Part 13, page 340

Transcript

The scan is the source; the transcript is machine-generated from it.

3.

take me for a complet idiot. Why the hell do you think I ordered two sets of chutes. I didn't take many chances, not many it all.

It wasn't a bad night for a drop--overcast but I would bail clear of that. Checking my time, I cleared the altitude and speed with the captain over the com- line. Everything was about right even though I missed the airport bean at Kalama because of poor visibility. I had to clear Lake Morwin. Clearing the clouds, I floated down. Heard later there were three military trail planes but they couldn't see me through the soup. I tugged and jerked the lines just right. Hit in a field. Thank God I didn't get hung up in a tree. Concealed both chutes. Then checked my reading. I know pretty well where I was but confirmed it with my compass and county map. I just had 5 to 10 miles to go to get to my car. Reached it by early morning. Let me tell you that man cannot live by broad alone or by K rations for that matter. Heard later when they made a skidding, sparks-flying stop at Reno that they set dogs lose trying to spot me in the hangors and adjoining homes. Yes, they must have taken me for a fool. But I had it all planned out, all planned out. They underesti- mated me all the way. I dropped short of where they said I did. And by the time they find any traces of me, if they ever do, I'll be long gone. Might have holed up in Portland or Seattle or lit straight out for Canada. Odds are they'll never find me. Not if they're looking for a 40ish, Latin type man in a dark suit with sun glasses. Besides knowing alot of other things what's to stop me from being an expert at disguise!?! Nothing, I tell you.

Well, I could go on more but I've got things to do. Think I deserve a little rest and you can bet your stars it's going to be in style. Oh, don't believe that malarky at the start of my story about there being accomplices. Do you think I'd be crazy enough to deal anybody in on this, especially a blabby, spineless female. And if I found one I cared enough for to deal in, I wouldn't expose her to the risk. But from now on I won't have my trouble finding companionship if and when I ever need it. Yes, I'm a loner from the word go and that's the way I like it.

Right now I'm laying low. Don't even care if the magazine pays me for this

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DB Cooper-320