Chapter 71

It was quite a while later that Mr. Bell and Judge Thorson opened the bedroom door and announced that our guests had departed, leaving a small army behind to protect us. He was seriously disturbed, and I waited and waited for him to say what was on his mind, but he just paced, thought, thought and paced.

Millie and Colleen knew he was holding something back, and after the Thorsons left, Millie confronted him about it. "Jim, what is it? What's got you so wrought up? Spit it out! We're too far into this to keep secrets, so tell us already."

Mr. Bell hesitated, then sat on the bed beside Rebecca, took Millie's hand, and looked at us.

"The Attorney General got a call just before they left, which is why it took so long for them to depart. It seems the jet service you use has been compromised, and the G-5 you booked might, and I do mean might, have a bomb placed on board."

Rebecca gasped, Millie cried out, and Colleen balled her fists like she was getting ready to rip someone apart. Mr. Bell continued. "The DOJ is sending one of their G-5's to ferry you to Sweden. It will be locked up until you board, and until you do, no one will be allowed near it.

"Frankly Brian, I think the Justice Department is scared. They see how far these crazy mobsters are willing to go, and it's got them wondering if they really have to have a shooting war, to settle things down. Clyde, Sandra, Millie and me will be flown out tomorrow morning to the yacht. We'll be there when you three get back from Sweden.

"Please be careful. I love you all too much to lose you." He meant it. You could see the anguish all over him. Colleen looked at her mother, and Millie took Mr. Bell by the hand and led him to their bedroom. Sadness hung over us all like a pall.

"Do you think we're in danger if we go to Sweden," Rebecca asked, clearly worried?

Colleen was quick to reassure her. "We're fine. It's going to be Ok. We can't live the rest of our lives worrying that something might happen. Something is always happening, so we need to take reasonable precautions and enjoy our trip.

I could tell that wasn't going to suffice. "Hey," I said, softly. "If you are even a tiny bit frightened, you two can go ahead to the boat with the others. I'll make the trip to be with Jennifer and be back before you know it. Don't let this become too much for you."

Colleen jumped in. "Rebecca, it's going to be Ok. If you are worried, then go with Daddy and Mother this morning. I'll go with Brian and make sure he doesn't overexert himself. We'll go and come back fast, and then we'll be together on the ship."

Rebecca looked skeptical but unwilling to be parted from us. Being scared might have been part of it. She probably felt like she'd be more in control being with us, than if she were on the boat, worrying about us. "You're right. I'm just being a fraidy cat. We'll go together, make sure Jennifer is taken care of, and come back together."

Rebecca and Colleen joined me getting ready for bed. The shower felt sweet, and the weakness was all past. Feeling frisky, I suggested some extra-curricular activity to my ladies, but got shot down, presumably due to my earlier spell. They, however, thought nothing of taking great care of each other in my presence.

"Sure," I said with mock sadness. "You two get to play point and giggle, while Mr. Johnson gets left out, without so much as a 'by-your-leave' or promise of wonderful things to come. I supposed I've fulfilled my usefulness, and now you two are going to move on to bigger and better things.

"Woe is me. Wooooe is me. I'm so sad. My whole world is crashing down, and you two decide to pick this moment to throw me over for a little bit of girl-on-girl play.

"I guess I'll just have to go out in the hallways to see if anyone will take pity on this poor, pathetic, horny, man, and rock my world, instead of my two favorite ladies and best girls. When they ask I'll just say, "I USED to be happy, but now I'm not! And it's all because my two lovelies hate me.

"That's right. They hate me, and they are mean to me, and ... and they play with each other but not with me ... And the sky is falling and might hit me on the head; because you two don't love me enough include me in your fun and games. But I'm going to survive. I'm strong. Yep. I'm so strong. Very Strong. And I have lots of strong-ness to go with it.

'You need to understand how rare that it. Strong-ness isn't nearly as strong as strong-li-ness, but it's pretty impressive, all the same. And my strong-ness is plenty to get me over being cast aside like a worn out shoe by my two angels of mercy, who just happen to hate me...