Peter sat at the small table and put his head in his hands. How the hell were they going to get out? In reality, they only had three days. He got a sheet of Leeward stationery, and drew a rough plan of the hotel grounds including the maze, the driveway, the pool, and the artificial pond. He had just finished when Rodney came in. The first thing Peter did was to tell him about the walkie-talkies and the situation in Antigua.
“Things aren’t too good.” Peter looked up at the man who had been his friend and employee for years. “The only way we can escape is by helicopter, and Anna’s going to have to organize one somehow, assuming she’s fit enough to do it. In the meantime, we should work out the details.”
Rodney seemed surprisingly cool as he sat at the table and studied Peter’s drawing. “There are police trucks at the front, and guards everywhere. The only place a chopper could land behind cover would be close to the maze, on the side away from the house. If the cops thought it was one of theirs, there might be time to board before they realized their mistake.”
Peter took another careful look at his diagram. “There would have to be some daylight left for the pilot to see clearly. Also it would be best if he could land when the guards were otherwise occupied.”
“You mean distract them with a fire or something?”
“Exactly.” Peter laughed halfheartedly. “Hans told me Joshua thought we should blow up their trucks. I wish we could.”
They talked for another half-hour. They scribbled on the drawing. Peter jotted down notes. Finally he wrote out an escape plan, of a sort.
“I’ll call Hans right away,” he said. “Our idea hinges on him, so let’s hope he doesn’t mind sticking his neck out.”
“I’ll keep everyone in my room. Come and get Meg and Bobbie when you’re done.”
Rodney left, closing the door quietly.
Peter grabbed the walkie-talkie and shut himself in the bathroom. Hans was waiting at Joshua’s house as expected.
“I’ve got an idea,” said Peter. “It involves you. In fact, the whole plan depends on you.”
“Oh,” replied Hans.
“I know it’s a lot to ask, but this is what Rodney and I thought up.”
“Not too fast. I want to get it straight.”
“Remember, this is only rough. Exact timing is of the essence and I’ll work it out later. The idea is that we get everyone into the old cellar at the center of the maze about half an hour before dinner. It’s the safest place I can think of since the police guards would never find it in time to stop us. We’ll take along something to cut access holes through the hedging so we have a quick exit route out the back to where the helicopter will land. We’ll have to do all this without being spotted, and of course it will still be light. The guards will assume we’re all in the kitchen preparing dinner. They usually come into the dining room for their evening meal quite promptly at six, but this time they’ll find the door locked. When they get no answer from inside, they’ll certainly break it down. Now this is where you come in, so hold your breath. Your job is to steal the hotel pickup from the car park out front, probably around ten to six, but definitely before the cops find the kitchen empty. With luck you’ll get chased and lure some of the guards away from the hotel. When the rest find we’ve all gone, they’ll assume we’ve flown the coop in the pickup and hopefully join in the chase themselves.”
“It all sounds very dubious,” interrupted Hans. “But go on.”
Peter continued. “By this time the chopper will be in radio range, and I can use the walkie-talkie on a prearranged frequency to tell the pilot to land. Even if the guards notice it doesn’t belong to the police, someone in the aircraft can cover our exit with enough gunfire to keep them pinned down. That leaves only your good self on the island, Hans. I haven’t had a chance to figure out how you can get away, but perhaps Joshua can take you out to sea in his boat, and the chopper can collect you. I know it’s asking a lot as you’ve done so much already.” Peter switched to receive.
“It sounds very dangerous for everyone. But if they’re going to kill you all, what else can I do? The main points of your plan are clear, and from what you say it will have to be executed Tuesday evening. I hope Anna recovers quickly, as we’re relying on her. I’ll get Joshua to take me to the store right away, and talk to Jon first. Anna will have to be woken up if necessary. Call me back as late as you can.”
“Thanks, Hans. We’ll make it up to you somehow.” Peter signed off, and set about making a detailed timetable for the escape plan. It was quite a while before he went to Rodney’s room to fetch Meg and Bobbie.
As soon as he had finished speaking with Peter, Joshua took Hans to the store, where he got through to Jon. As luck would have it, Anna knocked on the door of Jon’s room at the same moment. She took the phone from him and told Hans she was feeling a lot better. She had no headache, and there was only one stitch in her scalp. Hans read his notes on Peter’s provisional escape plan and added everything the children had said about the conversation between Chief Green and Stoker. In her concern about taping the conversation, Anna almost forgot to mention that Judge Winchester and Josie would arrive in Antigua the next day, Sunday.
“I sincerely hope she can arrange for a chopper,” said Hans as he replaced the receiver.
“Did she sound hopeful?” Joshua had been sitting on some boxes in the shadows of the alcove listening to one end of the telephone conversation.
“She didn’t say, but she’ll have to pull a lot of strings to get one this late on a Saturday night. I have to wait for her to phone back.”
Norton Grinder was messing about behind the counter. “Let’s have some coffee, or better yet some rum. I’ve got a bottle of Appleton Special. Beats the St. Barbe’s brew to hell.”
A fairly substantial amount of spirit had disappeared by the time the phone rang.
“I’ve done it!” said Anna ecstatically.
“Fantastische! How did you pull it off?”
“It was obvious that the only place where I might get some help was the Hanley Agency. You remember them, don’t you? They’re the Thibald and Sörnsen representatives in Miami. Luckily they cooperated. It seems there’s a helicopter company in Florida that they use occasionally. For a price, they will handle somewhat dubious operations like ours. They make so much money from these contracts that they never turn one down. The pilots are mostly ex-servicemen with combat experience, and there’s always one on call.
“Now to the rescue itself. As Peter pointed out, it will be essential to have at least one person on board to provide covering fire when everyone starts breaking out of the maze. From what Hanley’s people said, the type of machine we’ll be getting can take eight passengers, which means that two people can go in addition to the pilot. Jon wants to be one of them, of course, but I told him absolutely and definitely not. I need someone with a cool head, and know the very man—Joel Trilby. I shall tell the manager of the Anchor Hotel that the least he can do to make up for his atrocious security is to lend me Trilby for a couple of days. He can’t very well refuse, and I have a shrewd suspicion that our ex cop will jump at the idea when he finds out how much I’m prepared to pay him. He’ll be perfect for the job. After all he did manage to rescue me from that gunman without getting me killed . . . just. Anyway, I’ll tackle him tomorrow.
“Next, a timetable of sorts. The company says the aircraft can be here by Monday morning, which will give me time to authorize payment for it from Stockholm. Also I’ll see if Trilby can get hold of some weapons by Tuesday morning at the latest. In the meantime I’ll look at the escape plan and see if I can improve it. At your end, you must ask Peter Calluna to provide actual times for each step. Meanwhile, be extremely careful, my very dear Hans.”
“Goodbye, Anna. Look after yourself. I’ll call this time tomorrow.”
Back at Joshua’s house, Hans waited anxiously until Peter eventually made contact over the walkie-talkie. Hans gave him Anna’s news, and Peter replied that everyone at Leeward w
ould know about the helicopter before they went to sleep. He hoped that getting away on Tuesday would be soon enough.
It was later that night, when the moon was coming and going behind the mists above Tom’s Mountain, that Tonto disappeared. Bobbie had somehow neglected to latch the gate of his enclosure securely after feeding him. When he finished eating, the little dog pushed his way outside and vanished into the darkness.
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
Sunday, September 23, Horseshoe Bay Hotel, Antigua
It was mid-afternoon when Jon picked up Josie and Judge Winchester in a rented car at Antigua International Airport. Because of the attempted kidnapping, Anna had already relocated from the Anchor Hotel to one at Horseshoe Bay, so they were following her to the island’s east coast. While they drove to Horseshoe Bay, Jon brought them up to date on events at Leeward, in particular the conversation between Stoker and Green that the children had overheard in the maze.
“Stoker!” cried the Judge as soon as the name was mentioned. “You won’t believe this, but he was the man I saw at the London meeting, and about a week later at the back of my courtroom!”
“Are you sure?” queried Jon.
“No doubt about it. We talked to Marshall Thompson from the airport before leaving Boston. He had only just returned to town, but his people managed to obtain Stoker’s name through airline passenger lists. Very few travelers had flown from London to Boston then on to St. Barbe’s near the dates in question. This confirms without any doubt a connection between the London meeting, events at home, and the situation at Leeward. From what you say, Bobbie and Neil hinted at this when they described Stoker and Green’s conversation. It’s too bad they couldn’t remember a bit more of what was said. Unfortunately the information doesn’t help us with the Leeward problem.”
“We asked Marshall Thompson to persuade the nearest US Consulate to help,” Josie continued. “He said he didn’t think the government would consider getting involved, but he would make some enquiries anyway.”
“Which means we’re on our own.” Jon turned the car into the Hotel parking lot.
“It looks that way,” the Judge concluded.
After Josie and Judge Winchester had freshened up, they all met on the balcony of Anna’s second floor room. A colored bandanna covered her grazed scalp.
“The escape plan was finalized this morning with Hans,” she began. “We worked out all the details on the phone so that our activities with the helicopter will fit exactly with Peter Calluna’s timetable.” She went on to give them information, which varied little from the original scheme. “So much depends on Hans being able to divert the guards by stealing the pickup. He will have to lead them well away from Leeward, then escape capture himself.”
“He sounds a brave and resourceful man,” said the Judge. “I’m looking forward to meeting him.”
“Trilby will see to the helicopter’s arrival here tomorrow, and he expects to be able to get a couple of rifles.” Anna looked pale and drawn. “I’m sorry, I’m feeling a little dizzy. I think I’ll go inside and rest for an hour, if you’ll excuse me.”
Jon stretched. “Let’s go for a swim, snorkeling is very relaxing.”
The Judge declined, and frowned as Josie and Jon went off to change. Things didn’t look good. Anna should have stayed in the hospital.
After the swim, the threesome sat round a table at the hotel’s beach bar with rum punches.
“Anna can’t possibly go on the rescue mission Tuesday,” said Jon. “You saw how sick she looked.”
“And I suppose you want to take her place?” Josie’s voice rose a fraction.
“There’s no one else, and I can shoot pretty well.”
“Jon that’s ridiculous. Anna’s trained for this kind of thing and you aren’t. There are armed police out there. They’ll kill you if they can, and you’re a sitting duck in a helicopter.”
The Judge remained silent but watched each of them carefully as they spoke.
Jon took some peanuts from a bowl and washed them down with a mouthful of punch. “I have to go. Peter and Meg and Bobbie are my family now, and I have an obligation to do all I possibly can.”
“Fine, but you’re not going to be much good to them with a bullet in your head! Hell, Jon, heroics will get you nowhere if you’re dead! And what about me? How do you think I feel?”
Jon’s voice dropped. “I understand, Josie, I really do. But it’s a risk I have to take. I’m going, and that’s final.”
“So I have no say in this?” Josie’s voice became even shriller. Fortunately, there was only the barman to overhear the altercation. “If you refuse to change your mind, I shall leave here tomorrow, and you’ll never see me again!”
Throughout all this the Judge was shaking his head almost imperceptibly. In his profession, an understanding of human nature was a prerequisite, and he had seen this situation coming a mile away. In some respects they were both right, but were much too young to handle this kind of crisis. He straightened up in his chair. “Now cool it you two! Apart from the fact that it’s bloody awful manners to fight in public, it’s not necessary.”
His daughter turned on him. “Come off it, Dad, get off your high horse! I suppose you’re going to back him up?” Josie was well on the way to losing control. “I’ve had it with you two!”
With that, she pushed her chair back so violently that it fell over. Then she then stalked away in the direction of her room. Jon rose awkwardly and walked off down the beach.
It was dark and almost dinner time. Anna had been resting for more than three hours. The Judge stepped out of the shower and got dressed, wondering what had happened to his daughter and Jon. Their room was further down the hallway, and he had no idea if they were inside. Leave them alone for now, he told himself. He decided to collect Anna, and knocked on her door, which was across from his own. There was no reply. He knocked again. Still no answer. He waited a minute then repeated the knocking. Yet again, there was silence. He tried the handle, and to his surprise the door was unlocked. The light was on, and Anna lay on her back, her face deathly white against the pale blue sheet that covered her.
“Oh, my God!” muttered the Judge, and stepped to her bedside. His finger touched her neck, and for a second his mind flew back to the war. How many times had he done this? Her pulse was there, just. He grabbed the phone. The clerk was efficient, and promised that the hotel doctor would be there in a few minutes. An ambulance would follow.
Forty minutes later Anna was on her way to the hospital.
After retrieving Anna’s notes from her room, the Judge phoned Trilby at the Anchor Hotel, then made his way to the restaurant. He decided to start dinner alone and think things through. With Anna out of the picture it was his job to take over, no doubt about it. He felt a slight surge of adrenaline. It had been a long time since he had flown in an armed helicopter, and that’s what he planned to do.
Later that evening, as he sat in the stillness of the tropical night admiring the moonlit scenery, a shadow moved in the distance along the beach, and gradually separated into two people. When they passed under the first of the hotel’s lights he discerned Josie and Jon. Judge Winchester had been worrying about them since their fight, but at least they were talking.
“There are some chairs over by the pool,” he greeted. “Did you eat?”
“No, Dad.”
“Are you hungry?”
“No thanks,” said Jon. “We’ve been working things out.”
“Good. But you missed all the excitement.” The Judge decided that a light approach to the situation would be appropriate, if he could manage it. “Anna’s back in the hospital. I found her in shock, but the house doctor said concussions were unpredictable and not to worry. Which leaves me, as the oldest member of the party, in the driver’s seat. Get yourselves some drinks because you’re going to need them. I’ve decided who’s doing what and where, and there’ll be no argument.”
The Judge’s idea was that he and Trilby would go in t
he helicopter. Josie grudgingly admitted that her father had considerable experience in such operations, and deep inside, Jon was relieved. Jon and Josie would rent a minivan and meet the helicopter at the airport after the rescue. As Peter had said in his original plan, timing was vital, and he had been precise about each phase of the operation in his final communication to Anna. This was especially important for the aircraft and its crew. They had to be within walkie-talkie range of Leeward by 5.55 pm Tuesday, with a planned touchdown at 6.02 and liftoff at 6.05. Jon and Josie were digesting all this when a waiter appeared with a cordless phone. Hans was calling from Grinder’s store to discuss his own rescue. Jon handed the phone to the Judge, who introduced himself. He passed on the timetable for a second rescue flight as outlined in Anna’s notes. Hans would be winched aboard the chopper from Joshua’s fishing boat early on Wednesday just south of Pineapple Farm near Saddles. He would remain on the aircraft, which would continue on its return flight to Florida.
Monday, September 24, Saddles
About two miles along the southern coast road, on the way from Saddles to Jamestown, there was a turning to the right. It led to a small cluster of buildings comprising the center of Pineapple Farm. The manager, who was a friend of Joshua’s, had agreed to let him hide his boat among some bushes at the beach on Tuesday night. He suspected this had something to do with the police being at Leeward, which everyone in the neighborhood had heard about, but he didn’t want to know the reason for the request. In fact, it was the key to Hans’ escape plan. After the Leeward Estate pickup had been stolen, Hans would abandon it near the empty Syke’s Hotel farther down the road. Joshua would pick him up on his motor bike, and then double back so they could spend the night in the sugar canes near Pineapple Farm. They planned to walk to the boat at first light. Hans would hide under some nets, then Joshua would take him a couple of miles out to rendezvous with the chopper at 7:30 am. Apart from setting this up on Monday, there were only two immediate tasks for Joshua and Hans. The first was to maintain communications between Peter and those at the Horseshoe Bay Hotel in Antigua, and the second to get a key to the Leeward pickup from Peter. This was actually accomplished by Norton Grinder, who delivered more foodstuffs requiring Peter’s signature.
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