Runway Romance (Love in the Air Trilogy) (9 page)

“It’s okay, Jenny. We’re here.” Captain Johnson tugged again as Barry McDonald squeezed around Jenny to secure the man’s hands behind his back.

“Let go of me! I have rights!” the man fumed.

“You gave up your rights when you tried to harm someone aboard my plane,” Captain Johnson said.

“You Americans are so stupid. You value one life over many lives. One life does not matter.”

“This one does,” Barry said, staring into Brindle’s eyes.

Brindle brushed the comment off as something you say in an emergency, but heat rushed to her face and a fluttering in her stomach made her see Barry McDonald through new eyes.

Brendan tied the man’s feet together, then pulled him up from the floor to a standing position. “I don’t want to hear another word out of your mouth.”

“You cannot shut me up! I will not be silenced. The U.S. must know they are not safe. We are many and we will not stop coming. We will destroy every American that has breath.”

Barry removed his shoe and sock. “One more word and this sock is going in your mouth. You decide.”

“Death to America!”

“Sock in mouth it is.” Barry shoved the black men’s dress sock into the man’s mouth with a bit too much force. “Nobody says death to my country. Nobody.”

“Where can we put him?” Jenny asked.

“Back in the loo,” Brindle said. “Seems appropriate to store shit where we shit.”

“Everyone calm down. He wants us to get riled up. He’s secured. Barry, check him for more weapons.”

Barry did as requested and found a collapsible knife stitched into the lining of the man’s jacket. “Sneaky son of a…”

“Stop.” It only took one look from the captain to quell Barry’s tongue. “Barry, Brindle, you stay with him. And get that sock out of his mouth. Cover his lips with tape if you need to keep him from talking.”

Barry scowled. When he was out of the captain’s earshot, he said, “If I had my way, you’d have two socks in your mouth.”

“I have duct tape,” Brindle offered.

“Get it.”

When Brindle returned with the tape and Barry had retrieved his sock, tossed it in the trash and then taped the man’s mouth shut, Brindle asked, “Did you mean what you said earlier or was that just ‘hey we might die’ kind of talk?”

“I meant every word.”

“I didn’t know you felt that way about me.”

“I never said anything. I’m not charming and suave like Brendan.”

“You have your own way about you. I like people who aren’t so showy.”

“Really?”

“Yes. Really. How about we get together when we get back home? Maybe go to dinner or a movie?”

“I’d like that.”

“Me, too.”

It was a strange way to tell a woman you liked her, but Barry was glad Brindle knew how he felt now. Soon they’d be going out on their first date.

“What?” Brindle asked.

“This day certainly didn’t turn out the way I thought it would.”

“Yeah, me either. It turned out better.”

Barry met her smile with one of his own.

Chapter Eleven

“Good work, Jenny,” Brendan said.

“Thanks. Aida’s the one who alerted us to his behavior. She really deserves the kudos.”

“I’ll make sure she gets it, that all of you get the recognition you deserve. I miss the old days. All we were concerned about then was equipment going haywire and ice on the wings. Now we have to worry about other human beings trying to kill us.”

“You were really good back there, stopping Barry and all.”

“He didn’t mean anything. He doesn’t understand how we appear to the rest of the world. Hell, he’s never been outside the U.S. It’s not all sunshine and roses. We’ve done some pretty horrific things, especially during wars. No one can paint us out to be saints.”

“No one is a saint in a war. How can they be?”

“When did you say Kate would be back?”

“I didn’t. I was vague, remember?”

“Oh, that’s right. Not wanting me to get my hopes up.”

“Sorry.”

“The truth hurts sometimes.” He looked into Jenny’s eyes for several minutes. “Are you dating anyone?”

“There is this one guy…”

Brendan ran his hand through his hair and tapped his foot. “What’s a guy gotta do to get laid around here?”

“Yep, you’re right. You’re no saint.”

“Never pretended to be.”

“What should I tell the passengers?” Geri asked, joining them in the cockpit. “They’re not buying my spiel about a medical emergency.”

“Distract them with food,” Jenny said. “We have those snack-sized bags of brownie pieces we were going to give them when they de-planed.”

“Good idea,” Captain Johnson said. “I don’t suppose we have any beverages left?”

Geri shook her head. “A few cans of soda is all. We run with the bare minimum. Ballinger doesn’t like paying for anything extra.”

“What about an in-flight movie? They won’t be able to finish watching it, but it might keep their minds occupied?” Jenny asked.

Geri shook her head again. “They’re only brought aboard for long flights.”

Silence filled the cabin as they each thought of more ideas, rejecting them before saying them aloud.

“Aida,” Geri said.

“What about her?” Captain Johnson asked.

“She can sing,” Jenny said. “She’s amazing.”

“I’ll go ask her right now.” Geri double-timed it back to coach and pulled Aida aside.

“You want me to sing now?”

“We need something to divert their attention.”

“I’m not really prepared. What song?”

“Anything. You pick. Something upbeat.”

“Should I do gospel, rock, country, soul?”

“Aida, we really don’t have time for this. Just pick something and sing!”

“All right, all right.” Aida made her way to the front of the first row of coach seats.

Geri faced the passengers. “Ladies and gentlemen, may I have your attention, please. Ballinger Air is considering offering live entertainment on its flights and we’re proud to bring you the musical stylings of our very own Aida Brown.”

Geri stepped to the side as Aida smiled a greeting to her audience.

“Thank you, Geri. It’s my pleasure to bring you a few of my favorite songs.

My mother tells anyone who’ll listen that I came out of the womb singing. While I don’t think you can call crying singing, there may be some truth in her words. I can’t remember a time when music wasn’t part of my world. No matter how high the mountain is or how low the valley, music has a way of seeing us through.”

Aida began singing
Ain’t No Mountain High Enough
. Within seconds people joined her or were mouthing the words.

Geri smiled. It was working. As long as Mr. Pin Striped Suit kept quiet in the loo, the rest of the flight would be a breeze. They definitely deserved a drink after they landed.

By the time Aida finished her fourth song, the passengers had forgotten about the slight disruption.

When they touched down and de-boarded the passengers with the signature, “Thank you for flying Ballinger Air,” the local police and Feds were boarding to escort Mr. Pin Striped Suit off the plane.

As they watched the gentleman being handcuffed and read his rights, the FAs breathed a sigh of relief.

“Alcohol?” Geri asked.

“Absolutely,” Jenny said.

“I’m in,” Aida agreed.

“Not me. Barry and I are going out on a date.” Brindle grinned as she raised her eyebrows suggestively.

“Count me out. I’m doing a turnaround,” Randee said.

“I’ll join you, if men are allowed,” Captain Johnson said.

“The more the merrier,” Geri said.

When they’d all checked in at the Ballinger Air lounge and entered their final flight information in the computer, they headed to Rock ‘N Sushi, a favorite restaurant in town and the only way Jenny could manage to swallow raw fish, with lots of alcohol.

They ordered three sampler plates along with a pitcher of beer. Jenny downed a glass before taking a bite of sushi.

“You’re such a weenie. What is it about fish that makes you so squeamish?” Aida asked.

“The texture. The taste. I don’t know. The fact that it’s raw. How come no one ever talks about getting food poisoning from eating raw fish?”

“I think it’s only bad to eat raw protein when it isn’t fresh and cleaned properly,” Brendan said. “There are people who eat raw meat without getting sick.”

“I’ll stick with vegetables,” Geri said.

“I didn’t realize tequila was a vegetable,” Jenny said.

“Have some squid.” Geri pushed the plate of sushi toward her.

“I’d rather have more beer, thanks.”

“What do you think’s going to happen to Mr. Pin Striped Suit?” Aida asked.

“Depends on who he really is. His ID was fake. He has priors.” Brendan reached for the squid Jenny turned down.

“What good does it do to take down a plane full of people? Wouldn’t it be easier to just put a bomb in a building or something? I don’t really get terrorism.” Geri reached for the pitcher of beer for a refill.

“Scares people, makes them feel unsafe.” Jenny held her hand out to take the pitcher and filled her glass again. “Once you have someone looking over their shoulder and acting paranoid, you’ve got them.”

“Jenny’s right,” Brendan said. “They play on fear. If that’s been firmly planted, it doesn’t matter if they actually do anything ever again because it’s already embedded in your brain. You’re already thinking about it, whether you realize it or not.”

“And our behavior changes,” Aida said.

“Exactly,” Jenny said.

“Nothing a glass of beer can’t solve,” Geri said. When everyone stared at her, she said, “What? I’m serious. If we could sit down with the people who hate us and talk like regular people, we’d find a lot of common ground.”

“Vodka is common ground?” Aida asked.

“It can be.”

“How serious are you and the guy you were telling me about earlier?” Brendan asked Jenny.

“I barely know him. Why?”

He ran his thumb along her forearm. “You’re here. I’m here. We’re both staying overnight.”

Aida cleared her throat. “Hello? We can hear everything you’re saying.”

“Hey, I’m not opposed to having all of you come back to my hotel room.”