SECRETS OF THE PAST
Chapter Eleven
In Washington, DC, Carl Hanratty
was sitting at his desk reading a case when he overheard something very
familiar.
"Hey, Jim. You got that file
on those two Abagnale guys who ripped off those two banks in France?" Sam
asked.
"Yeah. It's right
here." Jim passed the man the file.
"Hey, you!" Carl
yelled.
"Yeah?" Sam turned his
head.
"It wouldn't happen to be
Frank Abagnale, by any chance? Would it?" Sam opened the file.
"Yeah. Frank W. Abagnale.
Hey, how did you know?" he asked.
"I put him away over twenty
years ago." Carl thought about how long it had taken him to find Frank in
the first place. Carl's phone rang.
"Carl Hanratty, FBI,"
he answered.
"Hello, Carl?" Frank
asked.
Carl remembered that voice. It
sounded the same as it had twenty years ago.
"Frank, up to your old games
again? You won't win. It's like Vegas. The big house always wins." He
smiled, recalling the same phrase he had used the first time Frank had called
him.
"Carl, I am willing to turn
myself in if you don't lay a hand on my son." Frank put a letter down on
his desk.
"I can't guarantee anything,
Frank. You know that. It's out of my hands." Carl had no control over the
situation.
"Then let's make a
deal," Frank suggested.
"I can't make a deal with a
known felon. But let's hear what you've got to say." Carl wanted to hear
what he had to say.
"Ever heard of Roxie
Donelli?" Frank asked.
"Isn't she related to Max
Donelli?" Carl knew exactly who she was now.
"Yeah. The Italian mafia. If
I give you their hideout, will I get a reduced sentence?" Frank was
willing to give up his life for his son. He would do anything for him.
"I think you got yourself a
deal, Frank. I have wanted to catch him for…well…longer than you can
think." Carl really wanted to catch Max in the act.
Frank gave the location, and he
told Carl he would meet him soon after he caught Max. Within a week, Max's
operation had been shut down, and he was now facing twenty years to life. Max
wondered who the stool pigeon was, but he never knew.
Carl called Frank's home.
"Abagnale residence.
Angelina speaking," a woman answered.
"Ah…Angelina, is Frank
home?" Carl asked.
"Not at the moment. He's at
the office." Angelina was watching a TV program.
"Tell him to call Carl
Hanratty when he gets in." Carl felt like Angelina was the best wife for
Frank to keep him out of trouble, even though he hardly knew her.
"All right. Bye."
Angelina was too busy to notice who had called.
"Bye, Mrs. Abagnale."
Carl hung up.
Frank remembered all the prisons
he had been in. Some were real hellholes, except for the one in Sweden. It was
almost like you had been sentenced to the Holiday Inn. He hated being in jail.
That was why he wasn't looking forward to going. He had spent a lifetime
swindling people, and he knew he would have to face this crime. He had known
that when he got caught he would be facing prison time. Frank anticipated the
feeling of heading back to the slammer. It was no picnic for him, but to save
his son he would do anything, because he was the one who had gotten him into
this mess in the first place.
*****
Jack lay by Rose. He felt guilty,
having done what he had done with Roxie. That was his first time cheating on
Rose. Even though it wasn't his fault, he felt that way.
Rose cuddled next to him, glad to
feel the warmth of his body again. He had been returned to her in good
condition.
He moved slowly so that she
wouldn't wake up. He knew that Rose had brought him his clothes, so he decided
to take a shower, feeling dirty. For the past two days, he had wanted to rid
himself of Roxie's touch. Jack now knew why women felt the way they did after
someone touched them without permission, better known as rape.
When he got out of the shower, he
felt very much refreshed. He put on his pants, socks, and underwear, but
remained without a shirt. His chest was very muscular, a fine build, what every
woman wanted in a man. Almost every woman, at least. His streaky blonde hair
was combed back, slick from the water. He put his hands on Rose's head. He
carefully massaged her head, needing to occupy his mind with the thought of
something far more entertaining than the past few days.
Rose felt his hands on her skull,
massaging her temples.
"Jack, if you don't stop, I
could get used to this." She didn't open her eyes.
"I don't mind, Rose. It
keeps me busy." He kept repeating the procedure.
Rose opened her eyes. She glanced
up at him, and he was far more handsome now than ever. He moved his hands down
her body. Rose was enjoying this far too much. She stood up and asked him about
what they had done to him. He didn't really want to answer her. He felt
disgusted about it.
"Rose, I know you want to
know what went on, but I can't remember much. They drugged me." He lied,
but not intentionally.
"Well, if you do remember,
don't be afraid to share it with me." Rose knew it had been a traumatic
experience for him.
"All right, Rose." He
got up and walked to the window.
He saw the beautiful New York
skyline. He was glad to be home.
Rose put her arms around him. Her
long red hair touched his arm. It gave him a chill.
He turned toward her and kissed
her. She touched his chest, aching to be released from her barriers. He took
off the beautiful white gown she wore, inching it off her shoulders, kissing
her inch by inch.
She leaned into him, feeling that
at last her husband had come home. She grabbed his hand and led him to the bed.
They sat together, facing each
other, kissing each other. She touched him. He was soft and hot. She became
excited a bit too early.
"Rose?" Jack looked at
her.
"Sorry. I shouldn't have
done that. I wanted to wait for you, but my senses took over my body."
Rose smiled.
"Quite all right, Rose. I
intend to make you have a lot of those tonight." They made love, ripping
each other's clothes off as though they were possessed, raging in the need to
feed each other's delight. Jack couldn't believe his Rose had gotten so hot for
him in such a short while. She was far more in need of him than ever before.
Something seemed wrong to him, but he put it off, saying it was his love that
made the wild woman come out in her.
Rose's face had become flushed so
fast he thought he might explode. He did.
They lay in a tangled heap of
arms, legs, and hands entwined. The sheets had now fallen to the floor. Their clothes
were scattered everywhere. Rose lay in a comfortable position. She didn't want
to move when the phone rang.
Jack got it.
"Hello?" Jack yawned.
"Jack, honey, it's good that
you're there. I need your help." Angelina sounded worried.
"Mom, what is it?" Jack
could feel his mother's vibes.
"It's your father. He's been
arrested," Angelina said.
Jack knew why he had been
arrested. Jack had thought he would be caught, too, but something must have
happened, and he intended to find out what.
Jack quickly threw on his clothes
and told Rose he was going to the police station.
Frank lay in a cell, waiting for
his lawyer, Michael Cutting. He had called him to his defense. Michael had
asked why he needed a lawyer. Frank hadn't spoken of the details. Even if he
had had his law license, it still wasn't legal.
The guard came in.
"Frank Abagnale, you have a
visitor." The guard led him out.
Frank walked out and followed the
guard.
He led him to the row of phone
booths where loved ones could communicate through the phone.
"Right down there." The
guard pointed.
Frank walked down the aisle,
expecting to see Michael. He didn't expect to see his son.
Frank sat down and picked up the
receiver.
Jack picked up the one on his
end.
"Dad, what did you do?"
Jack asked.
"I turned myself in."
Frank stared at his son. He was everything to him. He wished he could have been
there for him more often.
"But why, Dad?" Jack
had thought his father wouldn't do that.
"Because, if I didn't, I
would have been picked up sometime, and this time I won't stay long. I made a
deal with Carl Hanratty." Frank saw the question that Jack had in his
expression.
"Dad, do you really trust
Carl?" Jack did not know Carl that well, but he had to ask.
"Yeah, son, I do."
Frank had trusted Carl many times when he had escaped him, but in the end he
had trusted him with his life.
"Is there anything I can
do?" Jack wanted to help his dad get out of there.
"No. Son, take care of your
mom and your brother for me. The business is now yours. I signed it over to you
just before I got arrested." He touched the glass.
"Dad, I promise to keep my
end of the bargain up. You just come home as quick as you can," Jack said,
touching the glass, too.
"I will, son. Take
care." Frank had no idea how long he would be in the pokey this time.
"Don't worry. I will."
Jack had more or less always kept his promises. This time he wouldn't fail.