Page 82 of Hold On

“Moves the plane up, down, left, right when we’re in the air. It controls the ailerons. This is the power button to give us enough speed for take-off. Here we go.”

Then they were moving down the runway, getting faster and faster. The world rushed past and Dominic tightened his grip on the seat. Their speed probably wasn’t much faster than the bike, but from this position, it seemed a lot quicker. He felt the moment the wheels left the ground, then saw everything outside falling away as they moved higher.Oh my God.

Fear evaporated and awe slid into its place. They were heading over fields that were getting smaller and smaller as they climbed, the sea glistening in the distance. The plane turned and Dominic gripped the seat harder. But looking out of the window was a distraction. He could see pools in a few gardens, animals in fields, cars moving down roads, a train snaking its way across the countryside.

“Asquith coming up on your left,” Ren said.

Dominic saw the house, the stable block, the gardens, the dig. He started to take out his phone for a picture, then thought about his phone falling into the wrong hands and left it where it was.

“Is it supposed to vibrate as much as this?” he asked.

“Yep. No more than from a car engine but in a car, the vibration’s dampened by four wheels. We feel every invisible bump in the air in a small plane.”

“I can see the dig,” Dominic said. “Want to buzz Will?”

“No. He’ll be pissed off I’m in the air.”

“What? Why?”

“I’m supposed to be recuperating. But there’s no strain in flying. You can do it.”

“No, I can’t. Put your hands back where they were.”

Ren slid one onto the front of Dominic’s jeans. “Tsk. Not hard with lust then?”

“For fuck’s sake, Ren. Hands on the…whatever.”

“Nope. Controls are yours.”

Dominic grabbed the steering column in front of him.

“Keep the plane level. Nose down a little,” Ren said. “Watch that dial, keep the needle right where it is. See, you’re flying.”

“I’d rather not.”

“What happens if I have a heart attack?”

“I’ll die cursing you.”

Ren chuckled. “Turn left slowly. Well done.”

“Great. I can fly. Please take over.”

Dominic heaved a sigh of relief when Ren was back in charge, but despite his protests, he’d felt a sense of achievement.

“When did you learn to fly?” Dominic asked.

“I went to flight school instead of university. I got tired of the same hotels, same disrupted sleep pattern. And it’s not that well paid. Though I didn’t join the police for the money.”

“Why did you?”

“Because everyone told me not to. Not just that. I wanted to stop people doing bad things to other people.”

“And now? Do you feel the same?”

“I don’t know what I want to do anymore. I wish I’d been able to stop Levan. Maybe that would have made me feel different.”

“Do you wish you’d killed him?”

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