Arthur Hailey - Evening News

Since morning, what appeared to be food in containers had been delivered twice by women entering what was presumed to be the prisoners' building. The same woman who delivered food made two separate journeys out with pails which she emptied into the bush.

Within the hamlet, only at the suspected building did any guard or sentry post exist.

While members of the guard force were armed with automatic rifles, they did not seem to be soldiers or to operate as a trained unit.

During the day, all comings and goings to and from Nueva Esperanza were by boat. No road vehicle was seen. The engines on boats did not appear to require keys; therefore it would be easy to steal a boat if that line of escape was taken. On the other hand, there were plenty of other boats with which a stolen boat could be pursued. Ken O'Hara, who was familiar with boats, identified the best ones.

A unanimous view among the observers, though it was only an opinion, was that the people being observed were almost totally relaxed, which seemed to indicate that an aggressive incursion from outside was not expected.”If one was,” Fernandez pointed out, "they would have patrols out, including up here, looking for people like us.”

At dusk, Partridge called the other three together and informed them, "We've watched long enough. We go down tonight.”

He told Fernandez, "You'll guide us from here. I want to arrive at that hut at 2 a.m. Everyone must be silent all the way. If we need to communicate, whisper.”

Minh asked, "Is there an order of battle, Harry?”

"Yes,” Partridge answered.”I'll go close up, look in to see what I can, then enter first. I'd like you right behind me, Minh, covering my back. Fernandez will hang behind, watch the other houses for anyone appearing, but join us if we need help.”

Fernandez nodded.

Partridge turned to O'Hara, "Ken, you'll go directly to the jetty. I've decided we'll leave by boat. We don't know what kind of condition Jessica and Nicholas are in, and they may not be up to the journey we had coming here.”

"Got it!” O'Hara said.”I assume you want me to grab a boat.”

“Yes and, if you can, disable some of the others, but remember—no noise!”

"There'll be noise when we start the motor.”

"No,” Partridge said.”We'll have to row away, and when we get to midstream let the current take us. Fortunately it's going in the right direction. Only when we're out of hearing will we start the engine.”

Even as he spoke, Partridge knew he was assuming everything would go well. If not, they would improvise as best they could, which included using weapons.

Remembering the planned 8 A.m. rendezvous with AeroLibertad's Cheyenne II, Fernandez inquired, "Have you decided which airstrip we'll try for—Sion or the other?”

"I'll make that choice in the boat, depending how everything else goes and how much time we have.”

What was necessary now, Partridge concluded, was to check weapons, discard unneeded equipment and make sure they could travel as light and as fast as possible.

A mixture of excitement and apprehension gripped them all.

Back in Lima on Saturday morning, after watching the AeroLibertad Cheyenne II depart, Rita Abrams had been taken completely by surprise on two counts.

First, she had not expected an on-the-scene appearance by Crawford Sloane. A message awaiting her at CBA's Entel Peru booth announced that Sloane would be in Lima by early morning, in fact could have arrived already. She promptly called Cesar's Hotel where, according to the message, he would be staying. Crawf had not yet checked in, and she left word advising him where she was and requesting that he phone.

Second, and even more surprising, was the faxed letter from Les Chippingham, sent the previous evening to Harry Partridge. The instruction on the letter to place it in an envelope marked "Personal” had clearly not been noticed by the busy Entel fax operator and it arrived along with other mail, open so that anyone could read it. Rita did, and was incredulous.

Harry had been fired, dismissed by CBA! "Effective immediately,” the letter said, and he was to leave Peru "preferably” on Saturday— today !—"definitely” no later than Sunday. If a commercial flight to the U.S. was not available, he was authorized to charter. Big deal!

The more Rita thought about it, the more ridiculous and outrageous it was, especially now. Could Crawf's arrival in Lima, she wondered, have anything to do with it? She was sure it did, and waited impatiently to hear from Sloane, all the while her anger over the abominable treatment of Harry intensifying.

Meanwhile, there was no way she could communicate the letter's contents to Partridge since he was already in the jungle, on his way to Nueva Esperanza.

* * *

Sloane didn't telephone. After arriving at the hotel and receiving Rita's message, he took a taxi immediately to Entel. He had worked in Lima on assignment in the past and knew his way around.

His first question to Rita was, "Where's Harry?”

"In the jungle,” she answered tersely, "risking his life trying to rescue your wife and boy.” Then she thrust the faxed letter forward.”What the hell is this?”

"What do you mean?” Crawford Sloane took the letter and read it as she watched him. He read it twice, then shook his head.”This is a mistake. It has to be.”

A sharpness still in Rita's voice, she asked, "Are you telling me you don't know anything about it?”

"Of course not.” Sloane shook his head impatiently.”Harry's my friend. Right now I need him more than anyone else in the world. Please tell me what he's doing in the jungle—isn't that what you just said?” Sloane had clearly dismissed the letter as absurd, something he would not waste time on.

Rita swallowed hard. Tears flooded her eyes; she was angry at her own misjudgment and injustice.”Oh, Christ, Crawf! I'm sorry.” For the first time she took in the extra lines of strain on the anchorman's face, the anguish in his eyes. He looked far worse than when she had last seen him, eight days earlier.”I thought that somehow you . . . Oh, never mind!”

Rita pulled herself together.”Here's what's happening, what Harry and the others are trying to do.” She described the expedition to Nueva Esperanza and what Partridge hoped to achieve. She filled in background, too, explaining Partridge's doubts about telephone security—the reason his plan had not been reported to New York.

At length Sloane said, "I'd like to talk to that pilot, find out how things were when he left Harry and the others. What's his name?”

"Zileri.” Rita looked at her watch.”He's probably not back yet, but I'll phone soon, and then we'll go. Have you had breakfast?”

Sloane shook his head.

”There's a cafeteria in the building. Let's go down.”

Over coffee and croissants, Rita said gently, "Crawf, we were all shocked and saddened by the news about your father Harry especially. I know he blamed himself for not moving faster, but we didn't have the information . . .”

Sloane stopped her with a gesture.”I'll never blame Harry for anything—whatever happens, even now. No one could have done more.”

"I agree,” Rita said, "which is what makes this so unbelievable.” Once more she produced the faxed letter which Les Chippingham had signed.”This is no mistake, Crawf. This was intended. People don't make mistakes like that.”

He read it again.”When we get upstairs I'll phone Les in New York.”

"Before you do, let's consider this: There's something behind it, something you and I don't know. Yesterday in New York—did anything happen out of the ordinary?”

"You mean at CBA?"

"Yes"

Sloane considered.”I don't think so . . . well, I did hear Les was sent for by Margot Lloyd-Mason—apparently in an all fired hurry. He was over at Stonehenge. But I've no idea what it was about.”