IC: SEND VIA E-MAIL, EASIER TO ENLARGE ON MY END.

IC: MS NICHOLS WILL ARRIVE PALO ALTO AFTER 6 PT. KEEP HER IN YOUR VIEW UNTIL SAFELY RETURNED TO HER CONDO. ARE YOUR SENSORS IN PLACE?

PA: YES SIR. MS MCCOY JUST EXITED UNIT.

IC: SHE IS GOING OUT OF TOWN.

PA: HER FLIGHT PLAN IS FOR LOS ANGLES WITH RETURN FLIGHT THURSDAY. (Phil wanted to show Mr. Rawlings he knew what was happening.)

IC: KEEP ME CONSTANTLY APPRISED

PA: YES SIR.

*****

Patrick waited by the exit to her terminal. He didn’t know if she had checked luggage or not, but he could follow from a distance. It took some patience, but he had the panel van parked right next to her Honda Accord. The element of surprise was always the best. It wasn’t like he’d ever kidnapped someone before, but he’d watched enough episodes of crime shows to know the necessary tools and form a well thought out plan.

He double checked the monitor. Yes, this was her flight; nevertheless, as passenger after passenger passed, she was AWOL. Didn’t first class usually deplane first?

After the stream of people waned, Patrick walked confidently to the American Airlines counter. “Excuse me,” he said politely. “I’m waiting for a friend. She was supposed to be on Flight 1103 from Iowa. Can you tell me if she made her flight?”

Once Patrick gave the attendant Claire’s information, the man checked his computer. “I’m sorry, sir. We don’t have anyone by that name scheduled on this flight. Perhaps she changed her reservations.”

“Can you check?”

“No, sorry.” The attendant looked disgusted, “Privacy issues, you know? I can’t look in her account. I can see if she’s on another flight scheduled to arrive later today.”

Patrick’s heart raced; damn this was going to be perfect. Maybe there was still a chance. “Yes, please.”

After prolonged scanning, the attendant confessed, “I’m sorry, sir. I don’t see a Claire Nichols on any of our flights. United has two coming in this evening from Iowa City. Perhaps she switched carriers.”

“Thank you.” Patrick huffed as he walked away. Now what?

*****

Derek’s face filled the screen of Sophia’s laptop. It amazed Sophia how even half a world apart, his voice sounded like they were in the same room. “I called corporate. She’s on her way back to California and being reassigned.”

Sophia couldn’t believe her ears. “So what are you going to do about an assistant?”

“They’ll assign me a temporary and when I get back, I guess I get to start interviewing potential candidates.”

“I’m really sorry I was right about Danni’s intentions.” She smiled into the camera, “However, I’m very glad you stopped her in her tracks.”

“Yea, Baby, I need to get some work done here. I just wanted to be honest with you.”

Sophia’s smile transcended the oceans. “Thank you. When will you be home?”

“I’m scheduled to fly back Friday. I hope this doesn’t postpone things.”

“Me either. I love you.”

“I love you, too,” Derek said as he disconnected their Skype call.

For a few moments Sophia stared at the blank screen. She couldn’t believe Danni flew all the way to China to seduce her husband. Of course, that wasn’t the reason she listed on her travel request. It had something to do with negotiation assistance.

“Sophie, did I hear that husband of yours in here?” Carlos asked as he walked into Sophia’s kitchen.

“No, Pop. Remember, he’s in China. I was just talking to him on the computer.”

“China? He’s in China? Why would he be there? He should be here with you. He could help me make some more frames. I think we can get a few more sketches stretched today.”

“That sounds great. I want to be back to California by Friday.”

“You and that man of yours need to move back here. New Jersey is where you belong.”

“Yes, Pop.”

She decided not to remind him that here was Provincetown not Princeton. It wouldn’t matter in another ten minutes anyway. She and her mom told him a hundred times about Derek’s trip to China.

Sophia smiled as she thought about her father’s agenda for stretching sketches. Why could he remember some things and not others?

If she hadn’t spent the past week with him, she wouldn’t have believed how far he had deteriorated. Sophia wanted to talk to her mom about hired help. She worried her mom was doing too much. Sometimes you just need help.

Anger is not the opposite of love, for the opposite of love is indifference.
To be angry is to care tremendously.
- Doris Moreland Jones

Chapter 50

January 2011...

Tony woke with a start; his wife, for just over a month, rolled from his shoulder to her side. In the silence he heard Claire’s soft rhythmic breathing. She was sleeping peacefully -- a far cry from earlier. Closing his eyes he remembered their night, their words, and her tears. When they went to bed everything was fine. Then out of nowhere she said told him she was bored and wanted to join him on business trips. Normally he’d like that, but lately nothing was normal; he had too many fires to count. Fires Claire never would or could understand.

Truthfully, he’d been holding so much in lately, so many issues: Rawlings Industries, Sophia Rossi – no Burke, and John Vandersol.

Lifting his head to his elbow, he watched her. Tony couldn’t fathom how someone so seemingly compliant could so easily incite his emotions. He could keep his cool in the middle of chaos; yet, a few simple words from her and his reactions were uncontrollable. No, Tony thought, not uncontrollable. He’d gone there once -- he wouldn’t go there again.