Behind the Lies (A Montgomery Justice Novel) Read Online Free PDF Page B

club?”
    Yeah, funny guy. The controller barked out instructions. Zach set the altimeter and heading, then sifted through the captain’s flight bag and found the aircraft operations manual. “At least I have step-by-step instructions,” Zach muttered.
    His head ached at the number of pages. He didn’t have much time. He skimmed the section on normal operations. Like thiswas normal. Reading the manual the first time twenty minutes from landing made even the adrenaline junkie in him sweat.
    “Camelot three-two-nine, descend to twelve thousand feet, turn left, heading three-two-zero,” the voice sounded through his ear.
    Zach entered the change in direction and let the autopilot do its thing. He had about fifteen minutes to figure out how to land the plane.
    He’d flipped through the section for the fifth time when his earpiece crackled.
    He tossed the manual into the copilot’s seat and waited for the handoff to another controller.
    “Camelot three-two-nine, Los Angeles Center. Contact SoCal approach on frequency one-two-four point three five.”
    Zach confirmed, and on the new controller’s instruction, he descended to three thousand feet.
    He scanned the horizon for the private airport. Just where it was supposed to be. He narrowed his focus, shoving aside any uncertainty. He wouldn’t let them kill him. Not like this. “This is Camelot three-two-nine. Airport nine o’clock. Ten miles.”
    “Camelot three-two-nine, clear for the visual approach twenty-eight right. Contact Montgomery tower one-one-nine point two.”
    After he was cleared to land, Zach pulled the throttle to reduce air speed and extended the flaps. He lowered the gear handle and aligned the plane with the runaway. Steady. Not too slow.
    His memory trailed back to the first time he’d flown. The first time he’d landed with Ace by his side. His dad’s buddy had been a military pilot. He’d flown scads of Libya missions back in the day. Knew his stuff.
    Zach could almost hear the guy’s final advice in his mind.
You’re a natural.
If you doubt, trust your gut, kid. It’ll never fail you. Don’t think. Do.
    Trust his gut.
    Zach eased the yoke back to stop the descent.
    Don’t think. Do.
    The runway loomed closer and closer.
    The ground rose to meet him.
    Zach held his breath.
    The gear hit hard.
    His body jerked. He clutched the wheel. The plane bounced, pulling to the right. Zach gripped the yoke tighter and added a bit of power. Finally, the Gulfstream slowed and settled on the tarmac.
    Zach’s head fell back against the seat.
    His heart restarted.
    A good landing is one you walk away from.
Ace’s voice filtered through his mind.
    “Amen.”
    With a long, slow sigh, Zach steered toward an out-of-sight hangar. His hands and legs shook with each move of the pedals and tiller. Adrenaline. He used to love the feeling.
    Not quite so much these days.
    He shut off the engines, set the parking brake, and threw down the headset. Now for a little talk with the captain before anyone realized that the plane that just landed ended up in the wrong hangar.
    He shoved aside the sliding door separating the cockpit from the cabin and stared at the man tied up in the seat.
    Make that two dead bodies.
    Something white foamed from the captain’s mouth. In his hand he held a small syringe. Zach strode to the body, sank down, and studied the captain, his face screwed in agony. Who had so much power the guy would kill himself in such a horrible way?
    Clearly, the same someone who wanted Zach dead.
    He checked the identities of the pilots, storing them in his memory, then rifled through the electronic equipment and clothes in his duffel. He shoved it aside. Nope. He’d leave everything here. He needed to disappear. And he needed information.
    He emptied his wallet of cash, then scanned his passport and driver’s license looking for anything unusual, even a microdot that could track him. Nothing.
    He stuffed them in his pocket. “Welcome home,