Ghost Ship

“You want to know why? Why you would possibly willingly lose your memory? I’d love to tell you, but I can’t. I’m sorry. All I can say is that this was the price you had to pay to keep everyone you care about safe.

“Look. Forget about searching for the truth. You’re not going to find it, so don’t waste your time trying.”

Sam bit his lower lip, made a half-grin and then continued.

“All right, let me address the more important things that I can answer…

“How long does it last for?

“Some things are permanent. In fact, some of the greatest neurologists around the world are almost a hundred percent certain that you and I will never get our memories of the past forty-eight hours back.

“Don’t worry about it.

“Fact is, you’re not missing out on anything. They were pretty lousy. So best that you forget about them…

“Other memories will come back. It just takes time. The human brain’s a marvelous machine, but like most computers, we don’t really know for certain what will work after you turn it off and back on again.

“When your brain was rebooted, anything could happen. I’m guessing that by now you’ve recalled simple things like your date of birth, where you grew up, that you like to SCUBA dive. You will eventually meet up with friends, who will also help jog your memory. In time, I like to hope, you’ll get your old life back… it was a good one.

“Don’t worry. You’re not an asshole.

“I know you want to go after the truth. But the truth is, I don’t want you to. It will only lead to pain and suffering.

“The best thing you can do me — and remember, I am you — is to forget about this.

“Time will pass, and you’ll have your life back.

“Thanks, buddy.”

Sam Reilly — the one in the video, turned his gaze across to his shoulder, as though looking at someone off the set of the screen. He nodded. “I’m almost done.”

He turned his gaze back to the camera. “Look. I have to go. I hope this works. Good luck. Whatever happens, I hope you make a great time out of whatever life you have left. Good luck.”

The recording went dead.

Sam frowned. “What the hell was that about?”

Chapter Forty-Nine

Sam rewound the tape and pressed play again.

This time he recorded the whole thing on Andre’s cell phone. There was very little more that could be learned from watching it a second time around. He was certain now that the Sam on the tape was himself and not an actor disguised to look like him. The facial mannerisms were too difficult to imitate or reproduce. It also confirmed that the recording had been taken inside what appeared to be an empty hospital ward.

Sam double checked that the tape didn’t have any more information on it by fast-forwarding all the way to the end. Then, flipping the tape over, he checked the opposite side, only to find it too was blank.

Certain there was nothing more he could learn from the Betamax tape, Sam left it and the Betamax player, and left the pawn shop without saying goodbye to the cashier.

He headed south toward the Moskovsky railway station.

Sam picked up Andre’s cell phone and dialed Catarina’s number by memory.

Catarina picked up. “Hello?”

“Catarina!” Sam said, relieved to know that there had been no damage to his short-term memory.

“Thank God!” she said. “I had no idea what happened to you, but our State Media is reporting a large aircraft crash in the Baltic Sea. When I hadn’t heard from you, I began to worry…”

Sam stopped her. “Look. I’m okay, but I was betrayed.”

“Who by?”

“I’m not certain, but I think it must have been Tom Bower.”

“Tom Bower… as in your best friend growing up?”

Sam nodded as he walked. “Yeah. I know, it seems unlikely. But the fact is, plenty of people who were best friends growing up move on with their lives. Maybe Tom and I quarreled?”

“And then, what? He tried to kill you?”

“I know, it seems far-fetched. Of course, I don’t remember him at all. I don’t suppose you do? What’s Tom like? Do you think he might have betrayed me?”

“Unlikely. It’s been fifteen years since I last saw him, but you two were always pretty close. Why? What are you thinking?”

“I don’t know… I was just thinking that Tom Bower was the only person who knew where I was. Which means he might be my prime suspect. Besides, he took more than a couple shots at me while I was trying to escape Vernazza.”

“Tom shot at you?” she said, her voice a mixture of excitement and concern.

Sam stopped, closed his eyes for a second, and reflected on the ride out of Vernazza. “Yeah, he shot at me.”

“So, then it’s settled. Tom Bower betrayed you.”

“Possibly.”

“How can you be unsure? If the man took a shot at you, we can both agree he’s not on your side.”

“I’ve been giving that some thought. If he’d wanted me dead, surely he would have hit me, don’t you think?”

“Maybe. Did he have much time?”

“Yeah, he got a few opportunities.”

“But you were on a bike…”

“I know. And Hollywood always likes to have us believe that it’s easier to shoot at a moving target than it really is.”

Catarina said, “On that subject, how is my bike?”

“Ah…”