Gina pulled out her phone and opened an app that Elissa had installed a month before, a little project Gina commissioned from her. She searched until she had a cloud of cell phones on a map around her. Most were running past on their way to a gate, but one was fluttering to her left as the woman gestured wildly.
Gina tapped it, chose a command from a dropdown menu, then casually ‘bumped’ into the screaming woman, who immediately turned her rage on Gina. She apologized profusely then backed away toward the expedited security line, Fleur clicking along beside her. They only had to wait a few minutes before being escorted through, which gave Gina—or rather, Gertie Ellis—just enough time to switch her flight from Newark to…Let's see where she was going. Gina checked her new boarding pass and almost dropped her phone.
Key West. Of all the places that woman could have been going, it had to be Key West.
She felt like the butt of a cruel joke the universe was playing. She pushed down any and all memories related to Key West and smiled at the security guard.
Gina scanned the boarding pass on her phone at security while imagining that the real Gertie Ellis had discovered by now that her phone was bricked, her wallet with her ID was gone, and she was wanted by security for identity fraud. She'd be delayed long enough for Gina and Fleur to reach Newark. Then when everything was straightened out, Gertie would no doubt fly free for a year.
Gina walked through the metal detector, collected her backpack and the collapsible carrier while dropping the wallet she’d lifted off Gertie Ellis, and headed to her gate. She had one more barrier to entry on the flight but hopefully the carrier would solve that.
When she got to the gate, she made sure the desk attendant saw both Fleur and the carrier.
“Ma’am, I don’t think that’s a regulation size pet carrier. Any pet carrier needs to fit under the seat in front of you.”
“Sure it is. The lady at the check-in desk downstairs said it was fine because I’m in the first row of business class, where there is no row in front of me so it’ll be fine, thank you.” She put on her most brittle smile.
“Ma’am, I’ll need your name to confirm that.”
“Sure.” She showed the desk attendant her boarding pass with Gertie’s name. Gina held her breath through the phone call as the attendant described a ginger-colored dog.
The attendant hung up with a huff. “Okay, she remembers you and I guess it’s fine.”
“Thank you.” Gina gave her another grade-A bitch smile and returned to her seat, her heart pummeling her rib cage at the thought of getting caught at any second.
Finally, they called rows one through ten to board. Gina practically jogged down the walkway. She set up the carrier but didn’t close the door. Fleur curled up inside.
“Would you like a glass of champagne?” the flight attendant asked after Gina sat down on the plane. Her name tag said Terri.
“Yes, lovely. Thank you. And some water for my dog, please?”
“Of course.” She smiled at Fleur. “How is Ginger today?” The attendant bent down and scratched Fleur’s head.
“Ginger is happy to finally be in the air, and so am I. Here you go. This is for everyone.” Gina handed Terri a big box of chocolates she picked up at a store in the terminal while looking for the perfect mark.
“Oh, thank you, Mrs. Ellis.”
“Please, call me Gertie,” Gina said. She sipped her champagne and contemplated her next move. She had about four hours before she needed to put on yet another persona for Florence and whoever else would be on her next flight. She also thought about Elissa, silently thanking her for saving her life with the app. She also wondered if Elissa would be able to…
Oh, shit.
Her friend was not stupid. No doubt, she’d gotten an alert the minute Gina triggered it. Elissa would set things up that way, just to keep an eye on her friend.
Maybe, maybe not. Oh, who am I kidding? Of course she did. God, I’m slipping.
Well, then they’d think she was off to Key West.
Fine. Good.
If they were chasing her down, the farther away they were from Gina, the better.
It would keep them safe. But Jesus, what would Lachlan think about her ‘choice’ of destination? No, if anything, he was more likely to follow her there than Newark, probably thinking it was some sort of message.
God, this is so messed up.
All Gina really wanted to do was pace up and down the aisle the entire flight but flight attendants tended to frown on that. So she settled back in her seat as Fleur sighed contentedly, curled up into a tight ball and already softly snoring in her carrier. Gina put on the sleeping mask provided in her first-class amenities bag, dotted her wrists and forehead with lavender oil from the same kit, and tried to relax. But her mind would not let her. It took her back instead to Paris when she’d left Lachlan thinking she’d see him again soon, and that when she did, she’d be trading her fake wedding rings for the only engagement ring she ever wanted to wear.
Why does my brain want to torture me, taking me back to those days every time I get a chance to relax?
