THE BRIDGE TO CARACAS (Volume 1 of The King Trilogy)

CHAPTER 58

That night, Mike sat at a stool in the kitchen of Karen's penthouse and dialed the number Dan Turner had given him.

After four rings, a man answered.

"Is this Dale Casey?"

"Yes. Before you tell me your name, I want you to tell me why you called."

"Dan Turner gave me your number. He said you have an airplane and that you—"

Casey interrupted. "Good. I know who you are. Are you calling from a pay phone?"

"No."

"Go to one and call me back as soon as you can. Then we'll talk."

Mike hung up and turned to Karen. "Do you know where the nearest pay phone is?"

"I think the closest one is on the corner, just south of this building. Why?"

"He wants me to call him from a pay phone. I'll be back soon." Mike hurried from the penthouse and ran to the pay phone as fast as he could. He dialed Casey's number again.

"Yup." Casey answered on the first ring.

"I just talked to you ten minutes ago," Mike said. "I'm using a pay phone."

"Good. Now I know this call isn't bugged. I assume you want to go somewhere, anonymously."

"That's correct. My friend and I want to go to Caracas."

"How soon do you want to leave?"

"As soon as possible."

"We can take off at seven tomorrow morning. Is that okay with you?"

"That's great."

"I have some stipulations. The first is that the flight will be one way only. The second is that it will cost you twenty-five thousand, cash in advance. Is that a problem?"

"No."

"Fine. Then my third stipulation is that you get to Pier Four at three-thirty tomorrow morning. Bring a flashlight with you. When you get to the end of Pier Four, flash it twice. I'll take you to the Toronto Island Airport and drop you there, and my partner will take you from there to the plane. We're going to have to hide you on the plane until we take off. They don't allow flights from the island until seven.... Do you both have passports?"

"Yes. Canadian."

"Good."

"Is this a breakfast flight?"

Casey chuckled. "No. Bring food with you. We'll be in the air for at least five hours before our first landing."

"Got it."

"See you at Pier Four at three-thirty. Don't be late."

Mike and Karen spent the remainder of the evening preparing for their trip into the unknown. Neither could sleep, and both were filled with anxiety over what they would find in Caracas and what might happen if they were discovered. Mike phoned his secretary and told her he was taking a short business trip to New York, and that his second in command should take over in his absence. He assured her he would be back soon. Karen advised the administration office of Toronto General Hospital that she was leaving for a week's skiing vacation in British Columbia.