Flight to Coorah Creek Read Free Page A

there …
    Jess shook her head and turned towards the interior of the plane. The tall man who looked into her startled face wasn’t wearing a uniform. His hands were holding a small rucksack.
    â€˜What the hell?’ Jess shouted at him. ‘You idiot. You could have been killed.’
    The madman waved her words away with an impatient hand. ‘We’ve got to get in the air. Right now.’
    â€˜What?’
    â€˜There’s an injured man. About two hundred kilometres west. You’ve got to get me to him.’
    â€˜What’s going on?’ She looked to Jack North for help. He grinned at her and nodded to the madman.
    â€˜Jess Pearson – pilot, meet Adam Gilmore – doctor.’
    â€˜Oh.’ Jess did a classic double take. This lunatic with a death wish was the doctor? He didn’t look much like any doctor she’d ever met. He was wearing jeans and an open-necked shirt with long sleeves rolled up to his elbows. He appeared about thirty, and he needed a shave. His dark hair and brown eyes were quite unremarkable – for a madman.
    â€˜We don’t have time.’ The doctor was obviously not one for pleasantries, or even manners.
    Jess felt her hackles rise. She was the pilot. She was responsible. This plane was going nowhere unless she wanted it to. She wasn’t going to let another man use her and her aircraft.
    â€˜He’ll die if I don’t get there fast.’ Adam’s eyes blazed with an almost fanatical intensity.
    A tense silence settled in the crowded confines of the small aircraft – for about three seconds.
    â€˜Where?’ Jess reached for her map case and spread a map out on the nearest stretcher.
    â€˜Here.’ He pointed to a place on the map. ‘Warrina Downs. They’ve got an airstrip.’
    â€˜How long is it?’ Jess asked, as she looked down at the map.
    â€˜How the hell should I know?’ Adam snapped.
    â€˜Well, I need to know if I’m going to land this plane on it,’ Jess retorted.
    â€˜It’s long enough,’ Jack offered calmly, as he passed a couple of medical bags into the cabin. ‘We’ve been there before. And you’ll be fine for fuel. They’ve got plenty out there.’
    As Jack was the only person she’d known for more than ninety seconds, Jess guessed she would have to trust him.
    She glanced out of the window. ‘There’s not a lot of daylight left. If we run out of light …’
    â€˜You won’t if you get this damn plane in the air right now.’ Adam was too tall to stand up straight in the cabin, but Jess could feel him looking down at her in anger. ‘That man is dying.’
    A woman’s face, streaked with tears. My son is dead. It’s your fault.
    Jess closed her eyes and fought down the emotions surging through her. ‘All right,’ she said through gritted teeth. ‘Stow those bags. Get yourself strapped in and I’ll get this damn plane in the air.’
    She opened her eyes and looked straight into the lined face of a small elderly nun standing at the top of the aircraft stairs.
    â€˜Oh,’ she gasped. ‘Sorry. Sister … I …’
    â€˜That’s quite all right, my dear,’ the nun’s gentle voice sparkled with humour. ‘I’ll just strap myself in too so you can get this damn plane in the air.’

Chapter Two
    Adam looked at his watch again. Somewhere below them a badly injured man needed his help. They were taking too long to get to him. Shaking his head, he turned to look out of the window. The sun was sinking very close to the horizon. From this height it was still light enough to see, but closer to the ground, the vast open plain was being eaten up by shadow. He felt a twinge of concern. If they weren’t on the ground soon …
    He looked towards the cockpit. From his seat he could only see the back of the pilot’s head, but he could feel the