Page 93 of Diamond in the Rough

“I know right? But this one. It’s massive—”

Jake scrunched his eyes closed. “No offense, but I don’t wanna hear about it.”

“Was only trying to create conversation.”

“How about something not so doom and gloom.”

“Like what?”

Jake eyed the man’s football shirt. “United.”

“Yeah?”

“Yeah…”

****

Jake nodded, smiled, and frowned at the right moments as an endless stream of football nostalgia flooded his ears. He looked less suspicious with the company, especially when the guy threw his arm around Jake’s shoulder and embraced him like an old friend. He got less looks, and the security rushing around blurred him into insignificance.

“Think they’re about to open the gate for passengers.”

“Thank God for that,” Jake muttered.

They formed an orderly queue and made their way down the corridor. When Jake finally seated himself on the plane, he thought his rampant heart would slow, disaster averted, but it continued to thump as if it sensed danger. Jake thought the idea was ridiculous, all until he turned and looked down the aisle.

There was a man looking at him differently. Well-dressed, bald head, tattooed neck. The guy that had been leaning on the wall outside the apartments. He didn’t look at Jake in a ‘wonder what happened to him’ kind of way, or a ‘bet he’s a roughen’ kind of way. The suited man five rows back looked at Jake like he wanted him dead…

Chapter 17

Maddox waited in the car while Tom went inside the hangar. The news on the radio continued to report on the fire, so devastating the inmates were being evacuated to a neighbouring prison. The roads were in chaos, and emergency services were being stretched to the max.

“They don’t know you’re missing.” Amber smirked.

“Or they do but want to avoid mass panic at this stage.”

Maddox patted his jacket pocket for his lighter, then remembered he’d handed it over at the prison. No more clicking Zippo to pass the time. He gritted his teeth and clicked his nails instead.

Amber tapped away on her phone, then grunted. “Here we go, Boss, flight left at 22:30 heading to the Bahamas.”

Maddox glanced at the dashboard clock. “He’s got a two-hour head start.”

“We should be able to catch up in the jet.”

The news report changed to an urgent appeal. The police were looking for a one-armed male, wearing navy coveralls and sunglasses, going by the name Jake, last seen entering Stansted Airport.

“He better be on that damn plane,” Amber muttered. “Broke you out of prison, don’t wanna have to break Jake out—”

Amber’s words stopped abruptly, and Maddox looked up for the reason. Tom led Francis, the pilot, out of the hangar at gunpoint.

“What the hell…,” Amber said, opening her door.

Maddox took a deep breath before following her lead. He buttoned up his jacket as he walked over but could still see the creases in his shirt.

Francis dropped to his knees and put his hands on his head. “Please—”

“He gave up your plane.”

Maddox stopped and looked down at Francis. “What?”

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