and see what we find out.” He looked at the older woman and said something to her. She smiled and nodded, happiness shining from her face.
“What did you tell her?” Bethanne asked.
“That she was an asset in saving his life. It was providence that she was here and had Haile not left, things might have turned out differently.”
“Helps with her guilt over Haile’s defection, I’m sure,” Bethanne said.
A cab drove up as he was speaking. The driver stopped near the plane and quickly got out, speaking to Rashid.
“Our transportation,” he said.
“That was fast.”
“I had one of the medical personnel radio for a cab. It’ll take us to the hospital and I can decide our next move after I see how Alexes is doing.”
“Will the plane be okay here?” Bethanne asked. They were on the far end of the airport tarmac. There were no personnel around and no fencing or other protection for the plane. Still, it was a small airport and so far off the beaten track, Bethanne couldn’t imagine anyone wanting to harm the aircraft.
“It will be fine.”
The cab was a standard sedan. Comfortable, but a far cry from the limo she’d been using. Oh, oh, she warned herself, don’t be expecting that kind of luxury in the future.
When they arrived at the hospital, Alexes had already been cleared through the emergency room and was in a private room, with a nurse in constant attendance. Bethanne sat in the waiting room with Fatima while Rashid dealt with the paperwork. When he returned, she stood.
“Is he going to be all right?” she asked.
“Too early to tell, the doctor said.” He looked worried. “I called the office to notify his family. If they wish to come here to be with him, I’ll arrange for transportation.”
Bethanne glanced around at the small facility. “Is this place equipped to deal with his situation?” she asked softly.
“It is not the latest in medical technology, but fortunately the doctors on staff are proficient. He will get good care here. Once he’s stabilized, we can fly him back to Alkaahdar.”
“And in the meantime?”
“We’ll stay. Until we know something for certain.”
He spoke to Fatima, who nodded.
“We’ll find a hotel and check in. Then lunch. It’s past one. Then you two can rest until we learn more about Alexes.”
When they met for lunch on the small veranda of the hotel on the square, Bethanne wished she had something to wear besides her uniform. It still looked fresh and would have to do, but the warmth of the day had her wishing for one of the summer dresses in the closet at the villa. Something more feminine than a navy shirt and khaki pants.
Rashid sat at one of the tables. She joined him and he rose as she approached.
“Fatima decided to have lunch in her room. She wishes to lie down afterward,” he said as he held the chair for Bethanne. “I think the excitement is catching up with her.”
“I hope the situation didn’t give her a fear of flying,” she said.
“We’re safe—that’s what counts. I ordered already—a light lunch since it is so late. We’ll eat here tonight if we don’t have definite word about Alexes before then.”
Bethanne nodded. She hoped the other pilot would recover quickly, and be ready to fly again soon. For a moment she wondered what she’d do if she ever had to stop flying. She loved it so much, it would be a drastic change for her life.
The entire situation spooked her a bit. If Alexes had been flying solo, he could have crashed and no one would likely know why. Is that what happened to her father? A crash in some lonely location that no one had found?
“I hope he’s going to be okay.” She felt an immediate affinity to the older pilot. She hoped he recovered from whatever hit him and could continue flying.
Once they were served, Rashid asked if her room was to her liking.
“It’s clean and neat and overlooks the square. Charming, actually.”
“Not like the villa.”
“Nice in its own way,” she
“What did you tell her?” Bethanne asked.
“That she was an asset in saving his life. It was providence that she was here and had Haile not left, things might have turned out differently.”
“Helps with her guilt over Haile’s defection, I’m sure,” Bethanne said.
A cab drove up as he was speaking. The driver stopped near the plane and quickly got out, speaking to Rashid.
“Our transportation,” he said.
“That was fast.”
“I had one of the medical personnel radio for a cab. It’ll take us to the hospital and I can decide our next move after I see how Alexes is doing.”
“Will the plane be okay here?” Bethanne asked. They were on the far end of the airport tarmac. There were no personnel around and no fencing or other protection for the plane. Still, it was a small airport and so far off the beaten track, Bethanne couldn’t imagine anyone wanting to harm the aircraft.
“It will be fine.”
The cab was a standard sedan. Comfortable, but a far cry from the limo she’d been using. Oh, oh, she warned herself, don’t be expecting that kind of luxury in the future.
When they arrived at the hospital, Alexes had already been cleared through the emergency room and was in a private room, with a nurse in constant attendance. Bethanne sat in the waiting room with Fatima while Rashid dealt with the paperwork. When he returned, she stood.
“Is he going to be all right?” she asked.
“Too early to tell, the doctor said.” He looked worried. “I called the office to notify his family. If they wish to come here to be with him, I’ll arrange for transportation.”
Bethanne glanced around at the small facility. “Is this place equipped to deal with his situation?” she asked softly.
“It is not the latest in medical technology, but fortunately the doctors on staff are proficient. He will get good care here. Once he’s stabilized, we can fly him back to Alkaahdar.”
“And in the meantime?”
“We’ll stay. Until we know something for certain.”
He spoke to Fatima, who nodded.
“We’ll find a hotel and check in. Then lunch. It’s past one. Then you two can rest until we learn more about Alexes.”
When they met for lunch on the small veranda of the hotel on the square, Bethanne wished she had something to wear besides her uniform. It still looked fresh and would have to do, but the warmth of the day had her wishing for one of the summer dresses in the closet at the villa. Something more feminine than a navy shirt and khaki pants.
Rashid sat at one of the tables. She joined him and he rose as she approached.
“Fatima decided to have lunch in her room. She wishes to lie down afterward,” he said as he held the chair for Bethanne. “I think the excitement is catching up with her.”
“I hope the situation didn’t give her a fear of flying,” she said.
“We’re safe—that’s what counts. I ordered already—a light lunch since it is so late. We’ll eat here tonight if we don’t have definite word about Alexes before then.”
Bethanne nodded. She hoped the other pilot would recover quickly, and be ready to fly again soon. For a moment she wondered what she’d do if she ever had to stop flying. She loved it so much, it would be a drastic change for her life.
The entire situation spooked her a bit. If Alexes had been flying solo, he could have crashed and no one would likely know why. Is that what happened to her father? A crash in some lonely location that no one had found?
“I hope he’s going to be okay.” She felt an immediate affinity to the older pilot. She hoped he recovered from whatever hit him and could continue flying.
Once they were served, Rashid asked if her room was to her liking.
“It’s clean and neat and overlooks the square. Charming, actually.”
“Not like the villa.”
“Nice in its own way,” she
Similar Books
