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What was she going to do about the data she’d discovered? What would Connie do? Maybe she should get a t-shirt with that on it. Connie would tell her to report what she found. And she would. It was the weekend. She’d planned on going in again in the morning and continuing to work but maybe she’d work on it from her apartment.
Out her window, Vienna flew by. One of the most interesting cities architecturally speaking, and yet she couldn’t muster up the energy to pay attention. A shiver tripped down her back and her muscles tensed. No matter how she looked at it, what she found was a major problem for her company and someone she worked with closely didn’t mind becoming a cold-blooded killer.
CHAPTER2
Xavier Larson stretchedhis left arm out in front of him and flexed his fingers. Today, the tingling wasn’t god-awful. He’d pushed hard on his workout this morning, but his grip had held up. Once he stretched, the tingling should go away completely. At least he hoped it would.
Satisfied he got up from the weight bench and walked through the gym to the men’s locker room. He opened his locker as his cell went off. “Larson.”
“Xav, it’s Hank.”
“Hey, Hank. What’s up?” His boss calling him on a Sunday morning was unusual in and of itself, but the fact that Xavier was on vacation made it highly irregular. He wasn’t due back in Yellowstone for another week. His stomach tensed.
“I know you’re on vacation and I hate to bug you, but I need a favor. Can you fly an executive from Vienna to Geneva today?” Hank’s tone of voice said there was more to the story.
Xavier didn’t hesitate. Hank had done too much for him to even consider saying no. “I can do that,” he said. “What plane do you want me to use?”
There was a pause and the sound of keys clicking reached Xavier’s ears. “Yeah. There’s a Dassault Falcon 2000LXS at the FBO at Vienna International. You’re rated on that one, right?
"Yeah. I’m good to go.”
“Great. I’ll text you the tail number. You’ll need to haul ass because the client wants to get to Geneva pronto, and you’re gonna have to do a pre-flight check first.”
Xavier’s shoulders tightened. Ever since the accident, he hated being rushed when it came to flying. It didn’t matter that he would do everything necessary to make sure the plane was safe, the added pressure of having to do it quickly always made unease knot in his gut. He took a calming breath. At least he’d be flying with Joey. The good-natured Aussie was an excellent pilot and an all-around standup guy. But still, Xavier’s sixth sense told him there was more going on. “What aren’t you telling me?”
Hank paused again. “The woman you’re flying is a bigwig in a pharmaceutical company. She seems…intense. I’d be lying if I said it didn’t set off alarm bells. I can’t tell you anything specific but she’s pushing to get to Geneva as quickly as possible. I would turn down the job but a mutual friend asked me as a favor.”
“Understood.” Xavier moved the fingers of his left hand trying to work out the pins and needles but he knew the effort was wasted now. Once his shoulders tensed, nothing would diminish the tingling. Not until he managed to relax. “I’m at the gym. I’ve got to go back to my rental and get my gear. It’s gonna take me a bit to get to the airport. Tell the client that we’ll be wheels up in about three hours. I also have to check the weather.”
“There’s some snow coming your way. You need to get airborne before it arrives if you can.” There was a squeak that signified Hank had leaned back in his black leather desk chair.
Xavier grunted. Just what he needed. “Send me her contact info and I’ll keep her updated.”
“Will do. And Xavier, good luck. Be safe. I know I don’t have to tell you but don’t take any shortcuts.”
Not in a million years. “Understood. I’ll reach out from Geneva when the job is finished.” He clicked off the call. “Shit,” he mumbled as he grabbed his stuff from his locker. He’d shower at his rental and then head to the airport.
A half-hour later, he pulled up in front of his cabin. It looked just like a Swiss chalet which was exactly why he’d rented it. Nestled in the woods with a large patch of grass behind it where he sat and drank good beer while he watched the mountains in the changing light. This place had brought him a peace he wasn’t sure he’d ever find again after what happened. He rented it every chance he got. The week here and there had saved him in so many ways. He loved Yellowstone and the guys, but sometimes he just needed to be alone to process what happened. Losing his best friend had been the toughest thing he’d had to face about the accident.
Shaking off that thought, he hurried inside and hopped into the shower. He’d sent a text to Joey before he’d left the gym and was still waiting for his co-pilot to get back to him. Joey lived closer to the airport. If he could get there first, he could start on the checklist. Thirty minutes later, Xavier was back in his car, go-bag beside him, headed into Vienna. His cell went off. “Larson,”
“Xav? It’s Dave, from AV Aviation. Did Hank call you?”
“Yeah. I’m on my way to the airport. He sent me the tail number. This is another charter, correct?”
“Yeah, this plane isn’t Hank’s, but it’s solid.”
“Good to hear.” The tension in Xavier’s shoulders eased slightly. Dave was a good guy. If he said the airplane was solid, then it was.
Dave’s voice changed. “Listen, your co-pilot today won’t be Joey. I know you usually fly with him but he’s unavailable. The guy you’re flying with is Simon Lindstrom. He’s got lots of experience. Comes highly recommended. Should be fine.”
Xavier’s shoulders tensed right back up. “Where’s Joey?”
There was a pause. “I’m not sure. I’ve been trying to get a hold of him all morning for something else and he’s just not answering. He broke up with Penny a few days ago so I’m assuming he’s on a bender or something.”
Xavier eased his foot off the accelerator. Maybe he should go check on his friend. His phone dinged. He glanced at the screen. The incoming text was from the client, wanting to know when the plane could take off. Shit. “Do me a favor and go over and check on Joey. Just see that he’s okay.” Joey and Penny had been together for three years. The breakup was her idea, Xavier was sure. Joey was mad about her.
“I’ll head over to his hotel room on my lunch break. Anyway, Simon’s already at the airport. He’ll start the checklist and see you when you get there.” The call ended.
