The Light Keeper's Daughter

The Light Keeper's Daughter - Chapter 11

Chapter 11


That week was spent in preparation for the upcoming shipment drop that they all knew would happen on time. Franklin had compared documents and created a list of possible crew members that were on the ships that lost cargo. He noticed that the coffee shipments had been only on two of his boats and one of those boats would be coming into port this week.

Meanwhile, every afternoon the trio went to the cave and began unpacking the crates and replacing the raw opium with rocks in comparable size and weight as the drugs. Then they moved the drugs into one of the other cave networks into a small chamber that was hard to find, unless you had spent your youth in the caves like Camila and Franklin and knew them even in the dark. The drugs would eventually be turned over to authorities, but they did not want to risk allowing the drugs on the street.

Daniel was now sitting at a pub in a dark corner in a small town about halfway between the lighthouse and New York City. Camila was covering for him with her father at the lighthouse. He had sent his father a message that day. He wasn’t going to involve his father, but he had seen in the paper the day before that he had been lost at sea and expected to be dead. With everything his father had been through with his mother, he did not want his father thinking he was dead. And a part of him wanted to see his father. However, he also knew he needed to keep low and undercover. The note he sent to his father had simply read, “Package found. Twin Dog Pub 9 PM. D”

David Theroux, owner and editor at the New York Herald newspaper was admired across not only the state, but the country for being an honest and reliable newsman. He moved in the highest social circles, which included politicians, billionaires (both self made and blue bloods) and royalty from various countries all over the globe. He knew everyone and could find out anything, which helped in the newspaper business. On top of everything, he was highly respected by not only those in his social standings, but also his employees and especially his son.

No. Daniel did not want to become editor like his father, but he honored and regarded him more than anyone else could. Daniel saw the good and the bad of the business and appreciated his father for how he handled every situation that would arise. He had taken a small publication passed on to him by his father and turned it into one of the most revered newspapers in the country.

And with his memory coming back, Daniel wasn’t sure what he was going to do. It was no surprise to his father that Daniel did not want to be editor for the large paper. He enjoyed his job. He liked the research and loved the writing and storytelling part of his job. But, Daniel was finding that he loved the work he was doing at the lighthouse, working with Camila and Mr. Underwood.

The time he had spent with Camila since he woke up on the beach was the best time of his life. Now that he had his memory, he was sure of that! He enjoyed her company on the beach, in the lighthouse and in the family home. They had worked especially close on this case and they often found themselves planning and whispering secrets, even when Franklin was not there.

He had almost told her several times that he had remembered he was not married and too busy for a social life before his accident. Daniel knew he had feelings for her and was almost certain she had feelings for him. Last night sitting on the lighthouse catwalk his feelings for her almost came to life. The wind was pulling strands of her hair loose from her braid that she wore and she looked so beautiful. Daniel wanted to pull her into his arms and kiss her. But something held him back.

Daniel worried about Camila. He did not want to see her hurt, that was something he and Franklin agreed on. They wanted to keep her as far away from danger. Especially on the night of the drop. He also didn’t want to hurt her. What if he let his emotions get in the way and he did not think clearly? Or what if he did something worse and broke her heart? No, he needed to keep his feelings in check until after this ordeal. It was only a few more days. How hard could that be?

The three of them sat down and had a talk yesterday. They were thinking about letting both Franklin’s father and Camila’s father know what was going on. The only thing that had kept them from telling them was the danger and the thought of Daniel’s mother’s death happening to them. That was why this meeting was so important with his father and it was done in hiding. He hoped his father could help him fill in the few gaps missing from his memory loss. What was he researching before his accident? Who killed his mother? And more important, why?

The door opened and his father walked in and sat at a different table, but by the look in his eyes he knew that his father had seen him. Daniel stood and walked towards the stairs to the room he had acquired for the meeting to ensure that they were not interrupted and the conversation was not overheard. A few moments later his father walked in and embraced his only son.

“Daniel,” his father’s voice was choked up and as he released him, Daniel could see how much his father had aged since not only his mother’s death, but also his disappearance. He had lost weight, had dark circles under his eyes and Daniel could see the weariness the past few months had taken its toll.

“Dad!” Daniel said as he moved to a table at the side of the room. “How have you been?” Once he asked the question, he regretted it. He knew his father had been needlessly worrying about him since he disappeared. Almost two months.

“I’ve been better.” Looking at him, Daniel knew that was the truth.  Taking a seat David asked his son, “How are you? What happened? Last I heard you had a big lead.”

“Well, I hope you can help me with that.” Then Daniel began telling his story. How he woke up on the shore and the Underwood’s taking him in. He even told his father about Camila and his feelings for her. They had never had any secrets. Daniel confided about his memory loss and his gaps. The tragedy of reliving his mother’s death and the memory of his father and the newspaper. “But, I have no idea what happened that night or the nights before. The last real memory I have is mother. I don’t know how it’s all tied together, but in my gut I know it is.”

David raised a brow and said, “A good reporter always follows his gut feeling. You may not know everything I am about to tell you, but I hope it sparks some memories. Your mother’s death was directed at both of us. I had been warned by one of the mob bosses to end our investigations. We were calling attention to the bribes city officials were taking and some of their newer and less desirable activities. You were my lead reporter and they wanted to stop us. Days before your mother’s death I had received a threat to stop or something would happen. And it did and there was nothing I could do to stop it. I put guards to follow you, but you didn’t like them tagging along and lost them constantly. The last I heard they were following you along the docks, you were looking for information on the mob shipping drugs into the city. We had found the opium club weeks before you disappeared. The club is underground and ran by the Parrino family, Vincent Parrino is the head of the family. He is also the one that had the hit put on your mother.”

Daniel sighed, “So they are connected. The opium in the cave and the investigation, even mother’s death are all leading back to this Vincent Parrino.”

“Yes. Be careful,” David shook his head as he said solemnly, “I can’t afford to lose you, too.”

Over the next hour Daniel laid out the plans for the next few days. He told his father how they had already moved all of the opium to a different cave and their plans for the night of the drop. He confided with him his concerns for alerting Mr. Underwood and Jacobson. “I trust them, it’s not a matter of trust. I am only concerned about their safety, and ours. The more we tell, the bigger the risk.”

“I understand that, son. And it is a valid point to consider. However, they both have lived in the area most if not all of their lives. Mr. Jacobson has a vested interest in the ships that are dropping cargo and he is himself leaving for England, where the drugs are originating from. Mr. Underwood might be able to lend a hand watching Camila the night of the drop to ensure that she remains at the lighthouse. If she is anything like you have told me, you won’t be able to guarantee that. If she sees danger or something happen, she might run off to warn you not worrying that she is putting herself at risk.”

Sighing, Daniel nodded, “I’ll talk it over with Franklin tomorrow. I’ll mention this to him and come up with a decision. I just don’t want anyone else hurt. If they threw me off the boat, and assumed I was dead, they won’t like it if I am alive.”

Smiling at his son he offered, “But that can be to your advantage. They think you are dead.” David hoped his son did not make the mob’s assumption a reality.