Page 13 of Aviator
It would almost be worth it.
The old man offers his hand, and I take it gratefully, squeezing between Dean and the door and stepping into blissful warmth. “Let’s get you out of the cold before we all freeze to death.”
“Thank you so much, sir. My name is Kenna Lynch. I really appreciate your time.” Okay, so I say the last bit with a pointed look to Dean, who is retrieving the rifle and stowing it in a gun cabinet oddly kept in the dining room. Is that the alpha male version of a china cabinet? The thought makes me grin even more, causing Dean’s glare to intensify. He sulks over to the kitchen to make coffee as his grandfather leads me to the living room and a very comfortable sitting chair next to the fire.
“I’m Luke Pascal. Dean, why don’t you pour a cup of coffee for me and our guest?” With a heavy sigh, Luke relaxes into a matching chair on the opposite side of the fire and places a blanket over his lap. He’s oblivious to the dark glare Dean shoots his way. A scraggly cat appears from God knows where and jumps onto his lap, settling down on its back and baring his stomach for indulgent pets. Ah, this must be the Sunny he mentioned before. Dean with a cat. Who would have thought? “You say your sister is missing? I’m sorry to hear that. Dean will be happy to help in any way he can. Isn’t that right, son?”
Dean sets my cup of coffee down on the side table with more force than necessary and passes Luke his gently, along with a container of medication. Luke takes a handful of pills without complaint, washing it down with the coffee. Then he sets the mug aside and begins to pet Sunny from head to fluffy tail. The cat is content, although he and Dean seem to be having an intense stare-down.
The cat wins, and Dean crosses his massive arms over his chest and shoots me another panty-freezing glare. “Like I told her outside, I don’t know anything about Jamie or her sister. We’ve got bad weather coming in that makes flying risky. And I’ve got my grandfather to take care of. There’s nothing you can say that’ll convince me to take you out there.”
I take a deep breath before meeting Dean’s eyes. “What I was going to say before you pulled a gun on me, then shut the door in my face, was that I’m willing to pay whatever you want if you’ll help me.”
Luke nods thoughtfully before turning to his grandson. “Guess you missed that part?”
Dean looks from me to his grandfather before sighing as he runs a hand through his hair. He then looks back up at us both and finally nods in agreement. “I’m not the man for the job, but I can ask around for someone who can help,” he offers gruffly, like he’s not used to speaking polite words out loud.
The old man claps his hands together triumphantly and gives me a warm smile before drinking deeply from his mug.
Sure, it took a little coercion, and it isn’t exactly the knight in shining armor routine, but I take it.
“Thank you,” I say, relieved. “Any help would be appreciated.” Baby steps. Getting him to back down at all is a win, as far as I’m concerned.
Dean’s grandfather and I make small talk as he goes down his list. Dean ends one call and moves on to the next, speaking to his contacts about my missing sister. I take a deep breath, trying to ease the strain of this entire ordeal.
After a while, he hangs up the phone and comes over to me, his brows drawn together in consternation. “Look. . .” He looks away, hesitating.
I can’t help the feeling of despair that wells up inside me. My shoulders sag as I realize that his contacts must not be able to help.
Fuck.
“With the weather coming in, there isn’t anyone willing to take you out. If you can wait until the end of the week, you may have more luck,” Dean says softly. His eyes flicker up to mine and hold my gaze.
Is that regret in his eyes?
Hope flickers in my stomach. This may be my only chance to convince him to help me.
“I don’t have that kind of time,” I say firmly. “I can’t wait until the end of the week. I need to find my sister now. I’m willing to paywhateverit takes. Please.” I say the last word so softly it’s almost a whisper.
CHAPTER SIX
DEAN
Later,when I figure out why the hell I agreed to help her despite my better judgment, I’ll come back to this moment. I’ll remember all the “FINAL NOTICE” hospital bills piling up on the kitchen table. The months of therapy still in our future, home health nurses, and God only knows what else. But the promise of money was nothing compared with her big eyes staring up at me and the word “Please” coming from her full pink lips. Gramps’ old clock ticks away in the corner of the room, counting down the seconds until I can’t put off what I’d known since the second I found her on my doorstep.
Finally, I sigh.
“Alright,” I say gruffly. “I’ll do it. It won’t be cheap, though. It’s going to cost you an outrageous amount of money to get me in the air. Are you sure you’re up for that, princess?”
Kenna doesn’t even blink at my words. If anything, she looks more determined than ever. Meeting my gaze and nodding, she says, “Whatever it takes,” with cheerful conviction.
I immediately regret my decision. The last thing I should want is to be crammed into the tiny cockpit with her for hours on end. Nothing I respond with will be pleasant or kind, so I don’t say a word. Maybe now that she got what she wants, we can get this over quickly so I can get her the hell out of my life.
Gramps fills the silence with mindless chatter for a little while, and I concentrate on cleaning up the remnants of coffee. My mind goes over a list of things I’ll need to do to prepare. The first is calling Margaret to take care of Gramps for however long it’ll take. I’d estimate twenty-four to forty-eight hours. Gear, flight plans, checking the weather.
If it holds off. . .
While Kenna and Gramps chitter like hens, I put in a call to Lawrence. While it rings, I ask Kenna, “You sure about paying whatever it takes? Chartering a flight last minute isn’t going to be cheap.”
