Page 38 of Sebastian

“Where will you be, Dad?” asked Emelia.

“I think Hex and I are going to go have a conversation with our three bridge players in the federal jail. No surprise that none of them have made bail. Maybe they’d be willing to give us a clue as to what’s happening.”

Jeffrey had left earlier in the morning, saying he was going to run some errands, get some groceries for everyone, and make sure that their meeting with his brother was still set. While he was gone, the others just sat around staring at one another.

“I don’t think I can do this anymore,” said Mac, shaking his head. His coughing fits were happening more and more frequently, his inability to breathe actually creating more issues for the team.

“Just a little longer, Mac,” said Helen. He smiled at his friend, shaking his head.

“It’s okay, Helen. I just want to see the warm waters one more time. I just want to stick my toes in the sand of the beach and listen to the waves.” Helen looked out the window and saw the taxi pull up. “That’s for me.”

“Mac, where are you going? You can’t leave,” said Ed.

“I have to. You know I do. I’m slowing everyone down, and it’s only getting worse. I can’t get my meds any longer. We screwed up. We might have helped others, but we didn’t bother to stop and help ourselves when we needed it.”

“We’ll do that with this money that Jeffrey is getting us. You’ll have your meds by the end of the week,” said Myrtle. Mac hugged Helen, then Ed. Standing in front of Myrtle, he kissed her forehead and smiled.

“I love that you all believe he’s still going to split this money with us, but he won’t. That’s not in his DNA. He’s going to get that money and leave, and I can’t afford to wait around and be disappointed. These last few years have been some of the best of my life. I love you all.”

He grabbed the small duffel bag with all of his belongings in it. Two t-shirts, four pairs of boxers, four pairs of socks, two pairs of trousers, and three shirts. There was one tie and one sport coat, just in case. Wrapped inside the sport coat was a wedding photo of him and Estelle.

As he got into the taxi, he turned and waved at his friends.

“Dulles, please,” he said to the driver. He wasn’t sure if could get through security or not, but he was going to try. Jeffrey had given all of them fake passports and driver’s licenses, but he had no idea if they were any good.

At the ticket counter, he purchased a one-way ticket to Miami. He handed the TSA agent his fake license and the ticket. The man barely looked at it, waving him on through. I guess age does have its advantages. When he boarded the plane, he tucked the duffel above his seat and leaned his head back, closing his eyes.

Twice, he woke with coughing fits that had everyone around him concerned, but all in all, it was a good flight.

Two thousand miles away, a young man staring at a computer screen with hundreds of photos passing by his gaze stopped the scroll.

“Hiro! I’ve got something.”

Miami airport was more than Mac could handle. His coughing had worsened in the humidity of South Florida, and the gate agent called for a wheelchair for him. The young man led him outside to the taxi line, where he asked the driver to take him as far south as he possibly could.

“I just need a beach, young man.”

The driver nodded, taking Highway 1 all the way to Key Largo. Pulling into the small park, it was nearing sunset. Mac handed him two crisp one-hundred-dollar bills and thanked him.

“I can wait, sir.”

“No need,” he said.

He kicked off his shoes and coughed so hard he thought he might fall over. Nearly gasping for every breath now, he knew he’d made the right choice. Mac struggled to make his way through the sand, finally able to take a seat at the water’s edge and stick his toes in.

The sun was at the point in the sky where it appeared to be dunking itself into the cool waters of the Atlantic. Mac just stared at it, remembering all the times that he and Estelle used to go to the beach.

He felt someone sit beside him and didn’t even bother to turn.

“Just let me see the sunset,” he said.

“I’m in no hurry, sir,” said Luke. “It’s a beauty tonight.”

“FBI?”

“No, sir. Just someone who’s trying to help.”

“We never meant to hurt anyone. I’m sure all killers say that. I’m usually the most gentle, calm spirit ever.”