The Escape (US Marshals #1) - Lisa Harris Page 0,83
then headed to the plane. Patterson had pulled some strings and managed to change her seat, so she was by the requested window but in the last row of first class. Their tickets were for the first row, guaranteeing, they hoped, that she didn’t notice their presence on board. If she figured out they were after her, they risked the chance of her signaling Barrick, which they couldn’t afford to happen. They needed her to lead them to him. But when they finally boarded the plane and took their seats, there was still no sign of the man.
She clicked on her seat belt, and Jonas nudged her with his elbow. “I don’t think I told you, but you’re cute as a redhead.”
She felt her cheeks flush at the compliment. Not that it really mattered what Jonas thought. “As a child I secretly wanted to be a redhead with freckles. I might have to try something that doesn’t just wash out.”
“I think this is the first time I’ve been able to relax.”
Madison let out a low laugh. “I never thought about an airplane ride as a time to relax, but you’re right.”
“You might as well close your eyes,” he said. “She’s not going anywhere.”
“As long as history doesn’t repeat itself and we take an unexpected landing.”
“Let’s not even joke about that.”
An in-flight announcement pulled her out of her sleep. Maybe she’d been more tired than she’d thought.
“Ladies and gentlemen, we have just been cleared to land at George Bush Intercontinental Airport. Please make sure your seat belt is securely fastened . . .”
Madison pretended to stretch out her back to turn around without suspicion. She caught sight of Bianca’s blue sleeve as she reached to adjust the air flow above her. Their plan seemed to be working so far. Not that she should be surprised. There was nowhere for the woman to go.
She and Jonas were the first to depart the plane as planned. Their strategy depended on keeping tabs on Bianca without the woman recognizing them. The passengers of flight 1184 slowly filed off the jetway and into the gate with their hand luggage.
But there was no sign of Bianca.
“Where is she?” Madison asked.
“I don’t know. She should have already deplaned.”
Madison searched her mind for probable scenarios. It was always possible that Bianca had waited in her seat for some reason, but why?
A siren wailed as an announcement came over the loudspeaker. “Ladies and gentlemen, we need all passengers to leave the terminal as quickly and calmly as possible. I repeat, all passengers to leave the terminal as quickly and calmly as possible.”
“Jonas,” she said. “What’s happening?”
“I don’t know.”
Agents started shouting orders at the passengers. Several argued back. The hallway around them filled with people evacuating the terminal as the siren continued to wail. Madison shoved her way through the crowded concourse, back toward the gate agent who was still standing at the podium.
“We need to get back on the plane.”
“I’m sorry, but we’ve got a security issue.”
She held up her badge. “What’s going on?”
“They’re evacuating the terminal.” The woman dropped her voice and leaned forward. “There’s a possible bomb threat.”
“We need on that plane.”
The woman nodded, then opened the door to the jetway for them.
“Why don’t you have Patterson put a trace on Bianca’s phone, while you stay out here and keep looking for her,” Jonas said. “I’ll search the plane.”
Madison made a call to the marshals in Denver who were still acting as their backup.
“She’s missing? How is that possible?” Patterson asked.
“We never saw her come off the plane, and now they’re evacuating the terminal, so the place is in complete chaos. She must have slipped through the crowd.”
“I’ll find her.”
Jonas came out a minute later, shaking his head. How had they lost her? Madison felt like a fish swimming upstream as she split off from Jonas toward the end of the terminal. She scanned the crowd, but so far there wasn’t anyone matching Bianca’s description. Only dozens of unfamiliar travelers, all carrying backpacks or rolling carry-on bags.
Her frustration rose as the announcement continued to repeat over the intercom.
An agent confronted Madison as she searched the crowd. “We’re going to have to ask you to leave, ma’am. This terminal is being evacuated.”
“I understand.” She held up her badge as Jonas jogged back over to join her. “We’re US Marshals. My partner and I are looking for a key witness who was on one of the planes.”
“What’s going on?” Jonas asked.
The woman scanned both of their badges before answering.