Chasing a Blond Moon(156)

“Maybe,” he said.

Service called Grant, gave him the report and the aircraft tail number so he could alert the authorities at Sawyer and try to run down the bird’s owner.

The captain said, “Our people are set: McCants, Moody, Ebony, and Mecosta. I haven’t talked to the Troops or Alger County yet.”

“Let’s hold on them,” Service said. “We don’t want a false alarm. This thing is iffy enough.”

Nantz came out of the bathroom holding a glass of water, picked up her purse, sat on the edge of the bed, dug around for a bottle of ibuprofen tablets, took three, and washed them down with the water.

“Did we overtrain?” he asked.

“I’m fine. I was counting on having all day to recover.”

“Change in plans. I need for you to fly me to Munising.”

“Today?”

“Now,” he said.

“What about your truck?”

“Leave it. We’ll handle details when we’re done.”

She put her head back and said, “God,” stood up, got her clothes, and started dressing.

“What’s the flight time to Munising?” he asked her.

“Depends on weather. It’s not like driving a car, babe.” She pulled on a sock, added, “Two and a half hours if I firewall it and the wind and weather cooperate. That’s from gear-up here to over Hanley,” she said.

Service called Treebone at home while Nantz finished dressing.

“Raincheck on tonight. We have to fly back to the U.P.”

“Fly? Man, you must be onto something big. I keep trying Eugenie’s number, but all I get is her machine.”

Service had always been uncomfortable in aircraft. “Tell Kalina we’re sorry.”

Nantz stopped to see Lorelei Timms.

Service was waiting in the Yukon. “What did she say?”

“Wanted to ask questions, but I told her there’s no time and that I’d get back to her. She and Whit were planning to stay until Sunday. Campaigning starts again Monday morning. I’ll come back Sunday. Soong’s chauffeur’s name is Irvin Terry.”

Service thought, Irvin Wan, Terry Pung: One and same?

They were at the plane in twenty minutes.

Nantz got out. “I’ll do the preflight, make sure it’s fueled and ready.”

Service sat in the Yukon, waiting.

Mecosta called on the 800. “These people are getting ready to move stuff down to the river on their four-wheelers.”

“How will they get the stuff upriver?”

“Slate ledges and low water. They can run it like a highway.”

“Get down to the river and monitor.”

“What about the camp?”

“Only one radio, I don’t want Santinaw on his own. We’re coming north.”

“Now?”

“Soon.”

Service hung up and the phone rang. Mecosta again: “You didn’t let me finish. Dort called. The cabin is owned by White Star Properties, a subsidiary of White Moon Trading Company of Southfield. Mean anything to you?”

“Thanks, man,” Service said.

Nantz came back.

“I need one more callback,” he said.

“I need coffee,” she said. “I’m going to find a vending machine.”

“Don’t dawdle.”

She laughed. “I thought that’s what we’d be doing in bed about now.” She gave him an exaggerated wiggle and strode away.

The field was silent and there were only a few lights. He got out of the truck and began piling the gear and clothing he needed on the tarmac.

Nantz brought two coffees and looked at the pile.

“Let’s get all that stuff out to the bird,” she said. “We can wait in the plane as comfortably as here.”

He agreed.

He sat in the copilot’s seat, half-seeing the bewildering array of instruments and gauges.

The cell phone buzzed. “Service.”

“They just filed for an 0745 takeoff,” Sterling said. “Same destination.”

“Stay with them until they’re off the ground and call this number when you see them lift off.” He gave Sterling Captain Grant’s cell phone number.

“Thanks,” Service said, checking his watch. It was 5:23 a.m. If the other plane took off on time, he and Nantz would have more than a two-hour lead. He opened his cell phone and called the captain.

“Treebone loaned me a bird dog and he’s going to call when the plane leaves Oakland for Sawyer. His name is Sterling. He’s stuck in some sort of bogus IA mess and Tree thinks he’d make a good man for us. He’s done the job for me. He’s a pro.”

The captain thanked him, said they would talk about Sterling later.

Nantz said, “I checked weather when I got coffee. There’s a cold front coming down off Lake Superior. Should make landfall midday. We should be fine if the advance winds aren’t too stiff.”