“Out!” Jessie was pulling Dee away from the crowd and ducking underneath the body of the plane to drag her toward the FBI vehicle she’d parked on the runway. She glanced over her shoulder but saw that only a few journalists had as yet managed to follow them. “Get in the damn car. I want to get you out of here.”
Dee was already in the passenger seat as Jessie pressed the accelerator. She laughed as the car jumped forward. “This reminds me of when we bolted out of the gates of Kendra’s school and had all those paparazzi trailing behind us. Did I tell you how totally awesome you were that day?”
“Well, don’t think I’m going to do a repeat.” She glanced behind her and saw that the reporters were once more in hot pursuit. “I made a few advance arrangements to ensure I’d get you away from here with absolutely no problem.”
“Really? How are you going—” Then Dee started to laugh as she saw the string of FBI vehicles and police cars ahead of them blocking the storage facility entrance. “Now, that’s totally worthy of you.” She waved at Kelland as he motioned for two FBI vehicles to pull aside so that Jessie could get beyond the barrier and then close it tightly again. The media vehicles screeched to a halt as they saw Kelland walk casually toward them. “The FBI may be getting some very bad press,” she murmured.
“Nonsense. You saw how charming and professional Kelland can be, and he’s totally within his rights. This is a crime scene and they have no right to disturb it. And by the time they get a helicopter out here, I’ll have you safely stashed away somewhere.”
“And I’ll let you do it.” Dee smiled. “For the next four days. I figure it will take that long for me to complete my plans and set up my own exit strategy.”
“Exit strategy?” she repeated warily.
“You weren’t listening to my wonderful press conference. I told them what I was going to do. I just didn’t tell them how I was going to do it. I’m not sure of all the details yet myself, but when I was sitting in that van waiting for you, I realized it was going to have to contain an exit strategy.”
“And are you going to tell me about it?”
“Of course I am. But not right now. I’m going to enjoy these next four days with my good friend because I’m already feeling a little sad…” She leaned back in the seat. “But don’t worry, it will all come together…”
* * *
Palm Desert Airfield
Southern California
Five Days Later
“Will you please tell me why the hell I’m here?” Kendra asked as she saw Lynch walking across the tarmac toward her. “I was supposed to stay late at the school today.” She glanced around the almost-deserted airport. “For that matter, I should ask where I am. My GPS wouldn’t even acknowledge this airport. If you hadn’t given me directions, I never would have found it.”
“I would have tracked you down.”
“Really? Until I got that text from you, I hadn’t seen or heard from you for the last week.”
“You told me you were going to be busy catching up. I aim to please.”
“I was busy. I’m still busy. I’m here, but I don’t know why. I should be working.”
“No, you shouldn’t.” He smiled. “I spent a lot of time pulling strings and making arrangements and I won’t have you spoiling them.” He glanced up at the sky as a C-130E cargo plane that had been on the approach landed and was now taxiing down the runway. “And it looks as if that pilot understands it, too. He’s right on time. Dee will be pleased.”
“Dee?” Kendra’s eyes narrowed as she gazed at the plane with renewed interest. “What does she have to do with that old beat-up cargo plane?”
“Hey, it’s a little old but it’s not beat-up. Jessie would never have let her negotiate with me to get her anything but top-quality merchandise.”
“Negotiate? What are you talking about?”
“Ask her yourself.” He jerked his head at Jessie’s car, which was driving through the airport gates. “I’m just putty in their hands.”
“Yeah, sure.”
But then Jessie had pulled up beside them and Dee was jumping out of the passenger seat. “It’s wonderful.” She dove into Lynch’s arms and gave him a hug. “Just what I wanted.”
“It had better be,” he said dryly. “I went to a good deal of trouble to arrange your escape. I’ve spent less time and effort extracting a Saudi prince.”
“Escape?” Kendra repeated. “What the hell?”
“That’s what I said.” Jessie got out of the car and came toward them. “But the more Dee talked about it, the more it appealed to me.” She nodded at the cargo plane. “That’s why that cargo plane landed at a military base earlier today and picked up Dee’s orchestra and crew and flew them here.” She exchanged looks with Dee. “I didn’t really think she could pull it off in four days. But she managed to do it.”
“Well, it was actually five days,” Dee said. “It took longer than I thought it would for Lynch to get all those pesky documents I needed for me and the guys.”
“Yeah, visas and passports can be so pesky,” Lynch said.
“I didn’t say I wasn’t grateful,” Dee said. “I just said I didn’t count on it. I have a lot to learn.”
He was suddenly smiling. “Maybe. But you learn very fast.”
“Escape,” Kendra repeated to get them back on track. “What’s happening, Jessie?”
She shrugged. “Dee decided that the media wasn’t going to leave her alone as long as she was easily accessible. This story was like a horror movie with so many elements of scandal, it would tend to feed on itself.”
“She’s right there,” Kendra said grimly. “They’ve been rabid about trying to locate her since you whisked her away. The reporters have even followed me out to the school looking for her and trying to interview me.”
“Told you, Jessie,” Dee murmured. “I have to shut it down.”
“I never argued with you about that,” Jessie said. “But as usual you decided to do your own thing and involved Lynch in creating the scenario. I told you he’d end up by taking over the operation.”
“But you also told me that he was probably the only one who could do it.” She beamed at Lynch again. “Did I tell you how amazing you are? Or how grateful I am?”
“You mentioned it once or twice.” He grinned. “But you could prove it by turning around and getting on that plane. Setting this up on short notice required pulling strings and bribery. I didn’t do anything really illegal, but I came close a couple times. It could be awkward for me.” He made a shooing motion. “Have a nice flight, Dee.”
“She’s not going anywhere until I find out the details of just why you’re so ‘amazing,’” Kendra said flatly. “I’ve been getting double talk from all of you since the moment you came through the gates.” She turned back to Jessie. “You left a message asking me to come here to meet you today. Now talk to me.”