PART X WHERE IS CINDY TAYLOR?

It has been a week since anyone has last heard from Cindy Taylor. Mario Rackman was sitting at his metal desk in his office at Hanger 3 at Moffett Navel Air Station. Jackson came in with a folder.

"This is the maintenance log you asked for, Skipper", Jackson said as Mario looked down deep in thought.

"Oh, yea", Mario answered after a long pause.

Jackson looked at him with a puzzled look. He then grabbed a lose chair, turned it backwards and sat facing Mario.

"Look", Jackson began trying to find the right words, "I know you don't like to talk to much about that thing you did in the conflict in fifty-three, but..."

"Remember that girl I brought here to the base last week?" Mario slowly confided.

"Oh yea", Jackson answered as he pulled a large cigar from his pocket. Putting the stogy in his mouth, he patted his pockets in search for a book of matches, "The was the brunette dame in the scarf."

"She's AWOL", Mario said, pulling a lighter from his own pocket to light and lit Jackson's cigar.

Jackson quickly pulled the cigar out before he choked. "She's missin'?"

"Almost a week", Mario replied as he pulled a pack of Camels from his pocket and lit a cigarette."

"What are the cops sayin'?" Jackson asked.

"Cops aren't involved", Mario said blowing the smoke out, "an' something doesn't add up here."

"Is there anything I can do, Skipper?" Jackson asked.

Mario scribbled the name Penny Cest on a piece of paper and handed it to Jackson.

"I want you to go fishin'", Mario said with a very serious look.

Penny talks to a witness

A week after Cindy's disappearance, it was beginning to sink in to Penny that her technical friend was not returning anytime soon. Moreover, she was beginning to suspect Sidney Bekon.

Looking out the front window, she saw a man washing a car in his driveway.

"Excuse me, sir", she said to the man.

"Welcome to the neighborhood", he said in a friendly tone.

"Likewise", Penny answered as she shook his hand.

The two two talked for several minutes, exchanging small talk about the neighborhood's local schools and churches.

Penny handed the man a picture of Sidney Bekon.

"I've seen this man", he said, "He put a newspaper on your door and left abruptly.'

Jackson finds strange information

Several days later, Jackson handed Mario a strange report.

"Penny Cest", Mario began to read, "Age three. Resides in Pacifica California. Daughter of Bill Cest, who owns a liquor store." Mario put the paper down in disappointment. "A dead end, my friend. Penny Cest is in her forties."

"Why don't you take your hog up there. Weekend's coming and it would be a good ride."

Next day was Saturday and a very sunny warm day. Mario was riding his Harley Davidson north on Junipero Sierra Boulevard toward the small town of Pacifica. As he reached the Pulgas Water Temple, a small Greek well like structure that was a popular spot for young lovers, he knew it wasn't far. He made a left turn toward the coastal town. Coastal fog began to appear and the temperature became brisk.

After a few minutes of maneuvering through a winding road, a red signal light began to immerse from the fog. As Mario stopped the motorcycle, the cold air from his breath dissipated into the air.

The liquor store began to appear in a distance as if it were a mirage in an Arabian desert. The cold air was biting at Mario's face. He pulled into the small parking lot.

Mario shut the engine off the motorcycle Everything became very quiet, except for the occasional car that passed and the sound of ocean off at a distance. He pulled off his gloves and laid them onto the saddle seat. The small store stood by itself with a large ice machine located on the side. A red neon sign reading "BILL'S LIQUORS" flashed over the door.

As he entered, the store shelves were cramped with various brands of liquor and mixes. At the counter, there was a man in his late thirties with a well groomed woman on the other side. Next to the woman, there was a little girl with long brunette hair.

"Can I help you?' the man asked as Mario browsed the shelves.

Mario's boots knocked the old floor boards as he walked to the counter.

"I just need a carton of Camels", he quietly said.

"Bill", the woman said, "I'll bring Penny back later this afternoon after our trip to the dentist."

Mario looked down at the little girl. A chill ran down his neck as he saw identical facial features to an older Penny Cest, but that of a three year old child.

"Are you all right, sir?" the little girl said. "You don't look so good!"

"My god!" he thought. "It sounds just like her but in a little girl's voice."

"Penny", the woman scolded, "That's not polite!"

A sudden shock to Penny Cest

Meanwhile, Penny was at the Sunnyvale Library, an old adobe building with a stage in the rear. She was looking into county records that may give her a hint to where Sidney Bekon may presently reside.

All the sudden, a stark image of Mario's face flashed in front of her. This was not of recent memory, but something she recollected as a little girl.

Penny sat a just looked straight. If she had seen someone in her childhood that looked like Mario before, why wasn't this flagged when she met him in the cafe?

A long trip back

Mario was deep in thought as he maneuvered the bike back to his apartment at Moffett Field. It was not unusual to see a relative to look like their sibling, but the resemblance to the little girl was uncanny.

A sign on the road ahead read "Skyline". This was a stretch that lined the top of the mountain top all the way from San Francisco down to the Santa Clara Valley.

Mario turned into the road, downshifted with the suicide clutch and opened the throttle. The bike leaped forward as he went shifted the gear stick. Trees and greenery started to look like a blur as the Harley machine was reaching its maximum speed. The wind blowing in his face as he looked down at the speedometer, paging the 100 MPH limit.

The image of that little girl was imprinted on his mind. Sure, there's quite often a resemblance with family members. But this child not only looked the Penny Cest he knew, but acted and talked like her as well.

At the house, Penny was pacing back and forth The loud roar of the Harley Davidson pulled up to the house. Penny opened the door, but Mario had a strange look on his face.

"Who the hell are you, lady?" he asked.

Lost and confused

It was foggy and quiet at the small Dunbarton Bridge, a small two lane bridge built in the twenties. At around 7 AM, the air was crisp from the bay water. An old truck began making its treck across the old draw bridge. In the weeds below, a female dressed in jeans laid lifeless. The woman opened her eyes and began to move. As she looked up at the bridge structure, it began to vibrate with echo as a truck rolled across.

She slowly got up and brushed the twigs off her clothes. Looking across the gray bay water, the faint silhouette of the Moffett Field Navel Air Station hangers made a faint impression through the thick fog.

As the woman's senses began to come to, it dawned on her that she hadn't a clue to who she was or why she was there.

NEXT: PART XI WHO AM I?