Fearless

by Fern Michaels

  “She’s fine,” Mandy answered without saying hello. Caller ID.

  “I’m not. Listen, I can’t go into it now, but I need to get off this ship.” Anna could hear the anxiety in her voice.

  “What? You’re joking, right—”

  “No! Just listen to me!”

  “Okay, calm down. What’s going on?” Mandy asked, concern in her voice.

  “Find out where this ship is now and do whatever you have to do to get me off it. I don’t care how much it costs, whom you have to bribe. Just do it. I’ll call you back in fifteen minutes.” Before Mandy could bombard her with more questions, she hung up. She plugged the phone in again, needing to charge it as much as she could before leaving. Who knew when or where she’d get a chance to charge it again?

  It was 9:37—surely Mandy would have enough time to work the kind of magic she was known for. It was one of the reasons Anna had hired her. The woman was a dynamo, could work circles around anyone and anything.

  She waited until ten o’clock, then hit redial on the phone. “So?” she asked, not bothering with niceties.

  “Write this down,” Mandy instructed.

  “Hang on.” Anna took a pen and pad with the cruise line’s name on it from the night-table drawer, having no clue how she’d known it was there. “Shoot.”

  “You’re in Georgetown, in the Cayman Islands. United Airlines has a flight that leaves out of Owen Roberts International at one-thirty. It’s a direct flight to Houston. All you’ll have to do is figure out a way to get there. I’m sure your steward, George, can help you with that. An Uber or a taxi. That’s the best I can do. I wish to hell you would tell me what’s going on. Do I need to come home, too, Anna? This is really scaring me.”

  “No, stay where you are. There’s no need to ruin your trip. Thanks for doing this. Listen, I know I sound crazy, but I have to get off this ship. I’ll fill you in as soon as I land in Houston.”

  “I didn’t arrange for any transportation from Houston to Lubbock. There wasn’t time.”

  “That’s fine. I’ll rent a car or catch a commuter flight. Now, keep this quiet. Don’t mention it to Christina because I don’t want her worrying. She’s okay?” Anna asked, knowing that she was but needing to ask anyway.

  “She’s in the shower. Mr. Waffles has a girlfriend, and I have scabs on my heels. We’re all fine. Just do what you need to do and get on that plane. Sunday is the only flight out, and it’s weekly, so do whatever you have to do to make sure you’re on time.”

  “I will, and thanks, Mandy. I owe you one,” Anna said, and ended the call.

  Scanning the room one last time to make sure she had not left anything behind, she closed the luggage and tucked the charging cord and her phone inside the silver clutch purse.

  Pulling the luggage alongside her, purse tucked beneath her arm, she opened the main door and stepped into the hallway. It wasn’t locked. Had she been distracted the night before so that she’d forgotten to lock her door? This was not the person she was. If one-night stands were her thing, no judgment here; it just wasn’t hers. At this point she just wanted to leave this ship immediately.

  “Hey, I was starting to get worried about you,” a male voice said as he approached her.

  Stunned, she stared at Ryan, standing in front of her, blocking her exit. The hallway was quite narrow, making it practically impossible for her to walk past him.

  “Anna! What’s wrong?” he asked.

  Now more confused than ever, she shook her head. “Listen, I have to go. Please, step away from me.” She knew she was being irrational, even cruel, but it was all too much.

  He held his hands high in the air. “You sure as hell didn’t feel that way last night.”

  She stopped. And asked, “What did you say?” Though she heard exactly what he said.

  “I’m sorry. You know, last night. I don’t think either of us planned on anything happening, but it did, and I’m not sorry. We were supposed to meet on the upper deck for breakfast at nine. When you didn’t show, I started to worry.”

  “I’m sorry” was all she could say.

  Anna felt that she had no other choice but to return to her cabin. With trembling hands, she removed the room card from her purse, held it up to the doorknob to scan. As soon as the light turned green, she practically ran inside, her luggage banging against her heels as she hurried into the room. Locking the door behind her, she crumbled to the floor, shock and shame consuming her.

  Damn! What had she been thinking?

  This was totally out of character, yet it had happened. She needed to get out of here. Immediately. Standing, she peered through the peephole and didn’t see him, but that didn’t mean he wasn’t lurking on either side of her door where she didn’t have a clear view. Carefully, she unlocked the door, easing it open just enough so she could stick her head out. Seeing the long hallway was empty, she released the breath she’d been holding.

  She closed the door, locked it, and returned to the master bedroom. She felt like there was something she was missing yet she couldn’t place exactly what it was. Anna retrieved her luggage, brought it back to the bedroom, and opened it. She went through her clothes and her cosmetics case.

  Anna stooped, feeling the residual weakness in her muscles. Following the directions on the safe, she opened the door and saw a bottle of pills. The Xanax. Now she remembered. She’d put it there the first night of the cruise after taking one when she had consumed a couple of glasses of champagne. Fearing she’d need it more than normal, given she was out in the middle of nowhere, alone, she’d locked it up so it wouldn’t be easy to get to, since she needed to be in control. Relief washed over her. Not because she had the pills but because she remembered doing this. Stuffing the bottle in her jeans pocket, she checked the bathroom and found nothing unusual. No nagging feelings.

  Anna had to hurry because she did not want to miss her flight. She used the phone to call the steward. A familiar voice asked, “How may I help you?”

  “George?” Sure, this was his name. She remembered that now, too.

  “Anna.”

  “Yes, listen, I have an emergency. I have to leave the cruise and fly home. I’ve made arrangements for my flight, but I’ll need a lift to the airport. Can you help me?”

  “Yes, yes, of course. I do hope your emergency is not life-threatening?”

  “It’s vital, though no one’s life is at stake.” She hoped she was right.

  “Good. Can you meet me at the main atrium in fifteen minutes?” George asked.

  “Yes, I’ll be right there. Thanks, George.” She wanted to add “You’re a lifesaver” but didn’t.

  She zipped the luggage shut, then went to the door, being careful when she opened it that the man was nowhere in sight. Scanning the hall, she didn’t see him, so she took that as her signal to leave.

  Anna ran into several groups of passengers, none paying attention to her as she headed to the enclosed glass elevators that led to the main atrium. She spied George as soon as she stepped out. She hurried to meet him.

  “I am so sorry you have to leave,” he said, taking her luggage. “I have a private car that will take you to the airport.”

  “Thank you. I really do appreciate this.”

  “Let’s see the purser, then I’ll take you to the car.”

  “Of course.” She had to formally check out.

  She removed her keycard from her clutch purse, then it took all of five minutes to certify that her leaving was because of an emergency. She left George a beyond-generous gratuity and assured the purser she would cruise with them in the future. Never again, but they didn’t need to know that.

  Anna had to practically run to keep up with George’s long strides, but she didn’t care. She couldn’t dispel her feelings that this cruise had been a huge mistake. No matter how good Mandy’s intentions were, there was no way, come hell or high water, she would ever put herself in a situation like this again.

  “So, we say good-bye, Anna. It’s
been my pleasure serving you, if only for a short time. Now”—he pointed to a sleek white Jaguar idling by the embarkment bridge—“that is Marshall. He will take care of all your needs. Anna, I will keep watching your program.” He winked at her, and she smiled. “No matter that you left my ship.”

  Sly George had never let on he knew who she was until now.

  “Thank you. For everything.” She gave him a quick hug, then ran to the waiting car.

  Chapter 6

  Anna wasn’t a fan of flying, but as soon as the Boeing 737 was airborne, she relaxed as much as she could. Remembering the Xanax in her pocket, she broke one in half and swallowed it without water, then put the bottle inside her clutch. After she checked to make sure her phone was still inside, she tucked the silver clutch beneath her legs since she did not want to put it under the seat in front of her. She had taken only half a pill because she did not want to get too loopy since she had to plan the rest of the journey home. After what she’d been through, she told herself, she deserved a bit of medically induced calm.

  Once they reached thirty thousand feet, she closed her eyes, hoping she’d remember what had happened. She dozed off and on, then was jarred awake when they hit a bit of turbulence. Trying to relax, as her flight didn’t land for another half hour, she did her best to focus on her future, the busy fall schedule, Christina’s prep for high school, then Thanksgiving and Christmas.

  The captain’s voice came across the intercom with the usual spiel, saying they were about to begin their descent into Houston International and would land in approximately fifteen minutes. Anna almost stood and cheered as she could not wait to put as much distance between her and the Cayman Islands as humanly possible.

  Having sat through the longest fifteen minutes of her life, Anna stood up as soon as the seat belt light was off. Thankful she only had a carry-on, she stepped out into the aisle as soon as she could.

  “Thank you for flying with United today,” said a cheery flight attendant.

  Anna nodded, then heard whispering behind her. She’d been recognized. She hurried to escape before someone spoke to her because just the thought of having to put on her vlogging face made her feel sick.

  Familiar with the Houston airport, she found the airline that flew into Lubbock. She’d lucked out because the flight was preparing to board, and she was able to purchase a ticket before the cutoff time. Racing to her gate, which thankfully wasn’t all that far, she breathed a sigh of relief when she saw people still waiting in line. Glancing at her seat assignment, she grinned. First class.

  Once she was on the plane, it only took a few minutes for the flight attendants to make sure all passengers were secure in their seat belts and prepare for takeoff.

  Anna wanted to scream, cuss, and stomp her feet in frustration. This must be what a two-year-old felt like when they tried to express their frustration and didn’t know the correct way to do it. She would be much more understanding the next time she heard a child throwing a temper tantrum in public. Just go already, she thought. Surely, everyone on this plane has heard the flight instructions at least once in their lifetime.

  When the plane was finally off the ground, the passengers were almost immediately served drinks since the flight was less than an hour. Anna asked for a ginger ale, then froze.

  “Ma’am, are you all right?”

  She suddenly remembered that she had ordered ginger ale at dinner last night and so had he.

  “Ma’am?” the flight attendant persisted. “Are you ill?”

  “Uh, no. I’m . . . my stomach,” she said hoping the woman would get her the drink and leave her alone.

  “Yes, the ginger ale. Right away.”

  The flight attendant handed her a small plastic cup of ice, along with a can of ginger ale. “Thanks,” Anna said, then filled the cup, drinking the soda slowly. Her stomach knotted with anxiety; she prayed that she wasn’t about to have another panic attack. Deep breath in and deep breath out.

  The man sitting beside her in the aisle seat hadn’t spoken a word since boarding, yet chose to now. “A panic attack?” he asked.

  She nodded. “Yes, sorry.” She took another sip of her drink.

  “My wife has them. I recognized your breathing technique.”

  Anna turned away from the window to look at the man. He had light brown hair, graying at the sides, with friendly-looking, clear blue eyes. She guessed him to be in his early fifties. “I don’t like flying,” she told him, knowing this was a common reason for panic in a lot of people.

  “It’s a natural fear,” he said. “I see it in a lot of my patients.”

  “You’re a doctor?” she asked.

  “Yes, a general practitioner.”

  “I was on a cruise in the Cayman Islands. I left because I was sick.”

  “Not uncommon. Were any other passengers ill? It could be norovirus.”

  Anna had heard of it. “I don’t know. What are the symptoms?”

  “Gastrointestinal upset, headache, fatigue, muscle aches.”

  She was unsure if she should tell him she’d had these specific symptoms because she knew if she did, it was highly possible that man had them as well.

  “No, I’m recovering from sinus surgery.” An incredible lie, but if asked, she could give specifics since Mandy had gone through the surgery last year. She would see her doctor as soon as she got home.

  “That’s an uncomfortable surgery, I hear,” he said.

  Anna nodded. “Yes, very.” Mandy had been miserable for several weeks following the operation.

  Though she appreciated his concern, she wished he would stop talking to her. Not wanting to be rude, she leaned back in her seat, closed her eyes, and relaxed as much as she could. She would get an Uber as soon as she landed and head home. A dozen thoughts ran through her mind, and none of them were good. Sure, this was common on singles cruises, but she felt so ashamed of herself for being gullible and weak. Nothing would ease some of the guilt she now felt.

  A tap on the shoulder from the flight attendant who’d given her the ginger ale brought her back to the present. “Ma’am, we’re preparing to land. I need you to put your seat up.”

  “Sure,” she said, adjusting her seat, eager to end this nightmare of a trip.

  When they finally landed at Lubbock’s Preston Smith International Airport, Anna felt the urge to cheer and stomp her feet, this time, though, in excitement. Checking her clutch for her cell and the bottle of pills that had caused her so many problems, Anna tightened the laces on her sneakers and prepared to exit the plane. The doctor was kind enough to grab her luggage from the storage compartment. She thanked him and was the third person to step off the plane. Taking her cell from her purse, thankful she still had a charge, she tapped the Uber app, saw there were several drivers near the airport, typed her info into the app, and exited the airport.

  Outside, it was hot, but, unlike Florida with its intense humidity, the air was dry. As promised, she called Mandy.

  “I take it you made your flight?” Mandy asked.

  “Yes, and lucked out getting a quick flight home. Hang on.” She spotted the red Ford Flex. Waving a hand, she stepped off the curb, pulling her luggage behind her.

  “Anna,” Mandy said.

  “Just a sec.”

  The Uber driver took her luggage, then opened the door for her. She mouthed, “Thanks.”

  Relieved to be in the car with the air-conditioning on, she fastened her seat belt, reclining in her seat. “Okay, I’m in Lubbock. Mandy, you didn’t tell Christina I left the cruise, I hope.”

  “I didn’t. She and Mr. Waffles are catnapping. We spent the day at Typhoon Lagoon, he spent the day with Bell.”

  “I assume she’s his new love interest?”

  “Yes, but forget that. What is going on with you? I’ve been worried,” Mandy added. “Were you followed?”

  “I’m pretty sure I wasn’t, and I apologize for worrying you. I don’t have much power left on this phone. I’ll tell you everything
when you’re home. Promise me you’ll enjoy the rest of the trip and not worry,” Anna begged. “I’m really fine. I don’t think cruising is my thing, a bit too isolated, so let’s leave it at that for now, okay?”

  “I hate when you do this,” Mandy responded. “But I get it.”

  “Hate when I do what?”

  “Leave me dangling off a cliff, but as long as you’re safe and sound, that’s all that matters. Why don’t you call Christina tonight? We’re going to Epcot later, so we’ll be up.”

  “I will. Give her my love, and I’ll call this evening,” Anna said, just before her phone gave up the ghost.

  Enjoying the ride, as it was cool and quiet inside the SUV, Anna knew that, as soon as she returned to the house, there would be a million and one tasks that would need her immediate attention. Closing off her mind was another technique she’d learned in therapy all those years ago. She’d been so panicked and frightened the past twenty-four hours, she hadn’t even considered this. Maybe she would be able to use this method to relax so much so that she would recall last night and what had led her to be in this insane position now. Anna could only hope.

  As soon as the Uber pulled through the gates of her house, she got out of the car, stretching her muscles, discovering they weren’t as sore as they’d been earlier, which was odd since she’d been sitting on an airplane for half the day. She’d just accept the small amount of relief she had now and enjoy it, however long it lasted. The driver brought her bag from the rear of the vehicle, placing it next to her. “Is there anything else?” he asked.

  “No, nothing, but thanks for the lift.”

  “My job.” He grinned, gave a hasty wave, and returned to his SUV.

  Taking a deep breath, one of sheer joy just to be standing near her house, then releasing it, energized her. She looked out through the gates at the sweeping fields of bluebonnets that surrounded her house. Nothing made her feel more at home than those bluish purple flowers stretching out for miles. A uniquely Texan sight.