He made his way to the boundary of the park where he spied a phone check station. People were coming and going in all directions, but none appeared to pay him any attention. He punched the connection service for Jerry’s number and waited while a flustered waitress on the other end looked for Graham.
‘Now you’ve got that waitress curious.’ Graham rumbled. ‘She’s wondering why someone would call for me on this phone. She’s not the only once curious, so am I. What’s up?’
‘Listen pal, I don’t have much time, I want you to do me a big favour.’ Nick wheezed from his fast walk.
‘Anything mate.’ Graham answered.
Nick glanced around. ‘How long are you going to be in LA?’
‘As long as I like. Why? Are you coming over? That’d be great. It’s too bloody long since we got together.’
‘Yeah, I am, but I um, don’t want anyone to know. I’ll get on the first flight I can. Can you to check in at Jerry’s every couple of hours? I don’t want to use our sat-phones. Um, I’ll leave a message where to meet me.’
‘Oh, so it’s okay now for me to turn my phone off. Why all the cloak and dagger? Why can’t you just come to my hotel?’
‘I think I’m being watched. I can’t explain now. Just do as I ask, okay?’
‘Bloody hell Nick, what have you done now? Killed somebody?’
‘No of course not! But I could be in trouble.’
‘What again? Never a dull moment with you is there? Okay, I’ll call Jerry. I’ll see you when you get here.’
‘Thanks, mate. See you soon.’
Nick hung up. If he wanted to get out quickly, he would have to call and get on the first available flight. He pushed the connection button for a domestic airline and was able to secure a seat on a flight out of Ronald Reagan airport to LA at 1pm. He flipped his watch, he had four hours to fill in.
He needed something to settle his nerves, but even he would not take alcohol this early in the morning, so he opted for coffee.
A group of people milled around on a nearby corner, making it impossible to determine if someone was watching him, so Nick briskly retraced his steps, nonchalantly swinging his arms. He turned a corner and was relieved to see a café on the same side of the street just one block away. He strode into the café fumbling in his pockets for change, and selected a seat at a table near the front window where he could see if anyone suspicious approached.
He ordered a black coffee from the waitress, who looked like she was at the end of a twelve hour shift, and glanced around the room briefly noting the shabby décor, and the two men propped at the counter. They did not appear to notice his presence as they argued over the latest baseball game. Josh’s warning that the CIA may be watching him came back to him, and he wondered what they would do if they saw him going to the airport. The coffee failed to revive his energy or calm his nerves so he left, uncomfortably suspecting a presence somewhere in the background. He marched back to the Trancab station at the park, climbed into one and gave it directions to Laura’s apartment building.
The spacious lobby here was typical of upmarket apartment buildings, housing a coffee shop and boutiques,with various areas of seating arranged around lush indoor plantings. Nick didn’t recognise the desk clerk, who was eyeing him suspiciously, wondering why a visitor or guest would wear a business jack-suit in this building. Nick could read his mind.Who was this interloper off the street? He struggled to keep calm as he assessed the people around him, most eyeing him with the same suspicions as the desk clerk. It was not the right time or place to be dressed as he was, reeking of body odour. A family approached the front desk and while the clerk was distracted, Nick slipped around to the nearest lift and impatiently punched the button to the Penthouse several times.
The apartment was quiet, cool and deserted when he entered. He found Maxime curled up asleep on Laura’s bed. He’d have to do something about that cat, it would break Laura’s heart if she came to any harm. He decided to call Josh from Los Angeles and have him collect Maxime. Meanwhile he’d ask the manager to check in on her, he’d have to leave the key for Josh with him anyway. Then another thing crossed his mind. What about the animals? Those trapped in zoos. It didn’t bear thinking about.
He showered, changed his underwear and climbed back into his distasteful jack-suit. Then he selected one of Laura’s briefcases, threw in some underwear, his favourite moleskins and some T-shirts, patted Maxime, and quietly left the apartment. He dropped the key off to the surprised desk clerk, with instructions for the manager, and strolled into the restaurant off the foyer. The place bustled with the late breakfast crowd finishing coffee. The staff recognised him from his many visits with Laura and took no notice when he wandered casually into the kitchen. Without pausing, he darted through the service door onto the street, where he broke into a run for the nearest Trancab station.
Nick slumped into the front seat of a Trancab feeling a little smug, certain he had given anyone following the slip. The cab’s air-conditioning was not working and he screwed up his nose as the lingering smell of cigar smoke disgusted him. ‘Ronald Reagan airport.’ He commanded.
Trancar traffic was building up and the ten kilometres to the airport was going to take at least thirty minutes. He had no sooner left the station than he spied a black Trancar behind him that carried a government identity plate. His pulse rate quickened. He glanced at his watch and saw he had plenty of time. Seeing the only way to shake the government car he guessed was following him, was to get out of the Trancab, which he could not do as it was programmed to take the shortest route to any destination. He wished for the days when he could have ordered a cab driver to ‘lose that car behind us’ instead he commanded, ‘Capitol South Metro.’
His Trancab diverted and so did the government car. They were definitely following him. He figured he could give them the slip at the metro station and be on the train to the airport before they caught up with him.
It was a chance, and a slim one, but it was the only thing he could think of. He had to get on that plane.
He announced his charge card number as the cab pulled up in front of the metro station, and when the door automatically slid open he leapt out, taking off in a full run into the station. An overhead display showed each train’s destination and timetable, and once entering the terminal it was necessary to stand on a moving walkway to move along a tunnel leading to other train platforms. The walkway travelled at the speed of a slow stroll, so Nick walked rapidly passing the long lines of people ahead. He had little occasion to use this metro when visiting Laura, as he usually came in from Dulles International airport where Trancabs were readily available. Now at the end of the walkway, he found himself in a large open area confronted by more walkways going in different directions.
He spotted two men in jacksuits on the walkway behind pushing their way past passengers toward him. His heart pounded, he hurried past several walkways until he spotted the one to the airport.No, he thought,can’t let them know I’m headed to the airport. Instead he took the walkway next to it. Now he began to run. Startled people cursed him as he pushed past them. The two men followed ten metres behind. He came to the end of the walkway where two trains waited, heading in opposite directions. He made for the one on his right. There was a group of three people standing by the walkway with suitcases stacked on a trolley. He pushed the cases off the trolley as he passed, scattering them over the platform. He did not stop. The train on his left began to close it’s doors, so he diverted from his path and dashed into that train as the door closed. He watched as the two men stood with hands on hips among the scattered suitcases.