24 Hours

Will had considered calling Zwick. The SAC could have an agent at the Beau Rivage in ten minutes to handle this, if Will would share his plan with the Bureau. But that would put him back under the control of the FBI, which was the last place he wanted to be.

“Can you technically do it?” he asked. “Just tell me that. Can you intercept the calls and patch them through?”

“Technically? Yes, we have that capability. But it’s not hotel policy to-”

“Forget hotel policy. Let’s talk about your personal policy. If you make sure those calls are forwarded to my cell phone for the next three hours-personally ensure it-I’ll pay you ten thousand dollars.”

“Ten thousand…?”

He had the man’s attention. Geautreau was caught between perceived legal risk and flat-out greed.

“Doctor-”

“Let’s make it fifteen thousand. Fifteen grand for three hours’ work.”

There was a brief silence. Then the manager said, “Promises are easy to make.”

Will breathed a sigh of relief. All he had to do was set the hook.

“I’d need some security,” Geautreau said. “Earnest money.”

“Would a thousand dollars cover it?”

“I think that would be sufficient.”

“Connect me to Dr. Jackson Everett’s room. And stay on the phone after he hangs up.”

“As you say, Doctor.”

The phone rang five times. Will sweated every ring. Then he heard a click, followed by a crash.

“Son of a bitch,” said a ragged voice. “Have a little mercy on a guy.”

“Jack? Wake up.”

“Who is this? Crystal?”

Crystal? Everett’s wife was named Mary. “It’s Will Jennings, Jack. Wake up!”

“Will? What’s so important it can’t wait till a decent hour? I’ve got the hangover from hell.”

“I’ll tell you later. Right now I need to you go downstairs and write the hotel desk manager a check for a thousand dollars.”

“A thousand dollars? What are you talking about?”

“I don’t have time to explain. I just need you to do it. It’s life or death, Jack.”

“You’re bullshitting me, right? What is this?”

“Jack, for God’s sake, I need a thousand dollars at the front desk in five minutes. My life depends on it.”

“Your life…? You must have gone gambling last night after all. Did you get into one of those unofficial poker games with this guy?”

“Damn it, Jack!”

“Okay, okay. I’ll put it on my Visa.”

“That won’t work. It’s got be cash or a check. This is a personal thing with the desk manager. His name’s Geautreau.”

“This is a casino, Will. They’re dying to give people cash to lose at the tables. I’ll handle it. Let me get moving, brush my teeth-”

“Now, Jack! The guy’s waiting. His name’s Geautreau.

G-E-A-U-T-R-E-A-U.”

“Are you down at the desk now?”

“I’m a long way from that desk, buddy. This is life or death, no shit. Will you do it?”

“I’m on my way. But you owe me big-time.”

“Anything you want. Now hang up. Geautreau’s waiting for me.”

“Hey, don’t worry. I’ve got you covered on the money.”

The phone clicked.

“I heard,” said Geautreau.

“Fourteen thousand more where that came from. Write down the number of my cell phone. It’s six-oh-one, three-three-two, four-two-one-seven. Read that back to me.”

Geautreau did; the number was correct.

“You cannot screw this up.”

“Don’t worry, Doctor. A pleasure doing business with you.”

Will hung up, threw the Tempo into DRIVE, and headed for the airport.

“Do you really think that will work?” Cheryl asked.

“I’m way past thinking.”

NINETEEN

The sign beside the chain link gate read:

WELCOME TO GULFPORT-BILOXI REGIONAL AIRPORT PRESS INTERCOM BUTTON FOR APPROVAL AFTER GATE OPENS, PROCEED TO STOP LINE WAIT FOR GATE TO CLOSE BEHIND YOU

The sign on the gate itself read:

FAILURE TO STOP AND WAIT FOR GATE TO CLOSE IS PUNISHABLE BY A $10,000 FINE.

Will pressed the button on the post beside his window and waited.

“Good morning,” said a male voice. “Welcome to U.S. Aviation Corp. How can we help you?”

“This is Dr. Will Jennings. I flew in yesterday in Baron November-Two-Whisky-Juliet. I have a serious emergency. My daughter has been gravely injured in a traffic accident in Jackson, and I must get airborne as soon as possible.”

There was a brief delay. “Understood, Doctor. We are contacting the tower. Be advised that-”

The voice was drowned by the thunder of jet engines.

“Sorry. The Air National Guard has flight operations progress, and that might cause some delay. Please wait at the gate, and we’ll get back to you ASAP.”

Air National Guard operations. Will didn’t like the sound of that, but it explained all the activity in the sky as they had approached the airport.

“How long will they make us wait?” Cheryl asked.

“Shouldn’t be long. They do all they can to help you in an emergency.”

The speaker on the post squawked with a sound that made Will think someone had held a telephone up to a radio.