"Leonard..," Jack began then paused to choose his words cautiously, "… he's not just here for the funeral. He… when he and I we're having a conversation outside the funeral home yesterday… he expressed the same observation you did. Only his was more accusatory. He believes…"
"Lawrence's death… was no accident." Dorothea finished.
"Yes. He thinks it was murder and he's determined to find out if it was and who was responsible."
Briefly Dorothea looked at Jack, surprised. "Leonard, Jack?" she said with sarcasm. Even the grave seriousness that had settled into her facial expression retreated. "You can't be serious, Jack. You're taking Leonard at his word?" Dorothea placed her fork on the plate, stood up plate in hand and walked to the sink placing the plate on the countertop." You know Leonard's head is full of conspiracy theories. The government this government that. He blames the entire world's woes on the government – our government. The very same one, Jack, you fought and risked your life and health to preserve so that we could live the life we live."
Jack listened to her tirade with saintly patience.
Dorothea brushed the remaining food from her plate into a Tupperware bowl, pressed down the lid, performing the task with a degree of agitation. "He forsakes the Bible. Believes it's some kind of a conspiracy to use it as mind control and manipulate the masses for God's sake, and I presume he feels the same about the Koran and any other holy text." Dorothea went to the refrigerator snatching open the door and placed the Tupperware inside it slamming the door shut. "Well, personally, I think he might have a point about the Koran, but that aside, he doubts the very existence of God and our Lord Jesus Christ." She returned to the sink and then turned to look at Jack, whose face was a mask of solemnity albeit one of exhaustion. "He has not a smidgen of respect whatsoever for authority of any kind and his contempt doesn't stop there. It unfortunately includes even us."
"He's our son," Jack said, calmly. "You talk about him… like… he's some stranger."
"Isn't he?" Dorothea snapped. Far as I'm concerned he is. He hasn't been in touch with us for what six, seven years, I lost count. No letters. No phone calls – nothing. For all we know he could've been…" She paused to hold back tears and to refrain from mentioning the unimaginable that has already happened to one son. "It's a wonder… he even showed up to the funeral."
"You know he and Lawrence did remain close in spite of their different world views." Jack sighed, dragging one of his large but thinning hands from the top of his receding hairline down over his face, as if to clear away the frustration and tiredness he felt. "I don't to want to argue with you, Dorothea," he said tiredly.
Dorothea had squeezed a dime-size amount of apple-scented Dove dish-washing liquid onto a sponge and turned on the faucet. She hung her head, turned off the water, laid the sponge in the sink. She went to Jack, bent to kiss him on the cheek. His face felt unhealthily lean and for lack of a day's shave as the nubs prickled her lips. "Forgive me," Dorothea begged earnestly. "God knows we've been through enough these last few days." Touching Jack's hand consolingly with hers she returned to the chair across from him and asked sincerely, "What did the coroner say?"
"He didn't say it was murder." Jack said.
Dorothea was not really interested in engaging her husband's conversation. The subject matter only led to more unpleasantness on an already unpleasant situation pertaining to her beloved Lawrence's untimely demise. On the other hand however the discussion served as a momentary relief from the relentless guilt she suffered.
"So your suspicious of him, Dorothea intoned. "Are you… saying he's possibly involved in a cover up that made Lawrence's death look like an accident?"
"I don't know," Jack said. "If he was I don't think it was intentional on his part. I sensed he's an honest, upright individual. If anything he was more than likely coerced. Again, if my suspicions are right."
"Coerced by whom?"
Jack hesitated to reply not so much to gather his thoughts this time, for he was well aware of what he had to say, but out of reluctance to say it.
"Jack?"
"Yesterday… when I went out for that walk… I met Bill… Bill Polar."
"Bill Polar," Dorothea repeated musing. "Bill Polar? From the agency?"
Jack nodded.
Dorothea's face whitened now, and when she spoke a hint of bitterness peppered her tone. "What did he have to say exactly?"
"He asked about Leonard," Jack said.
"He mention anything about Lawrence?" Dorothea asked.
"I mentioned him," Jack said. "He denied any knowledge regarding anything related to Lawrence."
"Of course he did," Dorothea chided. "Not that he probably wouldn't have told you the truth if his own mother's life depended on it. And what did he have to say about Leonard?"
"They've been tracking him since he arrived in the country."
"Not surprising. And?"
"And they have concerns that… that he might be plotting something."
"Like what?" Dorothea eyes squinted in suspicion.
"Revenge." Jack said cryptically.
"Revenge," Dorothea repeated, surprised. "Why on God's earth would he think that if there's no proof Lawrence's death was not an accident?" Dorothea's hand flew to her mouth, not to suppress any sound, but to symbolically protect herself from the invisible, vile hand of Jack's revelation from reaching in and wrenching from her what was left of an already shattered heart. "Now Leonard's a full-fledged fugitive," she cried. "No. Why would they want to kill my Lawrence and now go after my other son. Why, Jack?"
Jack could not bear to look at her now. "It's just all speculation, Dorothea…"
"That's all they need," Dorothea protested. "Jack, this can't be… Lord, forgive me my sins."
"This isn't your fault, Dorothea. It's mine. I started all this, and I'll have to find a way to end it."
"And how are you going to do that, Jack, in your condition?" Dorothea searched Jack's eyes for answers he more than likely did not have but would pretend to.
"They asked me to get involved, to get in touch with Leonard." he said.
"I… thought you said they were tracking him themselves."
"They were but Leonard must've known, found out about it and evaded them. Besides, they were just testing me."
"For what?"
"Loyalty," Jack said. "I wouldn't doubt we're under surveillance right now. Contacting him will alert them to where he is or at least give them a general idea where to start looking."
"Loyalty to whom, what?" Dorothea asked.
"My loyalty's with my family – with you. We're not safe here, Dorothea. If they can't get to Leonard through normal channels, they'll go unorthodox."
"Which means?"
"You." They'll make you… use your ability to force Leonard to surrender," Jack continued.
Dorothea shivered at the idea.
"They'll get desperate," Jack said. "When they do they'll stop at nothing to get to him."
"What's happened, Jack? Are we… paying for our past sins? That must be what it is. The Lord's…"
Jack stood up, gaunt-looking, but a dim beam of new energy and determination. "I don't know what's happening exactly, Dorothea, but it's not the Lord's doing. We're dealing with flesh and blood men, selfish men hungry for power and control, and their fear only makes them that much more determined."
"What are we going to do?" Dorothea asked, her innocence almost childlike.
Jack went to her, embraced her. "Do you trust me?" he asked.
"Why wouldn't I, Jack?" She pulled back to look him in the face. "You know I do."
Jack smiled. "First," he said, "it's best we leave for a while."
"Where are we going to go?"
"Some years ago I purchased a cabin in Vermont," Jack said.
"A cabin? In Vermont?" Dorothea repeated, surprised. "Why didn't you tell me about it?"
"Exactly for times like this," Jack said. "I thought it best to keep to myself until we needed it. I was hoping the day would never come. I purchased it under a fictitious name so it would hard to trace. It's not a perfect little place but it is cozy for our purposes. However…" Jack reached into one of his back pant pockets and pulled out a folded sheet of paper, handing it to Dorothea. "These are the directions to get to the cabin, courtesy of the Rand McNally website. Door-to-door."
"Why not just use the GPS?" Dorothea said.
"No. That can be tracked. In fact I'll give you a burner phone to use. A couple of them. Don't even your personal phone with you. And at the toll use cash instead of the E-Z pass. That too can be tracked. Just pack a light bag with your vitals. I don't want you to look as though you're going away. Leave around eight or nine in the morning so it appears you're going shopping."
"Aren't you coming?"
"Yes," Jack said. "But not with you. I'll meet you there."
"Why not?" Dorothea asked, sounding fearful.
"It's me they're following," Jack said. I have to lose them first."
"Jack… I'm afraid."
"I know," Jack said. "But if you do as I say we'll get through this."
"What… happens if you can't lose them?" Dorothea inquired.
"I will. Don't worry. I used to be one of them, remember?" Jack paused and then, "One more thing. Please sit."
Looking at him worried, Dorothea sat down, as did Jack.
"You're going to have to get in touch with Leonard," Jack said.
"Me? Why? I… don't understand.
"You have to let him know we're not here, but that we're alright and that I'm willing to help him anyway I can. The method I'm talking about, Dorothea, is not one they can trace."
They stared at one another for awhile, then it dawned on Dorothea exactly what he meant, and she was not pleased in the least by his suggestion.
"Jack… you can't ask me to go there. Not that way. I can't, Jack. Please."
"Dorothea, listen to me, honey," Jack pleaded warmly, "In spite of what you may believe, you have been given a gift. One that will save our lives and perhaps the life of our now only son. Maybe even our world. We're all born with gifts and though I may not believe in a god I don't believe in a devil either. So your gift is just that… a gift."
"It's a curse," Dorothea insisted. "It's probably the reason they killed Lawrence, now that I think about it and it's the reason Leonard and I have become so separated. No, Jack, don't ask that of me."
Jack paused a few seconds chewing thoughtfully on what he was about to say. "Dorothea… you, my dear, are the reason you and Leonard are estranged."
She looked at him bewildered.
"Forgive me for being blunt," Jack pleaded, "but I mean it with every bit of understanding, love and concern. The fearful, false beliefs you have in regard to this gift that was, by no fault of your own, passed on to your sons has created a rift between you and Leonard, and may in the long run be a detriment."
"What do you mean by that?" Dorothea asked, crossing her arms defensively.
"I don't know exactly," Jack admitted. "But I do know that any natural gift we ignore in ourselves… when it's denied expression it… it has a way of pronouncing itself in distorted form and instead of being productive it can become destructive. You understand what I'm trying to say, Dorothea?"
"No." Dorothea said, pointedly.
Jack took her hand in his and said consolingly, "You're afraid of it, Dear. And I think it has to do with your religious upbringing, I don't know. Leonard is not and has never feared his gift. He has no inhibitions where that's concerned and that frightens you. It's the reason you reject him and why your affections grew fonder for Lawrence. Lawrence was safer for you, emotionally and psychologically. He was more willing to forego his ability and go along with your wishes or so he pretended."
"Pretended?" Dorothea felt further offended..
"Lawrence… was secretly working with his own gift," Jack said. "I don't know to what extent, but I was aware of it. Of course knowing how strongly you felt against it so much as even mentioning the ability he pretended, for your benefit, to have ignored it. He saw the terrible division it caused between you and Leonard and… he didn't want you to be alienated from both your sons. So…"