Stained River (8 page)

Connery covered his nose with a linen napkin to lessen the sickening odor then inspected the surgical job performed the night before. There was no sign of infection. The wound seemed to be draining well. He applied more anti-bacterial solution, thought about eating, but the rancorous odor left him no desire for food. Startled by a screeching noise at the opposite end of the fuselage, he froze- unsure of what created it.

  He crawled over debris to the body of a man about his size who wore pants that would fit better than
those he had on then picked up a blue baseball cap with LA on the front and put it on. Something to carry food and supplies would come in handy. There was a wide variety of backpacks and briefcases to choose from. Settling on a backpack, he found a sturdy one with a zippered top in one of the overhead bins. Inside was a digital camera with batteries. He decided to keep it. Why, he didn't know. What he needed was another cigarette lighter but found none.  Other items; watches, mirrors, belts, he placed in the backpack along with a pan for cooking and several bottles of water. He left enough room for first aid supplies and nonperishable food items then made his way back to the galley.

His
crude spear was inadequate. Something sturdier would serve him better than a sharpened stick. In the galley, he found a well-honed knife and some strong twine. The piece of bamboo was just the right length. He bound the knife solidly to it, positioning it in such a way that it was secure on its shaft.

At the front of the plane, the cockpit portion, nearly separated from the body, rested at a sharp angle to the fuselage. A door giving access to the flight deck could only be opened from the inside
. The only other option was through one of the broken Plexiglas windows, but that was thirty feet up. He would need a ladder. If he were able to get inside, and if the radio equipment was operable, someone might hear. There were too many “ifs.” After pondering the situation for a half hour, he reluctantly abandoned the idea.

He hoped to use the plane as shelter
, somehow co-exist with the bodies until the rescuers found him. Now he must contend with wild animals about to invade his territory. He decided to let them have it and retreat to the cargo hold. He found entrance on the floor toward the front of the plane, got down on his hands and knees and pulled the handle. The hatch door opened easily with the assistance of hydraulic lifts. He descended the ladder into the darkened hold, carrying food and drink. There wasn't enough headroom to stand since the bottom of the plane collapsed when it bellied into the ground. Shafts of light entered through punctures in the plane's skin, illuminating the hold. Evening would bring total blackness, but it was safer there than anywhere else.

He sat on the
floor, took stock of his situation and rested his head on a soft leather bag. Inexplicably, his mind drifted to Pam.
Why am I thinking about her? She and her lawyers gave me a ration of crap during the divorce
. One thought lingered;
what if I was the one who was wrong?
Was it possible his entire world had rested on a foundation destined to collapse? Life was more fragile now than it had ever been. Maybe that was the difference. In retrospect, he allowed both his ego and libido to control his decision-making abilities. A lethal combination. That night, he began to recognize that his appetite for excess, his selfishness, his greed; all of it somehow led to this place. It was a premise he didn’t immediately accept, but it was there, lying beneath the surface.

Five thousand miles away, Pam sat down for dinner with their two children Richard and Jenifer, and her mother, Katherine. The six o’clock news reported Flight 302 out of New York with 225 aboard, was missing after taking off from Peru, bound for Brasilia. For a brief instant, she thought of her former husband and didn’t know why. They met infrequently since the divorce. Most telephone conversations ended abruptly. It seems they could agree to nothing when it came to the children. Her lawyers argued successfully that his life style and business commitments should award her full custody. His time with them was limited to every other weekend, a source of friction.

At thirty-nine, she was beautiful, shapely, and managed to run at least thirty miles a week. Several
men were more than interested. She deftly put them off without offending any. She just wasn't yet ready for any relationships that might become entangling, at least not for the moment. One of the prizes in the settlement was the Boca Raton house. She asked her mother to move in and it became a good arrangement. Katherine was a top-notch grandmother and a great cook; always there when the children got home from school. This gave Pam a freedom she didn't have before. Things were going as well as could be expected after a vexing divorce and her life was getting back to normal. She had just complimented her mother for preparing another delicious looking meal, when the doorbell rang.

“I'll get it, Mom. Sarah said she'
d stop by sometime this evening. She's a bit early. I don’t know why she doesn’t call and let me know.”

Pam opened the door to see two middle-aged men dressed in suits. Surprised, she thought it might have something to do with unsettled legal issues between her and Terrence.

“Pamela Connery?”

“Yes.
Who are you?”

“May we step in for a moment?”

“What’s this about?”

“I'm from Global Air
. It's about your former husband. He was aboard the missing flight out of New York. I've come to offer any assistance Global can provide. Some, like you, may not have realized they had relatives aboard. The company wishes to offer its personal condolences and regrets. I might add, we haven't given up hope but must inform you the situation doesn't look promising.”

Pam was stunned and didn’t know what to say.
Terry was a son of a bitch who cheated on her all those years. Yet, despite the conflict and tension between them, she was saddened by the loss; at least for the man she once knew. She stood in silence, digesting the shocking news, not responding, staring through them as if they weren’t there.

“We understand your situation, Mrs. Connery. Here's my card. Call anytime if you need us
. We will certainly call you as we receive more information. We will continue to hope for positive news.”

“
I know you don’t want to talk right now, but there is one other thing...”

Pam
sensed they were getting to the real issue. She turned to the medium built, plain looking man with rimless glasses, an official looking government badge hanging around his neck.

“I'm agent Morris from Treasury
. Mrs. Connery. We've checked with your husband's secretary and found he was on his way to a meeting in Brasilia with an Estevo Castelo Branco who is a person of interest. Has your husband ever mentioned his name in any of your conversations? I realize you are now divorced, but any information you might have would be of help.”

“Has Terrence done something wrong?”

“Not that we know of. Do you know any reason at all, why he would be going to Brazil? Have you heard of Castelo Branco?”

“I'm sorry, I haven't. It's been some time since I've known anything about Terrence’s business life.”

“What about Dan Hewett, your husband’s partner? Has he ever mentioned that name to you?”

Pam
reacted defensively.

“I don’t know what this is about
, or who this Castelo Branco is. I never heard of him and this is a poor time for you to be quizzing me about my former husband’s business associates.”

“I understand. Here's my card. Call me if you think of anything at all; my condolences to you and your family.”

Pam thanked the man from Global, glared at the Treasury agent then closed the door. She returned to the table not knowing how to break the news to her children or what their reaction would be. Richard loved his father despite their limited time together, and Jenifer wished she could see him more often. At ten, she was the older by two years.

“Who was it, Pam?”
Asked Katherine.

“I have some bad news. Terrence was on board that plane on the news.”

There was silence for a moment, then both children dropped their eyes and sobbed. Katherine put her hand to her mouth.

“My God! Have they found it?”

“No, not yet, they don't know where it went down.”

She didn't mention the federal agent. The requiem for Terrence at the table was somber; the dinner went untouched. Deep down, Pam cared, though she tried not to show it. She remembered a younger, more sensitive man who swept her off her feet
, convincing her to marry him. She would never understand what drove him to the point of ruining what once was a good marriage. But it was over. Forever, it appeared.

She went to bed that night thinking of him and their early years
together. They were good, but the last three or four soured her. It was hard to erase the scar, and she played mental movies that kept her awake. Sleep didn't come until just before dawn, then the alarm went off. She hit the button, crawled back under the covers. By the time she arose, no one was home and the house was quiet. Mentally tired, her morning coffee was no help.
Thank God, mom got the kids off to school. She must be at the supermarket.

The tick-tock from the grandfather clock
echoed louder than she remembered. She stared into the cup. Despite the news about Terry, she had to begin her day. At the front doorstep, she picked up her copy of the
Times.

TERRENCE CONNERY ON MISSING PLANE

Terrence Connery, founder and CEO of Hawthorne Capital Management, was listed among the passengers of Global Air flight 302 from La Guardia that disappeared in the Amazon yesterday. While his death is unconfirmed, the news shocked the business world. Well known on Wall Street , his firm is considered among the most successful.

According to Dan Hewett, executive vice president of Hawthorne, there is little information regarding the purpose of his trip…Mr. Connery is well known in the Boca Raton area…

The story went on to tell of Connery's career and some of the well-known people who invested with him. Pam read the article and realized for the first time
, her world was upside down. There was good cause to worry. Until now, she had the house and a comfortable alimony. In addition, there was a monthly check for unspecified ‘consulting fees.’ It was an agreement between her and Connery, a
quid pro quo
for not pressing other claims. What would happen now? Certainly, they would be taken care of, but her future was uncertain.

Her first call was to Dan Hewett. She thought he was as close to Terry as anyone
. It came as a surprise when, after the divorce, he invited her to lunch a few times with obvious intentions. She didn’t want to hurt him and so accepted his invitations. If Connery was aware, nothing was mentioned. During the lunches, Hewett talked passionately about the future of the business. Too much, she thought. It was a subject she grew tired of years before. Dan was tops in his field and Connery used the prestige he lent Hawthorne. For this, he received a handsome sum. For her part, she didn’t encourage the relationship. It felt awkward and one day she said so. He didn’t take offense, but the lunch dates ceased.

She called his cell phone.

“Dan, this is Pam. Tell me what's going on?”

“I don't know. I'm as shocked as
anyone. You know Terry always played things close to the vest, and didn't let me in on a lot of things. That’s the way he was.”

“Did he say anything before he left that led you to believe
something was wrong?”

“Not a thing.”

“Did you know he was going to Brazil?”

“All I know is that he was going to a meeting with executives from a mining company. I think Cindy may know more than I do. I’ll talk with her later this morning. If I hear anything more, I'll let you know.”

“Did he say anything about a man named Castelo Branco? A guy from Treasury was here last night asking if I knew him.”

There was a pause. “The name doesn’t ring a bell.”

She wanted to ask more, but it sounded like he was pressed for time. She read the inflection in his voice and ended the conversation.

“Thanks Dan, stay in touch.”

Pam hung up, not wanting to accept that Terrence was finally out of her life. Someday, she would learn what drove him.

Dan Hewett decided several months before, to seize control of Hawthorne. To this end, he enlisted the aid of Stephen Walters. Hewett was instrumental in Walters’ promotion to CFO when the position came open unexpectedly.  Connery offered mild objection at the time, but went along; too busy with dalliances in Malaga to be overly concerned. With Walters as CFO, Hewett had the perfect conduit to company finances. Walters was a puppet, plied with enough money and perks so he would do anything required.

Hewett was a year ahead of Connery at the Air Force Academy. They became fast friends even when Hewett reached the status of upper classman. On at least two occasions, he saved Connery from demerits that could have led to the younger man’s suspension. It was something Connery never forgot. After graduation, the two maintained contact
. Hewett embarked on his career while Connery finished his senior year, then married Pam. For the next several years, they conversed only occasionally. That is, until Hawthorne Capital grew exponentially. Connery needed a senior manager he felt comfortable with and could trust. No one fit that category better than Dan Hewett, who had already established a solid position as Global Market Strategist, Genesis Investments. Genesis was old money, well established. Hawthorne was young, mobile, avant garde. It took six months, but Connery was able to lure Hewett with the promise of high bonuses and stock options. Moreover, he would work hand in glove with Connery on the future development of Hawthorne. It was an offer that piqued Hewett’s interest regarding the possibilities.