CHAPTER THIRTEEN
Vanished
Copyright 2004, All Rights Reserved

Alexis stared out onto the line-up of airplanes in formation to land at LAX from her window seat at Encounters, an expensive & chic, UFO-kitch style bar/restaurant at the world famous landing field. She had made it a ritual to return to LAX on the anniversary of the last day she saw her husband. A Kamikaze Zombie was their last drink and so it would be her drink every time she went there, she vowed.

It was her fourth visit to the lounge. In the previous year, she broke down in the elevator up to the restaurant and was aided by the restaurant’s Manager (who tried to hit on her). The scene was an embarrassing one for her: Lucinda came to pick her up. Despite Lucinda’s regular warnings to stop, Alexis kept on—like a vigil—with her tormented practice. But this wasn’t the worst of it…

“As I sailed the Octavio through the South Pacific, I realized that smell, not a standardized quiz, is the true test of a sailor’s personality,” said the portly fellow that had taken seat next to her. The braggart continued, “This insight began to dawn as I drew near Morocco from the north. Octavio was ten miles offshore. On the horizon, the islands rose from the waves. There are so few smells at sea, my nose had become super-sensitized: Scents that I’d never perceived in my daily life began to have an effect on me. Landfall was like the scent of a woman and, like every woman, each one smells wonderfully different…” he grinned, like a foul and pestilent moocher.

Alexis threw up a little in her mouth. This was a scene she’d grown accustomed to. Every so often, she took Lucinda’s counsel and got out of her condominium: But the misery she’d discovered when Sean vanished held her joy and capacity for intimacy with another in reserve. This guy took the cake.

“Listen, I’m a little tired right now and want you to leave me alone. Can you do that? Just, not even say ‘Sorry’ or anything…just get up and move on?”

She’d become extraordinarily fierce. Somewhere inside, she convinced herself that she was engaged in an ongoing argument with Sean despite having had attended his funeral. She could not believe that he wasn’t on the planet: She refused to believe it. She was so angry with him on the day of the funeral. His body was never found and no trace of him was ever picked up again. She remembered the casket as it was lowered into the ground. There was nothing in it—just Sean’s favorite suit. After two years of investigation, everyone, including Sean’s family, had accepted the idea that he was dead. There was a minor news blitz with headlines such as “Senator Allen’s son— Nowhere to be found!” which lasted about three days. Alexis felt it was a lifetime.

As she left the bar/restaurant, all she could see in her mind was the image of her answering machine blinking “NO MSG”. She thought of the agony she endured during the first forty-eight hours after Sean’s departure: She would stare at that machine for hours—as if it would miraculously produce a message from her lost companion. She tried calling the airline, the Bureau of Tourism in England, the FBI, the British Police, Interpol…all to no avail. She tried every hotel listed along the coast of England, the Surveyor General’s office, Heathrow Security…nothing.

What sent her into shock three-days after Sean left was the discovery that there was no Gloucester Island. She retraced their steps and discerned the sources referring to Gloucester from their notes. What she found was that they’d made too much of a minor reference while hunting Hawke. After extensive investigation, Alexis found that the Gloucester was the name of a county lot in southern England but that the name of that lot had been altered nearly two hundred years ago. Gloucester was, literally, wiped off the face of the Earth! The issue that lingered in her mind was if Sean did arrive in England and to his final destination, he would have realized this right away. It stood to reason that he never made it there. Did he just evaporate? Why wouldn’t he have called?

A mistake that she regretted was not informing Sean’s parents right away after his disappearance. She didn’t really get along with his mother and communicated with her only when necessary. It was at Sean’s funeral that his mother’s true disdain for Alexis reared it’s ugly head. Alexis didn’t want to get involved with the funeral arrangements because deep inside she felt her husband was still alive. Sean’s mother saw it as a rebellious and dishonorable act and sneered at Alexis every chance she’d get. Even when Alexis compromised and tried to get involved at the last minute, Sean’s mother was a disheartened and blue woman who had diverted her scorn for her son’s murderers onto her son’s wife. Ex-wife? Still, it was two years since his funeral. She recalled how inane she felt watching a mass of family and friends crying as an Armani suit was buried.

The thought of it brought out a giggle from her as she and her date, Gary, arrived at Lucinda’s sister’s party. Veronica wasn’t much different from Lucinda: They were both happily married, loved Italian art and had a nasty backhand on the Tennis court (their father was a local amateur Tennis champ). The major difference was how they married: Veronica’s husband was an architect and considerably older than herself. Unlike Lucinda, she lived in a lavishly decorated and handsomely sized house—a point she and her sister joked about; but one that ate at Lucinda more than she was willing to show.

“Oh my God,” yelped Veronica as she opened the double doors to her house, “Hi! C’mon in. I didn’t think you were going to make it. How are you?”

“Good…I mean fine. This is Gary,” Alexis replied feigning a smile.

Gary was a mild-mannered Special Liaison working out of the Federal Building in Westwood. The two had met at Sean’s “funeral”. He was a friend of Senator Allen’s and an aficionado in counterfeiting. Sean’s father had enlisted his assistance when Sean disappeared. He was a good-natured and docile man that seemed genuinely concerned for Alexis’ mental state. Without coercion from Sean’s father, he had called her just a few days ago under the guise of needing some more “information”. The two got to talking (about Sean) and decided to go out for a drink.

Alexis was her usual tense self on the date. Every time she tried to loosen up, she’d become increasingly aware of her attempt to seem normal which would propel her deeper into her anxiety. Gary was quite unassuming. He wasn’t threatening, which made her at ease. The date ended with Alexis breaking-down and Gary comforting her. In a moment of surrender, Alexis grabbed his head and kissed him ardently.

“I wanted to do that,” she told him.

“I know,” replied Gary with a smile, “I just didn’t know when you were going to.”

So, for the first time in a long time, Alexis had found someone that made her feel calm. When Lucinda told her of Veronica’s party, Alexis immediately thought of taking Gary.

Veronica took their coats and marshaled them into kitchen where this most lively of parties was centered.

“You’re not going to believe who showed up.” Alexis intimated.

“Who?”

“Professor Bromberg. And, he brought a ‘friend’. C’mon, I’ll introduce you.”

“Bromberg is almost seventy!” Alexis chortled.

“Well apparently, he can still get it up. What do you think about that?” she asked Gary who didn’t know what to say.

It was obvious that Alexis was surrounded by those that cared for her. Gary was happy to see her socializing and saying “hello” to all they passed. Her smile had altered from the sales form to the content form. Veronica led the way into the den. Professor Bromberg, a stout and gray haired man who seemed remarkably joyous, was seated by the fireplace with his girlfriend Amanda who looked like she was in her thirties. Amanda was dressed in a sleek black evening gown and Professor Bromberg in a distinguished lightly gray suit and a shining white silk tie. The couple was stunningly overdressed for the occasion—a tactical maneuver Alexis immediately recognized as coordinated. Bromberg, almost instinctually, noticed Alexis, as she was lead into the den and called out to her.

“Alexis Walls, a sight for sore eyes, how are you my sweet?” exclaimed the Professor Emeritus as he held out his arms for a full-size hug.

“Hello Professor. How do you do?” said Alexis who seemed like she just turned sixteen at the sight of him.

“Couldn’t be better. This is my companion Amanda Sterling,” Bromberg introduced.

“Hi. I’m one of his old research grads. Alexis Walls,” said a beaming Alexis.

“Amanda. Nice to meet you,” faked the long blonde. Alexis was nearly shocked by how low a vocal tone Amanda had.

“We were just discussing Sir Francis Bacon penning Shakespeare’s tome. You agree with me don’t you Alex, that Bacon probably wrote most of Shakespeare’s plays?”

“Your book lays it all out Professor. Yes, I agree with your analysis. Didn’t want to; but you make a compelling case.” Alexis responded.

“That’s my girl. And who’s this young man?” asked Bromberg.

“Oh, I’m sorry. This is Gary. Gary, everyone.”

“Hi everyone,” said Gary, good-naturedly, as the close quartered group chuckled.

The last time Professor Bromberg had seen Alexis was when she left her job at the Wasson Institute. He had tried, in vein, to convince her that she’d be giving up too much. But Alexis couldn’t stand the sight of that library. Every corner, every shelf reminded her of her husband.

“So I understand you’ve retired,” inquired Bromberg.

“Not so much retired as entered a long-term hiatus. I’ve been working on a book about the Library of Congress. I figure this’ll be the closest I’ll ever get to its inner workings,” replied Alexis with a bittersweet tone.

The Library of Congress is the country’s oldest federal intellectual foundation and acts as the research arm of Congress. It is also the biggest library on the globe, with just about 128 million items on more or less 530 miles of bookshelves. The collected works consist of more than 29 million books and other written materials, 2.7 million recordings, 12 million photographs, 4.8 million cartograms, and 57 million documents.

“I always thought you’d be the next to take up its reign, Alexis,” said the professor. The Librarian of Congress is appointed by the president of the United States and confirmed by a vote of the Senate. Since the Library’s founding in 1800, there have been 13 Librarians of Congress. Alexis had come to terms with the idea that she may never receive the appointment. Writing a book about it was next best thing. Besides, it helped her get her mind off Sean.

“I see my influence has carried on in you. It sounds like a monumental undertaking—an aspiration for the Templar,” continued the professor. Alexis squinted and was about to interject when Lucinda burst in.

“Everyone! Come quick. They’re having a diving contest,” exclaimed a keyed up Lucinda. A mass exodus through the faux French doors that lead out onto the backyard revealed several young men & women in an air-jet whirlpool. The center of the yard featured a four-post gazebo with a skylight roof made from red cedar. Veronica’s husband had hand-cut and routered its edges. A half-acre pool with a sandy bottom and a mid-range diving board was where most of the attention of the crowd was focused for four guys and a woman had decided to hold a diving competition.

Gary stood at Alexis’s side and put his arm around her waist. It was a move he had planned all evening and was terrified as to what her reaction would be. As it turned out, his gamble paid off. She smiled at him and pulled him in closer. What no one at the party could know however was that Alexis was fixated on something Professor Bromberg had said just a few moments ago, but she told herself to deal with that little ring-a-ling lingering in the back of her mind later. Right now, it was her turn to feel normal again. For the first time in a long time, she wasn’t thinking of Sean.

Veronica stepped up to the couple. “See that one? He was the U.S. high diving team champion for six years straight. He used to cliff dive off the coast of Acapulco for money. Dangerous & sexy: Just the way I like ‘em.”

“Vero, you’re a married woman,” said Alexis.

“Oh hush. I love my man. But when you’ve seen Arnoldo in Speedos…girl, there’s just no turning back!” responded Veronica as she swigged back the double Tequila she’d just poured herself. Veronica had turned into quite the hound dog ever since her husband started his latest stint trotting all over the country on his business trips. “I’m gonna steal her away from you for just a tinsy-tiny bit. I’ll bring her right back,” said Veronica to Gary as she pulled Alexis away.

“Thanks for taking care of Alexis,” said a tall and distinguished looking gentleman as he stepped up behind Gary. “Hi. I’m Veronica’s husband.”

“Oh. Hi. Gary. Great party, by the way. Thanks for inviting us.”

“Actually, Veronica did the invitations. She’s the socialite. Truth be known, I don’t know half the people here. My name is David.”

“Nice to meet you. Yeah, you know, Veronica mentioned in passing that you worked on that gazebo by yourself. Is that right?” asked Gary.

“No. I put it together. It came in pre-assembled panels. It’s actually pretty awesome. I’m an architect,” replied David, “You interested in that kind of stuff?”

“Not particularly but I can appreciate it,” said Gary.

“It cost about $5,700. Kinda spendy but worth it. It’s got non-rusting ceramics. The entire thing is made out of Western Red Cedar: Can’t really use treated southern pine or treated lumber of any kind on exposed surfaces for health reasons. Very few people realize this. Red Cedar is more costly but definitely worth it in the long run,” continued David.

“Good tip.”

“Yeah. There’s something about building and designing. It gives a man some worth,” professed the genuine man. David’s tone changed slightly. “Listen, I just wanted to thank you for looking after Alexis. You know about her history right?”

“Yeah. I worked with Senator Allen for a long time.”

“She’s looking much better,” said Gary with a concerned pitch. “She’s a good catch. I just hope you’re not…”

“Look David,” interrupted Gary. He drew a deep breath and, slowly, methodically, & with a hushed voice, proclaimed, “I know where you’re going with this and I want you to know that I have nothing but respect for Alexis. I’m going to treat her right. If she lets me.”

“That’s what I wanted to hear. C’mon, I’ll introduce you to some friends.” A smile on Gary’s face indicated that he finally felt at ease in Alexis’s social world. He had just made a friend and possibly met his future wife.
________________________________________

Later that night, Gary walked Alexis to her front door. There was no doubt in either party member’s mind that a good time was had.

“Thank you Gary. I had a wonderful time,” grinned out Alexis. “I’m really tired. Normally, I’d invite you in but I’m just exhausted. Can I get a rain check?”

Gary felt the evening go cold all of a sudden. Should he press forward? “Sure. That’s no problem. Are you free next weekend?

“I really have to take a look at my schedule but if I’m free, maybe we can do something?” answered Alexis. Gary was perplexed. Everything was going so well. She pecked him and immediately got into her condo. Gary, frustrated and let down, slowly turned and walked out to his car. Why was she suddenly so cold?

Inside, Alexis was leaning against her door. She was terrified. She liked this man but something inside her was pulling her away. She threw her bag and coat onto her couch and rushed to her work desk. As she started to rifle through her papers, an overwhelming and unidentifiable emotion swept through her. She began to sob and whimper quietly, as if she was trying to hide this pain she was feeling from someone. Her frustration rose as she realized that she didn’t even know what it was she was crying about. She continued to go through her papers even more frantically now. This frenzy lead up to a shriek that seemed to quaver her very soul. She fell onto her work-chair and continued weeping.

About an hour later, she awoke from the sleep she’d rendered onto herself. Her condo was dark and quiet. She felt alone. Slowly, she made her way into the kitchen and concocted some hot cocoa for herself. Her condominium was plastered with newspaper clippings all featuring some element of Sean’s disappearance. Charts and maps of Europe, England and the Chicago area (where Sean had had a scheduled hour-long lay over) were scattered and taped onto walls and makeshift bulletin boards. A slew of overturned pictures surrounded her work desk.

She changed into her pajamas and went back to her work desk sipping her beverage. Alexis continued to intently review her notes, every so often shuffling around for other papers. Suddenly, a look of excitement came over her: She’d found what she was looking for. A sentence in one of her notes read

…Poppy has told me the tale of the Templar & as fascinating as it may be…

It was something she’d copied onto legal paper from the original documents Sean had received. Using a highlighter, she circled “tale of the Templar”.

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

Chapters
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21 & 22, 23, 24, 25, Epilogue