The Prosecution of General Hastings
Page 33
CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO
Bobby Lawson quickly filed his instrument flight plan for the first leg of the journey that would eventually conclude at Reagan Washington National Airport. But first, he would drop Harry Kincaid in Tucson so that he could cross over into Mexico to meet up with Pete Von Karmenn, the next morning. Annie Wilcox knew nothing of Harry’s plans and the guys saw no reason to enlighten her.
The wheels on the Citation Mustang left the runway at Will Rogers World Airport just minutes after nine o’clock local time. Bobby had filed for a three hour flight and thought he could better that time by a few minutes once in the air traffic system. As with their earlier flight, Harry Kincaid took advantage of Annie’s desire to ride up front with Bobby. He was asleep in the plush leather seat in the passenger cabin before Bobby reached cruising altitude.
Annie was settled in the right seat thoroughly enjoying the trip. It was clear that it really didn’t matter what they were doing. Just being with Bobby was enough to satisfy Annie Wilcox. The fact that they were carving a trail in the night sky in a sexy corporate jet was just icing on the cake. In a matter of hours she would be at her desk in the chambers of Justice Antonin Scalia at the United States Supreme Court. But she would enjoy every minute of the trip until then.
The trip took close to the three hours that Bobby had planned. He touched down at Tucson International Airport just minutes before eleven o’clock p.m. local time having gained an hour enroute. Bobby taxied over to the private terminal and saw that the car Harry had reserved from Oklahoma was waiting for him. While the Citation was being serviced and topped off with fuel, Annie stepped into the Ladies’ Room giving Bobby and Harry a few minutes to talk.
“So what’s your plan for hooking up with Pete,” Bobby asked.
“We agreed to meet tomorrow morning,” Harry answered. “I’m going to head on down to Nogales tonight. I figure crossing over into Mexico will be easier tonight.”
“Well evidently it’s pretty easy heading north anytime,” Bobby joked.
“Yeah, so they say,” Harry replied. “I’ll find some motel and leave early to hook up with Pete in Hermosillo. It’s only a couple of hours.”
“I could have flown you down there, you know,” said Bobby.
“Yeah, but that would attract too much attention,” Harry replied. “And I might need the car to get me and Pete out of there.”
“Have you got a plan for dealing with the bad guys?”
“You know what, Bobby?” Harry responded. “We don’t even know for sure who the bad guys are yet. I’ve been dealing with this guy Carmello, who also goes by the name of ‘Lobo.’ We think he’s up in the ranks of Sinaloa. If he is, there’s a good chance he’s reselling the guns on to some Islamists that they’ve been courting lately. That’s the nut we need to crack.”
“And how are you going to deal with them?” Bobby asked.
Harry looked at Bobby, incredulous. “Are you kidding?” he asked.
“Well, uh…” Bobby fumbled a bit.
“I’m going to deal with them like the rattlesnakes they are,” Harry said. “Okay with you?”
Annie returned from the Ladies’ Room and approached the two men. “Okay,” she said smiling. “I’m good for another few thousand miles.” She looked at Bobby and said, “Where to now? Paris?”
Harry chuckled and said, “Ah, you see there, Roberto? Give ‘em one little ride in the Citation and they want to go ‘ocean hopping.’ Never fails.”
Bobby reached over with his right arm, looped it around Annie’s neck and pulled her close to him. “If you can talk the Court into letting you off for a few days, we just might go to Paris,” he said.
She stood up on her toes and kissed his cheek. “Be careful what you offer there, Flyboy. I just might take you up on it.”
Harry began to back away toward the car he had hired. “Well you two just go anywhere you want. But when I need a ride home in a few days I hope you’ll consider coming to pick me up.”
“All depends where we are when you call,” Bobby joked. “Just give me some lead time.”
Harry shook Bobby’s hand and gave Annie a hug. “Okay, kids,” he said, “I’m outta here.”
“Be safe,” Bobby chided. “Keep me posted.”
Harry waved over his shoulder and got into his car. He was off the airport property within minutes.
Bobby and Annie walked over to the Flight Planning room where she watched him file a plan to Reagan Washington National with a short fuel stop in Little Rock, Arkansas.
At eleven thirty-two, local time, Bobby retracted the wheels of the Citation. With a three hour time change he was thinking that he might have to drive Annie directly to work from the airport. She watched his every move as he piloted the jet into the night sky.
“You can go back there and take a nap if you want to, Annie,” he said.
“And miss all the fun?” she joked. “No thanks, Flyboy. I’m just fine right here.”