Orchid Blues (Holly Barker 2)

Ham laughed and quickly memorized the phone numbers Holly had jotted at the bottom, then stuffed the letter into a pocket. He heard a sound and looked up to find Jimmy standing in the door.

"You coming?" Jimmy asked.

"Just let me make my bunk," Ham replied, pulling the blanket over the phone and batteries beside him. "Why don't you go ahead and order me some ham and eggs?"

Jimmy went out and closed the door, and Ham quickly put the phone and batteries into separate pockets. There was no time to hide them.

He followed Jimmy out the door and back toward Peck's house, looking for someplace to ditch the plastic bag and the note. He was going to have to hide the phone, too. He didn't like having it on him.

52

Ham had breakfast with John and Peck, and he hoped to hear more about what they wanted him to do, but nothing was said. He felt nervous about having the phone on him, and he was made more so when John brought up cell phones again.

"I checked this morning," he said, "and there's an antenna on that power pole where the van was parked yesterday."

"The van was gone?" Peck asked.

"Yes. There was just the antenna and a box that could contain a transformer and some electronics."

"I've got a man stationed at the scanner twenty-four hours a day," Peck said. "We haven't heard a peep from a cell phone."

"You know," Ham said, "it's not inconceivable that they would install a new cell on that road, since it connects I-95 with the Florida Turnpike."

"Maybe," John said.

"I expect one of these days soon they'll have every square mile of the country cowered," Peck added. He turned to Ham. "You shooting today?"

"I thought I might take the rifle down to the lakeshore and practice firing back toward the woods to the west. There's a breeze today, and I'd like to see how it shoots with windage."

"Good idea. I'm tied up this morning, but I'll send somebody with you."

"I don't need any help," Ham said. "I don't even need any targets. I'll shoot at trees."

"Okay," Peck said, digging in a pocket and coming up with some keys. "Take the jeep." He turned to John. "I've got a class to teach. I'll see you later."

"Right," John said, and he seemed preoccupied.

When Peck had left the table and Ham was alone with John, he lowered his voice. "John, about the cell phone business."

"Yes?"

"My assumption is that you're worried about somebody reporting our plans for Monday."

"That's right."

"I assume you've kept that information close, the way you do everything."

"You're right about that."

"I mean, I don't know the details. Does anybody besides you and Peck know what's going down?"

"No."

"I just wondered," Ham said. "Well, if you'll excuse me, I've got some shooting to do." He left John sitting alone at the table. That'll give him something to think about, Ham thought. He went to the armory in the cellar, drew the Barrett's rifle and some ammunition, got the jeep and drove down to the lakeshore. It was Friday; three days to go.

Harry bent and looked over Eddie's shoulder at the computer screen. "Have you come up with anything?"

Eddie shook his head. "Monday's a real quiet day," he said. "No sports events, nothing at all that would draw an important visitor. I mean, there's a convention of furniture dealers in Miami, and a literary festival in Key West, but it's not like the president-or anybody else important-is attending either of them. There's a citrus grower's meeting on Tuesday, and God knows, there's always something going on at Disney World, but we're looking for a prominent target, aren't we?"