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She shrugged.  “It’s funny, but since this
business with our grandparents, my mind is on them, rather than my job.”

“Was it a problem taking today off?”

She made a face.  “To be honest, it wasn’t
convenient, but what could I do?  I do know my boss wasn’t happy, but…  Grandma
is more important than my job.”

“Well, let’s finish up.  If you don’t mind,
we’ll stop by my place and make a couple phone calls.”

“It’s fine by me.”

  Soon, Brady drove them to his home.  A boxy,
modern structure, it sat high on a hillside, within a gated community.  Amanda
eyed the house as they approached.  It wasn’t her taste, but seemed to suit
him.  “Should I wait out here?” she asked, as they pulled into the drive.

He gave her a startled glance.  “Oh, sure.  I’ll
just leave you sitting in the car.”  He laughed before he climbed out and met
her at her door. 

“Thank you,” she said, as he closed the door
behind her.

Together they strode up the steps to the front
door.  He hurriedly punched in a code on the keypad beside the door and the
door swung open.  “Home sweet home,” he said.

He gestured for Amanda to step in ahead of him,
and then followed.  She noted that despite the modern appearance of the home,
the interior boasted comfortable furnishings.  “Nice,” she commented.

“Thanks.  Have a seat and I’ll be right back. 
I’m going to my office to make a quick phone call.”

Amanda eased into the overstuffed leather couch
and tipped her head back.  When Brady came back into the room a moment later,
he found her asleep.

He gave a rueful smile as he grabbed a pillow
and tossed it onto the end of the couch.  He took her shoulders and urged her
to lie down.  She didn’t protest, but only snuggled into the soft cushions.  He
covered her with a blanket and then returned to his office.  He had some
investigative work to do.

Amanda woke with a start an hour later.  She sat
up, disoriented, and looked around.  Her eyes lit on Brady.  He was now kicked
back in a recliner, watching television with the volume on low.

“I’m sorry,” she said. 

“No need to apologize.  You were tired,” he said
with a shrug.  “It’s no big deal.”

“Have you heard anything about the
grandparents?” she asked with a yawn.

He dropped the leg rest of the recliner with a
decisive snap.  “Yep.  The fugitives are on their way to Cocoa Beach, Florida,
as we speak.”

Amanda laughed.  “Well, of course they are. 
Where else would they be?”

“One more thing…,” he began.

 “What’s that?”

“I booked us a flight to Orlando.”

“You did?”

He nodded wearily.  “It seems Granddad is on a
special blood thinner medication.  He has to have his blood taken once a week,
at which time his doctor calls him to tell him how much medication he needs to
take…”

“You mean, it can fluctuate?”

“Yep.  I spoke to his doctor—wasn’t easy getting
through to him with all these privacy laws—but anyway, I got through, and
that’s how I learned that it’s critical Granddad get exactly the right amount
of medication.  My best guess is—he’s keeping that bit of pertinent information
from your grandmother.”

“Oh, good grief.  Did you try to call him?”

“Yes.  And he won’t take my calls.”  He gave a
weary sigh.  “I guess I taught him that particular trick—how to ignore phone
calls.”

Amanda rose and crossed the room.  She squeezed
his shoulder.  “You need to stop beating yourself up.  None of this is…”

“It is too my fault.  And yours too!  If we’d
paid them an occasional visit, or placed a phone call to them—or even took
their occasional calls to us—this wouldn’t have happened.”

What could she say?  He was right.  And the poor
guy looked tortured.  She extended a hand to him.  He took it and she pulled
him up.  She tugged him close and wrapped her arms around him and patted his
back.  “There, there,” she crooned.

He pulled back and eyed her questioningly. 
“What are you doing?”

“Comforting you,” she said simply.  “What do you
think I’m doing?  Here, come closer.”

“You make me laugh,” he said, but wrapped his
arms around her and pulled her tightly against him.  “This is how you comfort
somebody,” he informed.

She wondered, did his idea of comforting her
really involve plunging his nose into her hair, and inhaling deeply, or running
his hand along her upper arm?  And did he really have to nuzzle his cheek
against her cheek?  And what did he intend to do with his lips?  They were
hovering precariously close to her mouth.   

“Oh, good grief.”  She shoved him away. 
“Consider yourself comforted.”

He seemed disappointed.  “I don’t know.  I might
need some more comforting.  I’m feeling rather bad about myself right now.”  He
spread his arms and gave a slight nod in his direction, indicating her closer.

“You’re fine,” she said crisply.

He cocked his head in thought.  “I … really
don’t know.  Maybe we should try that again.”

“Oh, good grief,” she muttered, as she took step
back.  “So, what time do we leave?  And how will we find our grandparents when
we get there?”

“Cocoa Beach isn’t very big,” he told her.  “And
I have the name of their hotel, and even their room numbers.”

“Numbers?”

He nodded. 

“Oh, thank God,” she said.  “I don’t know how
I’d explain to
my
mother that
her
mother is sharing a room with a
man, if indeed that were the case.”

“Well, so far, it seems everyone’s virtue is
intact.”

“Yeah, well, it had better stay that way,” she
warned, wagging a finger at him.

“Okay then, my carry on is packed.  Let’s go by
your place so you can pack a bag.”  He checked his watch.  “We don’t have a lot
of time.”

“Hey, how much did the tickets cost?  I’ll write
you a check.”

“You don’t want to know,” he murmured, as they
hurried to his car.

***

“We’re landing!” Liz cried gleefully, as she
looked out the window of the airplane.  It was just as Ike had told her.  The
Florida sky was the brightest blue she’d ever seen.  “Oh, Ike, just look at
that sky!  It’s just beautiful!”

He grinned at her enthusiasm.  “Isn’t it
gorgeous?  Words just don’t do it justice.”

“You’re so right.”

“Well, sit back, hon.  We’re descending.  It
won’t be long until we land.”

“Oh, I can’t wait!  Ike?”

“Yes?”

“Do you think we’ll see an alligator in
Florida?”

“I can almost guarantee it,” he told her.

She clasped her hands together.  “Oh, I can’t
believe it!  I’ve always wanted to see an alligator up close.”

He chuckled.  “We’ll find an alligator.  I
promise.”

The plane began a rapid descent.  “Oh, Ike. 
Landing is so much
fun
!”

***  

 Amanda clutched the sides of her seat.  Brady
noticed she’d been white knuckling the armrest from the instant they’d boarded
the plane.  When she suddenly grasped his arm, and dug her nails into his
exposed forearm, he gently extracted her hand and held it within his own. 

“Let’s just put your hand here,” he said,
patting it reassuringly.  “You don’t like flying, do you?”

“What was your first clue?” she asked, without
looking at him.  Her eyes were closed and her lips were set in a straight,
terse line. 

When her lips suddenly began moving rapidly, he
asked, “Did you say something, Amanda?”

She turned toward him briefly.  “I’m praying. 
I’m praying.  You should pray too.”  The plane gave a jolt and Amanda gasped. 
“Please pray too.  You might want to pray.  Pray, Brady.  Really.  We can pray
together.  Is there a pastor on the plane?  Pray.  Everybody pray.” 

“We’re going to be fine,” he said, laughing
lightly.  “Haven’t you flown before?”

“Oh, sure,” she said, attempting to sound
nonchalant.

“Just not a fan though, huh?”

“No, not a fan,” she agreed, without opening her
eyes.  “Not a fan.  Nope.  Nope.  Nope.  Not a fan.”  When the plane gave a
sudden burst of speed, Amanda let out a cry of terror.  “What just happened? 
Did a bird just fly into one of the engines?  All of them?  Oh, no, are we
going down?”

“Amanda, open your eyes.  We’re still
ascending.  We’re fine.  We’re not going down.  Not for awhile anyway.” 
Lord,
how would she react when they were landing?

Brady glanced around.  If they weren’t still
belted into their seats, per the illuminated instructions at the front of the
cabin, he would have called over a flight attendant and gotten Amanda a stiff
drink.  He’d never seen anyone this terrified of flying.

He leaned in, closer to her ear.  “Why didn’t
you mention you’re afraid of airplanes?”

She gave a shrug, now staring straight ahead at
the seat in front of her.  “I’m not afraid of airplanes.  They don’t scare me
at all when they’re on the ground.  In the sky…  Another matter all together.”

“You should have told me,” he reiterated.

“I had to come.  I couldn’t expect you to track
down the grandparents on your own.”

“I’d have let you off the hook, under the
circumstances.  Why don’t you try to sleep?”

“Good idea.”  She pressed her eyelids closed.  A
moment later, she said, “I can’t sleep.”  She forced her eyes open and glanced
out the window.  She stared at the clouds floating by, and the patchwork quilt
of ground beneath them.  She suddenly spied the wing of the plane.   “Oh, man. 
This is just … unnatural.”

“What is?”

“You know, being up here.  This plane.  You
know.”

“Don’t worry.  We’ll be fine.  You’ve heard the
statistics.  You’re safer up here than driving in your car.”

“My car doesn’t careen through the sky at this
altitude,” she muttered, pressing her eyelids closed again.  She clutched at
Brady’s arm.  “I think I need to get off the plane.”

“Yeah, I’ll just ask the pilot to pull over.” 

When they were finally allowed to move freely
around the cabin, Brady gestured for a flight attendant.  The pretty blonde
hurried over.  “Was there something you needed, sir?”

“Uh, yes.  My friend here is terrified of
flying.  She could use a stiff drink.”

“Do you have a preference?”

“Well, what would you suggest?  I don’t actually
drink, myself.”

“I’ll take care of it,” she told him
confidently.  “I’ll be right back.”

Amanda, who he’d thought was in a fright-induced
stupor, turned to him.  “You don’t drink?  That’s great.”

“It is?”

She nodded.  “I don’t drink either.”

“You do today,” he informed.

She glanced out the window and shuddered.  “I do
today,” she ageed, as the stewardess returned and passed her an amber colored
beverage.  Amanda hurriedly took a sip, followed by several gulps.  The alcohol
went down warm and smooth.  She finished the drink in a final gulp and thrust
out the glass.  “More!”

The flight attendant arched a brow, and turned
to Brady.  “Another one?”

He nodded.  “Yeah.  Probably.”

After she’d downed the liquid, Amanda turned to
Brady and gave a lopsided smiled.  “Tanks, I mean, thanks,” she slurred.  “I
feel better al—”

Her head appeared to bobble on her neck, before
it tipped and landed squarely on his shoulder, where it remained for the
duration of the flight.

“Oh, Ike, the room is gorgeous.”  The couple had
just been given the keys to their rooms and he had escorted Liz to her suite. 
“It’s too much,” she declared, turning in a slow circle to take in the
luxuriously appointed suite.

“I’m just glad you like it, Liz.”  He moved to
the huge picture window.  The Atlantic Ocean sparkled like a blue gem only a
handful of yards away from them.  “The view is amazing.”  He turned back to
her.  “Why don’t you freshen up and then we’ll go to dinner?”

“Can we take a stroll afterwards?”

He nodded and then chuckled.  “We’ll find that
Dunkin Donuts you were talking about too.”

She clasped her hands together.  “I can’t wait
to try the chocolate cream filled.  It’s been years since I tasted one.”

He left her briefly, to freshen up in his room
next door, but soon returned.  “Ready?” he asked.

She nodded.  Her bright blue eyes were beaming. 
“I can’t wait to eat seafood on the East Coast,” she gushed.  “Just imagine it,
Ike.  Just the day before yesterday we were eating Dungeness crab on the West
Coast, and this evening, we’re going to be enjoying seafood fresh from the
Atlantic Ocean.”  She laughed delightedly.  “Within mere hours, we crossed the
continent.  If you really think about that, Ike, it’s like a miracle.”