Page 74 of Once a Hero

Even as he said it, Beatrice knew he wouldn’t go. Something had happened to him over the years. Something had made him stay home, away from the public, for so long.

Beatrice wished she knew what had happened to Benjamin while she had been away at university.

Who did this to my brother?

Perhaps someday, Benjamin would tell his own story.

Chapter Thirty

After the meal carts were loaded onto the Gulfstream G650, the jet lifted off for Paris, which Beatrice had determined to be the best place for them to wait for the signal from the brooch box.

Jake noticed that there were two flight attendants who took turns serving the meals and cleaning up afterwards. He assumed they had been properly vetted before being allowed on the private jet.

Kenichi made a remark to him that Beatrice could have hired a cook for the kitchen onboard, but since everyone basically ate soup, sandwiches, or microwaved dinners on their flights around the world, Beatrice had saved the money.

Jake couldn’t complain about the free ride and meals. When the flight attended took his order, he asked for a tray of cheese and crackers, figuring he’d eat lunch later—perhaps with Beatrice.

She had gone to her private room to take a nap, leaving Jake bereft of her company. She had made him feel at ease, welcomed him into her team, as though they had been friends for a while.

In the main cabin, he kicked off his shoes and reclined on the leather seat by the window. He sat alone in this space with his burner phone. Kenichi was in the conference room with his computers. Raynelle had disappeared somewhere.

As Jake had stopped taking painkillers this morning, he felt the tight stitches in his thigh. He prayed for quick healing and for no infections to set in.

He texted Earl via an encrypted virtual private network beyond the walls of the airplane. It would have been easier to chat with Earl if Jake had his iPad, but it was way over there in the sleeping quarters and he didn’t feel like limping there and back.

As small dinky phone would have to do.

Notwithstanding his injuries, Earl Young was living the life. Helen had sent a limousine to take him from the hospital to a small airport nearby. There, he would board a puddle jumper to San Francisco where he’d fly home to Savannah in first class.

Jake thanked God that Earl was recovering from his gunshot wound to the gut. It seemed worse than it sounded, the way Earl described it.

In spite of all that, his friend would live.

Thank God.

Sadly, Helen had removed Earl from the project. The next few weeks of his life would be spent hanging out on the beaches of Tybee Island, where he lived in an oceanfront cottage facing the Atlantic Ocean.

Jake would be alone until Helen sent a new partner—if she did at all, and if the project lasted that long. He anticipated another two weeks with Beatrice.

And then they would part ways.

He prayed that he wouldn’t show poor skills in front of her.

He caught himself.

He reminded himself that he should do his best for God rather than for a woman he barely knew…

Whom he had kissed in the coach to San Francisco.

What did Beatrice think about their moment together? Did the kiss mean anything to her?

She hadn’t asked for more. That said something, didn’t it?

In fact, since then, she had talked to him the same way she talked to Kenichi, as platonic friends.

Jake wanted more.

So much more.

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