Mare's Nest

by Larry Darter

  "Cool," Jackie said. "Why don't you tell me the story you mentioned."

  "I'm looking for a man," I said.

  "Aren't we all?" Jackie said, with a chuckle.

  I smiled in spite of myself. "Yep, not in that way," I said. "The man is a crim. He took a great deal of money from a client of mine. I aim to find him and get it back."

  "A client of yours?" Jackie said.

  "Yep, I'm a private investigator," I said.

  "So, this guy is trying to escape with the money?" Jackie said.

  "I'm sure that's his ultimate goal," I said. "But, for the moment I think he is trying to lay low until the heat is off a bit."

  "Why aren't the cops looking for him?" Jackie said.

  "They are. But, I'd prefer to find him myself."

  "So, where is this guy supposed to be?"

  "Not too certain of that," I said. "I'm guessing on one of the other islands east of Oahu."

  Jackie made a half turn in her swivel chair and pointed at a map of Hawaii affixed to the wall behind her desk. "That's quite a large area to search," she said. She turned back to face me. "That's sort of like looking for the proverbial needle in a haystack."

  "There is one thing that might narrow things down a bit," I said.

  "What's that?"

  "He stole a helicopter from a former employer," I said. "And, the helicopter has mechanical problems he was unaware of when he took it."

  "What kind of mechanical problems?"

  "Failing bearings in the tail rotor assembly," I said. "The mechanics who looked at it don't expect the bearings to last for more than another flight hour."

  "I see," Jackie said. "You said he went south. So, we're looking at Molokai, Maui, or Lanai."

  "Yep, his former employer doesn't believe the helicopter would make it as far as the big island."

  "Still, that's a lot of areas to cover," Jackie said. "The man you're looking for, he's a local pilot?"

  "Yes, he flew for a tour operator in Pearl City."

  "He have a name?"

  "Yes, Adam Morton," I said.

  "I've heard of him," Jackie said.

  "Have you? Do you know him?"

  "Of him. I've seen him around. I know what he looks like. I know most of the helicopter pilots that fly out of Oahu for a paycheck."

  "So, are you interested in the job?" I said.

  "I am, but this kind of thing can get expensive in a hurry."

  How much do you charge?" I said.

  "Business is a little slow at the moment," Jackie said. "I could do it for $375 per flight hour. If it goes over four flight hours, I'll take ten-percent off the total bill."

  "How would we proceed?" I said.

  "Assuming we're looking for the helicopter on the ground somewhere. We could start with Molokai. We could fly the usual tour route and hope Morton is a creature of habit. Then work our way south as necessary."

  "There is a usual route?" I said.

  "Yes," Jackie said. "It's dictated to a large degree by operations over water procedures." She stood up and pointed to the map behind her desk. "The general route from Oahu is across the channel. Down the length of Molokai and then across the channel here and along the western side of Maui. That way you only spend time over the water crossing the channels."

  "I see," I said.

  "But now that I know who you are looking for, I'd say our best bet would be to start with Lanai. That's assuming mechanical problems didn't force Morton to land on Molokai."

  "Why is that?" I said.

  "Two reasons," Jackie said. "You said Morton wants to lay low. Lanai is the perfect place to go off the grid. The island is about 140 square miles with a population of only a little over 3,000. Only 30 miles of paved roads, most of it is dirt roads only accessible with a four-wheel drive vehicle. And, there is a small law enforcement presence."

  "I see. It does sound remote. You said there were two reasons."

  "Yes, the other reason is I heard somewhere that Adam Morton grew up on Lanai. He's familiar with the island. He may still know people there."

  "Sounds promising," I said. "Still 140 square miles is a large area to search."

  "Yes," Jackie said. "But, we could confine the search for the bird to the usual route across Molokai, then the usual route to Lanai City. If we don't spot it along the way, then we concentrate on searching a circle around Lanai City. He got there by helicopter. So, he would be dependent on his feet to reach civilization where he could get food and supplies. Or connect with someone he knows on the island."

  "Sounds like a workable plan," I said.

  "When do you want to start?" Jackie said.

  "Now."

  "Excellent, I fueled up the bird yesterday afternoon. Let's go."

  Chapter 24

  AN HOUR AFTER TAKEOFF from Oahu, Jackie and I reached the eastern terminus of Molokai. We hadn't seen anything of Morton's helicopter. Along the way, I had searched north of the route using a pair of binoculars Jackie had lent me. Jackie had searched to the south from the right seat in the cockpit.

  I'd ridden in helicopters during my military days but had never sat up front in one. From time to time I stole a glance at Jackie, fascinated by the skill required to fly the machine. She rarely let go of the cyclic stick with her right hand. It seemed flying a helicopter required near-continuous control inputs.

  Jackie had fitted me out with a headset like the one she also wore before takeoff. Headsets were necessary to communicate over the noise of the helicopter. But, we had spoken little since leaving the coast of Oahu. She broke the silence.

  "We've followed the heading most pilots would have taken toward Maui," Jackie said. "Now I'm going to come around and head back the way we came. Near the midpoint, flights to Lanai would change course to a southeastern heading."

  "Understood," I said.

  Now that we were backtracking I didn't feel as compelled to watch the ground passing beneath us. I reckoned it was all right to talk. I was keen to know more about Jackie.

  "How long have you been flying helicopters?" I said. "Your skills are impressive."

  "Since I was fourteen, more or less," Jackie said. "My father started teaching me then. I did my training solo when I turned sixteen and got my private pilot's license a year later."

  "Wow," I said. "So your father was a pilot too."

  "Yes, he started Hele Aku Aviation after he returned from the war in Vietnam. He learned to fly in the Army and flew Hueys during the war."

  "Does your dad still fly?"

  "No, he developed a heart condition that disqualified him from holding a license. So, I inherited the company when he retired."

  "So, you've been flying here in Hawaii since you were a young girl?"

  "Not only here. I spent time in the Army myself after high school. I attended aviation training at Mother Rucker after completed warrant officer candidate school. I flew Blackhawks out of Wheeler Army Airfield here in Hawaii. I also flew them during two deployments to Afghanistan."

  "Mother Rucker?" I said.

  "Yeah, Fort Rucker. It's a post in Alabama. It's where the Army trains its aviators. We pilots called the post 'Mother Rucker.' We always seemed to be returning to 'mother' for more training."

  "I see. Did you enjoy the Army?"

  "It had its moments," Jackie said.

  "I also served in Afghanistan with the New Zealand Defense Forces," I said.

  Jackie appeared surprised. "Did you? What did you do?"

  "I was a sniper in an infantry regiment."

  "Now I'm the one impressed," Jackie said. "We've reached the point where we turn southeast. Time to focus on the search again."

  "Right," I said. I stopped talking and paid more attention to the ground below.

  In a short while, we reached the southern coast of the island and began the channel crossing to Lanai. Unless we had missed spotting it, Morton had made it across Molokai. About ten minutes after changing course we completed the crossing. We crossed the coast and arrived over
Lanai. Jackie again broke the silence.

  "Now it's time for an educated guess. If I wanted to approach Lanai City without attracting too much attention, I'd fly in from the south. If we don't find the chopper before we reach the outskirts of the town, we will start a circular search pattern. We will expand the circle outward as necessary. That will allow us to determine whether Lanai City was Morton's destination."

  "Sounds good," I said.

  "Use the glasses to see as far out from our heading as possible, since the route is only a guess on my part," Jackie said.

  "Understood."

  Jackie flew southeast along the coast for several minutes. Then she put the helicopter into a turn to head north towards Lanai City. About nine or ten kilometers from the town, I thought I saw something.

  "Can we turnabout?" I said. "Thought I saw something back there?"

  "Where?" Jackie said.

  "Off to the west. There was a clearing surrounded by trees. Thought I saw something near the edge of it that might have been a helicopter."

  "Okay," Jackie said. She put the helicopter into a turn and headed back the way we had come.

  "I pointed to the right of the chopper. "There," I said, "that's the clearing."

  "You're right," Jackie said. "There is something there at the edge of the clearing. Can't tell what it is yet, but it is either a helicopter or a vehicle of some sort."

  I trained the binoculars on the object. After another minute I was sure. "Yep, it is definitely a helicopter, and it is the color of those I saw at Morton's former employer."

  Jackie lowered the helicopter towards the clearing. She put the machine into a hover about 200 meters from the helicopter on the ground. It appeared intact and showed no evidence of a crash. Jackie brought us about a hundred meters closer. Then the helicopter touched down on the ground.

  "I'll shut down, and we'll have a look," Jackie said.

  "Think he is close by?" I said.

  "Doubtful. This close to town, I'm sure that is where he went."

  "It's a bit further out than I'd have expected," I said.

  "Might have had to land before he planned to," Jackie said. "Let's go."

  We both got out of the cockpit. The main rotors were still slowly turning, and by instinct, we ducked our heads until we were well clear. Glancing at Jackie, I saw that she was holding a pistol in her hand.

  "Where did you get that?" I said.

  "I keep in the bird. You said Morton was a desperate criminal. I'd rather have it and not need it than to need it and not have it."

  "Good idea," I said.

  "Aren't you armed?" Jackie said.

  "No," I said. "I had a pistol when I arrived in Hawaii but lost it. Long story."

  "Then it's not a good idea, but a great idea I brought mine."

  As we approached the helicopter, I saw "Oahu Air Tours" on the fuselage. We had the right helicopter.

  "Look at that," Jackie said. I followed her finger to the tail of the helicopter.

  "See the paint near the tail rotor?" Jackie said.

  "Yep, it looks scorched."

  "Exactly," Jackie said. "It's been very hot. The bearings cratered and forced Morton down here."

  "That explains why it's here and not close to town," I said.

  "Yes, it does."

  We took a look inside the helicopter but failed to find anything of interest. Because the grass and vegetation were thick, there were no tracks. There was no sign of which direction Morton had gone after landing the craft.

  "Since he has money, I bet that he walked into town from here," Jackie said.

  "Then I suppose we should head there," I said. "You can drop me at the airport and return to Oahu when you're ready."

  "I thought I'd hang out with you," Jackie said.

  "Why?"

  "This is exciting," Jackie said. "Hunting down a criminal and all. I don't have anything scheduled. If a client calls, I have my phone."

  "What if we don't find Morton today," I said. "I'd have to overnight here."

  "No problem. There are places we can stay. It's pricey, but I don't mind doubling up. Cheaper for you to get us a room anyway. It will cost less than paying flight time for me to return to Oahu and then back to pick you up when you finish here."

  "They have hotels here?" I said.

  "Sure. There is a hotel in town and a large resort on the outskirts. Where do you think Morton is staying? We could run right into him."

  "Not sure," I said. "Best check both places I suppose. He could be at either, assuming he isn't staying with an acquaintance in a private house somewhere."

  "Then let's fly to the airport. We can rent a car and then go into town and ask around. You have a photo of Morton?"

  "Yes, I have a flyer the Honolulu police prepared that has his photo on it," I said.

  "Cool," Jackie said. "Let's get going."

  We walked back to the helicopter. Jackie started it up, and we headed for the airport in Lanai City.

  Chapter 25

  A REPRESENTATIVE AT the airport information desk put me on to a local car hire service. He said the service had used four-wheel drive Jeeps available at reasonable rates. I phoned them, and they dispatched a driver to pick Jackie and me up from the airport.

  At the service, I hired a late-model Jeep Wrangler. The agent assured me the vehicle was up to the challenge of any of the Lanai roads, come rain or shine.

  With transportation sorted, we drove into the city. We had decided it best to plan on spending at least one night in town. We found the downtown hotel that Jackie had mentioned. It wasn't quite what I'd expected. It was a lovely older property that offered plantation-style rooms. The desk clerk told us that the hotel was a restored plantation home. She explained a pineapple company built it to house company executives in 1923.

  While Jackie had been kind enough to offer to double up to save me money, I thought she deserved her privacy. So, I paid for two rooms even though they were as pricey as Jackie had warned me they would be.

  I showed Morton's photo to the desk clerk, with the flyer folded to conceal the context. She didn't recognize him and said he wasn't registered as a guest at the hotel. We weren't surprised. That would have been too easy.

  After checking in, Jackie went to her room to change out of her flight suit. She had a small overnight bag with a change of clothes that she said she always kept in the helicopter. She returned after a bit wearing jeans and a surfer tee. We spent the afternoon canvassing the shops and businesses in town. We asked the townspeople for information on Morton. We failed to meet anyone who claimed to recognize his photo. No one recalled seeing him in town. We gave up around four in the afternoon and returned to the hotel. Since we hadn't had lunch, we decided to have an early dinner at the onsite bar & grille.

  The menu was quite impressive. We both had the fresh fish which was very nice and cooked to perfection.

  "It's a bit disappointing that we didn't find anyone in town who has seen or even heard of Adam Morton," I said.

  "He may be staying at the resort I told you about," Jackie said. "That would explain why no one has seen him in town."

  "That's true. As a rule, resorts are self-sufficient so there would be no need for Morton to visit the town," I said.

  "We can relax this evening, get some sleep tonight, and then check out the resort tomorrow," Jackie said.

  "Yep, sounds like a plan," I said.

  The server returned with the check, and I handed her my card. The server returned with the receipt for me to sign. She encouraged us to return later that evening for cocktails and the live music on the outdoor patio. Both she promised were excellent.

  "I'm up for it if you are," Jackie said. "Never hurts to have a little fun."

  "Yep, after a rest and a shower, having some drinks would be good," I said.

  We left the bar & grille and walked to our rooms. Before going our separate ways, we agreed to meet up at my room at seven to return to the bar & grille.

  Inside my room, I
went to the bathroom to tidy up a bit before taking a nap. I discovered the bathroom window was open. I thought that was a bit random because the air conditioning was on. I closed the window. Then he spoke.

  "Hello, O'Sullivan. Long time no see."

  I turned around to see Adam Morton standing in the bathroom doorway. He had a self-satisfied grin on his face and a semi-automatic in his hand.

  "Adam Morton," I said. "You still lurking about?"

  "You could say that," Morton said. "I heard you've been showing my photo around town and asking questions. I grew up here and still have friends in town."

  "Yep, I was looking for you," I said. "You saved me a bit of trouble by coming to me. Thanks for that."

  "You won't be thanking me when you find out what I have planned for you," Morton said. "I've got to hand it to you, O'Sullivan. You are one persistent bitch."

  "Thanks for noticing," I said.

  "We're going out the door and then left to the side of the building," Morton said. "I parked a truck there." Morton tossed me a key. "And you're going to drive."

  "That didn't work out so well the last time we did that," I said.

  "True, but there isn't a single traffic light on this whole island so we won't have a problem with any red lights this time."

  "Where we going?" I said.

  "You'll find out when we get there," Morton said. "And don't do anything to draw attention to us when we walk out of the room. You do, and you're dead. Now let's go."

  I wasn't in any position to argue, so I walked to the door. I opened it and walked outside with Morton close behind me. We turned left and walked to a small carpark on the side of the hotel. There was a green Toyota ute parked there.

  "Get in," Morton said.

  Once I was behind the wheel, Morton got in on the other side. He kept the pistol pointed at me.

  "Start the truck and drive. Make a right out of the parking lot and follow the road out of town."

  I started the ute, put it in gear, and drove out of the carpark. I turned right and followed the road. The pavement ended at the edge of town. The road became a rough dirt track. We kept going. I looked at the odometer from time to time to see how far we had traveled. It read in miles instead of kilometers, but at least it gave me an idea of the distance. After 8 miles, Morton spoke.