Wings in the Dark Read Free

she never exhibited any sign of resentment against Americans.
    She called us by our last names but insisted we call her by her first. I definitely preferred her to that beach bum Tony who ogled Laura and offered her a free surfing lesson every time we passed by.
    Outside, we walked the bikes toward the path leading away from the beach.
    Tony stood outside his shop in a swimsuit, no shirt, waxing a surfboard. He waved at Laura. “A lovely day just got more beautiful.”
    No doubt still sore over how I acted with the reporter, she stopped her bike. “Aloha, Tony.”
    The sun glistened off his black hair. In his early twenties, he had stomach muscles as flat as his surfboard. “We’re having a special today, free surf lessons for beautiful Hollywood actresses.”
    The crumb deserved a sock in the nose.
    “You too, Mr. Donovan. What do you say? Catch some waves?”
    Laura laughed. “Perhaps tomorrow.” She took off.
    I glared at Tony the surf bum and pedaled after her.
    Laura rode with ease, displaying the agility and athleticism I first noticed when she and her old man moved to our street when I was in high school. I would’ve preferred renting a car, but Laura loved the exercise and fresh air of a bike ride.
    It took almost a half hour to pass the huge pineapple plantation. When we left the rows of pineapples behind, grassy hills turned into lush green like upstate New York, except these hills were populated by Hawaiian ferns and other species I couldn’t identify. We hopped off our bikes and hiked through the tropical forest. The thick green vegetation and occasional calls of exotic birds reminded me how far Laura and I had come from the garbage-filled gutters and rumbling subways in Queens.
    Laura appeared to have forgotten my earlier behavior with the reporter. I stole a few kisses, but she pushed me away with a glint in her eyes of better things to come.
    On the way back to the beach, her black curls billowed in the breeze as she sang the hit “All I Do Is Dream of You.” Laura peered over the top of her dark glasses and blew me a kiss.
    We reached the hill overlooking the beach and paused. The late afternoon sun dipped through orange clouds, nearly touching the horizon, reflecting on the blue water of the Pacific.
    Laura pulled to the edge of the path. I stopped beside her.
    She gazed toward the beach. “Thanks, darling, this turned into a wonderful day after all. I’ll buy you a drink from that beachfront bar when we get back.”
    Prohibition was a mere memory, Laura and I were finally hitched, and we were on a roll. Life was perfect. What could possibly go wrong?
    Laura glanced toward the eastern horizon. Her dark sunglasses failed to hide her concern. “Why does she do it?”
    “Amelia?”
    Laura nodded. “Why does she risk her life?”
    “People risk their lives every day.”
    “But she doesn’t have to. She’s proving aviation is an important part of America’s future. I understand that, but I don’t know why she has to attempt flights no one’s ever done before.”
    I placed a hand on Laura’s shoulder and kissed her cheek. “She’ll be fine.”
    With a nod, Laura climbed on her bike and pedaled away. As I caught up with her, she glanced down the path toward the beach. “You’re quiet, Jake Donovan. Afraid you’ll say something stupid?”
    I managed a smile. “I’m picturing that black lace nightgown I bought you in Hollywood.”
    “You, sir, are a wicked rascal.” With a twinkle in her eyes, she swerved in front of me. My front tire wobbled, and I almost clipped her back fender. I gripped the handlebars and regained control as Laura laughed and pedaled away, toward the beach and Sato’s Bicycle Shop.
    As a former Pinkerton, I’d found myself in more than a few scrapes over the years. I had a scar or two as proof. I could be tough when the situation required it, but when it came to riding a bicycle, I possessed the skill of someone who spent too much time behind the