38. Kali

CHAPTER 38

Kali

A year later…

“We’re sorry, folks, we’re going to reroute to Austin because the storm doesn’t seem to want to move. We’ll get you home as soon as possible.”

Ari and I both groan simultaneously. We hate when this happens.

Well, I promised I would go back one day. I just didn’t think it would be like this. A year and a half and a whole new life later, I’ve moved on from this hell. The only thing that couldn’t move on was my heart. I miss Paxton, especially after our night together in St. Louis a year ago. I often wondered when walking into a new hotel if I would find him waiting for me, but he was never there.

Eventually, I stopped looking.

“Get ready to deal with bitchy people,” she leans over and whispers. People can get downright mean when plans deviate. Gone is any understanding, and the knives come out. The long fight from Hawaii just turned into hours more. It just messed up our connection, too, and I’m certain we’re stuck here for the night. The first flight attendant call button goes off.

She sighs, seeing it’s a person in her group. “You want to flip for it?”

“No, I’ll go. But if 5A goes off, she’s all yours.” I made the mistake of telling her I loved her necklace. It turned into a three-minute explanation of where she got it. Three minutes doesn’t seem like a long time, but we were in the middle of boarding, and she was blocking people. Later, when I offered her a drink, she launched into a ramble about her favorite drink from the past that they no longer offer.

“Deal.”

As I pass rows of disgruntled passengers, I avoid all their glares, but their anger is swirling in the air. People, I don’t want to go to Austin, either. But humans need to place blame on someone, and we’re ripe for the taking. Another flight attendant light dings ahead, but I focus on the first one.

Reaching underneath to turn off the light, I ask, “What can I help you with?”

Dull brown eyes lock onto mine, and an eerie sensation courses through me. The man’s weathered face remains devoid of any expression, and his hardened stare makes me uncomfortable, so I stand up straighter.

“Is there something you need?”

His eyes sweep down my body and then back up. I’m about to ask again what the hell he needs because I’m not about to stand here another moment for him to size me up, but he finally asks, “If my final destination was Austin, do I have to return to Dallas?” His monotone voice matches the humdrum of his appearance.

I swallow. He won’t like my answer. He already looks to be on the verge of destroying something with his hands clenched in his lap. Or someone.

“That’s a question for customer service. I’m positive they’ll have agents able to assist you as soon as you exit the plane.”

“Are you new? Why don’t you know the answer?”

No asshole. I know the answer, but you’re not going to like it.

I plaster on a fake smile. “Things change by the minute in these circumstances. So, rather than tell you one thing that might not be true, it’s best to find out from the people who know for certain.” With that, I spin around and put as much distance in this small tube from him as possible. Ari can take care of her own section from now on.

I quiver with a chill when I sit back down.

“What?” Ari asks.

“That guy was creepy. Did you see him?”

“Hmm. I don’t think so. But now I want to go check him out.” She gets up and is gone before I can stop her. Within a couple minutes, she’s back. “Um. Yeah. He could totally be Lurch from the Addams Family.” We both laugh.

As expected, all the flights into Dallas-Fort Worth are suspended for the night. We’re stuck too. Thankfully, I’m working the galley, so I don’t have to see everyone and their sour faces.

“Hey, Kali, can you grab me a water?” Jay asks from the cockpit.

I lean over to grab a can and hand it over.

Knock. Knock. Knock.

My hand freezes mid-air. The pilot tilts his head as I stop short, and he has to reach a little farther to grab the can. “Thanks?”

Ignoring his questioning gaze, I spin around, my heart seizing in my chest as I search for the source of the noise. It can’t be him. Right? People continue to deplane one by one. Nobody stands to the side, waiting to see my reaction. But did he ever? Wait? No, he did it knowing he would get my attention.

“Did you hear that knocking?” I ask Ari, hoping it was my imagination, or her making the noise.

“Yeah.” She rolls her eyes. “Either a pissed-off passenger or a superstitious one.” She laughs. “I didn’t see who did it, though. Are you okay? You look pale.”

I’m being ridiculous. It can’t be him. He’s not the only one in this world to do things in threes. She’s right. It’s probably just someone taking their frustrations out on the plane.

I nod, taking in a few deep breaths, leaning against the station, giving air a chance to move to my brain so I don’t pass out. Waving her off, I say, “I just think the humidity is getting to me already.”

Her impeccably shaped brows arch upward. “Aren’t you from Texas? Speaking of, let’s make the most of it and go out tonight. Find me one of these Texas cowboys.”

I emit a strangled laugh. “As much as I’d love to see you on a mechanical bull, I’m hanging out in the room tonight. I’m exhausted.” I’ve only been in Austin for fifteen minutes, and a sense of panic is already settling in. Even after two years, just the mere thought of being here does something to my psyche. It’s a bad vibe. The faster I can leave this place, the better.

She wrinkles her nose at me, confused. The last year and a half, we have been on a million adventures together, exploring new cities, the nightlife, the people, the food—that’s why I took this job. Despite me not looking for hookups for myself, I make a great wingman for her.

But not here.

The air is suffocating me already.

“Fine. Mac and I will have a great time without you.” Her attempt to make me feel left out is nothing but a relief.

“Just be careful.”

“Always.”

The shrill of the alarm blares, tearing through the early morning darkness. I fumble around until I find my phone, somewhere between the comforter and the sheet down at my feet. How the hell did it get down there? Still pitch-black outside, I groan as I roll out of bed. Not hearing Ari’s alarm, I knock on our connecting door before opening it. We always get connecting rooms and keep it unlocked in case either of us needs something.

Her room is quiet and dark. “Hey, party girl, it’s time to get up. Just remember, this is your fault,” I taunt, dragging my feet across the floor to flick on the bedside lamp. In an instant, I’m jolted awake, staring at the perfectly made king bed. Ari’s overnight bag lies open, its contents scattered across the bed, while her uniform hangs untouched on the outside of the closet. It remains in the exact spot it was when we talked about the places to hit on Sixth Street before she left.

I rush back to my room and grab my phone, pressing Ari’s number. It goes to voice mail, so I call Mac. She answers in a perky voice, wide awake. “I was just about to call to make sure you both were awake.”

“Ari isn’t in her room. She didn’t sleep here last night,” I reply, attempting to keep my panic under control. “Were you together when you came back last night?”

“No,” she replies. “Her and Jay were hanging out.” The captain. I release a sigh of relief. I mean, pilots and flight attendants…it happens. She must’ve slept in his bed.

“I tried to call her, but I’ll try again,” I tell Mac, then hang up and call Ari’s phone again. Voice mail again. I mutter a few curse words. Why isn’t she answering her phone? And why don’t I have Jay’s number? Not bothering to curl my hair as planned, I throw it up in a bun, and I’m down in the lobby in record time. Waiting. I asked the lobby if they could call Jay’s room, but he didn’t answer either. Mac comes down first.

She chuckles when she sees me by myself. “Ari had too much fun last night, running late?”

“I still haven’t talked to her.” An unsettled feeling takes root in the pit of my stomach.

“Guess her and Jay hit it off?” She wags her brows. I hope that’s it. “Oh look.” She tilts her head toward the fully dressed pilot, stepping off the elevator with his hat under his arm. “Trying the old you go before me so it doesn’t look suspicious.” She laughs, rolling her eyes.

I don’t wait for him to join us, and instead, I take long strides, meeting him halfway. “Where’s Ari?” I demand as his mouth opens to greet me.

His eyes move to the side for a beat, and with a flick of his hand, he offers a dismissive gesture. “How would I know?”

“Jay, you were with her last night. And she wasn’t in her room this morning.”

“Kali. She wasn’t with me last night. I mean, we hung out on Sixth Street, and she was talking with a guy.”

He left her alone? Our hotel is only a block off Sixth Street, and it’s not like I haven’t left her at a bar with a guy before, but it wasn’t in Austin where my psycho is still on the loose.

He shrugs at my annoyance. “She’s an adult, Kali. She said she was going to grab one more drink to help her sleep.”

Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.

Austin. The weird man on the plane. The knocking. Ari disappearing. The unsettling rock in my stomach morphs into a level of panic I haven’t experienced since I heard about Shanna disappearing.

“Kali, I’m sure she’s fine. We both know Ari. She likes to have her fun.” He rubs my shoulder, but his reassurance does nothing to calm my nerves. She’s never spent the night in one of her one-night stand’s beds. There’s a first for everything, but even if she did, she would’ve set her alarm. “Let’s talk to the front desk and see if they remember seeing her come in during the night.”

We walk over. “Excuse me,” I say to the front desk staff member. “Another flight attendant that was with us didn’t come back to her room last night. I was wondering if you saw her at all last night? Her name is Arabella Lancaster.”

He winces. “Sorry, I only came on at five, but I can check with a night staff member for you,” he answers.

“Please,” I say. Stay calm, Kali.

When he appears from the back, he shakes his head. “Sorry, none of the night staff can confirm seeing her.”

This can’t be happening . I pull out my phone and press the one number I was hoping never to call again.