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“Franklin keeps most things close to his heart. Even you…” She tilts her head. “He attempted to keep you to himself for as long as possible. He tries to protect people. He blames himself for Damien’s actions and believes if he wasn’t drunk, he could have stopped him. Friends stop friends from doing stupid things. Franklin and Damien were as stubborn as each other. Damien swallowed it and won the dare before Franklin could stop him.” She sighs loudly. “Most slugs are not poisonous. Only this one carried rat lungworm disease. He fell ill ten days later and showed deterioration on the flight home.”
“He’s still sick?” I stand and pour a glass of water from the dispenser in the corner and hand it to Mrs. Hendricks, then take the seat beside her.
“Thank you, dear.” She takes a few mouthfuls and keeps hold of the glass. “Doctors are amazed how Damien has survived, but his quality of life is not great. He suffered meningoencephalitis. A brain hemorrhage left him paralyzed. Yearly bouts of pneumonia weakened his lungs. A month ago, his mother called Franklin and said he should come and see him as it might be his last chance. You can only imagine how it’s affected Franklin. I tried to tell him it was an unfortunate accident, and no one was to blame. But…” she pauses and stares at me, “… with Damien taking a turn for the worst on top of the stress of the court case, Franklin is worried and… lonely.”
My throat burns. “You think I can help?”
She offers a subtle smile. “Iknowyou can help.”
Her belief in me is encouraging, but Franklin not telling me about the house indicates he has less faith in me than she knows. For her to come here and tell me this—I blow out a long breath through pursed lips—I can tell she is desperate to help her son. But despite my heart wanting to go to him, I’m wary. Yet I can’t stand the thought of him carrying this weight alone. I’ve seen him stressed about work, but adding personal worries to the mix would leave him crippled.
So I answer with my heart and not my head…
“What time do I leave?”
* * *
Royce steersthe car close to the private jet.
On the tarmac, a woman and man dressed in pale blue and black uniforms stand straight, waiting for me.
Royce opens the door and says, “Have a safe flight, Penny.”
“Thank you, Royce. Enjoy your weekend.”
He takes my overnight bag.
“It’s fine, I can manage.” He gives me a questionable look, but I carry my bag toward the plane.
“Hi, I’m Penelope Gilbert.”
Trent introduces himself as the pilot, and Heidi is the attendant. Trent apologizes for the wait and that the copilot will arrive shortly.
Heidi leads me aboard, and I’m struck by the lush interior designed for the utmost comfort. The height inside the cabin surprises me, along with the width. Each contoured chair is crafted from soft ivory leather where I could curl up and read a book. Four single lounge chairs sit at the front with wooden tables between them. Behind is a set of four chairs around a table. Behind those is a long couch and more single chairs. There are also two television screens.
“Make yourself comfortable wherever you please,” Heidi says. “Before you settle in, I’ll point out the restroom.” She leads me to the back and opens a door. “The other door is if you need to refresh before landing.” She opens the door to a beautiful shower with ivory tiles and marble benches over the vanity. “Do you care for a champagne before takeoff, Penny?” She steps aside, and a galley kitchen comes into view.
“I would like that, thank you.”
“Our meals are prepared at the front of the plane, and this is for refreshments.”
Behind her is another door, and Heidi turns to see what I’m staring at. “Mr. Hendricks’ bedroom is locked, though we were given instructions to make your flight comfortable, so if you need to sleep, I could unlock it for you.”
A freaking bedroom.
“No, I’m fine, thank you. I’ll just take a seat.”
I walk along the soft carpeted floor and choose a seat, where I then check out the buttons to recline. One is to move the table, and the others? I have no clue.
Heidi arrives with my glass of champagne. “We’ll be cleared for takeoff in fifteen minutes. All business services are offered during the flight.” She places the glass beside me, along with a bowl of nuts. “There is a selection of hot food on offer. Give me a few minutes to check what we have today.”
“It’s fine. I understand how this was all last-minute.”
“Can I help you with anything else?”
“No, thank you.”
Once Heidi is out of sight, I kick off my heels, bring my feet up close, and hold my drink near my lips. The large round windows bathe the cabin in natural light, almost an orange glow with the sun setting behind us.
