Six

“The plane should be fueled up and ready,” Jace said as he turned into the Phoenix/Mesa Gateway Airport where the company Cessna was moored.

Jace insisted on driving us this morning. I was fine with that. It gave me time to write a couple of emails on my iPad, the most important being sending the final results of Philip’s case to the Seattle’s office of the FBI. They would need to do a follow-up at Harmony’s Touch.

I also sent them my phone’s screen-shot showing the false storefront address. Hopefully with that information, they'd be able to shut down the smuggling operation happening there. It hardly made sense that our local Phonetacular was the only outlet in the country on the receiving end of the phony iPhones. But it wasn’t our job to track them down.

I updated Gem on the little conspiracy between her niece and the Chicago ex-roommate. She’d quickly responded, saying she’d take it from there, and electronically transferred our payment. Larabee Investigations was completely free to take on Taylor’s case, and just as soon as I had my interview with Lemon, I’d hopefully know a little more about where to aim my team.

Since Taylor had been wearing my clothes for the past two days, and I could only assume using my brushes and things, I sent Bullet a text asking him to take Lia to Taylor’s hotel and clear out her bill, as well as bring her luggage to my home.

The car chase came to mind, and I told him to be careful and watch out for dark blue sedans and white trucks. I also sent Taylor a text warning her about my people walking in through the garage and not to call the police on them.

Jace pulled into our assigned parking spot and killed the engine. Being this close to an airport reminded me I needed to take my medication. One little white Xanax pill would keep my fear of heights from completely taking over my life—at least for the next four hours. I’d tried flying once without the prescription, and my ensuing anxiety attack sent the flight attendants into a panic. Jace sat quietly while I took my little pill of courage without saying anything. He understood.

When I reached for the door handle, the ache in my shoulder became a sudden pain, and I grunted.

“I’ll open your door, Max. Just hang tight.” Jace hurried around the back of the Tahoe. He didn’t need to rush. I wasn’t going to argue about something as silly as him opening my door.

“Thank you, Jace.” He grinned approvingly this morning after seeing me come downstairs wearing blue jeans and a gauzy short-sleeved shirt with a pretty pink flower print. The blue canvas Keds made me shorter than I liked to be, but the schoolgirl feeling of adventure tickling my stomach made me smile with every step. And for the first time in years, I didn’t put my hair up into a French twist. It hung in gentle waves down my back.

Our Cessna Caravan prop plane could carry eleven passengers comfortably. I helped Harry make the decision to buy it two years ago, replacing his smaller, older, two-passenger Cessna. Harry had been our pilot then, but fortunately, Jace had his pilot’s license, too, or I would’ve had to sell the plane. As it was, if Taylor somehow managed to snag Jace away from me—from the company—then I'd be without a pilot, and what good would a nice plane be to me then?

I carried a small overnight bag. It also had my laptop in it, plus snacks, and a sweater. We stopped by the flight office to get a route to Gillespie Field in El Cajon, and clearance to take off before heading to the plane, which was parked away from the line of other private planes.

I gazed at the clouds gathering in the south. They were dark and menacing. Phoenix would get hit again before the day was over.

As we lifted off, a particularly unpleasant part of any flight for me, the turbulence had us bouncing in our seats. I had a death-grip on the armrests.

“It’s all right, Max. We’ll climb above it soon.”

“I know—I know…” I concentrated on the colorful GPS display instead of how the control wheel kept jerking in Jace’s hands.

“Close your eyes and count to one hundred—backward, and we’ll be flying smoothly before you get to one.”

I slammed my hand down, seriously annoyed. “You tell me that every time, but just when has that ever helped me?”

“Maybe it didn’t work before because your hair style impeded the flow of blood to your brain, making you irrational.”

“I’m sorry?” I leaned forward, trying to see if he was joking. He didn’t show any emotion. “Are you saying that I’m irrational? Or that my fear of crashing is irrational?” I didn’t wait for him to answer before I asked more tersely, “And what was wrong with the way my hair looked, exactly?”

When he didn’t say anything, I continued. “A woman has a right to wear her hair anyway she feels, and a man has no say so in the matter.” I looked at the way his hair touched his collar and covered the tops of his ears, and at his unshaven chin. “And when was the last time you met a barber? Or are you trying to grow a beard like Bullet’s? I don’t think you can pull it off.”

The plane stopped bouncing, and I blew out a deep breath, relaxing in the soft seat. Jace tilted his head toward me, smiling. “We’re through the rough air. Feel better?”

I stared at him. He wasn’t put out with me insulting him. In fact, he looked pleased with himself. “Jace, you made me angry to take my mind off being scared, didn’t you.”

“I thought I was being obvious.”

I shook my head. “Not when I’m so scared I can’t think straight. I hate turbulence worse than anything. It feels like the plane is being shaken apart at the seams.”

“I’d rather you be angry at me than be frightened. You’ve got a great plane here, Max. She’ll hold up under much worse than some hot air pushing at her.”

He didn’t like to see me scared? That was sweet. “I prefer to drive. But we didn't have the time.”

“Yes, and that’s the reason behind Harry buying the plane in the first place—to get as much done as possible to clear a case.”

I sighed. “Maybe you should’ve gone alone.”

“I could’ve, I suppose. Taylor offered to come with me last night—to keep me company.” That grin was back on his lips, and I had a twinge of jealousy at the thought of them spending the day together, giving her the chance to set her hooks into him.

“I told her last night that you have a girlfriend. I guess she’s going after you even knowing she’d be breaking up your relationship with, um, is it Wendy?”

Jace gave me a thoughtful look, and held my gaze. “It was Wendy. We broke it off about six months ago.”

The first thing that popped into my head was to ask him why they broke up. I opened my mouth, but the words wouldn’t come. It was none of my business. Instead I offered him my sympathy.

“I’m so sorry. I know how rough it is to lose…” I couldn’t finish. All I could think about was Harry leaving me and how lonely I was at the quietest times of the night. I looked out my window with my eyes burning. Jace’s warm hand covered mine and he gently squeezed.

“Harry was my best friend, Max. I miss him, too—every day.”

Sniffing, I turned my hand over and held his hand. “I thought—I’d hoped by now that I still wouldn’t be feeling so…so lost.”

“You’re not alone,” Jace said quietly. “You have me—and Willow and Bullet. We’re your family.”

I gave him a slight grin. “I know.” I moved my hand from under his, crossing my arms over my stomach. The cabin was cool. “I think I’ll go in back to get my sweater.” I used Jace’s strong shoulder to steady myself as I moved between the seats. The bags were buckled into the seats directly behind us. I sat down and opened my bag, but while I took out my sweater, I gazed at Jace.

He was one of the steady forces in my life. I could always count on him. But lately I felt a shift in his attitude toward me, and I still wasn’t sure how to take it. He was always professional, but there were times when I thought he didn’t trust my judgment—where somehow I’d shifted back into being his intern. But might’ve I misread his protective manner as his doubt in my abilities when it really was something closer to his heart? Could he be falling for me?

Right now Taylor’s case needed to be our top priority. She was in danger, and if we didn’t do our job—let other things get in the way—then Taylor might pay for it with her life.