Secret Adventures

The One Who Got Away-4

He drove around his block four times searching for any official-looking vehicle. Once satisfied that he had not been followed, Flynn hurried to his apartment where he holed up for several days.

Disappointment and confusion overwhelmed him, but he soon gathered himself and vowed to try again the following week. Besides this he had nothing to do but pray for time, pray that Janis’ shower was a month in advance of the wedding, hopefully two.

When he found his spot in the woods across the street he saw immediately that his prayer had not been answered. Beautiful girls in matching gowns emerged from a shiny limousine, each one wearing a lovely corsage, but his daughter was not among them. Janis, he assumed, was still inside getting ready for the biggest, happiest day of her life.

Stifling a cry, Flynn risked discovery and crossed the quiet street to his house. Any second someone might glance out the window and see this strange bearded man in the floral shirt, wearing a panama hat and dark sun glasses, but luck was with him. He hurried around to the back of the house and found another hiding place of sorts behind a forsythia bush in full bloom.

From there he could see into the room that was once his study and look upon the two women who had made his life worth living. It was a cool day, with mountainous cumulus clouds floating by overhead, cool enough to leave the windows open, thus enabling him to hear their conversation.

Deborah and Janis joined hands and gazed directly into the other’s eyes.

“I wish your dad could have been here,” Deborah whispered.

“Me, too,” Janis replied with a trembling voice. “You’d better not make me cry and ruin my make-up.”

The two women laughed. “Somehow, I get the sense that he is here,” she said, “watching us.”

“I wish I could believe that,” Janis answered.

Thomas Flynn took passing note of the official-looking vehicle that seemed to be slowing as it approached his house. I am here, he thought, and I am not going to miss this day! Even if it means prison! I’ll tell them where the treasure is. They can pay off the insurance company and live even better than they could with the settlement money. I may have to do serious time, but holding them both once more, seeing my baby up close on her wedding day, seeing the look of surprise and joy would be more than worth it!

Flynn stepped forward, but froze when he felt the hand on his shoulder.

“There you are,” a voice from behind him said. “We’ve been looking for you for a long time.”

Flynn stifled a wail of despair as he turned to face two men. A brilliant reflection off the Gladding’s greenhouse washed out their faces.

“Who are you?” Flynn rasped.

“We’re taking you in, Glenn... Thomas... whatever you wish to be called.”

“Taking me where?”

“Come quietly, and you will see.”

“Can’t I say goodbye to my wife and daughter?”

“You could try, but it won’t make any difference. It will only disappoint you.”

“I just want to hold them one more time.”

“You can’t do that.”

Flynn heard a knock at the study door behind him and a bridesmaid spoke. “There are some men here to see you, and they asked for privacy.” He could imagine Deborah and Janis looking at each other with surprise and concern.

Suddenly, anger filled Thomas Flynn’s heart. “Are you going to ruin their day?” he demanded. “Couldn’t you wait?”

The two men facing him said nothing. The one holding him relaxed his grip, allowing Thomas to turn and look back through the window. A very tall man did all of the talking. “Mrs. Fogerty, Miss Fogerty, I have some news that may be unsettling or perhaps somewhat of a relief,” the man began. “I wish I could have timed this better, but we still have so many people to visit, and we believe we have to share whatever we learn post haste, regardless of the situation. I am sorry to tell you this on your wedding day, Miss Fogerty.”

The two women moved to each other and embraced as the tall man produced two items. The first, an envelope, he extended to Deborah, who took it tentatively.

“That, Mrs. Fogerty, is a cashier’s check for the sum of seventeen thousand one hundred forty six dollars. We have officially closed your husband’s business account at the Apple Union Bank, which remained open until yesterday when we finally verified his fate on September 11.”

“I never knew he had this money,” Deborah exclaimed.

“Then, hopefully, this comes as a pleasant surprise to you. You may receive this next piece of information differently, however.” The tall man seemed almost apologetic as his eyes shifted from one to the other.

From his jacket pocket he produced a manila envelope, unfolded it and withdrew its contents. To Flynn it looked like a piece of charred leather.

“As you know, we’ve been sifting through and analyzing the rubble of the World Trade Center for years, looking for DNA and other evidence to determine the fate of those in the towers that day. Yesterday, we discovered this.” He extended his hand and Deborah took the object from him.

“It... it looks like a wallet,” she breathed.

“It is a wallet, Mrs. Fogerty, or what’s left of it, anyway. The picture inside helped us to identify its owner.”

Janis craned her neck over Deborah’s shoulder as she opened the charred billfold and peeled away the partially melted plastic over the snapshot compartment. There, she looked upon the smiling faces of thirteen year-old Janis, herself... and her long-lost Glenn.”

“We weren’t sure until we found this,” the tall man said, “but now we are.”

Deborah and Janis fell together in a desperate embrace, failing to control their sobs.

“He really is here, Mom! He really is here!” Janis cried. “Thank you,” she sniffed as she rushed to the two men and hugged them.

The two officials seemed embarrassed by their own tears, but could not stop them.

“It’s time to go, Thomas,” the man behind him said.

“Go where?” Flynn turned, bewildered.

“To the party,” the other man said.

“There are thousands of people there, and we can’t start until we’re all together.”

“Start what!?” Thomas exclaimed, unconcerned about discovery now.

“Imagination is a wonderful thing. It can live long after we die, let us create our own reality. But it’s time you saw the truth. It’s time for the celebration to begin.”

“What are you talking about?!” he demanded.

They motioned for him to follow. “Come and see,” they said.