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Back Loitering With Intent Save as PDF
Chapters (64)
  1. Stuart Woods
  2. 1
  3. 2
  4. 3
  5. 4
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  7. 6
  8. 7
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  10. 9
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  64. AUTHOR’ S NOTE

fence with a foot, grabbed the top and vaulted over it. He hit the ground on the other side and ran like a frightened deer. Tommy, Stone and Dino began to run. They reached the fence.

“Give me a leg up,” Tommy said, “then go get your car.”

Stone and Dino tossed Tommy over the fence, then ran for the parking lot.

39

39

ANNIKA WAS STANDING at the watercooler, sipping from a cup, when Stone grabbed her arm and hurried out the door.

“He ran,” Stone explained.

“Do we have to run, too?” she asked.

“We just drive,” Stone said. He, Annika and Dino got into the rental car, then they drove to the main road, turned right and drove along the beach.

“Why do you think he went this way?” Dino asked.

“Look at all the people and cars,” Stone replied, driving slowly.

“It’s camouflage.”

They made their way along the beach, and when they saw Tommy, Stone and Dino got out.

“Any sign of him?” Stone asked. He heard police whoopers in the distance, approaching.

“Nope, but help is on the way. He’s got to be in this beach crowd somewhere. You stick with me.”

A couple of squad cars screeched to a halt, and Tommy gave them Vernon’s description and dispatched them in different directions. Stone happened to look back toward the airport. “Hang on, Tommy!” he shouted. “You’re not going to need the help.” He pointed at the red Cessna, climbing, then turning north.

“The son of a bitch doubled back!” Tommy cried.

“Call the tower and see if he filed a flight plan,” Stone said. Tommy had to call information for the number, but he got connected and asked his questions. He hung up. “No flight plan. They don’t even know his tail number; he took off without contacting the tower. Also, he didn’t have his transponder on.”

“That means air traffic control can only track him as a primary target, which is harder,” Stone said. “Call Paul DePoo. He’ll have the tail number from when Vernon checked in, and he’ll probably have a credit card number for his fuel.”

Tommy called, spoke to DePoo, then hung up. “I’ve got the tail number, but he paid cash for his fuel.”

“Then call the state police,” Stone said. “They must have aircraft that can start looking for him. But first call the Navy base. They’re ATC for the area. See if they have a course and altitude for him; that will make the search easier.”

After several minutes of trying to get the right number, Tommy finally got a controller on the line. “He’s headed due north, and he leveled off at eight thousand feet,” Tommy said. “Then they lost him.”