Chapter 17
“Ihated to put him in that place,” Giselle said.
She had a sweet voice. One I could listen to for a long time.
“He wanted to stay independent as long as he could. I worried about him living alone like that. Then he fell and couldn’t get up.
Broke his hip. He was on the floor for two days before I found him.
I had been out of town. It was a miracle he survived.
I really thought he was a goner, but he bounced back from hip surgery like a champ.
” She paused. “You don’t think I’m a terrible person, do you? ”
“No. We’ve all got to make choices.”
“I just wasn’t able to care for him full-time. I’m a flight attendant, so I’m constantly traveling.”
“Makes sense. Listen, I think it’s in his best interest to stay here under our protection for a few days until we can sort this out and figure out who tried to kidnap him.”
“I agree.”
“I’ll need a list of medications, dietary restrictions, and anything else we should be aware of.”
“Sure.”
“Are you in Coconut Key right now?”
“Yes. I just got in, but I’m flying out again tomorrow. Let me take a minute to get myself together. I’ll make a list and pick up some of his belongings from the facility. If you give me an address, I can be at your place in an hour or so.”
“Fantastic,” I said, then gave her the details. “Let me ask you something. Has he ever talked to you about his work prior to the war?”
"Has he been going on about that?”
"A little. I'd like to know more.”
"You have to keep in mind, he can get a little confused. At this stage, he doesn't have the best memory in the world, and sometimes he can… embellish certain aspects of the past."
"He seems pretty sharp.”
"The man still has a brilliant mind. And he has moments of clarity.
But at times he can't remember what he had for breakfast." She paused.
"I know he plays it up in the facility. He doesn’t like those people and doesn't want to talk to them.
Plus, he's figured out how to play helpless to get people to do things for him.
So, don't let him take advantage of you.”
I laughed. "I won't.”
“Grandpa can be a little grumpy at times. I’m surprised he’s been agreeable with you guys.”
“Well, we do have our charm.”
“Apparently so.”
After a pause, I said, "About the time travel stuff. Is that all nonsense?”
She sighed. "I know at one point, he worked closely with the government on a number of top-secret projects. I suspect that was one of them. I don’t think it ever went anywhere. But I can tell you this, I've never seen anyone from the past or the future show up and say hello.”
"I'm sure a time traveler wouldn't announce themselves.”
"If you want my honest opinion, I think it was a dream he had in his youth, but never quite figured out how to make it happen.”
“What about the Vrilkristall?”
"What's that?”
"He never mentioned it to you?”
"No.”
Seemed odd that he wouldn’t have mentioned it. "So it's all nonsense?"
"Like I said, my grandfather can have an active imagination at times.”
"Good to know. But somebody wants something from him.”
"People always have. Perhaps they are projecting onto my grandfather their own hopes and dreams. I may be a little biased, but I think he was one of the greatest minds of his time. It’s hard to watch that get dulled with age.
It’s even harder for him, I’m sure. He still wants to be relevant.
Like I said, there are glimpses of his former brilliance in there.
Who knows? Maybe he could still change the world. ”
“Perhaps.”
“I wouldn’t count the old guy out. He’s a fighter, that’s for sure.”
“Has he ever talked about Klaus von Markov?”
“The name has come up here and there, if I recall. There are certainly some aspects about that time he has never discussed. I know it was difficult to lose his father and see his family torn apart. I couldn’t imagine having to flee and start over like that.
He was still just a child. Fortunately, he was able to escape that madness. ”
“Indeed.” I thanked her for everything and said, “I look forward to seeing you shortly.”
“Thank you for looking after him.”
“My pleasure.”
I ended the call and stepped back into the salon. Jack and Henrik were still watching TV.
"When is she coming over?" JD asked.
"About an hour."
"Good, because we’ve got band practice."
"We can't just leave him here.”
“We’ll take him with us.”
I shook my head. “No.”
Jack looked at me like I was crazy. "Why not?"
"I'll be fine right here,” Henrik said. “I don't need a babysitter."
"What if he falls?”
Henrik dismissed the notion. "I'm not going to fall.”
“His granddaughter will be here,” Jack said. “She can stay with him.”
"What if somebody else tries to kidnap him?”
"Well, you can stay here and look after him, if you want. But I think he’d have fun if we got him out. He’s been cooped up in that shithole for God knows how long. That’s enough to dampen anyone’s mojo.” Jack looked at Henrik. “Am I right?”
“Damn straight.”
Jack smiled. “See. All he needs is a little sunshine and good company, and he’ll feel 20 years younger.”
“Maybe even 30,” Henrik said.
We waited around for Giselle to arrive.
She showed up exactly an hour later. Buddy barked up a storm as she crossed the passerelle to the superyacht.
I held the little Jack Russell back as I pulled open the door for her. Buddy was ready to pounce. So was I. Giselle was gorgeous with wavy blonde hair, tawny eyes, and elegant features.
“You must be Giselle,” I said as Buddy drooled.
“You must be Tyson.”
We shook hands, and I invited her in. She spotted Henrik on the couch. “There he is. Are you behaving for the deputies?”
Henrik’s face twisted. “I don’t know what you’re talking about. I never misbehave.”
She knew better.
I introduced her to Jack, then she gave Henrik a hug. “I hear you had quite the adventure. I’m glad you’re alright.”
"It was nothing."
"This is very kind of the deputies to let you stay here. This sure is a lot nicer than my apartment,” she said, taking in the surroundings with awe.
"There's plenty of room if you want to stay and look after him," Jack said.
She lifted a curious brow. "Tempting.”
“Can I get you anything to drink?” I asked.
“You know, a bottle of water would be great.”
“Coming right up. Cold or room temperature?”
"Room temperature, please."
I darted into the galley and returned a moment later with a bottle of water and handed it to her.
"I brought his medication, and there are a few things I wanted to talk to you about.”
We stepped into the galley, and she set his meds on the counter.
“He’s got blood pressure meds that he takes once a day, a statin, and drops for his eyes. Sometimes he gets a little heartburn. I brought an H2 blocker and some calcium carbonate. Other than that, he’s really in pretty good shape.”
“He’s beating the averages, that’s for sure.”
“Do you have any idea who tried to kidnap him this afternoon?”
“I have some ideas, but quite frankly, this is all a little hard to process.” I caught her up to speed on everything.
“So, that’s why you asked me about von Markov.”
I nodded. “Klaus could have hired these people to kidnap your grandfather, or it could be someone else entirely. A foreign intel agency or some other hostile group.”
She tried to wrap her mind around it. “Look, I’ve heard so many stories over the years, I don’t know what to believe. I always chalked it up to pure fiction.”
“Well, somebody thinks the technology is real.”
She considered it for a moment.
“Are you sure you don’t know anything about the Vrilkristall?”
Her lips tightened, and she shook her head. She probably wouldn’t tell me if she did know anything.
“I think that’s what they are after, along with whatever information he’s got in his head,” I said. “I’ve seen people do crazy things for what they believe in.”
“I’m sure you have.” She paused, concern tensing her face. “I’ve got a flight out tomorrow. I don’t really feel comfortable leaving him right now. But I don’t think there’s enough time to get my flight covered.”
“He should be safe here. I’m pretty sure we weren’t followed. Unless someone has tapped your phone, nobody knows he’s here.”
“Thank you for doing this.”
“It’s what we do.”
“I hope this isn’t too much of an imposition.”
I dismissed it. “It’s no big deal.”
Jack stepped into the galley. “It’s time. We gotta jet.”
“You go ahead,” I said. “I’ll stay and look after him.”
“If you’ve got somewhere to be, I can stay here with him,” Giselle said. “That is, if you trust me with your boat. I mean, we might be in the Bahamas by the time you get back.”
We laughed.
She might have been serious.