At Sword's Point Read Online Free PDF Page B

opened and about eight men entered the plane.
    "Who do you suppose they are?" Bea MacDowell asked.
    Drummond watched the men coming aboard, all of whom were disappearing into the first-class cabin.
    "Well, the four in uniforms are Air Police," he said distractedly. "I suppose the others are federal agents."
    Drummond undid his seat belt, craning his neck to watch as the well-dressed man emerged from first class and went out the hatch, escorted by two of the plain-clothesmen. When the man had cleared the gangway, two Air Force medics and two more AP's came up, presumably to deal with the prisoner. The well-dressed man got into the waiting limo and was whisked away.
    "Everyone, sit down !"
    The voice of an AP crackled through his bull horn. Most people obeyed the command, but a few continued to rummage in the overhead bins. Two AP's with rifles came down the aisles and firmly directed the deaf to their seats. When everyone was seated, one of the federal agents picked up the microphone of the plane's PA system.
    "Ladies and gentlemen, could I have your attention, please? I'm Agent Jeffers of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. In just a moment, we will be disembarking you from this plane. Outside in the hangar, folding chairs have been set up in the same seat configuration as this aircraft, so that we can reconstruct exactly what happened. You will be asked to leave by row, and we have to insist on your cooperation. When you leave the plane you will leave all personal belongings and carry-on baggage sitting on your assigned seat. The Air Force personnel now on board will assist you if you have any problems. In the meantime, please remain in your seat until instructed to do otherwise. Thank you."
    He handed the microphone back to the stewardess, then leaned forward to whisper something in her ear. She nodded, and Drummond could tell by her gestures that she was directing them to his seat. He and another agent headed down the aisle, stopping behind and ahead of Drummond's aisle seat.
    "Mr. Drummond?" Agent Jeffers' question was rhetorical, "Would you come with us, please?"
    Drummond stood up, the dried blood on his cashmere shirt crackling and snapping as the folds and wrinkles stretched themselves out, and held up the hand grenade.
    "Should I bring this, or leave it on the seat?"
    The agent grinned. "Guess you'd better bring it."
    Outside in the hangar, Drummond was led up a narrow flight of stairs to a small office that overlooked the entire building. On the floor below were three hundred and fifty chairs set up to simulate the interior of the aircraft, with galleys and toilets marked off in tape. From this vantage point, Drummond and the federal agents could watch as the passengers were brought in row by row and seated in the hangar.
    "Now, Mr. Drummond, you seem to have made yourself quite the hero of the day," Jeffers said, sitting casually on the corner of a desk as he spoke. "While we're waiting for everyone to settle in down below, would you mind answering a few questions?"
    "Ask away," Drummond replied. He set the grenade on the desk and took a seat.
    "Let's start with who you are," said the other agent, speaking for the first time.
    "John Drummond. Captain, Los Angeles Police Department."
    Drummond quickly supplied the basic information and his badge and ID, along with the telephone number of his commanding officer at LAPD headquarters, Jeffers excused himself—Drummond guessed he was going to phone LAPD—leaving his partner alone with Drummond.
    "Homicide, eh?" the remaining agent said with a slight smile. "I would've guessed vice, by the beard."
    Drummond ran a hand over his stubble.
    "I've been on vacation. Thought I'd give my face a rest, too."
    "Fair enough. So, what exactly drew your attention to the man with the hand grenade, Captain Drummond?"
    "The hand grenade itself, Mr… ?" Drummond let the question hang in the air.
    "Durkey. Special Agent Nat Durkey." The agent's voice remained casual. "You say it was the