Page 22 of Final Approach
“Did you notice an overabundance of glue? Jewelry glue, to be specific.”
She frowned harder. “Yeah, I did. And normally, I would have flagged it, but frankly, I just thought he was taking the kit home to his kid. Like I said, I was relieved I wasn’t letting drugs through.” Her eyes bounced between Andrew and Nathan. “But you asked about the glue. What about it? What’d he do?”
“Used it to make a knife out of wire and a toothbrush.”
Her mouth dropped open into a perfect oval. Then she snapped her lips shut. “And that’s what he used to hijack the plane,” she whispered.
“Yeah.”
“I didn’t know. I never imagined...” She shook her head. “When I didn’t find the drugs, I thought the guy must have changed his mind. I was so glad but worried too. Terrified really.”
“That the guy who left the money would come looking for it?”
“Yes, of course. But I did as he’d asked, so ... I don’t know. I guess I thought that was it. If the guy—Marcus Brown—didn’t do what he was supposed to, then that was between him and the guy who hired us. But then the officers showed up at my house and I knew there was more to it.” She shuddered.
“You haven’t paid the money to stop the foreclosure.”
She shook her head. “I ... couldn’t. I’ve been trying to figure out how to give it back, but the number that called me is out of service. I assume it was a burner. I don’t know what to do with the money. I can’t spend it. I’m so ashamed.” She buried her face in her hands and wept.
Andrew let her cry and rubbed his nose as he thought. Then checked his phone. Still no word from Hank. When she calmed down and had mopped up her face, he asked, “Are you familiar with the Serpentine Network?”
She blinked. “The gang? Of course. Why?”
“Do you see many of them getting on planes?”
“Yeah, sometimes. Probably more than we actually identify. Notall of them have their tats on display. But even if we do pinpoint someone, unless the person is on the TSA watch list or the No Fly List or contraband is found on his person during the screening, we don’t have a valid reason to keep them off the flight.” She picked at a ragged fingernail and shook her head. “You know as well as I do that gang membership alone isn’t sufficient legal justification to detain a person. We’d need a warrant for their arrest. Or proof they’re a member of a terrorist organization.”
“And yet you took a bribe to let Mr. Brown through your line.”
She bit off another fingernail. “I honestly wasn’t sure if I could do it when it came down to it, but when all he had was a jewelry case and more glue than would normally be allowed, yeah, I let him through.”
“He’d switched it out for superglue. And he could have killed a plane full of people because of it.”
“Yes,” she said, closing her eyes and dropping her chin to her chest, “yes, he could have.”
Andrew and Nathan stepped out of the room, arranged for Colleen to be taken into custody, then Andrew checked his phone once more. A message from Hank had finally arrived. He translated the simple coded checking-on-you message into the time and place Hank wanted to meet, then frowned. Meeting Hank again would be dangerous. The man could drop off the gang’s radar for only so long. And so often. An in-person this soon wasn’t safe. Andrew texted his friend that very caution.
Hank insisted, giving the time and place.
Also, bring me a new phone, will you?
Andrew raked a hand down his face, promised he’d be there with the phone, and tucked his own device away. His next order of business was to meet his cousin before Friday to get the details of why the man was really in town.
Nathan walked over. “You all right?”
“Family stuff. The never-ending family stuff.”
“I know all about that.”
“How’s Eli doing?” Nathan’s brother had been on suicide watch for a while but seemed to be doing much better now that the brothers were getting along.
Nathan smiled. “Driving me nuts with all of his ideas for helping his patients. Seriously, the guy never shuts up.” His eyes softened. “But it’s a good thing. I’ll listen for as long as I need to.”
“He’s blessed to have you as a brother,” Andrew said, thinking of his own siblings who he rarely saw. The nieces who were growing up faster than he could believe. A pang twisted inside him. He wished things were different, but he’d chosen this job for all the right reasons. He just hadn’t thought how it would come between him and his family. And the woman he’d once thought himself in love with.
At least his parents were nearby for the time being.
Nathan nudged him. “Lunch?”
