“We just need some time together. Some time alone. I’ve built a beautiful place for you, Delilah. An island far from everything and everybody that pulled us apart.”
Jessie lifted her head as she heard something. A plane, she realized. She turned and saw the twinkling red lights of a jet approaching from the east.
“That’s Unicorn One,” Noah shouted. “You always loved that plane. It’s here to take us to our new home. We’ll have everything there. It’s what you need, Delilah. It’s what we both need.”
The plane’s engine grew louder. Jessie gestured for Dee to follow her.
They ducked low and crossed over to the next row of planes.
* * *
Kendra and Lynch pressed themselves against a 1970s-era People Express airliner as the small private jet circled overhead and landed on the airstrip. It taxied past the hangar.
“That plane’s too nice to be stored here,” Kendra said.
Lynch nodded. “You got that right. It’s a Bombardier BD-700. One of the most expensive private jets in the world.”
“One guess who it belongs to.”
“Unless Oprah’s out for an evening jaunt, I’d say it’s the property of Noah Calderon.”
The plane taxied to a stop, then the front-loading door opened and slowly flipped down to reveal a short set of stairs.
The plane sat on the landing strip for a long moment.
“I’d like to storm that jet and throttle him,” Lynch said. “Want to cover me?”
“Hell no. I want to be right there with you.” Kendra watched the plane for another long moment. “But what if he isn’t on it?”
“You think he’s already here?”
“Could be.”
A man descended from the stairs. He was holding a walkie-talkie in one hand, an assault rifle in the other. His spoke into the walkie-talkie and placed it against his ear. He repeated the motion twice more before finally clipping the radio to his belt.
BLAMM!
BLAMM!
Gunshots. From somewhere in the Boneyard.
BLAMM!
Kendra spun around, trying to get a better fix on the shots’ location.
The gunman obviously heard them, too. He took off running between a row of parked planes.
BLAMM!
“Oh, God,” Kendra said. “You don’t think—?”
“This way.” Lynch drew his gun and sped away.
* * *
Noah fired another round into the air.
BLAMM!
“Our plane is on the ground and waiting, Delilah.” Calderon’s pleading tone had crossed into annoyance. “I’m getting impatient. I don’t want to hurt you, but you’re coming with me.”
“We’re boxed in,” Jessie whispered. She pointed to a row of identical small commuter planes. “Hide over there and lie flat on your stomach.”
“What are you going to do?”
“What I do best. Go.”
Dee ran for the planes and rolled underneath.
“Don’t make me hunt you down!” Calderon was on the move, stepping closer with each word. “I’ve put it all on the line. No one’s ever done more for you than I have.”
Jessie ran from one landing gear to the next, trying to get a fix on Noah’s voice.
“We understand each other. We always have.”
Jessie peered over a stack of tires. There he was, holding that assault rifle and wearing a vest padded with ammo magazines. He’d look ridiculous under any other circumstances.
But here, one lucky trigger squeeze could take her head off.
She crept back a row, planning her attack.
“I think I’m going to have to hurt you. You know I can’t let you leave. I’m sorry. One day you’ll understand this is all for the best.”
Jessie prepared to leap from her hiding place. She couldn’t wait to shut this psycho up.
Three…Two…
CLICK-CLACK!
Jessie knew that sound. It was the slide being racked on an automatic handgun.
Inches from her head.
“Stay where you are, Jessie.”
Dammit. Jessie slowly raised her hands. She recognized Charlotte’s cool, impassive voice.
“Stand up. Slowly.”
Jessie stood. Charlotte had moved a few feet back with her gun.
“Step out into the open, where Noah can see you.”
Jessie stepped forward.
“Noah!” Charlotte yelled. “Back here!”
Noah turned and walked toward them. “You shouldn’t have tried to run, Jessie. You’ve only made things harder for you and Delilah.”
Jessie smiled. “Dee is long gone. She’s probably at the highway already. The first person she sees will call the police. It’s over.”
Charlotte stiffened, definitely disturbed, but Noah clearly wasn’t buying it. He stepped closer to Jessie with his assault rifle. “Nice try, but you forget that I know you, Jessie. You wouldn’t let Delilah out of your sight.” He hefted his gun. “Particularly not with me waving this around.”
“That’s why I stayed behind,” Jessie said. “To keep an eye on you. Ask your scary friend here. Dee isn’t with me.”
“I didn’t see her,” Charlotte told him.
“Oh, she’s nearby.” Noah turned in a circle and shouted in every direction. “Delilah, now you have to come out. Don’t be afraid. Come on, honey.”
No response.
“See?” Jessie said. “She’s sitting in the cab of a big rig talking on the phone to the local police. And you’re gonna have some serious ’splainin’ to do.”
Noah turned and rammed the barrel of his assault rifle against Jessie’s throat. “Delilah, show yourself in the next ten seconds or I’ll kill your friend. You’ve always told me that you’ve never had anyone you trusted as you do Jessie. Is that something you want to live with?”
“She isn’t here.” Jessie hoped she was speaking loud enough for Dee to hear. “You’re wasting your time.”
“Five seconds!” Noah yelled. “I’ll have no problem pulling this trigger. You know I never liked Jessie.”
Jessie half smiled. “I’m finding this out now?”
“Stop!” Dee ran from her hiding place and stood in the clearing. “Noah, put down the gun. I’m here.”
He smiled. “Of course you are.”
Jessie’s shoulders slumped. Damn.
Noah lowered the gun barrel from Jessie’s throat. “Come closer. Delilah.”
Dee stepped from the shadows and stopped about ten feet away. “Noah…I didn’t understand. I’ve been thinking about it ever since we ran away and wondering if I hadn’t made a mistake. I didn’t know you felt this way about me.”
“Of course I do. I never stopped loving you, Dee.”
Her voice softened with wonder. “You actually fought the entire world for me? The FBI and everyone else? I feel like Helen of Troy or Cleopatra or some other vamp. And you really built a place for me where no one could ever bother us?”
“Yes. And it’s beautiful, Dee. You’ll love it.”
She smiled. “No one’s ever done anything like that for me before. I know you know how people have always used me. My mother…the record companies…”