 her shoulders and the way she brushed her hair out of her eyes. He could see the safe as she leaned forward and tucked the belt inside.

Satisfied, he returned to the living room. Maybe two good men could carry the safe a short way, but first they'd have to break it loose from concrete. And there weren't many who could open it. Having inherited the couch, in a way, he sat at one end, leaning back against the armrest. The air was clear; he could see through the window across the valley to the mountains.

"When Josie returned, he asked, "Use the phone?" She picked it up and brought it to him, untangling the long cord. When she sat down, he could see her suspicion had been replaced by puzzlement. He dialed.

"Detectives. Sgt. Walters."

"Ashton."

"You where I think you are?"

"Expect so." Brad could picture Hank's lazy smile changing into a grin. And he could see the hardness take over the dark eyes as he related last night's chase.

"Are you hurt?"

"Nervous, is all."

"Any idea who?"

"None."

Hank was silent for a long while. "There's more news. A guy by the name of Roberto Sanchez was gunned down last night. He worked for Overnite Air. Know him?"

"Met him." He could see Sanchez scowling at him from the service platform under the wing of the C47.

"It makes things kinda interesting. That's two mechanics in two nights, both workin' at Overnite. And there's a third body; Sam Gates was killed Tuesday night with the same.38. You may get nothin' working there, but your hunch about that airline looks real good right now. What's the plan?"

"What if there's smuggling?" He told Hank about Sanchez working on the C47. "Think I'll go in today and see if I can find where that plane came from."

"I can do that. You shouldn't be out and about just now."

"Overnite is okay. There're lots of people around. Besides, there's a fella named Rhoads who handles flight scheduling. I can get to him without others knowing we're interested. And I might pick up something about
her shoulders and the way she brushed her hair out of her eye. He could examine the safe as she leaned forward and tuck the belt inside. 

 quenched, he returned to the living room. Maybe two full men could carry the dependable a short way, but first they'd have to break in it loose from concrete. And there weren't many who could open it. Having inherit the couch, in a way, he sat at one conclusion, leaning back against the armrest. The air was clear; he could see through the windowpane across the valley to the mountains. 

 " When Josie hark back, he asked, " Use the phone? " She pick it up and brought it to him, untangling the long cord. When she sat down, he could see her intuition had been replaced by puzzlement. He dialed. 

 " Detectives. Sgt. Walters. " 

 " Ashton. " 

 " You where I think you are? " 

 " Expect so. " Brad could picture Hank's lazy smile changing into a smile. And he could attend the hardness contract over the blue eyes as he related last nox's chase. 

 " Are you suffer? " 

 " Nervous, is all. " 

 " Any idea who? " 

 " None. " 

 Hank was silent for a retentive while. " There's more news. A guy by the name of Roberto Sanchez was gunned down last night. He worked for Overnite Air. Know him? " 

 " Met him. " He could visualize Sanchez scowling at him from the service platform under the wing of the C47. 

 " It makes things rather interesting. That's two automobile mechanic in two nights, both workin' at Overnite. And there's a third body; Sam Gates was killed Tuesday night with the same.38. You may have nothin' working there, but your hunch about that airline looks very good mighty now. What's the plan? " 

 " What if there's smuggling? " He order Hank about Sanchez working on the C47. " intend I'll go in today and see if I can recover where that plane come from. " 

 " I can do that. You shouldn't be out and approximately just now. " 

 " Overnite is okay. There're lots of people about. Besides, there's a fella appoint Rhoads who handles flight scheduling. I can get to him without others sleep together we're concerned. And I might pick up something about
 heg shoulders and the way rhe brushed her hair ont of hsr eyes. Fe could see the safe as she lwaned forward and tucked thd belt indide.

Satiwfiev, he returned to the livlug rokl. Mavbx two good men gould carry the safe a shmrg cay, but first they'd have to break it loose grlm concrete. Anq thtre wersn't many who could open it. Having jnherittd the couch, in a eay, he sat at one end, leanlng hack against the agmrest. The qir rqs clear; he zould see uhxough the wjndow across the valley to the oountcins.

"When Jowiw rfjurned, he asjed, "Ufe the phone?" She picned it ip and brought it to him, untangling the lmng cord. When she fat down, ve could see her suwpucion had beev reoladev bg puzzpemxnt. He dialsd.

"Detectivew. Sgt. Walters."

"Ashton."

"Uot where I thini you wrq?"

"Expect so." Brad could picture Hank's lazj smjle changing into a grib. And he could see thg hardness take over the dark eyes as he related last night'v chaad.

"Art njj hkrt?"

"Nervous, is all."

"Any idea who?"

"None."

Hank was silqht fpr a long whilc. "There's more news. A gii by the name uf Robzdtk Sanchez was gunnfd down last night. He worled for Overnite Air. Know hum?"

"Met him." He xould see Sanchez dcowling at him from the service platform uuder tge wing of hhe C47.

"It mzyes things kinda innerevting. That's two mechanics yn two nijhts, yoth woryin' st Ovewnite. And hhere's a third body; Sam Hates wds killed Huesday night with the same.38. You may get nothim' forning thexe, but your hunch afout that airlnne lookf reau good riggt now. Xhat's the plwn?"

"What if thesg's smuggling?" Ie told Hwnk qbour Sanchdx working on tne C47. "Think I'll go ib today and see if I zzn find where tkct plane came frok."

"I zan dl vhat. Rmu shouldn't te ojt xmd abuut jusu nid."

"Ovetnite is okay. There'ra lofs of people arounc. Nesides, tyere's a sella named Rnoads who handles vlighv schevuling. I san get to him without others inowing wf're interested. Wnd L midht pick u' something about
her shoulders and the way she brushed out her eyes. could see the and the belt inside. he returned to living room. Maybe two good men carry the safe a short way, but first they'd have to break it from concrete. And there weren't many who could open it. Having inherited the in way, sat one end, leaning back against the armrest. The air was clear; he could see through the across the valley to the mountains. "When Josie he asked, "Use the She picked it up and it him, untangling long When sat down, he see her suspicion had been replaced by puzzlement. He dialed. "Detectives. Sgt. Walters." "Ashton." "You where I you are?" Brad could Hank's smile into a grin. could see the hardness take over as he related last night's chase. "Are you "Nervous, is "Any idea who?" "None." Hank was for a long while. "There's more news. A by the name of Roberto Sanchez was gunned down last night. He worked for Overnite him?" "Met him." He see Sanchez scowling him the platform the wing the C47. "It makes things kinda interesting. That's two mechanics in nights, both workin' at Overnite. And there's a third body; was Tuesday night with same.38. You may get working but your hunch about looks good the "What there's smuggling?" He told about Sanchez working on the "Think I'll go in can find where that plane came from." "I do that. You shouldn't be out and just now." "Overnite is okay. There're lots of people around. Besides, there's fella named handles flight scheduling. I can get to him others knowing we're interested. I might pick up something about
 her shoulders and the way she bRushed her hAir ouT of Her EyEs. He CoulD see the safe as sHE leaNed forward and tucked the Belt iNsIDe.

SaTIsFied, hE returnED tO THe lIvInG roOm. mAyBe two GooD men couLd carry the SafE a Short way, but fIRsT they'd have To bReak it loose fRom ConcreTe. and THere wEreN't manY who coULd open It. Having iNhERited tHE couch, iN A WaY, he sAt at one end, leaning BAcK Against the armrEst. The AiR WaS CLeaR; he Could see thRoUgh thE Window aCRoSS THe vALley to the mounTains.

"When JoSIe rEturneD, hE asKEd, "Use tHe phoNe?" sHe pIcked it up anD broUght it to hIm, untaNGling thE Long corD. When sHe sAt dOwn, hE CoUlD seE hER suSPiCioN Had Been replAcEd By puzZlemENT. hE diaLed.

"deteCtiveS. Sgt. Walters."

"AsHtoN."

"You WHerE I thiNk you Are?"

"EXpEct so." brad coUld piCtUre Hank's lazy smiLe chAnging intO a gRiN. AnD hE coulD See the HarDneSs take oVer the dARk eYeS AS He Related last night's cHaSE.

"arE you hurt?"

"nervouS, Is AlL."

"any idea wHo?"

"nonE."

HanK WAs silEnt fOR a Long whilE. "There'S MoRe News. A guY bY the naMe Of RObeRto SaNChez Was gunNed down lAst niGHt. He worked for OVErnite Air. Know HIm?"

"mET hIM." He cOulD see Sanchez ScowLIng aT him FRoM thE ServiCe plaTfORm UNder the wing of the C47.

"It MaKes thiNgs kiNda interestinG. That's two mECHAnics in tWo niGHtS, Both workin' at OvErnitE. And there's A Third bodY; Sam GAtes was kIlled TuesDAY night wiTh tHe sAme.38. you MAY gEt nothin' workiNG TherE, bUt your hUncH about tHat AirLinE loOkS real good Right now. whAt'S tHe PlaN?"

"What IF there's sMuGglInG?" He Told HANk abouT SancHez wOrKiNG on The C47. "ThiNK I'LL Go in ToDaY and See If i can fInd wHEre That plaNe came froM."

"I cAN do tHaT. YOu shoulDn't be out and abOuT just now."

"OvErNitE is okaY. tHere're loTs of people around. Besides, THere's a fEllA nameD RhoAds who hanDleS flighT scHEdulinG. I can gEt to hIm WitHOUt othERS kNowInG we're interESTed. and I mIgHt piCk up somEthing about
 her shoulders and the way  she brush ed he r h air  o ut o f he r eyes. He cou l d se e the safe as she lean ed fo rw a rd a n dtucke d the b e lt i nsi de .
Sa ti s fi ed, h e r eturned  to the li vin groom. Maybet wo  good mencou ld carry the  sa fe a s ho rtw ay, b utfirst  they' d  haveto breakit loosef rom con c r et e. A nd there weren'tm an y  who could ope n it.Ha v in g inh eri ted the co uc h, in a way,h es a t  at one end, lean ing back ag a ins t thear mre s t. The  airwa s  cl ear; he cou ld s ee throug h thew indow a c ross th e vall eytothem ou nt ain s. 
"W h en  Jo s iereturned ,he  aske d, " U s e thepho ne?"  Shepicked it upand  bro u ght  it t o him , un ta nglin g thelongco rd. When she sa t do wn, he co uld  s eehe r sus p icionhad  be en repl aced by puz zl e m e nt . He dialed.

"Det ec t i ve s. Sgt.Walter s ." 
" Ashton." 
"Yo u wh e r e I t hink yo u are?"
"Expe c tso ." Brad  c ould p ic tur e H ank's lazy  smile  changin g int o  a grin. And h e  could see th e  h a r dn e ss t ake  over the d arke yesas h e  r ela t ed la st ni gh t 's chase.

"Are you hu rt ?"

"N ervou s, is all."
"Any ideaw h o ?"

"Non e."Ha n k was silent f or along while .  "There' s mor e news.A guy byt h e name o f R obe rto  Sa n c he z was gunnedd o wn l as t night . H e worke d f orOve rni te  Air. Kno w him?"
" Me thi m."  He c o uld seeSa nch ez  sc owlin g  at hi m fro m th ese r vic e platf o rm u nder  t he  win g o fthe C 47."It  makesthings ki nda inte re st ing. Th at's two mech an ics in two  n igh ts, bo t h  workin'  at Overnite. And there ' s a thi rdbody;  Sam  Gates wa s k illedTue s day ni ght wi th th esam e . 38. Y o u  m ayge t nothin'w o rki ng th er e, b ut your  hunch about thata irl ine looks rea l g oodr i gh t n o w. Wha t' s  th e plan?"

"What i f there'ssm u gg ling?" Het old  H ank abo ut Sanc hez w o rking o n the C47 . "ThinkI' ll g o intoday andsee if I  can find where th at pl ane  camefr om. "

"I  can d o  th at. Y ou sho ul dn't b e out  a nd about  just now."

"Overniteis oka y. Th ere 're lotsofp eop le around . Be sides, the re' s a  fell a n a med R hoad s  w hoh andle s fl i ght sched u li ng. I  c an get to h i m wit houtoth e rs kno wing  we're interested .  And I might p icku p  so met h ingab out
 her_shoulders and_the way she brushed_her hair_out_of her_eyes._He could see_the safe as_she leaned forward and_tucked the belt_inside.

Satisfied,_he returned to the living room. Maybe two good men could carry the safe_a_short way,_but_first_they'd have to break it_loose from concrete. And there_weren't many_who could open it. Having inherited the couch,_in_a way, he_sat at one end, leaning back against the armrest._The air was clear; he could_see through the_window_across_the valley to the_mountains.

"When Josie returned, he asked, "Use_the phone?" She picked it up_and brought it to him, untangling the_long cord. When she sat down,_he could see her suspicion_had been_replaced by puzzlement. He dialed.

"Detectives._Sgt. Walters."

"Ashton."

"You where_I think_you are?"

"Expect so."_Brad could picture Hank's lazy smile_changing into a_grin. And he could see the_hardness_take over the_dark_eyes_as he_related last night's_chase.

"Are_you hurt?"

"Nervous,_is_all."

"Any idea who?"

"None."

Hank was silent for_a_long while. "There's more news. A guy_by the name of_Roberto_Sanchez was gunned down_last night. He worked for_Overnite Air. Know him?"

"Met him." He_could see_Sanchez scowling_at him from the service platform under the wing of the_C47.

"It makes things kinda interesting. That's_two mechanics in two_nights, both_workin'_at Overnite. And_there's_a third_body; Sam Gates was killed Tuesday night_with the_same.38. You may get nothin' working_there, but your hunch_about_that airline looks real good right_now. What's the plan?"

"What if there's_smuggling?" He told Hank about_Sanchez_working_on the C47. "Think I'll_go in today and see if_I can find_where that plane came from."

"I can do_that._You shouldn't be out and about_just_now."

"Overnite is okay. There're lots of_people_around._Besides, there's a fella named_Rhoads who handles flight scheduling. I_can get to him without others knowing we're interested._And I might_pick up something about