Criminal Mischief

22

Stone was wakened from a sound sleep by Faith, who was standing over him and talking.

“What?” he muttered.

“They’ve diverted to Honolulu. Shall I follow?”

“Yes. But check again with ATC to make sure they haven’t changed airports again. And when we’re down, ask which FBO the previous Gulfstream went to and go there.”

“Will do,” Faith said, then returned to the cockpit.

An hour later they touched down and rolled out, then Faith taxied to Signature Aviation. Stone went forward to speak to her. “Ask the FBO which hotel the other Gulfstream crew were booked into, then book us in wherever that is. Dino and I will share a two-bedroom suite. And refuel now rather than later.”

“I’ll do whatever I can,” Faith said, running through her after-landing checklist and shutting down the engines.

As the aircraft’s door opened, the air was filled with singing and ukuleles. Stone and Dino walked down the airstairs to be greeted by young women in grass skirts, who festooned them with leis and kisses.

“So far, so good,” Dino said.

Stone turned to Faith. “Where are we staying?”

“At the Royal Hawaiian,” she said. “It’s old but said to be nice. I’ve ordered a van.”

The van pulled up and everyone and their luggage got aboard.

“It’s hot,” Dino said, fanning himself with his Panama hat.

“It’s supposed to be,” Stone said.

“Have you ever been to Hawaii?”

“Nope, but I’m told it’s hot.”

“That was good information,” Dino replied.

Stone leaned forward to talk to Faith. “What did you find out about the occupants of the other Gulfstream?”

“They’re loaded same as us, two crews and two passengers, plus a dog.”

“What kind of dog?”

“Does it matter?”

“Maybe.”

“I didn’t ask.”

“Did you get the names of the passengers?”

“Dickens,” she said.

“First names?”

“Charles and Emma. Americans.”

“Are we near them in the hotel?”

“I’ve no idea. That wasn’t on your list of requests.”

“Do you have any idea what they look like?”

“None at all. It wasn’t...”

“On my list, I know.”

Stone took out a notebook, looked up a number, and dialed it.

“Who are you calling?” Dino asked.

“The FBI tips hotline for Zanian. I want to get this out of the way.”

“Do you want them to get to the hotel before we do?”

“Are you kidding? The hotline will take hours to get that to Special Agent Ness. I’m on hold right now.”

“Whatever you say.”

“I wish everybody said that all the time,” Stone said.

The hotel was big and splashy and right on the beach, with Diamond Head in sight.

“That’s Diamond Head,” Stone said to Dino.

“How do you know? You’ve never been here.”

“I saw it in a movie of the same name, which starred Charlton Heston.”

“How old were you at the time?”

“It was on TV.”

“I recognized it from Hawaii Five-O,” Dino said.

They checked in. “By the way,” Stone said to the desk clerk, “is there a Mr. Charles Dickens registered here?”

She smiled. “I believe you’ll find him in our library,” she replied, then went on to the next customer.

“You should have been a detective,” Dino said.

They followed a bellman to the top floor of the hotel and were admitted to a spectacular suite.

“Good God!” Stone said. “I didn’t ask for the presidential suite!”

“It was all they had,” Faith said from behind him. “I just wanted to see it. I’m next door, that way.” She pointed. She and her bellman left.

Stone tipped his bellman. “Do you know a guest named Dickens?”

The man shook his head. “No, sir.”

“Did you ever get through to anyone on the FBI hotline?” Dino asked.

“No, I left a message.”

“I’m sure when they hear the name you left, they’ll hang up.”

“Good,” Stone said.

The bellman threw open the doors to the terrace, and they walked outside. “This is about twenty-five knots of wind,” Stone said, leaning into it.

“It must be the altitude,” Dino replied, securing his Panama hat before it could blow away.

“We’re at sea level,” Stone said.

They went back inside and managed to get the doors closed.

“What now?” Dino asked.

“I’m still sleepy,” Stone replied.

“Me, too.”

They both headed for their respective beds.

Stone was awakened late in the day.

“We’re hungry,” Faith said on the phone.

“You take the girls to dinner but keep them sober. We may be headed for Midway or Christmas Island next, and I don’t want a hungover crew. And if you see any group that looks like another air crew, cozy up to them and find out who they are, what they’re flying, who they’re flying, and where.”

“Gotcha, boss.” Faith hung up.

Dino came into his room wearing a hotel robe and looking freshly showered and shaven. “How about some dinner?”

“Call downstairs and book us a table in the main dining room,” Stone said, “while I get cleaned up.”

Stone went and got cleaned up.

He came into the living room, dressed in a white linen suit.

“Didn’t Sydney Greenstreet dress that way in Casablanca?” Dino asked.

“Maybe, but not in my size,” Stone replied. “Let’s go.”