Turbulence (Stone Barrington #46)(49)
“I would be amenable to that, but you should know that a person with evil intentions may be tagging my tail number.”
“Would this person be a Mr. Owaki?”
“He would be.”
“I hate that sonofabitch so much, I’d love to annoy him. Tell you what. Our Citation Latitude has been down for a couple of weeks after having eaten a bird of some sort; fixing it required a new engine. They finished it a couple of days ago, and it’s being tested as we speak.”
“I’m not type-rated in the Latitiude,” Stone said, “and it requires two pilots.”
“I’ll do an even swap on the airplanes and bill you for the pilots, for as long as you like.”
“Done.”
“Where are you flying?”
“To the States for the moment. Later, who knows?”
“I’ll be sure the pilots are internationally qualified then.”
“Excellent.”
“I’ve got a G-400 coming back from London the day after tomorrow, and the Latitude and her crew should be ready when you get back.”
“Perfect.”
“Be at London City Airport at ten AM on Wednesday.”
“Thank you, Mike.” They hung up.
“Do we have transportation?” Kelly asked.
“We do, and it’s bigger than my airplane, and with more range.”
“Oh, good. Key West is no problem?”
“Just about any place in North America is no problem.”
“Excellent. When do we leave?”
“We’re to be at London City at ten AM the day after tomorrow. We’ll spend the night at my house in New York, and you’ll have a chance to pick up some light clothes.”
“And what will we do until the day after tomorrow?” she asked.
He climbed back into bed. “Well, we’d better lie low; no going out.”
She laughed. “Then why even get out of bed?” she asked.
“I can’t think of a reason,” he replied, taking her in his arms.
After dinner, which Henry brought up to them, they finished their wine with a Pont l’Eveque, a creamy cheese from Normandy.
* * *
—
THE FOLLOWING AFTERNOON Stone called home.
“The Barrington Practice,” Joan said.
“It’s me.”
“I thought you were deceased. I got something in the mail from the insurance company about a Bentley being totaled.”
“True, but not I with it.”
“I’m relieved to hear that. I had begun to get my résumé together.”
“Relax, I’m not going anywhere, and neither are you.”
“Coming home any time soon?”
“Tomorrow afternoon; have Fred meet us, please. Check with Mike Freeman’s office for our ETA.”
“All right, anything else?”
“Anything going on there?”
“Nothing I can’t handle until tomorrow.”
“Bob okay?”
“Never better. He’ll be glad to see you.”
“Until tomorrow, then.” Stone hung up and turned back to Kelly. “We’ve got until tomorrow morning, early,” he said.
She stretched and yawned. “I’m still here.”
39
ON WEDNESDAY MORNING the London skies were sunny, and Henry drove them to London City Airport. They were the last aboard, the cabin door closing and engines starting as they boarded the G-400.
Air traffic control kept them fairly low for a few minutes, and they got a good look at Windward Hall, Stone’s property on the Beaulieu River. Soon after that they were at flight level 440 and settled in for the nonstop flight.
In the afternoon, as they taxied into Jet Aviation at Teterboro, Fred drove up in the Bentley and opened the trunk. Shortly, they were on their way into Manhattan, ahead of rush hour.
Back at Stone’s house, Bob went suitably crazy for a couple of minutes when he saw Stone.
“So,” Joan said. “How long are you here for?”
“Until tomorrow morning,” he replied. “We’re going to Key West for a while, but our movements have to be secret.”
“I heard rumors that Owaki is at large again,” she said. “This something to do with that?”
“It is, I’m afraid. Put some cash into the Key West bank account and let Anna and George know we’re coming and to leave the car at the airport no later than noon.”
“Will do. Can Bob come? He misses you so much.”
“I miss him, too, and he can certainly come. Plenty of room on Mike Freeman’s airplane.”
“Did somebody blow up your airplane, as well as your Bentley?”
“No, I’m swapping airplanes with Mike, so that if Owaki tracks mine he’ll find it going to Kansas or someplace.”
“Gotcha. I’ll let the Key West FBO know to have your hangar cleared, since you rent it to the FBO when you’re away.”
“Good.”
“Now, go sit down and go through all the stuff I couldn’t handle without you.”
Stone sat down. There wasn’t much, and he handled it. Kelly came in. “Can Fred drive me over to my place and wait while I pack a bikini?”