Clean.

When the plane rolled out, the taxiway would be guarded by uniformed patrolmen. Fred Dellray had contacted the FAA to arrange that the flight plan be sealed, so that the Dancer couldn’t learn where the plane was going—if he even knew that Percey was at the helm. The agent had also contacted the FBI field offices in each of the arrival cities and arranged for tactical agents to be on the tarmac when the shipments were delivered.

Now, engines started, Brad in the right-hand seat and Roland Bell shifting uneasily in one of the two remaining passenger seats, Percey Clay spoke to the tower, “Lear Six Niner Five Foxtrot Bravo at Hudson Air. Ready for taxi.”

“Roger, Niner Five Foxtrot Bravo. Cleared onto taxiway zero nine right.”

“Zero nine right, Niner Five Foxtrot Bravo.”

A touch to the smooth throttles and the spritely plane turned onto the taxiway and proceeded through the gray, early spring evening. Percey was driving. Copilots have flight authority but only the pilot can steer the plane on the ground.

“You having fun, Officer?” she called back to Bell.

“I’m just tickled,” he said, looking sourly out the large round window. “You know, you can see straight down. I mean, the windows go so far round. Why’d they make it that way?”

Percey laughed. She called out, “On airliners, they try to keep you from realizing you’re flying. Movies, food, small windows. Where’s the fun? What’s the point?”

“I can see a point or two,” he said, chewing his Wrigley’s with energetic teeth. He closed the curtain.

Percey’s eyes were on the taxiway, checking left and right, always vigilant. To Brad she said, “I’ll do the briefing now. Okay?”

“Yes’m.”

“This’ll be a rolling takeoff with flaps set to fifteen degrees,” Percey said. “I’ll advance the throttles. You call airspeed, eighty knots, cross-check, V one, rotate, V two, and positive rate. I’ll command gear up and you raise it. Got that?”

“Airspeed, eighty, V one, rotate, V two, positive rate. Gear.”

“Good. You’ll monitor all instruments and the annunciator panel. Now, if we get a red panel light or there’s an engine malfunction before V one, sing out ‘Abort’ loud and clear and I’ll make a go/no-go decision. If there’s a malfunction at or after V one, we will continue the takeoff and we’ll treat the situation as an in-flight emergency. We will continue on heading and you’ll request VFR clearance for an immediate return to the airport. Understood?”

“Understood.”

“Good. Let’s do some flying . . . You ready, Roland?”

“I’m ready. Hope you are. Don’t drop your candy.”

Percey laughed again. Their housekeeper in Richmond had used that expression. It meant, don’t screw up.

She wobbled the throttles a little closer to the firewall. The engines gave a grinding sound and the Learjet sped forward. They continued to the hold position, where the killer had placed the bomb on Ed’s plane. She looked out the window and saw two cops standing guard.

“Lear Niner Five Foxtrot Bravo,” Ground Control called through the radio, “proceed to and hold short of runway five left.”