Ice Shadows Read online

  He grinned. “You know I hate fishing.”

  I guess he was right. “Okay. Then anything else we can do together is fine with me. You name it and I’ll be there.”

  He winced. “Just come back safe; that’s all I ask.”

  “Right. I’ll do my best.” I nodded toward the car. “We need to get going.”

  CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

  The moment I heard the helicopter, I was second-guessing my choice. Had I allowed better wisdom to be blinded by impulsiveness? Was I headed toward a potential situation where the only thing sacrificed would be my freedom and that of my crew? I hated being caught in ambiguity. But whatever was to come next was immediately above me waiting to land. I had to remind myself to be wary of the rotors. Once on the ground, and once the side door was open, I made my way inside. I glanced at the person seated in the back passenger’s seat. As expected, it was none other than the same female attorney that had been with me originally. Judging by her expression, it was more than obvious she was pissed. I had caused a lot of problems not only for her but for the corporation she represented. I don’t know why, but I found the whole thing amusing. I had led a merry chase. But now my pursuer had me in her grasp—or something hopefully less sinister.

  Once I put on my safety harness, the door closed, and the corporate helicopter took off. Once settled, I turned to the attorney and said, “So, it’s Julia, right?”

  She scowled at me and nodded. “Do you have any idea how much trouble you have caused?”

  I shrugged and lightly smiled.

  “The damage you have done to my client is incalculable.”

  “What can I say?”

  “You’ve already said far more than you should have.”

  I ignored her and glanced out the window. At that moment, the view was far more attractive. I could feel her dagger eyes boring a hole through my heart. There was little doubt that given the opportunity, she would have me tied to the back of some old farm truck and then drug me behind it until I was senseless or dead. After all, I’d made her look like a fool.

  As we continued, I kept my gaze out the window. There was little point in making small talk with someone who would love to see me dead—or, at a bare minimum, behind bars. I briefly dozed off. That was my first mistake. It wasn’t until I felt someone next to me—you know, trying their best to unlock my safety harness, that I realized there was a serious problem. The instant I woke up and realized who was there, adrenaline started pumping through my veins. In my failure to take note of those in the pilot and co-pilot’s seats, I hadn’t realized that none other than Lawther had been there waiting for this opportunity. Before I knew it—and soon discovered that the helicopter was hovering over the open ocean—the door slid open. The next instant, Lawther was trying to force me out the door. I struggled against him. Despite his being somewhat taller and beefier, I was able to hold my own. And as I did, he grew angrier and angrier.

  Maybe desperation is different than being on the offensive. When your life is on the line and being threatened, an extra gear gets engaged. In the midst of our struggle, I managed to get the upper hand. Instinctively, an old wrestling move from high school kicked in. I soon reversed our positions. Now, Lawther was the one on the cusp of disaster. I had him awkwardly pinned to the floor. I stared into his rage-filled eyes and said that “things were not going to work out well for one of us if things continued this way.” He tried to push me off, but I wouldn’t yield. He yelled at me and even tried to spit in my face. But a strength I didn’t know I possessed prevailed.

  But that is only of value if you are dealing with one adversary and not two. Before I knew it, Julia got into the mix. She started pounding on my head and shoulders. The idea of hitting a woman was out of the question. The only thing I could do was to turn and shove her backward. In response, she tumbled awkwardly. An instant later, she collapsed toward the back seat. That, in turn, gave Lawther just enough time to grab me by the collar and then yank me toward the open door. The thought crossed my mind that if I were going, he was going with me. In the next instant, that was essentially what happened. The two of us rolled out the door and into open space. The next thing I knew, I was staring at open-ocean close to a hundred feet below us. Lawther was wide-eyed and panicking. He was doing all he could to hold on to me.

  It was like one of those moments when your life flashes before your eyes, but it was as if time slowed down. Immediately beneath me, Lawther was squealing. His arms were wildly flailing. He was terrified. He had to know he was headed toward certain death. I don’t know where the insight came from, but I sensed that if I could use Lawther’s body to break my fall, I still had a chance. If I could keep above him and let his body take the brunt of it, I could hold my breath and then handle things from there. Keep in mind that this all happened in a matter of seconds.

  But the instant we would slam into the water, what I’d envisioned just might work. But hitting the water at that height and velocity was like being in a serious car accident. It jolts your senses. It batters your body. If done incorrectly, you’re knocked unconscious and soon drown. All of that could have happened if I hadn’t reached out and held on to the doorframe. It stopped my fall just enough to give me that extra second. The next thing I did was to grab hold of the landing strut. It yanked my shoulder and I almost lost it. I reached up with my other hand and held on for dear life.

  By this point, Lawther had hit the water. He had to be going well over ninety miles an hour. I saw the splash. Despite thinking that water might be forgiving when entered, think again. It’s nearly as hard and impenetrable as concrete. There is a displacement issue to consider. The highest fall any human could reasonably survive was around fifty feet. Anything above that and the odds rapidly decline. I assumed that Julia was also aware that Lawther had fallen. I wasn’t certain if she knew what had happened to me. I was dangling precariously over a situation that might prove fatal. My only hope was that the pilot decided to descend in search of Lawther.

  Fortunately, and in a certain way, I had trained for such an event. Considering that I’d spent years on research vessels of varying sizes and descriptions, I had to be prepared in case of fire. In other words, to leap off the deck of a reasonably large-sized ship would involve around a fifty-foot drop to the water. The only method that offered at least a chance of survival was being poised like a pencil the moment you hit the water’s surface. That meant that you pointed your toes, held your arms tight to your body with your hands in a fist, and tilted your head skyward. The only issue after that was having enough depth to enter. If you didn’t and you hit the bottom, you might break your legs as well as your back.

  All of that was running through my mind as I desperately hung on. Thankfully, it didn’t take but a few moments before the pilot did as hoped. The helicopter hovered forty to fifty feet above the water. I couldn’t see her, but I assumed that Julia was surveying the water for a now dead body. My strength had been tapped. I could feel my grip loosening. I imagined the correct posture and then let go. I took a deep breath and held it. Within seconds, I hit the water. I knew that once in it, it was then important to use my arms and legs like brakes. It took several agonizing seconds to finally stop my descent and to get my bearings. I did what I could to reach the surface. But from my years of experience and training, I went into anti-panic mode. I knew enough to know that unless I did, I would use up all of my breath before I reached the surface. Anxiously struggling was the last thing to do. It is far better to expend less energy and allow your natural buoyancy to carry you to the surface.

  Again, all of this occurred within seconds. But considering the way it felt, it could have easily been minutes or more. The instant I reached the surface, I gasped for air and then gazed above me. I have no idea if anyone in the helicopter saw me or not, but I immediately made it appear as if my body was limp. I floated like that for as long as it took to convince them I was dead. The helicopter lingered for a few minutes or so before it finally left the area.
/>   With that in mind, and trying to sort out where the beach was located, I started treading water. I watched the pattern of the waves. Once their direction was clear, I knew the least amount of action was essential. There was no point in attracting sharks. If this had happened elsewhere, but especially in much colder waters, hypothermia would soon begin to set in. But as it was, that wasn’t an immediate concern. I knew if I could keep floating that I would eventually find my way to shore.

  When initial survival is paramount you don’t think of anything other than what is required in the immediate situation. But once you’ve cleared that first hurdle, other backup thoughts enter your mind. I realized I still had Ayden’s cell phone in my back pocket. I reached for it just to make sure. With that thought in mind, my immediate concern was if it were waterproof—which was more or less typical these days. If I could get a signal, I could at least let him know what happened. I seriously doubted he could help me beyond that.

  I was about to call up his number when I heard the sound of an aircraft overhead. The sunlight nearly blinded me when I looked up. It took a few moments to see clearly again. But when I did, I wasn’t sure if what I was seeing was real or a confusing illusion. Within less than a minute, an aircraft resembling Helen’s was hovering immediately above me. It was a few feet above the water’s surface. I tried several times to reach up and grab the landing gear—which Helen or whoever it was had wisely lowered. It took every ounce of my strength, but I finally grabbed on. I was able to slowly climb up and then peer into the opened cockpit. Helen motioned for me to get in. She had a determined expression on her face as she held the aircraft in a reasonably level position.

  It took far longer than reasonable to get in the passenger’s seat and then buckle my safety harness. But once I did, I knew I was now safe. Once again, this red-haired savior had rescued me.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX

  When Helen and I were finally able to communicate, she was about as angry as one could imagine. When I asked her how she knew where to find me, she said she had monitored the communications between the helicopter and her older sister. She knew exactly what had happened. Even though it wasn’t explicitly expressed, Helen knew the real agenda was my permanent disappearance. I was that noxious thorn that had to be destroyed. The communication from the helicopter—and Julia, in particular—was somewhat cryptic. But despite that, Helen knew the real story behind the code words being used. When I told her Lawther had probably died, she nodded and said, “How appropriate.”

  Even though we were now out of harm’s way, I wondered what was next? Helen said she had an idea but wanted to wait a bit longer to disclose it. She was still monitoring the chatter going on between the helicopter and her sister. It took half an hour or so, but I started to recognize the landscape once we were over land. Helen then told me that she was going to do something her brother might not approve of. When I asked her what that was, she said she was going to land in the middle of his estate. “Hell,” she said, “If I can put it down next to the main house, so much the better.” I then asked if she had a plan? She nodded. “Let’s just say that it’s about time I appealed to a higher power.” I knew she didn’t mean God. No, instead, her brother was about to get involved in something he’d formerly been but a curious observer. Helen said that her sister and Lawther had been actively deceiving her brother for years. It was about time he knew the truth.

  When I asked why he wasn’t already aware of what was going on, she simply said that for the past few years her brother had been living in a world of his own and that the line between genius and insanity had been crossed. That didn’t mean that there weren’t those fleeting moments of lucidity where he could be reasoned with. Her only hope was that by doing something unexpected, it might draw him out of his private realm.

  We were soon above the estate house. On my last visit, I hadn’t taken into account how expansive it was. Judging by its architecture, it looked like Versailles or a palace fit for a French king. Formal gardens spread out in all directions. As we slowly descended, however, security teams were already heading in our direction. The instant I mentioned that, Helen brushed off my concern. If she had her way, no one was going to stop her. From this point forward, she was taking control of the situation. Given the opportunity, this was the day the top was to be blown off; the deceit was finally to be exposed for what it was.

  As expected, security surrounded the aircraft the moment we landed. Helen was undeterred. She boldly opened the cockpit and stood her ground. She wouldn’t back off for a moment. She told those present that they knew who she was and that she was there for a meeting with her brother. I was her guest and should be treated as such. She motioned for me to join her as she pushed past the guards.

  We made our way up the majestic front steps. I gazed up at what could only be described as extraordinary. How one man deserved to live in such opulence seemed obscene. Remarkably, Helen’s brother met us at the extravagantly impressive front doors. He was dressed in a black silk bathrobe. His hair and beard were unkempt. He had an odd look in his eyes that made me uncomfortable. Helen, however, immediately began telling him he needed to pay close attention to what she was about to say. I don’t know if it was our sudden appearance or the disorder we had created, but whatever it was, he snapped out of his delirium. It was as if the lights came on and remained that way long enough to realize the seriousness of the situation. When he knew what was going on with my crew and their immediate danger, he essentially leaped into action. Before we knew it, he had the pilot of the corporate spacecraft on the phone. He told him that no one was to stand in his way; a rescue was going to happen the instant the spacecraft was prepared for launch. Once that was done, he then got his sister Anne on the phone. He told her to organize a board meeting in fifteen minutes. When she pushed back and said that was impossible, he told her he now knew everything. He understood that his trust had been seriously violated and that the only one he could now trust was Helen (or Eileen, as he called her). When he encountered further resistance from the offending sister, he finally said, “You crossed the line. From this point forward, all of your bank accounts, access to corporate funds, stocks, and any sort of authority is rescinded.” He hung up and then called the company accountant. When the man pushed back, the founder told him he’d better do as told or “his role, as well as his cushy lifestyle, would soon come to an abrupt end.”

  In a matter of minutes, swift and forceful action had been taken. The board of directors was on a Zoom call. They anxiously waited to hear from someone most thought was lost to insanity. They were soon informed that their services were no longer necessary. A new board would soon be appointed. Helen would be at the helm. Once that series of actions were done, it was as if a curtain abruptly dropped. The man who had been so decisive and resolute retreated back into his private world. Helen later said she dreaded his condition. When he was aware and capable, that once dynamic character of his was in its glory. But to watch it recede and with such abruptness was nearly criminal. “It seemed so unfair. After all, think of the many wondrous inventions that same mind had created when fully present.”

  I was later asked if I wanted to join the pilot on the rescue mission to the moon? I told him I’d rather wait here; that is, if he didn’t mind. I’d already had my fair share of lunar madness. But I would be there the moment my crew disembarked on their return. I couldn’t wait to see their much-loved and respected faces.

  My only regret, if there was one, was not being present to see the look on Ted’s face the moment my crew departed and he remained behind.

  Meanwhile, Helen had been in contact with Ted. Considering his part in all of the chicanery, she was almost inclined to leave him in his module as punishment. But when he said he was willing to offer evidence against her sister, Lawther, and others, she relented. Those that had caused such needless mayhem were going to pay for what they had done.