Additionally, he needs to contact another person. Since he has already been exposed, it's likely the other person has been exposed too. Contacting in advance to confirm can help him determine his subsequent itinerary, and perhaps they can escape together. This way, they can look out for each other on the road, and even when sleeping, one can stand guard—safer than being alone.
Frank made a call to the other person but couldn't say much over the phone, just arranged to meet in the evening. That's why he sets off early to meet his companion, and only after that will he proceed to the smuggling route they had agreed on. The time agreed upon was very late; such a thing should definitely be done after midnight, avoiding detection before then, which could affect their subsequent operations.
