When I got home, I realized that I hadn’t called my mother since the morning. She must have been beside herself waiting for news about Ellie. I called her right away. “Mum, they’re on their way to Edinburgh.”
“Thank God you know where they’ve gone,” she said. “Why did it take you so long to call?”
“I’ve been dealing with the police all day long. I’m sorry.” I told her the details of the flight Ellie and Neill were on. “Can you plan to be at the airport when they land? I’m sure they’ll take Neill right into custody, and Ellie won’t understand what’s going on. I want a familiar face there for her.”
“Of course,” she assured me. “Are you coming, too?”
“Most definitely.” I looked at my watch. There would certainly be no direct flights to Edinburgh from Albany, so it would be quicker for me to drive to JFK. “I’ll be on the first flight out of New York. I’ve got to call the airline now and make my reservation. I’ll talk to you soon.” I called the airline and booked a late-night flight leaving JFK in four hours. The only seats left were in first class, but this was no time to grumble about the cost. I stuffed some clothes in a duffel bag and got in the car. I started the engine and put the car in reverse, then stopped short.
Neill had my passport.
I grabbed my mobile phone and dialed Detective West. He had gone home for the day. I left a message for him to call me as soon as possible and left for the airport. I would have to solve this problem there.
I sped all the way to JFK, and after parking ran into the building and stopped to talk to the first airport employee I found. I briefly explained the problem and asked to talk to someone in security. When I was ushered to the security office, it took some minutes before I found someone who knew about the search for Neill and Ellie earlier in the day. The woman who spoke to me was sympathetic about my missing passport, but there wasn’t much she could do to help. She offered to take me over to customs to talk to a supervisor.
As I explained the problem over and over to the people at customs, the long minutes dragged by and my flight time grew closer and closer. I could feel myself getting more upset and weepy. Finally a woman came up to me.
“Are you Dr. Greer Dobbins?” she asked.
“Yes.”
“Detective West talked to me earlier today and told me what’s going on. He knew you’d have to fly out of JFK tonight. I can help you.” I could have hugged her. In just a few moments, I was signing my replacement passport and running to catch my flight to Edinburgh.
I made it just in time. The attendant had finished stacking up her papers and turning to close the door to the Jetway when I ran up, breathless and sweating. “You’re lucky,” she told me with a smile. “You almost missed it.”
I sank into the seat on the plane and ordered a whisky, neat, from the first attendant who walked past me. The man next to me smiled. “Tough day?”
“You have no idea.” The attendant brought the drink, and I finished it in a few draughts. I ordered another and drank that one more slowly, holding it in my shaking hand as the plane took off for Scotland.
“Are you all right?” my neighbor asked. I looked at him as if noticing him for the first time. He looked genuinely concerned.
“I will be as soon as we get to Edinburgh,” I replied with a wan smile.
“It won’t be long now, then,” he said. “I’m James Abernathy.” His Scottish accent was strong and lilting. I introduced myself and then, hoping I wasn’t being too rude, closed my eyes and waited for a small meal to be served. I hadn’t eaten much at Dottie’s house. All the tension from the day, all the stress and anxiety, began to recede a bit as I settled into my seat, secure in knowing I would be reunited with Ellie in just a few short hours.
I awoke when the flight attendant came by with our meals, complete with wine selection and bread basket. James held up his glass to me and, with a nod and a smile, said “Slàinte!”
“Slàinte,” I responded, lifting my glass.
I was starving. I tucked into my meal with enthusiasm, not caring whether my neighbor wondered if I always ate like that.
After the flight attendant had cleared away the tray, I leaned back and looked out the window at the dark sky.
“Beautiful, isn’t it?” James asked.
“It is,” I agreed.
“Are you from Edinburgh?” he asked.
“No, I’m from Dumfries. I’ve been living in the States for years, but my mother still lives in Dumfries. I spent quite a bit of time in Edinburgh growing up, you know, school holidays and summers. We would drive up from Dumfries and stay often. Are you from Edinburgh?”
“I am indeed,” he answered proudly. “A beautiful city.”
“Gorgeous,” I agreed.
“Are you visiting your family?”
“Sort of,” I said. I saw his gaze flicker to my left ring finger, naked of jewelry.
He sipped his wine. “The weather in Edinburgh has been getting a bit cooler lately. Winter won’t be long now.”
“I love Scotland in the winter,” I replied.
“You like it?” he asked incredulously.
“Love it,” I repeated. “There’s something about the city on the cold, dark, rainy days that I find irresistible.”
He thought for a moment. “I agree that the city is especially beautiful during the dark season, but that cold….” He shivered for effect, a smile on his face. “Brrr. I prefer the warmth of summertime.”
“The museums are always warm in the winter, so they’re fun to visit when the weather is very ugly,” I said.
“I know. I work in one of them.”
“Oh? Which one?”
“The Artists’ Museum.”
“I’ve been there,” I said excitedly. “It’s one of my favorites. What do you do there?”
“I’m the collections curator.”
“What a fabulous place to work,” I exclaimed. “I’m envious.”
“I’ve been working there for several years now, and it’s the best job I’ve ever had. What do you do?”
“I’m a professor of art history.”
“You’re kidding.”
“I work at a university in the Berkshires, in Massachusetts.” I fished around in my handbag for a card and handed it to him. He glanced at it and put it in his breast pocket.
“I’ve never been to the Berkshires, but I understand it’s lovely up there.”
“It is,” I agreed.
“So you probably know more than I do about many of the artists and artwork we display at the Artists’ Museum.”
I smiled. “I don’t know about that.”
“When was the last time you were at the museum?”
“It was several years ago, on a trip with some of my students.”
“Then there are lots of new things to see. You’ll have to make a visit while you’re in Edinburgh.”
I hesitated. “I’m not really sure how long I’ll be there.”
“Oh?” He clearly was looking for more information. What could I say without opening the Pandora’s Box of everything that happened today?
“Yes, once I pick up my daughter I will probably make arrangements to go back home. This was a sort of a spur-of-the-moment trip.”
“You’re here to collect your daughter, you say?”
“Yes.”
“How long has she been visiting?”
“A very short time, actually.”
“Pity you can’t stay longer and enjoy the city.”
“I need to get back to work.”
“Ah. Yes, well, I suppose that is important.”
The conversation had become a bit stilted once I mentioned picking up Ellie. James opened a newspaper from the seat pocket in front of him. I closed my eyes again, knowing the time would go faster if I slept.
I was awakened by an announcement from the captain that we were beginning our descent into Edinburgh. James had lifted the window shade, and I could barely see anything in the dark gray sky. I searched for a glimpse of the city where, I knew, Ellie was waiting for me.
Smoothing my clothes and gratefully cleaning my face with a small hot towel the flight attendant gave me, I was anxious to deplane and see my little girl again. James smiled at me. “You must be chuffed to see your daughter. How old is she?”
“Five.” He seemed surprised by my answer. “Do I look too old to have a daughter who’s five?” I asked with a smile.
“No, no,” he hastened to assure me. “Not at all. Has she been visiting your family?”
“Not exactly,” I answered. “But my mum will be at the airport with her.”
“Oh.” He clearly didn’t know what to say next.
Without warning, I suddenly found myself blurting out my whole story to my seatmate. He stared at me, mouth agape, while I talked in a rush. “So now you know why I’m in Edinburgh,” I concluded.
“I’m verra sorry. I didn’t know all that,” he said apologetically, his accent becoming more pronounced than before.
“It’s all right. But Ellie will be at the airport waiting for me. I asked my mother to meet her so she has family with her when the police take Neill into custody.”
“That was a good idea. Lucky your mum’s not too far away.”
We sat in silence for a little while, until the familiar sounds of the plane descending and restless travelers told us it was time to start getting ready to go. The plane finally taxied to the terminal, and one of the flight crew announced that we could turn on our electronics. I reached for my phone and pressed it on. As soon as it came to life, it started buzzing and beeping with text alerts. My department chair, no doubt, wondering whether I would be able to teach my own classes tomorrow. Checking in my handbag for my small umbrella, I flipped through the list of texts.
They were all from my mother.
Neill and Ellie aren’t here.
The airport police can’t find them.
Are you sure they were on that flight?
Just confirmed they were on the flight.
When does your flight land?
Tell me what to do next.
I gasped. James looked at me with concern. “Are you all right?”
“My mother says Neill and Ellie are missing. The airport police can’t find them.” I was starting to panic. I texted my mother.
Just landed. Where are you?
In the office at customs, she immediately responded.
“Were they on the earlier flight?” James asked.
“Yes. But they disappeared sometime between getting off the plane and getting to customs.”
“Can I help?”
I shook my head. “I don’t think so. Thank you, though. I don’t know what to do now.”
He motioned to the flight attendant. “Can you bring the lady a glass of water, please?” He turned to me. “You’re looking awfully pale.” The flight attendant hurried back with a glass of ice water and stood there while I drank it.
“Can I get you something else?” she asked with concern.
“No, thank you. Can you just tell me where I can find airport security as soon as I get off the plane?”
“Certainly. Can I call someone and have them meet you?”
“Yes. Thank you.”
She left, and I could see her talking on the phone up near the cockpit. She returned a moment later. “There should be a security officer waiting for you when you exit the Jetway.”
I tried to give her a grateful smile, but it turned into a grimace. James fished in his jacket pocket and pulled out a business card. “I don’t know how much help I can be, but please don’t hesitate to call me if you need anything.”
“Thank you.”
The attendant hurried up to me again. “I’ve made arrangements for you to deplane first,” she said quietly.
“Thank you. I appreciate that.” I was starting to get looks from the other passengers. I turned to James. “Thank you for listening.”
The door to the Jetway was opening, and the flight attendant held up her hand to the people in the front row. “Just a moment, please,” she said. She motioned to me with her hand. I grabbed my duffel bag and stepped into the aisle.
A security officer met me at the gate and ushered me immediately to a small office in the terminal. I related the events of the entire day, ending with the texts I had received from my mother. He talked into a phone mounted on the wall while I waited.
“Your mother is waiting for you at customs,” he told me after he hung up the phone. “Airport security is combing the area for your daughter and ex-husband.”
“But they haven’t found them yet?” I asked, my voice rising.
“No, ma’am. I’ll take you to your mother now.”
As we walked quickly through the airport, I scanned every face for Ellie’s big brown eyes. “Have they checked the restrooms?” I asked my escort.
“Yes, ma’am. Those are the first places we checked.”
They weren’t in the airport. In the pit of my stomach, I knew they had managed to disappear again.