The Airplane

Karl Milde recalls sitting by his family's staticky radio (he lived on a farm a long way from New York City from where the signal was broadcast) at eight o'clock each Wednesday evening to hear the program, The Lone Ranger." Karl liked the music (excerpts from Rossini's William Tell Overture and Les Preludes by Franz Liszt) and over time he grew to know and love the characters: John Reid, a Texas Ranger who was ambushed by a vicious gang and left for dead, andTonto, a Native-American, who found John in the wilderness and nursed him back to health. When John woke up, he asked Tonto what had happened. Tonto replied, "You only Ranger left... Others killed. You lone Ranger."Hearing this, John decided to dedicate his life to thefight for justice. He donned a mask to hide his true identity and adopted the name, "The Lone Ranger." Affectionately calling him "kemosabe," which means "friend," Tonto promised to be his faithful companion.The Lone Ranger owned a silver mine that provided him with funds as well as silver for his matched set of silver six-guns and his famed silver bullets. He named his pure white stallion "Silver" and outfitted him with silver horseshoes. Tonto's horse was a golden Palomino that he named "Scout."The Lone Ranger never drank alcohol or smoked, always used correct grammar, and never shot to kill his adversaries. He had the ability to shoot the guns out of his adversary's hands.Inspired by this radio program, Karl wrote this book as a homage to these legendary heroes. The names became "Road Ranger" and "Toronto" (a Latino who grew up in Toronto), and the horses became motorcycles, but he otherwise tried to remain true to the original Lone Ranger story. Karl hopes you enjoy reading this book as much as he enjoyed writing it.Karl lives with his wife, Cheryl, in Somers, NY, a suburb that's due north and a one-hour train ride from New York City.

Never one to color inside the lines, the brilliant inventor Carl Collingwood is positive that his new aircraft will trigger waves of influence worldwide, changing the course of aeronautics forever. Investigative journalist Juli Gables is granted exclusive rights to cover the first flight of Collingwood's groundbreaking aircraft. But when the plane inexplicably crashes and kills its creator, Gables finds herself witness, and reporter, to a tragic story.
Using her investigative skills and sharp observations, Gables resolves to unearth the cause of the crash for the sake of Collingwood's widow. She learns that it was not a mechanical malfunction that killed Collingwood; someone wanted him dead. With her newfound knowledge, Gables may be in danger, too-especially when this investigation leads her all the way to the White House.

As she attempts to get closer to the truth, Gables is dogged at every step by disruptive parties, including the police and fellow reporters. As her investigation continues, she uncovers a plot to assassinate the President of the United States when he is scheduled to give a speech at the United States Military Academy at West Point. When authorities do not listen to her as she voices her claims, it seems as if Gables will have to take matters into her own hands in order to prevent imminent tragedy.