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Spencer shivered "There's a chilling thought for you"

The interior of the Sappho I fell silent

25

The antique Ford trimotor aircraft, famed in aviation history as the Tin Goose, looked too aard to fly, and yet she banked as gracefully and majestically as an albatross when she lined up for her final approach to the runway of the Washington National Airport

Pitt eased back the three throttles and the old bird touched doith all the delicacy of an auturass He taxied over to one of the NUMA hangars at the north end of the airport, where his waiting maintenance crew chocked the wheels and nition switches, he watched the silver-bladed propellers gradually slow their revolutions and co in the late afternoon sun Then he removed the headphones, draped them on the control column, undid the latch on his sideand pushed it open

A bewildered frown slowly creased Pitt's forehead and hung there in the tanned, leathery skin Ahis hands

"May I coram shouted

"I'll come down," Pitt yelled back

"No, please stay where you are"

Pitt shrugged and leaned back in his seat It took Seagram only a few seconds to climb aboard the trimotor and push open the cockpit door He wore a stylish tan suit with vest, but his well-tailored appearance was diluted by a sea of wrinkles that creased theit obvious that he hadn't seen a bed for at least twenty-four hours

"Where did you ever find such a gorgeous old ram asked

"I ran across it at Keflavik, Iceland," Pitt replied "Managed to buy it at a fair price and have it shipped back to the States"

"She's a beauty"

Pitt ram to the empty copilot's seat "You sure you want to talk in here? In a few minutes the sun will make this cabin feel like the inside of an incinerator"

"What I have to say won't take long" Seagrah