Turbulence (Stone Barrington #46)(13)

“What brings you out?” Stone asked.

“I came out to pick up the debris on the ramp and make sure everything’s as okay as it can be in the circumstances. I hope you’re not thinking of flying today. The fuel truck isn’t back yet, and the airport is still closed.”

“No, I just came to survey any damage,” Stone said. “I see the big hanger took some blows.”

“Somebody didn’t secure the door properly,” the young man said, “and the thing blew open.”

“Can you pull my aircraft halfway out?” Stone asked. “I want to check some things inside.”

“Sure.” He coupled the tow to the nose wheel and pulled the airplane forward a dozen feet.

“Good,” Stone said. “If you’d put it back inside when I’m done and secure the door, I’d be grateful.”

“Sure thing.”

“One other thing,” Stone said, “will you refuel the airplane as soon as you get the fuel truck back? Top off, negative Prist.” Stone reinforced his request with a fifty.

“Absolutely,” the lineman said. “Earliest possible refuel.”

Stone unlocked the airplane door and pulled down the stairs. “Come on,” he said to Holly, “take the copilot’s seat.”

“Are we going somewhere?” she asked.

“Nope, but we are going to communicate.”

They climbed into the cockpit and put on headsets, then Stone turned on the electrical switch, and the panel powered up. He tapped a key on the iPad-like control panel and a phone keyboard appeared on the MFD, multifunctional display. He entered a number and pressed send. The number began ringing.

“Why is this working?” Holly asked.

“Because it’s a satphone.”

“The Barrington Practice,” Joan answered.

“Good morning, it’s me. Holly’s on the phone, too.”

“Good God! Where are you? I thought your house would have blown away and you with it.”

“The house was lucky. I’m calling from the airplane on the satphone; there’s no landline or cellular service on the island, so you won’t be able to call me back.”

“When can you get out of there?”

“I’m guessing, a couple of days. The runway doesn’t appear to have suffered any damage, but there’s no fuel available yet, and the airport is officially closed. I just wanted to let you know that I’m alive.”

“I’m very glad about that. What else can I do for you?”

“Holly? You want to make a call?”

“Can you patch me through to a D.C. number, Joan?” Holly asked.

“Sure.”

Holly gave her the number, and a young man answered. “Secretary’s office,” he said.

“Michael, it’s Holly Barker.”

There ensued a ten-minute conversation with Holly issuing a stream of instructions about small matters, then she turned the phone back to Stone, who called Dino’s office. He got hold of his secretary, told her that Dino and Viv were fine and that they’d be home as soon as the airport opened, then he called Strategic Services and gave them the same information about Viv.

Stone ended the conversation and switched off the electrical power. “That’s it. Let’s get out of here.”

They left the airplane to be moved back by the lineman, then climbed over the fence again and rode toward home, taking a different route.

“I think Key West may have dodged a bullet,” Stone said, looking around. “The only major damage I can see to houses and power lines is where trees fell on them.”

“They said on TV this morning that the worst damage is on Cudjoe and Big Pine Keys,” Holly said, “and that U.S. One is closed all the way up the Keys while they inspect the bridges and clear debris from the road.”

They went by the corner filling station and found it still closed, then pedaled back to their street, lifting their bikes over trees and limbs. “Look at that,” Stone said, pointing. Just inside the house’s gate stood a five-gallon gas container, apparently full.

“Santa Claus has made a stop,” Holly said.

Stone went to the garage, hung up the bikes and poured the gasoline into the car’s fuel tank.

Inside, they found Dino and Viv having breakfast and joined them.

“I was able to make some phone calls from the airplane’s satphone,” Stone said to Dino, “and I called your office and told them you are alive and well.”

“And they were happy about that?” Dino asked. “I’m disappointed. I thought I was a harder taskmaster.”

“I also called Strategic Services and told them you’re okay, too, Viv.”

“Thank you, Stone.”

“So,” Dino said. “I don’t see the point of hanging around this place. When are we getting out of here?”

“As soon as the fuel truck returns and the airport is opened again,” Stone said. “Maybe a couple of days.”

“Thank God for the generator,” Viv said. “I wouldn’t last long without air-conditioning.”

“We’ve got a couple days of propane left. I hope we’ll be gone by then.”

“Did you see your gift by the gate?” Viv asked.