The Second Life of Eddie Coyne by Lowy Louis K;

Author:Lowy, Louis K;
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: IFWG Publishing International
Published: 2019-05-18T02:18:46+00:00

A rose tint painted the eastern horizon. The Fleetwood pulled onto the airstrip. G.P. was driving; Amelia—in a tan jumpsuit and a white ascot—sat across from him. Eddie was once more in the back clutching his camera. Charles was with him. Three men and a young woman milled around the plane. It was several yards outside of the hangar. Other than the building and the airstrip, there was nothing but brush and cows. G.P. braked near the hangar. They hopped out and approached the foursome. The morning was cool, but Eddie knew in the next few hours that would change.

Charles grabbed Eddie’s arm and motioned for him to stop. “The Jesses want me to give you a rundown on these people.”

“No tricks,” Eddie said.

“No tricks,” Charles replied. “It’s orientation.”

“Hey, Ed, you’re invited to this party, too,” G.P. yelled. “Let’s move.”

“Shoe’s untied, be there in a sec.” He bent down and fondled the lace.

“You already know Fred Noonan, Amelia’s navigator,” Charles said. “The blonde-haired man with the toolbox—”

“He was in the car with G.P. when Amelia’s plane belly flopped. Isn’t his name Al?”

“Right,” Charles said. “Al Meeyair, her mechanic.”

“How come I don’t have this through the knowing?”

Charles rubbed his lip a moment. “I suppose it has something to do with the Jesses testing my ability to follow orders.”

“I keep forgetting we’re both on trial,” Eddie said. “Who’s the serious-looking guy with the mustache?”

“Kelly Hanson, Amelia’s aircraft designer. The young girl with them is her personal secretary, Louise Siskin.”

“Come on, Ed.” G.P. said. “For God’s sake you’re holding up production!”

Eddie grimaced and trotted over to the group. He neared and heard Kelly say to Amelia, “You pushed the throttle down too hard. She doesn’t like to be jerked. ”

“I’ll know better next time, Kelly. Promise.”

“It’s not a matter of knowing, Amelia. It’s a matter of doing. You need to become as familiar with it as you are with the back of your wrist. Now, let’s take her up so you can practice.”

“Louise?” G.P. said to Amelia’s secretary.

Louise flipped opened her steno pad. “Miss Earhart has a live radio broadcast in two hours with Eleanor Roosevelt…Friar’s at ten, racetrack at one, and Women for Equality fundraiser at eight p.m.”

“No, no.” Kelly tugged on his mustache. “We have to take the plane up. Can’t you reschedule the broadcast?”

“The plane’s shocks need adjusting, too,” Al said to Louise. “It shouldn’t take long, but it has to be done.” He laid his toolbox on the ground and opened it. “I also want to double-check the aluminum sheet I replaced that busted rear window with to make sure it’s secure.”

“The broadcast can’t be changed,” G.P. said to Kelly. “It’s the goddamn wife of the president. You want to tell her?”

“I don’t give a damn who it is,” Kelly said.

“Don’t forget about transmission frequencies,” Fred added. “We need to go over them, Amelia. Also, the coordinates for Howland Island still aren’t right.”

“Everybody shut up,” G.P. said. “As far as I’m—”

Eddie snapped a picture. The flash bore down on the group like a cold bucket of water.

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