Turbulence (Stone Barrington #46)(69)

55



THE HANGERS LOOMED AHEAD, now, three of them, casting a yellow stream of light onto the apron, where an airliner with Russian markings was parked.

“That’s how they all got here,” Stone said. “I don’t see any corporate-style jets further down. I believe that’s the newest Russian medium-range jet, the M-21. I’m not sure it’s even been certified yet.”

“How do you know this stuff?” the duke asked.

“I read a lot of aviation magazines,” Stone replied.

“Why?”

“I figure if I learn something that saves my life only once, it’s worth the time. Besides I enjoy reading about airplanes.”

“Right,” the duke replied, sounding baffled. “I read about fishing, myself.”

“All right,” Stone said. “Stop here, Herbert.” Herbert stopped. “Now, all four of us out. Try and look like an official inspection party.”

“Will that stop them from shooting us?” Dinah asked.

“Soldiers are accustomed to official inspection parties. Do some nodding and pointing at things.”

“Oh, all right,” Dinah said, exasperated.

The hangar contained a Swiss single-engine turboprop and a King Air 350, the big one.

“Nothing here of interest,” Stone said. “Let’s continue to the next hangar.” They walked briskly next door. Stone instructed Herbert to get the car and move with them.

At the next hangar they were greeted by two armed men in the plain uniforms. Stone was wondering what to tell them and in what language, when Kelly spoke to them sharply in Russian. They snapped to attention.

“What did you say to them?” Stone whispered.

“Official inspection party,” Kelly replied. “Orders of the president.”

“An excellent choice of words,” Stone said. There were two Brazilian light jets in the hangar, the sort of thing that would have the range for anywhere in Europe, even as far as Moscow. Their markings were French. Stone nodded toward something stacked against the rear wall, covered by a tarpaulin. He and the duke walked over, and Stone lifted a corner.

“What do we have here?” the duke asked.

“What we have here are six missiles, suitable for attaching to a fighter aircraft or a helicopter.”

“Air-to-ground, or air-to-air?” the duke asked.

“My guess is either,” Stone said.

“Well, there are no aircraft in here answering to that description,” the duke said. “Let’s check the third hangar.”



* * *



—

THEY WALKED PAST the pair of braced soldiers. Kelly said something to them, and they relaxed.

Next came the third hangar, the big one. The giant doors were closed, and Stone opened a smaller door built into a big one. It was quite dark inside. Stone groped along the door frame and found a bank of switches. One end of the hangar was flooded with white light.

The first thing they could see was two single-engine jet aircraft painted in camo colors, two-seaters, fore and aft, that looked like training airplanes. Stone looked under the wings. “There are attachment points for missiles here; these could be used for close infantry or special forces support. Properly equipped they could defend against armored vehicles, even tanks, with the right warheads.”

“Why on earth would they be on the estate?” the duke asked. “I mean, everything else we’ve seen could be used for ordinary general aviation, but these are clearly military. It’s as though they think they might have to defend Kensington House against intruders.”

“I’m afraid I don’t have an answer for you there, Philip, but I agree: They’re out of place.”

Next in the giant hangar came Owaki’s G-650. “We didn’t see Owaki at the dinner, did we?” Stone asked.

“I didn’t,” the duke replied, “but why would his airplane be here, and not himself?”

“Perhaps he was taking a nap upstairs,” Stone said. He walked over to the airplane and pressed a large button on the exterior, near the door. An airstair door came down, and lights went on inside the airplane.

“I want to see the interior,” the duke said. “Dearest?” He held out a hand to Dinah, and they climbed the stairs and went inside. Stone and Kelly followed.

The interior of the airplane was much like that of the Strategic Services G-650 they had so recently flown in. Kelly walked down the aisle and inspected the seats. At the rear, she took a leather-bound book from a seat pocket and looked through it. “Good God,” she said.

“What have you got there?” Stone asked.

“It appears to be an order book.”

“An order book for what?”

“Weapons. It goes back nearly two years, and it’s apparently a list of everything Owaki has sold and to whom, during that time.”

“I think Lance might like to inspect that,” Stone said.

“Oh, yes, I believe he would,” she replied. “Now I have the feeling I want to get out of here.” She tried tucking the book into her bag, but it was too big to fit. “I don’t want to be seen by one of these soldiers carrying it,” she said.

Stone took the book, raised his waistcoat, shoved it into his waistband and lowered the waistcoat.