Flying Too Close to the Sun by George Jehn (novels for beginners .txt) 📕

get out and mumbled, “I’ll walk you to the door.”

“Okay, but only as far as the front door.” She unlocked the double security locks and stepped inside the darkened house while Erik waited on the stoop. She went to the bedroom and stuck her head inside. Returning, she said, “Everything’s fine.”

Erik stepped inside without an invite, but she immediately grabbed his arm, which felt much thinner to her than David’s and quickly led him outside. “Thanks. I’ll see you at work,” she sarcastically added with a forced smile, “and, no more roses.”

Embarrassed, he said nothing. Just then a car wheeled into the driveway and a big guy dressed in a tight-fitting, muscleman top and equally tight jeans with wavy hair exited. Ignoring Erik, he went to Christina and gave her a smooch. She said, “I want to introduce you to the second officer I’m flying with. David, this is Erik Preis. Erik, this is David Bennedeto.”

The two men shook hands and David’s mitt felt huge.

“How long you been with Shuttle Air?” David asked.

“Only a few months.” To play dumb Erik asked, “You a pilot?”

“Nah. I just date the pretty ones.” He pulled Christina closer. “I work at the airline and study acting.”

“You’ve got excellent taste in women,” Erik awkwardly replied, not knowing what else to say. “I gotta be going.” He quickly drove off.

.     .     .

As they stood outside and watched him leave, David said, “A little young for you, isn’t he? His mommy might be worried he’s not home yet.”

She pushed him away. “What the hell is that supposed to mean?”

“You weren’t working this late, if you know what I mean?”

“I don’t. Why don’t you be more specific, a lot more specific?”

“What the hell was he doing here?”

“We work together and went out to grab a bite. He’s the kid I told you helped during the emergency; the one the Chief Pilot is gunning for. Man, you are one jealous son-of-a-bitch. What are you trying to do trigger another seizure with all of your bullshit stress?”

David felt the anger radiating from her like heat from an oven and put up both hands as if to stave it off. “I’m sorry. It’s just that I come home and you’re here with a good-looking, young guy and well…”

“Well, what? Like he said, he’s brand new and I wanted to give him a few pointers.”

David again took her in his arms. “I just couldn’t stand the thought of another man touching you.”

Christina just glared at him.

Erik now had a valid reason for not accepting Christina’s invitation the last time. They probably would have been caught, tonight. And that gorilla boyfriend definitely had a steroid look in his eyes.

.     .     .

Alone in his darkened den, Juni dialed his brother-in-law, Gene DiAndressi who owned a successful plumbing supply company. He needed expense money for this operation and would put the squeeze on him. The phone was picked up on the second ring.

“Gene, it’s me.”

DiAndressi just groaned, “For Christ’s sake Juni, it’s late.”

“Did I wake you?”

DiAndressi was dressed in his pajamas about ready to call it a night and this conversation was the last thing he wanted. “Look, Juni...”

“I won’t keep you long.”

“What do you want, like I don’t already know.”

“I’m working on a deal and need to borrow some dough.”

“You mean some more dough, don’t you? You still haven’t paid back the three thou I lent you last year, plus the other from...”

“This isn’t for the business. It’s for somethin’ else.”

“What’s it this time?”

“I’m not at liberty to say.”

“Oh no? Then maybe I’m not at liberty to give you another fuckin’ dime! How do you like that shit?” DiAndressi screamed into the phone.

“Calm down. There’s zero risk for either of us and we stand to make a lot.”

“What the hell’s this we shit? How can I be part of somethin’ you won’t even tell me about? What do you take me for, a moron?”

“I gotta have it,” Juni begged, “or the deal will have to be scrapped.”

Cooling down, Gene demanded, “How much?”

“Only twenty-five hundred.”

“Twenty-five hundred bucks!”

“And you’re better off not knowin’ what it’s for,” Juni quickly added. “When this is complete and it’ll be a done deal soon, I’ll repay you seven thou.”

“Let me get this straight. You’re gonna reimburse me seven grand?”

“Plus the original money I borrowed, with interest.”

“This I gotta see.”

“Does that mean you’ll loan it to me?”

“Yes, if for no other reason then to keep you from calling again at this hour. Come by the office tomorrow afternoon and I’ll have it in fifties and hundreds.”

“Thanks, Gene.”

“Don’t give me this thanks Gene crap. If you weren’t my brother-in-law you’d never see a nickel of mine.”

“I’ll be at your office tomorrow about three. ‘Night, Gene, and give my best to Diana.” Juni hung up and muttered, “I’d like to tell him to stuff the twenty-five hundred up his fat ass. There’s nothin’ worse than an uppity Eye-talian. Let him join one of those waspy country clubs and he’d find out pretty damn quick what those types think of a WOP who’s got some loose change.” Done grumbling, Juni felt better, as just about everything was in place and ready to launch.

CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT

Saturday was Carol’s third flying lesson and Erik’s final one of the day. He phoned the evening before.

“I was waiting for your call,” she cooed. “Don’t forget. We have some flying to do tomorrow.”

“I didn’t forget. We’re scheduled for—”

“Four o’clock and I wouldn’t miss it.”

The day dragged on until she entered the office dressed in tight jeans, white sneakers and a light fabric, flowered blouse. From their conversations Erik now detected a different spirit, perhaps a sense of street smarts not quite going along with the innocent way she normally carried herself. More like someone who was not afraid to get down in the dirt and fight. After flying together for an hour Erik told her with a knowing grin, “Let’s conduct our post-flight de-briefing at another location.”

She drove behind him on the narrow,