“Why does that name sound familiar?” Maverick asked, knotting hisbrow.
“Alexandra ReedMitus. Colton’ssister.”
“Ah, hell. She left la-laland?”
“Temporarily.”
Maverick slapped Crockett’s back. “I hope it works out. You’ve had a thing for that womanfor—”
“For fuckingever.”
The two menlaughed.
“C’mon in,” said Maverick. “I’ll grab myteam.”
The metal structure resembled a Quonset hut. Maverick opened the front door and they walked inside. The open space housed one large conference table with several chairs, and enough vacant floor space to line up the crafts on the cementflooring.
Crockett admired the Eagle, three Falcons, and six Spy Flies like a proud papa. After introductions, Maverick’s eight-person team collected their assigned aircraft and set off for the landing strip three hundred feet from thebuilding.
Over the next three hours, Maverick’s ground pilots put each of the devices through a series of rigorous tests. The aircraft soared, hovered, dove, glided and landed without a glitch. This group of aircraft had responded with the precision expected from a Wilde Innovations’s product. Even so, the angst surrounding the failed aircraft still hung over his head like a threatening stormcloud.
After each drone passed its final test, Maverick paired his pilots to fly the crafts in tandem. The majority of his personnel used military-grade tablets, two directed the crafts via cell phones, and one used a hand-held transmitterbase.
When the rigorous flights had been completed, Maverick signed off on each one and shot Crockett a grin. “You’ve got some damned good products, brother. I’d be a paper-pusher dreaming of this life if it wasn’t foryou.”
“Thanks. You were born for the thrill of action. Hell, you live for danger. You would have found your adventure without me. But I am relieved they flew asdirected.”
As the team headed back toward the building to ready the craft for shipment, Maverick pulled Crockett aside. “Relax. These babies performed flawlessly. My rogue Eagle was a one-off. You’ve got nothing to worryabout.”
But Crockett knew differently. “Thanks for including me today,” he said and extended his hand. Per usual, Maverick bear-hugged him instead. “You’re like a damned teddybear.”
“Aw, shucks, that’s what all the girls say,” saidMaverick.
“I’ve got to getback.”
“Meeting yourgirl?”
Crockett smiled. “Yeah and I’m runninglate.”
* * *
Alexandra parallel parkedinthe only available spot on her block. Glancing down the street at the darkened house, relief washed over her. She’d been worried the partygoers would still be there, but the streets had been plowed and the mild temperatures had turned the remaining snow into a slushymess.
Ten minutes after five.Crockett’s late.She shoved her hand into her bag to fish out her cell, but it wasn’t in its usual spot. After digging through the contents, she confirmed the phone was missing. And it wasn’t in her coat pockets either. “Dammit. I left it at work or at themechanic.”
Since the house was dark, she let herself in and flipped on the living room light. The room was neat; the drunken fools long gone. Eager to get packed, she trotted upstairs and into her bedroom. Though anxious about moving in with Crockett, she would not miss thisplace.
Tossing her coat and handbag on the bed, she pulled her suitcase and carry-on bag out from beneath her bed. To save time, she’d leave everything from her closet on hangers. Working quickly, she opened bureau drawers, grabbed her undergarments and loaded up the suitcase. The last drawer was filled with several masks. As she set those in the bag, the stairs creaked. Her blood rancold.
“Crockett?” She stilled. “Is thatyou?”
A shadow darkened the staircase wall and her heart rate skyrocketed. Ben appeared, beer bottle in hand. His lascivious grin sent adrenaline spiking through her. Standing in the doorway, he blocked her only escape route. “I’ve been waiting foryou.”
Though she tasted the panic, she hitched her hands on her hips. He glanced at her chest. “Get lost,Ben.”
“Relax, baby.” He stepped into the room and set the bottle on the bureau. When she tried to run past him, he grabbed her and shoved her against the wall. “You’re not going anywhere.” He pressed his palms to the wall, sandwiching herin.
She gagged from the stench of stale beer mixed with his pungent body odor. “My boyfr—fiancé—will be here any minute. You’d better let mego.”