Gina Cresse - Devonie Lace 01 - A Deadly Change of Course--Plan B (13 page)

“Yes.  I’ll get it right out of here.”

“Make sure you do.  This zone is for loading and unloading passengers only.”

“I understand,” I said as I slid into the driver’s seat and closed the door.

As I pulled away from the curb, I spotted my two pursuers, frantically searching the area.  I eased into the flow
of traffic and slunk away—
unnoticed. 

I met up with Craig at our predetermined meeting place.  He had successfully retrieved the computer, and my teal sweater, just as we’d planned.  By the time Cooper and Willis realized I wasn’t on the plane, Craig and I were on our way out of Geneva and headed toward Paris.

Chapter Fifteen

W
e managed to find a private charter service at a small airfield outside of Paris that took us into Italy.  I spread the word at the airport that I was interested in chartering a private jet to the United States, and that money was no object.  Within thirty minutes, I had a string of Italian pilots offering their services.  After interviewing a few of them, and inspecting their planes, I agreed to deal with the one who asked the fewest questions.  I asked the pilot how soon he could be ready to take off.

“We can go any time.  Actually, our home base is in Florida.  I just flew Arnold over yesterday for a short vacation.  He’s the president of the company that owns the plane.  I’ll fly back to the States today and return next week to pick him up.  The plane is fueled, wet bar and galley is stocked, and we’re ready to go.”

“Great.  I just need to make one phone call before we leave,” I said, anxious to get in the air.

I phoned Kerstin and explained I had to flee the country quickly, and I would be back in touch with her
as soon as I could.  She seemed distressed that we hadn’t gotten a chance to meet.

Craig and I gathered the little gear we had and boarded the jet.  “What a beautiful plane,” I said, admiring the exquisite aircraft.  The plush carpeting and over-stuffed captain’s chairs gave more the feeling of entering someone’s livin
g room rather than a flying bus
—a nearly two-million-dollar flying bus. 

“She is a beauty.  Isn’t she?” Larry, the pilot, replied proudly.  “She’s a Lockheed VC-140B
Jetstar
.  Her wingspan is nearly fifty-five feet.  She’s over sixty feet long and almost twenty-one feet high.  She weighs in at about forty-one thousand pounds and is powered by four Pratt & Whitney J-60 turbojets, with three thousand pounds’ thrust each.”

“Wow. 
Sounds like we could give the Enterprise a run for her money.
  How fast can she fly?” I asked, anxious to know how soon we’d be back in the States.

“She’ll max out at nearly six hundred miles per hour, but our cruising speed is about five hundred and twenty.”

Another man boarded the jet and closed the cabin door behind him.  “All set, Larry.  Let’s hit it,” he said, enthusiastically.

“Okay.  Al is our copilot,” Larry said.  “Al.  This is
Devonie
and Craig.  They needed a lift back to the States, and I told them we could accommodate them.”

“Great,” Al said. 
“You folks vacationing here?”

Larry cut in.  “We’re not supposed to ask them any questions, Al. 
Devonie
has purchased a first class ticket
with our little airline, and she has paid a premium for her privacy.  I’ll split the proceeds with you, but you have to agree to her terms,” Larry said as he showed Al the bundle of cash I had given him.

“Great.  Looks like I’ll be able to put that pool in after all,” Al joked.  “You folks just take a seat right here and fasten your seat belts.  We’ll be in the air soon.  After we get to our cruising altitude, I’ll put on my flight attendant hat and dig something up from the galley.  Hope you folks like prime rib.”

“Sounds wonderful,” I said as I settled into one of the seats and fastened myself in. 

I hadn’t had so much fun on a flight since I was eight years old, the first time I rode the rocket ship ride at Disneyland.  The prime rib was perfect, the wine was superb, and Al proved to be very entertaining.  He told us jokes and recounted humorous stories all the way across the Atlantic.  After we all treated ourselves to Coffee Almond Crunch
H
ä
agen-Dazs
bars, Larry actually let me fly the plane.  I banked turns to the left, then right.  I learned about yaw and pitch and stalls, but I think I made Craig a little nervous.  I was disappointed when I had to relinquish the controls so we could touch down in Miami.

“Thank you both, so much,” I said to Larry and Al as we stepped off the
Jetstar
.  I looked back at the plane and noticed her name painted on the side. 
The Magic Carpet.
  How appropriate
, I thought.

“Listen, Craig.  I’m going to stay here in Florida for a while.  They shouldn’t be able to find me here
—
at least
for the time being.  I think you should go on back to San Diego and let Uncle Doug know I’m okay.”  I couldn’t let him know my real motivation for wanting him to go on ahead without me.  I was beginning to feel too comfortable with his company.  I found myself relying on him to share the burden of the load I was carrying, and I couldn’t let that happen. 
Too dangerous.
  Better to face the murderous villains who were after me than to let anyone get close to my heart.  If I had to, I’d be cold and rude so he would go.  That had always worked in the past.

“No way.
  I’m not leaving you alone to fend for yourself,
Devonie
,” he insisted.

“I’ll be fine.  I can take care of myself.  Besides, so far, they don’t know who you are.  I sure as heck don’t want them to go after you like they did Jason.”

“They won’t come after me.  And as far as letting your Uncle Doug know you’re okay, you can call him yourself.”

“No.  I don’t think I should chance it.  I’m sure they’re tapping his phone.  They could probably trace any call right back to me.  Besides, I’d like to get word to his contact at the
L
.
A
.
Times
about the FBI chasing me all the way to Europe.  You could do that for me.”

It took a lot of convincing, but I finally persuaded him.  I saw him off on his flight back to San Diego,
then
caught a cab to a nearby hotel.

“I need to do some work from my room.  Is there an
Internet
connection available?” I requested at the front desk.

“Certainly, Miss Smith,” the clerk replied.  All of our executive suites are well equipped for today’s high-tech guests.  You should find everything you need at the desk in your room.  If you have any problems, just call down to the front desk and we’ll do our best to take care of you.”

“Thank you,” I said.

I powered up the laptop and launched Internet Explorer, then started my search.  I entered my search criteria—
Flight 9602
.  There were about five hundred matches returned.  I started at the top of the list and began reading articles.  Several hours had gone by and I hadn’t found anything that helped in any way.  I ordered room service and had dinner sent up.  By three in the morning, I was ready to give up for the night and get some sleep.  I decided to check the last entry in the group I was working on before turning in. I clicked on the title and waited for the page to load.

A very simple page painted itself in front of me.  It contained only a button with a picture of an envelope on it.  I clicked on the button and was brought into an E-mail editor.  I began typing:

I have come across some evidence that would indicate the crash of Flight 9602 was not due to pilot error as the official FAA report states.  Possibly, some electronic device may have been present on the plane that caused the navigation equipment to malfunction.  There seems to be some danger in reporting this evidence to the officials, as I have found myself in fear for my
life.  If you can help me, I would much appreciate it.

I delivered the mail to the E-mail box, closed down Internet Explorer and shut down the computer.  I laid my head on the pillow and shut my eyes.  The two-headed snake continued to torment me from the sandy beach in my dream.

Chapter Sixteen

San Diego
—
August 1995

A
manda Powers
was
kneeling in front of the porcelain commode when the doorbell rang.  She had been crying and vomiting constantly since she woke up.  The morning sickness hadn’t subsided, as the doctor had hoped, but she was reluctant to take any of the drugs offered to her.  Her mother-in-law answered the door.  It was the mail man delivering a package.  Emily brought it into the bathroom for her mother.

“Look, Mommy.  It’s a present,” she said.

Amanda lifted her head, glancing at the box.  It was a package from David.  The funeral was over two weeks ago.  He had mailed it from Mexico, the day he left on that horrible flight.  She reached over and took the package from her little girl.

“Thank you, Sweetie,” she said as she laid the box on the floor next to her.

“Aren’t you going to open it?” Emily questioned, anxious to see the contents of the mysterious package.

“Not now, honey.  Mommy’s too sick. 
Maybe later.
  Okay?”

“Okay,” Emily said as she left her mother sitting on the bathroom floor.

Amanda fingered the package.  It was addressed to Queen Amanda and Princess Emily.  She closed her
eyes,
laid her head on her folded arms and began sobbing again.

Later in the day, when the nausea had subsided, Amanda gathered up Emily and the package and sat down on the sofa.

“Who’s the present from?” Emily asked.  Her big blue eyes sparkled with anticipation.

“It’s from Daddy, sweetie.  He mailed it a long time ago
—
before he went to Heaven.”

“He did?”

It pained Amanda to see the confusion in Emily’s face.

Amanda carefully opened the package.  “Oh look, honey,” she said as she pulled out a pair of string puppets from Mexico.  The
señor
played a guitar and the dancing
señorita
held castanets.  “Daddy sent these for you.”

Emily squealed with delight.  “How do they work?” she asked.

Amanda handed the puppets to her mother-in-law, Martha.  “Maybe Grandma can show you how to work them.”

“Sure I can, sweetheart. 
Here.
  You just take these little sticks and make them do silly dances.  See?”

Emily giggled uncontrollably at the puppets.

Amanda took a small box out of the larger package.  She opened it slowly.  The delicate heart-shaped locket dangled from her shaking fingers.  On the back, the inscription read, “David loves Amanda - Forever.”  Again, Amanda fought back tears.  She didn’t want to cry in front of Emily any more.  The little girl needed her mothe
r to be strong for her
.

Amanda retrieved another smaller package from the box.  It contained a computer CD and a note from David.  The note read:

Dear Amanda,

Just wanted to send a small token of my love for my girls.
  I miss you both so much.  I can’t wait to get home.  I know how slow the mail t
akes to get from Mexico to the S
tates, so I will have been home for weeks by the time you open this.  But I will probably be at work when it arrives, so just put this CD in my desk and I’ll take care of it tonight when I get home.

Love, David

“What did Daddy send you, Mommy?” Emily asked.

“He sent me this beautiful locket.  See?” Amanda said as she dangled the silver heart in front of the little girl’s big blue eyes.

“Oh, how pretty,” Emily exclaimed.

Martha noticed the CD and the note Amanda held in her shaking hands.  “What’s in the envelope?” she asked.

“I don’t know.  David’s letter says to just put it in his desk.”

“Let me put it away for you,” Martha said as she took the envelope and walked into the study.  “I’ll just put it in the top drawer,” she called to her daughter-in-law as she laid the envelope in the drawer and closed it.

“Thanks, Martha,” Amanda said.  “I really appreciate all the time you’re spending here with us, but I know you need to get back to Neil.  Don’t feel like you have to stay and take care of me.  Poor Neil needs you so much right now.  Is he feeling any better now that the chemotherapy is
over
?”

“He’s feeling a little better.  Don’t you worry about Neil or me right
now.
  I can spend the mornings here with you until your morning sickness passes,” Martha assured her.

“Okay, but I’m feeling fine now.   Don’t feel like you need to stay if you want to get home.”

“I get the hint.  I know when I’m not wanted,” Martha said.

“You know you’re always wanted around here.”

“I know, honey.  I’m just teasing.  I do think I’ll head back home
—
if you’re really feeling better.”

“I am, Martha.  Thank you so much.”

“Come here and give me a big hug and kiss, Miss Emily,” she said to her granddaughter.

“Bye, Grandma,” Emily said as she wrapped her arms around her grandmother.

“Goodbye, Amanda.  I’ll be over in the morning to see how you’re doing.”

“Okay,” Amanda said as they walked to the door.

Amanda put Emily down for a nap,
then
collapsed on the queen sized bed she had grown accustomed to sharing with David, and wept.