126 Fire in the Sky by Franklin W. Dixon

Author:Franklin W. Dixon [Dixon, Franklin W.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: hbfiles
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 9

Instinctively Joe dropped his chin to his chest, protecting his throat. He thrust his elbow behind him, but it missed because his attacker had neatly sidestepped the blow.

“Whoa there,” the man said as Joe whirled to face him. “I don’t want to fight, man.”

It was the shaggy-haired guy who’d been sitting next to Brenda on the airplane. “Who are you?” Joe demanded. “Did you follow us off the plane?”

“It doesn’t matter who I am,” the stranger said. “We’re on the same team.”

Joe couldn’t read the expression behind the surfer-style, wraparound shades.

“We don’t have much time,” the guy said. “Let me see what you’ve got.” He held out his hand for the folder.

“No way,” Joe rephed. “First you tell me who you are and what’s going on.”

Without saying anything, the man tried to grab the file from Joe, but Joe was done asking questions. He balled up his fist and threw a left hook right into the guy’s gut.

“Ooommph,” The air rushed from the man’s lungs and he doubled over, bracing himself against Pickell’s desk.

Joe grabbed the guy by the hair to straighten him up. “You’re going to tell me who—what?”

As he pulled, the man’s hair started to come off in Joe’s hand and he found himself holding nothing but a fuzzy blond wig. Joe tossed the disguise aside and put a hammerlock on the guy’s head, standing him up and almost lifting him off the floor.

“Ericson.” Joe held tight, his right arm around the mechanic’s neck like a vise. “I owe you one,” he said. With his left hand he peeled away the fake sideburns and eyebrows. They made the sound of bandages being ripped off, and Eric-son winced.

“So you’re trying to cover your tracks, aren’t you?” Joe asked. “Too bad for you I’ve got the evidence here that’s going to put you away.”

Ericson tried to talk, but Joe’s chokehold cut off his air. Joe loosened his grip. Ericson coughed and gasped. “I swear,” he whispered hoarsely. “I swear I had nothing to do with it. Somebody’s framing me. Me and Brenda’s dad.”

Joe tightened up on the mechanic’s throat. “Sure,” he said. “You’re as innocent as a little lamb.” He had to figure out what to do with Eric-son while he finished copying the file. Pickell and Cook would probably be upstairs looking for him any minute. He glanced around the room, spotting a closet with what looked hke a sturdy, lock-able door. He started to drag Ericson toward it.

“Hey, what’re you doing?” Ericson said, struggling to twist free.

Joe was reaching out to open the closet door when he heard a sharp click and the lights went out. He whirled in the direction of the hallway and instantly knew he’d made a mistake because he’d given Ericson an opening.

Joe felt himself being lifted off the ground. Then he was upside-down in midair, with barely time to brace for the impact. He landed flat on his back, unhurt but angry for letting Ericson flip him.

He bounced up, ready to give Ericson his payback.

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