Donovan.” Billy leaned forward from the backseat. “Pump the gas a couple of times to prime the engine. Oldsmobile carburetors aren’t as good as Ford’s. They need a little help, especially in humid climates.”
“Really?” What did this kid know? He was barely old enough to drive. To humor him, I pumped the pedal and tried again. The engine caught right away, but smoke again billowed from the tailpipe.
Amelia smiled. “She coughs like my first plane.”
I glanced at her in the rearview mirror. “It’s a rental.”
We drove away from Wheeler Field. I couldn’t wait to drop Amelia off. “Where are you staying?”
Amelia’s forehead wrinkled. “You’re not taking me back to the hotel.”
“Where am I taking you?”
“I’m going to help you and Laura find out who killed Hank Kalua. You’re not going to risk your lives without me doing the same.”
“Risk our lives?” Billy wheezed.
I wasn’t going to back down, even if she was Amelia Earhart. “You’re not coming with us. This could be dangerous work. There’s a killer out there who doesn’t want to be found. He has a gun, fired three bullets—one dead center in Kalua’s back, then a bullet to his head to make sure the job was finished—and got away without anyone spotting him.”
“But…but…” Billy stammered. “Mr. Donovan, you said it’d be routine and boring. Do you really think it might be dangerous?”
I told the truth for Amelia’s benefit. “Sure. Murderers don’t take kindly to being apprehended, especially by a group of amateurs.”
It was bad enough I had to take a kid along, but I wouldn’t put Amelia Earhart in harm’s way. “I’ll drive you to your hotel or back to the hangar.”
Amelia crossed her arms. “I got you two into this mess when I let George convince me to call you for help. Besides, I know Kalua and his associates and can save you a lot of time. And time is of the essence, right?”
Laura leaned forward. “Jake, maybe Amelia would be safer with us.”
“Safer?” Amelia raised one eyebrow. “Why would I not be safe?”
“Safer?” Billy echoed with a high-pitched chirp.
Amelia nodded. “I get it. You think the killer might’ve targeted me.”
Laura tried to assure her friend. “We have to consider the possibility.”
Amelia shrugged. “You’re suggesting the killer followed me to the hangar and waited around until everyone else left. When Mr. Kalua arrived, he interrupted the shooter’s plans, so the shooter shot him.”
That was just one of many possibilities.
“Laura’s right. I’m safer with you two.” She patted Billy’s leg. “You three.”
Billy rolled down the window and stuck his head out. “Would you pull over? Please!”
I yanked the wheel and stopped on the shoulder of the road.
Laura patted my hand. “Don’t make him feel bad. He’s just a kid.”
“Son of a bitch!” I got out stood beside the back bumper.
Behind the car, Billy was retching into a clump of grass at the side of the road. I waited until he finished.
When he straightened up, I tossed him a handkerchief. He wiped strings of vomit from his mouth and handed the handkerchief back.
“Keep it.”
Billy stuffed the cloth into his pocket. “I’m sorry, Mr. Donovan. I just…that talk about danger. I’m only a student and a secretary.”
I handed him a stick of gum. I felt bad for the kid. He didn’t want to come along any more than I wanted him to be there, but at this point, we were both working for George Putnam. “All that talk about danger was to get Amelia to go back to the hotel. I laid it on pretty thick.”
He cocked his head, trying to figure whether I was blowing smoke. “You’re not just saying that?”
“You think I’d let my wife come along if there was any chance we’d encounter trouble?”
“No, I guess not.” A sheepish smile crossed his face. “I’ll be all right.”
I gestured toward the car.
When I climbed in, I tried again to get Amelia to go home.
“Really?” What did this kid know? He was barely old enough to drive. To humor him, I pumped the pedal and tried again. The engine caught right away, but smoke again billowed from the tailpipe.
Amelia smiled. “She coughs like my first plane.”
I glanced at her in the rearview mirror. “It’s a rental.”
We drove away from Wheeler Field. I couldn’t wait to drop Amelia off. “Where are you staying?”
Amelia’s forehead wrinkled. “You’re not taking me back to the hotel.”
“Where am I taking you?”
“I’m going to help you and Laura find out who killed Hank Kalua. You’re not going to risk your lives without me doing the same.”
“Risk our lives?” Billy wheezed.
I wasn’t going to back down, even if she was Amelia Earhart. “You’re not coming with us. This could be dangerous work. There’s a killer out there who doesn’t want to be found. He has a gun, fired three bullets—one dead center in Kalua’s back, then a bullet to his head to make sure the job was finished—and got away without anyone spotting him.”
“But…but…” Billy stammered. “Mr. Donovan, you said it’d be routine and boring. Do you really think it might be dangerous?”
I told the truth for Amelia’s benefit. “Sure. Murderers don’t take kindly to being apprehended, especially by a group of amateurs.”
It was bad enough I had to take a kid along, but I wouldn’t put Amelia Earhart in harm’s way. “I’ll drive you to your hotel or back to the hangar.”
Amelia crossed her arms. “I got you two into this mess when I let George convince me to call you for help. Besides, I know Kalua and his associates and can save you a lot of time. And time is of the essence, right?”
Laura leaned forward. “Jake, maybe Amelia would be safer with us.”
“Safer?” Amelia raised one eyebrow. “Why would I not be safe?”
“Safer?” Billy echoed with a high-pitched chirp.
Amelia nodded. “I get it. You think the killer might’ve targeted me.”
Laura tried to assure her friend. “We have to consider the possibility.”
Amelia shrugged. “You’re suggesting the killer followed me to the hangar and waited around until everyone else left. When Mr. Kalua arrived, he interrupted the shooter’s plans, so the shooter shot him.”
That was just one of many possibilities.
“Laura’s right. I’m safer with you two.” She patted Billy’s leg. “You three.”
Billy rolled down the window and stuck his head out. “Would you pull over? Please!”
I yanked the wheel and stopped on the shoulder of the road.
Laura patted my hand. “Don’t make him feel bad. He’s just a kid.”
“Son of a bitch!” I got out stood beside the back bumper.
Behind the car, Billy was retching into a clump of grass at the side of the road. I waited until he finished.
When he straightened up, I tossed him a handkerchief. He wiped strings of vomit from his mouth and handed the handkerchief back.
“Keep it.”
Billy stuffed the cloth into his pocket. “I’m sorry, Mr. Donovan. I just…that talk about danger. I’m only a student and a secretary.”
I handed him a stick of gum. I felt bad for the kid. He didn’t want to come along any more than I wanted him to be there, but at this point, we were both working for George Putnam. “All that talk about danger was to get Amelia to go back to the hotel. I laid it on pretty thick.”
He cocked his head, trying to figure whether I was blowing smoke. “You’re not just saying that?”
“You think I’d let my wife come along if there was any chance we’d encounter trouble?”
“No, I guess not.” A sheepish smile crossed his face. “I’ll be all right.”
I gestured toward the car.
When I climbed in, I tried again to get Amelia to go home.
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