Page 6 of Turbulent Fires

“Nope. It was simply an emergency landing,” I tell her, my grin growing wider. “I’ll lift off again and be soaring high in no time at all.”

Monica laughs as she shakes her head before looking pointedly at the crowded terminal. “You’re going to need a lot more than good luck on that one, Captain. I don’t think that woman is the circle-back type.”

“Nope, I agree with you there. She is, however, the type you chase,” I told her, my name more fitting than ever before. I have my prey in sight, and I’m going to circle her.

Monica gives me a knowing look, her arms crossed over her perfectly pressed uniform. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen you chase anyone.”

“There’s a first time for everything,” I assure her.

“I just pray I’m around to see the next showdown,” she says with a twinkle in her eyes. This stops me as I gaze at her.

“You know something. What aren’t you saying?” I demand.

Her eyes sparkle as she gazes at me. My serious tone doesn’t intimidate her in the least. She’s a confident, smart woman, and if she doesn’t want to share something with me, I won’t get it out of her, unlike most people I communicate with who are more than eager to please me.

“I might know some things,” she says.

“What will it take to get this information out of you?”

She laughs. “Your charm doesn’t work on me, Captain.” She holds up her hand where a stunning diamond rests on her finger. She’s married to an incredible man who worships her for good reason. She works as a flight attendant because she loves to fly, and thrives on meeting new people. She doesn’t do it for the small paychecks she receives.

“Come on, I’m already infatuated with this woman. If you have any information that might help, I’ll owe you big time, and I always pay my debts.”

She laughs again. “I’ll just say that Imightsee her on more than a few flights,” she says. She then turns and walks away. She has the next flight to prepare for. My heart thuds. She might not have shared much, but from what she said, this means Audrey’s a frequent flyer, and it appears her preferred airline is mine. This just keeps on getting better.

I start to move through the crowd, my head turning as I try to spot Audrey, hoping she might’ve stopped for coffee or food before heading out of the airport. I saw her carry-on so the chance she has a checked bag for a short stay is slim.

Kids are screaming as frazzled parents try to keep them in sight. There are the usual mix of tired businesspeople and clueless tourists, along with frequent flyers, all pushing through the crowded aisles as they come and go, as they do every hour of every day. This airport sports more Mickey Mouse ears than Disneyland itself, and you can usually tell if someone’s coming or going by the twinkle in their eyes. The beginning of the trip is a lot different than the end.

I take my time strolling toward baggage claim, not that I have anything to pick up myself. I always travel light so I can move as quickly as possible. I have my carry-on filled with my passport, toiletry bag, a few changes of clothes, and my phone. I don’t need much more than that. I don’t expect to find Audrey, but that doesn’t mean I’m giving up so quickly today.

I reach the baggage claim area and look around, disappointed when the carousel is spitting out the last of the bags, and there’s no sight of Audrey. I’m not surprised, but I did have a slight hope. I can get her information, but if I make this too easy, I lose the appeal of the hunt.

I move to the exit as my phone buzzes, answering before looking at who’s calling. If it’s someone I don’t want to speak to, there’s a nice big red end button I can push.

“Talk to me.”

“Really? That’s how you answer the phone now?” My brother Drake’s voice fills my ear, full of his usual laid-back charm. “You sound distracted and grumpy.”

“I could use a nap,” I say.

“Didn’t you just land?”

“Yep.” It feels good to step outside into the eighty-degree heat. Washington isn’t known for its warm weather. Visiting Florida is never a struggle.

“Youalwaysnap on flights when you aren’t flying. You call it conserving energy. Jayden and I call it laziness.”

I smirk as I move toward the rental car area. “I didn’t nap this time.”

There’s a brief pause. Then I hear the smile in my brother’s voice as he speaks next. “You sound off. What happened?”

“I never sound off because I’m far too calm and collected,” I quickly say. I’m certainly distracted by thoughts of a stunning blonde, though.

“Did something exciting happen on the flight? Did you need to take down a terrorist?”

“That happened one time, and he wasn’t really a terrorist, just an activist who wanted all air travel to end, and his idea on how to make that happen was to throw open the door at thirty-six thousand feet and plummet to the ground, holding a huge banner saying flying kills.”

“Idiot,” Drake says with a chuckle. “But it sure makes a good story to tell at the bar.”

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