Afraid of the Dark

Chapter Forty-seven

Are you sure you don’t want me to go with you?” asked Andie.

Jack checked on his grandfather before heading to the airport, and it was the third time Andie had asked the same question since entering the nursing home. At least she’d stopped trying to unpack his bags.

“I’m sure,” said Jack.

“Go where?” Grandpa Swyteck asked.

Jack did a double take. Andie was seated in the armchair, and Jack was standing at Grandpa’s bedside, but Jack thought he had fallen asleep after Wheel of Fortune.

“Jack is going to London,” said Andie.

“Of course he is,” said Grandpa. “That’s where they all ran off to.”

Jack had no idea what he was talking about. Too often that was the case anymore. “And then I’m going to Prague,” said Jack. “I want to look up your mother’s family. The Petraks.”

The older man’s brow furrowed into little steps of confusion, as if he were struggling to make a connection between Prague and family. Jack’s gaze shifted back to Andie.

“I’m glad you’re staying,” Jack said quietly. “Even with Theo’s friend as bodyguard, it’s important that one of us be close by.”

“I suppose,” said Andie.

“He’s still there, you know,” said Grandpa, following up on his original thought. “Still in Britain.”

Jack almost asked who, but he caught himself, recalling the neurologist’s advice: Just roll with it. “Still there? Wow.”

“No, I’m wrong about that,” said Grandpa. “He left for the South of France in 1940. A town called Agde, I think.”

“South of France,” said Jack. “Sounds nice.”

“Nice, yeah,” Grandpa said, scoffing. “If you’re a Nazi.” Then he fell silent. He wasn’t making much sense today, but Jack wished he would keep talking, as Andie picked up her thread of the conversation.

“I don’t have a good feeling,” she said, shaking her head. “I respect Vince and all he’s accomplished as a cop. But the fact remains: He is blind. And you’re… well, you’re Jack.”

“What does that mean?”

“I’m just saying. This could be dangerous.”

“Way too dangerous!” Grandpa shouted. “That’s what everyone told him. And even if he pulled it off, any fool would know there would be payback in the long run. The Germans don’t just take things lying down.”

Jack didn’t know how to “just roll” with this one. He stayed on track with Andie. “Would you feel better if I was going with Theo?”

“No,” she said. “Definitely not.”

“Now I remember,” said Grandpa. His finger was in the air, as if the lightbulb had come on. “He went back to Liverpool. Is that far from where you’re going?”

“Not too far.”

“Good. Go see him.”

“I’m sorry. See who, Grandpa?”

“The general, of course. And when you see him, kick his ass. You hear me? You kick General Swyteck’s ass for me!”

General Swyteck? Alzheimer’s or not, Grandpa suddenly had Jack’s complete attention. Even the neurologists had told him that people with Alzheimer’s could have solid memories of the distant past.

“Is there really a General Swyteck?” asked Jack.

“No!”

“Then why-”

“Nono!

“Grandpa, why did you say-”

“Pio Nono! Pio Nono!”

Jack’s heart sank. More ranting about the pope was not a good turn of events.

“Harry!” Grandpa shouted, calling for Jack’s father. “Harry!”

The nurse entered the room, her tone soothing. “Harry is not here, Joseph.”

“Harry!” he shouted, swinging his fists at the nurse. She tried to get out of the way, but Grandpa landed a punch squarely to her chest, then another to her shoulder. Jack grasped his hands, and the nurse pushed the red panic button on the wall.

“No, no! Pio Nono!”

“Grandpa, it’s okay,” said Jack.

The old man shouted even louder. It pained Jack to watch, pained him even more to think that his question about General Swyteck had brought about the outburst.

The nurse’s aides raced into the room. Two large men went to the bed, one coming between Jack and his grandfather, the other positioning himself at the opposite rail. Jack backed away.

“It’s best if you wait in the hallway,” the nurse told him.

“I’m not going anywhere,” said Jack.

She persisted, but Jack wasn’t listening. Even with the Alzheimer’s, Jack wondered if there was some thread of truth running through Grandpa’s confusion over the Petraks, Czech Jews, and now this mention of a General Swyteck.

“Please, sir,” the nurse said, “wait in the hall.”

“I’m staying,” said Jack.

“But-”

“No buts,” said Jack, and then he reached for the little bit of Yiddish he’d learned from his friend Neil. “I’m here for my zeyde.”