Page 16 of His to Keep
“I am not getting on a helicopter.”
When I was a kid, I flew from Edinburgh to London on a helicopter and it was the most terrifying ride of my life. Every time we banked left or right, I thought I was going to slide off the seat and fall through the door. It would never have happened, of course, but the terror I felt has stuck with me.
“It’s only to get you to Aberdeen,” Danny says. “From there you’ll fly…”
“No.” I cut him off again. “I’m serious. It’s not happening.”
As Danny throws his hands up in exasperation, Gio rubs my arm soothingly. “Are you afraid, kitten?”
The endearment has Danny raising his eyebrows in surprise. I guess he thinks it’s too early for nicknames, since Gio and I have only just met. Personally, I kind of like it. I just wish I could think of something fitting to call Gio.
“Afraid isn’t a strong enough word.” I fold my arms across my chest to show I mean business. “I will not get on a helicopter.”
“We could sedate you,” Danny suggests. “Knock you out for the duration of the flight.”
“Like hell you will.” I jump down from the stool. “I have had four years of not being able to control what happened to me. You cannot drug me and take away my choices.”
Danny scrubs a hand over his face and Gio stares down at me with such concern my heart aches.
“Okay, kitten, do you have another suggestion?”
I assume getting a plane from Inverness is out of the question, since Danny didn’t suggest it. Jason’s men are probably lying in wait for us there.
“The sleeper train,” I say triumphantly. “We can get it to London, then fly from there to Tuscany.”
“The sleeper train?” Gio asks doubtfully.
“Yes, it’s perfect. Like your mad idea to stay close to the hotel you snatched me from, nobody will expect us to go by train. We won’t need ID to get on it, so we can travel under an alias. That way, there’s no danger of our names popping up on some passenger list and alerting Jason.”
Danny hums quietly, as if he’s mulling it over. “It could work,” he says, “but you do know the sleeper books up months in advance.”
“I’m sure Niamh Donnelly has the means to bribe someone to give up their cabin.”
“Of course she can.” Danny looks offended at the very idea his employer can’t fix this for us. “But you’re expected on a flight tonight. Your cousin Joe has arranged for you to sneak out on a diplomatic flight.”
“Joe?” I check. “You mean Joe Dalgleish?”
“Aye.”
“He’s not my cousin. He’s my mother’s cousin and I barely know the man. His family is involved in politics, and they kept their distance from us because of my father’s involvement in organized crime. At least, they did publicly.” I throw my hands in the air. Why am I even quibbling over such a minor detail? “That’s not important.”
“Can’t he delay the flight until morning?” Gio asks.
Danny rubs his chin thoughtfully. “His brother’s on the brink of becoming prime minister, so I guess he can do anything.”
“Great.” I knew Alasdair was doing well in politics, but I hadn’t realized he was so close to achieving such an important step up. It was always going to happen, I suppose, considering his father’s influence. “So that’s what we’ll do. We’ll take the Caledonian Sleeper to London. Giving ourselves plenty of time to compensate for delays in getting to the airport, we can fly out by lunchtime.” I chew on my bottom lip as I think about the plan. “We might even have time for a wee diversion.”
“What diversion?” Gio asks.
“There’s someone in London I’d like to check on.”
“What?” Gio’s piercing blue eyes narrow. “Who do you have to check on?”
“Cara Drummond.” I know from snippets of gossip I picked up from Jason’s men that she’s sharing a flat in Chelsea with some other woman.
“Stewart Drummond’s girl?” Danny’s tone is incredulous.
“I need to warn her Jason’s coming for her.”
