Chapter 88

I was about ready to run the throttle up to see what the bird would do, but first I checked in with Wilson. "Hey Wilson, I'm on the strip and ready to go up."

"Damn it, be careful please. Do you know how much time you have to fly," Wilson asked.

"No but I have enough gas to go 150 miles. I think that give me about two hours if I don't have a head wind," I replied. "I'll give you a call when I'm up there, so answer your cell phone."

"Like I said be careful," Wilson said.

"Later," I said ringing off. I stepped hard on the drum brakes on the front wheel and revved up the engine. I ran it up smoothly and felt the pressure against the brakes. That was the first time I was sure the prop was engaged. I revved it as far as I could then release the brakes. The little place began to move within a few feet it had some lift. I kept going up with the engine till it reached full throttle. The air speed was at the point where the small plane tried to be airborne. I pulled back on the joy stick and the nose lifted.

The small lightweight plane shot into the air. I had a great deal of runway left and that felt good. I turned the plane and flew over the town of New Wales then over Jefferson Island. It was beautiful up there in the morning light. I saw the ocean and drifted out over it just a quarter mile or so. I wasn't ready to get lost. I was still feeling my way along.

"Hey Wilson," I said into the cell phone.

"Are you up," he asked.

"Oh yes, and it gorgeous up here. I may never come down," I said.

"Sure you will. You may not so so willing, but you are coming down," he said.

"Yeah, I'm going to do a few touch and goes, then I'll land it," I said.

"Be careful and tell me when you are through playing," he said.

"Yes daddy dear," I said with a laugh. I went in for landings and pulled up again several times. By the fifth time I had a real good feel for putting the bird on the ground. When I went in to land it for real, it was a breeze. I had to stop it at about the end of the field. There was a cheer from the builders. I suppose because my landing safely meant they would be paid.

Once the prop stopped rotating I killed the engine and it went right to sleep like a good bird. I went through my shut down list which really wasn't long at all. I folded the wings back and then used the mower to tow it to a corner of the field. I put the tarp on the plane and walked back to my truck.

In looking at the hanger I determined they had about two more days work. But they were making progress. It made me happy to see them working away at the roof. It was going to look like a carport till they got the siding and doors on probably sometime within the next two days.

I drove the candy colored truck back to the barge/house in time to go to lunch with Wilson. "So what you thinking about Randy Ralph?" Wilson asked.

"If I am right about his connection to Brian, I figure we catch his ass on film. If we can do that we can threaten to turn it over the local cops. It give us some leverage, if there is anything they can give us," I said. "But that won't give us the rapist"

"How about if they convince us they aren't the rapist, we turn them in just because we can?" Wilson asked.

"You know Wilson, I like the way you think," I said. "We should go mark his car now. I'll bet it is in the parking lot of the trucking company. I also bet you can get a DMV record for me."

"Yes I can do that, but how about I also put a tracker on his boat trailer. I have an ID ready as a DMV inspector. I can walk up to check the license plate on the trailer and plant the tag on it at the same time that you do the truck in the parking lot." he said.

"Sounds like a plan to me," I replied. "But Wilson, you aren't doing this to prove anything to me are you. You know as far as I'm concerned you are irreplaceable. I will not be having you risking your life and limb just to prove something to me," I said.

"No Sylvia, I just want to get out and do some harmless routine chores. I'm not happy sitting in the lab all day, every day. I am getting the computers setup so that I can hit the main one with one of your burners. I can ride along and do the same things as I can in the office." he suggested.

I didn't say no, because I wouldn't have to say no. He was a grown man and when he saw how boring the shit I did was, he would beg to go back to the relative excitement of his office. "Sure you can ride along anytime you like. Hell you can even drive, except that you can't check your computer while you drive," I said.

"Not yet I couldn't, but I'm getting there." he said looking up from his computer. "By the way, he drives a new Ford 350 super duty truck. I would bet it's really a beauty. The tax value on the mother is $55,000. I can give you the plate, but not the color."

"Sure I can use the plate," I said. Wilson gave me the plate and I copied it into the notebook I carried. I saw the look of total disdain on his face, when he saw the paper notebook.