Page 55 of Return to the Lake House
Jake felt his foul mood dissipating rapidly. He looked out of the cabin window. The sun had come out.
The flight attendant returned. She sat down in the seat next to him and whispered, ‘The person in question would be arrested initially, held for twenty-four to forty-eight hours while investigations were made, and a decision would be made whether charges should be brought. They could end up with a criminal record.’
‘Arrested,’ Jake mused. ‘At the airport on landing?’
‘Er, that depends …’
‘On when you make the discovery,’ Jake clarified.
‘Yes.’ Her tone was much more congenial, he noticed. ‘Do you know of someone who you think has brought illegal drugs on board?’
Jake turned to look out of the window and smiled. ‘I do.’
‘Was it the man you were having an altercation with in first class?’
‘Yes, it was.’
For a moment, it crossed his mind that she wouldn’t believe him after that scene with Marcus. He looked at her. ‘You do believe me, don’t you?’
‘We take these matters very seriously.’
He turned back to the window and closed his eyes, feelingthe warmth of the sun on his face and smiling to himself. This was going to be one holiday the like of which Marcus had never experienced.
Chapter 21
After half an hour of fitful catnapping, Jake opened his eyes as the plane began its descent into Inverness airport.
The scheduled flight landed on time at just before three in the afternoon. It taxied to a standstill.
The seatbelt sign remained on. A voice came over the tannoy.
‘This is your captain speaking. May I request that all passengers remain in their seats until the seatbelt sign is switched off. May I take this opportunity to thank you for flying with us today. I hope you had a pleasant flight.’
‘Very pleasant, thank you,’ commented Jake.
The seatbelt sign remained on.
A low murmur developed in the cabin as people waited.
Jake looked around as the cabin door opened. Two uniformed police officers stepped into view. Jake watched them walk up the aisle and disappear into first class. Passengers exchanged nervous glances. Jake smiled to himself.
They reappeared with Marcus leading the way and the flight attendant bringing up the rear.
As they approached, Jake tried to keep a straight face – everything was going according to plan. The look on Marcus’s face said he was feeling completely humiliated, being escortedfrom the plane in front of all these people like he was some kind of criminal. Perhaps the cabin crew had searched his luggage, or they’d just taken Jake at his word. Either way, speaking to the flight attendant had had the desired effect – although Jake had assumed Marcus might be stopped and searched, and arrested in the airport terminal; he hadn’t expected the police to actually board the flight on arrival.
Jake was finding it all highly entertaining. The handcuffs only added to his enjoyment.
‘Jake, what’s going on?’ Marcus demanded, attempting to stop in the aisle next to Jake’s seat.
Jake shrugged innocently. He noted that the officers carried firearms, which in the pre-terror climate would have been almost unheard of at British airports.
‘I know you had something to do with this!’
Marcus was manhandled towards the exit.
‘Where are you taking me? Are you arresting me for something?’ Marcus moaned at his captors.
Jake turned around in his seat to watch Marcus being escorted out of the plane; there was a hush, as other passengers were doing the same. Jake wanted Marcus to make a scene, but he didn’t. Marcus hesitated before he stepped out of the cabin, glancing back at Jake with a bewilderedhelp meexpression on his shocked face. Jake offered him a wide grin. ‘See ya!’ he said under his breath, as he waved goodbye.
