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Cara sat upright as they drove into a heliport, or whatever the na white helicopter with red Mastrangelo livery on it, and an enorht behind it

Her stoht of it ‘Please tell ?’

‘It’s either an eight-hour round trip to the vineyard by car, or we can do it in a quarter of the time in this beauty’

‘I vote for the car’

‘Sorry, cucciola mia, but I vote for the chopper An hour there, an hour back’

‘It’s a split vote’

‘It’s my time and money’

‘Do I have to come? Can’t I just wait here?’

‘Yes, you do have to coe to his voice ‘I’ain I assure you, the ride will be perfectly safe and co point, he opened his door and got out

She stuck her tongue out at his retreating for by the helicopter, all wearing black overalls She guessed they were the flight crew

The interior of the helicopter settled her nerves a touch It was ht a helicopter would be If anything, it was rather plush She cli white leather seat Pepe showed her where all the big-boy-with-too- a foldaway laptop

‘Aren’t you sitting with me?’ she asked, perturbed when he went to climb back out

He grinned ‘One of us has to fly the thing’

Before she could react, he’d jumped out and slid the door closed In less than a minute he had opened the door at the front and made himself at home with the controls

‘Very funny, Mastrangelo,’ she said, speaking over the low partition dividing them If she wanted she could lean over and prod hi if he didn’t stop buggering about

‘Where’s the pilot?’ she asked, desperation suddenly lacing her voice

He didn’t look back, sie of knobs and buttons and thingies before hi,’ he said, a his deep voice ‘For your own safety, Air Mastrangelo asks that you keep your seat belt fastened at all tiht’

‘You are having a laugh’

He put some headphones on then turned his head back to look at her ‘Put your belt on, Cara—I promise you are in safe hands’