Worst Fears Realized

Stone had shifted his attention to passengers farther down the aisle when he heard a woman scream and a scuffle behind him. He was turning to see what the matter was when he experienced a hard blow to his left shoulder. His initial reaction was surprise at how much pain the blow was causing. He continued turning to find the young man in black with his fist raised above his head. He tried to raise his left arm to ward off the blow and, to his shock, could not. Everything was happening in slow motion.

He saw now that the young man held a small knife in his raised fist, and he was bringing it down toward Stone’s face. As he did, the young man suddenly jerked and fell sideways, as if someone had yanked him. Blood spurted from his neck, and only then did Stone hear the gunshot. He turned to see Dino, his arm outstretched, a pistol in his hand.

Passengers were screaming; some threw themselves to the floor, others rushed past or over them, trying desperately to get off the airplane. Dino fought his way across the cabin, gun in hand, pointed down at the prostrate figure of the young man, who was twitching and grimacing. Beside him, in the aisle, Stone saw a bloody kitchen knife with a four-inch blade.

“Get these people out of here!” Dino shouted to Sam Warren. “I want the airplane cleared, and I want medical assistance here now!” As the last of the passengers rushed past them, Dino finally got to Stone. “Sit down,” he said.

“What?”

“Sit down right here in this seat; you’ve been stabbed. Wait a minute; first get your coat off.”

Stone got out of his jacket and was astonished to find the left sleeve soaked with blood. He’d had no sensation of the knife, just a blow to the shoulder.

“Where’d he get a knife?” Stone asked. “How’d he get it through the metal detectors?”

“From the galley,” Dino said. “I saw him go for it, but I couldn’t get a shot; there were too many people between him and me.”

A flight attendant approached. “We’ve called for assistance,” she said. “I’m sorry about the knife; I was slicing limes in the first-class galley, and…”

“It’s all right,” Stone said. “It’s not your fault.” He turned to Dino. “I saw the guy pass me, but the hair…”

Dino went to the young man and tugged at his hair; the wig came away in his hand. He felt for a pulse. “He’s dead. Didn’t I mention the wig?” Dino asked.

“No, you didn’t.”

“The doorman reported that Hausman had grown hair overnight. Sorry, I forgot to pass that on. I was driving.”

“Forget it,” Stone said. He was feeling a little weak.

The flight attendant brought a clean towel and pressed it against the back of Stone’s shoulder. “Just lean back against the seat,” she said. “That will hold the towel in place.”

“You okay here?” Dino asked. “I want to search the rest of the airplane.”

“I’m okay,” Stone replied.

Dino beckoned to Sam Warren. They walked aft in the airplane, checking under seats and in the toilets. Shortly, Dino returned. “How you doing?”

“I’m fine, Dino; when can we get out of here?”

“You’re going to have to go to the emergency room,” Dino said.

“Well, I’m not going in an ambulance; you can drive me.”

“All right,” Dino said. “Miss?” he said to the flight attendant. “Can you get me a wheelchair?”

“I don’t need a wheelchair,” Stone said. “I can walk.”

“I’m not going to have you walking through the airport, covered with blood, then passing out in front of everybody,” Dino said.

“Did you get Mitteldorfer?” Stone asked.

“I didn’t see him; Andy and his people are checking the lounge and the corridors now. He may have made it out during the excitement.”

Two security people arrived with a stretcher and took Peter Hausman’s body away, leaving Stone and Dino alone on the airplane.

“You just sit tight,” Dino said. “I’m going to go find a wheelchair, then we’ll get you out of here.” He left Stone alone on the airplane.

Stone was feeling better after the shock of learning that he had been stabbed had passed. Twenty minutes had passed since the excitement, and he was even feeling a little drowsy. He pushed the recline button on his seat, which was at the rear of the first-class compartment, and tucked a pillow under his head. At least he could rest until they got him out of here.

Stone was nearly asleep when he heard the sound, which was very like snoring. He opened his eyes. How could he be snoring, when he wasn’t even asleep, yet? The sound persisted. Stone pressed a button, and his seat returned to a sitting position. He could still hear the snoring, and it seemed to be coming from behind him somewhere.

He got to his feet, somewhat unsteadily, and began to make his way down the aisle toward the rear of the airplane, listening. The snoring grew louder. Well back into the tourist section of the airplane, he stopped and looked up and to his left. The large overhead bin was closed. He reached up and opened it, then took Dino’s.38 from his belt and stepped back.

The snoring was coming from a raincoat stashed in the overhead bin. With the short gun barrel, Stone moved the coat out of the way. A middle-aged man with gray hair and a small beard lay on his back in the compartment, snoring loudly. At first, Stone didn’t recognize him.

Dino came back aboard the airplane, pushing a wheelchair. “Hey!” he called to Stone. “What are you doing back there? You shouldn’t be on your feet!”

“Come back here,” Stone called to him, “and bring your cuffs.”

Mitteldorfer jerked awake at the sound of Stone’s voice. He turned and looked at Stone, and recognition distorted his face. “You!” he screamed.

“Me!” Stone shouted back at him.

64

IT WAS AFTER 1:00 A.M., AND IT HAD BEGUN raining when Dino’s car stopped in front of Stone’s house. The emergency room had been a zoo. They had given him a local anesthetic, stitched him up, given him a tetanus shot, some antibiotics, and a little bottle of painkillers. It had taken Stone some time to convince his doctor that he would be better off at home than in the hospital.

“Thanks,” Stone said.

“It wasn’t much out of my way,” Dino replied.

“I mean for shooting Hausman. He was about to do more damage.”

“I’m sorry I couldn’t shoot him sooner.”

“It’s over, isn’t it? Finally”

“Yeah, it’s over.”

“There’s nobody out there trying to do us in?”

“You can sleep well tonight,” Dino said. “Me, too, come to that. Mary A

“I’m glad; I know you’ve missed them.”

“Yeah, I have. Being a bachelor isn’t all it’s cracked up to be.”

“Oh, I don’t know; it’s not a bad life, when people aren’t trying to kill you.”

“What are you going to say to Eduardo?”

“I’ll reason with him.”

“It might work, if you can do it without a

“I’ll reason with him very carefully.”

“Good. You’re my friend, Stone, but I can’t say I want you for a brother-in-law.”

“I’m hurt, Dino.”

“You going to reason with Dolce, too?”

“I’m not sure she can be reasoned with.”

“Now you’re begi

“I’m too tired to think about it right now,” Stone said. “And the painkillers are starting to kick in. I hope I can get upstairs before I fall asleep.”

“You want some help?”

“No, I’ll make it.” Stone opened the car door and stepped out into the rain. “Good night, Dino.”

“Good night, Stone. I’ll call you tomorrow and give you the latest on Mitteldorfer.”

“You do that.” Stone closed the car door and walked slowly up the front steps of his house. He let himself in and took the elevator upstairs, because he didn’t feel like negotiating the stairs. He had a pretty good buzz from the painkillers.

There was a light on in the bedroom, which gave him a little start. He crept into the room and found Dolce asleep in his bed, naked, only partly covered by a sheet. The expression on her face was one of a somnolent child, all i