14

JFK Airport was packed, even for five in the morning. Eva and Jake arrived together and went directly to the international check-in. This was the first test.

The counter clerk examined their passports for so long, it made Jake uncomfortable. He traded small talk with Eva as the clerk flipped through the pages, checking his picture against the face on the passport. Finally she handed it back and clicked a few keys on the computer. She gave him his ticket. “Have a safe flight.”

“Thanks.”

Eva was next, but she wasn’t subjected to the same scrutiny.

“One down,” Jake said under his breath as they headed toward the second level of security at the departure gate. He put his arm around Eva’s waist as they jockeyed around the crowd.

“Have you seen Jinx and Rita” Eva asked, keeping her focus in front of her.

“They’ll be here.”

Eva sighed.

“I spoke to him before we left. He’ll be here. He was going to pick up Rita on his way.”

“We should have all come together.”

“No. We don’t want to be seen together. We don’t want to give anyone cause to make a connection between us.”

His cell phone rang just as they approached the security checkpoint.

It was the phone from Lenora Ingram. He flashed Eva a look and then answered the call. “Yeah.”

“Your flight leaves in one hour.”

“We’re going through security now.”

“I know.”

Jake frowned, took a quick look around.

“Don’t bother trying to spot me in the crowd, Mr. Kelly. Be sure not to give them any reason to stop you, and everything will be fine.”

He clenched his jaw. “Anything else We’re holding up the line.”

“Have a wonderful flight. I’ll contact you when you land.”

The call was disconnected.

Jake shoved the cell phone back into his pocket. “She’s here somewhere.”

“Figures. Probably watching us from a camera somewhere.”

“We can’t worry about her. Just keep our eyes on the prize—that’s all.” He pulled down two of the plastic bins and began dumping out his jacket pockets: watch, cell phones, and computer into the containers. Eva did the same.

“I still don’t see Rita and Jinx,” she said, taking off her shoes and adding them to the pile.

“They’ll be here.”

Jake walked through first without a hitch.

Eva was next. She kept her eyes on her overnight bag. Part of the goods was in her bag, just in case they got separated from their luggage; the rest had been checked through. In case of trouble, she’d printed out the bill of lading at the office and had tucked it away in her purse.

The minute she stepped through the security machine, the lights began to flash.

Shit.

Jake looked back as one of the security guards instructed Eva to turn around and try again. The alarm went off a second time.

“Female officer, please!” the guard shouted in a heavy accent. “Step over to the side, miss.”

Eva did as she was instructed, all the while watching the X-ray screen that was examining her bag. The screener signaled for another guard. They both looked, one pointed, the other muttered something she couldn’t hear.

“Hold your hands out to your sides, please,” a female guard instructed Eva.

She snapped her head in the direction of the voice, praying that they did not decide to open her bag. She held her arms up and to her sides while the guard stroked her body with a hand wand.

“Turn around, please.”

Eva did as she was told. The wand slid down the back of her body, hesitating for a moment at her bra strap and then her waist.

“Turn around, please.”

Eva drew in a breath and turned around.

“Open the zipper of your pants, please.”

“What”

“Open the zipper of your pants.”

“This is ridiculous,” she spat as she fiddled with her belt, then the zipper.

The guard moved the wand around the inside of her waistband. “Thank you.”

Eva snatched a look at the conveyor belt and breathed a sigh of relief when she saw her bag coming through.

“You’re good to go, miss. Sorry for the inconvenience.”

“Sure.” Eva fixed her clothes.

“Great belt,” the guard said.

Eva glanced down at the sparkling belt. “Thanks.”

“Where’d you get it”

“I made it.” She grabbed her bag and walked over to Jake. “We should have gone Greyhound,” she muttered.

Jake laughed. “You got everything”

She took a last look around as she adjusted her feet in her shoes. “Yeah. You”

“Yep. Come on let’s go. I need a cup of coffee.”

*   *   *

Eva spotted them first. “Well, I’ll be damned.”

“What”

She lifted her chin in the direction of the seats at the departure gate. “There’s Jinx and Rita.”

“See, and you were worried. Two large coffees,” he said to the woman behind the counter. Although he wouldn’t admit it to Eva, he was pretty relieved.

They took their coffees and walked past Jinx and Rita, taking seats on the other side.

Rita was not her usual flamboyant self, going instead for low-key in her off-white tank top and white denim pants. She wore a belt almost identical to Eva’s but in white. Her auburn wig framed her face in a perfect pageboy cut. Her eyes were shielded behind wide dark sunglasses as if she expected the paparazzi to leap upon her if recognized.

Jinx was just as casual in a pale blue shirt, sleeves rolled halfway up his arms, and a pair of dark jeans. They looked like any other couple traveling on vacation.

Eva had taken out her weave and wore her permed hair in a short spiked look reminiscent of the early Halle Berry cut. Short hair worked much better under the wigs she would have to don during the course of the trip. Jake, always Mr. GQ, went about as casual as he allowed: a white shirt without a tie and a navy linen jacket and matching pants.

“Well, all here and accounted for,” Jake said, taking a sip of his coffee.

Eva was finally beginning to feel a little better about the whole operation. She had to admit that Jinx surprised her. Not only was he at the airport, but he’d obviously arrived before they did. The knot in her gut began to loosen.

She slid her hand along Jake’s thigh. He turned to her, taken aback but delighted. It had been days since Eva had reached for him. Even the other night, it was he who made the overture. He missed the fire, the lust that erupted between them.

“We’re gonna be all right, babe,” he said only for her ears.

“I think so too.” She took his hand. “I know we are going to be on that ship to work—” Her gaze danced over his face. “—but the day has to end sometime.”

He ran his tongue along his full bottom lip, but before he could respond, his name was barked out on the intercom system—his real name.

Eva and Jake’s gazes collided.

“Jake Kelly … passenger Jake Kelly, please pick up a white courtesy phone.”

“Shit,” he spat.

Eva grabbed his wrist. “It has to be her.”

“I know,” he whispered as he rose from the hard plastic seat. “Be right back.”

Eva picked up a newspaper from the seat next to her and feigned interest. She took a glance across the crowded seating space and caught the eye of Rita. Rita shrugged in bewilderment. Eva turned her attention back to the words that were dancing in front of her.

There were several scenarios playing in her head. Either Lenora Ingram was changing the plan, something had gone wrong, or they were screwed before they got started.

She tapped her foot in an uneven rhythm, waiting for Jake to return. Her body tensed when she looked up and saw him approach. His face was unreadable to those who didn’t know him, but not to her.

He sat down.

“What happened”

“It was Stan.”

“Stan”

“Yeah.”

“What did he want”

“A slice of the pie.”