in his breast pocket. “Let’s move…time’s not on our side; we’ve got to figure out what these guys are doing in Kentucky. When I get the phone log, I’ll call you. This is a breakthrough…mark my words.”
“I sure hope you’re right. Let’s meet for dinner at the pizza place down the street from your office…say about seven-thirty. Will that give you enough time?”
“Plenty. See you there, Jason. Let’s figure out how to bust these bastards.”
What the hell are these guys up to in Louisville? Henry wondered. Why would they need Conrad and his antigravity machine anywhere in Kentucky? It doesn’t make any sense. The only thing there worth anything is Fort Knox, and that’s one of the most heavily guarded places in the nation. He stopped for a second, pondering. Nah, nobody would be crazy enough to think they could break into Fort Knox. I’ll call Palmer to get his read. One thing’s certain-the noose is drawing tighter. With Palmer’s help…we’ll cut these guys’ balls off.
FIFTY-ONE
Los Angeles
19:00 hours
Ryan and Sarah Marshall made the drive through the Grapevine to Los Angeles International Airport in reasonable time. Traffic in L.A. was always a burden, but today the freeways had no delays and the 405 southbound leading past the airport was no exception.
The couple worked out a plan as they approached the airport: Ryan would drop Sarah off at the terminal and she would purchase two tickets to Louisville; he would return the rental. If there was enough time after returning the car, he wanted to visit a men’s shop to buy a new shirt and pair of Levis-he’d been living in the same clothes far too long. Ryan didn’t anticipate any problems with the first part of the plan, but was growing steadily anxious about facing the mandatory passenger screening at the airport. This would test the sagacity of their plan to fly rather than drive to Kentucky.
Security at LAX was the biggest impediment facing the wayward couple. Ryan imagined that even with an all-points-bulletin for his arrest, the TSA couldn’t possibly scrutinize everyone wanted by the law. More likely, the screeners from the Transportation Safety Administration would be profiling possible terrorists, a profile that he and Sarah didn’t match.
The only thing that could raise suspicion was the lack of advance reservations. Any tickets purchased on the same day as the flight raised a red flag for security. Ryan was banking on the fact that because neither of them fit any ethnic profile, they could overcome the same-day flight rule. Failure to make it through security was a horrifying thought, however; the prospect of being booked into the Los Angeles County Jail filled Ryan with trepidation. He shook the thought from his mind.
Ryan knew his way around LAX from coordinating a construction job a few years back in nearby Inglewood. He remembered a Starbucks kiosk located near the elevators that took passengers to the security checkpoint area. He figured Sarah could find Wi-Fi there to check for the latest messages from Jarrod. Sarah agreed to wait for him there.
Despite the anxiety about boarding a plane, he couldn’t believe how well things were going. Sarah was with him again, they knew with a growing degree of confidence where Jer was being held, and he still hadn’t been caught by the police. It was hard to grasp everything they had been through in the short span of the last three days since he left Taos.
Ryan found the Enterprise Rent-a-Car lot and returned his SUV. Then he took the shuttle back to the main terminal. It was only a few minutes before he joined Sarah at the Starbucks kiosk.
“Everything okay?” he asked, kissing the top of her forehead before sitting down beside her. Ryan drank in the beauty of Sarah’s smile as she looked up at him. She was glowing. He had not seen her look this good in what seemed like ages.
“Sure, how about you?”
“I’m just so glad we’re doing this together, Sarah. I don’t know what I’d do without you. This feels right, doesn’t it? I mean, what we’re about to do…fly to Kentucky…risk getting caught…all of it. Are you okay with our plan?”
“Oh, Ryan, I threw away caution when I agreed to let Jer follow you to Stanford…that was against my nature. And while I regretted the decision at first, I can see now that it was the only way to unravel all that’s happened these last few days. When I think about how dysfunctional our family was, and how far we’ve come, I see our path led by divine intervention-a path that leads to Jer. Sure I’m worried about the outcome, but I believe our plan is the best course.” she said reassuringly, looking lovingly at Ryan as she spoke.
“Okay, it’s just that if you have any doubts…now’s the time to change your mind. If you don’t want to accompany me through security…I’ll understand. Until now, you’re only an accessory; buying me a ticket to flee the state will be judged as aiding and abetting. Maybe it would be best if only one of us goes to jail when this is all over. You need to think about that, Sarah.”
Sarah looked crestfallen, hurt by Ryan’s comment. “I have thought about this, and there’s no way I’m going to beg out now,” she said solemnly. “And don’t you think that when the authorities understand the extenuating circumstances they’ll grant us leniency? I mean really…our only surviving son is kidnapped and they expect us to stand by and hope for the best? No, sir, mister. Not this mother. I’ll fight anyone to keep Jer from harm.”
Sarah indignantly folded her arms across her chest. She suspected that Ryan was trying to be gallant, but this was no time for his macho Italian chivalry.
“Listen, I didn’t mean to upset you or imply I don’t need you with me…I do. I just want you to consider what happens when this is all over,” he explained recognizing he had hurt her feelings. “There are consequences to what we’re doing. I hope you’re right about the leniency, honey. But I want you to think about the cost. This could end badly.”
“Yes, it could, Ryan…it could be tragic,” she said leaning forward in her chair. “Here’s my fear: You go it alone…and I lose Jer, Sela, and you-the three most important people in my life. I can’t take that risk. I wouldn’t survive the loss. I’m more afraid of that than anything we’ll face together. Do you understand?” she asked, tears welling up in her eyes.
Ryan took both her hands in his and whispered softly. “Yes, I understand, honey, and I feel the same way. I just wanted to make sure. If we go down, we’ll go down together. Come on…let’s get this over with,” he said, standing in preparation for moving to the passenger screening area.
They stepped onto the escalator and joined a long line of passengers waiting to be screened. The wait only compounded their anxiety. When it was their turn, they presented their boarding passes and identification to the TSA agent, who briefly looked them over and then indicated they step into the queue for the metal detectors.
Ryan chose a line that looked like it was moving faster then others. A portly black woman standing opposite the scanner looked purposeful but also relaxed. Her demeanor lifted Ryan’s sprits. He began putting his belt, money clip, and cap in the basket to be checked; Sarah was doing the same with the laptop and her purse.
Ryan stepped forward when the attendant signaled it was his turn and she said, “Excuse me, sir, but you’ll have to remove those boots.”
His heartbeat was already over a hundred beats a minute, but forgetting to remove his work boots put him squarely in the woman’s spotlight. Damnit, how could I have forgotten the boots? He gave Sarah a forlorn look. Her face was ashen. The line behind them came to a complete halt while Ryan stooped over to begin unlacing his ankle-high work boots. He worked feverishly, his hands noticeably shaking. He felt as if everyone was watching him. Calm down…calm down, he thought.
“Are you two together?” the attendant asked, looking past Ryan to Sarah.
“Yes,” Sarah simply replied.
“Come ahead, then,” the attendant motioned with her hand.
Sarah held her boarding pass for the TSA agent to see, and calmly walked through the metal detector. It remained mercifully silent and she moved to the end of the screening area to retrieve her purse and laptop.
Ryan awkwardly removed both boots and put them through the scanner. He held his ticket at chest-level and walked through the machine when the attendant signaled. The alarm blared, causing the attendant to stop him. She asked that he step back through the device and try again.
