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"Judging from the wave crests, I'd say the breeze has picked up to about Force 6 on the Beaufort scale."
"Listen to me, Prosperteer. The Coast Guard has issued a new update on Little Eva. She has doubled her speed and swung east. Hurricane warnings are up throughout the southern Bahamas. If she sticks to her present course, she'll strike the east coast of Cuba sometime this evening. I repeat, Little Eva has swung east and is heading in your direction. Call it a day, Prosperteer, and beat a course for home."
"Will do, Grandma. Turning onto new course for the Keys."
Pitt was silent for the next half hour. At 1435 hours, the crew chief hailed again.
"Prosperteer, come in, please. Over."
No reply.
"Come in, Prosperteer. This is Grandma's house. Do you read?"
Stil
l nothing.
The stifling air inside the truck seemed suddenly to turn cold as fear and apprehension gripped the crew. The seconds crawled past and took forever to become minutes as the crew chief tried desperately to raise the blimp.
But the Prosperteer did not respond.
The crew chief slammed down the microphone and pushed his way outside the truck through the stunned ground crew. He ran over to the parked limousine and feverishly jerked open a rear door.
"They're gone! We've lost them, the same as the last time!"
The man sitting alone in the rear seat simply nodded. "Keep trying to raise them," he said quietly.
As the crew chief hurried back to the radio, Admiral James Sandecker lifted a telephone receiver from a varnished cabinet and placed a call.
"Mr. President."
"Yes, Admiral."
"They're missing."
"Understood. I've briefed Admiral Clyde Monfort of the Caribbean Joint Task Force. He's already put ships and planes on alert around the Bahamas. As soon as we hang up I'll order him to launch a search and rescue operation."
"Please impress upon Monfort the need for speed. I've also been informed the Prosperteer disappeared in the predicted path of a hurricane."
"Return to Washington, Admiral, and do not worry. Your people and Mrs. LeBaron should be sighted and picked up within a few hours."
"I'll try to share your optimism, Mr. President. Thank you."
If there was one doctrine Sandecker believed in with all his heart, it was "Never trust a politician's word." He placed another call on the limousine's phone.
"Admiral James Sandecker. I'd like to speak with Admiral Monfort."
"Right away, sir."
"Jim, is that really you?"
"Hello, Clyde. Good to hear your voice."
"Damn, it's been nearly two years. What's on your mind?"
"Tell me, Clyde, have you been alerted for a rescue mission in the Bahamas?"
"Where did you hear that?"
