I was not to call my cousin from the terminal.
I was not to turn my phone back on.
I was not to separate from him until we reached a secure place where the contents of the blue folder could be examined.
I bristled immediately.
‘You don’t get to tell me where to go.’
His eyes held mine.
‘Correct.’
He pointed toward the aisle.
‘You can walk away from me the second those doors open.’
Then he pointed toward my bag.
‘But do it knowing David has already found your flight and sent men toward the airport.’
No threat.
No raised voice.
Only a choice.
That frightened me because I was no longer accustomed to having choices.
The plane landed hard enough to jolt my ribs.
I bit down on the pain.
Moretti noticed but said nothing.
As we taxied, passengers switched on their phones.
Messages chimed throughout the cabin.
Mine remained dark in my purse.
At the gate, everyone stood at once.
Moretti stayed seated.
So did I.
A man three rows ahead stepped into the aisle and glanced back.
Only once.
His eyes passed over me, then stopped on Moretti.
Moretti gave no reaction.
The man turned away.
‘Do you know him?’ I whispered.
‘No.’
‘Then why did he look at you?’
‘Most people do once.’
Despite everything, I almost smiled.
The aisle slowly cleared.
Diane approached our row.
‘Mr.
Moretti, your party is waiting at the gate.’
His party.
Of course he had a party waiting.
He stood and retrieved my carry-on before I could protest.
The pain in my ribs made me grateful and angry at the same time.
At the aircraft door, two men in dark coats were waiting beyond the jet bridge entrance.
Neither smiled.
One nodded to Moretti.
The other scanned the people leaving the plane.
I stopped walking.
Moretti noticed immediately.
‘They’re with me.’
‘That is not reassuring.’
‘It wasn’t intended to be.’
He handed me my bag.
‘You can leave.’
I looked past him toward the terminal.
Hundreds of people moved through the concourse.
Somewhere beyond them might be the cousin I had not warned, a life I had barely planned, and men David had sent to find me.
