Kayla was depleted—emotionally weak, physically spent, and six months pregnant.
All she needed was the warmth of her bed after the upheaval of saying goodbye to her grandma, the lady who had been her constant anchor.
As she packed her suitcase, her mother stood at the door, hesitation in her eyes.
“Are you sure you want to leave today?” she asked gently.
“You could stay longer, take your time to process everything.”
“I wish I could, but I need to get back. Colin’s hopeless without me, and work won’t wait.” Kayla said.
Her mother nodded: “I understand. Just know your father and I will be here a few more days sorting through your grandmother’s things. I only wish she could’ve been here to meet the baby.”
Kayla placed a hand on her belly and swallowed the lump in her throat. “Me too. More than anything.”
Once aboard, she sighed in relief as the flight attendant offered to stow her carry-on. The woman next to her groaned, clearly uncomfortable.
“Ugh, I hate flying. Hate driving, too. Should’ve just stayed home,” she muttered.
Kayla chuckled. “I feel the same way.”
But something seemed odd.
There was a presence. She opened her eyes and tilted her head slightly.
Her heart skips a beat. His glance was not casual, but focused and unnerving. She instantly glanced away, attributing it to paranoia, but the feeling of being watched lingered.
Ten minutes into the journey, a flight attendant approached her with an unreadable expression.
“Ma’am, could you come with me?”
Confused, Kayla unbuckled her seatbelt and followed her toward a quiet corner near the restroom.
“Get on your knees. Now.”
Kayla blinked, frozen. “What? Why? What’s going on?”
“Now,” the woman commanded.
The man who had been watching her walked closer, his voice quiet but authoritative. “Where is the golden necklace you stole?”
Kayla’s breath caught. “What? I don’t know what you’re talking about! I just came from my grandmother’s fun3ral!”
The man took out images and documents and put them in front of her.
“This is you at the museum two days ago. And this—” he pointed at another image, “—is you at the hotel where the necklace disappeared. We’ve tracked you here.”
“Wait! The woman in these photos has a tattoo on her wrist. Look!” She thrust her arms forward. “I don’t have any tattoos, and I’m six months pregnant! That woman isn’t!”
The man grasped her wrist, his touch frigid. His eyes narrowed.
“You could be hiding it with makeup. And pregnancy? Could be a disguise.”
Instinctively, she placed his hand on her stomach. “You can’t fake this.”
.“I… I’m sorry. You look just like her. I was convinced.”
Kayla’s chest relaxed, but the true terror had only just begun.
The flight attendant had taken out a g*n.
“Enough! Hands behind your backs!”
Kayla’s blood ran cold.
The flight attendant sneered at the detective, tossing zip ties at him. “You were right about tracking me,” she spat. “But you had the wrong person.”
A glimmer of gold around the flight attendant’s neck indicated the stolen necklace.
Authorities were already waiting at the gate when the plane touched down. The flight attendant was arrested on the spot. The detective, now known as Connor, sincerely apologized to Kayla.
“We’ve been tracking her for months. She’s a master of disguises, constantly changing identities. I got a tip she’d be on this flight, and when I saw you, I assumed…”
Kayla gave him a tired smile. “Well, now you know.”
He nodded. “I’m truly sorry.”
But Kayla did not linger on it. Relief rushed over her as she walked through the arrival doors and saw him—Colin.
He was waiting for her with a bunch of yellow tulips in hand, and his face lit up as he spotted her.
“Welcome home,” he murmured.
Kayla melted into him, finally content. Whatever nightmare she had just endured was over. She was at home. Safe.
