The Abandoned (A Sarah Roberts Thriller Book 14) Read online

  “I don’t know how he smuggled these items onto the plane but he’s a credible threat to the safety of this aircraft.”

  “Okay,” the attendant patted Sarah’s arm. “Come to the back with me.”

  They headed aft, Sarah in the lead. Once there, the woman yanked a curtain in place, concealing them from the other passengers.

  “What makes you feel he’s a threat?” the woman asked. “Do you know this man?”

  “I don’t know him. He’s sitting behind me in row fifteen. He’s a threat because the weapons he has were most likely smuggled onto the flight.”

  “You appeared to know each other when I saw you earlier.”

  “We were talking. When he raised his arm, I saw the weapons.”

  “Where is he now?” she asked.

  Sarah shrugged, frustration building. “I have no idea. I asked you the same question.”

  “He can’t just disappear.” She peeked past the edge of the curtain then let it fall back into place. “I take what you’ve told me seriously. Please, go back to your seat. I will talk with my superior. I know what this man looks like. We will get to the bottom of this very shortly. But please, go back to your seat. I will come to talk to you when I know more.”

  “When’s the earliest we could land?” Sarah asked.

  The attendant glanced at her watch. “We’re less than two hours from Amsterdam. That would be our best airport as we’re over the ocean right now. We’ll be rolling out the breakfast soon. Then we do cleanup and prepare for landing. Just take your seat. We’ll look into this.”

  Sarah nodded and started away. Short of being branded paranoid or accused of causing a disturbance, she decided to remain in her seat for the duration of the flight. Whatever Casper was up to, she was sure he’d planned on her seeing the inside of his jacket. But why? What could he gain by it? Especially if he knew who she was as he had claimed.

  When she got to her seat, the chair behind hers was still empty. Casper was hiding out somewhere on the plane and what ate away at her stomach was that he was probably plotting something that would prove disastrous and there was nothing she could do to stop him. Her attempts came across as annoying the crew and being disruptive.

  So she would sit in her seat and wait, just like all the other passengers. She would wait until he showed up or the plane landed.

  Or crashed.

  But that was just it. She couldn’t wait. It wasn’t in her to wait. But what else could she do? She had notified the crew, one of which could identify the man. Short of causing a panic on the flight, she had done all she could do.

  The little boy by the window seat was awake. He nudged his mother and whispered something to her. The mother looked at Sarah.

  “Toilet,” the mother said.

  Sarah nodded and got up to let them out. Once they were both gone, she sat down and affixed her seatbelt.

  Vivian. Anything?

  The seatbelt light went out with an audible ding. The plane had been flying quite steady without much turbulence for the previous few minutes. Then the interior lights came on. It was time to serve breakfast. The smell of food floated through the cabin as an attendant wheeled a tray out from behind a curtain about ten rows up from her.

  Moments later her seat mates were back. After they sat down, the mother leaned over to Sarah.

  “There’s a man back there asking to speak with you.”

  Sarah spun around in her seat and stared down the aisle. Another crew member was heading her way with a silver cabinet on wheels filled with breakfast items.

  “Where?” Sarah asked when she spun back around. “What man?”

  “A tall blonde man. The one you borrowed the phone from. He’s standing by the toilets. Asked me to tell you.”

  Sarah got up without another word and started for the back. When she approached the cart, she had to wait for the attendant to retreat four seats and turn into an opening so she could pass. She muttered an apology, hopped by him and continued toward the lavatory.

  At the doors, both were occupied. She moved past them, checked behind a curtain and slipped to the other side where she looked up and down that aisle.

  Nothing. If Casper had been here, he was gone now. Or he was inside one of the lavatories.

  She moved back and waited outside both doors to see who would emerge. While she waited, two other men joined her, also waiting for the use of the toilet.

  There was a thump as a lock disengaged, and then the door on her right crumpled inward like an accordion and opened. A woman in her seventies stepped out and walked past Sarah. One of the waiting men gestured at the door for Sarah to go in. She shook her head and gestured for him to take it. He thanked her and stepped inside, closing and locking the door behind him.

  One more bathroom occupied. He had to be in there. Where else could he be? She took one more look around her and prepared for the door to open, wondering the entire time what his purpose for the cat and mouse game was. What was his end game?

  The door’s lock clicked, the little red occupied button switched to a green vacant sign. She waited.

  Then the door slid inward and a teenage boy stepped out. He nodded at Sarah, then stepped past her as he headed to his seat. Sarah spun on her heels and stared at the passengers that filled the seats facing her. Maybe she’d missed him. Maybe he was two rows away. But why send her seat mates back with a message and then disappear again? Whatever game he was playing, she was done with it. Watching her at the airport, following her to the back of the plane, sending messages—for what gain?

  All of it reminded her of Rod Howley and his cronies. She would never work with or for the government. They couldn’t be trusted. And their power held no limits.

  “Excuse me,” a voice behind her.

  A flight crew member was attempting to pass her with his little trolley of breakfast trays and drinks. She stepped aside to let him pass. The second he was by her, the curtain brushing against her back moved and an arm wrapped around her throat. Then she was yanked inside a small alcove where coffee was brewing and tea steeping.

  She grabbed at the arm in an attempt to dislodge it, but it was immovable.

  “Don’t fight me,” a voice whispered into her ear. “I’m a friend.”

  The blonde man’s voice. Casper.

  He let his arm loosen enough for her to breathe.

  “Don’t yell out,” he whispered.

  She thought about jamming her heel into the top of his foot. Or a well-placed elbow in his gut.

  “I’m going to give you a present. You will need it before or when you land in Amsterdam.”

  “We’re not going to land properly,” she grunted.

  “What are you talking about?”

  “The plane is going to crash.”

  There was a moment of silence from behind her. His forearm didn’t move.

  “Bullshit,” he whispered.

  Was that fear in his voice? If so, he believed her. Which meant he knew who she was.

  “Did Vivian tell you that?” he asked.

  Confirmation.

  She took the slack opportunity to spin around and face him. Their eyes met from inches away.

  “How do you know about my sister?” she asked, her jaw clenching. “Who are you?”

  He appeared to contemplate his answer, studying her face. Then his eyes relaxed and he blinked.

  “I’ve been watching you—”

  “Why?” she shot back.

  “Studying you, really.”

  “I asked you why.”

  “Because you’re worthy of study.”

  “That’s not an answer. Satisfy me or lose the ability to walk properly for a few months.”

  “What?” He eased back, frowning.

  Sarah lashed out with her foot, brought it in behind Casper’s leg and yanked forward, buckling his knee. He dropped in front of her where she grabbed his throat with both hands and lowered her face until their noses were touching. The back of his head bumped the counter an
d couldn’t retreat any further. He remained pinned under her grasp.

  “Answer shit faster,” she spat, anger fueling her strength. “Why me? Why now? Who are you working for?”

  She lessened the pressure on his throat.

  “I’m with a black organization in the U.S. government. Something like the CIA and NSA wrapped together.”

  “What’s the interest in me?”

  “You’ve caused ripples.”

  “So it’s my fault, is it?”

  “I’m not assigning blame.”

  The curtain slid aside behind her. Sarah spun around, not releasing her grip on Casper. “We’re not done here.”

  The flight attendant jerked, made a face and jammed the curtain back into place.

  “Speak faster.” Sarah said. “The truth.”

  “I don’t have all the truth.”

  Sarah eased back off him and stood by the curtain. “Get to your feet and tell me what you can.”

  “I’m supposed to follow you, stay close. Make sure nothing happens to you.”

  “I can stay close to me and protect me all on my own. I’m a big girl now. I don’t need you. What else?”

  “Eventually, I’m supposed to bring you back to the States.”

  “No. Not going to happen. My travel itinerary isn’t managed by the U.S. government.” Her words were accompanied by spittle.

  “There’s too much danger,” Casper said, shaking his head. “You don’t understand.”

  “No, you don’t understand. What I do has never been controlled. Even I can’t control my sister. You’re entertaining an illusion if you think you or your government can control it.”

  “We aren’t willing to control it.”

  “Then what?” Her frustration grew by degrees. “Why are you here?”

  Casper took in a long breath and sighed. “We’re trying to save you. You and everyone you know.”

  The curtain ripped aside. Sarah spun around.

  Jasmijn Luna, the senior flight crew member was flanked by four others. She looked past Sarah to Casper.

  “I will only ask once,” Jasmijn said. “Retake your seat, Sarah Roberts, and remain there for the duration of the flight or I will be forced to have you restrained until we land, at which point, charges will be brought against you.”

  Sarah raised her hands in surrender. “I’m going.” She offered Jasmijn a half smile. “You won’t have any more problems with me.”

  She pushed past Jasmijn and started up the aisle to her seat. What could Casper have meant when he said he was trying to save her and everyone she knew? What did the government know or think they know?

  The breakfast dishes had all been cleared away. Morning sunshine beat through the windows as the plane prepared for its final descent into Schiphol Airport.

  People were restless, moving in their seats and around the cabin. They were close to landing and the tourists wanted to begin touring. It felt like an exciting time for everyone around her, but she was hunting a man with a black book and the government of the United States felt it necessary to send a man to protect her from danger. All this and a plane crash, too.

  Yippie!

  She sat in her seat and asked her sister for something, anything, but nothing was forthcoming.

  All in good time, eh Sis?

  Turbulence shook the plane. People retook their seats. The captain came over the loudspeakers and announced that he was preparing to land.

  “Ladies and gentlemen, as we start our descent, please make sure your seat backs and tray tables are in their full upright position. Make sure your seatbelt is securely fastened and all carry-on luggage is stowed underneath the seat in front of you or in the overhead bins. Please turn off all electronic devices until we are safely parked at the gate. Thank you.”

  Vivian had said this plane would crash. Now that they were preparing to land, and Vivian remained quiet, Sarah could only assume the crash would happen during landing.

  Something Casper had said came back to her. He had a present for her. Something she would need when she landed. What present? Did he already give it to her?

  She felt around in her front pockets, then raised her butt and eased a hand into each back pocket of her jeans. Her right hand slid along something cold, steel like. She pulled out the tip, saw the knife he’d had inside his suit jacket earlier and slid it back out of sight.

  Why give her a butter knife?

  “Flight attendants,” the captain said over the speakers. “Prepare for landing, please. Cabin crew, please take your seats for landing.”

  Sarah snuck a glance out the window beside the boy and saw only water. She felt the descent, the slowing of the aircraft and only hoped that a crash could be avoided. But Vivian never bluffed or lied.

  Then Vivian’s voice reverberated through her head. Sarah closed her eyes and listened. When she opened them again, land could be seen outside the window. They were descending toward the tarmac, but now Sarah knew different. The entire tragedy had been explained to her.

  She undid her belt, bolted from her seat and started for the front of the plane just as the pilot jerked the aircraft to the left and began to swing back out over the ocean.

  He knows of the danger now, too. We’re so screwed.

  Sarah lost her balance and landed in a flight crew member’s lap before careening off a wall and landing on the carpet. The plane was in a steep turn, the engines roaring to add power when Sarah looked up into Jasmijn’s eyes.

  “You’re asking for trouble, Miss Roberts.”

  Chapter 4

  Sarah righted herself and leaned against the wall as Jasmijn worked to unbuckle her seatbelt, which seemed to be stuck.

  “You’re going to have to listen to me,” Sarah said, aware of the precious little time she had.

  Jasmijn glared at Sarah. “There’s no listening to you, young lady. When we land we’ll let the authorities deal with you.”

  Jasmijn’s belt disengaged. She got up and started away, probably with the notion of returning with help to restrain Sarah. Before she could get two steps, Sarah caught Jasmijn’s foot and tripped her. The attendant was able to grab the upper portion of a seat to arrest her fall before she hit the plane’s carpeted floor. By the time she righted herself, Sarah was already on her feet and moving toward Jasmijn. She grabbed Jasmijn’s arms and manhandled her back to her chair where she shoved her down as the plane righted itself.

  “Listen,” Sarah ordered, jabbing a finger in Jasmijn’s face. “Don’t talk. Just listen.”

  Jasmijn regarded Sarah with a stern look of disgust. Or maybe it was anger. She had probably never been dealt with in such a way on any flight.

  “In approximately twenty seconds the captain will call you.”

  Jasmijn’s eyes widened. “Why?”

  Ignoring her question, Sarah continued. “He’s going to inform you that he had to abort the landing. He will circle for as long as he can to burn off the rest of the fuel and to let emergency services prepare and organize themselves on the ground.”

  “Why?” Jasmijn asked again, more adamant this time.

  “Because we’re going to have a bumpy landing.”

  “How would you know this?”

  “My sister told me. But that’s not important. What is important is that you have to find a way to remove all the people from rows six to twenty.”

  “Six to twenty …” Jasmijn said, her voice echoing the words, as if she was unsure why she was even saying them.

  “Yes, six to twenty. Maybe remove rows five and twenty-one, too. Just to be sure.”

  Her eyes wandered left, then right, then refocused on Sarah.

  “What? Why? Why are those rows important?”

  “Because the plane will break in half somewhere near row fourteen. Five or six rows before and after row fourteen will be affected by the split.”

  Jasmijn blanched. Sarah wondered how many times someone sat Jasmijn down and told her the plane would crash. Not many from the way she was hand
ling the information.

  Sarah peeked out the small window in the door beside Jasmijn. They were back out over the ocean, the land moving away from them.

  A curtain blocked them from view of the passengers, which Sarah was grateful for. She didn’t want panic on her hands.