“It would have to be someone very rich and powerful to put all this effort into killing us,” Dizzy replied. When I paused at the door, he motioned me onward. “C’mon. We can handle whatever it is. Let’s just enjoy this while it lasts. I bet they serve champagne.”
The interior was every bit as plush as Dizzy must’ve hoped. An oriental rug graced the entranceway. Four chairs filled out each of the compartment’s four corners, arranged so the passengers could easily communicate. Pulled-back curtains stood between that and the next compartment, which had a beige couch on one side and two chairs with a table between them on the other. Just beyond this section was what looked like a bed in the back.
“I’ve died and gone to heaven.” Dizzy stepped around me, moving toward the area with the more social seating arrangement. “What do you think, Reagan? Do you want a chair or the couch?”
“You guys can have the chairs. They’re probably easier to get out of.”
“So thoughtful.” Dizzy sank into the chair with a smile. Callie and I were still in the entryway.
“Welcome,” a woman said from the back, coming toward us. She pulled the curtain across the back compartment with the bed. Apparently we wouldn’t be allowed to take a nap. “Please, have a seat. Can I get you something to drink?”
“Do you have champagne?” Dizzy asked with a smile.
“Of course. And for you, Ms. Somerset?”
“Water is fine. Thanks.” I sat on the couch and turned so I could look out the window. The sun was kissing the horizon, throwing long shadows across the runway.
“Water. Thank you.” Callie lowered into the seat opposite Dizzy, maintaining a firm hold on her satchel.
“Not champagne?” Dizzy’s face fell.
“We don’t know why we’re on this jet. We don’t even know why that door hasn’t been closed up yet. Sobriety is a good idea right now.” Callie adjusted and looked back toward the door.
“They are waiting for the other flight attendant. She said we’d be underway within the half-hour.” Dizzy softly drummed on the tabletop.
“Why does one person need two flight attendants? They didn’t know we’d be coming.” Callie’s lips tightened, but she didn’t say anything else.
Time ticked by. The flight attendant gave us our drinks and provided us with appetizers, as tasty as one might expect from a fine-dining restaurant. The crew stowed our bags under the plane and fueled up the craft. Still, the door remained ajar. Finally, when I was about ready to call the whole thing off, the black car crawled toward us once again.
“Here’s the secret third party,” I said under my breath.
A man stepped out gracefully. I would recognize that silhouette anywhere—tall and powerful, with muscular, broad shoulders and a refined posture rarely seen in this day and age.
“That rat bastard,” I mumbled.
“What?” Dizzy asked before hurriedly finishing his glass of champagne.
“I can’t see. It’s too dark.” Callie hunched down in order to see out the window opposite her.
“Ah yes, Mr. Durant is here. We can be underway soon.” The attendant’s eyes glittered as she glanced out the window.
I shook my head, fire tingling across my middle.
Darius pulled his suit coat taut across his chest before doing up a button. He glanced up at the very window from which I was watching him. His face remained impassive. He must’ve known the anger he was walking into, but it didn’t show in his expression.
“I am not amused,” I said quietly.
“Do not ruin this beautiful plane, Reagan Somerset,” Dizzy said, relaxing again. He held his glass up for the attendant. “Might I have another, please? Now that we aren’t fearing death, I think all of us could do with some unwinding.”
Callie shook her head at Dizzy in exasperation.
Darius paused outside to speak to the attendant who had been scurrying around. She nodded before continuing to direct the ground crew. After his unhurried walk up the stairs, he appeared in the plane, his body showing off his tailored suit to perfection. “I apologize for making you wait.” He lowered next to me and flicked the button on his jacket open again.
“You buttoned it up just for the short walk in?” I leaned back, feeling anger pinging through my body.
“First impressions are key. Callie, Desmond, so nice to see you again. Will you be accompanying us to Seattle?”
“You bet your ass we will,” Callie said, her bulldog expression firmly in place.
“What a lovely plane you have, Darius,” Dizzy said. “I am in awe. Such luxury.”
“Thank you.” Darius clasped his fingers, his focus on me. “You have questions.”
“Yes, but I’m not at all curious about how fast you can run,” I said. “Do you know why?”
“I couldn’t begin to guess.”
“Because when I teach you a lesson for interfering in my life, running away won’t save you.”
“Fascinating. Horribly inaccurate, but fascinating.” Darius regarded me evenly. “You quit the MLE office.”
“Yes. Why, did you expect me to stay and then thank you for bailing me out?”
“Reagan, I really think a glass of champagne would calm you down.” Dizzy pointed to his glass as it was refilled. “You seem awfully tense. Ouch!”
Dizzy reached down to rub his shin where Callie had just kicked him, a piece of violence Darius and I had been at the perfect vantage point to witness. Judging by her scowl, she didn’t care.
“You are too good to waste away in that office,” Darius said. “I had hoped you’d realize that long before you did.”
“Then why did you make it so I could stay?” I asked suspiciously.
“The short story is, you desired it, and I was in the position to make it happen.”
“And the long story?” I asked.
His eyes flicked toward Callie and Dizzy. “Will need to come at another time. First I should probably explain what I am doing here.”
I opened my mouth to protest, but yes, I needed that answer. I motioned him on.
Darius glanced at the attendant, who took Callie’s empty glass. “Let’s wait until we are underway before I explain.”
“How did you even know I was going?” I asked. “This all happened in the daylight hours.”
“My people received notice that the MLE office was working out a special contract for you. Being that it was done in haste, my daytime attendants woke me. They are well versed in the matters I deem important. Loss of half a day’s sleep was nothing. But that’s no matter. Please, relax. Make yourselves comfortable. Once we are in the air and you are comfortable and sated, I will discuss the upcoming matter in detail. There is a lot to discuss.”
“There is?” It didn’t seem like it, though maybe he hadn’t seen Callie and Dizzy’s old case files.
He didn’t answer me, but he did get me a cheese plate, which was just as good.