“What’s so ‘off’ about that?” Paul asked.
“As I said, I found him in the storage room, in total darkness. He said he was there to get some fluorescent markers, but he left empty-handed,” Daric replied brusquely before continuing.
“Then, there was the intruder in the Navy hangar in Oakland. When he saw me, he ran out the back door. The guard said he had let no one into the hangar. And, then, we found the lock on the back door had been broken. Even though I didn’t get a good look at his face, what I thought strange was, why did a man in Navy fatigues run away when he saw me? For all I knew, he could have been working there.”
“Why didn’t you tell us about this earlier?” Paul snapped.
“If you recall, I tried to, before we sailed to Hawaii, but you didn’t want to listen,” Daric said coldly.
“And what about the ship?” Dani added.
“What about the ship?” Amelia asked anxiously.
“Daric had an accident,” Terry interjected innocently.
“It was no accident; I was attacked,” Daric countered.
“Daric was struck on the head. The doctor said he was lucky,” Dani supplied.
“How can you be sure it’s the same man?” the commander questioned.
“Easy. What did Corporal Griffin look like, not the real one, but the one you left in charge of the airplane?” Daric asked, already sure of what the commander would say.
“It was dark, but I’d say he was a little shorter than me, say around six feet. He had a pointed jaw and a rather broad-looking nose; not an attractive combination as I recall. I’m not sure of the color of his eyes. As I said, it was dark,” the commander summarized.
“Uncle Richard,” Daric and Dani chimed together. “That’s him!”
“Uncle Richard?” the commander asked quizzically.
“Well, not actually our uncle, but when we first saw him, we both thought he was the spitting image of our uncle,” Daric explained.
“I first caught a glimpse of him on the boarding ramp in San Francisco,” Dani added. “And, then, we saw him running out of the Smoking Room, when he saw us coming.”
“And every time I get anywhere near him, there’s that strange odor from the brand of cigarettes he smokes. It was there in Burbank, in Oakland and on the ship. It has to be the same guy,” Daric concluded.
“But why? Why would he be following you and why on earth would he attack you?” Paul asked suspiciously.
“Wait, a minute. Did you say old blue pickup?” Dani asked abruptly.
“Yeah, a Chevy pickup, pretty beat up, too. It was parked behind the hangar in Burbank. Case drove off in it.”
“Oh my God, that was Case, too!” Dani exclaimed.
“Who too?” the commander asked.
“The one who tried to push us into oncoming traffic,” Amelia growled, as she realized where Dani was going. “We were taking my sister to the airport, when this jerk rammed us. We could have all been killed.”
“But that still doesn’t tell us why. Or why he killed Corporal Griffin,” Paul persisted.
“Since he’s been following us from Burbank to Oakland to Honolulu and I’ve spotted him around the airports, I think it’s safe to say it all has to do with Amelia’s world flight,” Daric surmised.
“The world flight? Do you think someone is trying to stop me?” Amelia asked.
“It would explain all the problems we’ve been having with the Electra: the propellers, the autopilot, the generator, the oleo struts, the fuel, just to name a few. Any one of them could have jeopardized the flight. We all know Bo wouldn’t have let the Electra leave Oakland if he had been aware of these problems,” Daric stated unequivocally.
“It appears to be a logical explanation, but we still don’t know why,” Paul stated.
“And we may never know, but one thing is for sure.” The commander’s tone was glacial. “That plane and Miss Earhart will be closely guarded until she leaves Honolulu. That I promise you.”
“Lieutenant Arnold has the Electra locked in the assembly hangar at Luke Field and he has also placed a guard there, too,” Paul said.
“I’ll call Arnold and give him a description of this guy Case and tell him what’s happening. It doesn’t hurt to have everyone on their toes for the next twelve to twenty-four hours. If you’ll excuse me; good evening.” With that, the commander turned and made his way back up the illuminated path to the house and his waiting car.
“I hate to be a party pooper, but, I think, under the circumstances, we should all call it a night,” Chris said unhappily.
73: Saturday, March 20, 1937
It was raining lightly at 3:30 A.M. when Chris Holmes and John drove Amelia and her crew, in two cars, to Pearl Harbor. It had poured all night, so Wheeler Field would be a mess. Amelia was thankful Paul had moved the airplane to Luke Field the day before.
The dark, wet streets of Honolulu were deserted at this early hour on a Saturday morning. There wasn’t much conversation in the one car, especially from Harry or Fred; they were both nursing nasty hangovers from the previous night’s imbibing.
It was just after 4:00 A.M. when the two cars pulled into the parking lot at the ferryboat pier. Daric sprang from the car and ran over to the lone silhouette huddled under an umbrella.
“You made it,” Daric babbled elatedly.
“Wouldn’t miss it for the world,” Mila replied excitedly. “But ferry service over to Ford Island doesn’t start until 6:15 A.M.”
“Lieutenant Arnold arranged transportation for us for this morning. Come on.” Daric grabbed Mila’s hand and rushed her over to where the others were boarding a private charter for the island.
“Mila, good morning,” Paul said cordially.
“Good morning,” she replied shyly.
“Everyone, this is Mila, my guest this morning. Careful getting into the boat,” Daric said, helping her down and getting her seated.
“May I introduce Miss Amelia Earhart? Amelia, this is Mila. We met yesterday, when we were shopping for clothes for the luau,” Daric said cheerfully.
“Good morning, Mila. Not a very hospitable morning to be out and about this early, is it?” Amelia bantered.
“It’s an honour to meet you, Miss Earhart,” Mila said, overwhelmed to be sitting right next to a legend, someone she’d looked up to for years.
“Amelia, please. I’m glad you could join us.”
“Mila, this is my sister Dani,” Daric offered.
“Pleased to meet you,” Mila said, noticing the family resemblance instantly.
“So, you’re the one that’s captured my brother’s heart,” Dani teased and quickly received a punch in the upper arm for her efforts. “Ouch!”
Once the introductions were finished and everyone was secure in their seats, the boat headed across the dark, calm harbour. It didn’t take long before they were moored at the Fleet Air Base dock on Ford Island.
Harry and Fred went to the weather station to get the latest weather reports while the others headed over to the hangar.
“Good morning,” Lieutenant Arnold said pleasantly, despite the weather and the unfortunate circumstances at Wheeler Field. “I want to assure you that no one got near the Electra after you left yesterday and that I personally supervised the extraction from the hangar this morning.”
“My goodness, you and your men haven’t had a moment’s rest since my arrival,” Amelia declared.
“They all volunteered, ma’am,” the lieutenant offered, to ease her anxiety.
“Thank you, Lieutenant,” Amelia said graciously.
Paul and Daric were meticulously inspecting the outer surfaces of the airplane, with flashlights in hand. They checked the control surfaces for security, freedom of movement, and damage. Special attention was given to the landing gear and tires. The entire plane was checked closely
for oil or fuel leaks. They made sure all access panels and scrubber covers were tightly secured. Shining his light into the pitot tube, Paul found no obstructions. Finally, he pushed his foot against the wheel chocks to make sure they were secure, which they were.
“There’s a tailwind of fifteen miles an hour. Do you still want to be able to come back to Honolulu after flying for eight hours?” Fred asked Amelia. She simply nodded to indicate that she wanted the option.
“Then, we must account for eighteen hours flying time: eight outbound and ten back, with that tailwind,” Fred continued, having quickly made the calculations.
“Put on an additional seventy-five gallons of fuel,” Harry instructed. “We’ll still be four-hundred-fifty pounds lighter than we were when we left Oakland.”
It didn’t take long to add the extra fuel. Once it had been completed, Paul reported, “Amelia, the pre-flight examination is done and everything checks out. I’m ready to run-up the engines, now.”
Amelia nodded in response and took cover under the roof of the nearby hangar, taking Mila, Terry and Dani with her.
“Come on, Daric, one last time, eh,” Paul said, as the two clambered up the wing and into the cockpit. When they were ready, Paul yelled, “Clear right,” as he turned over the right engine. After the right engine had started, he repeated the procedure for the left engine. He let them run for five minutes to get warm before setting them at a higher power setting to ensure the engines ran properly. Once satisfied, he shut them down and left the cockpit. Daric followed. The light rain had finally stopped.
Amelia had walked out from under the shelter of the hangar to meet Paul. “Everything looks great,” Paul assured her. “We’re just going to do one last check around the nacelles and landing gear for any leaks. Then, you’re good to go.”
“Thanks, Paul, for everything.” Amelia hugged him briefly; she wasn’t normally one for public displays of affection.
“Good luck and be safe.”
After Paul and Daric had walked around the airplane and satisfied themselves that all was in order, Paul gave Amelia the ‘thumbs-up’. He then walked off to join Terry. The two of them would stay in Hawaii. Terry had agreed to marry Paul there in paradise and they would have their honeymoon there, too.
Amelia turned to Dani and Daric. She had met them only nine days ago, but, already, felt a strange kinship to both. She couldn’t quite explain it, but it was there. Now, it was time to say goodbye.
“I’m so glad you guys decided to stay on in Hawaii. It’s really beautiful here, and the weather is usually perfect,” Amelia said cheerfully.
“The Holmeses were very gracious to extend their invitation for us to remain in their guest house, until we can get established here.” Dani said, trying hard to keep the melancholy out of her voice.
“There isn’t anything for us back on the mainland, so we might as well live in paradise, if given the choice, eh?” Daric tried to joke, but failed miserably.
Dani and Daric both knew what was about to happen. They just wished they could save their friend the trauma and heartache of having to endure it. But both realized they dared not do anything to prevent history from taking its course.
“Why the long faces?” Amelia couldn’t understand their glum mood.
“Just be careful, okay? And don’t take any unnecessary risks,” Dani pleaded.
Dani hugged Amelia, then quickly joined Chris and Lieutenant Arnold, who were standing a safe distance away from the airplane.
Daric gave Amelia an embrace and quietly whispered in her ear, “Whatever you do, keep your life raft. Trust me.” He turned and walked to stand beside Mila and his sister.
Amelia was extremely puzzled by their moods, and especially Daric’s last comment that made little sense to her. Why would she give up her life raft? That was simply crazy, considering the amount of water she was about to fly over.
Amelia shrugged, realizing she had no time for distractions right now. She was about to set out on the second leg of her world flight. Nothing would spoil her excitement.
As Amelia walked over to the airplane, she hoped one day she would meet up with Daric and Dani again, just to make sure they were all right. She decided right then and there she would call the Holmes for an update when she finished her world flight; the decision immediately put her mind at ease. Now, off to the business at hand!
74
Amelia eased herself through the overhead hatch and into the pilot’s seat. She looked out the windshield and realized there wasn’t enough natural light yet. Checking her watch, she decided to wait another ten minutes. The extra time would also give the runway a chance to dry up a bit from the earlier rain.
While Amelia was waiting, newspaper reporters and photographers continued to gather along the length of the runway, all hoping to be the first to record history in the making. There was sufficient light for the spectators to see her takeoff, but she wasn’t sure there would be enough for the photographers to get good clear shots.
When the time was right, Amelia yelled out the window to tell Fred and Harry to get on-board. They entered through the rear cabin door, securing it and themselves. Soon after, they signaled Amelia they were set to go.
“Clear right,” Amelia yelled out the cockpit window. When she received the all clear sign, she started the right engine and, then, repeated the process to start the left engine. When both were running perfectly, she signaled for the wheel chocks to be removed.
Amelia taxied the airplane to the northeast end of the runway. She swung the Electra around and lined it up slightly to the right of the centre line of the runway. She turned to check on Fred and Harry; they were both ready.
A light wind was coming out of the southwest, barely enough to move the windsock on top of the hangar. The sky was now broken and visibility was good. Amelia made one last check of the engines’ gauges and reset the directional gyros to match the compass reading.
Everything was ready. Amelia, with her feet firmly planted on the brakes, closed her eyes for just a moment, took one deep breath, and then opened them. While her left hand gripped the control yoke, her right advanced the throttles to half power. Keeping her right hand on both throttles, she released the brakes as she applied full power.
As the airplane slowly gathered speed, Amelia applied back pressure on the control yoke to keep the tail wheel firmly on the ground. She applied more pressure to the left rudder since the plane was drifting toward the right.
One of the mechanics, who had worked on the propellers earlier, had positioned himself at about the midway point along the runway to watch Miss Earhart’s takeoff. As he watched and listened to the approaching airplane, he thought the left engine was turning over a little faster than the right and it was pushing the plane off to the right, closer to where he was standing.
“I can’t watch,” Dani whispered, as she buried her face in Daric’s shoulder.
“You know she’ll be all right,” Daric whispered, not wanting Mila, who was standing on the other side of him, to hear their conversation.
“We don’t know that. Our being here may have altered things,” Dani murmured.
The airplane accelerated down the runway, Amelia applied elevator and aileron forces as needed. With her feet on the left and right rudder pedals, she worked them to keep the airplane travelling down the centre of the runway.
As the tail wheel lifted off the runway, Amelia thought, In another ten seconds, we’ll be up and on our way. Then she noticed the plane was drifting farther to the right. She applied more pressure to the left rudder pedal, pushing it all the way to its stop, but the plane continued to stray off course.
Amelia realized if she didn’t do something quickly, the airplane would run off the right side of the runway before she could get it into the air. So she did the only thing she could. She eased back on the left engine’s throttle to reduce some of its power and
help the rudders bring the plane back on course.
The mechanic who had been watching the takeoff saw the wing tip wobble. He assumed the aircraft had run over some rough patch on the runway. Then he sensed the right engine surge and take a quick hold; the airplane changed course from turning to the right to turning sharply to the left while its speed continued to increase. He braced for what he knew was coming: Amelia’s airplane was in the initial stages of a ground loop.
Amelia felt the sensation of the right wing dropping and thought the right tire had blown or the oleo strut had collapsed.
“Brace yourself!” she yelled.
Amelia glanced at the left engine’s manifold pressure gauge; it showed the reduced power setting. Looking out the cockpit window, she realized the plane was in a sweeping left turn.
The right wing was tilted down, almost touching the runway; pulling the left wheel off the ground. The entire weight of the airplane was now on the right wheel, causing the right landing gear to collapse. The left gear collapsed soon after. The plane immediately skidded into a left hand slide on its belly. Sparks flew all around the undercarriage as it scraped along the tarmac.
75
“Let’s go,” Daric yelled as he raced toward the nearest car, which happened to be the lieutenant’s. Chris, Paul and Dani were right on his heels. Lieutenant Arnold was close behind, yelling orders to his men on the way. “Get the fire truck out there, now!”
The five scrambled into the car, the lieutenant behind the wheel. They raced along the runway toward the airplane. The fire truck was right behind them; with 900 gallons of fuel on board the plane, everyone was praying for the inevitable not to happen. Meanwhile, the plane was continuing to careen down the runway. By the time it finally stopped, it had travelled over 1,200 feet from its starting point, which it was now facing.
Lost In Time Page 17