by A. J. Oates
Still struggling for breath, I stand aside and let the mass of police, security and accompanying photographers pass through. In the middle of the scrum is the diminutive figure of a young woman in dark sunglasses. It takes me a second before I recognise her from the front cover of the Telegraph supplement: some American pop princess, I forget her name, on tour in the UK.
Shell-shocked and about to take a seat opposite Gate 47, there’s another call on the p.a., this time with more urgency than the earlier request. “Mr James Bosworth, Mr James Bosworth on flight BA207 to Rio de Janeiro, please come immediately to the desk at Gate 47.” I look around me; the police and security are now someway down the long concourse, and I approach the desk. The attendant looks at me. “Mr James Bosworth?”
“Yes”, I respond, placing my passport and ticket in her extended hand.
She scans the ticket and passport before looking back at me. “Sir, economy has been overbooked, so we’ve upgraded you to business class.” I stare back at her in silence, my nerves shattered. “Obviously at no extra charge,” she adds.
I smile back at her mumbling, “Thank you”, and take the passport and new boarding pass.
----
With my upgraded ticket in hand, I climb the luxuriously carpeted steps of the Boeing 747. I’m greeted at the top by a pretty flight attendant with an enthusiastic smile. “Good morning, sir, can I take your boarding pass.” I hand it to her and she takes me to my seat. About to sit down, for the first time I realise the significance of the seat – 17b, the number of the flat in Rawlton. I smile to myself at the irony as I sink back into the plush leather, stretching out my aching legs into the generous leg-room.
After a few minutes I glance around the cabin. Still only half the seats occupied with just five minutes to the scheduled departure time. After showing several other passengers to their seats, the flight attendant returns. “Champagne before we depart, sir?”
“Yes, that would be great – thank you.” I take a glass from the silver tray she’s holding. About to have a sip, it crosses my mind that I’m tempting fate: the plane is still on the ground and in home jurisdiction; the police could board at any minute. But with the attendant smiling sweetly on, I relax a little; in any case, if the strong arm of the law were to appear now it would all be over. There’s nothing I can do about it, so why worry. I indulge myself.
Within ten minutes the plane leaves the stand and begins to taxi across the apron. Out of the corner of my eye, I keep checking the top of the staircase, alert to a visit from police or security, but there are to be no final unpleasant surprises. A few minutes later the plane roars down the runway and there’s the distinctive hum as the wheels leave the tarmac and we’re airborne. I’m not quite sure what to feel; should I feel pleased? Yes, I’ve made it out, but I still don’t have my family back, and what does the future hold? I suppose part of me worries that my plan has been my raison d’être and that now, with its successful completion within touching distance, where will I go?, what will I do from here?
After the meal and a second glass of champagne, tiredness overwhelms the waves of melancholy. I study the myriad of buttons on the seat arm, press a few randomly, and after some trial and error the foot-rest elevates and the back-rest reclines. I snuggle down under the thick woollen blanket on the newly created bed, separated from the neighbouring seat by a full-length privacy shield. In my last few seconds of wakefulness, the pretty stewardess comes over. “Are you comfortable there, sir?”
“Yes … Thank you,” I respond, looking round my cosy retreat. “It’s quite a little bolt-hole, isn’t it?”
Epilogue
Six weeks later.
“... and now The World at One on BBC Radio 4.
South Yorkshire police have confirmed that the body found in an apartment block in Rio de Janeiro is that of British fugitive Dr Julian Scott. Although few details have been released, it is believed that thirty-eight-year-old Scott committed suicide. In a statement from local detectives in Brazil, released by South Yorkshire Police, it has been confirmed that investigators are not treating the death as suspicious and are not looking for anyone else in connection with the matter. In other news ...”
