Night Over Water - Ken Follett [123]
Field read it and turned gray. “How the hell did they find out?” he muttered.
“I have to ask which passengers are the ‘associates of known criminals,’ ” said the captain. “Do you recognize anyone on board?”
“Of course not,” Field said irritably. “If I had, I would have alerted the Bureau already.”
“If we can identify the people I’ll put them off the plane at the next stop.”
Eddie thought: I know who they are—Tom Luther and me.
Field said: “Radio the Bureau with a complete list of passengers and crew. They’ll run a check on every name.”
A shiver of anxiety ran through Eddie. Was there any risk that Tom Luther would be exposed by this check? That could ruin everything. Was he a known criminal? Was Tom Luther his real name? If he was using a false name he needed a forged passport too—but that might not be a problem if he was in league with big-time racketeers. Surely he would have taken that precaution? Everything else he had done had been well organized.
Captain Baker bristled. “I don’t think we need to worry about the crew.”
Field shrugged. “Please yourself. The Bureau will get the names from Pan American in a minute.”
Field was a tactless man, Eddie reflected. Did F.B.I.., agents get advice on how to be unpleasant from J. Edgar Hoover?
The captain picked up the passenger manifest and crew list from his table and handed it to the radio operator. “Send that right away, Ben,” he said. He paused, then added: “Include the crew.”
Ben Thompson sat at his console and began to tap out the message in Morse.
“One more thing,” the captain said to Field. “I’ll have to relieve you of your weapon.”
That was smart, Eddie thought. It had not even occurred to him that Field might be armed—but he had to be, if he was escorting a dangerous criminal.
Field said: “I object—”
“Passengers are not allowed to carry firearms. There are no exceptions to this rule. Hand over your gun.”
“If I refuse?”
“Mr. Deakin and Mr. Ashford will take it from you, anyway.”
Eddie was surprised by this announcement, but he played the part and moved threateningly closer to Field. Jack did the same.
Baker continued. “And if you oblige me to use force, I will have you put off the plane at our next stop, and I will not permit you to reboard.”
Eddie was impressed at how the captain maintained his superiority despite the fact that his antagonist was armed. This was not how it happened in the movies, where the man with the gun was able to boss everyone else around.
What would Field do? The F.B.I., would not approve of his giving up his gun, but on the other hand it would surely be worse to get thrown off the plane.
Field said: “I’m escorting a dangerous prisoner—I need to be armed.”
Eddie saw something out of the corner of his eye. The door at the rear of the cabin, which led to the observation dome and the cargo holds, was ajar, and behind it something moved.
Captain Baker said: “Take his gun, Eddie.”
Eddie reached inside Field’s jacket. The man did not move. Eddie found the shoulder holster, unbuttoned the flap and withdrew the gun. Field looked ahead stonily.
Then Eddie stepped to the rear of the cabin and threw open the door.
Young Percy Oxenford stood there.
Eddie was relieved. He had half imagined that some of Gordino’s gang would be waiting there with machine guns.
Captain Baker stared at Percy and said: “Where did you come from?”
“There’s a ladder next to the ladies’ powder room,” Percy said. “It leads up into the tail of the plane.” That was where Eddie had inspected the rudder trim control cables. “You can crawl along from there. It comes out by the baggage holds.”
Eddie was still holding Ollis Field’s gun. He put it in the navigator’s chart drawer.
Captain Baker said to Percy: “Go back to your seat, please, young man, and don’t leave the passenger cabin at any time during the remainder of the flight.” Percy turned to go back the way he had come. “Not that way,” Baker snapped. “Down the stairs.”
Looking a little scared, Percy hurried through the cabin and scuttled off down the stairs.