“Well, okay. I guess I’ll get the carrier then.”
Welita turned to him when Naomi disappeared down the hall to pack. “I know you’ll take good care of her, and I know it’s not because she’s an assignment to you.”
Lash swallowed. “I will. I promise.”
Welita placed a hand on his cheek. “I see it in your eyes as I see it in hers. Remember, there is always light where there is love, and if that is what is meant to happen between the two of you, then it was destined.”
Chapter 16
“Driver’s license and boarding pass please,” the agent droned.
Naomi grabbed Lash’s arm. “Tell me that you have a driver’s license.”
“Of course I do.” Lash pulled out his wallet. “I’ve been known to drive from time to time. You were introduced to my mad driving skills this morning. Besides, it’s hard to do anything financially without one these days.”
“Ma’am, driver’s license and boarding pass please,” the agent called to Naomi.
The agent gave a glance at her license and then looked into the dog carrier with a flashlight. “You’ll need to take the animal out of the carrier and put the carrier through the scanner. Carry the dog with you through the metal detector.”
“Okay, thanks.” Naomi walked through the checkpoint.
“Good morning,”—Lash read off the agent’s name tag—“Mr. Daryll Williams. Busy day?” He flashed a smile.
The agent eyed him suspiciously. “License and boarding pass.”
He’s in a bad mood. Lash held a breath as the agent looked over his license wishing he had taken the time to make himself look older. He hadn’t had time to update the birth date to fit the youthful look he maintained. He rubbed his hand over his chin, feeling the stubble. At least he hadn’t shaved—that might help.
The agent looked at the license then back up at Lash. He clicked on a pen light and brushed it over the license carefully. He then looked back up at Lash with a raised eyebrow.
“Plastic surgery. Houston has the best, you know.”
“Uh, huh.” The agent scribbled on the boarding pass and handed it back to him.
“Thank you.” Lash smiled and stepped through.
“Hurry up, Lash,” Naomi called out to him as she and Bear went through the metal detector. “The plane’s already started boarding. If we run, we might make it.”
“I’m right behind you.” Lash placed his bag on the conveyor belt and then stepped toward the metal detector.
“Hold on there.” A woman with a TSA badge motioned to him. “You need to take off your shoes and send them through the x-ray.”
“My shoes?”
“Yes.”
“That doesn’t make sense.”
“Do it, Lash.” Naomi said. “And hurry up.”
After a couple of minutes with struggling to take off his hiking boots, Lash placed them on the conveyor belt and walked through the metal detector, setting it off.
Naomi groaned.
“Step to the side, sir. I’ll need to pat you down,” the woman said.
Lash looked at Naomi, confused. He didn’t know what they expected to find on him.
He followed the woman’s instructions and stretched out his arm as she patted him down. When she trailed down his sides, he laughed.
The agent stopped and gave him a look.
“Sorry. I’m ticklish.”
The woman shook her head and continued.
He was telling her the truth. He didn’t understand why the agent had to be so cold.
Then he felt hands between his legs. He jumped.
“Whoa, there.” What the hell was all that about?
“Sir, you’re going to have to be still during the procedure.”
“Sorry. I just wasn’t expecting it.” People were strange. He definitely didn’t know what she expected to find down there that could possibly take down a plane. He had heard one account, a while back, in which a man supposedly carried explosives in his underwear. There was no way that could have caused any damage. Leave it to people to be more worried about exploding underwear than the obvious signs set before them.
“Finally,” Naomi said as Lash approached her.
“How much time do we have?”
Naomi looked at the airport board and then back at her watch. “Crap, we have two minutes. Run.”
Lash took the carrier from Naomi and ran in the direction of their gate. Even if they didn’t make it on time, they could try to get another flight out. He had to admit that he was anxious to get her out of the city. He had no idea where Sal was at the moment.
They arrived at their gate, breathless, and Naomi made a beeline for the counter.
“Flight 5256?”
“I’m sorry, you just missed it.” The woman behind the counter pointed out the window behind her.
Naomi dropped her bag, exhausted, as she watched the plane moving away from the gate bridge.
“Would you like for me to rebook you on another flight?”
“Yes, please.” She handed her the boarding pass.
Lash looked at her apologetically and then handed the woman his boarding pass. “I didn’t know they were going to be so thorough.”