The strange tone in Stacey's voice prompted Earl to change his mind. Rex started for the refrigerator for his usual beer but Stacey stopped him, 'All except you! You still have to fly me home tonight. She politely asked if anyone else cared for a drink before she started, adding that they would probably want one by the time she finished if they didn't get it now. Stacey poured herself a glass of wine from the built-in bar as Andy and Earl entered the lounge. We're about to have an important company meeting.' She countered the advance with the explanation, 'Later, my love. Rex's eyes fluttered open as he smiled sleepily and asked, 'Is this a dream?' Stacey kissed him again and answered, 'What do you think?' Wide awake, now, he reached for her. Stacey knelt beside Rex and kissed him when Andy disappeared through the forward hatch. She would wake Rex, seeing that he was asleep on the plush lounge couch. She elected not to answer his question at that time but asked him to please get Earl from the cockpit for a brief meeting. She did not give him time to step down, nor to even greet her! Instead, she quickly boarded, shut and latched the door behind her. Stacey waited impatiently for the boarding hatch to be unlocked from the inside.

One engine had already been shut down and the ear-shattering whine of the other gradually diminished as the turbine blades coasted without power. The plane had barely come to a halt when she reached it. Stacey's troubled expression changed abruptly to a welcome smile of anticipation when the Horizon's landing lights finally illuminated the country-side on its final approach. Near the Horizon's hangar, she heard a fuel truck crank up to warm its engine during the spare moments before its usual customer was to arrive. As if by magic, blue, amber, and green runway lights suddenly added their sparkle to the dimness of the night while two uniformed runway personnel armed with long flashlights strode briskly past her toward the taxi area. Stacey heard the high-pitched whine of the jet's engines long before she was able to distinguish the plane's position and flight path by picking the approaching strobe lights out of the star spangled midnight sky. Sheįigured Anna must have told the crew to make a northern jag as they had done on their departure.

The Horizon was still 60 miles to the north, less than ten minutes away. She called the tower from the limo phone. It was not like her friends to be late, especially Rex.Ī few minutes later, Stacey's pager sounded. Stacey called the tower and told them to page her when they made radar contact. Ten minutes dragged by without a sign of the jet. He thought nothing odd in the request and leaned casually against the car to have a smoke. She instructed Shawn to wait for them at the car while she briefed her employees on pertinent company business whenever they arrived. Ultimately, she decided a quick, company meeting without Shawn's presence in the privacy of the Horizon would be in order to explain the situation. Even though it was her decision alone, she would still like to entertain their thoughts and opinions. She wondered how they would react to the fact that she had not tried to contact Vince and Anna. Paced back and forth nervously in the balmy night air contemplating the best way to break the news of the kittens' tragic deaths to her trusted friends.

Moons of madness 5 23