Part 4 (1/2)

”You stole from Matt?” Shock still had Genevieve in its grip. She was having trouble a.s.similating the fact that her dream man, her future husband and father of her children, was a thieving, murdering sc.u.m-bucket.

”Mart's in my way, and his financial problems aren't my fault. I never intended to make Rainbow my life's work. However, I have to admit when I planned this, I didn't think Matt would end up losing one of his top engine guys.”

”He'll also lose Genevieve, you son of a b.i.t.c.h.” Jackson's voice was heavy with anger.

”Well, yes, but there are lots of secretaries in the world. You'll be much harder to replace.”

His casual disregard for her life cleared the shock from Genevieve's mind. d.a.m.n it, she hadn't made it this far in life to die at the hands of a psycho. She'd handled some rough characters back in the Hollow, guys who got really mean when they were liquored up. Maybe she could talk him out of it.

”Nick,” she began, then had to stop and clear her throat. She clenched her hands and tried to stop shaking. ”I have a better idea.”

”I doubt it. I've been planning this for months, and I've thought of everything.” He unfastened his seat belt and eased himself out of the c.o.c.kpit while keeping the gun trained on Jackson. ”Now, neither of you make any funny moves.”

”But I do have a better idea,” Genevieve said. ”Wherever you're going, take us with you.”

”I don't need you.” He kept the gun on Jackson until he'd moved between the seats, headed for the door. Then he pivoted and pointed the gun right in her face.

She nearly pa.s.sed out. ”Of c-course you do. You'll n-need a cook, a housekeeper, someone to warm your bed.” She gave him what she hoped was a melting look of pa.s.sion.

”Nice try, but I'll have three million dollars. I think I can find people to do those things.” His eyes glittered. ”And even if I took you along as my little love slave, I'd have no reason to include Farley, there. I'd have to shoot him after we landed. Would that be okay with you?”

She shrugged. Once they landed the plane, she could figure out how to keep this maniac from shooting Jackson.

”Interesting,” Nick said. ”It would almost be worth doing, just to see if you'd abandon your friend Farley to save your own skin.” He paused. ”But I can't risk it, sweet-cheeks.” Still holding the gun on her, he glanced quickly at his watch. ”Whoops, we're out of time.”

Genevieve fought down panic. She had to make him land this plane. ”I give great b.l.o.w. .j.o.bs!”

Nick laughed. ”Wish I had the time to check that out.” He continued to aim the gun right between her eyes as he reached behind him to unlatch the cabin door.

”Jackson!” Genevieve shouted above the rus.h.i.+ng noise coming from the open door. ”We have to do something to stop him!”

”We can't!” Jackson shouted back. ”He's crazy!”

”You're going to give up, just like that?” Her opinion of Jackson went down several notches.

”He can't save you.” Nick smiled. ”But maybe you'd like to treat him to one of those b.l.o.w. .j.o.bs. You two will have a little time on your hands. Well, so long!” He jumped.

Terrified, she looked away from the gaping entry into nothingness. This was way too much like a movie with Harrison Ford, except she wasn't in a plane with Harrison, she was in a plane with Jackson Farley, who didn't know jack-s.h.i.+t about flying planes. The bad guy had really left them to die, and they might have to go ahead and die, since this was not a movie.

Her heart pounded so hard she thought it might explode at any minute. If it did, so what? She was as good as dead, anyway.

Chapter 4.

At the first sign of trouble, Jackson tried to think his way through this mess. Thinking was hard when Brogan had the barrel of that nasty gun pressed against his temple. Jackson had spent a lot of time sweating.

He'd thought about trying to disarm the guy, but in a small area like this a bullet could ricochet. Genevieve could get shot, even if the gun wasn't pointed in her direction. Wrestling Brogan for the gun didn't seem like the way to go.

Instead Jackson concentrated on the plane's instrument panel. Thank G.o.d he hadn't told Brogan that he'd flown simulations, or he'd have a bullet through his brain right now. Instead, he and Genevieve had a chance. Not a big chance, but a chance.

The jerk finally leaped, and Jackson could only hope there was a shark down below with a taste for certified a.s.shole. But he didn't have time to waste thinking about Brogan's fate. He moved to the pilot's seat.

”Come on up here!” he called out to Genevieve.

When he got no response, he turned to discover that she was frozen in place, her eyes buggy with terror. He was pretty d.a.m.ned scared himself, but letting her know wouldn't help the situation.

”Don't worry!” he shouted. ”I think I can fly this thing!”

”B-but you said-”

”I know! But I've flown computer simulations!”

She reached out a hand toward him, and he leaned back to grab it. Gripping his hand and keeping her gaze fastened on his, she made it up to the c.o.c.kpit, but she didn't relinquish his hand as she settled into the copilot's seat.

He decided they needed something to break the tension. ”Do you really give great b.l.o.w. .j.o.bs?”

She stared at him.

”That was a joke! I know what you were trying to do, and it was a great idea.”

”Oh.” She swallowed.

”For what it's worth, I think he was a fool not to take you up on your offer.”

”Do you . . . really think you can fly this?”

”Yes.” He wasn't the least bit sure. The instrument panel was similar to one he'd seen in a simulation, but not identical. All the same, he'd never been in such a perfect position to be a hero in front of a woman he wanted to impress. The stakes were a little higher than he would have liked, but he couldn't do anything about that.

”So you could turn us around and get us back to Honolulu?”

”I'm not totally sure I could do that, but I'll bet I can get us on the ground somewhere.” He glanced down at her hand clutching his. ”If you turn me loose, that is. I do my best work with my right hand.”

”Oh!” She released him immediately and there were red marks on the back of his hand where her nails had been. ”I'm so sorry!”

”Not a problem.” Jackson flexed his hand and leaned forward to peer at the instrument panel. ”Flying out over the Pacific with the gas gauge getting low, now that's a problem.”

”It's getting low?” She strained against her seat belt to look where he was looking.

”You have a set of gauges, too.” He pointed them out because he'd just realized how distracting it would be to have her hover close like that. Here they were in a life-and-death situation, and he was still mulling over her line about the b.l.o.w. .j.o.b.

Promising s.e.x to Brogan had been a reasonable bargaining chip, and obviously she'd only said that thing about the b.l.o.w. .j.o.b to get his attention. It hadn't worked on Brogan, but Jackson couldn't stop thinking about it. He wondered if Genevieve would have said that regardless of whether she was good at the activity. Probably. Then again . . .

”The gas w low,” she said. ”The way Nick was talking, I thought we'd be going along on idle for a long time.”

”Airplane gas is expensive.” He put his hands loosely on the wheel. ”He probably didn't want to waste any more than he had to. We're already far enough out that we'd be hard to find.”

”But we're not going down, because you're going to turn us around and get us back to land.”

”Yeah.” Now was not the time to tell her he'd crashed the simulator a few times.