Flight to Paradise (Flight Trilogy, Book 1) (6 page)

I
must
be
honest
,
when
I
heard
you
met
someone
,
it
broke
my
heart
.
I
have
always
thought
that
we
would
one
day
be
together
,
but
I
would
never
stand
in
the
way
of
your
happiness
.

In
July
,
I
will
be
transferring
to
California
.
I
would
love
to
see
you
.

Don’t
feel
like
you
need
to
write
back
.
After
I
move
,
I
will
forward
my
new
address
to
your
mother
.
If
you
feel
like
talking
,
please
call
me
. (
954
)
122
-
1977
.

Love
,

Keri

P
.
S
.
I
adopted
a
Westie
(
West
Highland
White
Terrier
)
to
keep
me
company
.
I
named him Bill
,
after
the
Naval
Academy
mascot
.
He
doesn’t
look
much
like
a
goat
,
but
he
is
cute
.
In
a
special
way
,
he
reminds
me
of
you
.
I
never
stopped
thinking
about
you
.

CHAPTER 7

A
week
later
—
Friday
,
May
27
,
1983

The minute Ryan walked into the condo, Rex said, “Hey, buddy, did you have a good day?”

Ryan headed for the kitchen. “I’m beat.”

“Dude, I put the mail on the bar. You got a letter from that chick…Karen? Kathy? Oh frap, man, I forget her name.”

“Keri?”

“Yeah, that’s her.”

Ryan flipped through several bills before seeing it. The address on the front of the envelope was definitely her handwriting

“Is that the one?”

“Finally.”

“Great! I’m going to jump in the shower.”

When Ryan opened the letter, he expected a hand-written note, but instead, it was typed.

May
27
,
1983

Ryan
,

I
received
your
letter
.
It
was
sweet
of
you
to
write
.
I’m
glad
to
hear
you're
doing
well
.
Knowing
how
dangerous
your
job
is
,
I
never
stopped
praying
for
you
.

It
has
been
a
long
time
and
many
things
have
happened
since
we
last
saw
each
other
—
good
things
.
After
I
graduated
from
college
,
I
decided
to
apply
for
a
job
with
the
airlines
.
I
thought
it
would
be
fun
to
travel
.

Ryan
,
I
met
someone
.
He
is
a
very
special
man
.
His
name
is
Bill
.
I
am
sure
you
will
approve
.
We
have
been
dating
for
about
two
years
and
are
seriously
talking
about
marriage
.
He
is
an
airline
pilot
.

I
wish
you
the
best
and
am
sure
the
perfect
girl
is
out
there
for
you
.
The
next
time
I'm
in
California
,
I'll
give
you
a
call
.
It
would
be
great
to
catch
up
.
I
also
can’t
wait
for
you
to
meet
Bill
.

Tell
your
mom
hi
for
me
.

Love
,

Keri

He read the letter a second time, pausing in spots.

many
things
have
happened
since
we
last
saw
each
other
—
good
things
….
I
met
someone
….
We
have
been
dating
for
about
two
years
and
are
seriously
talking
about
marriage
.

He crumpled the paper into a ball and tossed it in the trash. “I
knew
I should have never contacted her. What was I thinking?”

Rex appeared with only a towel wrapped around his waist. “Dude, did she send us a picture? Should I get my harpoon?”

“I should have known. She’s dating someone…has been for the past two years. She’s talking about getting married.”

“I’m sorry, dude.” Rex walked over and patted him on the back. “Hey, buddy, it’s just one chick. Hundreds of gorgeous babes are out there begging you to give them a chance.” His tone lifted with enthusiasm. “Listen, tomorrow I’m going to take you to my favorite beach. It's a magical place. Dude, you won’t
believe
the babes!” He smiled. “Your good buddy Rex is gonna take care of you. Trust me. Before the sun sets tomorrow, you’ll have forgotten all about Keri. She’s no good for you. Dude, look at me.” He stepped back and pointed at himself with both hands. “The Rexter knows.”

Ryan stared at Rex. What was there to lose? He needed to forget Keri. If there were anything there, she would have waited for him, even though he had been a jerk for not keeping in touch. “Yeah, sure. Why not?”

Rex patted him on the back. “That’s my man.”

Ryan went into his bedroom and stretched out on the bed. His mind repeated Rex’s words:
Before
the
sun
sets
tomorrow
…He couldn’t stop his thoughts from journeying into the past. He remembered the note Keri stuffed in his pocket that night—their last night together.

He
had
kept
it
…
but
where
?
His
Bible
!

He sprung up, trying to remember where he might have put his Bible. He seldom read it, but his mother had given it to him when he was in high school. He kept it for sentimental reasons.

He rummaged through a box of books in his closet and found it. He fanned the thin pages releasing several pieces of paper to the floor. It only took a glance to spot the note, folded just as Keri had done before slipping it into his pocket that night. The sight of it flooded him with memories—good and bad.

June
23
,
1974

Dear
Ryan
,

I
believe
if
we
are
meant
to
be
together
,
nothing
can
keep
us
apart
.
As
long
as
I
live
,
I
will
patiently
wait
on
each
sunrise
and
follow
each
sunset
into
tomorrow
,
for
I
believe
it
is
the
path
of
the
sun
that
will
lead
us
to
our
hopes
and
dreams
.
Promise
me
that
you
will
never
lose
hope
in
tomorrow
.

I
love
you
,

Keri

He re-read:

As
long
as
I
live
,
I
will
patiently
wait
on
each
sunrise
and
follow
each
sunset
into
tomorrow
,
for
I
believe
it
is
the
path
of
the
sun
that
will
lead
us
to
our
hopes
and
dreams
…

His mother’s words echoed in his head, “Two souls that are meant to be together can never be separated.”

He put the note back in his Bible, tossed it into the box, and slammed the closet door closed.

“Well, mom, I guess it just wasn’t meant to be.”

CHAPTER 8

Saturday
,
May
28
,
1983

Behind the wheel of his red, 1983, Porsche cabriolet, Rex exited Interstate 5 and joined Route 75, launching them onto the two-mile-long, award winning, San Diego-Coronado Bridge.

The distinctive curve and soaring sweep ascended the Porsche two hundred feet above San Diego Bay, high enough for even the tallest of the Navy’s ships to pass under.

While in the curve, at the top of the bridge, Rex yelled out over the wind and wail of the engine, “You see the big building with the red shingled roof?”

“Yeah.”

“That’s the Del.”

“Nice.” Ryan nodded. The distinctive architecture of red-tiled cupolas and turrets rising from the water’s edge invoked the grandeur of a European fairy-tale castle to ensure upper crust guests from around the world felt at home.

They joined the quiet beach town on 3rd Street, turned left on Orange Avenue, and cruised through the exclusive and affluent downtown area to the ocean’s edge before turning into the entrance to the hotel.

“Just remember…blend,” Rex said. He downshifted the Porsche, raising the hum of the engine an octave, and wheeled under the protective cover. Valets rushed to both sides of the car.

“We’re meeting some clients,” Rex told the attendant. “Should only be a few hours.”

“Yes sir.”

They proceeded up the steps to the grand hotel, each carrying a small bag containing the essentials for a day on the beach. A refreshing breeze circulated throughout the large lobby. A three-tiered chandelier hung from the ceiling, two levels high. The second level was open to the lobby, bordered by a dark wooden balcony rail, matching the masterfully crafted ceilings and paneled walls. A birdcage elevator with brass telescoping doors, hand-operated by an attendant, gave the modern day Victorian hotel a feel of the past. The charm of the old hotel made it easy to picture its storied and romantic past; a favorite spot of presidents, royalty, and celebrities, for more than 100 years.

Rex strutted through the lobby as if he owned the place. “Follow me. We can change in the men’s room down the hall.”

After changing, he picked up a couple of towels embroidered with the hotel crest and name. He tossed a towel to Ryan. “Dude. Throw that over your shoulder. Makes us look like guests.” They headed off through a set of double doors at the rear of the hotel opening to an adjoining terrace overlooking the grassy expanse of Windsor Lawn; the Pacific Ocean as the backdrop.

Just as Rex had promised, the broad white beach was “target rich.” They stood a minute in the sand and surveyed the area—doubles everywhere. “Dude, what’d I tell you?” Rex reached up and pivoted his sunglasses from atop his head to the bridge of his nose. “Follow me.”

After walking a few hundred feet, Rex stopped and put his hand on Ryan’s shoulder. “Now, buddy, I want you to forget about that chick in Florida…Carol.”

“Her name is, Keri.”

“Whatever, you don’t need her.” He turned and continued to plod through the sand toward the ocean. “Today is your day, and your life is about to change. I’m going to find you the hottest babe in SoCal.”

It didn’t take Rex long to spot his first two targets. “Over there…two o’clock…a blond and a brunette…late twenties. Watch the master work.”

Rex used his God-given attributes to his advantage: from his “pretty-boy smile” to his quick humor. But sadly, at times, Ryan would embarrassingly watch, as Rex teased the less-attractive girls with his flirtatious advances, simply for sport. The poor girls didn’t have a chance. Rex viewed it as human target practice, like a gunnery range for testing new ammunition. Masked with a deceptive facade, he fleeced the wavering emotions of his, not so beautiful, young victims, and left them violated and brokenhearted.

With each step closer, his heart pounded louder. What would he say? That’s when he found security in Rex as his lead-man. He was smooth. He had heard him use the same lines hundreds of times before, but only on rare occasion was he not able to have the girls eating out of his hand in a matter of minutes. Like a skilled magician, he captivated his audience with ease.