Hothouse Orchid (Holly Barker 6)

After a couple of hours of work around the place, he had made it livable and had also turned it into a base for himself, with provisions for a quick getaway if necessary. Some people, he reflected, might have been troubled by the stress of constantly watching their backs and planning escapes, but Teddy enjoyed it. He could change towns and his life anytime he chose, and he could invent and produce the IDs and backgrounds necessary to preserve himself. That was fun.

He put on some clothes and went for a drive. It was time he knew more about his new hometown.

20

Holly sat at Ham’s dining table while Ginny filled out her logbook, entering the training exercises she had performed the day before.

“You know,” Holly said, “I sometimes think about buying an airplane.”

“It’s a great time to do it,” Ginny said, “what with the economy the way it is. Prices are depressed. Can you pay cash?”

“Probably,” Holly said.

“Well, what do you want to do with an airplane?” Ginny asked. “Travel long distances or just fly around on Sunday afternoons?”

“I’d like to be able to fly down here whenever I feel like it,” Holly said. “There’s a nice airport at Manassas, Virginia, not far from my house.”

“You want to make the trip nonstop?”

“Yes.”

“Well, there’s the Cessna 450-a turbocharged single-fast, with a good range.”

“Is it pressurized?”

“No. For that you’d want a Piper Malibu Mirage, and that would cost you twice as much.”

“I’ve got a friend who’s got a Mirage,” Holly said, “and I like it. He’s had the engine upgraded to a turboprop.”

“So, start with the Malibu, then do the conversion later if you need it. Right now I happen to know that the Piper factory in Vero has a couple of airplanes that buyers backed out on after the stock market crash. Let me look into it; I might be able to get you a deal.”

“Sounds good,” Holly said.

“You’d need to do the factory training course, which takes five days, but you have enough time to get that done before you go back to work.” Ginny handed her the completed logbook. “There you go; you’ve had your biennial flight review, so you’re good for another year, and your instrument competency check, too.”

“I really like the idea of the Malibu,” Holly said. “It’s the sort of airplane that could go a long distance on a long weekend. Let’s look at it.”

Ginny got up. “I’ll call a guy I know in sales at the Piper factory,” she said. She got up and went into the little office she shared with Ham.

Holly got up and went out on the back porch, where Ham was reading the Wall Street Journal. “Making any money?” she asked.

“Nobody’s making any money,” Ham said. “My portfolio is way down.”

“I’m glad I’m in Treasuries,” Holly said. “I’m thinking about buying an airplane.”

“Good idea. I’m sure Ginny can advise you on that.”

“She already has; she’s looking into it now.”

“Heard anything about your roving rapist/killer?” Ham asked.

“No. He was hot for a few days, now he’s cooled off.”

“Think he’ll get hot again?”

“You can count on it,” Holly said. “He was just getting started when he stopped. I’ll bet he’s already getting antsy again, looking forward to that thrill.”

“You know, I’ve killed a bunch of people in my time-Vietnam gave me that dubious opportunity-and I didn’t find one of those kills thrilling.”