Airplane Encounter

Alice held her ticket out for the boarding agent to scan.

“Here you go Ms. Winter. Enjoy your time in San Francisco.”

Alice smiled and tucked the ticket into her sweater pocket as she shuffled down the jetway, her spinner bag rattling along beside her.

“Welcome aboard, Ma’am.” The perky attendant motioned her to economy class.

Alice muscled her suitcase through the narrow aisle, bumping armrests and the heels of the man in front of her.

She searched the overhead compartments for a spot to stow her bag as traffic backed up behind her. 

The man she had rammed moments earlier offered to help her. He swept the suitcase up in his strong arms and slid it into the next compartment, a lock of curly silver hair falling over his forehead in the process.

“Thank you so very much.” Alice sighed appreciatively as he bent to tuck his briefcase beneath the seat, the fabric of his chinos hugging his trim butt.

“You’re very welcome,” he replied, smiling up at her from his seat.

Alice stood there in awkward silence.

“Is there something else I can help you with?”

“Ah, I’m in the window seat.”

She stepped back as he stood and squeezed past her to the aisle. She slid by him, took her seat and deposited her purse under the seat in front of her.

Mister handsome took his seat again.

“Hi. I’m Gary."

“Hi Gary, I’m Alice.”

“Nice to meet you, Alice. So what is waiting for you in San Francisco?”

Alice thought for a moment. The death she had witnessed yesterday in Milwaukee. The ache in her legs from climbing down the fire escape. The wad of $100 dollar bills nestled in a plain envelope in her handbag. And the print-fee silencer-equipped pistol tossed in the trash as she left the scene of the crime.

She smiled sweetly at Gary.

“Business. Just business.”