her—even though they rarely saw each other. She knew he’d known, but the plans they’d made—for someday—would be carried out solo now. She had his memory and his love of flying. It would have to be enough.
“Thank you for bringing me. I will honor the secret. I would do nothing to hurt your mother,” she said as they walked slowly back through the cemetery.
“Her behavior could be better toward you.”
“She doesn’t like me. That’s okay. She doesn’t need to.” Bethanne stopped at the gate, the hired car only a few yards away.
“Truth always comes out. I’m glad you found out before I left. And told me. If I hadn’t been able to wrangle the flight to deliver the plane, I would never have gotten to know you, and that would have been my loss. I’m grateful for all you’ve done for me. I wish you the best life has to offer, Rashid.”
He studied her for a moment. This was the time for him to say something, if there was anything to say. He merely inclined his head.
“And you, Bethanne.”
Bethanne summoned a smile and turned, walking swiftly to the car. There was nothing left to say.
When the jet landed in Alkaahdar, she finalized all the details for leaving the plane near the private hangar. Taking her bag, she saw Rashid had already disembarked. She carefully withdrew the beautiful dress from her case, along with the shoes and golden necklace. Putting them on the sofa, she was sure they wouldn’t be overlooked. Glancing around once more, she smiled. This jet was the best Starcraft had to offer. She knew Rashid would get years of service from it. She’d think about him from time to time, imagining him flying high in the plane. And she’d remember the times they’d flown together.
“Bless this aircraft and all who fly it,” she murmured before leaving.
When she reached the tarmac, she looked around for a conveyance to take her to the main terminal. She had a flight to Texas to catch.
CHAPTER NINE
“SO THE deal is signed,” Khalid said.
“It is. We begin to implement next week,” Rashid returned. He looked up from his desk. “What are you doing here?”
“Came to say goodbye for a while. I’m heading inland on another consultation job for a new field opening up. I’ll be gone a few weeks, probably.”
“The Hari fields?”
Khalid nodded, walking around the office. He touched one of the statues on the bookcase, then went to the window.
“Where’s your pilot?”
“She’s not my pilot.”
Khalid turned at that. “You could have fooled me. You seemed as besotted with her as you were with Marguerite.”
“Then that should have told you something.”
“Only I don’t think Miss Bethanne Sanders is anything like Marguerite.”
“Don’t bet the oil field on it,” Rashid said.
Khalid raised an eyebrow in silent question.
Rashid hesitated, but Khalid was his twin.
“She wanted something from me after all.”
“Money?”
He shrugged. Hesitating a moment, he looked up. “She said she loved me. Once.”
Khalid stopped and stared at his twin.
“And that’s a problem because?”
“She was trying to get info on Hank.”
“That must have hit her hard, when she learned you thought he’d stolen the plane.”
Sighing at the inevitability, Rashid related the entire story to his brother.
“I wanted you to remember our father with love. How honorable was it for him to have another family?” Khalid said. “I never expected anyone from Hank’s family to show up. Was she hurt when she discovered his death?”
He shook his head. “I believe she’d known all along, just kept hoping. I’m the one in the wrong, accusing her father of theft when it was ours who acted dishonorably. Did you ever meet her? Our sister? What was she like?”
“I didn’t know about her until after her death,” Khalid said. “Father had pictures of her. He loved her mother and her. I have the photos. You can look at them if you wish.”
“So there is love in the world,” Rashid said.
“Which doesn’t always bring happiness. Do you think any of them were happy?”
“Maybe the daughter, cherished by both her parents.”
“At least he went after the love he wanted. Ever think you should have gone after Marguerite?”
Rashid shook his head. “But I’m thinking of going after Bethanne.”
“Why not?” Khalid asked.
“You’re suggesting that I should? I thought you didn’t like her.”
“I like her fine. I was worried she was after something else. But if she wanted closure about her father, that’s different.”
“She doesn’t care about me—she only wanted to find out about her father.”
“There were other ways to do that than pretend to be