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She breathed in a shaky breath. “What would we do with the dogs?”
Hope rose in Lucien’s chest. “We’ll take them with us. If we do crash, we’ll all go down at the same time. That was a joke.”
Her lips curved ever so slightly. “A bad one that I’ve heard before every trip I’ve ever taken with you. All I can do is try and get on the plane. That’s all I can promise. Once I see it, I might not be able to board.”
He wrapped his arms around her in a tight hug. “That’s the Brogan I know who’s been kicking ass since she was ten. Besides, thanks to Rory Rossum Cole, you own the company. Ewan works for you just as he did for Rory.”
For a womanwho didn’t like to fly, owning a luxury charter service was more than absurd irony. The company, Flying High, serviced cross-country routes and short-haul jaunts for the rich and famous. They carried stars who wanted privacy and pampered service to touristy places like Las Vegas and Vail or romantic weekend getaways to the Bahamas and beyond. Its fleet of planes included state-of-the-art Citations, Gulfstreams, a Bombardier Challenger, and a completely renovated 707 flown by some of the best-trained pilots in the world. But the 767 jumbo jet was its star performer, hauling rock stars and their entourage to concert tours worldwide.
On board the twenty-year-old jumbo jet with room for thirty-five passengers, Brogan picked a middle seat farthest away from a window. She didn’t need to see the ground from fifteen thousand feet. Been there. Done that. Nor did she have any immediate need for anything in the fully equipped kitchen. She’d downed two valiums. She didn’t plan to leave her seat during the hour-long flight for any reason, not even to check out the two bedrooms in the back.
Behind her, Lucien tended to the dogs—putting Stella in the cream-colored leather seat next to him and pushing Poppy into Brogan’s lap.
She clutched the dog like a lifeline while her heart thumped as if it might explode in her chest. As she gripped Lucien’s hand like a woman in full-blown labor, she still doubted whether she could do this. But when she spotted Ewan in his uniform, she refused to let him see her in panic mode, stressed enough to resort to knockout drugs to get to her destination. The man had never seen her otherwise.
Ewan introduced his co-pilot, Blake Hartnett, a fifteen-year veteran who’d piloted the Rolling Stones across North America and Europe during their 2017 concert tour. “Lucien said he didn’t need a full flight crew today, so we’re flying without a single attendant.”
“That’s okay,” Brogan forced out, plastering a stupid smile on her face. “I don’t plan to eat or drink anything.”
The pilot looked at Brogan, sympathy in his eyes. “Big plane, plenty of room, lots of engine power. You’ll do fine. Blake and I will see to it. Mr. Cole would want that.”
“We’ll be fine,” Lucien repeated. “We can get our own coffee or sodas. Thanks for doing this on short notice. It’s appreciated.”
Ewan smiled. “As always, it’s my pleasure. Although I did have to look up this town they call Pelican Pointe. The Army used this landing strip during World War II for basic flight training. Back then, it was known as Camp Humphries, named after one of the first brigadier generals in the Air Corps. Maybe one day, when I retire, I’ll pick an out-of-the-way spot like this. Beautiful scenery, a great view of the ocean.”
Brogan listened to the two men chat like they had no worries about anything. She wanted to ask a million questions. Was there enough fuel? When was routine maintenance last performed? Did anyone mess with the cargo doors? Were there any safety issues about the 767-200 that needed addressing? Why hadn’t she paid more attention to all those boring financial reports the CFO sent her every quarter?
She desperately wanted to yell out:Fly the damn plane and pay attention to details. That’s all I’m asking. But she bit her tongue to keep from embarrassing Lucien.
Blake was the first to leave the conversation and head to the cockpit, with Ewan reminding them to buckle up.
Once Ewan joined Blake in the cabin, he closed the door. Soon, Brogan heard the roar of the engines. She squeezed her eyes shut, trying to picture if the landing strip had enough runway for a plane this size to take off.
Lucien kept his voice casual, ever low over the roar of the engines as the plane taxied to the end of the tarmac, revving the engines. “I thought we could work on our questions for Ms. Toussaint. What’s the first thing you want to ask her?”
Brogan huffed out a breath when the jet lifted and climbed. Airborne, a sick feeling hit her stomach. She felt like she might throw up the valium.
Lucien nudged her and whispered, “It’s okay to open your eyes. What do you want to ask Vincent’s mother?”
“Where is your son?” she blurted out, caught up in the intrigue of the case. “How involved was he with Anna? Did he think Elliott belonged to him?”
The distraction worked. Lucien had an hour to divert her attention. He kept her focused on the interview and all the questions they had about the Dolworth murders. He began to make notes while Brogan added the layers to the mystery. They practiced what they would say to Ms. Toussaint.
“Dropping by on a Sunday increases the chances we’ll catch her home,” Lucien pointed out. “Ireserved a car with a driver who knowsJarreau’s old neighborhood. We won’t have to waste time looking for the street address.”
“You thought of everything,” Brogan noted as she heard the landing gear lock. Relaxed enough to let Poppy breathe again, she rolled her shoulders and let her head fall back on the leather.
“Don’t go to sleep on me now,” Lucien cautioned.
“Not a chance.” From the corner of her eye, she caught sight of buildings coming into view out the right-side window. As the plane descended, she could see more of the massive L.A. sprawl and the traffic congestion on the 710 freeway.
She took several deep breaths. She’d done it. She’d flown fully awake and mindful of her surroundings for the first time in years. “You’re right. This is ten times better than a dinky corporate jet. It doesn’t make me feel claustrophobic.”
Lucien chuckled. “Says the woman who’s completely chill at the moment.”
The jet touched down and brought a weak woohoo out of Brogan. “I’m savoring this victory for a month.”
“There is a return flight in a few hours.”
