by Hunt, Jack
Russ might not have said anything had it been Tommy but Morgan’s actions today had put him on edge. There was no telling what stupid shit he would do next. Still, he gave him the benefit of the doubt and continued exploring.
“You think they’re really gonna open this place again?”
“That’s what they say,” Russ said without looking over. No sooner had he said that than they heard a gunshot. It echoed loudly. Startled, Russ looked at Tommy and hurried to locate Morgan. As they came around the corner, Morgan was at the far end looming over the body of an officer. “Oh shit,” Russ said sprinting towards him. “What have you done?” As soon as he caught sight of the officer, he knew he was dead. There was a round in his skull. “What have you done?” he said again.
Morgan backed up. “He came at me. His cruiser was around back.”
That meant more cops would come when he didn’t call in. Russ brought up a fist to his forehead and kneaded the front, feeling a tension headache coming on. The drop might not happen for hours and they needed to stay off the cops’ radar but was that gonna happen? No.
Behind him, Tommy caught up. He looked on, equally surprised. “Was he alone?” Tommy asked.
“I hope so,” Russ said.
Morgan added. “We should call Cayden. He’ll know what to do.”
“No. He’s not to know about this,” Russ said.
“But he will. Maybe not today but he will.”
Morgan was right. Few things went unheard, that’s what bothered him. He looked up into the snowy sky, hoping, praying that the drop happened soon.
4
It was his worst nightmare come true. “Bumped? No. That’s impossible. I purchased the ticket online yesterday,” Landon said, face flushed as he leaned across the counter shaking his e-ticket in the guy’s face. The scrawny fellow shrank back inside his airline uniform like a tortoise, no doubt wishing he’d stayed in college and pursued some other endeavors. The delivery of the plane to Alabama had been a success. For the first time, he’d enjoyed taking his daughter with him and showing her what he did for a living. It gave them time to talk and he learned things about her that he wouldn’t have had they not been thousands of feet in the air.
Everything was going to plan. He’d even managed to find two seats together on a plane heading back to Maine; Sara was elated. He would be home for Christmas Eve, at least that’s what he thought. His gut told him different. It was like his inner “oh shit” meter could tell when something bad was about to happen. After delivering the plane, he’d been checking flight status updates every thirty minutes expecting to see a cancellation, thankfully his flight was unaffected.
Even as he arrived and scanned the flight information display system, he’d breathed a sigh of relief to see that his flight was on schedule. No weather problems, no mechanical issues, everything was good until he tried to check in.
“I’m sorry, sir, but we need to reschedule you for tomorrow.”
“I need to be in Maine tonight,” he said slamming his fist in frustration against the counter. Ellie tugged on his jacket and he turned to see her looking embarrassed. She mouthed the word Dad and looked around at a few curious onlookers. Landon was no idiot. He understood that problems came up, he encountered them all the time in his line of work but they still hadn’t explained why he had been bumped from his flight. He was fuming. All he could think about was hearing Sara go ballistic. Now that was a phone call he wasn’t looking forward to making. He lifted a hand to let Ellie know that he’d be a few minutes.
He turned back to the customer service agent. “Look, just tell me why?”
The agent looked around nervously. “Sir, I shouldn’t be saying this but it’s not the first time it’s happened. I feel your pain. I understand you need to get home. All I can say is they probably oversold seats.”
“Oversold?”
It was more common than most realized. Airlines needed to sell seats. It was as simple as that but the process was complicated. They knew not all passengers would make a flight. Some would arrive late, others cancel and then some would miss their connection due to flight delays. To avoid having empty seats on a flight they would oversell, creating a situation like the one he was having, where more passengers had checked in than the plane had seats. But that wasn’t the only reason. Of course there were the times when an airline would purposely bump someone because another passenger had purchased a last-minute ticket at twice the price, and it was more profitable to accept that and give someone else an airline credit for taking a different flight. Now in theory that should have been him as his two tickets cost him an arm and a leg, but there were always those who showed up at the eleventh hour with cash in hand.
“So that’s it? I’ve been bumped for someone who paid more?”
“I’m not saying that is what happened, sir. It’s very possible that the airline has to transport crew somewhere as a priority to work on another flight, and it was a last-minute decision, or the flight has a weight restriction due to the weather.”
“The weather? It’s mild outside.”
“Not in Maine it isn’t,” the agent said sarcastically.
Landon narrowed his eyes and clenched his jaw.
“You can’t do this.”
“Actually we can, there is a clause in the contract of carriage which lets them do it.”
“Well, obviously!” He knew that and his temper was getting the better of him.
“So can I go ahead and reschedule you?”
“No. Forget it. I’ll make other arrangements.” He scooped up the tickets and turned and walked past the long line of people waiting to voice their complaints. Ellie hurried to catch up.
“Dad? We’re not getting on a flight?”
“We’re getting on a flight just not this one and not from this airport.”
“I don’t understand,” she said. His mind was running rampant and it didn’t help that a large crowd of people were swirling around him. He felt like a fish going upstream.
Baggage everywhere. Groups of people getting in the way. Voice alerts over the speakers. A bead of sweat trickled down his face. Another person stopped in front of him to look up at the flight board. He blew out his cheeks trying not to lose it. He considered himself a fairly patient man, he had to be, flying old and new planes all over the world, but even he had his limits. And the worst part about it, he couldn’t even blame Dougy. Well, he could but it wouldn’t get him anywhere. When Dougy hired him, he’d signed off on a contract that meant he would make himself available to fly planes even if it cut into his vacation time. Of course Dougy said it would never happen. He lied. It was the reason why there was so much tension between him and Sara. She knew what she was getting into when she married him but like anyone who dives in at the deep end, it was hard to know how you would feel once you got wet.
“Just stay with the bags while I make a quick phone call.”
He took out his phone and called Dougy. It rang multiple times but he got no answer. Oh great. New York. Christmas Eve. He was probably pie-eyed in some bar in downtown Manhattan with his phone turned off or he was purposely ignoring it to avoid an argument. Landon tried again. This time he answered.
“Landon, buddy, old pal.”
He sounded two sheets to the wind. In the background were the drone of music and women’s laughter. Probably a strip joint. He’d taken Landon to one without telling him and ordered him a lap dance. After that he refused to go with him anywhere.
“Yeah, yeah. Look, I need you to contact your friend. I’ve been bumped from my flight.”
He burst out laughing which was exactly what Landon expected to hear. No sympathy, just finding it all amusing. Why? Because he wasn’t in the same situation. “Bumped? Did I hear that right?”
“Dougy. Make the call!”
“All right. All right. Calm down. Go get yourself a beer and I’ll phone you back once I talk to him.”
“And Dougy. You better come through. Remember you owe me.”
“Yeah. Ye
ah. Whatever.”
He hung up and Landon ran a hand over his head and exhaled hard as he glanced at Ellie who was perched on the one bag Sara had forced them to take in the event a situation like this happened. I’m not having our daughter stuck in Alabama without clothes, she’d said. Landon walked over, adjusted his jean shirt and undid the button on the white T-shirt below it. Ellie was wearing a black flower-print dress with a wide-brimmed brown hat, bangles and long necklaces, looking very bohemian. Over the top of that she had a retro-style boho jacket with a fur-lined hood, and brown knee-high boots. Sara wore similar outfits, though usually in the summer. Landon had told her to put something warmer on but that was like trying to convince someone the sky wasn’t blue.
“You thirsty?” He asked.
Ellie scowled. “You know, you could have been a little more patient with the guy.”
He groaned. “I know. I just…” he trailed off thinking about making the call to Sara. He’d hold off until he knew what arrangement Dougy had made. If he could still get back in time there was no point causing her any stress, or putting a bull’s-eye on his forehead. He already had enough to deal with. “Look, I could use a drink,” he said motioning to a small café a few yards away. He rolled the luggage over and Ellie found a table amid the crowded place. He ordered a coffee, and she got a green smoothie with a bagel. He pulled out a pack of cigarettes and placed them on the table.
“You can’t smoke in here.”
“I know that. They’re unopened.”
He’d been trying to give up for the past two years unsuccessfully. Long flights across the ocean, frequent stress and daily anxiety about life kept him from quitting, at least that’s what he told himself. He’d tried vaping, patches, hell, even hypnotism audios that Sara had given him but none of it worked. He’d quit for a day or two then find himself buying another pack. He’d go through the same routine. He’d purchase it, and not take the wrapper off, hoping he could deceive his brain into thinking he had one. It didn’t work.
“Mom know?”
“No. And don’t say anything either. She thinks I’ve been off them for the past two months.”
Ellie snorted, flicking through her phone and updating her pals through social media about their predicament. “Don’t be posting anything about the flight. Mom might see it.”
“She doesn’t view my social media.”
Landon raised his eyebrows.
“Oh man. Are you kidding me?”
“You’re only fourteen, Ellie. There are all kinds of creeps out there browsing social media accounts.”
“Yeah, like you two,” she said before laughing.
He smiled and leaned forward. Despite the setback, he’d enjoyed the quality time with her. She made him laugh and kept life light. While parents weren’t supposed to have favorites and he didn’t, some could have built a case against him that made it look like he favored her over Max, but that wasn’t true. It was just that he and Ellie had more in common. They liked similar styles of music, she was into old-school stuff like Springsteen and Muddy Waters, they both liked the same movies, eighties flicks, and they were often found watching one a week. Max on the other hand kept to himself. Landon had tried reaching out to him but he was always playing computer games and Landon didn’t have the time or patience for that. Still, he tried but Max could tell he wasn’t into it and so he’d turn him down when he would ask him if he wanted to play a PS4 game.
Landon’s phone jangled. It was Dougy.
“It’s all arranged. I’ve got your back. Dustin Chapman is his name. I’ve sent the coordinates to your email for where to meet him. Be there around three and he’ll have you back in Maine for nine o’clock, give or take. I know it’s not the best time but at least you’ll be home on Christmas Eve.”
“Coordinates? Isn’t it a private airstrip?”
Dougy burst out laughing. “A private airstrip? He’s a bush pilot. His airstrip is anywhere he can safely land.” He laughed again. “By the way, he’s quite the character but with both of you being pilots I’m sure you’ll get on like a house on fire. Oh, and thanks again, Landon. I really appreciate it. Merry Christmas.”
“Yeah, well look…”
Before he could get the words out Dougy had hung up. Landon grumbled under his breath, squeezed his phone tight and then brought up his email. There it was. He opened it and squinted. What the heck was this? He’d given him longitude and latitude coordinates that went to some farmer’s field in the middle of nowhere. Was this some joke? Landon glanced at his wristwatch. It was just after one in the afternoon, and according to Google it would take at least an hour to reach the location and that was if they were on time. He tapped the table. “All right, kid, drink up, we need to leave.”
“Now?”
“Yeah, and I need to find a cab that can take us.”
He knew those outside the airport wouldn’t drive that far so once again he was faced with having to make his own way. He made a mental note to send Dougy the bill. He got up and wandered to the bathroom while he brought up a list of long-distance taxi firms. He would have rented a car if the location was anywhere near a drop-off but it was in some backwoods rural area where the closest small town was five miles away and all they had was a general store. If the guy could land practically anywhere, why there?
“Hey mister, you sure this is the place?” the taxi driver said over his shoulder on the last stretch of road. Although they’d got stuck in traffic on the way out of the city, the cabbie’s crazy driving had made up the lost time and they were roughly twenty minutes out from Dustin’s arrival.
Winters were extremely mild in Alabama compared to Maine. He’d even cranked down his window because the cab’s air conditioning unit wasn’t working. He looked above searching for a plane. Blue skies and a few fluffy white clouds were good signs. At least they had that working for them. He couldn’t say it would be the same the further northeast they went but he’d flown in crap weather before.
He was just worried about Ellie. She wasn’t used to turbulence or any of the usual noises a plane might make. Even in the new one they’d delivered he’d caught her gripping the seat tightly, much like Sara the first time he took her up. She only flew with him once.
Landon leaned forward looking ahead and then at his phone. “Yep, it’s just over there.”
“A strange spot to catch a plane,” the guy said.
“You’re telling me,” Landon replied looking at Ellie who looked content. That was the great thing about kids. They didn’t care as long they had their phone and their music, and their bellies were full. The cab veered off the main road onto a dusty road that looked as if it had been created by a tractor.
“You might have to get out and walk from here,” the taxi driver said after a couple of minutes of bumping around. He nodded and the driver eased off the gas. Landon had already paid online so he just thumbed off some cash as a tip before getting out. The driver retrieved the single piece of luggage, bid them farewell and left them standing in the middle of the field. Dust billowed up into the air as the cab returned to the main road.
“Well, they won’t believe this unless I take a photo,” Ellie said. “Here, come on, Dad, get in on this one.” He put his arm around her and she snapped a shot of them close up with miles of grassy fields behind them. Beyond that was a forest but that was it. No town, no bus stop, nothing, just wide-open space.
“Don’t post that until we’re home,” he said.
“I couldn’t even if I wanted. No signal out here,” she said holding it up to try and get a bar. They remained there for another fifteen minutes wondering if this was just some Christmas gag of Dougy’s before Landon heard the familiar hum of a plane’s engine. A speck of blue and white grew in the distance as their shaky transportation arrived.
5
Dustin Chapman looked like Willie Nelson. A shocking white beard, weathered cheeks and two long dark-haired braids poked out from underneath a red skull bandanna. He hopped out of the small
single-engine plane, a half-smoked cigarette in the corner of his mouth, wearing a ratty looking black T-shirt with the name of his company printed on his chest, and faded blue jeans. As he ducked under the wing and came around, Landon noted the registration number of N9820V on the side of the plane.
Landon waved at the man. “Hey there.”
“You must be Landon Gray. Hope you haven’t been waiting too long?” he said extending a hand and shaking his. “Dustin Chapman. At your service.”
“No, not long. I appreciate you doing this.”
“No problem, glad to help out. I’m going that way anyway, so…” he trailed off cutting his daughter a glance. “And who might this lovely young lady be?”
“Ellie. Ellie Gray,” she said before Landon could introduce her.
“Well Ellie. You ready to go up?”
“It’ll be her second time,” Landon muttered.
“Is that right?” he said, a broad smile forming. “You enjoy flying out here with your old man?”
She nodded, pursed her lips and glanced at him. With every passing year she looked more like her mother. “Well let’s get you loaded up. That’s the only baggage you got?”
“Would have been less if I had my way.”
Dustin smiled. “Ah, your wife packed it. I know all about that. If Mrs. Chapman had her way, I wouldn’t be able to carry anything in this bird. It would be loaded down with my entire wardrobe and bathroom.”
He opened the door on the side of the plane and lifted the suitcase in with ease, stowing it behind one of the six seats. “So this is yours?” Landon asked knowing that many of these guys worked for a larger company and the planes were used for business only.
“One hundred percent. A Helio Courier. You got your own?”
“No, I mostly fly for Dougy. So you’re used to landing in tight spots?”
Dustin chuckled as he helped Ellie into the plane. “This bird can land at 30 mph on less than 500 feet, and believe me it’s seen worse landing strips than this.”