Air Mail

Nicholas Jamison rummaged through the large cardboard box on the floor. Old framed photographs, letters, and a few articles of clothing surrounded him. Nicholas’ grandmother had passed earlier in the year and had left the house and everything in it to Nicholas and his brother Robert and sister Denise. Neither of his siblings had the time to take care of the place due to their careers. Robert worked for the state, and Denise was a traveling nurse. Nicholas worked in town as a computer programmer and could more easily maintain the house. 

“Besides,” Robert had said, “Nick always loved the place more than the rest of us.”

Nicholas rolled his eyes at the memory. It would be unfair to say that his siblings didn't help him. They did send money and occasionally dropped by to help with small repairs. But the day-to-day upkeep fell to Nicholas. Nicholas stood and stretched his back and shoulders. 

“I need a break,” he said to himself.

He walked into the kitchen, took some leftover chicken alfredo from the fridge, and placed it in the microwave. While his food warmed, Nicholas returned to the living room and looked in the box again. The corner of a manila envelope caught his eye, and he lifted it from the box. 

“What do we have here,” he wondered aloud.

Nicholas saw that the thick envelope had not been opened. Three red seals held it closed in the middle and at both ends.

Nicholas wondered at this because the other letters he had come across had all been opened. 

“But none of them had been sealed like this one,” he said aloud.

The microwave went off, but Nicholas ignored it.

Nicholas picked up a letter opener and placed the blade under one of the seals. But he did not open it.

Rob and Denise should be here for this, he thought.

Nicholas placed the envelope on the coffee table and returned to the kitchen to retrieve his food. 

He ate quickly, then called his siblings and asked them to meet him at their grandparents’s house.

“I guess it’s our house now,” he said aloud.

“What exactly do you have to tell us,” Denise asked.

“It’s easier to show you. It will be worth it, I’m sure.” 

They agreed to have a video call tomorrow evening. 

Nicholas hung up and sat back on the couch, staring at the envelope.

“If I don’t put this away, I will open it now.”

Nicholas tossed it in the box and put the box back into the basement. 

He then turned the other lights off and walked into his bedroom.

Nicholas changed into sleeping shorts and set his alarm. He made a final check of his emails before he turned off the bedside lamp and went to sleep. 

Nicholas placed his phone in its cradle and faced the images of his brother and sister. 

“Ok,” he said as he held up the sealed envelope. “This is why we are here.”

Robert’s eyes widened. 

“That looks very official,” he said. “Is there an image on the seals?”

Nicholas placed a magnifying glass over one of the seals.

“No,” he replied.

“What about initials,” Denise asked.

Nicholas shook his head.

“Let’s end the suspense, shall we”, he said as he held up the letter opener. 

Nicholas carefully broke the seals and opened the envelope.

“Here we go,” he said. 

Nicholas pulled out a small stack of paper and read the document. His eyes widened, and then he said, “This is a land deed.”

Nicholas showed the document to Robert and Denise who both wore shocked expressions. 

“This doesn't seem to be such a big deal to keep in a sealed envelope,” Denise said.

Nicholas read through the document and the other pages that went with it; showing his siblings the pages and pointing out important sections. 

After going through the papers, Nicholas, Robert, and Denise learned that they, or rather their parents, were owners of two hundred and fifty acres of land just outside of Juneau, Alaska. The three siblings were even more surprised to learn how they acquired the land. Their great-grandfather, Isaiah Jamison, had traveled to Alaska to join the Yukon gold rush. Isaiah used some of the profit from his modest find to create a ferry company that transported miners to the city of Skagway, from whence they would travel to the Yukon gold fields. Isaiah prospered and purchased the land. Nicholas sifted through the other papers and as he reached the end of the pile he said, “Whoa. Check this out.”

He turned a photograph toward Robert and Denise.

“Do you know who that is standing with our Granpa Ken,” Robert asked.

Nicholas and Denise shook their heads.

“That man in the service coat is General William Donovan. He was head of the OSS; the Office of Strategic Services.”

“I love how Robert says these things as if we know what he is talking about,” Denise said with a smirk.

Robert rolled his eyes, then explained.

“The OSS was the forerunner of a little group called the CIA. You may have heard of them.”

 Nicholas’ mouth fell open. 

“How the hell did our family get involved in the CIA?”

Robert replied, “Let me do some digging and I can get back to you in a few days.”

“We should meet face-to-face if we are going to talk about this,” Denise said.

Her brothers agreed and planned to meet at Nicholas’ house on Saturday.

Nicholas handed Robert a beer before sitting next to him on the couch.

“So,” Nicholas said to Robert. “Who was this guy, again?”

Robert pointed at the picture.

“William Donovan. He ran the agency that became the CIA.”

“Did you find out how our grandfather got involved?”

Robert smiled.

“This story should be made into a movie.”

Denise said, “Well start talking.”

Robert nodded.

“According to the papers Nick found and my investigation, our grandfather helped the OSS set up a secret base on part of his land. The base was used to ferry supplies, weapons, and agents into the Soviet Union during World War Two. The cover story was that this base was an air mail delivery service. It’s believable considering the terrain up there.”

Nicholas and Denise were stunned. 

“Are you sure about this,” Denise asked. 

Robert nodded.

“There can be no doubt, especially since General Donovan is in this photo.”

Nicholas picked up one of the papers spread out on the floor and read it out loud.

“‘This land and all it contains is hereby granted to Kenneth Jamison for his invaluable service to his country. In addition, Kenneth Jamison and his heirs will be paid a stipend of one thousand dollars per year in perpetuity.’”

The three siblings sat dumbfounded as they considered what they had just learned. 

“That would explain how we paid for the vacations we took as kids,” Nicholas said.

Denise nodded.

“If that stipend was tied to inflation,” she said, “our parents had at least an extra five grand in the bank.”

Robert tapped a few keys on his phone. After a few moments, he whistled.

“What is it,” Nicholas said.

Robert showed him and Denise his phone screen.

“This is what a thousand dollars a month in 1945 is worth now.”

Denise laughed while Nicholas shook his head in disbelief.

“Seventeen thousand, five hundred dollars,” Robert said. “Our parents won life’s lottery thanks to this deal with the government.”

“It's not like we can complain,” Nicholas said. “That money allowed us to have a great childhood.”

“Yeah,” Denise said. “We got to visit nearly every state in the country, go to Europe, and our college was paid for.”

Nicholas rubbed his chin.

“There has to be something else,” he said. “This kind of deal can't be this simple and straightforward.”

Robert shrugged.

“It seems to be everything we see here. If we want to see what’s up, we could visit the site.”

Denise laughed.

“Are you serious? Go to Alaska? I would freeze my ass off.”

Nicholas shook his head.

“Not if we go in the next two to three months. The weather will be pleasant. You can leave your parka at home.”

Denise playfully shoved Nicholas and said, “I hate you. You know what, fine. Let’s do it.”

Robert looked at Denise and asked, “You want to do this?”

“Sure, why not? I haven't taken a vacation yet this year, and I have the time.”

Robert turned to Nicholas.

“What about you?”

“Why not,” he replied. “It is our family’s land. It’s our legacy and we should know what we are getting.”

Robert thought momentarily and said, “You know what, I’m down. When do we leave?”

Nicholas stood on the deck and took in the expansive view. Seemingly endless meadows

transitioned into rolling hills. A small lake reflected the blue cloudless sky, and trees covered the land as far as the eye could see. 

“I can see why Grandpa Kenny loved it so much,” Nicholas said to himself. “It is truly beautiful.”

Nicholas and his siblings had arrived in Juneau, Alaska a month ago. They met with two men, a father and son, Derek and Henry Franklin. Derek served with Kenneth Jamison during World War Two, helping to set up the covert sir operation. After the war, Derek stayed on the property to operate the now civilian company, Pioneer Air Service. Kenneth visited every quarter until he was too old to travel so far. 

“Kenneth loved it up here,” Derek said in a thin voice. “He always wanted to move, but he knew his family would not like it so far north.”

The Jamisons laughed knowing their father would have hated to leave his beloved Florida.

Henry worked as the senior pilot and overall manager for Pioneer Air. He served as a tour guide when he was not working. Robert and Denise had been impressed and said so often. Nicholas however, had fallen in love with it. A few days before they were scheduled to leave, Nicholas told his brother and sister he was staying in Juneau for a while.  

“You like it that much,” Robert asked.

“I do,” Nicholas replied. “Besides, Henry told me he would teach me how to fly.”

Denise raised her ber bottle.

“Good luck little brother. Don't stay up here too long and freeze to death.”

Nicholas smiled.

“I feel like since this is our family’s legacy, one of us should be here to maintain it. It’s easier for me to take this on, so here we are.”

Robert and Denise said their goodbyes before leaving Nicholas alone. 

Nicholas sighed contentedly, then turned and entered the house. A fire crackled in the hearth and Nicholas smiled as he thought about the fact that he had a fire lit in early June. It was over ninety degrees at his grandparents' old house in Florida. 

He walked to the kitchen and took a beer from the fridge. Nicholas returned to the living room and looked at the framed picture of his grandfather Kenneth standing with General Donovan. 

He raised his bottle in a toast and said, “As crazy as this situation is, thanks to you both. Here’s to a new adventure for the Jamisons.”