KERRI'S WAR (Volume 3 of The King Trilogy)

CHAPTER 5

       After a brief stop at Toronto's Pearson Airport for customs clearance, the Iacardi Learjet 60 touched down at Bracebridge, Ontario airport at 3:10 P.M. on Friday afternoon. There were no clouds. The temperature was sixty-five, Fahrenheit. Kerri emerged, wearing faded jeans, white sneakers, a heavy gray sweat-shirt, a brown leather jacket and a Yankees baseball hat. She carried a black leather overnight bag and her briefcase. Her eyes showed the effects of days of stress and anxiety, but she managed a smile when she hugged her father. "I missed you," she cried.

He kissed her forehead, "Not as much as I missed you. Any problems?"

"Lots, but the trip was uneventful."

"I feel your pain," he said, continuing the hug and moving Kerri to tears. "What about your pilot? What's he going to do?"

"He brought his girl friend. They're going up to Deerhurst for a quiet weekend. It's a celebration." She pointed at the Lear. "They, and a syndicate of deep pockets bought that beautiful thing today, and relieved Iacardi of an expense it can do without. Part of the deal was that I get a return trip to Muskoka."

The two climbed into Mike's Mercedes and he drove the short distance to Milford Bay where they boarded his Donzi. Neither spoke until the boat rounded Pudding Rock. "I love this place," Kerri said. "It's like being on a different planet."

Mike nodded and smiled. "Welcome back to my favorite place on earth. It's great to have you here."

When the Donzi reached the dock on Azimuth Island, Karen was there to welcome Kerri like royalty. Generous hugs were followed by hot coffee on the verandah where all three sat on well cushioned wicker chairs.

By mutual agreement, Mike and Karen had decided not to discuss any aspect of the catastrophe in New York unless Kerri asked to do so. Mike could wait no longer. "You feel like talking about it?" he asked.

Kerri nodded, lips tightened. "This is awful. I've taken a lot of hits before in my life, but all of them added together couldn't even come close to this...I feel so guilty... All of those people are dead, and there isn't a thing I can do to bring them back. I have no right to be alive."

"Kerri, both Mike and I don't think you're guilty of anything. Everything that happened was as a result of the actions of other people. You were sick that day, and that's something over which you had no control. There isn't a person on this earth who could blame you for not going to work that day"

Kerri's frown persisted. "Thanks for saying that, Karen. It helps, but it still hurts."

"Maybe you'd rather not talk about it," Karen said, sensing Kerri's discomfort.

"I really do. It's therapeutic... I came here because I missed you and dad and because I absolutely had to get out of New York...There's another reason." She paused and locked her blue eyes on her father's. "Do you remember our meeting in The Loyalist restaurant in January, nineteen ninety-one?" she asked, referring to January 31, 1991, the cold and snowy day Mike was cleared of all charges against him and released from Milhaven minimum security prison.

Mike's face blanched. He hated to be reminded of that horrible aspect of his past. He had been imprisoned, accused by the Feds of hiding the millions, the illicit fruits of Jim Servito's crimes. "How could I forget it? It was the end of a nightmare, one of the most significant events of my life. What about that meeting?"

"That was when I told you that Miles had a hundred and eighty-six million left over after the Feds were paid."

Mike winced. "And I told you that I didn't want to have anything to do with that money again. I still don't."