Chapter 1
"The Return of ATF Agent Bill Collins"
When May and I arrived in New York City, the original idea was to scout a location for the expansion of our business. What happened instead was word of a New York bound Pan Am plane going down. For the rest of the night on December 21st, I just laid on the bed looking at the television and seeing the reports of what was happening.
"Rally," muttered May as she tried to sleep. "Turn that thing off…I'm trying to sleep."
"Just a few more minutes, May," I remarked, looking at my partner. "Just pretend I'm not here."
Groaning, May threw a pillow over her head as I continued my investigation. The news had come from out of southwest Scotland, somewhere along the border between Scotland and England. The scene of fire and sounds of sirens wailing made it clear that this was definitely a plane crash and that it was very likely that no one had survived.
"I think we need to pay Pan Am a visit in the morning," I declared under my breath. "Something tells me that this is more than just a plane crash."
In fact, the scenes shifted to crying and screaming relatives of the victims at Kennedy Airport. I couldn't help but feel sorry for all of them.
Just then, I turned off the television and joined my partner in falling asleep. But, it wouldn't be that way for very long.
At that moment, the door to our hotel room was being knocked on and both May and I groaned at being woken up suddenly.
"Now, who can that be?" I muttered, climbing out of bed in just a gray tank top and white panties. "Who is it?"
"Pussycat, are you awake?"
Rolling my eyes, I knew just exactly who it was and opened the door slightly to reveal ATF Agent Bill Collins in the doorway.
"Not you again," I groaned. "Just what are you doing in New York?"
"Same thing as you," Bill chuckled with a small smile. "Investigating what happened in Scotland tonight. I didn't know if you wanted to…"
"Look Bill," I interrupted sharply and groggily. "I came here so we can look for an expansion on our business, the one you hung by a thread last time."
"Come on, if it hadn't been for my intervention, you and that cute little partner of yours would be in a jail cell, not in a hotel room. Shall we discuss more at breakfast, ne'cs pas?"
"Fine, fine. Now let me sleep. Good night!"
Shutting the door, I groaned loudly as I retreated to my bed. All I could think of was why in the hell that Bill Collins would follow us in New York? There had to be a reason for it, but I wouldn't find out until morning.
…
So, the next morning I stood in front of the mirror straightening out my tie, smoothing my skirt and trying to get the disgusting perverted thoughts of Bill out of my mind. I get the fact that Bill had some feelings for me, but there was no way he and I were going to work together again…at least in my mind.
"Damn that Bill, May," I said as we made our way down to breakfast. "Here we are on business and our so called Prince Charming decided to follow us."
"He must have a reason. Maybe he could be connected to investigating what happened last night."
"What does the ATF have to do with what happened last night?"
"Come on, Rally. Pan Am is the national airline of the United States, after all."
"One of two. Don't forget TWA."
Stepping into the elevator, we continued to make our way down to the lobby and sure enough, staring at us at a table was Bill Collins.
"He's even got us coffee," said May. "Damn, he must be serious."
Naturally, I said nothing and sure enough we joined him, reluctantly, at the table.
…
"Sorry, I had to wake you last night, Pussycat," said Bill. "I can imagine it's quite a surprise, isn't it?"
"Surprise what?"
"That I'm being assigned to assist in investigating what happened to Pan Am 103. You see, rumor has it that terrorism is to blame for what happened."
Taking a sip of coffee, I tried to ignore the fact that terrorism was to blame for what happened.
"What does the ATF have to do with what happened?" May asked.
"Yeah, maybe perhaps," I interjected. "Let all the other factors be considered like collisions, structural and mechanical failures, hmm?"
"Yes, but there are some things that we have to keep in mind."
"What other things?" I asked, raising an eyebrow as Bill smugly drank his coffee.
"That's for me to know and for you to find out, pussycat. Let's just say that there was a strange call to a diplomatic post in Europe two weeks ago."
A strange call to a diplomatic post? I couldn't help but think of what Bill was trying to mention. But still business was business and we had to focus on the task at hand which was to scout a location for our business expansion.
…
Once breakfast was over, May and I made our way to the World Trade Center's underground shopping plaza to look over a location for Gunsmith Cats' expansion. It was located right at the entrance of World Trade Center tower 1, an ideal location for customers when they first walked in.
"This is it," I said to May, looking up at the location. "This is the spot to do business. Look, we are right at the entrance to the concourse."
"Rally are you sure about that?"
"Yeah," asked the realtor.
"Customers will want to take notice of our business," I declared. "New York is a high crime city and people will need something to defend themselves and for some, they won't have time to look for a weapon of their choice."
However, both May and the realtor could see that my mind was not on scouting on locating spots.
"Um, Rally?" May asked. "Is your mind on something else?"
"Yes," I answered firmly, before turning to the realtor. "This is the perfect location. Let's sign on it."
So we signed on the location in the World Trade Center and proceeded to what we needed to do…begin the investigation into what brought down Pan Am Flight 103.
"I didn't mean it that way!" May protested as I dragged her out of the concourse.
"We have the location," I said hastily. "Let's just get on with the investigation."
"Okay, okay!" May pleaded, releasing herself from my tight grip on her arm as we made our way outside. "Don't get so grabby! Geez! And I thought you called me impatient."
"I'm serious, May! Something happened to Pan Am 103 and I need to find out the truth!"
I then proceeded to wave down a taxi cab that managed to stop quickly.
"Where to, ladies?" the cab driver asked.
"Pan Am building," I answered and we drove off to Pan Am headquarters to begin our investigation, not knowing of the twists and turns that May and I were about to undertake in finding out the truth into what brought Pan Am 103 and killing all of its occupants.
…
…
