Authors: P. R. Garlick
"Yes, and I'm honored that I've been chosen to act as his
substitute during his absence." Liane smiled to the man. "We have
another shipment coming in tonight, and we'll fly it out in the
morning."
"I see," the man said as he wrote something onto a small note
pad. "You just let me know when they are here and I will open the
gates for them."
"Thank you, Sir," she replied, then looked up and saw Todd
nod. Relieved she followed him to the plane, anxious for a few
moments to rest before they continued on their way.
"I didn't expect anything this big," she said when she saw the
DC-3 waiting to be loaded. "Exactly how many planes do you have?"
Todd shrugged. "Enough to go legit, if I decide to." He
walked around the plane to the doorway. "We may as well wait
inside. They'll probably be a little while yet."
"Is this the way you usually do things?" she asked. "I mean,
load things in the middle of the night and take off at dawn."
"No . . .everything is different about this trip."
"Because it's the last, or because it's without Jack?"
"Both." He sat down and propped himself against the side of
the plane. "We usually do everything in here by the light of day. Jack
brings in the crates and things. I wait here with the plane.
"It's worked out fairly well. Like I said, the guy in there is
only too glad to see his people getting help. He checked the crates
once, then never again. It's the other end that gets sticky."
"You mean when you get back to the States? I suppose that
can be a problem."
"We usually leave here in the early afternoon. That puts us
back in the States safely after dark. We land at my airstrip just
outside L.A., and from there take the shipment the rest of the way into
the city by truck."
"Wait a minute." She held up a hand. "Your airstrip? You
mean to tell me you also have your own landing strip?"
"Just someplace to put down my planes," he said with a smile.
"I told you I do all right."
"Then why this?" She was bewildered.
He sobered. "I can't explain anything to you now, M.C.
Besides, it should be Jack who tells you."
"Well, I hope we find him soon, so he can." She sighed, her
eyes closing briefly, thinking. Then suddenly she opened them wide.
"If you usually do it the way you've just explained, how did the crates
get to where Jack hid them? Or should I ask;
Why
they ended up
there?"
"Don't ask." Todd got up and came to stand in front of her.
"But I already did." She stared deep into his brown eyes. "If it
has anything to do with the reason my brother is missing in the first
place, I have a right to know."
"Don't push, M.C. I mean it! Things are bad enough without
you getting more involved."
"More involved!" She laughed. "In case you haven't noticed,
I'm in this just about as far as you."
"Not if you do as I ask," he said quickly, grabbing her firmly
by the shoulders. "When we land at my strip you get out of this plane
and keep going. Just walk away and don't look back."
"Not until I know about Jack."
"Look, M.C., I'll see this through and try to find him on my
own."
She shook her head. "No . . .I don't trust you."
"What!" His frown deepened. "I can't believe after everything
that's happened, you'd still say you don't trust me."
"After everything . . .I don't think there's been anything yet
that's proved I can trust you."
"I see." He slowly raised his hands to cup her face. "Nothing
at all. Well, I thought differently. Even if it was only for a little
while."
He lowered his face closer to her's. "I think you proved you
trusted me in the jungle." He touched his lips to hers, as if to remind
her with a kiss. "If you didn't trust me, tell me why you . . ."
"Because I'm a woman," she interrupted before he could
remind her with more of the details. She didn't know if she could handle that, already she felt a stirring deep inside her.
I have to
explain.
"I have normal feelings. You see, I'm not . . ."
The screech of brakes prevented her from finishing her
confession. Todd stared at her only a moment before releasing her. "I
guess it'll have to wait, M.C. I doubt our friend Eduardo will sit
quietly by while you and I work this out."
Liane's emotions had time to cool as the men deftly loaded the
crates into the plane. By the time they were ready to take off, she
wanted nothing more than to sit quietly by herself in the back of the
plane.
"You're sitting up front with me," Todd ordered when he saw
her find a spot and sit. "Sorry Eduardo, but I much prefer a pretty face
next to me during these long flights."
"She is very lovely," their barrel-chested companion said,
looking closely at her as though for the first time. "Too bad she is
married to the church. But maybe she can be persuaded."
"Oh! You're disgusting!" Liane spat contemptuously. "Both
of you!" She turned emerald eyes on Todd in anger. "I think I prefer
being alone in the back."
"Up front." Pulling her by the arm, he left her no debate.
"Unless you want to take your chances with him," he added so only
she could hear.
She looked at the other man, noting the way he seemed drool
as his beady black eyes looked her over.
Like a dog waiting for a
crumb to drop from the table.
With a frown, she pulled out of Todd's
grasp and marched stiffly to the front of the plane.
"And they say, Latins have a way with women," Eduardo
laughed as he took the place Liane had vacated.
Liane remained silent for the first part of the flight. In part
from her usual phobia of flying, part because she was still intent on
figuring out everything that was going on. Things had been confusing
enough at first. Now, the more she knew, the less sense anything
made.
The sun was already high in the sky when they landed in a
small airport in Mexico to refuel. Liane was glad for the chance to
stretch her legs.
In the small restroom she rinsed her face with cool water,
hoping to wash away her fatigue. If she didn't take time to rest
sometime during the flight, she knew she'd be exhausted later that
evening when she was expected to do the show in the L.A. nightclub.
She wondered about the two nightclubs, one in Lima and one
in L.A., and how they tied into everything. Were they just used as a place to relay messages, or did the owners of the clubs have a hand in
everything that was going on? She knew it was possible that they did,
and if so, she'd have to be careful. They'd be watching her every
move.
Again she remembered the reason for her masquerade. If the
murder of Ralph Devereaux was still unsolved, she'd be wanted in Los
Angeles. She'd be taking a big risk doing a show there.
"Todd, I have to ask you something," she began when she
joined him inside the plane. "It has to do with . . .with my sister,
Liane. You know she's wanted for the murder of Jack's agent. I was
wondering if you heard anything about it when you went back to get
this plane." She nervously bit her lip waiting for his reply.
"No one solved it yet," he replied. "But don't worry about it.
Things will work out for her. I promise . . ." Then he looked at her
sadly. "I may as well have saved my breath . . .you don't believe me
anyway."
"Todd, I honestly don't know what to believe anymore."
"Yeah," he said grimly. "Maybe by the end of this you'll
figure out who's on whose side. But for right now, why don't you just
try to get some rest."
"That sounds like a good idea." She leaned her head back.
"It's going to be a long night, too." As she was about to close her
eyes, she spotted something. It looked like a set of initials painted just
above the windshield. '
M.T
.' with several lines below it, as though to
count something.
The initials reminded her of something, but she was too tried
to care. Sleep saved her the necessity of trying.
When she awoke, they were approaching the runway. She
noticed the strained look on Todd's face as he kept his attention full
on the landing of the plane. They were nearing the end of one leg of
their journey, and she knew it had taken its toll.
"Now, I suggest
you
get some rest," she said after they landed
and were out of the plane. "You have an even longer night ahead of
you. That is, if they want you to fly the guns out yet tonight."
"It's hard to say what they'll want me to do." He sighed,
glancing over his shoulder to their companion. "And it's a cinch our
friend here was given orders not to tell us anything."
"Todd, how does the nightclub tie into all this?"
Again he looked to see how close Eduardo was behind them as
they walked toward the small group of buildings. "It's been known to
have connections with some less than desirable businessmen."
"You mean the Mafia?"
He turned to her and laughed. "Yes, now do you see what
you're getting yourself into, M.C.? A nun working for the L.A.
underworld!"
She smiled at his irritation. "Under the circumstances, I'm
sure I'll be forgiven for it. Everything I've done has been for a good
cause." Suddenly her smile faded, as she remembered one thing she
had done totally for herself. "What happens next?" she asked,
changing the subject."
I
Liane was nervous as the taxi cab pulled in front
of the
nightclub. She was wearing a full-length, green evening dress Todd
had picked out for her earlier that day, insisting that in it, she would
fit the part of an entertainer.
"Kitty Katt will have to be at her very best for tonight's show,"
he had said as his dark eyes looked appreciatively over her in the
dress.
She looked at her companion and wished again that Todd had
come along. But he hadn't gotten any rest earlier, after delivering the
crates to a warehouse as ordered by the owners of the shop where he
usually delivered the shipments.