One of the more unique premises for my stories came from a question I asked my Facebook fans. What jobs or careers haven’t been written about very much? The answer that kicked my imagination and curiosity into gear was airplane repossession agent. A bit of online searching yielded some interesting facts about this career choice. The qualifications and opportunities were fairly easy to discover.
The more I delved into the job description, the more excited I became because the guy who would do such a job was the perfect match for Beth Golden, a bored craving adventure bookseller in a small town. Thus the character of Mitch Sawyer sprung into my mind.
Did you know there is a reality TV series based on airplane repo, by that name even? I watched as many episodes as I could, taking notes all the while. The situations the repo agents find themselves in are indeed scary and pointed out the kinds of training, education, self-defense, and protection the agents need to have. Turns out it’s a very dangerous job, too. Mainly because you can’t hook up a tow truck and take back the plane; you have to make sure it’s airworthy and then fly it out without being stopped by the person who defaulted on the mortgage. A typically macho male person who is never happy with his plane being taken. Flying it out can be tricky depending on where the plane is: inside a hangar; on the lake with its pontoons; in the middle of several other planes. The repo agent needs to be able to protect himself and get the job done safely. This is why Beth decides to take Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and learn to shoot a pistol, so she can help a reluctant Mitch in his work.
In one episode of the show, I saw a situation that I tailored in Veiled Visions of Love. In the TV episode, the repo agent pretends to be taking a flying lesson as a gift from his female coworker so he can take the plane up and then take control of the plane to repossess it. You’ll find a similar setup in my story, with Beth acting like she’s paying for Mitch’s first flying lesson, when he is actually an Air Force fighter jet pilot. He knows what he’s doing, in other words. I loved the idea of the couple working together to repo the plane and give Beth a taste of the thrill of the chase and capture of the plane. The problem is she becomes addicted to the thrill, much to Mitch’s dismay.
Here’s a short excerpt from the book:
“Ready for your flying lesson, Mitch?” She winked at him, one hand going to her hat to settle it back in place. Already acting the tourist. Patting the purse, she canted her head with a smile. “I’ve got the paperwork right here.”
He nodded, unable to trust his voice for a moment. She’d be a great distraction to the other men if his reaction served as an indicator. For now, their safety depended on him. Later he’d let his imagination out to play. He tamped down his clamoring libido and focused on the task at hand. Time to slip into his own newbie tourist character.
Mitch pasted a goofy smile on his face and made a show of enthusiasm as they turned toward their targets. “I can’t believe you’d do this for me, Miss Beth. Thank you so much.”
They approached the two men who rose in unison from their folding chairs. Mutt and Jeff looked like they were upstanding citizens but Mitch’s file on them proved otherwise.
Mutt, otherwise known as Byron Carter, renowned for his extravagant life style he rarely paid for. Making money on one project to pay off the last flop, only to fail at the new endeavor and having to try yet another. The old rob-Peter-to-pay-Paul merry-go-round of finance. Only the current attempt involved an expensive plane the real owners, the bank, wanted back. Now.
Jeff, or Ned Wright, was not the sharpest pencil in the holder. Some questioned whether there was any lead at all. The man was adept at following orders, though, making him the perfect partner for someone like Carter.
They’d taken the plane but didn’t make the payments for the past six months. Time for the good ol’ boys to learn a little lesson from a certain pilot. He kept the false smile in place as he stopped in front of the two men. No sign of weapons but they could have them concealed in one of several ways. Like he did.
“Hi, there.” Beth started talking, drawing their appreciative looks. “I bought a flying lesson package for me and my friend here to take a little hop in your airplane. Are we too late?”
“No, ma’am, you’re right on time.” Carter held out a hand to Beth and then to Mitch. “I’ll be taking you both for a thirty-minute flight right after we sign the releases and take care of the final flight prep. Follow me.”
Mitch grinned at Beth, ensuring for himself that she was still on board with the plan as they’d discussed. She winked at him and hurried after Carter.
Veiled Visions of Love is on sale (the Kindle edition) for $.99 this week only! I hope you enjoy Beth and Mitch’s story. Thanks for reading!
Betty
P.S. If you haven’t already, please consider signing up for my newsletter, which I send out most every month, including news like new covers, new releases, and upcoming appearances where I love to meet my readers, along with recipes and writing progress. Thanks and happy reading!
Visit www.bettybolte.com for more on my books and upcoming events.
Psychic Beth Golden longs to live the life of a heroine in a suspense novel but knows she’ll die of boredom working in the bookstore in the small town of Roseville. Until a pilot rolls into town on his motorcycle with a secret mission. When he introduces her to a whole new world of daring and romance, she’s captivated by a lifestyle filled with unexpected and dangerous surprises.
Major Mitch Sawyer, currently serving in the Reserves, has lived all over the world and wants nothing more than to have his own home with a wife and family. Forced to complete one more airplane repo job before he can afford to resign his commission and make his dream a reality, he entices a sexy book lover to help him by becoming an undercover biker chick. Only Beth’s hunger for excitement endangers both herself and an innocent bystander. Can he protect them—and his heart—before it’s too late?
Betty Bolte's Musings 