“Nothing you dare print,” shrugged his companion. “I was talking with the Fire Chief yesterday. I gathered that he thought the fire had been set, but I can’t get anything definite out of him. The arson squad refuses to discuss the matter.”
Flash digested this bit of information as he rode up to the third floor. Entering the news room, he became aware of a tense atmosphere of excitement. Riley saw him, and motioned him to the desk.
“Evans, I want you to get out to the airport. We have a special plane coming in at 10:15 with exclusive pictures of that big airliner crash in the Pennsylvania mountains. Rush them right back so we can get ’em on the wire!”
Flash nodded. The morning papers had carried a front page account of the airliner disaster which had shocked the nation, taking a toll of eleven prominent persons. No pictures had appeared, for the accident had occurred in an isolated region of the mountains. A correspondent for the Ledger, one of the first men to reach the scene, had taken camera snaps, sending them by special chartered plane.
Flash glanced at the downstairs clock as he left the building. It was only 9:40. He would have ample time to reach the airport before the plane was due to arrive.
Boarding a bus, he rode to the outskirts of the city. Alighting at the main entrance to the airport grounds he noticed Luke Frowein coming through the gate.
“Hello, Hero,” the photographer greeted him flippantly. “Looking for a fire?”
“I’m only an errand boy this time,” Flash replied.
He would have passed on, but Luke deliberately halted, blocking the way.
“What’s going on out here?” he asked curiously. “Picking up pictures, eh?”