Wind Raker - Book IV of The Order of the Air Read Free

allowed to take the controls, push clients who wanted Segura or Sorley to accept her because she was the owner. The only thing people wanted an aviatrix for was novelty value. Even Henry would rather deal with Mitch.
    But Odlum's trials were private. There would be no publicity, no pictures. This was for an in-house audience, the aviators themselves who were making the decisions about which planes to buy, and a bunch of guys in Australia would have no idea whether L. Segura and A. Segura were man and wife or brothers. If Odlum wanted her it was because he thought she could do the job. And that was different, different enough to leave her momentarily speechless.
    "I know it's hard to get out of the office," Odlum said. "But I'd make it worth your while. I was thinking we'd kick this off in June or July, so you've got a few weeks to get your ducks in a row."
    "It's a possibility," Alma said cautiously. "I'd have to look into arrangements." Which might sound like she meant the business, not Dora. What if she and Lewis went to Hawaii? Would Mitch and Stasi keep Dora? She'd be fine, surely. She knew them like second parents anyhow. But Odlum would be paying for Mitch, and he’d probably want to go anyway. Putting aside a trip to Hawaii, it was a hell of a lot of money for Mitch to pass up.
    "Of course," Odlum said. "I understand how hard it is to get away. If the cat's away, the mice play! But please think it over, Alma. If you've got an interest in Gilchrist doing this."
    "I'm absolutely interested," Alma said quickly. "I think we're just the company for your job, Floyd. You'll want to show prospective buyers not only how the Catalina performs, but how easy it is for owner/operators to maintain. After all, a lot of your buyers are going to be small businesses."
    "Exactly," Odlum said. "How about I send you a formal letter of intent and you can run the terms past your legal guys?"
    "That sounds perfect," Alma said. As if she had a legal department. Well, she'd show the contract to Milton Overman and see what he thought. He handled anything too complicated for Al's own eyes, and as attorneys went she thought he was pretty straightforward.
    "Good. Then you give me a ring when you've had a looksee."
    "I'll do that," Alma said.
    Mitch came in the door of the hangar with Dora on his shoulder, one grubby little hand hanging on to the back of his neck, an inquisitive look on his face. Alma gestured to say one minute , hoping Dora would be quiet. She was more often for Mitch than Stasi.
    "It's a pleasure," Odlum said. "I'll talk to you in a few days then."
    "Absolutely," Alma said. "And thank you so much for thinking of Gilchrist. I'll be looking for your letter." She rang off and put the receiver down with a deep breath.
    "Good or bad?" Mitch said, putting Dora down to run shrieking back to her toys in the corner.
    "Good," Alma said. "Very, very good." She glanced toward the door. "What's going on out there?"
    "Stasi's helping Lewis load cargo." Mitch looked duly sheepish. "Al, I think we should go check on Joey Patterson. It's not like him to just blow off work."
    "It is," Alma said. "He's done it before."
    "Not for three days," Mitch pointed out.
    "Well, no. But how would you like to go to Hawaii?"
    "Hawaii?"
    "That was Floyd Odlum with Consolidated. He wants us to test the Catalina Flying Boat in owner/operator conditions in the South Pacific. That's a market he's keen for." Alma stood up, dusting her hands off on her coveralls. "Hawaii."
    Mitch frowned. "And it's a complete coincidence that Jerry's in Hawaii with this dig."
    "It probably is," Alma said. "What's Odlum got to do with that?"
    "You mean it's a coincidence as far as Odlum is concerned," Mitch said. He shook his head. "But you know the old universe doesn't work that way. We could go lifetimes without a job in Hawaii, and we get one at the exact same time that Jerry's there?"
    "Ok, that's probably significant," Alma said. There was a prickle at the back of her neck. She