A Child's Haven - 66. Chapter 66

Over the Christmas holiday, I announced that we’d be returning to the island for this year’s vacation. I had arranged with Tony and my dad to raise funds to buy the island and expand the cottages to house 300 kids. This time the adults would occupy the plantation house, and the girls will share the cottages. With this announcement, the kids didn’t care whether they got gifts or not. I also announced that starting January 1, we’ll be changing the birthday celebrations. Instead of going by day, we’ll celebrate by week. This meant that all of the kids would celebrate their birthday at Sanctuary on their day, but on the weekend they will celebrate it together with their fellow birthdays outside of Sanctuary.

Now that we owned an island, the next thing I bought was a jet that could seat 25 people. I hired the pilots and cabin staff. To offset the cost, I set it up as a charter service, and the profit would be donated to Sanctuary. Tony was very clever in setting up the tax scheme. The plane was bought with donations from dad’s friends, which they could then deduct. I know that we also got a special price, so the company had a write-off, another tax deduction.

I was anxious to try out the plane; Tony suggested we should fly to the island and check it out. I knew I’d be interested in doing that, but maybe we could take a few kids along. After thinking about it some more, I thought I’d wait until a birthday would come up the first week. We could go, Disney with a small group or the island with a large group and do some sea fishing.

Murray came running into the dining hall, “Do you want a boat?”

“What are you talking about?”

“You know that boat that brought those kids over, the FBI has confiscated it, and they don’t want it. You could get it for nothing.”

“What would I do with a boat? What happened to the crew?”

“When they investigated the boat, they found out that the smugglers owned it. The crew was part of the ring. They’re sitting in jail awaiting trial.”

“I need to talk to dad about this. Yes, we’ll take the boat.”

I called my dad, “Dad, I just heard from Murray that the FBI confiscated a boat that brought these kids to America. They want to get rid of it, what do you think?”

“How would you use it?”

“After cleaning it up and repainting it, I could take the kids on cruises or deep-sea fishing. The plane is limited, but with the boat, I could take them all. I need your opinion. I always rely on your judgment.”

“It would cost a lot of money. Do you have that kind of money?”

I detected a little humor in my dad’s voice. He knows something which I didn’t concerning Sanctuary. “I could always sell it. Costs are zero to own it.”

“Now he was laughing. Ok, buy it. The money will come from those idiots who once owned it. We just won a large lawsuit against them, leaving them with the clothes on their back. They were so sure of themselves that they sold the kids before they landed. I expect they’ll be dead shortly, and the FBI is watching them. This ring gets tighter.”

“Great, Dad, you and mom will be the first to sail with us.”

I went to Tony’s office, “Tony, I just bought an ocean liner.”

“You did what? Are you crazy?”

I started to laugh, “The FBI confiscated the boat that brought those kids over, and they’re giving it to us.”

“But it’ll cost money to refurbish and to remove the stigma from the boys.”

“Already thought about that, after a paint job and interior done over, I’m christening it Sanctuary II. Our first cruise will be to the Bahamas.”

“Where’s this money coming from? You can’t touch the trust fund. We should make a contribution to cover the new kids.”

“When was the last time you looked at our balance?”

“I don’t know a couple of weeks ago.”

“Check it now.” Tony looked at me like I was crazy.

When he opened the account, his mouth dropped, and he started to stutter. “Where did this money come from? It’s almost a billion dollars.”

“Dad has been working hard for us. They got all of the money from the smugglers, including their off shore accounts. Dad said all they have is the shirt on their back. The best part, they collected on the boys before they landed, and now some very dangerous people are after them. My guess is they gave up the money to save their souls. The FBI is watching them, using them as bait, to catch the guys who bought the boys. Now about that boat, we need to contact shipyards to take it out of the water, paint it, and then contact a boat design firm to redo the interior. You know what; I’m going to install cocoons in the boat. When it’s all done, we’ll take it on its maiden voyage. So Tony, add this to your little note book. And make that contribution to the kid’s trust fund.”

Tony was smiling as I left his office. I was truly happy. I saw Murray in the dining hall. He saw my smile, so he already guessed what I was about to tell him. “I’m taking the boat and going to repaint it and then going to do the interior into a first-class yacht. Our first cruise will be to the Bahamas, and everybody will be going. I’m acting like a kid with a new toy.”

Terry and I went to check on the last boy in the hospital, “We have a problem with the boy. It seems his father called and spoke to the doctor. They are holding the boy until he arrives.”

I got on my phone, “Murray, we just learned that the boy’s father called and asked the hospital to hold the boy until he arrives. We need to check this through your FBI contacts. According to the boy, his father sold him to these scumbags because he’s gay.”

“Terry, you go and stay with the boy until I call you. Aaron, go and arrange to move him to the security area. Tell the doctor he’s a key witness in a smuggling operation that provides boys for sex slaves. Make sure that the only person who can get in is me and who I bring with me.”

I called dad and told him what just happened. I was very open with my dad about sexual preferences. He quickly understood where I was coming from and said he’ll handle it on his side. By the time I was ready to leave, Murray and O’Shea drove up. I quickly caught them up on what I have done, including telling my dad. O’Shea said he’d go and wait with Terry; Murray would wait for the FBI.

I checked the airport to see if any flights from the Mideast had landed. I called Terry and asked for the boy’s last name. Then I’d check flight rosters to see if there’s a man with that name booked. Terry spelled the name for me; I started to check all flights booked to land at our airport. So far, none were scheduled to land today. I called Murray and told him what I did and what I found. He said the FBI is there, and they have moved the kid to the security area. Terry is with him as a translator, but it’ll require you to get him back in if he leaves. The FBI has a plant in the bed, and the room is covered with a female FBI nurse.

Now it’s a waiting game. I figured he’d show at night, and I was right. At ten o’clock, he introduced himself as the boy’s father and was told which room he was in. The receptionists alerted the FBI. Murray called and said they got him, and he’ll give me the details tomorrow morning.

“You look relieved, what’s up?”

“One of the guys who paid for the boys found out that one of them was in the hospital. He called the hospital, saying he was the boy’s father, and ask them to hold him until he arrived. The boy told us he was sold into slavery by his father because he’s gay. I got the boy’s last name and checked the airlines from the East nothing, I check the flight lists on all flights landing today, and he’s not on them. So Murray notifies the FBI, I called Dad, and they set up a sting. They got him, so I now have to wait until tomorrow morning to find out all the details. By the way, the papers for the boat should arrive tomorrow.”

I couldn’t sleep. I kept tossing and turning. My mind was in turmoil. How do I protect them without placing guards on them? There has to be a way to allow them to live a normal life as boys or girls. This wasn’t fair. Unlike most of the time, the answer didn’t come to me.