Bennie spotted an orangey brightness blazing in the distance as the helicopter began its uneven descent. She couldn’t tell what it was, but it didn’t matter. The pilot flicked a switch, and a bright cone of white light shone from the helicopter onto an empty lot strewn with rubble, weeds, and broken glass.
She held on to the handstrap as the ground got closer. Winds swirled, whipping bugs into the spotlight, and the helicopter hovered, seesawing, then touched down. The pilot flashed her a thumbs-up and twisted a knob. The rotors slowed, and the whine died down and finally disappeared. The helicopter shuddered as its engine shut down.
The pilot slid off his earphones, with a broad grin. “It’s better in the Bahamas.”
“Where are we?”
“Adelaide, southwest of Nassau. The land belongs to a friend of mine. I’ll be staying here tonight, at his place.” The pilot turned. “Did you see that fire at the airport? Looks like a disaster.”
Bennie mulled it over. An airport fire. Was Alice here? Was it a coincidence? “I have to get into Nassau, fast.”
“My buddy and I can give you a lift there. It’s half an hour by car. We got another friend, runs an all-night poker game.”
“Then let’s go.” Bennie grabbed her purse, opened the rattly door, and climbed out of the helicopter as the pilot came around the other side, holding a canvas bag.
“Watch your step. Lots of crab holes around here. You’ll see the shells, lying around. Purple, red, black ones.”
Bennie saw a hole, but no crab shells. The lot was dark, and the only light came from a dilapidated clapboard house, a hundred yards away. “Is that your friend’s place?”
“Yeah. Take my hand. Don’t walk into a tree, there’s plum and sea grapes. That’s what you smell.”
Bennie didn’t smell anything, and she didn’t come here for the flora and fauna. “Listen, there’s one other thing I need.”
“Sure, what?”
She told the pilot, and he didn’t seem at all surprised.