by Nova Rain
“Are you sure we can trust him?” Jake asked, his voice rising in volume.
“Yes,” her response was sharp. “I’ll go get some tape for you to tie them up. I’ll be right back.”
“I’m starting to like her,” I confessed, releasing my grip around my rival. “I can’t help but wonder what the hell a cop is going to say when he sees these two, bound and gagged.”
“If Penny says we can trust Reynolds, I don’t see why we shouldn’t,” he rebutted, his breath still coming out heavier than usual.
“My editor is one of the few people who knows everything about you two,” Penny said, emerging from the building again. “Flight one-fifteen was his favorite topic for weeks. He discussed it with everybody, especially Reynolds,” she added, handing a roll of black tape to Jake. “They both think very highly of you. I’m calling him as soon as you get these two upstairs.”
Let’s hope you’re right.
Tying the goon’s hands together, I kept that thought to myself. Besides, we have already covered this issue. Mentioning anything else about it felt pointless.
Jake and I dragged the goons’ bodies in the building and into the elevator, while I struggled to fathom what we had done. Correction: what we had been forced to do. A couple of thugs had shown up out of nowhere and tried to rough him up. What for? Was United Airlines some sort of Mafia organization? Were they common criminals, paying lowlifes to beat people up?
The answer to both of these questions was simple.
No.
I guessed this was payback for leading them to believe that Jake was dead. And knowing how greedy they were, this would just be the first of many steps. Others and even more brutal would follow. Only those would not include anything physical. They would try to break our spirits, through a long court battle.
Silence lingered in Penny’s apartment. All three of us were lost in our thoughts, the goons’ muffled protests disrupting the quietness every few moments.
“I’m sick and tired of hiding,” Jake’s statement intrigued me. “I never did anything wrong, and I have to live in the shadows like a goddamn criminal.”
“I hear you,” I nodded in agreement. “I’m tired of this, too, but we did something wrong. Or, I should say ‘illegal.’ We used fake names to apply to ‘Swift Cargo.’ That’s what pisses me off most. We broke the law, and for what? To get a shitty job?”
At that moment, the apartment buzzer interrupted me. Penny headed over to the panel beside her door, my eyes meeting with Jake’s across the living room.
“You’re right. We did rush into applying, but we had to lay low at the time,” he shared his opinion, his tone calm. “It sounded like the perfect gig.”
“Well, it was our only gig,” I muttered, staring into the void.
“Lieutenant Reynolds, good evening.” Penny smiled up at the tall cop at her door. “Thanks for coming over on such short notice.”
“No problem, girl.” He returned the smile, strolling in. “Who are the… Holy shit!” He shouted, eyeing the two strangers lying on the floor in the gap between the TV and the table. “What the fuck is this?”
“I suggest you sit down, Lieutenant,” I spoke in a firm voice, gesturing to the armchair across from me. “This is going to take a while.”
Much to my satisfaction, the cop didn’t object. He followed my suggestion, before Jake and Penny began their long narrative. Understanding that there wasn’t much for me to say, I sat back and watched their conversation. The couple went back in time, to the night they met in Miami. Despite his long experience, the cop was soon at a loss for words. He wasn’t expecting an airline like United to treat its pilots like dirt. Still, whatever shock that revelation gave him was nothing compared to the one he felt when Jake disclosed who had sent the goons to beat up on him.
“No, no, no, this is impossible,” he shook his head sideways in disagreement. “Get that gag off,” he demanded, focusing his attention on Penny. “I want to talk to them myself.”
Bending down over them, she ripped the tape off the one sitting up.
“Name…?” Reynolds requested in a stiff voice.
“Connor Wilkins,” the thug answered, his eyes on the cop.
“Alright, Wilkins.” Reynolds sat on his knees in front of him. “I want to know who approached you. What they looked like, what they wore, how old they were… The works.”
“Tony and I were playing pool at ‘Jerry’s,’ a pool hall on 125th Street last Sunday when two guys in suits bought us drinks,” Wilkins began, his voice drowsy. “They were young. They were thirty, thirty-five tops. One of them was pretty skinny and had black hair. The other one was chubby and had brown hair. I thought they were hitting on us, but when I tried to tell them to go fuck themselves, the skinny guy waved a wad of cash. He showed me a guy’s picture and said he’d give it to us if we roughed him up. The chubby dude mentioned they went way back and had some unfinished business. That’s all I know.”
“This sounds pretty vague to me,” Reynolds commented, bringing his gaze back to Jake.
“I worked at United for almost ten years,” Jake pointed out, a touch of discomfort in his tone. “They’re the only people I have unfinished business with.”
“Maybe, but we need specifics!” The cop retorted. “This is United Airlines we’re talking about, Turner. They’re one of the biggest carriers in the country. I can’t get a search warrant for a billion-dollar-grossing corporation based on a vague confession of a pair of lowlifes. Every judge in the State will laugh in my face. Now, let them go.”
“Why?”
“Because they’re as much use to me, as a pair of heels to a marine,” he explained. “I can’t arrest them, unless you want to press charges against them. If you do that, you’ll have to show your faces downtown. By tomorrow morning, the whole freaking country will know that the heroes of flight one-fifteen forged their work records to get a job at some cargo airline. Chances are you’ll wind up in adjacent cells with these two. Do you really want that?”
“No,” I admitted in reluctance. “That’s the last thing I want.”
“I’m sorry, fellas,” Reynolds stated, straightening himself up. “I wish there was something more I could do, but my hands are tied here.”
“That’s one thing we have in common,” Jake maintained, propping his elbows on his knees.
I heaved a deep sigh while Penny walked him out of her apartment. More frustration. Another dead-end. We had gone through all this trouble, and all we had to show for our efforts was a big, fat nothing.
“I think I’m going to take off,” I spoke, heading for the door. “I’ll see you at the airport tomorrow.”
I wished Penny a good night and chose the stairs, instead of waiting for the elevator. A little voice in my head had no intention of waiting for anything. It urged me to walk out in the cold night in solitude, without listening to anybody. I had had enough discussions about the same things. I had no need for more. For the remainder of that night, silence would be my companion. It sounded like the best way for me to clear my head and relax.
Chapter Seventeen
Ava
Did you have to be five hundred miles away?
Gazing at one of my photographs, I couldn’t help but feel blue. The photograph in question depicted part of the lake in indigo. A large log was floating through its calm waters. Two fishing boats were in the distance, whereas the backdrop of a lush forest completed this wonderful landscape.
Michael’s departure might have upset me, but it had also had an important consequence. With him in New York, I was able to focus on the editorial. So, I took full advantage of my alone time. By Wednesday afternoon, I had almost thirty interviews and two hundred pictures to choose from. In most of the pictures, the clear waters of the lake dominated the landscape. Unfortunately, my inexperience with wildlife had prevented me from getting many pictures of species like squirrels and deer. The six photos I had were sheer luck. On Tuesday afternoon, I had a flat tire in a forest trail ju
st two miles from the hotel. A small group of deer happened to be passing by as I changed it. Thank God for cell phones. I left the Hilux on the jack and grabbed some precious stills, without letting those beautiful animals know I was even there.
Having finished my work for the day, I left my room to enjoy the view. It was my last night in Ontario; I needed to suck all the marrow out of this experience.
The brisk night welcomed me back into its embrace. A half-moon, surrounded by thousands upon thousands of stars cast their light upon the banks of Lake Huron, illuminating the lush forest beyond them. A warm sensation was splashed onto my face while I gazed out at the ripples across the surface of the water. Far on the horizon, the red and green lights from two fishing boats flickered in the dark. I closed my eyes and took a mental snapshot of the landscape, once again mesmerized by my surroundings.
With the wind carrying the scent of pine trees into my nostrils, I caught the faint sound of an engine. The high position of the headlights sent waves of anticipation into my heart. Michael and Jake’s minibus was closing in, its large shape tearing through the darkness.
There’s the icing on the cake.
Unwilling to waste any time, I started off to the left. I couldn’t wait to lay my eyes on the man who had made all this a reality.
The minibus came to a gentle halt, moments after I’d cleared the hotel. Michael hopped out, and my heartbeat escalated at the sight of his smiling face. And to my surprise, that face was no longer hiding behind a beard. It was well-shaven, the shadows of his cheekbones spreading down his cheeks.
“Welcome back,” I uttered in a sweet voice, a smile of joy bursting upon my lips as Jake strode past us. “Whatever happened to your beard?”
“It’s good to be back,” he spoke, drawing near me. “I got tired of it. You have no idea how annoying it is to sleep with a tiny blanket on your face.”
“I like you better this way,” I confessed, raising my hands up to his cheeks. Feeling the smoothness of his skin with my hands, I laid a short kiss on his lips. “You must be tired. Why don’t you go upstairs and take a shower? I’m not going anywhere.”
“Nah, I’m not that tired.” He shrugged, placing his hand on my hip. “Come on. Walk with me.”
I lowered my arms and turned and faced the lake.
“So, what’s up with that editorial? Did you finish it yet?” He asked, interlocking his fingers with mine.
“I have all the pieces I need,” I responded, my tone soft. “I just need to type it, which I’ll do tomorrow. I doubt it will be as popular as Penny’s story in the Everglades, but I think it’s going to be well-received.”
“That story got popular because a snakes’ expert almost got killed in it,” he stated, our slow footsteps leading us to the pier. “Otherwise, most people wouldn’t give a rat’s ass about it. That fascination of watching someone else’s struggle for survival is part of human nature. Some just like blood. Others like it because they’re looking for a role model, someone to look up to.”
“In my case, I liked it because it boosted Penny’s career,” I maintained, recalling my friend’s cheers at the office. “Believe me, I don’t enjoy watching anything bloody, like a man chopping a snake’s head off or four men engaged in a fight. Penny told me about last night.”
“I don’t want to talk about last night.” All of a sudden, his voice was stripped of its nerve. “I want to talk about this…” He paused and turned to face me. “Sweet, gorgeous blonde that waltzed into my life. Did you know she shot me down right here?”
“Yes,” I chuckled. “I was there.”
“I persevered, though,” he continued, softening his tone. “It took patience and a little trick, but I conquered her. And now, I’m really happy to be out here with her.”
“So am I, Michael…” I whispered, locking my arms around his waist. “So am I. It’s so funny.” My eyes dropped to the water behind him.
“What?”
“When my editor told me about the editorial, I thought I’d find terrible weather,” I explained, my gaze shooting back up to his. “I didn’t. I’ve been here for four days, and it hasn’t rained. Or snowed. The sun is shining all day long, and the nights are clear. It’s like the universe is allowing me to enjoy myself as much as I can.”
“That’s because the universe owed you,” he uttered in a gentle voice, gazing down into my eyes. Our foreheads rubbed together for a fleeting moment, before his cool lips met mine. He curled his arm around my upper back, his other hand cupping the back of my head as his kiss sent a wonderful cloud of gentleness through my senses. I stood up on my toes and pressed my body against his, a mild breeze lifting my hair from my back. Michael’s fingers became tangled in it, and I tightened my grip around him. The wild beating of my heart didn’t surprise me. I was cradled in his arms, savoring his attention, care and sweetness at the same time. This rare package had ensnared my heart in what had to be the most beautiful trap I had been caught in. Feeling the briskness on the wind on my mouth, I didn’t have the will to open my eyes. I stood there, hearing the lightness of his breath against my skin.
“Ava…” He whispered my name, easing me out of the trance.
“Yeah?” I shook my head once, my eyes snapping open.
“Darn…” Michael let out a giggle. “I shouldn’t have said anything. You looked precious.”
“I’ve never been kissed like that,” my confession came in the form of a whisper.
“I guess I should be proud, then,” he spoke in a tender tone, flashing me a smile at the end of his sentence. “You make me want to kiss you like this, Ava. You’re so gorgeous. So classy. You’ve been more supportive than I thought was possible.”
“Is there any chance I can experience this kiss again somewhere more private?” I asked, my heart pounding like a drum.
“Yes, ma’am.” He gave a firm nod.
At that, he leaned back and took me by the hand once more. Approaching the lobby, an idea sprung to mind. What if I wore something sexier for him? In particular, why didn’t I try to entice him with that blue bikini? Okay, it wasn’t lingerie, but it could have a similar effect on him. It wouldn’t be the only thing I would use. I had more weapons in my arsenal, like a sensual stroll around the room.
“I’ll be with you in five minutes,” Michael promised as we reached the reception area.
Wonderful.
Whatever he wanted to tell the receptionist provided a perfect opportunity. I climbed the stairs in a hurry, imagining the look on his face at the sight of me in that bikini. Michael wasn’t the most mature guy in the world. He loved to joke about almost everything, but he had a rare quality amongst men.
Expressiveness.
Our relationship was still in its infancy, and a mere glance was enough for me to tell whether he liked something or not.
I stormed into the room and peeled off my clothes. I put on the bikini and threw my brown overcoat on, prior to turning off the lights. There were two, cylindrical candles in my top drawer. I lit them and placed one on each nightstand, in eager anticipation of his reaction.
With the white frame of the door standing out in the pale illumination, I heard keys on the door. Michael’s large shape strutted across, but as he came closer, I noticed something strange. He had a folded table in his grasp and a nylon bag hooked around his fingers. Despite my curiosity, I kept my mouth shut. Flashing him a seductive smile, I pulled the overcoat open.
“Wow…” He whispered, scanning my body from bottom to top. I swallowed my smugness and turned around. Eyeing the reflection of the moonlight upon the water of the lake, I swung the porch door open sideways. Three footsteps brought me an inch from the railing. Looking back at him, I moved my shoulders back and tugged the coat down at the waist. Struggling to keep my teeth from chattering, I let it fall from my grasp. The moment it spread open on the floor, Michael focused his gaze a little south of my hips. But, just when his apathy was starting to annoy me, he eased the table down and sprinted towards me.
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“What are you doing, you crazy girl?!” He exclaimed, joining me. “Get back inside before you catch a cold.” He advised, hugging me from behind. He lifted me off and turned us around, much to my relief. Spending more than a minute half-naked out there sounded like a bad joke. “You should have done that in here,” he reprimanded, sliding the porch door back shut.
“You seemed to like it.” My voice came out hesitantly.
“I loved it.” He attempted an emphatic tone, locking his gaze with mine. “I love a barbeque, too, but there’s no way in hell I’m having one in thirty-five degrees. Hold on.” He requested and moved around me. Grabbing the table, he unfolded it and propped it up on its legs. “You’ve been working all day. I figured you could use a massage.”
“I’ve been…” I froze partway through my sentence. I stared at him for a few moments, without knowing how to respond to that. He had just completed an-hour long flight, and he wanted to offer me a massage?
“I really like that bikini, but I’m afraid it’s going to get in the way.” He added, emptying the contents of the nylon bag on the bed. A CD, a bottle of oil and a blue towel. “Please, take it off.” He requested, leaving the towel on the headrest.
I reached up and undid the knot on the bra as he went over to the stereo in the corner of the room. A sensual, feminine voice filled the air, startling me.
“Turn off the light. Take a deep breath. And relax.”
“That’s Enigma’s ‘Mea Culpa.’” Michael informed, lowering his tone.
“Excellent choice,” I praised, remembering that old tune. There was an incredible amount of eroticism in it. I just never thought I’d be getting a massage while listening to that vintage song.
I moved my right leg over the side of the table. Lying on my chest, I felt the coolness of leather against my skin. Michael unscrewed the bottle, letting out the wonderful scents of lavender and rose oil as I rested my head on the towel. He reached down and gathered my hair in his hand. Pushing the long tufts over my shoulder, he exposed the back of my neck.