They raced into the airport and across the tarmac, where Chester was waiting next to his airplane with the baggage compartment standing open. There was one other passenger, a black woman, already aboard. Thomas hustled Libby’s bags into the airplane and locked the compartment, then shook hands with Libby.

“You come back when you can stay longer,” he said.

Stone shook her hand, too. “You find yourself a good broker and invest that money conservatively,” he said to her. Her answer was drowned out by an engine starting. He helped her into the airplane, got her seat belt fastened, and closed the rear door.

Libby held up the Federal Express envelope and gave him a thumbs up, then she stuck it back into her handbag. The airplane began to move, and Stone stepped out of its way.

Thomas turned toward the car. “Let’s go,” he said; “I want to get back to work.”

“Hang on just a minute, will you, Thomas?” Stone replied, watching the airplane. “I just want to be absolutely sure she’s really gone.”

Thomas laughed. “Glad to have her off the island, huh?”

“I can’t tell you how glad.” He pointed at the airplane. “Look, Chester must really be in a hurry; he’s not even doing his runup check.” The little twin was already rolling down the runway.

The two men stood and watched as Chester roared off the runway and got the landing gear up. The airplane turned north toward Antigua, visible in the distance across the channel separating the two islands. The early morning sun glinted on the water.

“There goes a happy woman,” Stone said, waving. “Good-bye, Libby!” He turned toward the car. As he did, he noticed a change in the sound of the engines, and he looked back at the airplane. “What was that?” he asked.

Thomas looked at the airplane, now out over the water. “He’s just reducing power after takeoff. It’s only a few minutes’ flight, and he has to start slowing down if he wants to make Antigua on the first pass.” Thomas frowned. “What’s that?” he asked, pointing. Smoke was trailing from the airplane’s left engine.

“Looks like Chester’s got a problem,” Stone said. “He must have already shut down the engine.”

“I see flames,” Thomas said.

Stone shielded his eyes from the morning sun. “So do I,” he said. The airplane began a rapid descent toward the water.

“Why doesn’t he return here?” Thomas asked.

“He’s trying to blow out the fire,” Stone said. “When I was training for my license, that’s what I was taught to do with an engine fire, a power-on descent, to blow it out.” The airplane seemed to be headed straight down into the sea, and then it leveled off. “The fire isn’t out,” Stone said. “He’s going to ditch in the water.”

“Jesus help him,” Thomas said.