CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT MAKAYLA

CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT

M AKAYLA

Makayla steps into the rear cabin. She rubs the side of her temple, trying to remember if she packed her Advil in her checked bag or if she still has a bottle in the diaper bag. She squints from the bright cabin lights, which pierce her eyes like a knife.

Hit by a wave of nausea, she suddenly stops, bringing a hand to her forehead. The pressure inside her head is so intense it feels like it’s going to push right out of her skull. She draws in a deep breath and forces one foot in front of the other, ignoring the concerned stare from a woman in a window seat. This is no time to be incapacitated from a migraine.

Was Jack really suspicious of her friend? Did he think it more likely they were targeted by a friend from her Tribeca mother’s group than someone who wants the millions of dollars he has access to? It’s ridiculous.

When she and Jack were dating, she felt certain he would always have her back. He was so enamored of her and her photography, always telling her that she was talented and encouraging her to never give it up. Where is that man now?

Hopefully, he can insist that they have the crew search the plane again. She tucks her phone into her back pocket. At least Cori can tell the FBI I’m not losing my memory, since no one on this plane is taking me seriously.

Her gaze settles on Derek’s empty seat, and she thinks about the FBI’s suspicions that Liam was targeted for ransom because of Jack’s work. She doesn’t know exactly how much money Jack manages, only that it’s hundreds of millions. She’s always been grateful for Jack’s job and never considered it could put them in danger. She feels sick, thinking again about how she posted all about her trip—and when they’d be flying home—on social media and her photography blog.

Makayla scours the cabin for a sign of Derek, remembering Britt asking him about his mother at the beginning of the flight. And what he’d said about her medical bills, and the experimental drug she needed that wasn’t covered by insurance.

Where is he?

Her head throbs. What if Derek took Liam? Had he seen Jack’s Forbes article and kidnapped Liam for ransom to pay for his mother’s treatment? Derek told Britt he’d picked up this trip for the overtime; he hadn’t been regularly scheduled for it.

A stabbing pain rips through her temple as she unsteadily makes for the rear galley. Where the hell did he go?

Makayla thinks again of the disturbance Rose created before she went to the bathroom. She remembers putting her call light on before the older woman shouted at the flight attendant. Could Rose have seen? Is it possible she and Derek worked together to kidnap her son?

She slows when she approaches the door to the crew compartment that she and Derek searched earlier. The floor spins, and her stomach churns. She yearns to close her eyes to block out the painful light, but she has to stay awake. Keep looking for Liam.

Her pulse quickens when she reaches for the door handle. If Derek took Liam, he could’ve moved Liam to the compartment after she searched it, knowing she wouldn’t look there again.

“Hey! What are you doing?”

Derek blurs as he rushes toward her from the front of the plane. Makayla reaches for something to keep her upright as her knees buckle.

Derek’s hand encloses around her upper arm before she hits the aisle floor. He pulls her to her feet.

“I need some help here!” he calls out.

The cabin sways. Makayla leans against him to keep from falling over. She squints from the bright cabin lights, covering her eyes with her hand.

“Where were you?” she asks. “Where’s my son?”

Derek shakes his head. “We don’t know.”

“What can I do?”

Makayla recognizes Britt’s voice behind them.

“Help me get her to her seat,” Derek says.

“No! I need to make sure Liam isn’t down here.” She pulls out of Derek’s reach and staggers backward.

Derek grips her upper arm as she falls against the door. Britt grabs Makayla’s other arm to keep Makayla on her feet.

“You need to sit down.” Britt’s voice is firm. “We already checked down there, remember?”

“I know, I just—” The plane spins. Makayla brings a hand to her mouth, fighting the urge to throw up.

“Are you okay to walk if we help you?” Derek asks.

Makayla meets his gaze. Genuine concern appears to be written all over his face. If he’s faking it, he’s a very good actor.

Makayla nods, wanting to confront him about taking her son but too weak to put up more of a fight. “I have a migraine. I need some ibuprofen. Or something stronger. I have a prescription, but I might’ve put mine in my checked bag.”

“I can get you some out of our in-flight medical kit,” Derek says. “But first let’s get you back to your seat.”

Makayla reluctantly lets Derek tuck his arm around her and lead her down the narrow aisle. She’ll text Jack once she sits down and have him tell the FBI about the flight attendant’s financial woes.

He looks over his shoulder when they reach the lavatories. “Thanks, Britt. I think we’re good now.”

“I’ll get the ibuprofen,” she says.

They pass row fifteen, where Jemma is leaning her head on her husband’s shoulder. Makayla blinks to clear her vision as her eyes settle on the pet carrier slightly protruding from the seat in front of Chad, who appears to be asleep.

She can see the outline of the dog inside the carrier, but it looks different than it did when they boarded. Makayla stops. The animal hasn’t made any noise the entire flight.

“I want to see inside that carrier.”

“It’s already been checked,” Derek says, pulling her forward.

Makayla doesn’t move. She stares at the travel kennel. It would be tight, but Liam could fit inside.

She turns to Derek. “Did you check it?”

He shakes his head. “Britt searched this cabin.”

Jemma sits up, looking offended. “That’s right, she did.” She purses her lips. “And your baby wasn’t in there. I’ve been doing everything I can to be helpful, and we were lucky to get Georgie back to sleep the first time. It was quite an ordeal.” She frowns. “I thought you saw. Georgie’s a nervous flier, and her sedative is wearing off. If we wake her up, she’ll probably howl for the rest of the flight.”

“Oh, brother! Don’t do that!” Rose exclaims.

Jemma looks at Derek, ignoring the elderly woman across the aisle. “Do you need me to open it?”

“Yes!”

“No.”

Makayla yanks free from Derek’s hold, bringing a hand to her forehead at the stab of pain that shoots through the front of her skull.

“Yes!” she repeats. “I need to see inside. Open it! Or I will!”

Chad startles awake from Makayla’s shout and looks at his wife. “What’s going on?”

Jemma turns to him. “She wants to see inside Georgie’s carrier.”

“Again? We already showed that other flight attendant. And we’re lucky we got Georgie to settle back down after we disturbed her. She’s a horrible traveler.”

Jemma puts a hand on her husband’s leg. “That’s what I told them.”

Derek raises a palm in the air. “It’s fine. Let your dog sleep.” He encircles a strong arm around Makayla’s back and pushes her toward her seat.

Makayla goes rigid, leaning against the force of his hand on her spine. “I’m not moving until I see inside that carrier.” She reaches for the carrier, throwing herself so far into Jemma’s row her stomach lands on Jemma’s lap.

Jemma shrieks. Her husband clasps his meaty hand around Makayla’s wrist before she can grasp the carrier under his feet. Makayla’s head spins from the sudden movement of diving forward. Derek wraps both arms around her waist and tugs her back into the aisle. Jemma’s muscled husband moves his hand to Makayla’s shoulder, giving her an added shove.

“Oh, my!” Rose shouts before letting out a chuckle.

Makayla and Derek stumble backward. Sharp, synchronous gasps are emitted from the couple in the middle row, seated two rows back from Pink Headphones. Derek grunts as Makayla falls on top of him, landing on the floor a few rows up. Right beside Liam’s empty bassinet. The girl with the pink headphones gapes at them with wide eyes. The curtain flings open behind their heads. Makayla makes out the blurry silhouette of the auburn-haired flight attendant standing over them.

Makayla rolls off Derek and uses Pink Headphones’ armrest to get to her feet. Despite the pain radiating through her head, she takes a few unsteady steps toward Jemma’s row when a hand grips her ankle. She trips but catches herself on an empty seat back before going all the way down.

She turns to see Derek sitting up on the aisle floor, holding onto her leg. She kicks out of his grasp.

“Whoa! Easy!” He blocks his face with his hand when her heel comes within inches of his jaw.

As soon as her foot is free, she hurries toward the pet carrier.

“Are you okay?” she hears Aubrey ask.

“She almost kicked me in the face!”

Makayla ignores them. She wasn’t trying to hurt Derek. And she didn’t. She only got away from him.

“She’s going to hurt someone!” the man shouts from the middle aisle.

Jemma’s eyes widen when Makayla reaches their row, out of breath. Chad sits forward as if ready to block Makayla from Georgie’s carrier as Jemma’s eyes travel behind Makayla. Makayla leans forward, about to reach over Jemma’s lap, when her elbow is jerked backward.

She whirls to find Aubrey right behind her, tugging on the crook of Makayla’s arm with an ice-cold grip.

“Get your hand off me!” Makayla tries to yank her elbow away, but Aubrey grits her teeth and digs her cold fingers into Makayla’s flesh.

The floor drops as Makayla flails her arm back and forth. She feels Aubrey’s grip slip away seconds before her elbow connects with bone. Makayla stumbles sideways and grabs the back of Jemma’s seat to keep herself upright.

Jemma lets out a shriek as she gapes at the flight attendant standing behind Makayla. Makayla follows Jemma’s gaze to see Aubrey covering her nose with both hands, bright red blood flowing beneath her fingers. Rose lifts a tremoring hand to her mouth while staring at Makayla in wide-eyed horror. Derek is on his feet at the front of the cabin, rushing toward them.

“Help!” Aubrey screams. “She attacked me!”

When Derek reaches Aubrey’s side, he narrows his eyes at Makayla. Britt appears at the bulkhead holding a bottle of water, her jaw dropping at the scene.

Derek points to Makayla. “Don’t move!”

Britt steps toward them. “You need me to call the captain, Derek?”

He spins. “Yes! Get permission to restrain her. She’s out of control!”

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