“That’s about it,” Stone replied. “Thanks for your help,” Stone said to the controller.
“Don’t mention it.”
“Can you check their flight plan for their destination?”
The controller picked up a tape and consulted it. “Teterboro, New Jersey. Time en route is three hours and fifty minutes.”
“Thanks very much.”
They left the tower and walked back to the car. “So we go back to Teterboro?”
“Yes, but they’re going to be hours ahead of us. Our flight time back is going to be about seven hours, including a fuel stop.”
“So we’ve lost him again.”
“Maybe not completely.” Stone got out his cell phone and called Dino.
“Bacchetti.”
“Dino, it’s Stone.”
“You still in Santa Fe?”
“Yes, but we’ll be heading back today. I wanted to ask a favor.”
“So what else is new?”
“A jet just left Santa Fe with Trini Rodriguez aboard.” He gave Dino the tail number.
“You want me to shoot it down?”
“Not quite. It’s going to be landing in Teterboro in about three and a half hours, stopping at Millionaire. Can you get somebody to meet the jet and follow the occupants to wherever they’re going?”
“I certainly can’t send a cop to New Jersey to do that, but I guess I can do it myself.”
“I’m going to owe you for this one.”
“You sure are. The next four dinners at Elaine’s are yours.”
“Done. You can reach me on my cell phone.” He hung up and started the car. “Dino’s going to meet the flight and see where they take Trini.”
“That’s great news.”
“Let’s go back to Ed’s house and get our clothes, then we’ll follow.”
They drove back to Ed Eagle’s, went into the house, and started packing.
Holly lay down on the bed. “I’m exhausted,” she said. “Can we take a nap first?”
Stone lay down beside her. “So am I.”
They were still sound asleep when Ed Eagle walked in and woke them up. “How’d it go?”
“We both fell asleep,” Stone said.
“You’ve got altitude sickness,” Ed said. “Everybody feels lousy for the first twenty-four hours in Santa Fe. The city is at seven thousand feet of elevation, and my house is at a little over eight thousand. Come have some dinner.”
“We’ve got to get back,” Stone said, trying to clear his head.