Max: We know how I feel about private jets, but what about you? Environmental disasters that are never worth it, full stop? Or are there situations in which you could justify it?

Dani: Like what kind of situation?

Max: The kind where I send one for you so you can bring my namesake to Eldovia and he can roam around the cabin as much as his heart desires while the flight attendant dotes on him, thus enabling both of you to pay a long visit to Eldovia. You can stay with me, and I’ll leave you alone to work on the mystery project.

Max: Mostly.

Max: As long as you agree to gossip with me in the evenings.

Oh, Max. Dani’s heart squeezed at the generous offer.

Dani: I think that’s going to be hard to justify. If you, an almost-duke, can fly commercial, I’m pretty sure that I, a certified normal person, should too.

Max: Yes, but I don’t have a tiny neurotic dog to think about.

The phone rang, and he started talking before she greeted him. “How about this? My parents fly private all the time. Most people in my circles fly private. I never do. I have a reputation as being environmentally minded.”

“I thought you had a reputation as being depraved.”

“Publicly. I have a reputation among people who actually know me as being environmentally minded. In fact, it’s one of my father’s favorite things to fight about. Namely, he does not care about it and likes to mock the fact that I do.”

“You should hire a PR company to start marketing you as the Green Baron. You could dress in a World War I uniform, like the Red Baron. Except, you know, green.”

He chuckled. “Right. So let’s say I had flown private one time in my past. One time out of the hundreds of flights I’ve taken. Would that make my Green Baron reputation any less meaningful?”

“No?” Dani ventured. She was a bit confused, but that seemed like the answer he was looking for.

“Right. So now, you can take one of those private flights that I never did.”

“Is this like buying a carbon offset?”

“Yes! Exactly!”

“A baron offset?”

“Call it what you like. And you can rent your apartment out while you’re gone, so you’ll actually turn a profit.”

She paused, imagining a couple of weeks—or more—spent in Eldovia. She’d get to see Leo and Gabby beyond the whirlwind of the wedding. Max Minimus could cavort in actual nature—there would be mountains and the hot spring. She also couldn’t turn her nose up at the cash she’d make doing an Airbnb rental over Thanksgiving.