Clattering Sparrows (20 page)

***

Danny and Nicole’s wedding at Hillcrest was ideal. When Jack died and her days of lavish entertaining came to an abrupt end, she sadly missed the excitement of arranging and orchestrating an event. In asking for her help to plan their
special day
, Katherine once again found herself in her milieu.

On New Year’s Day, with a foot of snow on the ground and the promise of more on the way, seventy-five guests were welcomed to Hillcrest to witness Danny and Nicole’s wedding. The stately manor had been magnificently and instantly transformed into a spring garden in full bloom, fashioned with dozens and dozens of live flowers and greens, all in direct contrast to the winter weather outdoors. As the guests wined, dined, and danced to the music of the Hinton Trio, a light snow began to fall.

***

Two weeks after the wedding, Katherine received a call from the private investigator she had hired months before. He had completed his search and would be by to drop off the report that afternoon.

Katherine sat at the dining room table. The report lay in front of her in the envelope unopened. Slowly she undid the clasp and removed the folder. The report contained additional details all about Danny’s birth mother, but lacked the information she sought. She learned the name of Danny’s biological mother, Judith Levine Singer, as well as her current address in Potomac, Maryland. There was no information of the baby’s remains or a burial, and of course, no mention of his biological father. In the brief note he had written to Katherine, the investigator assured her that his search had been thorough, and other than learning the woman’s married name and current address, his efforts were futile.

Slipping the folder back into the envelope, she closed the clasp, and placed it in the safe.

24

THE DAY FOLLOWING THE Unsolved Mysteries Special broadcast, their phone center received only one call regarding Irina’s appearance on the show. The call was from the United States Navy. They were extremely interested in learning the details of Anthony Russo’s disappearance, and were flying in two top officials from Washington, D.C. to corroborate her story and authenticate his dog tag.

The government anxious to once again close the file on Anthony Russo met with Irina, and legal counsel provided to her by the show in case the need arose. As Captain Burke began questioning her, an uneasy feeling came over Irina. His questions concerning Tony’s amnesia, and the fact that his memory did not return until the accident, were somewhat brisk and offensive.

When he asked if there was anyone in Ukraine who could substantiate her story, she responded, “Yes my brother Yuri who helped me bring Josef into the house when I found him unconscious in the snow bank.”

When he asked if Tony was ever employed by the Ukrainian Government, she responded, “No, absolutely no, he was not. He farmed the land that we inherited from my father. My father owned the land, and our small farm was never operated as a
collective farm,
a program run by the government.”

When he asked why she continued to refer to him as Josef, she smiled and replied, “Because to me he was Josef Petrova, loving husband and father. I gave him that name to protect him from the authorities should anyone question his sudden appearance in our midst. I taught him our language, and Yuri taught him to farm. We gave him a life, and he eagerly embraced it. Had we turned him over to the authorities, they would have surely imprisoned him, possibly tortured him, and in all likelihood killed him.

“I assure you that I do understand the Navy’s position. You don’t know me or anything about me, and yet I have brought you information that your government was unable to discover in their investigations for over twenty-five years.

“We were never Russian Communists. We were simple Ukrainians, farming the land and living a meager existence at best, but we were happy and we delighted in our two sons. When the Chernobyl Power Plant opened and I secured a position there, our lives improved considerably. My earnings were spent to upgrade the farm, and send our boys to the university in Kiev so their lives would be easier than ours. Other countries are not so different than America. As parents, we all want better for our children.”

For a moment, no one spoke. Then Irina asked, “Captain Burke, will you answer something for me?”

With a surprised look on his face, he replied, “Certainly.”

“Do you believe in God? And if you do, do you also believe in providence?”

Caught somewhat off guard by her questions, he replied, “Yes I do believe in God, and I undeniably believe in providence. As an Officer in the United States Navy, I have marveled at the outcome of many dire situations that could have only been influenced by divine intervention.”

As he sat listening, her attorney provided by the show smiled to himself thinking Irina really didn’t need his help at all. She was doing quite well on her own.

“Then why may I ask are you doubtful of my story? I have produced the dog tag, and the picture of the young girl that I found in the pocket of his jacket. I have also produced pictures of Josef at the farm, when we were married, and with our boys. Unfortunately, other than my brother Yuri, everyone that could support my story is dead.”

Captain Burke asked for a short break and excused himself saying that he would like to place a phone call.

Since she was seeking neither compensation nor legal recognition as his spouse, the call to Headquarters confirmed that the Navy was satisfied with her account of his disappearance, particularly substantiated by the dog tag she produced. She was quite enchanting considering the tragedies she had endured and Captain Burke sensed her genuine need to find the Russo family. Their meeting was over.

As they rose to leave, Irina said, “Thank you for responding and meeting with me so quickly. I am pleased that I have been able to reply to your questions and provide you with the missing links to Josef’s—Anthony’s disappearance. However, I need any help you can give me in my efforts to locate his family.”

Glancing at one another, the officials sat back down.

Irina continued. “The call from the Navy Department is the only response we have received so far. There has been no word from his family or friends. I learned from Josef when his memory returned that his father was deceased, but that his mother was alive at that time, and he had a sister who was married and lived with her family on Long Island. I also know that although he grew up in Washington, D.C., his enlistment in the Navy ended his ties to that area.”

The other officer opened his briefcase and produced a rather thick file. “This folder contains all the information on Anthony Russo’s disappearance. It outlines the Navy’s search efforts over a twenty-five year span and our ultimate closure of the case in 1980.

“When construction began on the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant, a wing from an American plane was found. After a time, it landed in the hands of the United States Government, and following a thorough investigation, it was determined that the wing was consistent with the type and model aircraft Russo was flying when he went missing. Although the location where it was found was somewhat off the course he should have been flying, there were many factors that could have caused him to fly so far east of his original flight plan.

“The wing provided proof that his plane had in all probability crashed, and considering the time that had elapsed with no word of survival, the Navy officially declared Anthony Russo dead. All of our findings and conclusions were shared with his sister Maria Leone, and the case was officially closed. It has been over ten years since our last contact with her, at which time, a check for his government insurance was issued to her.

“Although we are not at liberty to hand over this entire file to you, we can provide you with the contact information we have for his sister, if that would be of any help to you. This information is quite dated, but if she has moved, forwarding information should be available. I might add that today is Friday and since the show aired only two nights ago, I am certain that you will hear from someone, if not family than certainly friends.”

The officials again rose to take their leave, and Captain Burke who had done most of the talking extended his hand to Irina. “Mrs. Petrova, I have the utmost admiration for you, and the tremendous courage you have displayed by putting your personal health issues and tragedies aside to search for the Russo family. I sincerely hope that you are contacted by both relatives and friends, and that at long last your revelations bring closure for all concerned.”

The meeting took place in a small conference room at The Plaza where Irina was staying. When it ended, she returned to the suite which the show had provided for her. Twenty-four hour nurse coverage and visits from doctors at the nearby Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center were also made available to her as needed.

She was due to remain in New York for a week awaiting word generated by the broadcast, prior to traveling to Maryland for a full evaluation of her condition at the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda.

25

ON SATURDAY AFTERNOON LEON placed a call to the show’s phone center satisfied with the plans he had formulated in his mind during his morning walk to Boston Common. He spoke with a woman who identified herself as Sharon Randolph, and when he stated that his name was Leon Frankel, he sensed excitement in her voice. He told her that he did not want to speak with Irina by phone but preferred to meet with her in person. He told her that he would be accompanied by his youngest granddaughter, Leah, and that they would be traveling to New York from Boston by train. He further requested that their reunion take place as soon as possible. Ms. Randolph promised to return his call promptly. After speaking with Irina and less than two hours later, she did indeed return his call to tell him their meeting had been arranged.

Sunday afternoon, Leah drove to Boston with plans to spend the night and leave for New York with her grandfather in the morning. When she arrived at Leon’s apartment, he greeted her eagerly, and it was apparent that he was quite excited. “Come in, come in. I’m glad you came early. I have so many things I want to show you.”

Leah smiled. “I have some things I want to show you too. I brought some pictures of the family, as well as a copy of our book that we put together after your 80
^th
birthday. I agree with you that we don’t want to overwhelm her, but I started with a few pictures and I couldn’t help myself. I just kept adding and adding to the pile, but I want you to look through them and see what you think.”

They began by sorting through the items Leah had brought, but unable to pick and choose, decided to take everything. Leon then produced a small brown valise which she had never seen. The bag was old and frayed and bore several decals in a foreign language on the sides. Placing the bag in the center of the dining room table, he clicked open the locks and slowly lifted the lid.

“This, my dear Leah, is one of two bags that brought all my worldly goods from Ukraine to America. I have the larger valise as well. Somehow, no matter how successful I became, I couldn’t part with them. I saved the clothes I was wearing, shoes and all, when the Aquitania pulled into Boston harbor. I also saved the prayer book and Bible my mother gave me when I left on my long journey to the States. It was very hard for her to agree to my traveling alone across the vast ocean to America, knowing in all probability she would never see me again.

“She wanted to come here, but my father was too old country and set in his ways, and simply would not hear of it. She read every letter from the uncles in America with passion and hope, and saw a land where she would be free of worry and fear, and where her children and grandchildren could prosper. The uncles offered an opportunity that many dreamt about, but few realized. My father was a very religious man, and spent most of his time praying to a God that my mother felt was offering us the chance for a better life, but he refused to see it that way.

“My brother, Irina’s father, was married with two small children, and he helped our father run the creamery so there was no possibility that he could leave, and my sister was due to be married shortly after I left. I was supposed to come to America after the wedding, but when my uncles secured passage on the Aquitania for me, and the sailing date was earlier than anticipated, I had to leave.

“It was actually my mother who finally convinced my father to let me go. Had I stayed, in all probability we would have all been killed by the soldiers that day.”

Leah placed her hand on his. “Gramps, I know your survival has weighed heavily on your mind all these years, but it was God’s will, and I hope that you come to realize that it was all part of a much greater plan, especially now that you know your brother, Murray, survived as well. You’re about to meet your niece, and you’re in a position to help her, whatever her needs may be. Our whole family is very happy for you, and we are overjoyed that you have lived to see this day.”

Leon kissed her. “You’re absolutely right my darling. Now I’m going to show you what I have in the bag.”

He removed his passport, his papers for travel, his boarding pass for the ship, all yellowed with age and neatly wrapped in paper almost as old as the items themselves. There were pictures of the farm in Ukraine, of his parents, his brother and sister, his brother’s family, and of him standing on the Aquitania as it pulled into Boston harbor, a picture taken by a photographer standing on the dock. There was one picture of Leon with his brother Murray taken prior to his boarding the train to Warsaw. The pictures were dark with hard cardboard backings. There were also pictures taken in the early years of his arrival in America, when he graduated from night school, and when he became an American citizen. Last of all, Leon removed the letters that he had written to Ukraine, that were ultimately returned unopened with the letter telling them what had happened to his family.

The briefcase that Leah had brought with her was large enough to hold everything. Satisfied with their choices, they transferred all the pictures and papers to the case. She then placed it next to her luggage in the front hall.

Returning the valise to the closet, Leon said, “I made a reservation for dinner at Turner Fisheries. It’s a nice evening, and it’s only a short walk over to Copley Place.”

Leah responded, “That sounds great. Just let me freshen up a bit and we can leave.”

They left the Avalon and headed east on Boylston towards Ring Road. As they walked Leon spoke. “I changed our plans slightly when I learned Irina was staying at The Plaza and that our meeting would take place there. Instead of staying at my apartment, I booked a suite for us at The Plaza, as well. It will certainly be more convenient, and that way if she needs to rest from time to time, we can leave and return when she is up to it.”

“I think that’s a good idea. How long do you think we will stay in New York?”

Leon hesitated for a minute and replied. “I really don’t know. I thought a lot about that, and I think we will just have to play it by ear. On the broadcast, she said she would be going to Maryland to the National Institutes of Health for evaluation and treatment. I would prefer to take her to Boston and get the best medical help available for her. I would also like her to stay in America permanently, and I’m certainly willing to do all that is necessary to make that happen. She really has little if anything to return to in Ukraine. Obviously her brother, my nephew, has a family and many problems of his own.

“Of course, I definitely want to contact Yuri and bring him and his family here as well. But again, I don’t know the legal ramifications involved getting people out of the USSR. Honestly, I’m quite surprised that Unsolved Mysteries was allowed to film a broadcast from Ukraine, and bring Irina to the States. They’ve played down the Chernobyl disaster for so long that this is definitely a break through, or possibly a gesture of good will on their part, as they strive for independence from Russia. Maybe they’re just laying a little groundwork for the future.”

“Gramps, this goes back to what I was saying about the clever way she included you in the program that was essentially searching for the family of an American pilot.”

“You are so smart my dear Leah, and you are so right. Well, we are here. Let’s have a nice quiet dinner and put our suppositions aside. I want to hear about you and your new apartment, and what about that young man of yours? Has he asked you to marry him yet? What’s he waiting for?”

As they were led to their table, Leah’s smile reaffirmed her belief that she had the coolest Gramps in town.

***

When they returned to the apartment, Aaron called. “Pop, we’re all very excited for you, and we want you to know that we are all thinking about you. They selected me as the designated caller for the family so that you wouldn’t be swamped with the phone ringing off the hook. We all wish you a safe trip and a grand reunion with Irina. We love you.”

“Thank you. I love you all too.”

Leon’s family had gathered at Aaron’s house for the evening for dinner and a viewing of the Unsolved
Mysteries
Special for all those who had not seen it, and for those who wished to see it again.

At the end of the tape, as the names were revealed and the picture of Judy appeared, Leah’s sister Sandy glanced over at her husband, and noticing the startled look on his face asked, “Sam is something wrong?”