The room suddenly became quiet while Mellongard leaned forward on his desk and rubbed his eyes. "I'll meet with the President as soon as I can."
Susan and Steve finished dinner and were walking across the large, airy breezeway by the registration desk when they saw Marcus Callaway. He had changed into shorts and a knit pullover that complemented his muscular physique.
"Where have you two been?" Callaway asked with a straight face.
Susan chuckled dryly. "We've had an exciting afternoon — one I won't soon forget."
"Any news?" Steve asked.
"Nothing very significant," Marcus admitted and lowered his voice. "I went to inspect the tour ship and then talked to some eyewitnesses and the lab people. The ballistics guys showed me some of the 5.56-millimeter projectiles they dug out of a seating area. The cartridges are the standard NATO brass-jacketed rounds used by a number of countries, so we're reasonably sure the weapons were assault rifles that were probably bolted to the side of the chopper."
"Like an M-16?" Susan asked.
"Yes," Callaway answered quietly, "but they could have been Belgian FNCs, German G41s, or British L85A1s. We may never know unless we find the helo or the pilot."
"Speaking of pilots," Steve said quietly, "did you find out anything about the drug runner?"
"The pilots — including the former drug smuggler — have solid alibis from credible witnesses."
"What's the story," Susan asked, "on the pilot who was supposedly fishing when the attack took place?"
"There were several people," Marcus explained, slipping into his professional role with ease, "including a police officer who saw the pilot repairing a flat tire at a gas station at the time of the assault. He claimed that he had been camping on the beach overnight and noticed the flat tire when he was fixing breakfast. The guy has bright-red hair, and all the witnesses are positive that it was him."
"It sounds like a tight alibi," Wickham agreed, concealing the skepticism he suddenly felt. "However, let's keep him under surveillance and see what develops."
"I've already arranged it," Callaway said.
The subtle message was crystal clear to Wickham and he wisely nodded.
"Well, I've got to get off a report," Susan announced and turned to Marcus. "Steve can fill you in on our interesting day."
"Okay," he said and flashed his friendly smile at Steve. "I'm anxious to hear about it."
Susan handed Wickham a business card. "My home phone number is on the back if you need to call me. Otherwise why don't we meet here at seven in the morning."
"That sounds fine to me." Steve put her card in his shirt pocket. "I think we should investigate the homes we saw today."
"I agree." She smiled with anticipation. "And you need to tell Marcus about the car that followed us to lunch."
"Would someone clue me in?" Marcus asked with a blank look. "Who was tailing you?"
"I don't know," Steve informed him with a measured quiet to his voice, "but someone followed us to lunch this afternoon — and it rang a bell."
"And?" Callaway prompted.
Steve hesitated while he tried to reconstruct the picture in his mind. "Do you recall the elderly Japanese man sitting across from us during the flight from Chicago?"
"Vaguely," Marcus admitted. "Wasn't he wearing a bow tie?"
"Yes," Wickham stated emphatically, "and there was something about him that seemed unnatural, don't you think?"
"Not really." Callaway shrugged. "Other than the fact that he never moved."
"Never moved," Steve remarked in a flatly serious tone. "And, if I recall correctly, never turned a page of his paper the entire time he was supposedly reading it."
Marcus paused and a weary sigh came from him. "Now that I think about it, you're right."
Steve glanced at Susan and noticed the question on her face. "I think the guy was listening to our conversation and gleaning every scrap of information he could absorb. Whether he was following us today, or it was one of his associates, the fact remains that someone knows who we are and what we're doing."
"Then we've got a leak somewhere," Marcus grumbled, "because only a handful of people know about our assignment."
"That's what bothers me the most," Susan cautioned with a look of uncertainty. "We don't know who to trust, and we're obviously being watched. Not what I would call a good sign."
Steve suddenly felt uncomfortable with the conversation. "Susan, would you like for one of us to drive you home?"
"No." She laughed unconvincingly. "But thanks anyway. See you in the morning."
"Good night," Callaway and Wickham said in unison.
They watched Susan walk away before Steve turned to Marcus. "I've got some beer on ice in my room, unless you want something stronger."
Marcus grinned. "A cold beer would hit the spot."
After they settled on the lanai, Steve recounted the story about the car that had followed them and what Susan and he had discovered during their airborne search. Both agreed that it would be wise to reconnoiter the house where a man with a rifle had been spotted.
When Marcus retired to his room, Steve called the Army liaison officer and canceled the helicopter he had reserved for the following morning, then opened a fresh beer and stepped out to the lanai. He sat in one of the chairs and watched the rain fall at a steady pace while he thought about the car that had tailed them to lunch.
There was something else in the back of his mind that was haunting him, but he couldn't quite identify what it was. He listened to the steady splash of the waves and tried to relax.
A knock on the door brought him back to the moment. When Steve answered the door, he was pleasantly surprised to see the Sky Nine pilot.
"Hi, Theresa." He noticed that she had changed clothes and brushed her hair.
"Hi. I hope I'm not interrupting anything."
"No, not at all."
"I had your photographs developed and I thought you might want them as soon as possible."
"Thanks. What do I owe you for this?"
"They're complimentary," she countered with a radiant smile. "The lady who handles our station's photo needs was happy to rush these through."
"That's great." He put the pictures on a counter. "I really appreciate your efforts."
"No problem."
There was a moment of awkward silence.
"Would you care to come in?" Steve said at last.
"Are you sure I'm not intruding?"
"Not at all. May I fix you something to drink?"
"That sounds good. White wine, if you have any."
"I think I have a couple of bottles in the bar. Have a seat. I'll only be a minute."
Theresa walked to the open sliding-glass door leading to the lanai. "Do you mind if we sit outside?"
"Make yourself at home."
When Steve finished pouring a glass of wine, he joined her on the covered deck.
"Thanks," Theresa warmly responded as she accepted the Sauvignon Blanc. "I don't know about you, but the sound of the waves helps me wind down."
He let his gaze take in her lips and eyes. "Yeah, like watching a flickering fire in a snow-covered cabin."
"Exactly." She sipped her wine and turned to face him. "Steve, I really apologize for the rough ride this afternoon. It was an unusual situation, but I'm not going to make any excuses."
"Forget it. You were just trying to cover the most ground in the short time we had available. Don't worry about—" He stopped in midsentence when the elusive thought that had escaped him all evening flashed into his mind.
"Steve — what is it?"
"Excuse me, Theresa — I'll be right back."
He hurriedly opened the packet of photographs and flipped through them until he reached the one he wanted. He studied it for a long moment, then reviewed a similar snapshot from a different angle.
How could I have missed that unless I was concentrating on the wind sock?