The Angels of Destiny (11 page)

During the evening Richard invited McPherson to join him the next day on a boat trip to see Alcatraz and the Golden Gate Bridge.

"No tourists this trip, just family," he said sternly. "What about you sis, are you coming on the boat trip?"

"No thank you.
”
Vicki replied sharply,
“
I
’
m happy to sit and talk to the rest of the family. Presently the motion of a boat has no appeal to me."

McPherson awoke the following morning just after seven. His eyes were reluctant to open as he reached over to Vicki. Feeling only the bed sheets with his hand he remembered her comment the night before about going for a brisk, early morning walk, along the sea front. He wondered what time she awoke and whether she
’
d had trouble sleeping, thinking about the exciting news she was going to break to the family tonight. Looking out of the bedroom window he could see blue sky and quickly decided to run four or five miles before breakfast to clear his head of last night
’
s wine.

"Hi Rob, did you sleep well?" Susan asked, as he walked into the sunny kitchen in his running vest and shorts.

"Very well thanks, but then I always do," he responded smiling. "I think I
’
ll get some fresh sea air and run a few miles."

"I don
’
t blame you, it
’
s a great morning for running, there
’
s no mist on the bay today."

"What time did Vicki go out?"

"About forty-minutes ago. What do want for breakfast when you get back?"

"I really don
’
t mind."

"Steak eggs and mash with spinach?"

"Sounds good to me."

"Where are you going for a run?"

"Along Ocean Beach; make the most of it I say."

"Okay, breakfast at nine then."

“
Yeah. That
’
s great.
”

"Don
’
t forget, Richard
’
s taking you out on the boat later with the boys."

“
Can
’
t wait, I
’
m really looking forward to seeing Alcatraz. I just hope I
’
m not sick."

"Sick, no, not today, it
’
s really calm out there."

"That
’
s good, I don
’
t have good sea legs."

Susan laughed.
“
Richard, neither."

McPherson could feel the warm morning sun on his face and the salty ocean air in his nostrils felt wonderful as he jogged along the sandy beach towards the north-east corner of the city, known as
‘
Lands End.
’
His mind was on tonight
’
s big event. Sometimes, he found it hard to believe he was going to be a father. Vicki would make him the proudest man on Earth. To him, she was a very special woman and he felt so lucky that she loved him as much as he loved her. Amanda was out of his system now. She was in the past and his deep wounds had been healed by the tender love Vicki had for him.

Sweat ran down his temples, as the first mile was reached. He was feeling good and quickened his pace, now that his muscles had warmed up.

"Susan this salad is mouth-watering.
”

"Thank you, Vicki."

Vicki closed her eyes as she ate. "Mmmmm, I just adore crab meat."

"I know, so do I."

Vicki looked across the room at Rob, busy talking to the boys. Football no doubt, she thought. His face was glowing from the day out on the boat. She could tell the sea air was good for him, he looked so relaxed and at ease. Houston and Project M13 were far from his thoughts tonight.

After everyone had eaten a hearty meal Richard opened the double doors onto the terrace. Led by McPherson and the two excited children, everyone moved onto the terrace that looked eastward, towards the sea. The cool breeze coming off the Pacific Ocean caressed their faces. It was another beautiful sunset and the sky around the horizon was a deep orange, as the setting sun sank slowly, to be extinguished in the glistening sea.

Vicki looked at Rob and indicated that she was about to make the announcement. His heart beat quickened in anticipation. Standing up he moved to her side. She smiled at him and held his hand. As if expecting something, everyone became quiet.

Knowing the time was right Vicki spoke. "First, I want to thank you all for making Rob feel so welcome this weekend. It
’
s been really wonderful for the both of us." She paused and smiled at Rob. "I know that you all consider me as a career girl and up to now that
’
s been true. It
’
s funny though how circumstances can change your outlook on life. I feel, I
’
ve found someone in Rob, that I can spend the rest of my life with and that
’
s important because you see I
’
m having his child." Her mother
’
s reaction was one of sheer joy and she ran forward to hug her daughter.

Her Father walked up to McPherson and shook his hand.

"You take bloody good care of her, young man, she
’
s very precious to me."

"I sure will, sir," he replied, in a proud voice.

McPherson cleared his throat and called everyone to attention again. Vicki looked a little surprised.

"I would also like to thank you all for the hospitality you
’
ve shown me, especially to Richard, for the fantastic boat trip today. And, I
’
m glad to say I managed to keep my breakfast down." There was laughter and he paused awhile. "As you now know, Vicki is having my baby and that means so much to me. I
’
m not getting any younger, and at this time in my life I
’
m ready to have a family and the responsibility of children, something I thought would never happen to me. I can
’
t wait to be a proud father." Susan wiped a tear from her eye.

He turned to Vicki and took her hand. "Vicki will be a great Mum, I know that, but I want her to be a great wife as well. Vicki, will you marry me?"

"Yes
…
yes of course I
’
ll marry you Rob." Throwing her arms around him they kissed, like lovers do. Loud applause filled the room and the two children quickly fled to their room in embarrassment. There was a real meaning to her life now and she cried with joy, swiftly followed by her mother and sister.

"Let the celebrations begin,
”
shouted Vicki
’
s father.

Richard felt a sickness in the pit of his stomach, and fought to control his emotions. He must smile; congratulate them; look like he
’
s pleased for them, hug his sister and say how happy he was for her.

“
Yes, Wayne?" said Hunter, picking up the phone.

"Mr Williams, I have checked out all the loose ends now, here in the Bay, and the damage limitation is as planned. I did pick up a set of mug shots while at Hudson
’
s place and found out that they are some religious sect that had a link to Hudson. I saw him speaking to one of them outside a place down in Fisherman
’
s Wharf the night he was
‘
murdered.' I
’
ve put them in the file in case we need them, although I don
’
t see what they have to do with any of this. My search found no criminal records for any of them, and all have good jobs in and around the Bay area."

Wayne had not made the connection with Richard and Vicki Stark during his search.

“
Okay, Wayne, come back to Houston ASAP."

"Yes, sir.
”

Hunter put the phone down and sat back in his chair, deep in thought.

Linda Washington was sitting quietly on the sofa in her apartment and reflected on the day
’
s work. The team was now concentrating on M81 in Ursa Major and the data was coming into Houston twenty-four hours a day. McPherson was not, it
’
s fair to say, as good a Project Manager as Samuel, but he was methodical and he had the respect of the whole team. This morning was his first day back to work after four days and she was glad to see him again. She had missed him while he was at the NASA centre for a series of meetings. He knew that Linda liked him, it was obvious, but McPherson was not interested in her, his thoughts were for Vicki and their child growing inside her. It was beginning to show now and Vicki looked radiant. It excited him to know it was his child, his son. In reality they didn
’
t know the sex of the child and Vicki decided that she would rather not know until the birth.

Linda Washington realised how much he loved Vicki and resigned herself to the fact that she would never have Rob, but her imagination was vivid and her fantasies were the only sex she was having at the moment. She thought about him and moved her hand down to between her legs, sliding her hand inside her panties she began to gently rub her clitoris. In her imagination she was having wild sex with him and very quickly she brought herself to a climax.

Regaining her composure she walked into the bedroom and opening a bedside drawer she removed a long thick vibrator that buzzed as she turned the end switch on. Lying on the bed she opened her legs and eased it into her wet slit. Slowly she absorbed its full length; Rob was taking her on the white sands of a Pacific Island. She watched his muscular body gyrate as he pounded her in sexual ecstasy. The hot sun on her face, the soft sands on her back; her body arched up as she climaxed once again. She lay still on the bed; perspiration on her face and neck glistening from the light of the bedside lamp. The only sound was a muffled buzzing noise; she had not finished with Rob yet.

"Michel, it
’
s Joe here, in New York."

"Hi Joe, good to hear your voice again."

"How
’
s sunny Antwerp?"

"Not so fucking sunny at the moment.
”

"You see, in America the sun shines on the virtuous all day long."

"Must be pretty fucking cold where you live," laughed Michel. Laughter echoed from the earpiece making him smile. Joe was the mastermind behind the shipments to America. Born in Chicago he was a tough businessman who
’
d pulled himself out of the gutter at the age of fourteen. Now forty-two years old, he was rich, beyond his wildest dreams. Even the time he spent in prison for robbery was put to good use: if you wanted anything from drugs to parole, Joe was the man to see, but his thirst for money was addictive. Like the heroin he pushed as a youth. He gave much of his stuff away knowing that when they were hooked they
’
d be back for more and he
’
d be there to take the money; and they did come back and he did take their money. Soon he was rich enough to buy in his own gear and that
’
s when he really made it big. Five years ago he met Michel and it became obvious that between them there was a market demand that they could satisfy. Dealing in drugs is dangerous and the risks are enormous. Guns and Rocket launchers are fun.

"We
’
ve been paid my friend."

"Good," replied Michel.

"It took me under ten-minutes to put the thing together. Who packed it?"

"The boys, in Germany."

“
Fucking brilliant job, even I struggled to find it and I knew it was in there."

"They
’
re good all right. And my friend, it
’
s all done through the official channels. Right under their noses.
”

“
What about the custom seals?"

"No problem, the slime bag would sell his mother for forty-dollars.”

"How long will he be there."

"Long enough for us to make a fortune. I
’
m paying him more money than he earns in a year. He
’
s a greedy fat bastard who
’
ll do anything for money. Talking of money the buyers came yesterday, paid the asking price there and then in used dollars and drove it away."

"Okay, set up the show for next week, I
’
ll be over to taste the good life."

"I look forward to it Michel."

“
Joe
…
Just one thing."

“
Yeah?
”

"Are they existing customers?"

"No, new clients, sounded like west-coast to me. Didn
’
t say much, so I didn
’
t ask."

"Okay buddy, good work, see you soon."

“
Thanks
, my friend."

Kim Black was wearing a bright yellow, low cut, summer dress with tan leather sandals and she could feel the hot sun on her shoulders as she walked the few hundred yards from her car to Tom Hudson
’
s grave in Colma cemetery. She hadn
’
t visited a cemetery in six years, since her mother had died of cancer. Pretty bunches of flowers were everywhere, laid on the graves by their loved ones. Kim read some of the messages as she walked.
‘
I will never forget you.
’
‘
I will love you until I die.
’
‘
You
’
re always in our thoughts.
’
‘
May your soul rest in peace.
’

The earth around the black marble headstone, that carried the name of Tom Francis Hudson in gold letters, still looked fresh when she arrived.

For a long time she stood staring at his name, motionless in the heat of the day as perspiration beads gathered around her neck and on her forehead. She was thinking about London, about the day when she phoned Samuel and how Tom lay in her hotel bed as she told him it was over. How he comforted her when she cried. The love he showed her was unparalleled and his generosity sometimes overwhelmed her.

Kim stood over the marble stone, legs apart and felt the warm splashes on the inside of her legs as she urinated on his grave. "May you rot in hell you
evil
bastard."

Photographs of the project team were mounted on a wall of the Long Room with single drawing pins, their edges curling upwards slightly.

The elder father stood, straight backed, with hands held behind him, looking at each of the faces in turn and the names, type written on small labels, below them. His silent contemplation was broken by the sound of footsteps that echoed off the walls, as two members walked across the room. Stopping at the altar they both kneeled and made the sign of the cross before continuing to where the pictures hung.

The time has come, Domaradzki thought to himself. "Tomorrow gentlemen, you both leave for Houston," he said, continuing to look at the photographs as they approached. "And, remember this is a surveillance operation, do not be conspicuous. We need to know everything about these sinners," he snarled, pointing to the photographs. "The cars they drive; where they live; their daily schedules; where they work; everything about them must be detailed, if the plan is to succeed. Observe them well, report back soon and remember the words of our God to Hosea son of Beeri: For Israel hath forgotten his Maker, and buildeth temples; and Judah hath multiplied fenced cities: but I will send a fire upon his cities, and it shall devour the palaces thereof. Hosea, Chapter 8, verse 14."

Reaching into his pocket, he handed them each airline tickets for Houston. "We have no time to waste. Good luck and may God be with you." As he watched them depart he moved to the table where a Bible lay open. Sitting down he started to read:-

Then the Lord rained upon Sodom and Gomorrah brimstone and fire from the Lord out of Heaven. And he overthrew these cities, and all the plain, and all the inhabitants of the cities, and that which grew upon the ground.

Genesis: Chapter 19 verses 24-25

“
Richard, are you okay?" enquired Susan.

"Yes, of course I am. What do you mean?" he asked, his voice sounding agitated.

"It
’
s just that you seem on edge lately. As if there
’
s something on your mind."

"No, it
’
s nothing. I guess I
’
m just a little tired, too many boat trips, and your Dad worries me sometimes, with his chest pains."

Susan was naturally unaware of the sect that controlled her husband
’
s mind. She would not be able to comprehend that her husband was a member of the 'Children of Jesus' and that they murdered people. It was an organization of extremists, of killers. Their
‘
Church
’
was different of course; it had no congregation, no sound of singing, no Sunday school for the little children. It was there to purge society of corruption, to cleanse God
’
s Earth, like a modern day Inquisition. Lead by a psychopath, who had already killed innocent people. (His real name was Adam Domaradzki - a descendant of Polish origin.) Born in New York fifty-eight years ago, he was diagnosed as a paranoid schizophrenic at the age of thirteen. His mother, a proud woman with strong beliefs had great influence on him as a child and was his source of comfort. His drunken father sexually abused him, buying his silence with terrible beatings. He would escape from reality into an insular world where nobody entered, a world safe from pain and the stench of his father
’
s foul alcoholic breath on his face.

Changing his name to Adam Doors, he moved to California ten-years ago, after being castigated by the Church, for his outspoken views, totally unaware of the murders he had already committed. All had died by his hand, from multiple stab wounds to the face and neck, and in each case their eyes had been gouged out and their tongues cut out.

Richard had met Domaradzki during one of his boat trips to Alcatraz. Over the years Richard had become most intolerant of many of his clients. On the day of the trip he made a chance comment to Domaradzki about the conduct of a small group of loud mouthed drunks at the rear of the boat whose language was particularly bad, saying, "Where are their morals these days? Do you know, as a Christian I
’
m sometimes appalled with what I see and hear." That was the catalyst for Domaradzki who at the time was looking for recruits to fund his new Sect.

Within days Richard Stark had willingly joined. Now he was one of the twelve
‘
chosen
’
disciples, happy to eliminate the scum from this Earth, the mindless morons that bring disgrace to the human race and happy to carry out the murders in the name of God.

"It
’
s worrying I know," said Susan, "but, the doctor says the medication should allow him to live a fairly normal life. He just mustn
’
t get too excited."

"Oh that
’
s easy to say isn
’
t it. Just look at him since Vicki said she was pregnant."

"You don
’
t seem too happy with that do you?"

"With what?"

"With Vicki
—
and the baby."

“
What do you mean?"

"Richard you were just not with it last weekend. I don
’
t care what you say, but something
’
s wrong."

"I
’
m tired I told you. I
’
m delighted for her and Rob, why shouldn
’
t I be? She
’
s my sister for God
’
s sake,
”
he responded angrily.

"Okay, okay. Take it easy."