London – Late August, 1976
Handing his passport to the agent, Trevor murmured respectfully, “Good morning.”
The agent responded grimly, “Good morning, sir,” then stamped his passport and handed it back to him, offering, “Welcome home, sir.”
“Thanks,” Trevor replied with apparent relief, at which point he headed for baggage claim. On claiming his baggage, he took a taxi straight to his London flat, deciding prudently to give it a night’s rest before approaching his father. Heading straight for Lord Sutherland’s office the following morning, he asked the receptionist politely on his arrival, “Is the Earl in?”
“Is he expecting you, sir?” the receptionist responded distantly.
“Well, yes and no. He is my father.”
“Oh! I’m so sorry, sir. I didn’t know. I shall inform him that you are here to see him.”
Shortly thereafter Trevor was ushered into a stately room that was paneled with dark wood from floor to ceiling. Lord Sutherland came forward and, shaking Trevor’s hand, he announced, “I say, this must be quite important. How long has it been since you’ve been to my London office, son?”
“Sir, I’ve actually never been in this office,” Trevor offered meekly.
“Then I take it you’re not here to pass the time of day. Am I correct?”
“Yes, sir, spot on.”
Since his father was obviously keen to hear from him, Trevor launched straightaway into it, announcing, “Sir, you may as well know, I made a movie on the yacht that night seven years ago.”
“A video! Why ever on earth for, Trevor!”
“All I can say is, it was for personal reasons. I had no intention of using the movie for my own gain, sir.”
“Yes. Yes, of course,” Lord Sutherland replied impatiently, “But why did you not turn the movie over to the authorities at the time of the incident, son?”
“Sir, I believe that you will recall that I was under suspicion at that time, Inspector Rush having implied that I might be indicted for a crime. I was simply protecting the family interest. Admittedly, that may have been a misguided notion, but that is the only excuse that I can give you.”
“Yes, I see,” Lord Sutherland responded. “Now, exactly why are you bringing this movie up to me at this particular juncture in time?”
“Sir, I am hoping that you might be able to help me to right a wrong on Miss Carey’s behalf, and now seems to be the appropriate time to undertake to rectify that wrong.”
“And what might that be?”
“As I am sure you are aware, Miss Carey was raped that night by Theofilio Andrakis in the presence of an audience. The entire horrendous event is made painfully clear in the movie. She even spells out Help and Rape using sign language during the crime itself.”
“I understand – conclusive evidence. You don’t need to amplify,” he responded grimly.
“Yes, I am sincerely sorry to have to bring it up, but I feel the need to convey the circumstances. I assume that you know that Theofilio Andrakis is the Minister of Finance for the Government of Greece, father.”
“Yes, I do indeed.”
“Well, it appears that Mr. Andrakis is about to be named the next Prime Minister of Greece. If that were to happen, I believe that his ubiquitous appearance in the world press on a repeated basis might be traumatic to Miss Carey. More importantly, he might well step up his efforts to locate her in order to ensure that his vicious attack on her is never revealed to the public.”
“Hmmm, yes, I see your point,” Lord Sutherland replied, stroking his chin introspectively. “So what do you have in mind?”
“I propose the following. I suggest that the film be used toward two ends. First, as you know, Mr. Andrakis is extremely wealthy. I propose that he be blackmailed by British Intelligence for the purpose of recovering a sizable amount of money from his holdings.”
“What! That is quite out of the question!”
Ignoring his father’s objection, Trevor continued with, “After that, I suggest that a copy of the movie be sent to Dimitris Andrakis.”
“Who in blazes might that be?” Lord Sutherland asked in obvious confusion.
“He is in fact Theofilio’s uncle.”
“Why send it to his uncle?”
“His uncle is the CEO of The National Bank of Greece.”
“Ah, I see,” Lord Sutherland replied. “You think that sending the movie to the controlling interests in Greece will force them to handle this mess internally.”
“Yes, sir, I do. There is incontrovertible evidence on the tape that Miss Carey was raped entirely against her will, and furthermore, that the perpetrator was Theofilio Andrakis. The film will therefore force the hands of those in power in Greece to ensure that the movie never reaches the light of day. And once Andrakis is out of the way, there will be no possibility of Miss Carey enduring further pain via the press. And finally, she will be able to come out of hiding and live a normal life.”
“But why don’t you undertake to square the debt by yourself, son?”
“For the simple reason that as soon as Andrakis is blackmailed, he shall immediately attempt to have me removed. The fact is that I am the only person who could possibly have made such a movie that night. I shall therefore become a target in the process. Accordingly, I am in need of someone skilled and professional to handle this for me.”
“And why did you not consult with the American authorities regarding this matter, son? It would seem that they have jurisdiction in this case.”
“I did in fact consult with them, and it seems that they are unprepared to resolve the matter, sir.”
“Alright, that makes sense. So why contact me, Trevor?”
“Two reasons, sir. First, I thought that you might have sufficient authority with British Intelligence to pull it off. Second, I hoped that you might hold a grudge on my behalf, not to mention Miss Carey’s.”
“Interesting, quite interesting, Trevor. I say, I believe I like it. Actually, I like it indeed. I like it so much so that I believe I just might see what I can do about it.”
“Thank you, sir. That is good to know,” Trevor responded.
“One thing, Trevor - you mentioned blackmail. To what end would that be served?”
“Andrakis certainly doesn’t deserve or need all that money, and it is the least that Miss Carey deserves for the massive humiliation that she has suffered. If the blackmail plan is successful, I would respectfully request that the money recovered be transferred as an anonymous gift to Miss Carey.”
“Oh, I say, good show! That is quite sporting of you. I doubt that there could be a better use for it, and the notion of recompense to Miss Carey is well intentioned, I might add.”
“Thank you, sir. I assume then that you will undertake to put the film to my suggested use. I am therefore turning the copy over to you.”
Trevor reached into his briefcase and handed the tape to his father who, gingerly placing it within his desk drawer, subsequently inquired, “Trevor, did you say copy?”
“Yes, sir, I did,” Trevor replied, “But here also is the original. Please, take it, sir. I don’t ever want to lay eyes on it again.”
“Quite so. Under the circumstances, you have been extremely sporting, son. I therefore believe that I am not in a position to question your motives. However, I do have one further question for you.”
“What is that, sir,” Trevor asked politely.
“Why are you placing your own life at risk for Miss Carey?”
“Sir, I owe it to her. I can never hope to make amends to her for what I did. But I can certainly try.”
“Well said, son, well said. I must say that I believe that there is some hope for you to rehabilitate yourself completely from this entire sad affair. I for one am most impressed with what you are proposing, and I am quite certain that Miss Carey shall be ever so thankful to you.”
“No, sir. She must never know. On that I must be clear. She has suffer
ed enough already. Were she to know, she would be forced to relive events that are better left buried. Please, father, I beg of you, do not disclose any of this to her!”
“Ah, yes, I see your point. I do have one question, though.”
“Yes, sir? What might that be?”
“Why not come clean with your father and admit that you are quite in love with Miss Carey?”
His eyes suddenly bulging in surprise, Trevor blurted, “But that is quite impossible, sir, as you must well know.”
“Oh? Please enlighten me.”
“I am engaged, to another, sir. And besides, Miss Carey is entirely unsuited to be the wife of a future earl.”
“And what makes you say that?” his father inquired.
“As I’m sure you are aware, she was for a time a professional exotic dancer, sir. And were we two to marry, it would most assuredly become public knowledge.”
“That may be, Trevor, but surely there are worse things in life.”
Peering at his father in confusion, Trevor queried, “Like what?”
“Like a loveless marriage!”
Shaking his head in even greater confusion, Trevor stammered, “But…well…sir…”
“Just promise me one thing, my son.”
“Yes, sir?”
“Promise me that you shall endeavor to think this entire mess through to its proper conclusion,” and seeing his son’s hesitation, he demanded, “Promise me!”
“Yes, sir, I promise,” Trevor nodded, and so saying, the two shook hands and Trevor departed.
Washington - Two Weeks Later
American Press International
September 5, 1976
Washington, DC – Sources report that Trevor Sutherland, son of the Earl of Winston as well as President and CEO of Lifelike Prosthetics, the largest manufacturer of prosthetics in the world, was shot on the steps of his world headquarters in Washington this morning. Mr. Sutherland was rushed to Mount Sinai Hospital, where his status is unknown at this time. Stay tuned as we report further developments regarding this apparent assassination attempt in our nation’s capital.
Mount Sinai Hospital - Three Hours Later
Sarah rushed breathlessly into the hospital room. “Is he going to be all right?” She blurted to the attendant nurse.
“Are you a relative?” the nursed queried in an ominous tone.
In a panic, Sarah lied, “Yes, I’m his sister.”
“He is resting comfortably. He has three broken ribs, but the doctor says that he will make a full recovery. We currently have him sedated to deal with the short-term pain. When he comes to, he’s going to be one sore fellow. A bulletproof vest knocks down the bullet, but the impact is not mitigated at all. He was shot with a high-powered rifle, so he’s lucky to be alive. If he hadn’t been wearing the vest, he would undoubtedly be dead.”
Sarah plopped down thankfully in the chair next to the bed, preparing herself for a long night. Since he was out cold, she curled up in the chair, attempting to get some sleep. Around five A.M. she opened her eyes and stretched. Glancing over to see how he was doing, she could see that he was wide awake, simply staring silently at her.
“Can you hear me, Trevor?”
He nodded his assent, but didn’t speak.
“You’re in the hospital. You’re going to be okay. How did you know that you needed to wear a bulletproof vest? No, don’t answer that. You can tell me when you are able to talk.”
He nodded again, and once again he did not speak.
“It’s in all the papers, Trevor. You survived. That’s what counts. Oh, and by the way, you now have a police guard twenty-four hours a day. Don’t ask me who is pulling the strings, but you seem to have friends in high places. Something is going on here, and I’m sure it’s going to be quite interesting when you tell me what it is. You ARE going to tell me, aren’t you?”
He nodded yet again, but then his eyes fluttered.
“I can see you’re tired. You need to get some rest. I’m going to go home, but I’ll be back this afternoon. We can talk then, okay?”
He nodded yet again, then closed his eyes.
Mount Sinai Hospital - The Following Morning
Trevor was by now feeling well enough to talk and, determined to corner him, Sarah asked pointedly, “So what’s going on, Trevor? Are you in on some caper with British Intel?”
“No, nothing like that,” he replied in a raspy whisper from his hospital bed.
“What is it then?” she queried.
“Tis a long story, Sarah. And since I’m in no shape to tell you a long story, I fear I shall be forced to give you the short version.”
“Okay, fire away, boss.”
“Well, you remember what happened just before I joined the Army, right?”
“Of course, who could forget? You were a complete jerk.”
“Right, you’ve hit on the correct events. It seems that the guy who raped Rebecca on the yacht tried to have me killed.”
“What! Why on Earth would he do that, Trevor?”
“Because I attempted to have the selfsame thing done to him. That’s why.”
“Good grief!” she exclaimed. “Please don’t tell me that you are fronting for some crime ring. I think that I would have to quit working for you.”
“No, tis nothing like that. Let’s just say, I had evidence that would put Theofilio Andrakis away for life, and I gave it to the authorities.”
“Oh, my God! This is straight out of some James Bond movie! Who in heaven’s name are you working with, the CIA?”
“It isn’t nearly so complicated, Sarah. I simply gave the evidence to the right person.”
“What evidence, Trevor. Come on, come clean.”
“A video.”
“You bastard! You couldn’t leave well enough alone, could you! You were a real piece of work back then, you know that?”
“Yes, to my eternal damnation. Anyway, I believe that my contact followed up, or I wouldn’t have been shot. Lucky for me, whoever did it didn’t go for a head shot. I feel like I was hit by a truck, but I should be okay in a few days.”
“I’m proud of you, even though you are a jerk, you know that?”
“Thank you, Sarah. Kinder words have never been spoken to me,” and at this he attempted to laugh but, lurching forward in agony, he added painfully, “Ow! Do NOT make me laugh! At least not for another week.”
“Got it, boss. Bryan and I will keep things shipshape at the office until you’re back at work. Fortunately, you have everything running smoothly at the moment, so it shouldn’t be a problem. While you’re recovering I’ll have all of your stock transferred to me by the board. Oops! I forgot – I’m not supposed to make you laugh!”
Trevor smiled but, resisting further reaction, he whispered, “Now, get out of here and let me get some rest, okay?”
“Right, boss,” and at this she turned to leave.
Two Hours Later
Sarah sat on a park bench on the mall, nibbling languorously at her lunch. She loved this time of year in Washington. The winters were dreary and depressing, but springtime in Washington was always a time of hope and renewal. She had a great boyfriend, and she was unbelievably happy with her job. Working with Trevor had been a considerable gamble when she had accepted, but he had offered her such a great salary four years ago. And now here she was, Vice-President of Corporate Relations for the largest company of its type in the world. She was certainly fortunate, and she owed it all to Trevor.
Observing the red-haired woman coming towards her, she abruptly jumped up and exclaimed, “Rebecca, My God! It’s so good to see you! I couldn’t believe it when you called. Is it really you?” And at this, the pair hugged so fiercely that they nearly toppled sideways.
Rebecca cooed smoothly, “Yes, it’s me, Sarah. It’s really me. You don’t have to hug me to death just to prove I’m still alive!”
The pair giggled convivially and, still embrac
ing, Sarah jumped up and down as if she were twelve years old. Intoxicated by Sarah’s reaction, Rebecca joined in, passersby now struck by the bizarre behavior of the two women jumping up and down together on the Washington Mall.
Eventually, the pair calming a bit, Sarah offered, “Please, sit down! Oh, God, tell me you have time to talk. Oh, please, please, please, Rebecca!”
“Yes, of course I have time to talk. Actually, I called you for a reason.”
“What, you mean you came all the way from London just to see me?”
“How did you know that I live in London, Sarah?”
“Trevor told me. How long have you been there?”
“Coming up on seven years. I’ve been in the witness protection program.”
“Ah, I see. You followed my advice. You went to see Inspector Rush.”
“Correct. And you were right, Sarah. He saved my life, I’m certain of it. But I do need to bury some old demons. I hope you don’t mind, but I am desperately in need of your help.”
“Uh, oh, I am afraid I know where this is going,” Sarah responded knowingly. “It’s Trevor, isn’t it?”
“Yes, I’m afraid so, Sarah. Please don’t be horrid with me. I know it’s unfair of me to disappear for all these years, and then to suddenly pop up out of nowhere and demand your help, but I promise, Sarah, if you help me, we shall become friends once again, and I shall not disappear for seven years, as I did before.”
“Deal!” Sarah replied perfunctorily. “What’s up, Rebecca?”
“Oh, God, it’s so GOOD to see you,” Rebecca replied.
“Got it, now please don’t keep me in suspense any longer, Rebecca.”
“Right, down to business. Tell me everything you know about Trevor Sutherland, Sarah.”
At this Sarah giggled and responded, “That will take about three weeks, but if you have the time, then so do I!”
“Okay, okay, I’m just as impatient as you, so let me start with the high points. Look, Lady Sutherland invited me to Wharton Manor last Christmas. Trevor showed up, and Bryan was with him. Were you aware of that event?”
“No, I’ve been out of the loop, I’m afraid”
“Okay,” Rebecca replied, “That answers question number one. So let’s move on to question number two. What the heck happened two days ago, Sarah?”
“Uhm, I’m not sure what you’re referring to, Rebecca.”
“I’m not a fool, Sarah. I’ve been checking up on Trevor. What happened? First, he gets shot right downtown, the press reporting that he’s been hit by a sniper’s bullet. But then it develops that, for some reason he’s been wearing a bulletproof vest. Surely you don’t expect me to believe that it was a coincidence.”
“I’ve been wondering the same thing!”
“So you have no idea what the heck is going on.”
“Not really, but I could hazard a guess.”
“Okay, I take it that you can’t answer because it would violate a confidence. Am I correct?”
“Uh, well, sort of. Look, I can tell you a little bit, but please don’t put me on the spot, okay?”
“Sure,” Rebecca nodded.
“Look, I thought something strange was going on when Trevor started wearing a bulletproof vest. And then within a few weeks he gets shot! My God, that was NOT a coincidence. So I cornered him this morning in the hospital. He admitted to me that he passed some information to British Intelligence.”
“So you saw him at the hospital this morning?” Rebecca replied, “How is he doing?”
“Oh, he’s doing fine under the circumstances. I was really worried, I don’t mind telling you. I thought I might have lost him,” Sarah volunteered.
Taking in Sarah’s reaction, Rebecca changed the subject, inquiring, “So what was it he gave to British Intelligence?”
“It was apparently something sufficient to make Andrakis attempt to kill him,” Sarah responded matter-of-factly, adding, “Obviously, it worked.”
“Boy, did it,” Rebecca replied. “So what was the evidence?”
“I’m afraid that I’m not going to be able to tell you that part, Rebecca.”
“Fair enough. Just tell me if it’s bad, Sarah.”
“Yes, I’m sorry to say, it’s bad, girl. It’s very bad.”
“Okay,” Rebecca responded. “Listen, I have a theory, and I need to know for certain if I am right. Can you help me?”
“Sure, what do you need from me?”
“Listen, he lied to me about when and why he disappeared that night on the yacht. He also never explained how it was that Andrakis knew that I was a virgin. Since Trevor was the only person in the whole world who knew that I was a virgin, I suspected that he knew from the start what Andrakis had planned for me that night.”
At this Sarah turned pale, blurting, “Well, that’s one thing I can already sort out for you. Trevor didn’t know that Andrakis wanted a virgin that night.”
“What! How in heaven’s name could you know anything at all about that, Sarah?”
“Because Bryan told me, that’s why. Trevor told Bryan that you were a virgin.”
“What! Oh, wow!” Rebecca replied, overwhelmed by this admission. Now catching up, she observed, “So Bryan knew that I was a virgin, and he’s the one that suggested me for the show to his friend. Soooo, Trevor didn’t know that Andrakis was looking for a virgin that night. That’s one more piece of the puzzle in place, Sarah. I’m going to need your help to find out one final thing - what he was doing on the yacht that night after he disappeared.”
“He was making a movie, Rebecca. He told me - he was making a movie. And that’s what he gave to British Intelligence. That’s why Andrakis put out a contract to have him shot.”
“Oh, my God! I get it now!” Rebecca responded. “He got British Intelligence to blackmail Andrakis. Assuming that Trevor was the one doing the blackmailing, Andrakis must’ve tried to have him killed. When that failed, he must’ve paid the blackmailers, and the payment somehow ended up going to my bank account. British Intel must have given the movie to someone in Greece that had the power to have Andrakis assassinated. Ah, it all fits together now.” she said, taking it all in for the first time.
“Blackmail?” Sarah interjected, “What are you babbling about, Rebecca?”
“Tell you later…,” and, staring morosely off into space for a few moments, Rebecca regained her composure and added, “Oh, Sarah, one other thing.” At this she motioned to a young man who was sitting on a park bench nearby. The young man smiled at Rebecca’s entreaty, gingerly coming forward.
“Sarah, I’d like you to meet my brother, James.” And she was signing to James as she said this. Turning to James, she said, “James, this is my very good friend, Sarah.”
James smiled and, speaking in broken words, he uttered, “It is very nice to meet you, Sarah.”
“Oh, my God,” Sarah exclaimed, and she launched herself into James arms, hugging him fiercely. Then, turning back to Rebecca, she exclaimed gleefully, “God, I’m so proud of you, girl. I assume James is living with you now?”
“But of course!” Rebecca responded matter-of-factly.
“He’s cute as a button, Rebecca. I can see the family resemblance.”
“Better watch what you say, Sarah. He reads lips tolerably well,” Rebecca replied. And while this was going on, James simply stood back and beamed proudly.
“Wow! Isn’t this great!” Sarah put in, “I’ve a new boyfriend, and you are back in my life!”
“A new boyfriend?” Rebecca inquired in surprise, “Do I know him?”
“Yes, but I think I’d better keep it a secret for the moment, okay?”
“Sure,” Rebecca replied and, changing the subject, she inquired, “So, other than being shot, how is Trevor doing these days?”
“Oh, he’s doing fine, at least as well as could be expected.”
“What is that supposed to mean?”
“You know
, all that pent up guilt, for all those years. I suppose he’s never quite gotten over that night, if you must know.”
“Tell me about it,” Rebecca responded, “I have the same problem.”
“So I take it there is no one special person in your life?”
“No,” Rebecca murmured wistfully.
“I see…” Sarah observed.
At this the pair eyed each other momentarily and Rebecca announced, “Listen, I’ve got to run. But trust me on this, you will see me again very soon. This time I’m not going away, Sarah. Oh, and good luck with your new boyfriend!”