He checked in at the terminal desk, and they made their way outside to board the plane. The pilot was a guy in his forties named Christopher Conners. Good solid guy, competent pilot. Gage had flown with him before.
“Good to see you again, Mr. Logan,” the pilot said, sunlight glinting off the silver in his dark hair.
“Let’s skip the formalities, Chris. It’s just Gage and Abby.”
Chris smiled. “Great. I’ve got all your bags loaded. If you’re ready, you can go ahead and board. I’ll make my final exterior inspection and get her ready for takeoff.”
Gage helped Abby into the plane through the double cargo doors that were a nice feature of the A36. The tan leather interior was arranged club-seating style, so Gage sat down across from her, giving them both more room.
He clicked on his seat belt as the pilot strapped himself in and began his preflight check. The engines fired, and in minutes, the plane was taxiing down the runway, then lifting into the air.
It was a mild day in the Rockies, with only a few white cumulus clouds in the distance, which made for mostly smooth air. Gage folded down the table so he and Abby could work.
For the past few days, he’d been researching the history and legends surrounding the infamous gold mine in the Superstitions, as well as the Peralta family, who had originally found it, at least according to the legends.
He’d studied past efforts to find the lost mine, read searches documented in journals and books, and tales passed down over the years. No way to know exactly which stories were true, but it was important to have as much background information as possible. He knew Abby had done similar research before she’d walked into his office.
He allowed himself a moment to study her as she stared out the window. She seemed fascinated by the colors and patchwork shapes of the land below, the shadow of the plane moving over the landscape. She wanted to see things, learn things.
She was a seeker of knowledge, same as he was. She was fiery and independent, and he was drawn to her more every day.
He settled back in his seat. He couldn’t have her. Not now. Not until this was over. Once he did, his constant thoughts of her would end, and she’d be just another memory, something he could file away to take out and savor through the years.
He watched the play of sunlight through the window, setting her burnished hair ablaze. Her sweater outlined her tempting breasts, and his palms itched to cup them.
Not yet, he told himself. He was a patient man, or at least he could be when there was something worth waiting for. Gage had a feeling Abby Holland was a memory worth the wait.
They’d been in the air less than three hours when the plane began its descent into the Scottsdale Airport. Maggie had a rental car, a big white Ford Explorer, waiting at the terminal to carry them to Apache Junction. Though Gage was anxious to get underway, Abby insisted on taking photos of the plane, Gage standing next to it, and pictures of the airport terminal.
“What’s our first order of business?” she asked, once they were settled in the SUV, their gear stowed in back.
“Let’s hit the nearest Sportsman’s Warehouse. There’s equipment I need, things you’ll be needing as well.”
“Sounds good.”
Abby pulled up Siri on her iPhone, and the female voice began giving them directions.
“Where’s Mateo?” Abby asked as the big SUV pulled out of the airport parking lot. “I thought he might be meeting us here.”
“He’s already out at the ranch.”
“Tell me about him,” Abby said.
Gage settled back in the driver’s seat. “We met while I was in Guatemala. A family named Castro hired me to find some heirlooms that had disappeared during the colonial period. One of the locals recommended Mateo as a guide. The man knows his way around the natural world like no one I’ve ever seen. Desert. Jungle. Doesn’t matter. It’s like he seamlessly just blends in.”
“Where does he live?”
“Mateo moves around, works wherever he’s needed. We’ve become friends over the years. If I call him, he comes.”
“What exactly does he do for you?”
“He runs the day-to-day operations of the expedition, works with the outfitter, helps him choose a campsite each night, then helps get the camp set up. He’s the most remarkable tracker I’ve ever seen, and he’s got an unbelievable ability to ferret out information from the locals.”
“So basically he takes care of whatever needs to be done.”
“That’s right. Anything that comes up, Mateo handles. You might say he watches my back.” Gage pulled into the parking lot of the big sporting goods store.
“You’ll need a rain slicker and some good above-the-ankle hiking boots,” he said. “Make sure you have a warm jacket, preferably a lightweight puffy style that takes up minimal space. The nights still get cold.”
