“He knew,” whispered Finnegan. “He knew your flight schedules.”
“No. No, that’s not possible. They change all the time and only the airline knows whose taking which flights.”
“Isn’t that interesting,” frowned Major. The others all giving him a knowing nod and stare.
“I’m sorry but how is that interesting? This is my life we’re talking about. My career. I’ve been on these short flights for six years now. Since I graduated from college. My goal was to one day be on the international routes to Europe. That will never happen now. Never. The airline is very strict about this stuff and they’ll fire me.”
“If it’s what you really want to do, we’ll make sure you keep your job,” said Elena. But April was just shaking her head in frustration.
“I need to call them. My phone. I don’t know where my phone is,” she said looking around her. Quinn stepped forward handing his own phone to her.
“Use mine.”
“Thank you,” she said touching his hand as she took the phone. She stepped into the foyer to make the call and his father and the others raised their brows.
“Well done. They won’t be able to trace it and we’ll be able to hear the conversation,” smirked Patrick. They all tapped their comms, heard a few clicks and then a woman on the other end of the line.
“He’ll be with you in a minute, April but be prepared. He’s not happy.”
“I’m not happy either,” she said in frustration.
The team tried to remain calm and casual in the living room but at some point during the wait, April must have started to become frightened. She walked toward them, tears in her eyes and took a seat next to Quinn. He reached for her hand, hoping to give her courage. Suddenly, someone was on the other end of the line.
“I don’t know what your damn excuse is, Lewis but you’re fired.”
“Mr. Harvey, please sir. Hear me out. I was kidnapped. Injured. I had no way of coming in. I was just found this morning in San Diego.”
“San Diego? I’m supposed to believe a kidnapper took you to the west coast’s playground? I’m not stupid Lewis. I don’t know what shenanigans you and Jerry were up to but I don’t need that kind of heat on my airline.”
“If I recall, it’s not your airline,” she said suddenly feeling brave. “It belongs to a conglomerate. You are the human resources manager in charge of pilots and flight attendants only. I’ve done nothing wrong and if you attempt to terminate me, I will sue you.”
“How dare you!” he snapped. “The only reason you got that damn job is your cute little ass looked good in the uniform.”
That one comment did April in. She was a good flight attendant. Good at what she did and always good with the passengers. Drunk, crying, loud, obnoxious, wanting a fight, screaming babies, it didn’t matter. She handled it. To be told she only got the job because of her figure hurt.
“I got the job because I speak three languages and have a degree in international studies. I got the job because I scored the highest anyone has ever scored on the testing. I got the job, and kept the job, because I’m good at what I do. You want to fire me, fine. Fire me. But when all of this is done, the world will know what happened.”
There was utter silence on the other end of the line. She still was unaware that they were all listening to the call. Finally, Mr. Harvey spoke.
“Where are you, April? Really. Your number isn’t appearing on my caller ID.” She stared at the men who rolled their fingers, trying to get her talk more.
“I told you. I’m in San Diego. I’ve-I’ve reported the incident to the authorities.” It wasn’t a lie, she thought. These men and women seemed to be authorities of some sort.
“Where in San Diego? I’ll have someone from the airline come out to get you.”
“Come out to get me? I’m not a dog, Mr. Harvey. I can find my way home when I’m ready and when I think it’s safe. Besides, San Diego is not a normal route of ours. You wouldn’t send an entire plane for me.”
“Well, beyond Jerry’s death you should know that your apartment was ransacked. The police are looking for you, April,” he said in a sing-songy voice. “You’re in trouble young lady.”
“I’m not in any trouble,” she said defiantly. “I’ve done nothing wrong.”
“We’ll see about that, April. Jail is no place for a girl like you. Your grandfather isn’t here to protect you any longer.” The line went dead and she stared at them.
“He said…”
“We know,” said Quinn. “I’m sorry, April I should have told you. My phone is connected to a communications device in all our ears. We didn’t want you to be worried about anything. The conversation was taped, so now we have what he said and we can analyze that.”
“What the hell is going on here and who are you people? Really.”
