Chapter 5

"Who is her?" Junior was curious, "I know I'm me ... but the way you said Her ... was a little ominous."

"People at the field talk about you all the time. Your family has that little island between the United States and Canada ... the one recognized by the United Nations as a country. How long have you been flying?"

"Since I was 8," Junior said.

"How did you reach the pedals?"

Junior laughed, "I built a plane to fit me. I've always been tall for my age ... not that you could tell it now. Using my educational trust Momma bought me a bunch of styrofoam and a set of plans for a Pitts."

"A Pitts?" asked the Director. "A Biplane?"

"Yeah ... it was bigger than a 1/4 scale RC model ... but not much. Have you ever seen one of those open framed sit in RC cockpits?"

"Looks like a fuselage?"

"Yeah ... the brothers built me one. They were 12 or 13. I flew that. Me on the ground and an RC plane in the air. When I wasn't building my airplane I was flying that."

The director made that hand motion that says, 'tell me more.'

"I carved the Pitts, put in all the structural members with titanium tubing ... glassed it with a layer of sheet kevlar between the glass ... poured it full of gasoline to melt out the foam and flew it as an RC model for about a week ... everybody did ... fly it ... they crashed it twice just to see if it would hold together ... Mom asked..."

"I asked her if she was sure."

"Hi Mom," Junior ran and hugged her ... she looked at the twins ... they were hugging Connie.

"She said yes ... and you know ... I know where she came from ... at the time there were more in there so she could be replaced ... My Dad always said his Dad said ... the ideal family was four children; one to replace the wife, one to replace the father, one for the general increase in population and one in case of accidents."

While Too was explaining this, Junior was nodding.

Too said, "I explained I'd miss her but I'd get over it ... if she really wanted to be a statistic ... have at it. Damned thing flew. David and I were almost disappointed. She's been flying ever since."

"How?"

"Did we get here? Helicopter ... on the roof ... the Airforce ... I know where the bodies are buried." She grinned. "Connie? You burned up your car? Boys ... quit that ... you're married."

"Yes, Mrs. Austin ... out on the freeway..."

"Well, the trust attorney should be here just about ... Hi ... Mr. Anderson?"

"Yes ma'am ... Mrs. Austin? Which one is Junior? Hello." He opened a briefcase ... handed Junior a file and said, "Study that while I get Connie McDavid's information." He turned to the Director... "How much?"

"Seventy-Seven."

"Standard thirty thousand per mil?"

"Yes."

"Connie? How do you want to do this? Interest rates are down ... but the Street is doing pretty well. If you authorize the trust to take the lump you only have to pay taxes on what you use. I have to pay taxes on what you pay me ... and I charge ten grand a year ... or 2 percent of any profit the investments make ... which ever is greater. Junior?"

"Yes, sir?"

"How much did your trust make last year ... it's the bottom line."

Junior's eyes got huge ... she sidled up to Connie and pointed. Connie's eyes got big.

"Junior started out with a million ... on the day she was born ... last year my 2 percent amounted to two point five ... that's in 14 years ... Junior is a very wealthy young lady ... regardless of how she dresses. The boys ... they had about the same but they got married ... Christine and Sarah are very tight with a dollar ... aren't they boys?"