In Treacherous Waters by Richard V Frankland

Author:Richard V Frankland [Frankland, Richard V]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781843866077
Publisher: Vanguard Press
Published: 2020-04-29T22:00:00+00:00

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The Merlin helicopter, painted in full dazzling SAR colours, touched down on the road just above the car wreck. The winch man, running out under the moving rotors, issued them with helmets then guided them back, helped them on board, and got Vaughan and Ascensao seated one on either side of the aircraft, and checked their seat belts. As they took off, Ascensao gave instructions as to the search pattern. The only thing they had to go on was the road and the communities along its route. A false alarm at Salema had the aircraft hovering low over the town centre in order to read the writing on the side of a lorry only for it to be recognised as belonging to a local firm and having Portuguese registration plates. By the time they got to Sagres both men fully recognised the enormity of the task they had set themselves.

“This idea of ours is based on the lorry and hostages staying on this tip of the Algarve more than one night,” said Vaughan. “They would know that the car job would soon be recognised for what it was and want to get away from this area smartish.”

“Smartish?” queried Ascensao.

“Yes, I mean quickly, not wanting to stay.”

“I see, we had better return smartish then and think of something else.”

“We’ve done the coastal communities, can we go back a little further inland,” requested Vaughan.

The pilot turned the helicopter towards Horta do Tabual, circled the town, then continued east towards Buden, neither of which showed anything of interest.

“You had better take us back to where you found us,” said Ascensao to the pilot, who shrugged his shoulders and made a small adjustment to the aircraft’s course that brought them back just north of Burgau.

Vaughan, sat on the right-hand side of the helicopter, had not taken his eyes off the scenery below for more than a second throughout the flight and was now finding concentration hard. As the little town of Burgau came into view he looked down at the farm land and a few isolated buildings at the end of rutted tracks.

“Wow, hold it, what is that over there, to our right, alongside the big house in that hollow in the land.”

Altering course they flew almost over the property gaining a really good view of a lorry.

“Do you want another look?” asked the pilot.

“No, it’s okay,” said Vaughan, trying to sound disappointed, “Just drop us back, please.”

Ascensao gave Vaughan a curious look but said nothing. On landing, having thanked the aircrew for their efforts, Vaughan and Ascensao followed the winch man clear of the helicopter, both squinting as they cleared the dust storm generated by the rotors.

“What was that about back there? That was the vehicle, Izzard and Sampson International Removal Agents, in huge gold letters on the side?” said Ascensao, with a flabbergasted expression on his face.

“Yes, let’s get going before they have time to pack up and do a runner,” replied Vaughan as he watched the helicopter take off to fly north back to its base.

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