You know Dad would turn in his grave, right?
My shoulders shake with a silent laugh.
I know, but the kid likes what the kid likes.
And you, as his father, need to educate him.
All in good time, brother. We need to get him on side first.
So how many tickets you want?
Me, the kid and Rose. Get yourself one if you want to come.
I’ll see what I can do.
I send off another text to Magnus
Flying back to Rome. Still no leads.
My patience is wearing thin, Bianchi. I was told you were the best in the business, but I’m thinking I could do a better job myself.
Be my guest, but your wife clearly doesn’t want to be found. Could she have moved to the States?
You should know. That’s what I’m paying you for.
The next text is to my cousin Matteo.
I’ll meet you at the airport this afternoon.
I slide my phone into my jacket pocket and grip the armrest as the plane approaches the runway. The baby’s screams turn into shouts from my comrades as the helicopter comes crashing down…
The screech of rotors dying. Metal tearing apart.
Blood in my mouth.
Voices screaming for help before the smoke swallowed them whole.
I blink, the plane tilting, and for a second I'm back on the helicopter—trapped. Alone.
“Sir?” a flight attendant says.
I glance around at everyone’s eyes on me and when I look out the window, there are clouds. “What happened?” My heart races and a sheen of sweat coats my cold skin.
“You had some sort of seizure. Do you have a medical condition, sir?” She hands me a bottle of water.
“No. I’m fine, just a bad case of PTSD.” I guzzle the water down, drinking half the bottle in one go.
“Can I get you anything else, sir?”
“Grace. I need Grace.”
“She’s in business class, sir.”
“I need her, damn it.” I reign my voice in, not meaning to sound like an arse. “Just tell her to get out here.”
“Yes, sir.” She shimmies down the aisle to the front of the plane where business class is and disappears behind the curtain.
I lost brothers up there. I lost pieces of myself. And I’ll be damned if I lose Rose too. Not again. I close my eyes, taking deep breaths as I try to calm myself down. My fingers feel for the gum in my pocket and I pull a piece out and pop it in my mouth.
