Page 39 of Degrees of Control
Once inside, I call the front desk and ask for the number of Mikael’s catamaran service remembering Chase telling me about him giving the tourists helicopter tours and starting his own flight instruction classes.
“Thank you,” I say, hanging up once I have his number and quickly punching it into the landline on the bedside table. A young woman answers the call and I ask for Mikael.
“I’m sorry, but he is with clients at the moment,” she says.
“This is urgent. Could you please get a message to him? I am calling on behalf of Chase Prestian. We are in dire need of assistance to fly a helicopter,” I say, again surprised at how easily the lies flow off of my tongue.
“Chase Prestian? Please, remain on the line and I will find him,” she says, putting me on hold and subjecting me to eighties sounding elevator music. It seems like hours and hours, although the clock has barely moved moments before he comes onto the line.
“Mikael here, who am I speaking with?” he asks.
“Mikael, this is Katarina. We met on the catamaran with Chase Prestian. He’s in trouble and I need a helicopter ride out to his yacht. They left about forty minutes ago. Can we catch them?” I ask.
There is a slight pause on the other end of the phone. “Mikael, I need to know now if you can help, otherwise, I will find someone else,” I say.
“Yes, of course, I would do anything for Chase. I was only trying to determine which helicopter to take. If time is of the essence, we will take the one Chase owns and has here on the island this week. The Augusta 169 can move at about 311 kilometers per hour. We should be able to catch up to them fairly easily.”
“I will come by taxi and be there shortly then, thanks Mikael,” I say, hanging up and calling the number for the taxi listed on the hotel brochure. I look down at the sundress and sandals that I have on and quickly slip the only pair of jeans I brought, a tank top, a pair of flats, a hair tie and hat into my fashionably oversized purse and leave the suite.
“Sheldon, I’m going to go down to get a coffee and then can we drive the jeep out to the rocks? I’d like to take some pictures before we leave and maybe that will take my mind off of everything going on,” I say.
“Sure thing, Kate,” he says, texting a message presumably to someone that will pull the car around. I stop by the coffee shop, purchase a hazelnut decaffeinated coffee and then head into the restroom. Once in the stall, I divest myself of my sundress and sandals before I slip into the tank top and jeans from my purse. I pull my hair into a bun and tuck it into the purple crocheted beret that I brought for the trip home to Chicago. I shove my sundress and sandals into my purse and come out of the stall to look at myself in the mirror.
I toss my recently purchased coffee into the garbage, walk out of the restroom and purposely try not to look for security, only intent on reaching the doors and the awaiting taxi. I give the driver Mikael’s address, and only after we are on our way do I dare to glance back at the Ridalgo entrance. No sign of security or anything suspicious. I sit back into the seat, breathing deeply, trying to steady the racing of my heart.
The cabby navigates the island drive easily and it is only a matter of minutes before he is pulling off the main road and toward a coastal drive. I thank the cabbie and pay him, before walking the short distance toward Mikael who is standing outside of his catamaran shop scanning the distance. “Mikael, it’s me, Katarina,” I say, taking the purple hat off and letting my hair down as I approach.
“Forgive me, I did not recognize you at first glance. We must hurry if you wish to catch up to the yacht. Chase is a very good friend and I wish to help however I can,” he says as we head to the helicopter that has the Prestian logo emblazoned on its side.
There is already a pilot onboard and I look to Mikael in surprise, having assumed he would be flying and that there would just be the two of us.
“Chase had the helicopter stored here last week in the event it was needed. It’s just a standby as his yacht is equipped with a small craft, but if Chase is in trouble I want Monty to fly. That will free me up to assist Chase once we are there,” he says.
“I really appreciate your kindness and dedication to Chase. I’m sorry to have put you in this position, but didn’t know who else to call,” I say.
“Come, we need to get in the air,” he says as we board and he speaks to the pilot in another language. It’s not long before we are in the air, flying over the people dotted along the coast and veering out to sea. I anxiously scan the turquoise horizon for a sign of Chase’s yacht and after what seems like forever am rewarded with the distant outline of a microscopic yacht in the distance.
“We’re going to put down, but they want us down and back up in the air as quickly as possible,” the pilot yells to Mikael.
“Roger that. I will get off with Katarina,” Mikael shouts over the noise of the craft. The minute the helicopter touches the yacht’s helipad he takes me by the arm, assisting me into the strong wind of the Caribbean which has been made worse by the whirling blades of the Augusta. We make our way across the deck towards Dereck, one of Chase’s security guards, who is walking towards us. He takes my arm and hurries us along the deck and into the main cabin as the pilot lifts off and makes a turn to head back to the island.
“Kate, what are you doing here? We’ve got teams out searching the entire island for you,” he says.
“I’m looking for Chase. Where is he?” I ask.
“Kate, he isn’t onboard,” he says, running his hand through his hair, looking from me to Mikael.
“What do you mean? Where the hell is he?” I ask.
“Kate, the team was never on the yacht. Everyone just assumed they were onboard, which is exactly what we wanted. I really can’t say too much more,” he says.
“I want to be with him, Dereck. At least, tell me how to get ahold of him.”
“I have already sent Jay a secure message to let them know you are on the yacht. Jay wants you to remain below deck until further notice. The pilot didn’t mention Mikael was with you, so they aren’t aware of that,” he says.
“Chase is a dear friend. If he is in trouble I want to help,” Mikael says to Dereck.
“Thank you, sir,” Dereck says to the older man. “We’ll get things figured out and don’t worry, Kate. Chase should call soon,” he says.
