Breakfast at the Convent was nearly over when Charlene announced, “Sister Ruth, you have to go back to the Seamen’s Center; I know Father Ben needs you, and its time for me to go home. You have all been so good to me and so gracious to my dear friend, Olivia. I can’t thank you enough,” she spoke appreciatively to the three nuns at the table. “I don’t know what I would have done without you, Sister Cecelia, Sister Margaret and you, dear Sister Ruth.”
Sister Ruth sighed, “Yes, dear I know, we all do, that you want to go home—and yes, I must go back to work at the Center and make sure everyone is doing what should be done. You know Father Ben can get himself into so much trouble,” she said with an impish grin. “It has been lovely having you with us, dear, you brighten up our table. If you like, I’ll drive you home right after lunch, by then Sister Rose and Sister Angela will be here to say goodbye.”
As Charlene was packing, Sister Ruth called her to the phone; it was Neil Klein.
“Hello, Charlene, I’m in town for a short time and I would like you to have dinner with me tonight. I have some things to tell you. I’m staying at the Washington Athletic Club so we can meet here or somewhere else if you prefer.”
“No Neil, the WAC will be fine. What time and are we meeting alone?”
“Let’s try for 6:00 and yes, at first; if you like I will ask Andrew and Father Ben to join us for dessert, but I want some time to speak to you alone.”
Promptly at 6:00 PM Neil and Charlene were seated in the dining room at the WAC at the table where Neil had met with Andrew, Father Ben and Charlene a few weeks before.
Looking at Neil Charlene said simply, “I assume by this meeting you have some answers for me about Paul.”
He smiled at her candor, “Charlene, I promised you that if I could, I would tell you when we found out who betrayed Paul and General Chernakov. At the time I was deeply concerned about your friendship with General Coleman because,” he paused, “because I was convinced that it was he. That conviction was strengthened by Coleman’s denial of knowing George Kelshaw—the truth is that while Coleman lied about Kelshaw, it had nothing to do with the betrayal of your husband. Coleman is guilty of many other things but not the murder of Paul Thayer.
“The man responsible was a double agent working for the CIA, and in reality was Soviet KGB. He also murdered the CIA station chief at Udorn, Thailand, along with the Hmong who carried the information and Paul’s letter to George Kelshaw.
“Kelshaw was wounded in the encounter. From then on the story is one of Kelshaw’s searching and hunting this man until his own capture.” Charlene listened without interruption and then said, “Thank you…”
“Wait, Charlene, there is more that I want to say. At the time Paul was sent on the mission, we were unaware of the car bombing. The next day when it was thought that Paul Thayer was the victim, it was an easy way of explaining his sudden absence from Saigon and it protected the mission, but…,” the thought was incomplete.
“You were concerned about the body in Paul’s grave—we now believe it was an AWOL sailor who had run afoul of the military in drug trafficking and black market dealings and that in the attempt to steal the vehicle he was killed by a bomb set for your husband. What you do with this information now is entirely up to you, Charlene. I will help any way I can if you decide to exhume the body.”
She spoke tenuously, “I-I don’t know, I’ll have to think about it. Did Brad know?”
“Not for a long time as it turns out. He really believed that Paul was in that car. I’m the one that knew, Charlene, I knew almost right away; I couldn’t tell you until now.”
Charlene dabbed at her eyes and took a deep breath, her voice soft with emotion, “Thank you Neil, for at least being honest with me now. It helps me to understand Paul’s letter a little more. And thank you for telling me that it wasn’t Brad. You see, I was afraid it might have been.
“He is in serious trouble isn’t he?” she looked at Klein who nodded, yes.
“What’s going to happen to him?”
“I really don’t know, Charlene. As the inquiries unfold we’ll get a better picture,” Neil responded.
“I’m glad Olivia came to see me…,” she said softly.
Neil surmised, “I understand why. I met her on Wednesday last at George’s service; she came with my father-in-law, Dr. Kelshaw; she appeared to be a very fine and compassionate person—I was impressed.”
“She’s a special friend and will always be; Brad is fortunate to have her in his corner.”
“There will be some tough times ahead for her in that corner. Well, Charlene our time alone is up, here come Father Ben and Andrew to join us for dessert. I just might have some frosting to put on Father Ben’s cake,” he smiled.
Charlene looked puzzled as Andrew and Ben made their way to the table.
“I hope we are interrupting, Neil, you stole my girl for dinner, now I get her for dessert and the rest of the evening if she says its okay,” Andrew leaned over and brushed a kiss on her cheek.
Charlene smiled and whispered, “Yes, definitely.”
Father Ben ordered hot tea and Andrew, Neil and Charlene ordered coffee with their desserts.
Neil studied Father Ben a moment before saying, “Father Ben do you recall when we were all here at dinner together, you inquired if I could tell you about a man whose name was Lu Chan from your village in China, do you remember?”
Ben nodded his head, “Yes Neil, I do remember, you said you were unable to do so.”
“I also told you Father Ben, that as things unfolded perhaps you would receive news of him. I believe Lu Chan will be seeing you in person, very soon perhaps in the next few days.”
Ben’s face broke into a broad smile, turning to Andrew, he said excitedly, “Did you hear, Andrew, do you remember? Lu Chan was the reason that I came to know you. And now he will come and we can talk… I am so eager to see him, Neil. Is he a merchant seaman still?”
“He’ll tell you some surprising things, Father.”
Neil cleared his throat, “Now I would like to propose a toast, I’ll start with you Charlene, a most unusual and courageous lady, it has been a pleasure to know you; and to you Andrew, as a friend and member of the press, I toast your ingenuity and your honesty, it has also been an education,” he laughed, “And to you Father Ben, a most humble servant; all who know you profit by your quiet strength and goodness.” Neil raised his glass, “You have all renewed and broadened a dimension of my life that began when I first encountered my friend, George Kelshaw. Thank you for restoring it to me.” They drank the toast; then Andrew raised his glass, “To George Kelshaw.”
“To George Kelshaw!” echoed the voices.
Epilogue
Thursday, October 9, 1980
It was a perfect autumn day—the sky was cobalt blue and the air was crisp in the October sunshine. The deciduous trees still clung to leaves that had turned gold and some were tinged with red.
A group of people were huddled around a voluminous object covered by a tarp in the Seattle Times parking lot; it was guarded by two uniformed Seattle Policemen.
Some of the members of the group seemed to be engaged in guessing and attempting to peek under the covering only to be chased off by the police guards.
Among those gathered was Harry Browne, the Times business editor standing beside Charlene Thayer who was holding a camera; standing next to International Press correspondent, Jack Hubbard, was Father Ben Lee from the Seattle Seamen’s Center and a man who identified himself only as Neil Klein. A number of the Times reporters and editors Jim Griswold and Bill Cunningham were also present all equally inquisitive about the tarped lump in the center of the lot.