Chapter 28

Karen

Where am I going to come up with twenty thousand bucks by Friday week? I have no idea where Hairy is. I know where he was ... Denver.

“Pan American Airways, this is Rachael. How can I help?”

“My name is Karen Post...”

“Umh ... Hi Karen. What do you need?”

“I realize this is a long shot ... but,” I explained about Hairy Medicinewolf taking a Air US flight from Sheridan, Wyoming to Denver, Stapleton. “I’m trying to find out where he went.”

“May I have your number? This may take a while.”

“Area code 307-672-8828. Karen Post.”

“Okay, Miss Post. I promise to get back to you as soon as possible.”

Two hours later, Ring-Ring. Ring-Ring.

“Hello?”

“Karen?”

“Hairy?” I dropped the phone.

“Karen? Karen. Karen?”

“Hairy ... don’t hang up please,” I was a scattered mess. “Where are you?”

“At the moment? Alliance Flight School. What’s up?”

“You’re taking flight training?” I spluttered.

“I need a long distance hood flight. I was thinking about coming home. How are you doing?”

“Taking flight training.”

“Sheridan?”

“Buffalo ... that’s what I want to talk to you about ... there are aircraft I need to rescue.”

“Are aircraft? Are aircraft means more than one.”

“AT11 Kansan’s. A pair.”

“Kansan?” He asked. “Bombardier, Turret Gunner trainer?”

“Ugly ... glass nose. Turrets are in a hangar ... with machine-guns and Norden Bombsights.”

“Expensive?” he asked, “Wait ... guns? Browning fifties?”

“How would I know that? I’m a girl.”

“Ha Ha, Karen.”

“I haven’t looked, so I can’t say,” I said.

“I assume you’ve already negotiated a price?”

“Yes, sir. Twenty thousand,” I said.

“Jeese, Karen,” he said, “What are they? Mouldering wrecks?”

“They aren’t flyable ... that’s for sure.”

“What else?”

“The fuselage insignia is visible from close up.”

“Two of them?”

“Yup.”

There was a bit of a silence on his end, I waited. I could tell he had the phone up against his chest because I could hear his heart ... and muffled speaking.

“Karen?”

“Yes?”

“I’ll be there in...” he started mumbling, “lessee... 330 miles divided by 94 is ... three and a half hours ... better make it four.” He spoke up, “I’ll be there in four hours. I assume they have fuel.”

“Hairy ... there are bird nests in the cowlings ... oh ... you mean the airport ... yeah ... I have lessons. They either have fuel or that Piper Cub is magic.”