The End of Blame: Chapter 7

John was able, with little delay, to convince the captain of the cruise ship to release the video surveillance tapes for the day Jack went missing.  Unfortunately for Todd and John, the images of Jack showed little but his departure, willing, with a young woman who was not clearly viewed in the tapes.  John said, "Can you do any better than these?"


The captain said, "We can't.  It was dark, there was moonlight, but very little other light.  This is the best we can do."


John said, "I'll be taking these tapes for a police investigation."


"Fine," the captain said, adding, "Anything we can do to help, please come back any time.  However, I'll caution you that the Crystal Serenity  is leaving port very soon.  The layover here in Greece is coming to a close."


Both men realized that even their American status could not hold the ship in port.  After searching the state room of Jack and Sam, and watching the departure tapes a few more times in succession, they took their leave.  They were talking.  He wasn't under duress, he wasn't forced at gunpoint, or chloroformed.  She had put out her hand, and he had taken it.  And then they were gone.


In the car, Todd was quiet, and John said, "Well, seems your boy is a ladies' man."


"He's wrong for doing this to Blair."


"And to you.  He's gotta know what you would think."


"Well, he wrote us, but he'll surely be hearing what I think."


"Check the MyFace on your phone, maybe he wrote."


"I did.  He didn't.  I gave him the name of the hotel we're at, at least."


"That's a start.  And, you know he's not kidnapped."


"That's something, yeah."


John said, "What next?"


"I don't know.  I wish we could find out where he went, but those tapes show nothing about that."


"True."


"Let's go back to the hotel, if we can.  I want to see Blair.  I have to reassure her."


"I'll drop you off and head to my contact's.  He has to have found something by now.  I can give him the tapes also, see if he can clean them up."


As they came to the Athenian, Todd said, "Thanks McBain, for coming here, and helping out.  You didn't have to."


"It's part of the job.  Wouldn't want to let Blair down."


Todd closed the door behind him and felt slightly hesistant.  Walking into the lobby, he was surprised to see Blair, near the hotel gift shop, with Viki, Sister Rebecca Katherine, Sam and Little Ray.  He walked to them, and his eyes met his wife's.  "Jack's all right, he went willingly."


She nodded.  "I'm furious with him for this," she said.


"I still feel so terrible, both of you, I feel it's my fault."  Viki said.


"Viki, don't do this to yourself."  Blair admonished.


Sister Rebecca Katherine chimed in, "Yes, dear, the boy is old enough to break the rules all on his own.  That's one head-strong boy ya got there.  I wonder where he gets his temperament?"


Todd gave the nun a look, and then said, "It's only Jack's fault.  He's responsible."


"Yeah, Aunt Viki.  It's not your fault.  Jack is a big boy.  He shouldn't have gone with that girl."  Sam said.


Todd looked at Sam, and Blair's head whipped around the same way.  "Sam, what do you mean?"  He tried to seem slightly uninterested, so as not to frighten the child.


"Jack.  He shouldn't have gone off with that girl."  He repeated.


"How did you know he went off with a girl?"  Todd asked.


"I saw him."


Blair said, "Sam," kneeling at his level, "Can you tell Mommy more about the girl?"


"Is Jack going to get in trouble?"  The boy asked.


Todd stepped in, "No way, not for anything you tell us."


"He was hanging around her a lot, but not in front of people.  We played hide and seek.  She was pretty."


Todd looked at Blair.  Then, back at Sam, he said, "Why didn't you tell us?"


"You were upset.  You and Mommy.  And you told me not to worry about it, and it's the grown ups thing.  And you didn't want to see my camera.  And you had bad dreams."


Todd hugged the little boy.  "I'm sorry, Sam, for not listening to you.  Do you forgive me?"


"Yeah, Dad, I love you, you're my best friend."


"Did you talk to her?"


"Yep."


"Did she say anything you can rememeber?"


"Some college junk.  Not that much.  And she and Jack were talking a lot about some cave."


Blair said, "A cave?  What cave, Sam?"


"I dunno.  They talked quiet.  Jack kept trying to get rid of me, but I wanted to be with him.  He's my brother."


Todd couldn't help but smile at the child.  "Anything else you can tell us?  Do you know what she looked like, Sam?"


"I can't remember that good.  But, I took her picture."


Todd laughed, "You what?"


"I got her picture.  You wouldn't look at my camera.  You or Mommy.  I tried to show you, but you were busy.  Mom was always crying and stuff."


Blair stood up, with a slap of her own hands on her thighs.  "That's Mom, always crying and stuff," she repeated.  Sister Rebecca Katherine put a hand on Blair's shoulder.


"Now, now, at least we're hearing of this at this point,"  the nun said.


"Can we see the camera, Sam?"  Todd asked.


Sam smiled and said, "Sure, Dad.  It's upstairs, in my room!"


The family caught the elevator to the suites, and Sam rummaged through his suitcase and found the camera.  Turning it on, he said, "Sorry, Dad, that I didn't show you but..."


"I know, Sam.  It was my fault.  I kept telling you we were busy."  Sam's little hands fiddled with the camera, and finally, he presented a head on shot of Orinia.  Todd took the camera.  "That's perfect Sam.  You did a good job."


"There's more."


"I know John McBain will definitely be proud of your detective work."


"He already made me a deputy.  When you first came back, remember?  When you killed that guy to save me?"


Todd had all but forgotten that time of his life.  It seemed so far away from where he stood.  "I remember."


Sam turned to Sister Rebecca Katherine.  "Dad saved my life.  He asked me if he was a good man that day and I told him I thought he was."


Todd looked at the nun and shrugged.  She said, "Well, Sam, you were so right."


Todd said, "I have to give the camera to McBain.  Okay, Sam?"


"Okay.  Think he'll find Jack because of it?"


"Maybe.  You might be the reason Jack is found."


"Yay!"  He skipped around the room and jumped on the bed.


Todd said, "Hey, that's enough of that...unless of course, I do it, too!" and he jumped on the bed and sprung up and down on his knees next to Sam.


Blair rolled her eyes and said, "I have all of these boys to take care of."


Viki said, "I believe nothing more than you'd rather have him this way."


Blair knew she was right.  His nightmares had not stopped; his sleep was irregular and interrupted.  His eyes were dark, and his face was showing the wear.  She said, "Uh, okay, you two."


Todd and Sam were both still bouncing, and then Todd scooped him up,  Putting him onto his shoulder and then lifting him in the air, "You're coming in for a landing.  Watch out!" and tossed him onto the pillows.  Getting to the edge of the bed on his knees, Todd swung his legs off the end, and said, "What about you, Mommy?  Want to do some bed bouncing?"


She smacked his arm playfully and then said, "Sam, can you think of anything else that might help?"


"Not really.  She was hiding in the luggage thing whille me and Jack played Hide and Go Seek.  We found her in there.  As soon as we saw her, Jack started acting all weird."


Todd looked at Blair, "Here we go," he said.


"And then, when it was night, they met up on the deck, where no one was.  It was real dark.  Jack let me come along as long as I was quiet.  That was when he went away."  Sam's demeanor changed.  "He told me to be good and he would be back."


"You miss him, don't ya, little one?"  Sister Rebecca Katherine said.


The boy nodded.  "I don't know why they wanted to go to that old cave anyway."


Blair said, "That is the second time he's talked about that cave."


Todd said, "Do you know where the cave is?"


"No, but I think it was made up."


"Why, Sam?  What makes you think that?"


"I dunno.  It sounded stupid.  The pretty girl said the cave was blue, and I know that caves are brown.  That's why."


Sam was back on the bed, jumping, and Todd grabbed him around the waist, and put him on the floor.  "Get your swim trunks on, buddy,  Aunt Viki wants to go to the beach."


Viki said, folding her arms, "She does, does she?"


Todd shrugged and said, "You're looking a little too white, Sis."


She looked to Sam, "I guess I could use a little bit of sun.  Sister?"


"Oh me, too, I'd love to.  I'll get ready."


Todd said, "Sam, be good."  Turning to Blair, he said, "We can wait for McBain, and fill him in on all this."


"All right, Todd." Blair said.


"Now, about that bed bouncing..." He said.


She touched his face and said, "The only bed bouncing you're going to be doing is rest."  She brought her voice lower,  "You don't look well, Todd.  You need sleep."


"I can't."  He said, opening the adjoining door.


"You can.  I'll help you."


He wondered exactly what she meant, but had an idea, as she followed him into their room, and undid his belt.  "Lie back, and relax.  Close your eyes.  Trust me."


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