A wife finds her husband's secret diary and is shocked to find he's led a double life.

Disillusionment

or

Woops, Sorry Honey.

©2003 by E. Kitson Southward

As fifteen-year-old Jessica Freemont and sixteen-year-old Tomas Blanchard were about to board the bus after school, a man stopped them and informed them, “Both your fathers had been injured in a traffic accident, please come with me to the hospital.”

Around three o’clock that afternoon, Jessica’s mother received a phone call from her next-door neighbor Margaret, and heard a trembling voice exclaim, “Alice, you have to come over here right now!” and the line went dead.

Margaret’s husband Andrew, was the lead insurance investigator and Alice’s husband Mark, was head of the accounting department for the Globe Insurance Company. They had all been close friends for more years than she cared to remember.

Alice ran across the yard to find her best friend waiting at the door, “What’s wrong, Margaret? You sounded so troubled!”

“Come in and sit down, I’ve got something to show you.”

Alice went into their spacious living room and sat on the edge of an overstuffed chair waiting for Margaret to continue. “I received an anonymous phone call a while ago telling me where to find a secret compartment in Andrew’s desk,” she handed Alice a ledger type book, “and I found this.”

“What is it?”

“I don’t know how involved your husband is, but I’ve learned that mine is not who I thought he was.”

“What do you mean – I don’t understand.”

“It’s all in that damn book; how some covert government agency recruited him to investigate some sort of smuggling something or other. I don’t understand everything I read. All I know is the SOB has lied to me for years.”

“What’d you mean when you said Mark could be involved?”

“In the book, Andrew refers to a silent partner and I suspect it’s Mark.”

Just then, the phone rang and as Margaret listened, her face turned ashen. She then pressed the speaker button and said, “Alice is here with me now, please repeat what you just said.”

Alice jumped to her feet and went to stand over the speakerphone. There was a sound of a tape being rewound, then the message, “Margaret Blanchard’s son Tomas and Alice Freemont’s daughter Jessica, will not be returning home from school today. Your children will be fine if you follow these instructions; pack a small suitcase with a change of clothes and be on the east corner of Park and 2^nd Street at eleven o’clock tonight. Margaret should have found the book I called about earlier. Don’t panic, don’t tell anyone else about anything you learned today. Do not let anyone except the two of you know of its existence. Margaret, pack the book securely in your suitcase, and both of you BE THERE ON TIME.”

They stood dumbfounded until a dial tone shattered the silence.

“What the hell’s going on?” demanded Alice.

“You just heard what I heard. I don’t know any more about this than you.”

“What about the book?”

“You take it, look it over, and bring it back so I can pack it away as instructed.”

With realization dawning and panic about to emerge, Alice declared, “Our children have been abducted in broad daylight by God knows who and you’re worried about packing this damn book. We’ve got to call the police.”

“And tell them what? Our kids have been snatched by some unknown covert source because our husbands are secret government agents. I’m more interested in getting Thomas back than I am answering a bunch of dumb police questions.”

“You mean you think we should…?”

“If we want to get our kids back, I don’t see where we have any other choice. Besides, the message said they would be fine if we followed their instructions. And I think that’s what we need to do.”

Alice sank back into the overstuffed chair and sighed, “I guess you’re right – but I need to call Mark at the office.”

“Don’t waste your time. Right after I found the book, I tried calling Andrew. Neither of them showed up for work this morning.”

Alice cocked her head, squinted at her friend, and said, “I’m beginning to suspect you know more than you’re telling me.”

“Go home, Alice, and read the book. Pack your bag and come back here. We don’t want to miss the rendezvous.”

Alice asked, “Are you enjoying this?”

“Go home and I’ll see you later.”

Alice and Margaret stood silently under a broken streetlamp on the east corner of Park and 2^nd Street. At precisely eleven o’clock, from out of the inky-darkness, a black four-door sedan eased to a stop and the back door swung open. They got in, the door closed automatically and they were instantly pressed into the soft seatbacks as the car accelerated. The window between the front and back seat was opaque and no one responded to any of their questions. The vehicle twisted and turned through the city streets and once on the freeway, seemed to lift off. Forty-five minutes later the car eased to a stop and the door again open automatically. They stepped out to find themselves standing on the tarmac of a heliport with a black helicopter. As the car pulled away, one of the chopper doors slid open.

Margaret said, “I guess that’s our invitation.”

As they climbed into an enclosed compartment, Alice said, “I swear you’re enjoying this.”

“Did you read the book?”

“Of course!”

“Didn’t you find it intriguing?”

The helicopter’s turbine whined during takeoff but soon became whisper quiet as it went into its stealth mode and Alice continued, “Margaret, I’ve known you for more than half my life and had no idea you were so….” Alice searched for the word.

“Adventuresome?” Margaret said.

“If that’s what you call it. I’d say more like suicidal.”

“Not at all. I’ve given a lot of thought to today’s events. Between the book and some bizarre conversations I happen to overhear, I’m beginning to get the picture.”

“What conversations, when, and by whom?”

“Several months ago I heard Mark ask Andrew to check into some special dealings between somebody or other. A couple days later I heard Andrew tell Mark that everything was on schedule.”

“Is that it – is that why you’re so…?”

“Suicidal!”

“Right,” Alice said as she burst out laughing. Then she asked, “Since you’ve got everything so well figured, where are we? Who’s flying this damn thing, and where the hell’re we going?”

“There you go with the questions again. I didn’t say I had everything figured out.”

“Well – are we being kidnapped by the good guys, or the bad guys?”

“Good guys, bad guys – what’s the difference if our husbands are behind it and we get the kids back safely.”

“And if it’s not Mark and Andrew who set this up?”

“I don’t want to think about that.”

“I knew it! You are suicidal.”

Two hours later, the copter landed on the helipad of an offshore oilfield platform. The compartment door slid open and they climbed out carrying their overnight suitcases. Once clear of the rotors, they watched as the turbine screamed and the blackbird lifted off. They looked around with a “what’s next’ expression when Margaret said, “Let’s find out if anyone’s home.”

They walked along a lighted bridge catwalk from the helipad to the main deck of the platform and into the control room. There was a note on the control console. Margaret read it aloud, “There is hot fresh water for showers, food in the galley, and clean sheets on two bunks. There is a satellite feed to the TV in the crew’s dayroom so you can stay abreast of world events. If you would like to go swimming, the seawater is crystal clear and relatively warm this time of year. There is a shark mesh screen surrounding the rig so stay within the protected area. Relax and enjoy your vacation, it will last until noon the day after tomorrow. Watch to the east for a motor launch.”

“Is that all it says? Who wrote it? Where are we? Are we alone on this – whatever it is?”

“Alice, you ask more damn questions than any three people I know. I read what it said and there was no signature. We appear to be on an old abandoned oil field drilling rig.”

“Sorry, Margaret, It’s just that I’m so damn worried.”

“I may not show it, but I’m just as worried as you.”

Just then a clock on the bulkhead chimed eight times and Alice said, “That can’t be right, it’s only four in the morning.”

“That’s nautical time, eight bells means it’s either 4 AM, 12 noon, 4 PM, or 12 midnight.”

“How the hell do you know which one it means?”

“You look at your watch; now lets go get something to eat, I’m starved.”

After a meal, a shower, and a few hours sleep, they emerged from the crew’s quarters to find a bright sunny day, calm deep-blue water, and no land in sight.

Margaret said, “Let’s do as the note said and enjoy our short vacation.”

“How can you be so damned nonchalant? We’re in the middle of a huge mess here and….”

“Just stop.” Margaret cut her short, “I know our situation as well as you. I just choose to handle it differently, that’s all. Now I’m going for a swim. Join me or not – that’s your choice.”

They spent the remainder of the morning swimming and after a gourmet lunch, explored the entire steel-structured edifice. That evening they went to the crewman’s lounge to relax in recliner chairs to watch the news.

Alice commented, “I had no idea anything like this existed. I wonder who built it and how long it’s been here and why it was abandoned?”

As Margaret switched on the large screen TV, she glared at Alice who said, “I was just wondering, that’s all.”

The TV displayed a picture of the Globe Insurance Company along with the headline, “Latest Globe Insurance Company scandal verified.” The announcer said, “It has finally been established that the Globe Insurance Company, suspected of being involved with illegal arms dealing and money laundering, based on an anonymous phone call, has been substantiated. At present, 47 people from the U.S. and abroad are in custody. There appears to be millions of dollars missing and unaccounted for.”

The screen changed to a shot of a car ablaze as the newscaster continued, “The two charred bodies of the previously unidentified men killed in this high-speed pursuit have now been positively identified. Dental records proved they were Andrew Blanchard, 48, and Mark Freemont, 46.” Their pictures appeared on the screen. “Both men were high ranking executives of the Globe Insurance Company.”

“The wives and children of these two men are presently missing and being sought by federal, state, and local authorities.” The screen displayed family pictures as the announcer droned on, “Anyone having information as to the whereabouts of these individual should contact….”

Alice shouted at Margaret who stood by the TV with her mouth open in disbelief, “Turn that damn thing off. What’s going on here? I don’t believe a word of it.”

Margaret switched off the TV and said, “Believe it,” as she collapsed on the recliner with Alice. They held each other as tears streaked their tortured faces and sobs racked their bodies in anguish.

They awoke before daybreak and went to the galley. After a meager breakfast that neither of them could eat, they went outside to watch the dawning of another beautiful day.

Alice asked, “Why couldn’t our lives be as calm and tranquil as it is here?”

“Because we don’t live here.”

“We will be, if no one shows up to get us.”

After another late morning swim, they had regained their appetites, fixed and consumed another gourmet meal, showered, and changed clothes in anticipation of the arrival of the promised launch.

Prior to noon they stood on the east side of the oilrig searching the distant horizon for any sight of the vessel.

“There it is!” Margaret exclaimed as she pointed toward a shiny speck. They watched as the speck grew larger until Alice said, “That’s no launch; it looks more like the Queen Mary.”

The vessel slowed to a stop several hundred yards away. They watched as a boat swung outboard from its davits and lowered into the sea. They hurried to the lower platform deck they had used for swimming as a 40-foot launch pulled along side. The deck of the launch, matched the height of the platform so it was an easy step across.

The tall sun-bronzed man at the helm inquired, “Have you got the ledger?”

When Margaret said, “Yes,” the twin engines roared and the boat nearly leapt out of the water as it shot forward.

“Wow!” Alice exclaimed as she grabbed the handrail to keep from falling.

Twenty minutes later, without having seen a soul except the helmsman who promptly disappeared, they went and stood on the stern of the 160-foot yacht and watched as the oil platform diminished in size, to the north.

Margaret looked at Alice and said, “We’re heading south.”

“South, by southwest, would be more precise,” a familiar voice came from behind.

The two women spun around to find Jessica and Tomas smiling up at them as they said in unison, “Hi, Mom.”

Thomas ran and hugged his mother.

Alice dropped to one knee and as Jessica through her arms around her mother’s neck, Alice asked, “What happen to you? Where have you been? Where are we? Have you heard about your father?”

“Don’t mind your mother, Jess, she’s always full of questions.”

Through tearful eyes of joy, Alice looked up to see Mark standing beside Margaret and Andrew, who were hugging and kissing.

Mark assisted Alice to her feet and embraced her saying, “I know you have millions of questions, but please don’t ask – just come with us to the lounge and I will explain everything.”

Seated in the luxurious lounge, the five of them listened as Andrew explained, “As you all know, I started as a simple investigator for the Globe Insurance Company 18 years ago. When promoted to supervisor, my boss asked me to start filing false reports and covering up for various high-level people. I didn’t like it, but since Thomas was only two, I couldn’t afford to loose my job. This went on for a couple of years before three men posing as government agents threatened me with their knowledge of what was going on. I either cooperated with them or…. I didn’t like the alternative. Now coerced into working undercover for them, I passed more information.”

Andrew looked at Alice and continued, “Eventually I was ordered to recruit Mark as a highly secret silent partner into the covert operation. That’s when we all moved into our present homes and became next-door neighbors.”

Alice interjected, “I thought it was because we were such good friends.”

“It was because of that friendship that Mark was the one recruited after the mysterious death of Ralph McCormick. As our reward, the agency provided the down payments that neither of us could afford at the time.”

“For years Mark kept me informed about the high financial transactions, illegal money laundering, and transfers to offshore accounts. As time went on, we both became deeply involved in the company’s illegal operations of trafficking in drugs, arms and munitions.”

Mark stood up and stated, “There came a time when we decided we had to put a stop to it and started making plans of our own. Without going into all the gory details, we arrange for a real government agency to move in on what was to be the company’s largest shipment. However, even as anonymous informants to our government, we would most likely end up dead or in prison. We couldn’t allow you to get caught up in the middle of such a scandal.”

Andrew continued, “That’s when we chose death over prison because if we were dead, no one would be looking for us. We hired a couple of stunt drivers to run the gauntlet in the high-speed chase and staged that spectacular blazing car crash for the press. No one actually died. I arrange for our dental records to be exchange with a couple of cadavers from an out of town morgue – and walla – we’re dead.”

Unimpressed, Alice asked, “What about the children’s kidnapping?”

“It was the only way to get them away safely,” her husband said.

“Why didn’t you tell me, you nearly scared me to death?”

“For everyone’s sake at the time, we couldn’t afford to.”

“How could you be sure we would go along and not just call the police?”

“Because I know Margaret,” Andrew said, “and her adventuresome spirit.”

Margaret held up the ledger, “And what about this?”

Mark answered, “It contains the operational history of the company along with the encrypted account numbers and transfer codes to the money.”

“What about the money?”

“We couldn’t see the company or the covert government getting it because they were up to their dirty butts in the illegal transactions. And if we were going to be dead, who was going to look after our families.”

Alice and Margaret chimed, “So where the hell’s the money?”

“Safely tucked away in multiple numbered accounts in Switzerland, the Bahamas, the Caymans, and a couple of other places. That’s why the ledger was so important.”

Alice could contain herself no longer and asked, “Will someone please tell me where the hell we are and where we’re going.”

Mark said, “Welcome aboard our luxury motor yacht, Freedom Seeker, presently on course toward our new island home in the Galapagos Islands.”

Unfettered by the destination, the always-practical Margaret asked, “Just how much money are we talking about?”

“At last reckoning, after a few major purchases and some minor transportation costs, about two and a half billion. Since we’ve been declared dead and no longer eligible for Social Security, we had to consider our old-age pension fund.”

“But you’re not dead!” Alice Exclaimed.

Mark laughed and said, “That’s just one of the nicer fringe benefits!”

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