Finding Henry Brubaker (Book three of The Finding Trilogy)

By Jean Reinhardt

A twist of fate forces Henry Brubaker into a life he once found despicable. As the past comes back to haunt him, the old doctor realizes there are more sinister reasons for his abduction than he was led to believe. Is it too late for him to make amends?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Jean Reinhardt
• Release date: Feb 13, 2016
• ISBN: 9781310828492

Jean Reinhardt

Jean Reinhardt is married with five children and three grandchildren and lives in Cork, Ireland. She was a member of the North Clare Writer's Workshop in the past and a selection of her poems and short stories were published at that time. Jean has returned to Ireland, having lived in Spain for almost eight years. She is happy to be back home, living in a small seaside town in county Cork. Young Adult Fiction is one of the genres she likes to write in, the other is Historical Fiction.

Book preview

CHAPTER ONE

So, Doctor Brubaker, did you enjoy the movie?

Henry jumped as the sharp, staccato voice of his tormentor cut through the silence of the operating theatre. Up to that moment, the only sound in the room had been the soft whoosh of a ventilator working a young boy's lungs. Ernst Weck took every opportunity that came his way to annoy the old man.

Don't sneak up on me like that, I'm in the middle of a very delicate procedure, said Henry, ignoring the question.

The tall blonde man walked around the table where the boy lay, and pointed to a screen high up on a wall.

Your granddaughter makes a lovely bride, don't you think? Ernst teased.

With shaking hands, Henry continued working, trying to block out the heavily accented voice grating on his nerves. The images displayed on the screen were of his family in America, unaware that they were being watched.

Ironic isn't it, that you know about Megan's secret marriage even before her parents find out. But then, as I recall, she is quite an expert at running away, isn't she?

Henry slammed down the scalpel he had been trying to use and gazed up at his granddaughter's happy face. She looked so much like her grandmother, it made his heart ache.

I refuse to work on this unfortunate child as long as you are in the room. One mistake is all it takes for things to go drastically wrong, Henry said.

What difference does it make? There are plenty more where he came from. The sooner we are rid of them, the better. Ernst spat the words out.

A loud sigh escaped from Henry as he walked, shoulders drooped, away from the table. Ernst’s behaviour only served to strengthen the doctor’s resolve to follow through on what he had planned to do later that evening.

He pushed open one of the swing doors and left the room. Removing his gloves and disposing of them along with his shoe protectors, cap and face mask, Henry threw his hospital overalls down the laundry chute. Peering closely into the brown eyes staring back at him from the mirror, he wondered what had happened to the man whose eyes they had been printed from. He scrubbed his hands, before placing them into a sterilising beam.

Relieved to be out of the theatre, Henry stepped into the main corridor. The laboratory he had been taken to the year before was furnished with state of the art equipment that would have appealed immensely to the old Henry. No matter how much money he had accumulated in the past, nothing in his clinic in Mexico could compare to the technology at his disposal in Europe. Yet, none of it meant a thing to him, life no longer had any purpose for a lonely old doctor in a foreign land.

Doctor Brubaker, wait up. I need to speak with you about something.

It was the voice of Doctor Boyd, his assistant of many years. Henry stopped in his tracks, not turning around as he waited for his colleague to catch up with him.

Follow me, I have some distressing news. It could mean life or death, for both of us, said Boyd.

The two men entered Doctor Simon Boyd’s small office. Henry stood looking out at a lake, peddle boats in the shape of swans gliding over its surface. The excited laughter of children drifted across the water.

I'm not particularly interested in my life or death, what on earth makes you think I want to hear what you have to say? Henry continued to stare out of the window.

Doctor Brubaker – Henry – we both know what will happen to your family if you do not cooperate. What you don't realise is, if Ernst believes you have nothing left to give he will take great pleasure in disposing of you. He is held in high regard by the European Ministry of Health and his every wish is their command.

Fine, let him do as he wishes. I'm too tired to carry on pandering to his whims, I want peace. If that happens because our friend Ernst has disposed of me, then so be it. Henry slumped into a chair behind the desk.

I have just overheard Ernst speaking with one of his men. Apparently, Megan will be accompanying her friend, Amelia Seager, to the Olympics in Spain this year. I don't know what his plan is, but he has never forgiven your granddaughter for getting the better of him when she escaped from his clutches.

A look of panic spread across the old doctor's face as he jumped up from the chair and raced around the desk. Clutching the younger man by the shoulders, Henry begged him to talk with Ernst and convince him that Megan was no longer a threat. As Doctor Boyd was about to speak, the door behind him opened.

CHAPTER TWO

The enticing aroma of Jamaican coffee was carried by the sea breeze from the porch through to the back of the cabin, where Megan's husband lay sleeping. She leaned against the frame of the door, watching his nose twitch as it registered that breakfast was waiting. Tip toeing across the wooden floor, the young woman pulled aside a length of muslin that was draped around the four poster bed.

Wakey - wakey, Blakey - Blakey. Breakfast is ready and the sea is calling us, Megan sang.

Her husband opened his eyes at the sound of his name. As a lazy smile spread across his face, he pulled her onto the bed beside him. She was amazed at how comfortable she felt wrapped in his arms – as if they had been married for years instead of days.

You smell good, he said, nuzzling her hair.

It's your shower gel. Mine is with my luggage, wherever that might be. I hope it turns up soon, I can't keep wearing your clothes.

Then don't. If it will make you feel more comfortable, I won't wear any either.

Megan elbowed him in the ribs, laughing as she tried to sit up. She wriggled out of his grasp and sat with her legs folded under her near the edge of the bed.

Hmm, that will definitely get the neighbours talking. Come on Blake, let's have breakfast, this is the third morning we've let it go cold.

As her husband made one last attempt to grab her, Megan jumped from the bed and ran through the door, threatening to eat his meal along with her own.

The romantic resort, far from family and friends, was where the young couple had chosen to get married and spend their honeymoon. Water lapped gently against the small wooden pier, attached to the porch of their cabin and the only other sound was of birds calling to each other. No electrical hum of any sort could be heard as there was no power supply, nor any computer, media equipment or telephone. Guests were required to check in their tablets and phones at reception, until their departure. At night the only form of illumination was candlelight, a few solar lamps and the moon whenever it beamed across the bay.

If we had power we could heat up our food, Megan remarked, when her husband had joined her on the porch. The candles underneath only keep the tray warm, not the breakfast.

The young man smiled as his wife placed the morning's delivery onto the table in front of him.

Aren't you happy you don't have to cook it? It won't be delivered to our door when we get back home, you know.

Why, Blake, I hope you’re not under the illusion that I can cook, are you? she laughed.

No, Megan, I've tasted your efforts before and believe me you’ve a lot to learn – but I have all the time in the world to teach you.

The laughter of the young couple caught the attention of a man and woman rowing by, in one of the small boats that came with every cabin. Returning their waves, Blake forced a smile and watched until they were out of sight.

I don't trust those two, I saw one of them on the beach at our wedding ceremony. He was definitely filming us as we said our vows.

Don't be so suspicious, Blake. They are probably on honeymoon, too, maybe they even got married here, like us. We should get to know them. Maybe that would put your mind at ease.

Was there anything in particular in your luggage that someone might have wanted, Megan?

Oh no, don't start that again, she pushed back her chair to stand up. Look at us, we are having our first quarrel as a married couple, let's celebrate by going for a swim.

Blake heard the edge to her voice and took hold of her hand, drawing her onto his lap, apologizing for ruining the morning.

That's okay, I know you mean well, but we can't always be looking over our shoulders, Megan said in a much softer tone.

If my father doesn't know where we are or what we're doing, then nobody does. You, of all people, should know what he is like when it comes to surveillance.

Megan was referring to her abduction, along with her grandfather's, the year before. For a full six months after she had escaped and returned home, everywhere she went, a bodyguard was close by. It unnerved her so much, her father eventually agreed to call off the ‘guard dogs,’ as she described them.

Blake smiled and kissed her hand, assuring her that he would chill out and enjoy the rest of their stay, on one condition.

Please stop calling me by that name, I hate it, and I promise you won't see a frown on my face ever again, he said.

I doubt that, you're such a worrier. Besides, it's a cool name but if you don't like it, then I've forgotten what it is already.

Tilting her head sideways to brush her smiling lips against his neck, Megan kissed the image of a wolf tattooed just below his ear. She had already decided her husband's nick name was the one she preferred, reserving the use of his real one for whenever he annoyed her.

CHAPTER THREE

Henry, Henry. What has you so upset? Ernst stepped through the doorway, roughly pushing the old man away from Doctor Boyd. Staggering backwards in the direction of the window, Henry reached into his pocket. He discreetly removed the cover from a syringe containing a drug intended for himself. Rage fuelled his movements as, with the strength of a man half his age, Henry lunged forward plunging the needle into the neck of his antagonist. Ernst, a look of shock on his face, fell back into the arms of Simon Boyd.

What on earth have you done? How come he has passed out so quickly? Boyd stumbled under the weight of the drugged man.

I was going to use that on myself tonight and drift away quietly in my sleep, Henry said. I must have hit him exactly where I was aiming, the carotid artery, the drug has gone straight to his brain.

Doctor Boyd was taking the unconscious man's pulse. He knew that without medical intervention Ernst could be dead in less than an hour and both of them would pay dearly.

We have to act quickly, Henry, take the keycard from my pocket while I am leaning over him, the camera overhead will be recording this.

The old doctor did as he was told, having resigned himself to obeying other people's orders since his abduction the year before.

Now go, Doctor Brubaker. Get out as quickly as you can, I will say I was too busy working on Ernst to notice you leave.

Henry stalled for a moment, wondering if he should prevent his assistant from treating the one man in the world he hated. To do so would surely mean their deaths. He didn't care about himself, but Simon Boyd had been good to him and had helped Megan escape.

Goodbye, my friend. Thank you for all the years of support you have given me. I think to make this look authentic, I will need to hit you over the head with something, would you agree? Henry had made his decision.

Just enough to bruise, please, I’ll pretend to pass out before raising the alarm. That will give you enough time to get out of the clinic. Take my wallet from the top drawer in the desk. Simon instructed, as he loosened Ernst's collar and checked his eyes.

Bringing a heavy chair down on Doctor Boyd's head, Henry tried to make it look like the blow was enough to knock someone out. The younger man lay face down, slumped across the unconscious form of Ernst.

I'm okay, hurry Doctor Brubaker, you don't have much time, he moaned, resisting the urge to rub his aching head.

It was surprisingly easy for Henry to get out of the building. Rounding a corner, he noticed two security men standing just outside the main entrance. Wearing a charcoal coloured pin-striped shirt, Henry blended in well with the other men scattered around the edge of the lake. Some of them were chatting to each other and a handful of children stood laughing near the water's edge feeding some ducks.

Henry noticed a middle aged lady standing alone near the swan peddle boats and struck up a conversation with her. His German was not very good but she had excellent English. A pleasant dialogue went back and forth between them. Anyone looking on would think that they were a couple. This was exactly what Henry was hoping for.

My husband passed away last year and I come here every now and again to remind me of the good times we had together.

I'm sorry to hear that, did you go out on the lake at all? Henry enquired, resisting the urge to look behind him.

"Oh, yes, all the time, but I wouldn't attempt