The Final Flight by Tony Blackman

Author:Tony Blackman
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: FICTION / Mystery & Detective / Historical
Publisher: Blackman Associates
Published: 2006-09-30T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 5

‘And makes the hollow seas that roar

Proclaim the ambergris on shore’

I was at the check-in desk at 5.45 and so were about another hundred people. It was always fascinating wondering where they all came from and where they were going but one thing was always certain, people travelled everywhere in huge numbers, twenty four hours a day. We were off on time and the cabin attendants served a very welcome breakfast. They all looked remarkably cheerful considering the time they must have started. We had a stronger tail wind than the flight schedules allowed for and we landed at my least favourite airport fifteen minutes early. As usual Miami was jumping with people but I threaded my way, more slowly than I wanted, through the fingers and security checks to my gate. Perhaps it was just as well we were ahead of schedule as there wasn’t a lot of time for my bag to catch the BWIA flight even though I had managed it. In the event we were a few minutes late off. The strong westerly wind blew down the Caribbean as well as across the southern States and we arrived on time.

My day wasn’t over. The immigration officer looked at my passport, checked with her list and started to give me a hard time on the reason for my visit. Why was I coming back? Did I have a work permit? I decided that enough was enough and asked to see her boss. She put her attention light on and a supervisor appeared and took me in to a side office. The man didn’t look particularly smart and he started talking in a rather offensive way.

“Mr. Talbert, what brings you back again? We thought you had finished in St. Antony, investigating that aircraft accident. We don’t need people like you in St. Antony. We are well able to look after ourselves.”

I tried to keep my cool, having an argument was not going to achieve anything.

“I’m afraid I don’t understand. The chief executive of West Atlantic Airways has asked me to help him so that his airline does not go bankrupt and so that a lot of people living here do not become unemployed. I’ve started the job but the aircraft has not been found and the insurers are not going to pay up until the investigation is concluded. The airline is still under threat.”

“Mr. Talbert. The loss of that aircraft was an accident and that’s all there is to it. If you don’t want to get into any trouble you had better leave here.”

“Are you threatening me? My passport is in order, no visa is required to visit your country. What is the real reason for discouraging me from visiting your lovely island?”

“Mr. Talbert, anybody can come here on holiday. People who come on business have to justify their reasons for visiting and in your case we don’t need you to do our business. Our police, helped for a few days by your country’s accident investigators, are well able to settle this matter.

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