Chapter 27 #2
“Welcome to Abilene, ma’am . . . uh . . . ma’ams,” a young man in an army uniform said from the nose of Blanche’s plane. He gave them a snappy salute. “I’ve got the watch, ladies. No one will touch this plane.”
“Will you look at that?” Blanche murmured.
Pancho followed her gaze, and all the way down the row of planes, soldiers were stationed at each one. Behind them, where planes had yet to arrive, more soldiers waited to take up their posts.
Pancho headed for the hangar, leaving Blanche to inspect the damage the fire had done. At the end of the row of planes, Agent Pullman was speaking with an army officer. She veered toward him, and he turned around, giving her a satisfied smile. “How did you get here before us?” she demanded.
“After I flashed my BOI badge at those deputies and got them to release me, there was one plane yet to take off. I ran down to the end of the runway and asked Louise Thaden to give me a ride in her front seat, which she was kind enough to do. We must’ve passed you in the air.”
“That would make sense. We had to fly slow until I could get off the wing.” She told him quickly about the fire in Blanche’s suitcase, and she was gratified to see his face go pale.
“Will they believe us now?” Pancho asked pointedly.
“How many of us does the saboteur have to try to kill before they take us seriously?”
Pullman shook his head but continued to smile.
She blinked, confused.
“It’s good to see you, Pancho,” he finally said.
“Are you drunk? Did you get into the stash of tequila I hauled across the border, Agent Pullman?” she blurted out.
“Not at all. I’m glad you got away from those people your husband sent after you. Although I have to admit, watching you jump on that wing and fly away took ten years off of my life. That’s the dumbest stunt I have ever seen a human being pull.”
“And yet here I stand, only a little worse for wear,” she said lightly, a bit abashed at the concern in his voice.
“Speaking of which, I saw you run across the runway in front of that plane to get to me and warn me. That was a whopper of a brainless stunt also, Agent Pullman, and I’d appreciate it if you didn’t give me any more frights like that. ”
They traded grins, friends again.
“How did you manage all this security?” Pancho asked. “Last time we spoke, you told me your superiors weren’t going to make any waves.”
A smile hovered at the corners of his mouth.
“I have suggested to my boss that allowing Dr. Ayers to portray you and the other pilots as lunatics might not sit well with the White House. I reminded my superiors that President Hoover is a big fan of aviation. It is my understanding he considers Miss Earhart a personal friend. I also pointed out that the advances you ladies are contributing to in aviation will ensure the US remains on the leading edge of flight.”
“I’m not going to lie. I thought you’d brushed me off in Pecos,” she admitted.
He exhaled heavily. “My boss advised me to do that very thing.”
“Why didn’t you?” she asked.
“Because I believe, with every fiber of my being, in justice. I will always place myself between those who want to make a mockery of this great nation and those who support it.”
“What about Ayers and Aldridge? Are they going to get away scot-free?”
“Not exactly,” he replied. “As of about fifteen minutes ago, this race is under federal authority. The army will provide security at every stop, and the planes will be guarded around the clock. Walter Beech is sending out a team of mechanics from his factory to provide all the maintenance the rest of the way. The saboteurs will have no further opportunities to harm any of you.”
“That’s mighty good to hear.” She smiled gratefully at him and repeated, “Mighty good.”
He lowered his voice for her ears alone. “As for the court order that nurse was waving around . . .”
She looked up at him sharply. “What about it?”
“I made another phone call, and it turns out it was signed in a state court of law.”
“Meaning what?”
“This race is under federal authority, which supersedes state law. I happen to be the representative of that authority, and as such, I’ve decided you’ll be allowed to finish the race before any state court order is acted upon.”
She exhaled hard. “That buys me a few days to figure out something. Talk to my lawyers.”
“Actually, it buys you as long as you need. Your husband’s court order is only enforceable in the state of California.
The attempt to grab you in Texas was illegal.
The court order is unenforceable all the way to Cleveland.
Until you go back to California, he can’t touch you.
Stay elsewhere as long as you need to and protect yourself. ”
She met his gaze with profound relief. “How will I ever repay you for all you’ve done for me . . . for all of us pilots?”
“My reward will come in the form of all of you making it to Cleveland.”
“I’ve got to go call my husband,” she said quietly.
“Use the phone inside the hangar,” Pullman advised. “Reporters aren’t allowed in there, and you’ll be clear of wagging ears. And have someone look at your hand. That’s a nasty burn.”
She headed for the hangar, deep in thought.
She hated feeling trapped by her marriage certificate.
Matrimony should be a union shared by two loving people who want to spend their lives together.
While she didn’t love Rankin, she sure didn’t like the feeling of hatred that was starting to form in her gut.
Obedience shouldn’t factor into a modern marriage.
She wasn’t a broodmare or a beast of burden.
She was a spouse. One-half of the whole.
And Rankin was about to hear what she thought on the matter.
Trouble was, the law was in her husband’s favor.
Like it or not, she had to find some sort of compromise with him.