure you.”

  “Find out what you can, and when you do, drop me a line, Mr. Sutherland.”

  “Yes, sir. I shall do that.”

  “Now, I must be on my way. I wish you good day,” and so saying Inspector Rush rose and
made his departure.

  Wharton Manor – December, 1975

  Trevor gazed from the window as the Rolls Royce passed through the gates to the manor, the winter wind whipping across the fields in the grey light of afternoon. As he rounded the curve of the lengthy driveway Wharton Manor came into view, propelling a veritable flood of memories to the forefront of his consciousness. “God, I love this place,” he murmured, realizing to his own surprise that he had said it aloud. Subsequently turning to Bryan, he exclaimed, “No matter where I go in the world, I always feel that I’m coming home when I round that curve.”

  “What a gorgeous place, Trevor,” Bryan replied. “You grew up here? Wow!”

  Regaining his parents’ good graces had been a long grind, but the previous winter they had invited him home for Christmas, and now it had become a family custom once again, as it had been in his youth. Trevor winced at the thought of that day long ago, when in Inspector Rush’s office he had realized he had lost his mother’s good graces. A look of desperation coming over him, he said to himself, “God grant that I should never suffer that again.”

  “Suffer what?” Bryan asked.

  “Oh, nothing. I was just thinking aloud.”

  Moments later they pulled up in front of the manor and, the pair descending from the car, Bryan walked up the steps to all appearances as if he had not lost both legs in Vietnam. Reaching the top step, the two continued forward and, Trevor leading the way into the house, he exclaimed joyously, “Smithers! Great to see you! Happy Christmas!” at which he accorded the elderly butler a massive embrace.

  “And the same to you, sir,” Smithers croaked in palpable embarrassment.

  “This is my best friend, Bryan,” Trevor said to Smithers. Turning to Bryan, he announced, “Bryan, this is Smithers. I’ve known him for as long as I’ve been alive on this earth, and he’s known me even longer than that!”

  The pair shook hands and, turning to Trevor, Smithers exclaimed with evident formality, “I expect I should announce your arrival to Lady Sutherland.”

  “Oh, balderdash, Smithers,” Trevor responded jovially, “I shall announce myself. Where is she, in the sitting room?”

  “Yes, of course, sir.”

  “Come on, Bry. Follow me!” Trevor exclaimed with obvious enthusiasm.

  The pair wandered off and within moments, they were installed within the sitting room, sharing a glass of port with Lady Sutherland and happily discussing matters of no importance whatsoever.

  Presently, Bryan excused himself, saying, “I believe that I shall go find Smithers and give my legs a rest.”

  “I shall help you,” Trevor replied.

  “Oh, no you won’t,” Bryan replied reprovingly, “You know our pact.”

  “Right,” Trevor responded, thereby retrieving the comfort of his seat as Bryan left the room.

  Lady Sutherland leaned forward and, patting Trevor on the hand, she whispered, “My dear, I am so proud of you!”

  “I say, why ever for?”

  “Oh, don’t be a muddle-head. Just look at that young man. You practically sired him. He’s both alive and whole again all because of your tireless ministrations.”

  “Oh, fiddle sticks,” he replied in embarrassment. After twenty-eight years, still having no idea how to respond to a compliment from his own mother, he wondered if the day would ever come when he would feel up to her standards.

  A momentary lull in the conversation thenceforth allowed Lady Sutherland to emit, “Ahemmm,” to which Trevor immediately grew alert. For all his years this sound had always meant that something important was coming, thus cueing him to await her next announcement expectantly.

  “Trevor,” she commenced hesitantly, “This will be difficult for me to tell you, but I feel that it is quite essential for me to do so. I have never told you the details as to how your father and I met. Well, the time has come for me to divulge the embarrassing truth, I am afraid. As you already know, we met at a weekend party in the summer of 1940, right here at Wharton Manor. What you do not know is that the party was arranged by your father’s mother, Lady Margaret Sutherland. She was an extraordinarily clever woman, and for personal reasons she had a strong notion that the boys who were going off to war that summer should be enlightened as to the mysteries of the female anatomy. She thus recruited six young ladies from Oxford to attend a party for forty members of the 93rd Squadron, half of whom subsequently died in the war. My dear, I was one of those six young ladies.”

  “Why? What happened, mother?”

  “I will skip the details, but let me just say that I found your father on first acquaintance to be an arrogant prig. And as a result of events that occurred on that evening, your father and I remained at cross-purposes for years to come.”

  “You mean you did not marry young?”

  “No. The war intervened, you see, and as time wore on, we found it impossible to patch up our differences.”

  “I don’t understand. Were you in love, and then you drifted apart? Is that it?”

  “Yes, quite so, Trevor.”

  “But it must’ve all come right in the end, mother. Otherwise, I should not have been born.”

  “Precisely!” she responded pointedly.

  Eyeing her doubtfully, he shook his head in confusion and said, “I’m afraid I don’t understand your point.”

  “I am telling you this now not because I am seeking your acceptance of the follies of my youth, but because I want you to understand that your father and I once endured traumatic events, events that we were somehow able to overcome.”

  “Is that why you have told me this story? Is it because it was so hard for you?”

  “No, my dear, it is not the only reason. I must tell you that the most difficult thing that I ever did in my life was to convince your father that I was deserving of his affection. But more important even than that, it was absolutely essential that he persisted, that he gave me the opportunity to prove myself worthy of him. And this he did ever so admirably.”

  “So what you’re saying is, you didn’t appear to be worthy of him, but because he gave you a chance, you ended up ultimately catching him?”

  “That is entirely correct, my dear.”

  “But what precisely does that have to do with me? I’m certain I have no idea how the two relate to one another.”

  “My dear, I am speaking of you and Miss Rebecca Carey.”

  “What!” he exclaimed in consternation, “How on earth does she come into this?”

  “My dear, all I am suggesting is that you keep an open mind. People are wonderfully complicated, and what appears on the surface is not always what one finds when one digs to the heart of the matter.”

  “What are you suggesting, mother?”

  “I am suggesting that you and Miss Carey would both do well to dig a bit deeper to the heart of this matter.”

  “I say, I haven’t even the slightest idea where she is at this moment, mother. I’ve been informed by Inspector Rush that she is alive, but I haven’t seen her in nearly seven years! What could this possibly have to do with me?”

  “I’m not sure, Trevor, but I do believe that I have an idea.”

  “Like what, mother?”

  “My dear, have you somehow forgotten the circumstances surrounding the last time the two of you met? There are unresolved issues between the two of you, and I for one believe that she has formed some sort of perverse attachment to you.”

  “That’s ridiculous. I was a complete jerk. I can hardly stand to even think of the person that I was seven years ago. Every time I think of that young man, I want to throw up. She couldn’t possibly have formed an attachment to me back then.”

  “One does not have the luxury of choosing whom one cares for, my dear. If we humans did, the world wouldn’t be the wonderfully wacky place that it is. And besides, I am not speaking of then. I am speaking of now.”

  A perplexed look still creasing his features, he mumbled, “Th
is is all too much, mother!”

  Summoning her sternest visage, she begged, “Trevor, I am asking you. No, I am pleading with you as your mother - please consent to see Miss Carey again.”

  Scanning her face for any sign of what game she was playing at, her demeanor too well disguised for him to discern aught whatsoever, he responded, “I see. What exactly do you have in mind?”

  “My dear, I was fortunate enough to have a ‘fairy god mother’ of sorts, one who shepherded me through the mine field of my own making when I stumbled in my youth. That fairy god mother was your grandmother, Lady Margaret Sutherland. She was a woman of infinite wisdom and concern. She stripped away the hidden meaning to every event, carefully dissecting and working her way to the heart of the matter. It was she who brought me together with my husband, and in so doing, she ultimately deserves the greatest honor for the birth of my son, meaning you. I hope that I need not tell you that I feel a great sense of responsibility to Lady Margaret, despite her passing. I assure you that I have your best interest at heart.” Thenceforth rising from her chair, she came forward to him and, capturing his gaze with hers, she subsequently exclaimed, “I command you, my son - you must see Miss Carey again!”

  At this Trevor rejoined, “Would that I could, mother. But it is all in vain, for she will not have it.”

  “Oh, but she most assuredly will, Trevor.”

  “Why?”

  “Because, as I explained to you, she and I have suffered similar problems.”

  “Trevor,” she now continued, “you may not believe this, but I have done my homework. Had I thought that you were the same person that I struck seven years ago, I would not be suggesting this to you now. In the intervening time, you have changed. You have somehow transformed from a most despicable character into a quite admirable young man. That being the case, there is no way that you can turn me down.”

  “Why ever for? What makes you say that?”

  “Because you OWE her, and if you are indeed the person that you appear to have become, you will know that I am offering you the best chance - perhaps the only chance - that you shall ever have in your life to right the wrong that you have done to her.”

  Peering at her for a moment, he responded, “You have perfectly cornered me, mother. Well done. I can say nothing other than ‘checkmate’!” Staring at her with miserable admiration, he added, “Right, your wish is my command. When and where shall I meet her?”

  Clapping her hands together in glee, she exclaimed, “Oh, my dear, I am so proud of you! There is yet hope for you, I believe.”

  “I do hope that you are correct. I shall look forward to it, mother.”

  “Not so fast, Trevor. Let me be clear about this. I am not doing this for your pleasure or your entertainment. I am doing this strictly for the benefit of Miss Carey. What you endure is of little consequence to me. You may indeed despise me by the time this episode has reached its conclusion, but so long as it has been resolved in a way that improves Miss Carey’s welfare, I shall consider it a success. You, on the other hand, may come away much the worse from an encounter with her.”

  “Fair enough, mother.”

  “Excellent! Now, I want you and Bryan to make yourselves at home. I must travel to London this afternoon on business, but I shall be back before morning. We shall talk more then, and we shall have a glorious Christmas together.”

  The Following Morning

  Lady Sutherland sat in her favorite chair gazing out the window. It seemed like only yesterday that she had participated in a masquerade party at Wharton Manor. Could it now actually be thirty-five years since? She marveled at the memory, still vivid after all these years.

  At that very moment Rebecca entered the room and volunteered to Lady Sutherland, “You have such a lovely manor, Lady Sutherland. I thank you for your gracious invitation. I hope that your plan works well. Now, what is the next step?”

  “Miss Carey, I would like to tell you a story. Tis the story of a young woman, a woman who was just about the age of twenty when war broke out in 1940 in Europe. The young lady in question attended a party at a manor in the west of England, and during the party she behaved rather stupidly, getting herself into a jam. I don’t mind telling you that this event was traumatic for the young lady, so much so that it became a quite seminal event in her life. You see, the object of her affection was at that party, and her behavior at that party caused him to reject her attentions out of hand. The war inevitably intervened, whereupon the young lady took on the role of a trollop. But fortuitously for the young lady, the opportunity eventually arose to redeem herself. And even more fortunate, she was ultimately reunited with the man that she cherished, the two being happily married after the culmination of the war.”

  “Interesting story,” Rebecca interjected, assuming that the story was now at an end.

  “Patience, Rebecca. I am not quite through. In due course a son was born to the couple, a son named Trevor.” Here she paused, eying Rebecca intensely, and queried pointedly, “Are you following me?”

  At this revelation Rebecca immediately lurched forward in her seat and, realization sinking in, she responded, “Uh, wait a minute…uhm, oh, my goodness, yes…I believe I do indeed follow you, Lady Sutherland. It seems you once played the role of a trollop.”

  “That is quite correct,” she responded candidly.

  “Point well taken, but I’m sorry, I just don’t understand where this is all leading to,” she replied.

  “Miss Carey, did you not hear the story that I just told you? Do you not understand that I have a great deal of experience in a quite similar situation to what you have suffered through?”

  “Yes, yes, I see your point now, Lady Sutherland. But I submit to you that you cannot possibly know the humiliation of being raped.”

  “But indeed I can, because I too was raped, on more occasions than you could ever imagine,” Lady Sutherland responded serenely, knowing full well that she had successfully maneuvered the game to checkmate.

  Focusing on Lady Sutherland with newfound empathy and respect, Rebecca responded, “Oh, my…this is too incredible. Lady Sutherland, I must apologize profusely. I had no idea.”

  “Apology accepted, Rebecca. May we now conclude that we are in fact birds of a feather?”

  “So it seems, my lady, so it seems.”

  “Then I assume that you also understand that it will be in your best interest, as it was long ago in mine, to follow the sage advice of this tough old bird.”

  An Hour Later

  Trevor strode into the sitting room, approached his mother and, leaning forward to embrace her, he inquired idly, “How was your trip to London yesterday afternoon, mother?”

  “It was taxing my dear, and since you ask, a bit tiring as well.” She paused a moment, then added mysteriously, “But it was necessary. How have things been here at the manor?”

  “Perfect. Bryan and I are being treated to a much needed rest and relaxation.”

  “That is excellent. Now Trevor, I am quite afraid that your rest and relaxation is about to suffer a serious setback,” his mother began, “I have a surprise for you.”

  “I say, a surprise? What sort of surprise?”

  “We have a visitor, and it is none other than Miss Rebecca Carey.”

  At this Trevor lunged from his chair and, his eyes bulging, he exclaimed, “I say! You can’t be serious, mother!”

  “My dear, I can, and in fact I am.”

  “But mother, surely you must agree that it is inappropriate to entertain a trollop such as her within the Manor!”

  “Oh, balderdash, my son! What Miss Carey is or ever was is of no consequence. What is important is that the opportunity has finally arrived for you to make amends.”

  “I…I know that I promised…but I’m not sure I’m ready…” he stammered.

  “Well, best gird yourself, Trevor, for in truth, she is at this moment standing directly behind you.”


  At this revelation Trevor swung round, thereby observing Rebecca standing across the room from him. Rooted to the floor beneath him, Trevor was shocked into absolute silence. Staring at her in disbelief, seven years fell away in the space of moments, the memories rushing back in a torrent of emotions.

  Glaring vehemently at him, Rebecca allowed sufficient time for the horror of his past transgressions to flood over him. Observing that her unexpected presence had struck its intended mark, she subsequently marched across the room and, arriving directly before him, she slapped him as hard as she possibly could. Having anticipated just such a blow, he neither backed away nor attempted to parry it, but the power of her delivery nonetheless staggered him markedly. Justly punished, he remained absolutely motionless, awaiting her further satisfaction, whatever it might be.

  For her part, Rebecca simply stood there shaking her stinging hand, but despite this, it was apparent from her look of profound satisfaction that she had gained substantial enjoyment from the doing of it.

  “God, you have no idea how long I’ve been waiting to do that!” she exclaimed and, glaring viciously at him, she added forcefully, “My God, that felt good, you jerk!”

  For his part, he remained motionless, silently raising one hand to rub his by now scarlet face.

  “Bravo, Miss Carey,” Lady Sutherland now interjected implacably, adding, “Seven years ago I afforded him exactly the same punishment.”

  “You did?” Rebecca blurted in wide-eyed astonishment. “Now I remember…I’d forgotten, Inspector Rush told me what you did!” and at this she actually giggled. Turning back toward him, she spoke over her shoulder, “That was ever so satisfying. Please, may I hit him again?”

  “Of course, my dear,” Lady Sutherland responded, “He is yours for the bidding. Feel quite free to give him another wallop, but please spread it around. Try the other cheek!”

  At this, Rebecca reared back and struck him yet again, this time even harder, exclaiming, “How do you like that, jerk!”

  Trevor staggered backwards but, recovering his footing, he now spoke to her for the first time in more than seven years, offering despondently, “Two blows can never make up for what I did to you, Rebecca, er…Miss Carey. But if it will in any way make you feel better, I am at your service for whatever punishment you may choose to mete out.”

  “What the…” Rebecca replied and, turning back to Lady Sutherland, she inquired, “What have you done to him? Is he drugged? The last time I saw this jerk, he was thoroughly incapable of such niceties.”

  As she was known to do when she was deliriously happy, Lady Sutherland replied in her native French, “Exactement! My dear, I believe that the person that you see before you is not the same young scoundrel you once knew. And that is why I imparted my story to you. Now I suggest that you spend some time with my son and get to know him. I believe that you will find him to be a very interesting and compelling young man.”

  “Lady Sutherland, please, I’m not ready for that.”

  “Oh, for goodness sake, Rebecca. It has been seven years! If you’re not ready now, then when shall you be? You must exorcise your demons. Now, I command you to get on with it!”

  At this command Rebecca flashed her eyes at Lady Sutherland antagonistically, exclaiming, “You got it!” But it was obvious that she was livid with the both of them. Accordingly, she turned back to Trevor, announcing, “Your mother has just been telling me about how she and your father had some differences of opinion right here in this very house. What do you say, Trevor, old boy? Shall we fight it out, too?”

  At this Lady Sutherland grasped her throat in the abject fear that things had suddenly gone all wrong.

  Trevor peered implacably at Rebecca and replied, “Excellent notion, Miss Carey. Unfortunately, my fighting days are over.”

  “What the…did the army make you a coward? You won’t fight me?”

  “Cannot fight you, I’m afraid.”

  “Why ever not, you coward!”

  “Actually, tis an old war injury, I’m afraid,” he responded matter-of-factly.

  “What sort of war injury?”

  “I was wounded in Vietnam, in the shoulder. I have limited mobility with it, so I am obliged to avoid fighting of any sort, I’m afraid.”

  “Oh, I’m sorry to hear that,” she replied in apparent embarrassment.

  “No offense taken,” he responded politely. “I suppose that a game of chess would suffice as an acceptable substitute, if you wish.”

  “Ha!” she replied inanely. “Good one. Thanks for extracting me from my own gaff, but I’m afraid I’ve suddenly lost my taste for games. How about a good stiff drink instead?” and it was obvious she was still absolutely furious.

  Glancing doubtfully toward his mother, he responded, “Under the circumstances, I believe that a beverage would do nicely.” Lady Sutherland in turn obliged him with a concealed wink of approval for his masterful handling of an otherwise untenable situation.

  “What might I get you?”

  “A double scotch – straight - if you don’t mind,” she snarled.

  “Just like Trevor, his father, and his father before him,” Lady Sutherland interjected perceptively.

  Ignoring this last, Trevor prepared her a drink, subsequently pouring a glass of port for both his mother and himself.

  “So what happened to your arm?” Rebecca queried as he handed her the glass.

  “I was shot,” he answered laconically.

  Now calming visibly, she replied, “I’m sorry to hear that.”

  “Don’t be. I’m just fine now.”

  “What does that mean?” she responded suspiciously.

  “Look, in order to answer that question, I suppose I shall need to fill you in a bit. Would that be acceptable to you?”

  “Sure,” she replied, nevertheless continuing to eye him suspiciously.

  “There is a warm fire in the library. How does that sound to you?” he asked politely.

  “Okay,” she answered convivially, the pair ambling amiably from the room. One would have thought that they had suddenly become the best of friends.

  The Following Morning

  The day having dawned dark and gloomy, Trevor and Bryan met Lord and Lady Sutherland in the dining room for breakfast. Rebecca, who was not in attendance, eventually arrived as they were finishing up and, stepping into the room, she announced brusquely, “I must apologize, I’ve decided that I must go home. Goodbye, Lord and Lady Sutherland. Goodbye Bryan. Goodbye, jerk!” And with this she quickly turned on her heel and departed the room, thereby preempting any effort to persuade her otherwise.

  Apparently unsurprised, Trevor croaked, “Goodbye, Miss Carey,” but by then Rebecca had already disappeared.

  “Well! That is certainly shocking!” Lady Sutherland exclaimed.

  From behind his copy of The London Times, Lord Sutherland opined, “One could never accuse Miss Carey of failing to be headstrong, my dear. Reminds me of someone else many years ago.”

  “Perhaps she will come back,” Trevor suggested.

  Lady Sutherland interjected, “Trevor, she is leaving for the purpose of escaping you. Trust me on that point. And trust me on this one as well – she is most assuredly NOT coming back!”

  “I see,” he replied, “Well, I could hardly have expected more under the circumstances.”

  “What exactly are you referring to?” his mother inquired.

  “Actually, I thought that we shared a very constructive conversation yesterday in the library.”

  “What did you talk about?”

  “Oh, we talked about what we’ve both been doing since that night. I told her about my enlistment in the service and my subsequent deployment to Vietnam. We talked about my injury, and my recovery, and how I started my company and built it into a worldwide organization. We also talked about what she’s been doing since then. Anyway, I feel like I did some good, mother. I feel as though she may be able to move on a bit
now. At least, I hope so.”

  Three Days Later

  Trevor decided to remain a few days at his flat in London, dropping Bryan at Heathrow for his return flight to Washington along the way. He was relaxing with a drink when he received a phone call. Picking up the receiver, he announced, “Hello?”

  “Trevor, this is Rebecca Carey,” the voice on the other end said officiously, “I hope that I’m not bothering you.”

  Unable to hide his astonishment, he exclaimed, “No, not at all! What can I do for you?”

  “I was wondering if you wouldn’t mind having dinner with me this evening. I’m not far from where you are. I’m sorry for such late notice, but I would consider it a great favor if you could make it.”

  “I am at your service,” he responded, “Where shall I meet you, and at what time?”

  “Excellent. Meet me at the Crossbow Tavern at eight P.M.”

  “Right, I shall see you there, Miss Carey.”

  Entering the tavern two hours later, Trevor noticed that it was hopping with holiday activity, the locals obviously having an excellent time of it. The pub was quite large, with several rooms of various shapes and sizes, all strung out and connected in haphazard fashion. Finding her sitting alone in one of the smallest rooms, he offered hesitantly, “Hello.”

  For her part, she responded inscrutably, “Hello, Trevor. I hope you don’t mind. I wanted to see you away from the tentacled grasp of your parents. I felt that we didn’t quite finish our reunion of sorts at Wharton Manor.”

  “I say, I don’t mind at all. I came tonight to answer any further questions that you might have as best I am able.”

  “Thank you. Would you like a pint of ale?”

  “Yes, of course. That would be refreshing,” he responded.

  “How about some fish and chips?”

  “That sounds perfect.”

  “Okay. You just relax here and I’ll be back in a jiffy,” she said blandly.

  “Right,” he responded, still uncertain as to the purpose of this unexpected rendezvous.

  She was back within a few minutes and, thrusting a pint toward him, she said curtly, “The food will be ready shortly.”

  “Thanks. What did you want to discuss with me?”

  “Well, I hope you don’t mind, but I would like to discuss the events that led up to my disappearance. I’ve been wondering for a very long time what happened to you that night aboard the yacht. Where did you disappear to, Trevor?”

  “I didn’t disappear. I was observing from on deck. The first I realized that something terrible was underway was when Andrakis grabbed you as you left the stage. But by that point, there was nothing I could do to stop him.”

  “You saw Andrakis rape me?”

  “Yes, I’m afraid I did. I say, there is no point in denying it – I observed all of it, every horrifying moment.”

  “Then why didn’t you do something?”

  “Like what?”

  “But you promised to protect me!”

  “I say, I was outnumbered fifty to one! Considering the alternatives, I assumed that the best course of action was to try and get through it so that I could be a witness on your behalf thereafter.”

  “But there was no thereafter, Trevor.”

  “Well, there might have been had you not gone overboard.”

  “That’s ridiculous. By diving overboard I undoubtedly saved my life, and probably yours as well.”

  “Yes, you’re quite likely correct, and, believe me, I am extremely grateful to you for that. I saw you go overboard, by the way.”

  “You did? Why didn’t you do something then?”

  “What alternative was there? One of Andrakis’ men told him right away, and the captain immediately radioed the Coast Guard.”

  “So why was there no rape charge?”

  “I don’t know, Miss Carey. There were fifty men aboard, all of whom said nothing happened.”

  “And what did you say, Trevor? Why didn’t you tell the truth?”

  “I was terrified. Inspector Rush was threatening to bring me up on charges of pimping and God knows what else. Listen, I’m not proud of what I did that night, or before that night for that matter. I can only say that I am so sorry for what I did to you, and that I realize that I can never make it up to you.”

  “Not good enough by a long shot, jerk.”

  “I did eventually agree to testify that I saw you raped, but my testimony was of little use without you around.”

  “Listen, you slime ball, you may have the entire world convinced, including your own parents, that you have reformed, but you don’t fool me,” she responded vehemently.

  “I’m sorry you feel that way, but please believe me - I wish that there were something I could do to help,” he replied despondently.

  “You jerk. You’re still a patent liar! Theofilio Andrakis knew that I was a virgin that night, and there was only one other person in the world who knew that I was a virgin. You knew, and the only way that he could have known was if you knew that he was looking for a virgin to hump that night. You miserable piece of shit, you knew what was going to happen that night, otherwise how could Andrakis have known I was a virgin. Admit it, jerk!”

  “I don’t understand. I’m confused,” he responded, seemingly avoiding her question. “Actually, I have a splitting headache and I’m feeling a bit dizzy.”

  “That’s most likely the drugs taking effect,” she responded matter-of-factly.

  “What?” he mumbled distantly.

  “You heard me,” she answered, and at that moment three women converged within the tiny room, immediately wedging themselves on either side of him. “These are my friends. Meet Sylvia and Betsy. I believe that you already know Mimi from Baltimore. Say hello to Trevor the jerk, ladies.”

  “I say…” Trevor mumbled, his voice by now distinctly woozy.

  As he was slipping into unconsciousness, he heard Rebecca say, “Once upon a time, I was young and naïve, but a thoroughly unscrupulous guy took my youth away from me, and now, I’m the one with the upper hand. Remember when you had the upper hand? Well, now the tables are turned, you jerk! Alright, girls, let’s get Trevor on his feet while he’s still conscious.” The four women subsequently dragged Trevor to his feet and, hoisting him through the crowd within, they hustled him away.

  The Following Morning

  Trevor awoke with a splitting headache. On regaining his senses, he observed that, but for a coat of lime green paint, he was totally naked. Noticing that one of his feet was lying in a body of water, he lurched forward and sat up, gazing about in dismay. Realizing that he was most likely resting next to the Thames River, he crawled up onto the quay, where a mystified passerby flagged down a policeman who bundled Trevor within his jacket and transported him to the local police station.

  Trevor remembered what had happened well enough to understand that Rebecca had succeeded in exacting revenge upon him. Since he saw no point in dredging it all up, he simply told the police that he had gotten drunk in a pub, so much so that he had been taken advantage of by thieves. Seeing as how he had been robbed and painted green, the police let him off without placing charges of indecency and public lewdness.

  Accepting their offer of a lift to his flat, he showered and dressed immediately on arrival. The green paint was thankfully not permanent, but it did leave an obnoxious tinge that would undoubtedly require a few days to completely disappear. Upon checking his mailbox, he found a large unstamped envelope with his name on it. Opening the envelope, he found a sheet of paper inside that read as follows:

  Dear Jerk-

  You may recall that a few years back you took advantage of a young and naïve coed at UVa. Because of your actions, she was goaded into performing at a party on a yacht, during which she was raped. Those events have left an indelible mark on her.

  Last night you were questioned about events of that night on the yacht, and you once again fed her with lies rega
rding the events of that night. She is positive that you disappeared before she appeared onstage, yet you steadfastly claim otherwise. She is also certain that you knew that Mr. Andrakis intended to have sex with her. Thus, it is clear that you were indeed directly involved in what happened to her that night, but you nonetheless choose to deny it.

  Then there is the case of the so-called ‘scorecard’ discovered by the police in your room at UVa. Inspector Rush has disclosed that the evidence was clear that she was to be your next victim in a long line of seductions. Your final intended victim has therefore chosen this occasion to exact revenge.

  So here is her final vengeance. Check the photo within this envelope. If you ever come near her again, copies of this photo will make their way to members of the press, together with a full account of your disgusting actions.

  Your Worst Enemy-

  Rebecca Carey

  Reaching inside the envelope, he pulled out the photograph. The photo showed him totally naked and painted lime green, with a masked woman performing a sadistic activity on his naked body. His face reddening with embarrassment, he realized that he had finally received payback for his past misdeeds.

  Washington – March, 1976

  Gazing from the twelfth floor window of the fancy boardroom, Trevor seemed to be lost in contemplation.

  Noticing his sense of detachment on entering the room, Sarah volunteered, “Penny for your thoughts.”

  Lurching his way from his interrupted reverie, he responded, “What?” and, seeing he had been caught daydreaming, he hedged, “Right. I was just thinking about something.”

  “I can see that,” she replied. “You’ve been doing a lot of that lately, Trevor. Snap out of it! Focus! This is a big deal - we need this contract.”

  “Right, focus,” he responded, flashing his best business smile at her.

  “What were you thinking about anyway, boss?”

  “Oh, nothing…it was all quite a long time ago…”

  “Tell me about it!” she offered, “I was probably there.”

  At this remark he blushed and, tugging officiously on his sport coat, he replied sheepishly, “You’re right - what matters is right now, this very moment. So how much did you say this guy’s company is worth?”

  “Not real big, about a hundred mil.”

  “Right. And you think this merger is the right one for us to have access to all the latest electronics for our robotic prosthetics?”

  “Right, boss. We’ve been over all of this before.”

  “I know, I know. I’m just not cut out for the business side. Surely you know that, Sarah.”

  “Well, Trevor, don’t you think it’s time you hired someone who is?”

  “Right, right, I know, I know…”

  At that moment three businessmen in fancy suits entered the sleek boardroom. Trevor and Sarah rose, and the introductions were made, accompanied by handshakes all around.

  Suddenly, a well-dressed woman rushed into the room, exclaiming breathlessly, “Sorry I’m late. I was in another meeting with the stockholders committee. You know how it is,” and at this she turned to shake Trevor’s hand.

  “Hello Trevor,” she offered pleasantly.

  “Vanessa!” he exclaimed and, taking her proffered hand, he said, “I didn’t know you worked for Feldman Industries!”

  Grinning salaciously at him, she responded, “A girl’s got to make a living!” and, turning to Sarah, she added, “Hello, Sarah.”

  Taking Vanessa’s outstretched hand, Sarah responded pleasantly, “Hi, Vanessa. Long time no see.”

  “You three are acquainted with one another?” Mr. Feldman queried.

  “Yes,” Vanessa replied with a slight smile, “From our days at UVa.”

  “Ah, UVa…I see…” Feldman replied, his voice trailing off.

  There was a moment of pregnant silence during which Trevor seemed to regain his lost composure. Eventually, he announced self-assuredly, “So, down to business. Mr. Feldman, thanks for taking time to meet with us today. We all know why we’re here. Sarah and I simply wanted to start the ball rolling, sort of get to know one another.”

  “Of course, Mr. Sutherland,” Feldman responded candidly, “We are at your service. It is our collective view that this merger is a potential win-win. Both companies would profit enormously. Accordingly, shall we discuss terms?”

  At this, Vanessa boldly interjected, “I’ve been running some numbers. If you don’t mind, I have a short presentation detailing the current financial position of Feldman Industries.”

  “Sure, that would be fine, although Sarah is the business mind for Lifelike Prosthetics. I’m just a mechanical engineer.”

  At this self-effacing remark, Vanessa interjected impatiently, “As well as the CEO of a two hundred million dollar company. There is no point in making light of your accomplishments, Trevor. We have the facts at our disposition.”

  “Wait,” Trevor exclaimed and, suddenly rising halfway out of his chair, he admonished, “Isn’t this some sort of conflict of interest?”

  “I’m not sure I follow you,” Mr. Feldman put in.

  Turning toward Feldman, Trevor responded, “I see Miss Markham hasn’t seen fit to fill you in. To put it mildly, Vanessa and I are more than just acquaintances.”

  At this outburst, Vanessa smirked and, leaning back within her chair, she responded confidently, “I was afraid you’d forgotten, big boy!”

  “Forgotten! Not a chance, Vanessa! Although you have changed, much for the better, I might add,” he said, mumbling this last under his breath.

  “Well, well,” she replied with a sneer, “That is a left handed compliment if I ever heard one!”

  Trevor gazed at her and, realizing his gaff, he rejoined, “I apologize, Vanessa. I had no intention of insulting you.”

  At this retort she smiled salaciously and submitted, “My, that’s much better, Trevor. Under the circumstances, apology accepted. After all, we did share a glorious Halloween evening once upon a time, didn’t we!” and at this last offbeat remark, she crossed her arms and arched one eyebrow in self-assurance.

  For his part, Trevor blanched noticeably, responding, “My, my, that does take me back…”

  Sarah, who was by now completely exasperated with the direction the negotiations had taken, interrupted with, “Okay, you two. I can see that you need to do some ‘catching up’ with one another. In the meantime, can we get on with the meeting?”

  Exhaling a snort, Trevor blubbered, “Oh, sorry,” followed by, “Right. Down to business, if we absolutely must.”

  The remainder of the meeting was strictly business, a dizzying array of financial figures aimed at bringing the two disparate groups together. Trevor, focusing on the gorgeous blonde woman across the table from him, lost his train of thought quite early on, his mind instead drifting to a night long ago. The meeting now drawing to a close, the participants rose from their seats and shook hands amiably.

  Suddenly regaining his composure, Trevor offered pleasantly, “We seem to be on the right track, ladies and gentlemen. Suppose we all meet next week, perhaps this time on our turf?” Seeing the nods of agreement, he offered, “I shall get my assistant to set it up,” and at this the group began to disperse, small pockets of conversation forming as they slowly exited the conference room.

  Trevor took the opportunity to catch up with Vanessa before his departure, offering, “Vanessa, please accept my apologies yet again. I’ve been distracted of late. And besides, you have changed!”

  Accepting his outstretched hand, she responded noncommittally, “It was a long time ago, as you so correctly pointed out to me.”

  “Listen,” he implored, “I’ve been thinking. Please, have lunch with me. We could talk over old times together.”

  Brightening somewhat at his offer, she responded doubtfully, “Well, I don’t know…”

  “Oh, please! Just for old time’s sake. Please, Vanessa. It might do us both some go
od.”

  She countered, “Well, I’m awfully busy…Oh, what the heck. Alright, let me check my calendar and get back to you.”

  Obviously uncertain as to her true intention, he pleaded, “Please, don’t brush me off, Vanessa. I’m serious about this.”

  “You will hear from me by the end of today, Trevor. I promise.”

  “Excellent! I shall look forward to it,” and with that the pair shook hands yet again and she departed the boardroom.

  As Trevor rejoined Sarah, she inquired suspiciously, “What was that about?”

  “Come on, let’s get out of here,” he responded secretively, at which he grasped her elbow and tugged her down the hallway toward the elevator.

  Having arrived at the waiting car in the parking lot, he finally opened up, blubbering, “Man, it was hot in there! I couldn’t get comfortable.”

  “You’re telling me, big boy. I thought the two of you were going to spontaneously ignite! There was so much heat in that room, the level of concentration was nil.”

  “What! Was I that obvious?” he queried with surprise.

  “Ohhh yeah!”

  “I say, I quite apologize, Sarah.”

  “That’s alright. Frankly, I haven’t seen you show such interest in a member of the fairer sex in quite a long time. Maybe you’ve been too busy running a company for the last five years. If you ask me, this may well be a good thing for you.”

  “What thing?”

  “Oh, come now, Trevor! There is no point in denying the obvious!”

  “No, Sarah, I assure you, tis nothing like that. I simply thought it would be nice to have lunch with her. You know, good business, a form of apology, to get the ball rolling.”

  “To get the ball rolling! Ha!” she exclaimed, subsequently flapping a hand at him in dismissal.

  Glancing sheepishly at her, he said nothing. She thus seized the opportunity to grab the initiative, querying, “What gives, Trevor? What is there between the two of you?”

  “I’m quite certain I’ve no idea what you mean, Sarah.”

  “Don’t you dare hedge with me, Trevor! We’ve known each other far too long for that. I probably know you better than anyone on this planet. Damn, I probably know you better than you know yourself. You can bullshit all you want, but you can’t fool me!”

  “Right. Well, then perhaps I’m fooling myself, Sarah.”

  “That’s better. Now tell me what gives, before I knock the crap out of you!”

  “Right, well…this takes me back…” he said in apparent contemplation, but then he suddenly found the right words, murmuring, “It was that night, at the Halloween party. I say, I made quite an ass of myself that night.”

  “You’re telling me! I was there, remember?”

  “Of course. Who could forget? Anyway, that woman seriously irritated me!”

  “Meaning Rebecca, I presume,” she responded knowingly.

  “Of course…you have it right,” he replied forlornly. “I say, I just realized - I must have been quite obsessed with her back then.”

  “Must have been!” she repeated in exasperation.

  “What?” he responded in blank confusion.

  “Oh, nothing.”

  He glanced at her, still confused, but continued with, “Anyway, I was quite upset with Rebecca. Okay, bear with me here. Perhaps I wasn’t such a nice chap back then, you know,” at which she simply nodded her agreement. “That night, I was quite desperate to get even with Rebecca. So I approached Vanessa, and I asked her if she wanted to go for a drive with me. And I confess I made certain that Rebecca saw us leave together.”

  “Well, that explains a lot,” she replied.

  “What do you mean, Sarah?”

  “She moped around for at least a month after that night. And now at long last I know why.”

  “What? Why ever for?”

  “Oh, come now, Trevor. Your well-planned volley hit the mark – Rebecca’s heart strings.”

  “Oh, right, I see. I say, I was indeed quite the jerk. But in my defense, back then I had absolutely no notion about the feelings of others.”

  “Tell me about it,” Sarah responded, meaning exactly the opposite. Not waiting for another comment on his part, she then asked, “So what happened after that?”

  “You mean that night?” And at her assenting nod, he recalled, “Oh, nothing much. Vanessa and I went for a drive, and I’m afraid things got out of hand.”

  “Exactly what does that mean?”

  “Well, you know…”

  “No, in fact, I don’t know! Give over, Trevor!”

  “Right, if you must know, I slept with her,” and at Sarah’s look of obvious disgust, he appended, “Well, I didn’t actually sleep with her. We had sex in the woods.”

  “My, what an image that conjures up. Some sort of animalistic mating ritual in the bushes on All Hallow’s Evening! Ugh, disgusting!”

  “I don’t know about that. Frankly, I haven’t thought about it in quite some time. I’ve tried to put it out of my mind.”

  “I’ll bet that wasn’t easy!” Sarah remarked ludicrously.

  “Actually, it was, but not for long.”

  “And what does that mean?”

  “If you must know, she got pregnant.”

  “You’ve got to be kidding!” she exclaimed, “When did she tell you?”

  “Right after I enlisted in the army. We were married before I shipped out for basic training.”

  “You mean, the two of you were married!” she exclaimed in horror. “That’s totally disgusting!” For God’s sake, you didn’t have to get married. Why did you do that?”

  “Sarah, surely you recall the circumstances. I felt I had no choice. I had just wrecked one woman’s life. I couldn’t bring myself to repeat such heinous behavior a second time.”

  “I see,” she responded doubtfully but, moving on, she inquired, “Sooo, what happened to the child?”

  “Vanessa miscarried. She called me at Fort Hood, just before I shipped out to Vietnam.”

  “Oh, my, I’m so sorry to hear that,” Sarah rejoined sympathetically. But then, a frown creasing her face, she inquired, “When were you divorced?”

  “I’m really not sure, it was either the fall of 1972 or 1973.”

  “Well, seeing as how you’re going to see her again quite soon, you might want to get your story straight, champ,” she admonished.

  “Yes, of course,” he murmured, but his mind was already racing away to another time and place.

  Washington – A Week Later

  Trevor and Vanessa met for lunch in Crystal City. The attraction was immediate. Vanessa was gorgeous and, for his part, Trevor was conscious of Sarah’s instructions.

  The following day Sarah poked at him, saying, “You look way too happy, boss. In fact, I don’t remember the last time I saw you look so ecstatic.”

  Suddenly introspective, Trevor replied, “Gee, I didn’t know that it showed.”

  “Listen buddy boy, this entire company is tuned to your every whim. When you’re sad, we’re sad, and everyone knows it. With you perking up, the sky is the limit for Lifelike Prosthetics.”

  “Gee, when you put it that way…” he mumbled distractedly.

  “Did you get any?” she queried pithily.

  “What! I say, a woman should never ask a man such questions. And, by the way, No!” he responded with feigned annoyance.

  “Well, that’s too bad. Don’t you be wasting time. Make haste, boss, make haste. One never knows how long the planting season will last.”

  Somehow aware that her suggestion was indeed a good one, he replied good-naturedly, “Yes, sir, I shall make a note of it.”

  A week later he put things right. Vanessa was everything that she had been so long ago, and more. Trevor was suddenly involved with someone for the first time since college, and things were now looking up for Trevor and Lifelike Prosthetics in a way he could never have imagined.


  Over the succeeding months Trevor and Vanessa grew into an item. They were seen everywhere, Washington society suddenly taking note. They were a power couple on the rise, the press inevitably predicting only a matter of time before wedding bells would be heard.

  Washington – Early August

  The phone rang, and reaching for it absent-mindedly, Trevor mumbled, “Hello?”

  “Trevor, it’s Inspector Rush on the line,” his assistant responded. “Do you want me to put him through to you?”

  “Yes, Wanda, please put him through,” he replied attentively.

  “Hello,” the voice said momentarily, “Rush, here. Is that you, Mr. Sutherland?”

  “Yes. What a pleasant surprise, Inspector. To what do I owe this pleasure?”

  “We need to talk,” he replied curtly.

  “Certainly, Inspector. When? Where?”

  “Now, Mr. Sutherland. The usual place.”

  A half hour later, Trevor strode into the Minuteman Inn. Trevor shook Inspector Rush’s hand and, plunking down beside him, he inquired breathlessly, “What gives, Inspector? What is so important that it couldn’t wait?”

  “I’m sorry to hit you up on such short notice, Mr. Sutherland, but things are rapidly heating up. Mr. Andrakis is apparently about to become prime minister of Greece.”

  “I say…I see…” Trevor replied, but he really didn’t see at all.

  “You realize what that means, Mr. Sutherland? Andrakis will now step up his attempts to locate Rebecca. He will be forced to, and Rebecca will quite possibly become the target of an assassin’s bullet.”

  “Surely it isn’t that dire,” Trevor replied doubtfully.

  “I assure you, Mr. Sutherland, it most certainly is,” he replied succinctly.

  “Why ever for?”

  “This would not only sink Andrakis if it ever got out, it would quite possibly destroy the economy of Greece. The stakes are huge.”

  “Right, I see now,” Trevor replied, the danger to Rebecca suddenly coming into focus.

  “So,” Inspector Rush now suggested, “Have you thought about what I said at our last meeting?”

  “Yes, of course. Of course I’ve thought about it, Inspector.”

  “Don’t give me that evasive crap, Mr. Sutherland! It’s been nearly nine months since we last met! And during that span of time I’ve heard not a single peep from you!”

  “Has it indeed been that long, Inspector?”

  Inspector Rush said nothing to this, preferring to simply glare at Trevor in disfavor.

  “I say, I did in fact think about it. But then I saw Rebecca at Christmas, and that quite put me off.”

  “Yes, I heard you saw her. Why did it stop you?”

  “Well, she didn’t seem to want my help. I thought better of it after that.”

  “What has that got to do with anything at all! She needs your help, whether she wants it or not! And I submit to you that you are in no position to bandy about with such important decisions, Mr. Sutherland. Despite your cavalier attitude toward her, you still owe her, big time!”

  Trevor stared at him for a few moments and, the memories sweeping back over him, he volunteered, “Yes, of course, you’re right. I suppose I’ve been distracted of late, Inspector.”

  “I’ll say! I’ll say you’ve been distracted. It’s in all the papers. You and Vanessa Markham, you’re the talk of Washington. I’ll just bet you’ve been distracted.”

  “Right. I say, that may be true, but it is no excuse at all. I’m afraid I’ve let things slip a bit, Inspector. I promise, I shall rethink the events of that night. I shall think it over and get back to you.”

  “That’s not good enough. You said the very same thing the last time we met, and it’s been close on to a year.”

  “What would satisfy you, Inspector?”

  “What would satisfy me…what would satisfy me? Let me see…okay, here’s a suggestion. Today is Monday. Meet me here for lunch on Friday. And bring me something, something hard, something with real punch. That will satisfy me, Mr. Sutherland.”

  Glancing inanely at his watch, Trevor pondered a moment, then, raising his eyes to the inspector, he replied despondently, “Yes, you are correct, Inspector. It has been more than seven years. It is indeed time. I should face this thing down once and for all. Right, I agree.”

  “One last question, Mr. Sutherland.”

  “Of course,” Trevor responded quizzically.

  “Why was I not informed that you and Vanessa Markham had married?”

  “What! I, I…er…” Trevor stammered, adding in embarrassment, “What possible difference could it have made, Inspector?”

  “You leave that part to me, sir,” Inspector Rush replied and, his eyes flashing ominously, he repeated, “Review everything, Mr. Sutherland, and when you have, I shall expect you to disclose everything you can recall, whether big or small.”

  “Yes, sir, I believe I understand,” Trevor responded, “I shall see you here on Friday at noon,” and with that, he arose and departed.

  Later That Same Day

  Trevor trudged into his apartment and, slumping down on his sofa, he vowed to face his demons at long last. Within a few moments he dragged himself to his feet and, stepping behind the bar, he poured himself a stiff shot of scotch. For perhaps the hundredth time, he pulled the photo of himself out of the envelope and, scanning it, he sought some sort of revelation regarding the strange events of that night more than six months earlier. There he was – totally naked, an unidentifiable woman riding him, like a lime-green Shetland pony. Such a disgusting sight, but one he could somehow not erase from his mind. He knew he had to get beyond the ignominy of her exacted vengeance, but somehow he just couldn’t get there. Leaning back in abject misery, he took a much-needed gulp of scotch.

  Then suddenly, his father’s words to him echoing in his mind, words from long ago, something to do with failure and vengeance. Oh, and compassion. “Get on with it,” he told himself. “You promised Inspector Rush you would. Now get past it. Find the strength to help Rebecca, you unmitigated jerk.”

  A full glass and further contemplation later, he was finally nearing the necessary penultimate step that had been lying dormant within him for seven long years. Thus arising, he poured himself another glass of scotch, subsequently padding into his office to locate another quite different envelope.

  Carefully extracting a movie tape from the envelope, he placed it in the tape player and turned on the television in trepidation. He sat down on the sofa and, leaning back, he sucked down another long sip of scotch. The time had finally arrived to watch the movie that he had made that night on the yacht. Steeling himself to the coming horror, he forced himself to find the courage to push the play button.

  Events on the tape began slowly, the memories eventually rushing back, crushing memories of events long suppressed. It was all coming back to him now. There she was, decked out in that fabulous feline costume, her enormous black cape enshrouding that heavenly body.

  The first part was actually not at all difficult for him to watch. Still, he grew increasingly agitated as it played forward. Each passing moment building climactically, he gradually grew to understand why he had never had the courage to watch it before.

  Eventually, arriving at the part when she stepped down from the stage, he found that he simply could not continue. Punching the pause button, he took another gulp from his glass of scotch, struggling to find the courage to go on. Regaining his courage after a few moments, he pushed the play button once again. The footage mesmerizing him, he could somehow sense that she was terrified, nevertheless unable to pinpoint the source of his angst.

  Having come to the part that he had pointedly avoided viewing for so many years, he was aware that at long last he had no choice but to push on through it. For the first time he understood that until he did so, he would never be able to move on with his life.

  Slugging down yet another gulp of
scotch, he pressed the play button yet again, searching carefully for telltale signs of something, anything at all that might be useful. Then it came to the ghastly part where she was cuffed by her hands and feet to the table, the camera continuing to catch every detail.

  Andrakis by now pumping away at her from behind, Trevor noticed something quite perplexing that he had failed to observe that night. It seemed that Rebecca was doing something cryptic with her right hand. Because he couldn’t seem to make out exactly what it was, he played it back at a slower speed. Studying it several times, he eventually realized that she was making eight gestures, and she seemed to be making these same eight gestures repeatedly.

  He halted the tape and, taking another sip of scotch, a vision struck him from his days in the military – he had learned Morse code in the Army. She was sending code! It wasn’t Morse code, so it must have been something else…sign language! Rummaging around in his office for his edition of Webster’s dictionary, he located the list of letters used for sign language within. Comparing the images in his dictionary to those in the video, he realized in shock that she had sent a message. Although it took him several minutes of playing and replaying, he eventually spelled out the letters: H-E-L-P…R-A-P-E. Incredibly, she had sent a message describing her own demise: Help! Rape!

  Washington – The Following Day

  Inspector Rush sat drinking a cup of coffee, idly perusing some recent files, when his phone rang. Hoisting it to his ear, he said, “Inspector Rush.”

  The voice on the other end replied, “Inspector Rush, this is Trevor Sutherland. I’ve been thinking since our meeting yesterday. I have some evidence that you may be interested in with regard to the events of that night. I believe that it cannot wait until Friday. In fact, I think we should meet right away.”

  “Alright, Mr. Sutherland, meet me at the coffee shop in Union Station in an hour,” and without even waiting to hear if that was okay, he hung up.

  An hour later Trevor sat down in the seat next to Inspector Rush. “Inspector Rush,” he said, offering his hand.

  Inspector Rush took his outstretched hand, saying, “I told you that you would think of something, Mr. Sutherland.”

  “Right,” Trevor replied grimly and, wandering over to the bar to buy himself a cup of coffee, he returned with one for each of them.

  Inspector Rush now got to the point straightaway, “Okay, give it over, Mr. Sutherland. What’s up?”

  Peering at him momentarily over the rim of his cup, Trevor finally offered succinctly, “I made a movie that night, Inspector.”

  Half rising from his seat, Inspector Rush exclaimed, “What the…You did what?”

  “You heard me. I made a movie. I got the whole thing on tape.”

  “THING! THING! You moron, you mean RAPE, I assume.”

  “Of course I mean rape, Inspector.”

  “You are one piece of work, Mr. Sutherland. First you pimp for that sweet young lady, and then you make movies for yourself so you can get your jollies watching her strip as often as you want. You are one sick pervert!”

  Trevor gazed at him for a moment, then replied, “Not bad, Inspector, and not far off the mark. But, to be sure, I did not know that I was making a pornographic film, or I can assure you, I would never have taken her there that night. Besides, I never actually watched the movie until last night.”

  “Well, if that doesn’t beat all. First you pimp for her, then you make your own private porn movie of her, and now you expect me to believe that you had no prurient intentions?”

  “I confess to making the film for myself, but I assure you, I expected only a repeat of her performance at Halloween, one which was in no way pornographic,” Trevor replied defensively.

  “This whole discussion is fraught with something that comes out of the hind end of a bull, my friend. If you decided not to watch the movie, then why in heaven’s name didn’t you turn it over to me years ago?”

  “Good question, Inspector. I suppose at first I was afraid that I would be implicated. Later on, I hoped the whole thing would go away. Still later, I hoped that Rebecca would somehow get beyond it. And later still, as my compassion for her circumstances grew, I suppose I wanted to protect her from the possibility of the tape becoming public. Of course, I now know that I was completely off the mark. It didn’t go away, and Rebecca couldn’t get past it. What’s worse, she has reaped vengeance on me, proof that she hasn’t gotten over it, and now, the guy that raped her is about to become the next Prime Minister of Greece. And here is the thing, Inspector, for seven long years I couldn’t bring myself to view the film. Thinking that there was nothing at all of significance therein, I studiously avoided viewing it, I who had filmed it myself!”

  “Yeah,” Inspector Rush replied. Pausing for a moment, he scratched his chin, took a sip of his coffee, then continued, observing, “Damn! As ridiculous as that whole story is, it actually comes off sounding believable. You really are a changed man, aren’t you, Mr. Sutherland.”

  “No, sir, nothing of the sort. I can assure you. I deserve every appalling punishment that could come my way related to this case, of that I am certain. I made a really enormous and deplorable mistake, one that I have been attempting to rectify ever since. And now, in fact way too late in my own view, I believe that I may finally have hit on a solution that could help to achieve Miss Carey’s redemption.”

  “I want to hear this, don’t get me wrong, but before you continue, could you tell me what revenge she perpetrated against you? I’m just dying to know,” Inspector Rush put in with a devilish grin.

  “Oh, nothing too onerous, sir. She and her girlfriends drugged me one night in a bar in London. They then took me somewhere while I was out cold and, stripping me naked, they painted my entire body lime green, stuck a broomstick up my ass, and sent me a photo of myself. Then they dumped me, still naked, by the Thames River, where I awoke the next morning.”

  “Yeeha!” Inspector Rush roared in elation, “I love it! I’m proud of that young lady. You had that and more coming to you, you jerk!”

  “Point taken, Inspector.”

  Inspector Rush gazed at Trevor, then expounded, “Sooo, you got me here. I’m wondering what for.”

  “Sir, I would like your advice,” Trevor replied.

  “About what?”

  “I would like your help in deciding what is the best course of action regarding the disposition of the tape.”

  “What, you’re not planning to turn it over to me?”

  “Frankly, I’m not convinced that I should do so,” Trevor suggested.

  “For God’s sake, why?” Inspector Rush queried in obvious mystification.

  “Right, for the simple reason that I doubt seriously that you could do anything useful with it. That’s why.”

  Scratching his chin in contemplation yet again, Inspector Rush volunteered, “Yes, well, there IS that. With our wonderful legal system, it might just never see the light of day.” Taking another sip of coffee, he added, “Excellent point, Trevor, excellent point. So let me ask you this, does the tape make it clear that she was raped that night?”

  “I say, I assure you – it most certainly does! Why would you doubt that she was raped?”

  “That wasn’t my question. I’m referring to what would be accepted in a court of law. A woman goes onto a yacht with fifty men onboard, ostensibly for the purpose of stripping down to her birthday suit, and one of the attendees surreptitiously has his way with her in public. I ask you, is that rape?”

  “I see your point, Stephen. The fact that she was bound to a table while the act occurred is not sufficient evidence, since the perpetrator could claim that she was supposed to act as if she was not a willing participant, all as a preplanned part of her performance. Is that the implication?”

  “Precisely, Trevor, precisely,” and then he added, “God, you mean he had her bound to a table? That’s disgusting.”

  “Right, she was handcuff
ed at the wrists and ankles. But I agree, that could be legally construed as nothing more than sado-masochism on the part of the participants. On the other hand, suppose I told you that I had conclusive evidence on the tape that she was raped. Would that change the legal situation?”

  “I don’t see how you could have such evidence, but I’m nonetheless listening.”

  “Okay, suppose I told you that Rebecca left the stage after her performance, at which point she was still wearing the body suit. Andrakis then dragged her back onstage, handcuffed her hands and feet to the table and summarily ripped her body suit to shreds. And during all of this she was quite obviously under duress.”

  “Interesting, but still not conclusive. The defense would declare her performance deserving of an academy award.”

  Trevor now offered his second and final piece of evidence, and he knew it was a good one. “Inspector, suppose that while Mr. Andrakis was raping her, bound to the table and in full view of the camera, she was using sign language to repeatedly spell out the words – Help! Rape!”

  At this, Inspector Rush immediately rose halfway out of his chair, saying, “Well, I’ll be damned! Rebecca, I love you, you gorgeous young lady, you. Damn! She is one smart woman, isn’t she!”

  Trevor stared silently at Inspector Rush, simply awaiting his next utterance. After several moments he got his answer, “Well, that ought to do it, Trevor, old boy. I’d say Andrakis is toast!”

  “Not so fast, Inspector,” Trevor replied. “There’s one other small detail to be accounted for.”

  “Oh? And what might that be?”

  “If that movie makes it to the courtroom, and it most certainly will in order to convict Andrakis, we both know that Rebecca will never EVER live it down. Surely she doesn’t deserve to be subjected to such a public spectacle.”

  Peering at Trevor for a few moments, the inspector exclaimed, “Damn, you’re right!” He reflected for a moment and added, “And now I know the answer to the question that has been driving me nuts all these years. You, sir, are desperately in love with her, or you wouldn’t give a rat’s behind whether the film hurt her or not.”

  Ignoring this last part, Trevor responded, “I suggest that we put our heads together and solve this problem to her benefit.”

  Inspector Rush peered at him for a moment and inquired, “So what do you have in mind to do, Mr. Sutherland?”

  “I thought you’d never ask!” Trevor replied, “I have an idea I’d like to run by you.”

  Chapter 10

  Facing Reality