V. Dunlap - Crime and Punishment

She continued, “No, there aren’t any more flights out today,” and paused for effect. “No, I made it as far as Miami… Miami, Florida, duh. What’s so funny? What do you mean Adam’s here? Shut up! Seriously!?!?!? Do you know what time he’s supposed to leave? Oh, thank god. Ok, I’ll find him and see you tonight.” She looked up at the gate attendant excitedly, put her hand over the phone and whispered to him.

“Where do the private flights leave from?”

He looked over and cocked his head. “Well, they could leave from any gate; it depends on the type of plane, the pilot…”

She cut him off, “It’s the bride's good friend, Adam Cole,”

He interrupted her, “She is good friends with the Adam Cole, the billionaire? Really?” he said doubtfully.

“Yes.” she answered hoping that she sounded more confident than she felt. “And he has a charter flight leaving tonight and she said he would take me. I just need the gate — she is arranging everything as we speak. Where should I go?” she asked urgently.

Flustered the gate attendant looked at his computer and back up at her. “Well, Mr. Cole is leaving from gate B12, but you aren’t listed as a guest, and I don’t see how…”

His voice trailed off behind her as she closed her phone and darted for Gate B12. She was going to find a way to make this flight no matter what.

She had been double talking, cajoling, demanding and doing whatever she could to find a way onto the charter flight and so far, it had worked. She couldn’t believe her luck as she crossed the distance to the plane. All she had to do was bluff her way on board and she would be in the Cayman Islands in no time.

She didn’t know what she was expecting, but the plane was much smaller than she had thought it would be. She had this idea that the charter would have been for a few people, maybe a business meeting or a family trip, but this plane was downright tiny. She gathered herself and confidently started up the stairs onto the plane, sure that at any second she would be challenged by a stewardess, and her entire plan would be exposed. But when she got to the top, there was complete silence.

She peeked inside and couldn’t believe the luxury. She had thought a charter plane was just a smaller airliner with fewer seats. Instead, the interior looked more like a very comfortable living room. The few seats were overstuffed leather lounge chairs, one on each side to make a couple of small rows. The plane had everything from a bucket of chilled champagne to a full table. For the first time, Lisa began to panic. The flight was so small that she wondered where she could hide and how she was going to keep from being noticed.

“Welcome Aboard.”

Lisa spun around suddenly startled. The man who was standing before her was even more of a surprise. He was tall, nearly a foot taller than she was, with short dark brown hair and even darker eyes. His was muscular, but not overly so, with the kind of body a swimmer would be proud of. His clothes were impeccable from the crisp white button down shirt to his perfectly polished black leather shoes.

She pulled herself together and smiled up at him, realizing that this handsome, well-dressed man was probably the person who chartered the plane. She gathered her courage and hoped that one more bluff would work.

“Adam, oh it’s so good to finally meet you,” she said with a coy smile, “you see, I’m Lisa and…”

Adam cut her off before she could finish. “Yes, I know, Lisa Hudson, on route to the Grand Caymans by whatever way she can manage, including by sneaking onto a private plane.”

He watched her reaction and wondered what she was thinking. He had never met anyone bold enough to try sneaking onto a charter flight. Now she stood there, caught and the only thing she did was close her eyes for a moment a take a deep breath as if she was preparing her next round. Adam smiled to himself, impressed with her courage.

“Here, this way,” he said again. This time his hand slid along her back as he guided toward the large chair in the middle of the plane. He sat down in the large chair, leaving her standing in front of him.

“Well, I have to hand it to you, you worked hard to get aboard this plane, didn’t you?” he asked as he picked up the champagne bottle and eased the cork off with a loud pop. She watched him casually pour a glass and was surprised when handed it to her. He poured another for himself and took a swallow.

Lisa’s looked at him boldly. “How did you find out?” she asked, almost defiantly. “What gave me away?”

She really was something, Adam thought as he drained his glass. He had just told her she was busted and her only question was how he’d caught her. He smiled and refilled his glass before answering.

“Didn’t you wonder why you weren’t stopped?” he said with a smile. “You can’t just announce that you’re a friend of a friend whose friend has a plane and expect the staff to let you on. They aren’t complete idiots you know. There is no easy way to sneak onto a chartered flight. I got the first call just as you left your gate but was curious to see how far you would go. One minor question: how did you plan to get off the plane and through customs?”

She stood there, cheeks turning red with embarrassment, a silent admission that her plan had flaws. “Look, I gave my word that I would be in the Grand Caymans tomorrow afternoon. I would have done whatever it took to get there.”

“Well, I hope that the TSA believes you,” he said simply. “I hear they take sneaking on planes very seriously. I'm not certain, but it may be considered an act of terrorism these days.”

“What? Whoa there,” she said quickly. “I’ll just get off. There’s no problem,” she said stalling to give herself time to think. “I didn't mean any harm,” she continued. “I promised my best friend I’d get to the Grand Caymans, tonight and I can’t let her down. My stupid flight was delayed and I missed my flight by less than 10 minutes. The next flight out is tomorrow evening and by then it will be too late.”

“Why should I believe you?” he asked skeptically. “You snuck onto my plane, lied about who you were, tried to illegally enter another country, and you’re trying to tell me it’s just to meet a friend? You could be a drug mule, for all I know, but in two minutes I won’t have to care. You can work it out with the TSA.” He turned and picked up the telephone handset on the table next to his chair.

“Please,” she begged desperately, “If you let me stay on board I promise you won't regret it.”

Adam’s hand froze. He hadn’t planned on actually calling the TSA. For that matter, the phone was only an intercom to the pilot, but how far could he take this? He decided to see…

“If you had just found me and asked for my help from the beginning I would have said ‘yes’. But now, since you already tried to stow away on my plane, there will be a price,” he said seriously.

Lisa watched him sitting in the chair and thought that although his voice was very serious, he had a certain mocking air about him. She cocked her head and looked at him, wondering just what he was thinking and said, “I don’t have enough money to pay for a private jet or even part of a chartered flight.”

He smiled and his laugh was a smooth rich baritone. “That's not a problem. There are other ways you can pay me for all the trouble you are putting me through.”

His dark eyes scanned her from head to toe as she understood exactly what he had in mind.

“You can’t mean…” she started and stopped, not even sure how to say it.

“Yes, that is exactly what I mean,” he answered with a mischievous grin. “If you want me to cover for you, transfer you onto my flight, and clear up the mess you made sneaking onto my plane, I can do it. But you owe me. While you are on my plane, you are mine. That's my price. Whatever I ask you to do, you will do. Whatever I want to do to you, you will let me do. It's that simple.”