Epilogue
“I’d like to have everyone’s attention please.
” Marta’s engagement ring and matching wedding band threw dots of rainbows over the crowded gymnasium as she held the microphone close to her mouth.
She was nervous and relieved all at the same time.
Usually, she was the one writing the speech for an admiral.
It wasn’t often that she was the one holding the microphone other than to make a one sentence announcement.
When the room finally quieted, she began, “I want to thank you all for coming here to celebrate my retirement, especially since it’s only a week before Christmas.”
She swallowed hard. “In the past twenty-five years I’ve gotten to know some of you very well. The rest of you, thanks for staying out of trouble.”
Deep chuckles were mixed with higher giggles.
“Many of you called me Miss Miracle because I tried hard to make sure the right thing was done.” She grinned as she held out her hand to Trevor.
“This time, the miracle happened to me.” Her new husband joined her on the raised platform.
“As many of you know, you haven’t exactly gotten rid of me, yet. ”
Beaming, she looked up at Trevor. “I’ll be around as Mrs. Marta Maddox. I’ll still be teaching a few classes at the University of Southern California and contracting with the United States government to teach security and intelligence at the Senior Executive Service level.”
Marta closed her eyes to help her control the onslaught of emotions. “I want to thank you all for coming today. Seeing you all here…thank you,” she squeezed through the tightness in her throat.
Trevor took the microphone from her. “Marta and I want to wish each of you a very Merry Christmas and happiness in the new year.”
They had barely made it offstage when Commander Mike Gallagher and his new wife, Kam, joined them, a beautiful blonde haired blue-eyed little girl holding both their hands.
“You must be Sigrid,” Marta said slowly as she kneeled to be eye to eye with the child. Although Kam had said the child’s English language skills were improving, Marta knew that enunciating each word helped her understand.
“Yes, ma’am. And this is my new Mom and Dad. They adopted me yesterday. They picked me to be their little girl. I get to live with them now. Forever.” The child seemed so excited and pleased.
“Precious, would you mind going over to the cake table and getting your mom and me some cake?” Commander Mike Gallagher asked his new daughter.
“Sure.” The pretty little girl dropped their hands and walked with determination to the dessert table.
“Let me see that ring,” Marta demanded. Grinning proudly, Kam held out her left hand to show off her shiny gold wedding ring. “It’s absolutely gorgeous.”
“We needed to hurry up and get married before Sigrid was placed into the foster care system. Thankfully, in my job, I know a lot of judges.” Kam took Mike’s hand.
“When my woman wants something, she goes after it.” The loving look he gave his new bride spoke volumes.
“What about her uncle back in Stockholm?” Trevor asked.
Kam’s smug smile prepared everyone. “When I notified my counterpart in Sweden, it seems he’d already been on their watch list. With Sigrid’s testimony, and that of his wife, the man was immediately arrested.
It seems he falsified several documents so he had control of the life insurance money left for Sigrid.
Her parents’ attorney is now working through the details but hopefully it will be placed in a Swiss bank account, then invested for her future. ”
“That’s absolutely wonderful!” Marta leaned over and hugged Kam. “Did you find her a good psychiatrist?”
“An excellent one. She’s also in group therapy with the victims’ unit at Homeland.” Kam looked at Mike and squeezed his hand. “It’s going to take years of love to get her through this but were up to the job.”
“We are. I think I fell in love with that little girl when Rippe told us her story.” He glanced to see where his new daughter was next in line.
“Sir, Marta, we wanted to congratulate you first on your marriage and Marta, on your retirement. Unfortunately, we can’t stay long.
We were able to catch a military hop but need to get back to the airport. ”
“Kam, before you leave, what’s the word on the other girls?” There were so many, and Marta was worried about them all.”
“Our policy is to give them a choice of being placed in the United States or returned to their home country where we’ll try our best to find relatives.
Mr. Rippe grabbed most of them off the streets and they don’t want to return to their home countries.
We have a long process in place to educate them and give them the counseling they need.
Our goal is to eventually find them loving homes. ”
“The work you’re doing is so wonderful.” Marta hugged Kam one more time. “Take care of yourselves and each other. We’ll try to see you when we make it back to the East Coast.”
“We’ll look forward to that,” Mike said as he took the cake from Sigrid’s hand.
“What ever happened to F.X. Finger?” Marta asked her husband. She’d been so involved in wedding plans, Christmas plans, teaching her placement her job, she’d forgotten about the fallen rear admiral.
“I didn’t want to tell you until we were finished with all the good things that are happening to us.
” Trevor grimaced. “After he was released from the hospital, he was put in solitary confinement at a federal prison. The guards walked in the next morning and discovered his dead body. The autopsy revealed he overdosed. He must have taken the pills before he left the hospital. He knew he wouldn’t have lasted long in prison.
It’s hard to blackmail from a cell. The alphabet agencies are fighting over his client list.”
“I’m sorry to hear that. I wanted that fucker to rot in prison.” Marta frowned.
Trevor rubbed his thumb across her forehead. “No scowling. Today is a happy day. Come on, let’s go get some of that cake and mingle with all the people who want to wish you well.
He’d lowered his lips so they were next to her ear. “Then I’m going to take you home and show you how much I love that you’re my wife.”
The End.