positioned himself in the lounge, where he had a view of the runway and
ordered himself a scotch. Just as he was being served, the sleek GenSys
jet swooped in low out of the clouds and touched down. It taxied over to
a position directly in front of Raymond.
It was a beautiful aircraft painted white with a red stripe along its
side. Its only markings were its call sign, N69SU, and a tiny American
flag. Both were on the fin of the tail assembly.
As if in slow motion, a forward door opened and self-contained steps
extended down toward the tarmac. An impeccably dressed steward in
dark-blue livery appeared in the doorway, descended the stairs and
entered the general aviation building. His name was Roger Perry. Raymond
remembered him well. Along with another steward named Jasper Devereau,
he’d been on the plane every trip Raymond had made.
Once inside the building, Roger scanned the lounge. The moment he
spotted Raymond, he walked over and greeted him with a salute.
‘Is this the extent of your luggage, sir?’ Roger asked as he picked up
Raymond’s bag.
‘That’s it,’ Raymond said. ‘Are we leaving already? Isn’t the plane
going to refuel?’ That had been the procedure on previous flights.
‘We’re all set,’ Roger said.
Raymond got to his feet and followed the steward out into the gray, raw
March afternoon. As he approached the luxurious private jet, Raymond
hoped there were people watching him. At times like this, he felt as if
he were living the life that was meant for him. He even told himself
that he was lucky he’d lost his medical license.
‘Tell me, Roger,’ Raymond called out just before they reached the
stairs. ‘Are we full on the flight to Europe?’ On every flight Raymond
had been on, there’d been other GenSys executives.
‘Only one other passenger,’ Roger said. He stepped to the side at the
base of the stairs and gestured for Raymond to precede him.
Raymond smiled as he climbed. With only one other passenger and two
stewards, the flight was going to be even more enjoyable than he’d
anticipated. The troubles that he’d had over the previous few days
seemed a small price to pay for such luxury.
Just inside the plane, he was met by Jasper. Jasper took his overcoat
and jacket and asked if Raymond wanted a drink before takeoff.
‘I’ll wait,’ Raymond said gallantly.
Jasper pulled aside the drape that separated the galley from the cabin.
Swelling with pride, Raymond passed into the main part of the plane. He
was debating which of the deeply cushioned leather chairs to take when
his eyes passed over the face of the other passenger. Raymond froze. At
the same time, he felt a sinking feeling in his gut.
‘Hello, Dr. Lyons. Welcome aboard.’
‘Taylor Cabot!’ Raymond croaked. ‘I didn’t expect to see you.’
‘I suppose not,’ Taylor said. ‘I’m surprised to see myself.’ He smiled
and gestured toward the seat next to him.
Raymond quickly sat down. He berated himself for not taking the drink
Jasper had offered. His throat had gone bone-dry.
‘I’d been informed of the plane’s flight plan,’ Taylor explained, ‘and
since there was a window of opportunity in my schedule, I thought it
wise for me to personally check on our Cogo operation. It was a
last-minute decision. Of course, we’ll be making a stop in Zurich for me
to have a short meeting with some bankers. I hope you won’t find that
inconvenient.’
Raymond shook his head. ‘No, not at all,’ he stammered.
‘And how are things going with the bonobo project?’ Taylor asked.
‘Very well,’ Raymond managed. ‘We’re expecting a number of new clients.
In fact, we’re having trouble keeping up with demand.’
‘And what about that regrettable episode with Carlo Franconi?’ Taylor
enquired. ‘I trust that has been successfully dealt with.’
‘Yes, of course,’ Raymond sputtered. He tried to smile.
‘Part of the reason I’m making this trip is to be reassured that project
is worth supporting,’ Taylor said. ‘My chief financial officer assures
me that it is now turning a small profit. But my operations officer has
reservations about jeopardizing our primate research business. So, I
have to make a decision. I hope you will be willing to help me.’