LAST TIME:

"Becky! Becky Johnson! How's you doing?" an elderly, grey-black Porter, with snow-white hair, called to her.

Having not spoken to Otis Mills for a couple of weeks, Becky Johnson turned her head in his direction. Her attention distracted for a moment, to respond to his question. She knew it was her responsibility to not take her eyes off Brandon until she'd safely delivered him to his grandparents anxiously awaiting his arrival at the gate. She had escorted several young fliers before. When Becky turned back to where Brandon was supposed to be, all she noticed was his suitcase riding around on the carousel.

In a crowded airport, among a massive throng of humanity scurrying about in a multitude of different directions, Brandon McCann vanished.

Word Count: 1,689

Member Cents: 86


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Arriving at his destination, Doctor Herbert McCann parked his 2017 ultra-luxurious Mercedes Maybach Landaulet convertible at the passenger entrance of the Bangor International Airport. An executive on his way up has got to play the part, and he did very well. His son, Brandon was set for departure on Southwest Airlines 1618 to Orlando, Florida for his summer vacation.

Brandon retrieved his suitcase out of the trunk of the vehicle. He was excited to once again be going to visit his Grandparents on the O'Neil side of the family. He preferred them over the ones on the McCann side. They were much too strict for him. The task completed, he slammed the trunk closed with a loud bang, drawing a stern look of consternation from his father, then entered the terminal doors.

Relinquishing his suitcase at the Southwest Airlines customer check-in counter, Brandon was previously booked for the flight. He held his ticket in his hand as they made their way to the boarding gate.

The agent at the front of the gate instructed Brandon to, "Remove your shoes, young man, and place them on the conveyer belt so they can be scanned."

Looking at his father, who nodded for Brandon to do what he'd been told to do, the boy quickly slipped them off and placed them on the conveyor belt. In all his previous times flying, this was the first occasion in which Brandon had to remove his shoes.

"Walk through the x-ray machine," the agent then told him to do.

Brandon complied, and wouldn't you know it? The machine beeped. Of course it did.

"Spread your arms wide out to the side so I can scan you," the agent operating the x-ray machine instructed Brandon.

The boy once again obeyed and the agent passed the black scanner down Brandon's chest, his right leg, back up that leg, and down his left one.

"Turn around so I can scan your back," the agent ordered, his tone not the friendliest.

Brandon slowly turned around. The agent passed the wand down his back, over his tail end, and down the back of his legs to his heels.

"All set," the agent told him.

Brandon reached for his shoes from off the end of the conveyor belt and put them back on his feet. His father stood there shaking his head in disbelief of the security measures his son had borne. Then, they headed down the corridor to Gate 11 where Brandon would catch his plane to Orlando. Arriving there, the announcement to board the airplane was not long coming.

'You behave, son," Doctor McCann told Brandon, "I know you will. However, I expect nothing but good reports when I call your grandparents to check up on you this summer."

"Yes, sir," Brandon solemnly promised his father saying, "I will mind their every little command like a good little puppy." He hugged his father tightly. His father mussed Brandon's blond hair and lightly cuffed his behind in a show of parental tenderness.

"Gotta go, Dad," Brandon excitedly said, "my plane's boarding. I'll talk to you soon." And, with that he disappeared down the tunnel to the plane.

Doctor McCann watched as Flight 1618 taxied down the runway, took off, and turned South. Then, he returned to his automobile. These were the thoughts occupying Doctor McCann's recollection as he arrived at the hospital after delivering Brandon to the airport. He knew he had an angioplasty patient waiting for him.

Although relatively young, just 42-years-old as of seven weeks ago, Doctor McCann chaired the fifty-five bed Cardiac Care Unit of the Bangor Cardiovascular Center. A highly skilled surgeon, with a well respected reputation in the operating room, his touch was artisan. Lately, unbeknown to his esteemed colleagues, Doctor McCann possessed a love affair with the bottle. Mixing the misery of his life in the personal realm with gin, a few drinks prior to performing a procedure calmed his nerves and stabilized his quivering hand. Doctor McCann saw nothing wrong, professionally or ethically, with his imbibing.

Mariah Lynn Moseby, a long time acquaintance of Doctor McCann's, was his patient that morning. After an echocardiogram, supported by a stress test, revealed clogged arteries, she determined the only doctor suitable to perform the angioplasty was her good friend Herbert McCann. Mariah Lynn Moseby became Doctor McCann's second patient to perish while on the operating table in the last thirty days.

Nurse Miranda Blevins could not testify to the fact, but she thought she smelled the pungent aroma of alcohol on the good doctor's breath as she handed him the stents he inserted in Mariah Lynn Moseby's arteries. The official cause of death was listed as a heart attack, a rare event during an angioplasty.

The question that tore Miranda Blevins' soul apart was should she report her suspicions through the proper channels, and risk destroying Doctor McCann's stellar career without rock solid evidence, or should she remain quiet and keep her assumptions to herself? After all, she knew Doctor McCann was a good and charitable man.

Sheila Tamarack was voluptuously designed with cascading auburn hair, and tempestuous eyes that would entrap any member of the male species. Brandon McCann's Guidance Counselor at his matriculation center, she first encountered Doctor Herbert McCann in a meeting concerning Brandon skipping school, for the third time, in an effort to prevent his suspension. Quickly exploiting her womanly wiles, she became Herbert McCann's first extramarital affair. Their relationship bloomed rapidly for the last three months. Sheila never knew love at first sight before. He knew all the right ways to please a woman and Sheila wanted this occasion to be extraordinarily special.

The honeysuckle red candles scattered around the room were lit. Soft, romantic, calm music played from the stereo setting the proper ambiance for their evening's tryst. Realizing the gem she'd discovered in Herbert McCann, Sheila knew tonight was a time to celebrate. She was not about to allow him to slip through her fingers. His touch inflamed her.

Sheila drew a relaxing, warm, bubble bath fragranced with rose oil. She placed two glasses of Ecstase wine on the tub and clean sheets on her queen-sized bed. She preferred the saucy scents of peach, lemon, apple, and acacia the wine contained. Two fluffy towels adorned the nearby rack on the wall. These would be used to pat each other dry, in an expression of passion after they stepped out of the bath.

Like a sentry on duty, a bottle of watermelon-flavored edible massage oil stood at attention on the nightstand beside her bed ... just waiting. Sheila planned a full body massage for Herbert. One he would never forget! Removing the delicious oil from his unclad body with her tongue was perfect foreplay to an evening between the sheets.

These were her desires. Could she accomplish what she yearned for? Would she be able to persuade Herbert to get up, close the door, and stay with her tonight? If she could, then she would believe the words of love he whispered in her ear.

Knowing Brandon was on his way to visit his grandparents in Florida for the summer afforded Sheila plenty of time to make Herbert her own. One more distraction had been eliminated from out of the picture. The small matter of Veronica McCann, Herbert's espoused, being in the way of the turbulent fire that devoured her affection for Herbert remained insignificant. Sheila Tamarack knew the way to her lover's heart. All she needed to do was navigate the course and her dreams would come true.

Ding Dong! Her doorbell rang.

Cast of Characters:

Brandon McCann - 13-year-old boy from Bangor, Maine. Vanishes at the baggage reclaim area of the Orlando International Airport.

Doctor Herbert McCann - Brandon's father and the Chair of the Cardiac Care Unit at the Bangor Cardiovascular Center.

Veronica McCann - Brandon's Mommy Dearest and Doctor Herbert McCann's spouse.

Mariah Lynn Moseby - Patient of Doctor McCann's. Died from a rare heart attack during angioplasty.

Miranda Blevins - Operating Room nurse. Torn between right and wrong.

Sheila Tamarack - Doctor Herbert McCann's extramarital affair. Sets her sights on making Herbert McCann her own.

Becky Johnson - Flight Attendant assigned to escort Brandon McCann to his grandparents waiting at the airport gate in Orlando.

Otis Mills - Porter at Orlando International Airport who distracted Becky Johnson just before Brandon McCann vanished.

TSA Agents - Operate the Bangor International Airport checkpoint gate Brandon McCann enters through on his way to board his airplane to Orlando.