Illusion of Luck 36

Chaucey barely caught the 1:15 PM flight on Continental Airlines out of Houston. By the time she found her seat, the door had already been closed and the plane was ready to pull away. There was just enough room in the overhead for her small bag. The teenage boys in the aisle and window seats were thrilled to have a hot chick sitting between them.

Once they were in the air and the seatbelt sign went off, Chaucey got up and headed for the back of the plane. It was nice to get away from the smothering heat of the testosterone twins.

There he was—near the back of the plane in a middle seat.

“Crow?”

He looked up. “Chaucey?”

She leaned over and spoke quietly. “Crow, what are you doing?”

“Going to Orlando.”

“Because you think Barry’s there?”

“Yes.”

The middle aged man in the aisle seat was enjoying a lovely view down Chaucey’s blouse. She sensed that at any moment he might press his face against her cleavage, like a kid at a candy counter.

When she stood up, his neck stretched impossibly long as his eyes followed her breasts.

“Sir, would you mind trading seats with me?”

The expression on his face said he would give up his seat, open the emergency door and jump out of the plane—if that’s what she wanted. “Oh, uh, sure.”

“It’s 18E. Thank you so much.” She was careful to make her smile friendly, but platonic.

He got up and began to walk toward his new seat. She sat down next to Crow.

Then the man came back. “Forgot my headphones.” And before she could get them for him, he reached to the floor, rub­bing his arm against her smooth, firm calf. Then he slid his hand across the top of her thigh and unplugged the wire from the armrest. “Thanks.”

In her mind, she slapped him so hard that he tumbled to the back of the plane and bowled over a couple of flight atten­dants. But he had given up his seat for her, so she smiled and told him he was welcome.

Chaucey turned to Crow and whispered, “So, what were you planning to do—just walk up and strangle him? Or maybe you were gonna knock him down and bang his head on the pave­ment until it split open and his brains fell out. Is that your plan?”

“No…”

“You took off work and hopped on a plane without telling me anything. And your dad thinks the two of us are on some kind of lovers’ retreat. What have you been telling your par­ents?”

“Not that much really.”

“Look, this guy is bad news. You could get yourself killed messing with him. What were you thinking?

“I was thinking that I can’t stand for that cockroach to be running around free after what he did to you.”

“Cockroach, huh?”

Crow couldn’t stop himself from smiling.

“This is nuts, Crow. He’ll never bother me again. So, just forget about it.”

“But what about Greg Tenorly? And his wife—that red­head at the motel? I called Disney World and found out where they’re staying. I wanted to warn them. But they’re not ans­wering the phone.”

“Okay. When we get to Orlando we’ll try calling them again. If there’s still no answer, we’ll go to their room and tell them in person.”

“Good.”

“And then we’ll catch a flight back home. And you will NOT, under any circumstances, go after Barry Undermine. Right?”

“I guess.”

“No. You’ve got to promise.”

She was waiting for him to say something, but what he really wanted to do was to kiss her. “Fine.”

**********

Delta Flight 1595 would begin boarding any minute. Sandy and Rebecca had just arrived in Atlanta thirty minutes earlier. He sat in the waiting area, watching for her to come out of the bathroom. Just five minutes of separation, and he was already missing her.

When she came out and walked toward Sandy, he studied her carefully. What was it about her that made him want to be with her so much?

A little girl was trying to catch up with her mother and sib­lings when she tripped and fell down and began to cry. Rebecca rushed to her side and reassured her until the mother could take over.

She smiled and said ‘hi’ to an old man who looked like he didn’t have one friend in the world. Almost instantly the man had more spring in his step.

How could a woman be so tough and blunt, yet so kind and loving?

Sandy grinned at her. “Everything come out alright?”

She punched him hard in the arm and sat down beside him. “You don’t really think Larry is in Orlando, do you?”

“I hope not, but it’s possible. With the police after him, he’d have to be crazy.”

“But, as we know…”

“Yeah. He is crazy.”

“Did you try calling Greg again?”

“Yeah. His cell phone is still off. But I left a message on their room phone.”

“I thought you were afraid that leaving a message about Larry would spoil their honeymoon?”

“Well, after a little more thought I figured Cynthia dis­ap­pearing again would spoil it even more. And Greg would kill me if that happened and I hadn’t even tried to warn him.”

“So, we’ll go warn them about Larry—and then what?”

“I don’t know. Grab a room somewhere and—“

“—wait a second. Grab a room? As in a single room for the two of us?”

“Sure. Why not? No sense in paying for two.”

“Okay. Now I see what this trip is really about.”

“We can get two beds, if you like.”

“If I like?”

“Strike that. We will get two beds. Okay?”

“Right. One to put our luggage on and the other for you to put yourself on me.”

He smiled slightly. “No, not at all.”

“You dog,” she snarled, but only half-seriously.

“Yes, I am a dog. I’ll admit it. And as such, I will jump your bones at any time of the day or night. But only if you want me to. I’m a gentleman dog.”

“Really? A gentleman dog. Now I’ve heard everything.”

“And I know many commands, such as ‘stay,’ ‘fetch,’ ‘rol­lover,’ and ‘pounce.’”

“Pounce. Is that the one where you—“

“—yes. So, don’t say it now, in front of all these people.” He grinned.

“Sandy, you are one sick puppy.”

He laughed. He certainly was one sick puppy. And he was in puppy love. Or maybe even people love.

**********

Sandy and Rebecca stopped off at the restrooms and then headed for Disney’s Magical Express. Their plane had landed at 5:38 PM—right on schedule. The free bus ride would deliver them to Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort, where Greg and Cyn­thia were staying.

“Won’t be long now. It’s only 35 minutes,” said Sandy.

Then they saw the lines.

Rebecca said, “Yeah—once we actually get on a bus.”

They had been standing in line for just a few minutes when she noticed Sandy staring at the most beautiful woman in the room. “Why don’t you take a picture?”

“I think I know her—and him. But I can’t place them.”

Rebecca took a closer look. “That can’t be Chaucey Reed.”

“Yes! That’s it. And that’s her neighbor.”

“Or boyfriend.”

“Nah. He couldn’t be a boyfriend,” said Sandy.

“I wonder if they’re here for Larry. Let’s go find out.”

Before Sandy could try to stop her, she was ducking under roped aisles to get there. He followed her, feeling guilty all the way, knowing that at any moment some tired, irate vacationer with four young kids would holler, “Hey, you! No breaking in line, Buddy!”

“Thanks for saving our place, Sis.”

When Chaucey felt the arm around her shoulder, she nearly elbowed Rebecca. But she recognized the face from some­where. And the guy seemed familiar too.

Rebecca spoke more softly. “We’re Greg and Cynthia’s friends. We were with Greg the other night at your apartment.”

“Oh, yeah. So, that’s her name—Cynthia.”

“What are you guys doing here?”

“Crow read Barry’s latest chapter and thought he had come here to Disney World.”

“Yeah,” said Rebecca. “That’s the reason we’re here too.”

“Barry’s gonna be sorry he ever messed with Chaucey,” said Crow.

Sandy said, “By the way, his real name is Larry. Larry Luzor.”

“How appropriate,” said Chaucey.

“Yeah,” said Rebecca. “But it’s spelled L-u-z-o-r.”

“I don’t care how you spell it,” said Crow. “I just want to teach him a lesson he’ll never forget.”

Chaucey grabbed him by the arms and made him look her in the eyes. “You mean you want to catch him and hand him over to the police. Right, Crow?”

“Okay. Fine.”

Rebecca whispered into Crow’s ear. “Yeah, and while we’re waiting for the police to come, I’ll give him a swift kick in the groin.”

Crow pictured it and grinned.