Big Easy Escapade

by Joan Rylen

  Al gave a thumbs up out the window, then circled behind the two cruisers. He rolled the rest of the windows down, but everyone stayed inside the car.

  “Occupants of the plane,” the policeman said over his loudspeaker, “lower the stairs and deplane.”

  “We’ve got to call Antonio,” Adrienne said and Al dialed over Bluetooth.

  He picked up immediately.

  “You’re not going to believe what happened!” Adrienne said.

  “I’m pulling up on the tarmac. Stay in the car.” Click.

  After several minutes with no response from the plane, the officer repeated the order. Four more police units, a news van and Antonio arrived, and still nothing.

  Antonio and Detective Leffall walked up to the SUV.

  “Do you know how many people are on the plane?” Antonio asked.

  Vivian leaned out the window. “We saw a goon and Surendran dragging Daisy into the plane. We think she’s drugged. Didn’t see anyone other than them, though.”

  “Did you see any weapons?” Leffall asked.

  “Nothing, but we were pretty far away,” Al replied. “With these guys, you can bet they’ve got some firepower on board.”

  Antonio looked at Al. “I want y’all to move away from this scene. Drive over to that hangar and stay put.” He pointed to a blue metal building 200 yards away. Then he looked at Vivian sternly. “Stay in the car.” He walked to the officer using the loudspeaker.

  Al flipped the SUV around and drove to the hangar.

  “I want to see what’s going on,” Kate said.

  “Me, too,” Lucy said.

  Al turned the SUV so they could watch the action, then he killed the engine. Nothing happened except three more police cruisers arrived and two ambulances.

  “What’s with the medics?” Lucy asked.

  “Probably here just in case,” Al said.

  A gray-haired man in blue, oil-stained coveralls walked away from the plane he was working on in the hangar and to the SUV. He pointed a greasy finger toward the mass of lights on the tarmac and said to Al, “What’s goin’ on with that plane?”

  Al was cool. “Hostage situation.”

  Lucy stood up again in the sunroof. “I brought ’em to a stop with a bowling ball!”

  The man wiped his hands on a rag. “I was wonderin’ what damaged the wing on that beauty.”

  “Screw the wing,” Lucy said. “He kidnapped our friend. He’s goin’ down!”

  “They’ve been there awhile,” Kate said. “At first the cop was using the car’s loudspeaker to communicate, but now, nothing.”

  “They’re probably using the radio to talk to them.”

  “What radio?” Vivian asked.

  “I’ve got a VHF handheld over there.” The man pointed into the hangar. “There’s a ground frequency and a tower frequency. Anyone can listen if you’re tuned to the right channel.”

  “Can we listen?” Adrienne asked, opening her car door.

  He walked the group inside and picked up a radio from a workbench.

  “What you got here?” Al asked, gesturing toward a white plane with a turquoise underbelly and tail.

  “Learjet. Had to check the engine igniter, had a hard time starting her last time. I’m ’bout done,” the mechanic said and clicked through several channels. “They weren’t on the tower frequency so it must be the ground.” He clicked the radio one more time and a deep voice crackled on the radio.

  “This is New Orleans Police Department trying to reach Golf three two four Victor. Do you copy?”

  Static.

  “This is New Orleans Police Department trying to reach Golf three two four Victor. Do you copy? Come in, over.”

  “We copy. I want another jet. I have diplomatic immunity.”

  “This is Sergeant Fred Womack of the New Orleans Police Department. I’m here to help you through this and make sure everybody stays safe. Who am I speaking to?”

  “You don’t need my name. What you need to know is I have diplomatic immunity and I want another jet.”

  “We can work on that, sir. However, it will take some time. Do you, or anyone on board, need medical attention?”

  “No, but they will if I don’t get another plane.”

  “Let’s see if we can keep this peaceful so everyone comes out okay. Sound good?”

  Silence.

  “Who all is on board, sir?”

  “Myself, my wife, my bodyguard, a flight attendant and the pilot.”

  “We can get you another plane but we’re going to need all hostages released,” Womack said.

  “There are no hostages. This is my staff.”

  “Sir, we have reason to believe that Daisy Easley is on board the plane. We need her and the others released.”

  Silence for a few beats, then: “I’ll give you the flight attendant when I get my jet.”

  “What flight plan can we file for you, sir?”

  “No flight plan.”

  “We will agree to that if we get the pilot, your wife and the flight attendant.”

  “I need the pilot, and my wife is staying with me.”

  “We can talk about that,” Womack said.

  “Look, I know what you’re doing. Quit wasting time. Get me a fully fueled jet and I’ll be gone. I want it in 30 minutes.”

  “Sir, it’ll take time to procure one.”

  “No, I want it here in 30 minutes. We’re at an airport. Find me a plane.”

  Chapter 48

  Sergeant Womack said to GQ, “We’re working as fast as we can to get you a jet.”

  Lucy threw her hands up. “Surely they’re not going to let him get on another plane with Daisy and take off.”

  “I’m sure they have a plan,” Adrienne said.

  Antonio and a uniformed officer zoomed up to the hangar. Adrienne rushed up to him as he got out of the car. “Are y’all really going to get him a plane?”

  “Been listening in?” Adrienne grinned. “You know it.”

  Antonio walked to the mechanic, who had gone back to work on the Learjet. “Your plane?”

  The mechanic hesitated for a moment. “No, but I can call the owner.”

  “Please do. We need a plane that looks like it’s ready to fly, but it needs to be disabled so it can’t take off.”

  The mechanic made the call, explained the situation, then handed the phone to Antonio.

  He introduced himself, gave a little more background on the situation and asked, “Would you be willing to work with us on this?” He nodded his head while he listened. “Your plane will not leave the airport and we will pay for any repairs.” He handed the phone back to the mechanic who clicked off a moment later.

  “You have permission to use the jet.”

  “Thank you,” Antonio said. “How quickly can you have it ready?”

  “Ten minutes, but once I disable her, she can only go in a straight shot, no turning. We need to line her up to where you want her to end up, before I jam the rudder. The engine will sound great, but she won’t take off.”

  Antonio looked at GQ’s jet and assessed the runway. “Let’s taxi her up to the beginning of the runway, disable her, and then Officer Warner can taxi in a straight line, right to him. Surendran can think it’ll turn and take off the opposite direction.”

  “Do you need me to taxi out to the runway?” the mechanic asked.

  “I can do it,” the uniformed officer spoke up. “I’ve got almost 20 hours toward my pilot’s license. We can’t risk you being out there.”

  “Fine with me.” He got to work putting the panel back on.

  “Will you be able to jam the rudder quickly once we’re lined up?” Antonio asked.

  “I’ll stand on the back of the golf cart and shove a screwdriver between the rudder and the vertical stabilizer. Take 20 seconds.”

  “Perfect.”

  Plan in place, Warner zipped an extra pair of mechanic coveralls over his police uniform, then walked up the three stairs. He pulled them up and clos
ed the top hatch, and a moment later was in the cockpit. Antonio walked in front of the plane and relayed an update on his radio. The girls and Al stood to the side of the hangar, out of the way.

  The radio crackled in Lucy’s hand. “Sir, we’ll taxi the jet to you momentarily.”

  “What are you bringing me?”

  “It’s a Learjet, fueled up.”

  “I want all of you to back off. Clear the runway.”

  “One of us needs to be there to ensure you release the flight attendant. We will leave one car with myself and another officer.”

  “No, just you. Unarmed. And over by the water, away from the runway.”

  “I will be unarmed but by your plane to receive the flight attendant. Once I have her, you are free to move to the other jet.”

  Static.

  “Let’s keep this peaceful.”

  More static, then, “Bring the plane.”

  Lucy moved the radio into her left hand. “What an asshole! I can’t believe he thinks he can get away with this!”

  Antonio ran over as the negotiator’s voice came on the radio. “Whoever that is, please get off this frequency. Do not interfere. This is a police matter.”

  “Oh shit!” Lucy said as Antonio yanked the radio out of her hand.

  “You could have given us away!” He popped the back off the radio and took out the batteries. “Stay out of this!” He stomped off to the plane and signaled to Warner in the cockpit to get moving to the end of the runway.

  “Everyone cover your ears,” the mechanic yelled and slipped on a pair of orange hearing protectors. He handed Antonio a pair as the engines fired up, then grabbed a large screwdriver and ran to move the blocks around the tires. A few moments later, the plane rolled forward and he and Antonio hopped in the golf cart and followed.

  Lucy started searching through the workbench.

  “What are you looking for?” Wendy asked.

  “Batteries!”

  Wendy joined the search while Vivian and Kate watched the plane get into place.

  Antonio parked the golf cart under the back of the aircraft and the mechanic stood on the back seat and jammed the screwdriver in place. He sat down and Antonio zoomed away from the plane and headed toward the main terminal.

  The police cars began backing away from GQ’s plane, some of them turning around and driving to the service road.

  Wendy and Lucy joined the group in front of the hangar. Wendy held up a pair of binoculars. “I thought these would come in handy.”

  Lucy clicked the battery cover on the radio into place. “— front control to Lima niner five niner Tango. Proceed your taxi on the runway.”

  “Ten-four, tower. Proceeding on the runway.”

  Sergeant Womack came on the radio. “Sir, your replacement plane is taxiing toward you now. Once in place, the pilot will lower the stairs and move away.”

  “Good. Only once I’m at the other jet will I release her.”

  Officer Warner slowly approached GQ’s plane and stopped about 30 feet away. He shut off the engines, then opened the top hatch and dropped the stairs. He walked into the grass toward the lake.

  “Nothing’s happening,” Wendy said and passed the binoculars to Kate.

  Kate held them up and tried to focus. “I’m going to have to have my eyes checked. I can’t see squat.”

  “Give ’em here!” Vivian said. She took a second to maneuver the focus knob. “All the shades are down, I don’t see anyone in the cockpit. The plane’s just sitting there.”

  Womack said over the radio, “Sir, is everything okay? Your plane is ready.”

  The seven-step staircase on the Gulfstream folded out onto the tarmac. GQ’s goon stuck his head out and looked around.

  “Who is that?” Lucy asked. “I can’t tell.”

  “The bodyguard,” Vivian replied.

  The goon grabbed the flight attendant and pushed her in front of him as they started down the stairs, followed by the pilot.

  Vivian held her breath as they took each step slowly. “He’s using her as a human shield, that pussy.”

  The goon, flight attendant and pilot hustled to the second plane. The pilot hesitated at the bottom of the stairs. The goon waved a gun at him so he boarded the plane.

  “Does he have a gun?” Al asked.

  “I’m pretty sure, yeah,” Vivian replied.

  “Dammit,” Adrienne said.

  The goon shoved the flight attendant up the stairs before following. He stood at the top step, holding her arm and looking around the plane. The pilot sat in the cockpit and appeared to be looking at the flight controls.

  A moment later, GQ appeared in the doorway of the Gulfstream. Daisy, still wearing the burqa, was pinned to his side.

  “There they are,” Vivian said, binoculars pushed up to her eyes. “And he’s got a gun.”

  Chapter 49

  Daisy’s vision blurred as she tried to concentrate on the staircase of the jet. Sonu supported her with his left hand and held a pistol in his right.

  “Move it,” he said and nudged her with his shoulder.

  She grasped the handrail, then took a step down. He moved beside her and she took another step, then another. He followed and she felt a tug on her burqa. His foot was tangled in the fabric and she pulled at it. He slipped and she grasped the railing with both hands as he fell down four steps onto the tarmac. The gun flew out of his hand and skidded to a stop several feet away. He landed hard on his hands and knees, then rolled onto his back.

  Daisy’s legs felt like Jell-O, but she managed to stay standing as Sonu lay on the ground, stunned.

  A man unzipping his coveralls ran toward to the Learjet. He pulled a gun and pointed it at the bodyguard who was standing in the doorway of the other plane. “Drop it! Drop your weapon!”

  A different man ran toward Sonu, reaching behind his back. He pulled out a weapon and stopped, standing over Sonu. “Don’t move. It’s over.”

  Sonu rolled onto his side and looked at the gun he had dropped.

  “Don’t even think about it.”

  Sonu stayed on his side for a moment, then rolled onto his back with his hands up. “I have diplomatic immunity.”

  “Yeah, yeah, that’s what I hear. It’s not going to save your ass this time.”

  Coveralls shouted to the bodyguard again, “Drop your weapon!”

  The bodyguard looked at Sonu, then at the runway behind him. Several police cars raced down the tarmac toward them. He laid his gun in the doorway of the plane, held his arms up and walked down the steps.

  Daisy’s knees buckled and she collapsed onto the step. She pulled the burqa from her face, tucked her head into her knees, wrapped her arms around her legs and started to cry.

  Cars screeched and there was more yelling. Daisy never looked up, just stayed in her cocoon, except when she heard the click of handcuffs. Her kidnapper was still on the ground but now on his stomach and handcuffed.

  Footsteps sounded on the staircase and a calm voice said, “Daisy?”

  Exhaustion prevented her from raising her head.

  A soft touch fell on her shoulder. “You’re safe now. I’m Antonio Robichaux with the New Orleans Police Department. We have an ambulance on the way.”

  She looked up at him, his soft brown eyes relaying concern. She nodded and buried into her knees again. She raised her head once more and asked, “Can I borrow your phone?”

  ***

  Vivian lowered the binoculars. “They’re loading Daisy in the ambulance!”

  The girls, Al and Adrienne cheered. Vivian high-fived Adrienne. “Way to know where he was going!”

  Adrienne smacked her hand. “Way to find out who it was!”

  “They’re probably going to leave soon,” Lucy said. “Al, let’s follow them. I’m going to go put the radio back.” She turned to the hangar.

  “They’re not going to let us see her,” Adrienne said. “No way.”

  Vivian ran after Lucy and gave her the binoculars, then said, “We
can at least see Jason.”

  Al pulled the keys out of his pocket. “Let’s go.”

  Everyone climbed into the SUV and Al pulled in behind the ambulance as it left the airport.

  The lights and sirens helped them zoom through town, and they ended up at the same hospital Simone and the other kidnapper had been taken to. Al dropped the girls and Adrienne at the ambulance bay and left to park the car.

  The ambulance backed into the emergency bay and the girls stood just outside the sliding glass door to the emergency room. The driver hopped out of the front, came around and opened the back doors. The two men gently pulled the stretcher out, and the wheels ratcheted down.

  As they pushed Daisy by, she was almost unrecognizable with her black hair. Vivian leaned over. “We’ve been looking for you and are so glad you’re okay.”

  Daisy was covered by a white sheet to her chest, her arms out, still wearing the burqa. She barely lifted her hand and looked dazed. “Thanks.”

  The girls, Adrienne and Al lingered in the waiting room. Five minutes later, a pair of police officers, one a female, spoke to the receptionist and then went through the secured door. Another five minutes and Jason, his parents and Daisy’s parents were at the sliding glass doors.

  Jason hustled to the reception desk. “I’m Daisy Easley’s husband and these are our parents. She’s been brought in by ambulance.”

  The receptionist clicked on the keyboard. “She’s in Signal Five. Only two visitors at a time. I’m fairly certain the police are with her now.”

  “What is Signal Five?” Jason asked, wide-eyed, panicked.

  “It’s where we take care of victims of abuse or a crime. The rooms are specialized for collecting evidence that can be used in court.”

  Jason turned white and leaned on the counter. “Jesus.” Vivian thought he might pass out. “We need to see her.”

  “Let me check with the police and make sure it’s allowed. One moment, please.”

  Vivian approached Jason and touched his arm. “Thank god she’s safe. We saw her when they brought her in. She’s going to be all right.”

  His eyes teared up and he gave her a hug. “Thank you so much. Truly.” A buzzer sounded and a nurse opened the door, and Jason and Daisy’s mom practically raced in.