Chapter 4
Earlier that day
"Mr Walker," a slightly accent voice called up to him.
"Yeah?" Danny asked, straightening up from the cockpit of the plane he was working on. Performing maitenance on planes wasn't the same as flying them, but it was something. Seeing the well dressed Chinese man below, Danny grabbed a rag and descended the ladder, trying to wipe off as much of the grease and oil as he could from his hands. "Can I help you?"
The man simply nodded. "I am looking for this woman," he held out a picture. "This was taken several years ago. She now has a child. A girl who would be three and a half."
Danny accepted the photo, already afraid of what he would see. His fears proved true. Smiling at him from the old picture was Kate in her wedding dress standing next to Micheal. She looked beautiful and innocent; unprepared for the life she would soon be forced to lead. He tried to keep his face blank. "What do you want with her?" Danny tried to ask casually, as if he was only mildly curious.
"Her father, Richard Williams of the Corinthian Foundation, is looking for her. She was living at the Embassy in Shanghai, but she didn't make it home when it was shut down. Her father has hired me to find her and bring her and her child back to the United States."
"Why didn't her husband hire you?" Danny asked, though he cursed himself for doing so. He needed to some time to think. Kate's father was looking for her. If this man was asking him where she was then it was good bet that he already knew. No one could hide in a camp such as this.
"Her husband is dead," was the man's reply. "Do you know her?"
Danny looked around, trying to think quickly. If Micheal was really dead, then there was nothing for him to worry about. She and Grace could go back to the States and they would be safe. The bastard wouldn't be alive to touch them. Danny could take care of himself, but they deserved better than the life he could provide for them here.
"Why are you asking me?" Danny stalled.
The man looked at him, his eyes taking everything in, letting Danny know that he wasn't to be fooled. "I have been told that she is your wife. Or should I say, she is posing as your wife."
Danny went on the offensive. "You expect me to believe that it took you two years to find her?"
"Her father contacted me 6 months ago," came the calm reply. "It is very difficult to coordinate things during the war."
"Six months ago?" Danny asked incredulously. "She's been in the camp for 2 years! He only contacted you six months ago?
Once again the lawyer calmly replied. "I believe it was Mr William's initial belief that Mrs. Helmsford," Danny inwardly shuddered at the name, "and the child were killed before they could leave China. It was only later that he discovered from his son-in-law that she had opted to stay in China with a pilot she had nursed back to health."
"Opted," Danny scoffed under his breath, the bastard abandoned her here. "How do I know that she'll be safe?" he finally asked.
"Mr Walker, are you under the impression that you have some kind of bargaining position here?" the man asked. "Because, I promise you, you do not. I know where Mrs. Helmsford is, I've verified her identity. I am here to take her home. I am only asking for your cooperation should she - opt - to stay here again."
"Look, I know my hands are tied," Danny told him, running his hands through his hair in frustration. "I have no power here. I know you could pay the guards to carry her away kicking and screaming if you choose. But, I just need to know that she's going to be safe."
The man nodded. "I am being paid a very large sum of money to bring her and the child home, unharmed. We will be joining a US convoy. Her father has many friends. She will be as safe as possible."
"She's not going to want to leave without me," Danny told him, knowing that it was the truth, though it didn't matter to him whether he stayed or went. He just wanted them to be safe and away from China.
The man shrugged. "Her father is aware of your existance in her life. I am being paid to retrieve the girl and the child. Not her lover." Danny glared at him. "I anticipated her request to bring you. I can easily buy her freedom, but you are too costly. You are useful to them. Had you been a common laborer, maybe I could run the risk that her father would pay for your retrieval too, if his daughter could persuade him, but as it is, I do not have the authority to bring you with us."
"I could pay you back..." Danny started.
This time the man scoffed at him. "You? A pilot? A mechanic? You could not afford my services, sir."
"Nice," Danny glared at him. "What do you want from me?"
Seeing that Danny understood the situation and was not going to protest, the man explained. "We will leave soon, within the week. I will need to speak with the officials here and 'grease the wheels,' as you americans say. I want Mrs. Helmsford to be cooperative. That is where I need your help. She chose you over her husband once, but this time she will be going home. I will see to that."
Danny sighed, a sinking feeling in his stomach. How was he going to live without them? "Fine," he finally replied, "I'll see what I can do, but you obviously don't know Kate."
Earlier that day
"Mr Walker," a slightly accent voice called up to him.
"Yeah?" Danny asked, straightening up from the cockpit of the plane he was working on. Performing maitenance on planes wasn't the same as flying them, but it was something. Seeing the well dressed Chinese man below, Danny grabbed a rag and descended the ladder, trying to wipe off as much of the grease and oil as he could from his hands. "Can I help you?"
The man simply nodded. "I am looking for this woman," he held out a picture. "This was taken several years ago. She now has a child. A girl who would be three and a half."
Danny accepted the photo, already afraid of what he would see. His fears proved true. Smiling at him from the old picture was Kate in her wedding dress standing next to Micheal. She looked beautiful and innocent; unprepared for the life she would soon be forced to lead. He tried to keep his face blank. "What do you want with her?" Danny tried to ask casually, as if he was only mildly curious.
"Her father, Richard Williams of the Corinthian Foundation, is looking for her. She was living at the Embassy in Shanghai, but she didn't make it home when it was shut down. Her father has hired me to find her and bring her and her child back to the United States."
"Why didn't her husband hire you?" Danny asked, though he cursed himself for doing so. He needed to some time to think. Kate's father was looking for her. If this man was asking him where she was then it was good bet that he already knew. No one could hide in a camp such as this.
"Her husband is dead," was the man's reply. "Do you know her?"
Danny looked around, trying to think quickly. If Micheal was really dead, then there was nothing for him to worry about. She and Grace could go back to the States and they would be safe. The bastard wouldn't be alive to touch them. Danny could take care of himself, but they deserved better than the life he could provide for them here.
"Why are you asking me?" Danny stalled.
The man looked at him, his eyes taking everything in, letting Danny know that he wasn't to be fooled. "I have been told that she is your wife. Or should I say, she is posing as your wife."
Danny went on the offensive. "You expect me to believe that it took you two years to find her?"
"Her father contacted me 6 months ago," came the calm reply. "It is very difficult to coordinate things during the war."
"Six months ago?" Danny asked incredulously. "She's been in the camp for 2 years! He only contacted you six months ago?
Once again the lawyer calmly replied. "I believe it was Mr William's initial belief that Mrs. Helmsford," Danny inwardly shuddered at the name, "and the child were killed before they could leave China. It was only later that he discovered from his son-in-law that she had opted to stay in China with a pilot she had nursed back to health."
"Opted," Danny scoffed under his breath, the bastard abandoned her here. "How do I know that she'll be safe?" he finally asked.
"Mr Walker, are you under the impression that you have some kind of bargaining position here?" the man asked. "Because, I promise you, you do not. I know where Mrs. Helmsford is, I've verified her identity. I am here to take her home. I am only asking for your cooperation should she - opt - to stay here again."
"Look, I know my hands are tied," Danny told him, running his hands through his hair in frustration. "I have no power here. I know you could pay the guards to carry her away kicking and screaming if you choose. But, I just need to know that she's going to be safe."
The man nodded. "I am being paid a very large sum of money to bring her and the child home, unharmed. We will be joining a US convoy. Her father has many friends. She will be as safe as possible."
"She's not going to want to leave without me," Danny told him, knowing that it was the truth, though it didn't matter to him whether he stayed or went. He just wanted them to be safe and away from China.
The man shrugged. "Her father is aware of your existance in her life. I am being paid to retrieve the girl and the child. Not her lover." Danny glared at him. "I anticipated her request to bring you. I can easily buy her freedom, but you are too costly. You are useful to them. Had you been a common laborer, maybe I could run the risk that her father would pay for your retrieval too, if his daughter could persuade him, but as it is, I do not have the authority to bring you with us."
"I could pay you back..." Danny started.
This time the man scoffed at him. "You? A pilot? A mechanic? You could not afford my services, sir."
"Nice," Danny glared at him. "What do you want from me?"
Seeing that Danny understood the situation and was not going to protest, the man explained. "We will leave soon, within the week. I will need to speak with the officials here and 'grease the wheels,' as you americans say. I want Mrs. Helmsford to be cooperative. That is where I need your help. She chose you over her husband once, but this time she will be going home. I will see to that."
Danny sighed, a sinking feeling in his stomach. How was he going to live without them? "Fine," he finally replied, "I'll see what I can do, but you obviously don't know Kate."