Elliott Freemantle could not understand it. A large number of people from the Meadowood meeting had followed him to the airport, and were at the moment making a great deal of noise in the main hall of the terminal. Television cameras had arrived, but there were no policemen! Elliott wanted the police to arrive. Then there would be trouble - and a big story for the press.

All the time he was talking to the television reporters, he was waiting for the police to arrive.

'Why are you here?' a reporter asked him.

'Because this airport is full of thieves and liars.'

'That's strong talk. Will you explain exactly what you mean by it?'

'Certainly. The peace, the rest and the good health of these people are being stolen from them by this airport. Nobody cares how much they suffer. Only this evening the airport manager told them that the noise will get worse, not better! He didn't care.'

'What are you going to do about this?'

'We're going to take the airport to court - to the highest court in the land, if necessary. We shall begin by asking for some runways - if not the whole airport - to be closed at night. I care about these people! I shall fight for them, and I shall win!'

The crowd was growing bigger all the time, Elliott noticed, and people were growing angrier too. When he had finished speaking, a man shouted: 'Let's show the airport how loud a noise can be!' and a great shout rose from the throats of the crowd. If the police came now, the press would certainly write about the meeting.

What Elliott Freemantle did not know was that every policeman in the airport was looking for Inez Guerrero. Even after she had been found, Ordway, the police chief, was busy talking to her in Mel's office. When he had finished, he and Mel left the office together.

Immediately they saw Elliott Freemantle surrounded by a crowd of people and cameras.

'That lawyer again!' Ordway said. 'I'll soon get rid of him!'

'Be careful,' Mel said. 'He wants attention from the press. We don't want to help him.'

As Ordway went to speak to the lawyer, Mel saw Tomlinson, the young reporter he had met earlier that evening. He asked him what Elliott had been saying, and when he found out his face darkened with anger.

'Freemantle!' he shouted, 'I'm interested in what you've been saying this evening. Do these people know that it's all lies?'

Everyone was silent. They turned to look at Mel.

'Don't listen to him!' Elliott shouted.