Free Blue Velvet by Iris Johansen

Most people liked Jeffrey even if they didn’t approve of him. Beau, however, had displayed a very puzzling coldness and resentment toward him. “He’s a very proud man.”
    “And?”
    “A year or so ago he was talking about opening an interisland charter service. It never came to anything, but it’s really just the kind of thing Jeffrey would be good at. He’s a very good pilot and can land on a dime in all kinds of rough country.”
    “I can see where he’d gain a certain amount of expertise in that area,” Beau said with an ironic smile. “What is all this leading up to?”
    “Santa Isabella would be a perfect base of operations for a charter service. Besides the wealthy plantation owners there’s a plush hotel and resort that opened recently on the other side of the island.” She rushed on. “There’s only one difficulty. We had to leave the Cessna on Castellano. I’ll have to go back and get it.”
    “What!”
    Oh dear, his face was darkening more by the second. “He needs the plane to start a charter service. I’ll have to ferry it from Castellano to Marianna’s coffee plantation.” She was speaking rapidly, careful not to look at him. “It shouldn’t take long. You can drop me off and then sail back here to Santa Isabella. As soon asI’ve delivered the plane, I’ll come directly to the pier and you can send the dinghy for me.”
    “Oh, I can?” Beau asked with deceptive calmness. “You have it all planned out. I take it you can fly a plane and land it on a dime as well as Jeffrey can?”
    “I’m pretty good,” she admitted. “Not as good as he is, of course, but I’ve been flying since I was fourteen. Julio’s only been flying for the last two years and he’s amazingly competent for the number of hours he’s logged,” she explained earnestly. “Jeffrey never let us become involved in any of his jobs, but we sometimes had to ferry the Cessna from one place to another.”
    “If he was often in the state he was in last night, I can see the reason why,” Beau said grimly.
    “Jeffrey didn’t use to drink like that,” Kate protested. “It’s only lately that he’s been—”
    “I couldn’t care less about your friend’s drinking habits.” Beau was holding on to his patience with no little effort. “Nor Julio’s dazzling expertise in the cockpit. I’m wholly concerned with this insanity of yours about going back to Castellano.”
    “It’s not insane, it’s essential,” Kate said stubbornly. “Jeffrey’s going to need that plane and it’s really my fault he doesn’t have it. I should have thought of a way of getting us off the island in the Cessna to begin with.” She sighed. “You’re right. I’m too impulsive. I should have planned it all out ahead of time.”
    “And this isn’t impulsive?” Beau exploded, his eyes blazing. “My Lord, you’ve just destroyed millions of dollars’ worth of Despard’s drugs in addition to bashing him on the head with a bourbon bottle. You say he’s hand in glove with the government of Castellano, so if by any chance he doesn’t get you, the authorities would be sure to. Yet you calmly tell me you’re going to walk back there and retrieve a piece of misplaced property? You’re damned right it’s crazy!”
    “Don’t worry, I’m not going to involve you this time,” she said soothingly. “All you have to do is drop me off in Castellano and then pick me up in Santa Isabella.” She met his eyes gravely. “I’m not trying to back out of our agreement. I just have to do this first.”
    “I’m well aware you’d probably cut yourthroat rather than break your promise,” he said through his teeth. “And you don’t need to worry about ‘protecting’ me. You may have this need to be a little mother to Brenden and the whole world, but just leave me out of it. I can take care of myself.” He drew a deep breath. “And I can take care of you too. Since no one else seems capable of the job, I’m obviously elected.