“Sounds adventurous.” Jessica said with a grin. “I’m looking forward to meeting your brother. Is that him?”
Eric spotted Kyle down at the end of the pier, pumping fuel into his plane. “Yeah, but don’t expect him to be too friendly. He’s a bit of a loner.”
Jessica put her hand on Eric’s. “I’m happy you’re finally introducing me to your family.”
Ever since his girlfriend had moved in with him last month, she had been asking about meeting his family. Well, she would get a heavy dose of his siblings this week.
In the backseat, Shawna and Zack were still snoozing head to shoulder. Eric snapped his fingers. “Guys, come on. Up and at ’em!” He stared at his twenty-two-year-old sister. Shawna’s blonde hair had a few rebel streaks of blue—a look that all the members of her rock band, the Black Mollies, wore. Eric couldn’t figure out what the hell had happened to his sister. In high school she had been an honor student and a cheerleader. Then, at age seventeen, Shawna had a blow-out with their stepfather, Blake, and ran away from home. For the past four years she had been running around with a bunch of coke-snorting Goth freaks. Eric figured all of Shawna’s tattoos were a way to say “fuck you” to their born-again Christian stepfather.
Now, Shawna opened her sleepy eyes and stuck a cigarette in her mouth. Eric yanked it out. “No smoking in my car.” He shoved the cigarette into the car’s ashtray.
“Okay, that wasn’t rude,” Shawna said.
“You said you were going to quit.”
“Why give up something I enjoy?” she challenged.
“Because cigarettes turn your lungs black,” Eric said. “You want to die of cancer?”
“Whatever, Dad.”
“Cut the ‘Dad’ crap. I’m just looking out for your ass.”
“Well, I can look out for my own ass, thank you.” Shawna stuck a fresh cigarette in her mouth and stepped out of the car. Zack quickly followed.
Eric wished he could relate to his sister, but Shawna was seven years younger and they had never been close. He looked at Jessica, who was still seated in the passenger seat, putting on her makeup. “You sure you want to spend a week with my family?”
She smiled. “Of course, love. I want to get to know everyone in your life.”
“Well, don’t say I didn’t warn you.”
* * *
As Kyle was opening the cargo area to store luggage, Shawna ambushed him with the video camera. “Well, I’ll be damned. Kyle Elkheart, rich-and-famous author, has finally ventured out of his crypt.”
“Hey, kid.” Kyle hugged his sister. “It’s good to see you.”
He rarely saw Shawna ever since she had started living like a gypsy, shacking up with various boyfriends. Last year, she’d nearly died from an overdose of heroin and cocaine—a party concoction that a previous boyfriend, Razor, had given her. The guy had died that night. Shawna had gone into rehab for a couple months but then went back to running around with the same drugged-up crowd. She punched Kyle’s shoulder. “You never come see me play.”
“Sorry, sis, I haven’t been out much. I’ve been under a lot of pressure to finish my next book.”
“Writing another best seller?” she asked.
Kyle shrugged. “I’m hoping my readers don’t crucify me for taking so damned long.”
“Well, I’m glad you’re going with us. You’ve been a recluse too long.” She handed him her guitar case to stow. “Maybe I’ll play some new songs for you.”
“I would love that.”
A skinny kid in a black Dawn of the Dead T-shirt walked up behind her. Tucked under one of his heavily tattooed arms was a bongo drum.
Shawna said, “Kyle, meet my boyfriend, Zack. He just joined our band. He’s wicked on the drums.”
“Dude, it’s such an honor to meet you.” Zack walked over and gripped Kyle’s hand gang-style. “I totally wigged out when Shawna told me her brother was Kyle Elkheart. I’ve read every one of your novels. Ghost Hunter is my all-time favorite.” He patted his backpack. “I hope you don’t mind. I brought some books for you to autograph.”
“Sure, when we get to the cabin.” Kyle did his best not to judge Zack’s demonic tattoos, skull earring, or the haircut that looked like it had been hacked by Freddy Krueger. As long as Shawna was staying off heroin and her boyfriend wasn’t beating her or stealing her money, Kyle was happy for her. This guy at least read books.
Shawna squeezed her boyfriend’s hand. They both seemed to be under the spell of new love.
“So how long have you two been dating?” Kyle asked.
“About a month,” Shawna said, beaming. “How about you, big brother? Got any new women in your life?”
“No, I’m too busy.”
“You have to eventually get back out there, you know.”
Great, now my little sister’s giving me advice. “I’ll date again when I meet the right woman. Until then, I’m in no rush.”
“How do you get by without having sex for so long?”
“Shawna!” Zack nudged her shoulder. “Show the man some respect.”
“Hey, I’m curious,” she said. “Are you like a monk or something?”
Kyle laughed. “Something like that. Why don’t you get on board?”
As Kyle loaded their luggage and instruments into the cargo hold, Eric walked down the pier, toting several bags. He was wearing a bucket hat and tank top that showed off his muscles. “High mountain country, here we come!”
Kyle looked down at his brother’s flip-flops. “Where we’re going hiking boots would be more appropriate.”
Eric patted one of his bags. “Don’t worry. I’m prepared for everything. But first, Ray invited us to spend the day on the lake.” His cell phone rang.
“Who would be calling you this early in the morning?” Kyle asked.
“Investors. I’ve got deals going in three time zones.” He glanced at the caller ID. “Excuse me.” Eric walked down one of the airplane docks to talk in private.
“His phone never stops ringing,” spoke a feminine voice.
Kyle turned and saw a slender woman approaching. His brother normally dated tall blondes with large fake boobs and heavy makeup. Eric’s latest girlfriend stood about five foot five. With long, dark brown hair and freckles on her nose, she was a natural beauty. She was decked out for the wilderness in cargo shorts, a fleece pullover, backpack and a sun hat with a daisy on it. When their eyes met, Kyle became momentarily speechless.
After an awkward silence, the pretty brunette offered her hand. “G’day. It’s Kyle, right?”
“Uh, yes, and you must be…” He had already forgotten her name.
“Jessica. Pleased to finally meet you.” Her accent sounded Australian. “I swear most of this luggage is Eric’s, not mine.” Her whole face lit up when she smiled.
“I believe it.” Feeling oddly nervous around his brother’s girlfriend, Kyle focused on loading the luggage. Suddenly he was all thumbs, and it took two attempts to fit one of his brother’s large suitcases into the compartment. He hadn’t been this clumsy around a woman since he met his wife back in college.
Jessica pulled out a Nikon camera and took photos of him and the plane. “I hope this is okay. I’m documenting our trip for my travel blog.”
Eric returned, looking agitated. “You guys ready to go?”
Jessica put her palm on his chest. “Everything okay, love?”
“Yeah, ready to start this vacation. Does this flight serve alcohol?” Eric asked, half-smiling. “I could go for a Bloody Mary.”
Kyle said, “Sorry, just sodas and bottled water. You’ll have to wait ’til we get to Canada for the hard stuff.” He picked up an oversized duffle bag that must have weighed sixty pounds. “Jesus, Eric, what do you have in here, a corpse?”
“My dumbbells.”
Jessica rolled her eyes. “He doesn’t leave home without them.”
“Hey, as much as I travel, I have to take my gym with me.” Eric put his arm around her. “Come on
, babe. Let’s let the pilot do his job and find our seats.”
While Kyle loaded their luggage into the cargo hold, Eric ushered his girlfriend into the plane. A moment later, he returned as Kyle was closing the cargo door.
“Thanks for helping me load,” Kyle needled.
Eric’s face remained serious. “Can we take a walk before we go?”
“Sure.” Kyle walked with his brother along the dock. “What’s up?”
Eric glanced back at the plane and spoke in a hushed tone, “Don’t mention anything about Stella or the other girls. Jessica doesn’t know about them.”
Kyle sighed. “If you’re going to date multiple women, you should at least be upfront with them.”
“Yeah, right. Women do crazy shit when they get jealous. I don’t need the drama.”
Back in high school, two of Eric’s girlfriends had once shown up at the same party. They got into an ugly, drunken cat fight and then one of them rammed her car into Eric’s Corvette. Ever since, his policy had been never to date two women in the same city.
“If you keep playing these women, someone’s going to get hurt. You should try focusing on one for a change. You might actually like it.”
“Appreciate the advice, bro, but all I’m asking is that you keep this our little secret.” Eric gripped Kyle’s shoulder. “Can I count on you?”
“Just don’t expect me to lie for you.”
As his brother boarded the seaplane, Kyle remained on the dock to untie the ropes. A chilly wind blew against his face, and for a split second he glimpsed a pale woman swimming beneath the plane. Kyle drew back, staring down at the dark water.
It was just a large fish.
He pushed the plane away from the dock and hopped on to the pontoon, suddenly fearful that a bloated hand would reach up and grab his leg. He climbed into the plane and slammed the door, getting a strange look from the four passengers.
“Everything okay?” Eric asked from the front row.
Kyle faked a smile. “Just eager to get up in the air.” He climbed into the cockpit and fired up the single-prop engine. The Otter seaplane vibrated as he took hold of the yoke.
Eric, Jessica, Shawna and Zack chattered behind him as Kyle taxied the plane away from the dock. Gripping the yoke, he held his breath, watching the wind blow white caps across the water. Suddenly, the thought of leaving his home made his throat constrict. He sped across the lake and in seconds the seaplane was aloft over Lake Union. Thinking about the ghost he’d left behind, Kyle released his breath as the Seattle skyline faded behind him.
* * *
Kyle felt a rush of adrenaline as he flew the seaplane over a mountain ridge. The vibration of the plane’s six hundred horsepower Pratt & Whitney engine surged through him. Due to the wind, the flight was a little bumpy at first, but then he found his groove and cruised northeast, keeping the speed at 120 knots, the altitude at 10,000 feet. This high up, the blue horizon went on forever.
Below, thousands of pine trees swayed in the wind. An occasional lake or river passed under them. As the four passengers stared out the windows, Kyle spoke through his intercom, “We’ve crossed into British Columbia now. Down below, you’ll occasionally see ghost towns from the 1800s.” He directed their attention to the ruins of several log structures nestled in the mountain valleys. “Many of these towns are located near copper and silver mines that have been abandoned. Some are even claimed to be haunted.” Being an author of ghost stories, he had always enjoyed spooking his passengers with strange tales about the old mining towns that came and went. “In one mountain town named Eureka Canyon, all of the townspeople completely vanished and were never found.”
Eric hummed the theme song to The Twilight Zone. Jessica took photos out the windows and Shawna and Zack shot video. Glancing back at their smiling faces reminded Kyle how much fun he used to have flying tourists on charter flights. “Hang on, everybody.” He angled the plane, swooping above the pine-green ocean. The vast untamed wilderness reconnected Kyle with a part of himself that he had forgotten. Even though he had lived most his of life in Seattle, he had always felt a connection to the mountains and woods. Maybe it was because he had spent the first ten years of his life camping, fishing and hunting with his Cree father. Kyle often yearned to be surrounded by nature and escaped to the forest to go hiking, kayaking, or mountain biking at least once a week. The Canadian Rockies offered plenty of places to escape, and the Cree reservation was one of the most remote places in British Columbia. Kyle couldn’t believe he had almost passed on this opportunity to return with his brother and sister to the place where they were born. Their enthusiasm lifted his spirits, and he was now looking forward to seeing Ray Roamingbear and Grandfather again.
* * *
Three hours into the flight, the group’s excitement had waned. Shawna and Zack, each wearing headphones, leaned shoulder to shoulder and watched a movie on a video player. Eric slept soundly with his head nestled in a neck pillow. Jessica tried to read a new medical thriller, but couldn’t concentrate. Maybe it was nerves. She had never flown in a small plane before. They hit some unexpected turbulence and she grabbed the armrests and gasped. Jessica wished Eric would wake up and keep her company, but she knew how much he liked to sleep during flights. She looked out the window at the blue sky. They seemed so high up now. Her mind kept replaying news videos of private planes that had crashed, killing all the passengers.
Stop it, she told herself. We’re going to arrive there safely.
Jessica looked toward the cockpit at the man piloting the plane. Kyle wore a headset and mirrored sunglasses and stared out the front windshield. His hands seemed calm on the steering wheel, or whatever pilots called it.
What Jessica needed to do was occupy her mind. Grabbing her Nikon camera, she stepped up to the cockpit. The single-prop engine was so loud up here. She tapped Kyle on the shoulder. “Excuse me, do you mind if I ride in the copilot’s seat?” She pointed to the empty seat next to him. “I’d like to take some pictures.”
“Be my guest,” he shouted over the noise from the propeller.
She strapped herself in as they hit another patch of turbulence. Gripping both armrests, she closed her eyes and took a long, deep breath.
Kyle steered the plane upward to an altitude where the ride became smooth again. He offered Jessica the extra headset. “If you’ll put this on, we can hear each other better.”
She put on the headset and his voice crackled in her ear. “First time in a seaplane?”
“Is it that obvious?”
“Don’t worry. I’ve clocked hundreds of hours in this plane through all kinds of weather. You’re in safe hands.” He gave her an assuring smile. “Here, I find Chopin puts me at ease.” He flipped a switch on the console and classical piano music played through her headphones. Her tension dissolved and she exhaled.
Kyle smiled. “I also have the Red Hot Chili Peppers, if that’s more your flavor.”
She laughed. “No, Chopin’s great.”
“You have an accent. Are you from Australia, by chance?”
Jessica nodded. “Queensland. I grew up in a small town on the coast, north of Sydney.”
“One of my favorite cities.”
“You’ve been there?”
He nodded. “After college, I spent a summer backpacking across Australia.”
“Really…” She leaned toward him. “What all did you do?”
Kyle smiled, his whole face lighting up. “Well, my friends and I stayed in Sydney for a couple weeks and surfed Bondi Beach. Then we flew up to Cairns and did some scuba diving along the Great Barrier Reef.”
“I love the Reef. My family used to vacation there every summer.” Talking about helicopter rides over the reef, landing on Green Island and exploring the rainforest north of Cairns took Jessica back to her childhood days. “Did you visit the Outback?” she asked.
“Yeah, drove a Jeep to Ayers Rock, then circled back down to the Blue Mountains. Saw plenty of kangaroos and koala bears a
nd drank God knows how many Tooeys and Fourex.”
She touched a hand to her chest. “There are days I really miss my hometown. Everybody I know meets up at the pub and drinks Fourex and watches rugby. No one seems to hang out at neighborhood pubs in Seattle. Well, not anyone you’d want to know, anyway.”
As Kyle focused on flying, Jessica snuck admiring glances at him. She was surprised that he still wore his wedding ring. Eric said his wife had passed away a couple of years ago. He must have really loved her.
Kyle pointed toward the windshield. “We’re passing over Glacier National Park.” He went on like a tour guide, sharing interesting facts about the region.
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