Chapter 10

Christopher

“Everything ready as I requested?”

The pilot nodded and tipped the corner of his cap. “Ready to go whenever you are.”

“My guests aren’t here yet. Can you send a message through the concourse PA system? Page Lillie Flemming and Marga Tollier to our gate?”

“No problem sir, although I’ll send in the attendant to meet them. That gate is private.”

“See to it, then, please?”

I settled back onto the cream leather of the main cabin seats, tapping my phone once again to search for messages. Nothing from either of them, but there was an email from Steve.

“Happy holidays while you’re gone. We need to talk business. Can you call when you land and have privacy?”

What’s that all about? I hated enigmatic messages, particularly when they came from him. I looked out the window again, but didn’t see the girls. I tapped Steve’s number. “What’s up?”

“Are you in the air?”

“No, but just about to leave. Why?”

“I heard back on the Flemmings Bakery property. Their daughter returned my call. Said they weren’t interested in selling just now. Want me to put some pressure on her?”

I felt the blood drain from my head. “Did you use my name?”

“Of course not, you think I’m an amateur?” He sounded insulted, but I knew he would use whatever tools he had at his disposal to get what he wanted. I knew if I told him to back off, he’d push Lillie and buy the property himself, holding it over my head. I couldn’t let on anything was wrong.

“Okay, well, leave my name out of it or she’ll drive up the price. Just buy it quietly and get it over with. No pressure, though. It will make her suspicious.”

“Something’s odd about it.”

“Oh?”

“Yeah, property taxes have gone unpaid for three years and the county is about to take it over. We can pick it up on the courthouse steps for the back taxes. Why wouldn’t she cash out while she was ahead?”

“Don’t know, don’t care,” I said as nonchalantly as I could. “She’s probably buying time to see if the price will go up. Let her sweat it.”

“Okay, if you say so. But once it goes to auction, there’s no guarantees, you know what I mean?”

“There never are.” I wanted the conversation over.

“Huh, that’s what you think,” he shot back, and I felt cold blood rushing through me. I had to lead him on.

“You got connections to make it happen?”

He must have been drinking because he was in a bragging mood. “Hell, I got connections for everything. Don’t you know that by now?”

“Including fire?”

“Hell, yes. I can burn down the White House if you tell me that’s what you want.”

I was ready to tear his head off. My entire future lay in the hands of a madman. He had burned down the Flemming’s Bakery—not maybe personally, but he had it done. They could have died, I realized with horror. The son-of-a-bitch lied right to my face!”

Keeping my voice as non-committal as possible, I even managed a chuckle. “I knew it was you all along, you sly dog. Listen, my regards to Marjorie and I’ll expect you’re taking off the next couple of weeks, too, huh?” I wanted him out of my building until I got back to deal with him personally.

“Hey, might just do that. Yeah, Marjorie wants to go to the islands and work on her tan. Might just pop her in a plane and head down—get out of the snow.”

“Sounds like a great idea. Happy holidays, my friend,” I wished him before disconnecting. I was shaking inside with anger. I tapped my phone contact for the attorney.

“You remember the matter we discussed?”

“Yes, sir.”

“Take care of it, and alert the county prosecutor that I have some information he’ll be interested in when I get back.”

“Will do. May I know what it’s in reference to?”

“Not yet. You’ll find out when I get back. Happy holidays.”

“You, too.”

The door to the jet opened and a shining little face popped through the opening. “Uncle Chris!! Is this really our own plane?” Marga stepped into the room, followed by a flushed Lillie.

I addressed Marga first. “It sure is. Why don’t you go with Luke up front to visit the captain and have him show you the controls?” I nodded to Luke who shepherded her forward.

Standing up, I held out my arms to Lillie. She fell against me and I could tell she was shaking. “What’s wrong?” I asked, concerned. “Are you sick?”

“Not yet, but I don’t like heights.”

I laughed. “And you just remembered that?”

“Sort of. Chris, I’ve never flown before and I guess I didn’t stop to think that you might have a private plane.”

“Jet.”

“What?”

“It’s a jet, sweetheart. A Boeing 747-8 VIP private jet.”

“I don’t care if it’s a 2017 canary in the back yard, it goes higher than I want to.”

“Oh, c’mon now. You know there’s a chance, just a chance, mind you, that you’ll enjoy it! Since you’ve never flown on a public airline, you won’t know what you’re missing, and I say that in a good way because the public flies rather uncomfortably.”

She staggered, and her knees bent. “Can I sit down somewhere?”

“Sure, come over here and sit on the sofa. If you feel like you want to lie down, you can do that, too. I’ll be right here next to you. You want Marga to hold your hand?”

“I wouldn’t care,” she offered up weakly.

“Lillie, I had no idea. I’m sorry. I can’t make it any easier unless I hire Barbara Eden to blink you over.”

“You think she’s available?”

“Nope, I think that ship sailed, sorry.”

“Speaking of a ship…”

I laughed aloud. “Don’t be such a ninny. Luke is an excellent chef and he has quite a meal planned. You can relax on the sofa and I’ll turn on the television. Luke will give you something for air sickness if you need it, but I think once we’re underway, you’ll love it. I’ll probably have to drag you off at the other end.”

“I wish it was the other end now.”

“C’mon,” I led her to the sofa and settled her there, kissing her and after checking, ran my hand along her inside leg and pressed a finger against her pussy. “You’ll be just fine and if you want, we can go to sleep in the master stateroom.”

“There’s a bedroom?”

“Oh, yes. Can you imagine me flying in something that didn’t have one?”

“No, no I suppose not. How about Marga?”

“Well, she can sleep in the bed with you if you like, but I thought we’d make up this sofa for her. It folds out and is really very comfortable. Luke will keep an eye on her.”

“Just let me sit here a while and get my bearings?”

“Sure, no problem.”

Just then, Luke and Marga entered the room and Marga excitedly bounced on the sofa at Lillie’s feet. “Aren’t you just so excited?” she shrilled.

“Oh, yes, sweetheart,” Lillie answered, doing her best to sound normal. “Sit down now and let them fasten you in. Maybe we’ll play a game of cards once we’re in the air.”

Marga turned so she could look out the window. “I want to watch us go up. Don’t you want to watch with me, Lillie?”

“Oh, darling, you watch and tell me about it later, why don’t you. That will be your special job.”

“Oh, goodie!” she giggled.

“Sit down now, Marga. You can look out once your seat belt is buckled,” I told her, taking charge.

Marga instantly sat down. She was a very well-behaved child and I knew Daphne was responsible for that. The engines fired up and Marga giggled with a shrill of delight. Lillie, on the other hand, was not as thrilled.

We taxied, turned onto a smaller runway and lifted off. Marga was pealed to the porthole while Lillie's face was snow white. I reached over and held her hand, using my index finger to smooth her palm. I reached into the drawer of the table next to me and pulled out a vial of Valium, giving her a low dose. "Here, this will calm you down."

As soon as we were leveled out, Luke stood up and began to open out the table to serve dinner. Lillie waved him away. "No, nothing for me."

Luke nodded and came back shortly, reaching toward her with a glass. "It's ginger ale, Miss. It settles the tummy."

She nodded and gamely drank it before putting her head back down on the pillow. Marga and I ate and she chattered about school and how excited she was for the trip. This was the way I loved to see her; happy an animated instead of fearful and reclusive. She should always be this happy. Marga gave Lillie a mile by mile description of what lay out the window and I could hear Lillie groaning softly as the visions entered her frightened mind. She was lying back against the white leather of the sofa, her dark hair fanned out behind her. She put me in mind of a favorite doll with which I’d like to play.

Eventually the excitement died down, and as Marga’s normal bedtime approached, I gave Luke the nod and he carried in an armload of pillows and blankets. “Marga, get your pajamas and change in the bathroom right there. Then you can get some sleep and when you wake up, we’ll be in Paris.”

She did as she was told as I bent down and bundled up Lillie and took her into the stateroom. I closed the door and undressed her, putting one of my shirts on her to sleep in. I tucked her into the far side of the bed and climbed in next to her. She snuggled back against me. That had become my favorite place and time of the day.