Joe Morelli had vacation time he needed to use. Chief Juniak said he had to use them or get suspended until he took the time off. Reluctantly, Joe planned to take a trip to a warmer climate. The April showers were depressing, and the perpetual grey skies made him gloomier than usual. His concern about Stephanie and Carlos grew the longer they remained silent.
He hadn't heard anything from them regarding moving to Trenton to open Rangeman. However, it had to be soon because construction crews were renovating the seven-floor building on Haywood. Joe thought about his conversation with Stephanie and Carlos during her visit to Trenton a little over three years earlier and his confusion when Rangeman didn't open within a year after negotiating weapons permits with Chief Juniak.
Walking into the apartment without knocking, Mooch Morelli asked, "Are you ready?" He volunteered to drive Joe to the airport to catch a flight to Florida. Mooch wanted to accompany his cousin on the trip but didn't have anyone he trusted to run his company, "Mooch Morelli Demo & Disposal." In a way, Joe was glad to be going alone. He didn't want to have company if he bumped into Stephanie or Carlos.
"Yes. I only need this bag. Thanks for the ride, man. Who's watching business?" Joe wondered. He checked the living room for anything he had forgotten to grab and spotted the boarding pass on the coffee table. Joe grabbed the ticket and shoved it into the inside pocket of his brown leather jacket. He quickly removed it to check the date. Sighing in relief, Joe tucked it safely away.
"I don't have any jobs this afternoon that Anthony couldn't handle himself," Mooch confessed as he walked through the breezeway to the parking lot. "Which airport?"
"Newark. I'm lucky they had a seat available." Joe had to delay his trip by a day. Catching a return flight would prove to be challenging. He didn't know how long he wanted to stay. It depended on the humidity and atmosphere. Joe wanted to visit Universal Studios and enjoy the rides. "Thank goodness I waited until their spring break was over," Joe explained.
"When was spring break?" Mooch wondered.
"Last week. I couldn't get a flight to Florida on the weekend. The airline was booked solid." Joe shook his head. He understood the appeal for travelling during spring break but couldn't reason why no flights to Florida after the school holiday were available.
"It's Tuesday, April 10. Why was your flight almost full?" Mooch asked. "Only losers fly on Tuesdays." He quirked an eyebrow, hoping Joe would snap and tell him why he wanted to leave Trenton for his vacation.
"Thanks," Joe snarled. "I was trying to figure out why the flight was nearly full. It could be that other people had the same idea as me and travelled after the high school and colleges were back to classes."
"Not all universities and high schools have the same break," Mooch reminded Joe, who confessed to forgetting that information. "You never said why you were going to Miami."
"To escape the chill lingering in the air," Joe replied. He chuckled when Mooch gave him a funny look. "I need to step back from the Burg and work. It's time I took a break from our family. Mom's been pressuring me to find a woman to marry. She wants me to use my position at the precinct to locate Stephanie Plum."
"Why her?"
Joe snorted. "You know what I did to her when she was six and sixteen. Mom thought that guaranteed Stephanie and I would get married," Joe replied. He nearly spilled the beans about Stephanie being married. Manoso would kill Joe if he shared that secret with anyone, and he valued his life.
They arrived at the airport an hour and a half earlier than the flight. Joe wasn't expecting it to take long to get through security. It helped that he carried his credentials to speed up the process. Mooch dropped him at the terminal doors and wished him a fun trip. Joe waved over his shoulder and entered the airport.
He recognized the man at the security gate and smiled. Joe went to school with Gary Peterson. "Go on through, Joe. Are you carrying?" Gary asked.
"No," Joe replied. He thought about carrying the gun, but he didn't have a permit to carry his weapon in Florida. Joe locked his gun in his safe at home. Nobody could break into it or access the contents without the combination. He felt confident his weapon was secured.
Joe's hair brushed along his collar. He forgot to get a haircut before leaving Trenton. The woman standing closest to the window smiled at him. Joe returned the smile and stood near the podium where the flight attendant would call the flight and check the tickets.
"Are you heading to Florida?" the attractive woman asked Joe, standing beside him. He quirked a brow at her question. Considering he was waiting at the gate for the Newark to Florida flight, it was a ridiculous question.
Smirking, Joe replied, "This is the gate listed on my boarding pass." Joe resisted the urge to put his hand into his pocket, where he shoved the ticket. He felt the woman was too friendly, putting him on alert.
"Where are you sitting? In seat 20B?" she asked.
Joe knew his seat was 24A but replied, "Yes." The flight attendant listened to their conversation. She quietly contacted security about the woman and man wanting to swap boarding passes. The woman approached every man who entered the gate waiting area. There was something odd about the woman's boyfriend, though the attendant couldn't pinpoint the issue.
"Can you swap seats with my boyfriend?" she asked. Joe shook his head and walked away from the woman. He stood with his back to the wall and his duffle hanging over his shoulder. Joe watched the woman and the man she spoke to. His intuition indicated the man didn't have a ticket to Florida. The woman was using a ruse to weasel Joe out of his seat.
"No," he answered when she moved to stand beside him. Joe was more competent than the woman thought. He caught onto her game. She kept flirting with him, trying to touch his jacket pocket.
"Oh, come on, darling. I know you found me attractive. You checked out my ass as I bent over," she purred. Joe took a closer look at the woman. She appeared familiar, but he couldn't place where he had seen her.
"I was wondering how you managed to squeeze that fat ass into the leather skirt," Joe replied when the flight attendant indicated security was nearly there. He hoped the woman would lose her temper and create a scene.
The woman's face turned purple before she yelled, "How dare you! I bet you think you're the cream of the crop." She snorts. "Not that, the Italian Stallion. Isn't that what the skanks of Trenton call you?" The woman took a deep breath, prepared to yell more, but the security guard grabbed her swinging hands and cuffed them behind her back.
"Do you have your ticket?" Gary asked Joe.
After checking his pockets, Joe produced his ticket. The attendant scanned it and confirmed it was legitimate. She ordered Joe to stand behind her near the walkway door.
Joe caught a flash of dark hair and black clothes. A few seconds later, another person with dark brown hair and grey eyes entered the area and looked around. He caught Joe's eye and nodded. "Did you see a man with blond hair and blue eyes?" Kyle asked Joe, showing him a photograph.
"The woman security detained was with that man, but his eyes were brown," Joe replied.
"Damn tinted contacts," Kyle snarled. "Thanks, Joe. I owe you a meatball sub." Joe was about to decline when Kyle Burrows took off.
There was a scuffle around twenty feet away and a call over the intercom for security to assist. "What do you think happened?" the flight attendant asked.
Joe glanced at her name tag. Her name was Heather. "I think a man who tried to escape instead of facing his court time just got caught," Joe replied.
"Oh, thank goodness," Heather sighed. A thought seemed to enter her mind, making her face pale. "Do you think that woman tried to get your boarding pass for him?"
"Absolutely," Joe answered. He remained in his spot, exchanging polite conversation with Heather as they waited until the flight got called. Joe appreciated the woman's beauty. She was the type he would use for a night of balls-to-the-walls gorilla sex. However, Joe wanted more than one night of pleasure. He longed to have the relationship he had witnessed between Stephanie and Carlos.
Heather listened to the message getting relayed over her earpiece. She smiled at Joe before announcing, "Flight 263 from Newark to Miami is now boarding." Heather opened the passageway door after receiving a message that the plane was in position, which everyone could see through the terminal window.
Joe was the first to board the flight. He shoved his duffle into the compartment storage above his head, thoughtfully leaving space for another two bags to fit. The plane started filling, cluttering the aisle as people struggled to store their luggage. A little girl attempted to lift her bag. Joe smiled at the adorable child. "Excuse me," the girl said, "Is there room with your stuff?" She pointed to the couple behind her. "Those are my parents."
"Did they run out of room?" Joe wondered. The girl's pigtails bounced as she nodded. Joe caught the man's eye and nodded.
"Thank you, sir," the girl replied. "Um. I'm supposed to sit there. Daddy says it's rude to climb over people's laps." Joe chuckled and stood. He moved into the crowded aisle for the girl to take her seat.
"Did one of you want to sit with her?" Joe offered.
"That wouldn't be fair to you. We never paid the premium for us to sit together. I'm across the aisle, and my husband is a few rows back," the girl's mother explained. "Do you mind if I take a photograph of you?"
Joe shrugged, "I understand. You want to know who your daughter sat beside on the plane. I'm Joseph Morelli."
The woman narrowed her eyes at Joe. "Are you a cop?" she demanded.
"Was it that obvious?"
"Lynn, take your seat. Frankie is fine," the father announced. He approached Joe and shook his hand. "Nice to see you again, officer."
Quirking his eyebrow, Joe asked, "Have we met before?"
"You were a year behind me in Trenton Secondary School. I'm Peter Gazarra. Frankie is my daughter, and Lynn is my wife," he explained. "I was visiting my family in Trenton."
Joe and Peter talked for a few minutes before the flight attendant, Gordon, asked everyone to take their seats. "Frankie, you have a pretty name. Is it short for Francine or Frances?" Joe asked.
"Francesca, but I prefer Frankie," she replied. Joe thought Eddie Gazarra's niece was adorable. He laughed when she demanded to see his identification. Frankie examined his driver's license before returning it. Joe wondered if she had memorized the details.
Lynn giggled when Frankie started interrogating Joe. Frankie asked a lot of questions. He answered what he could and redirected whenever she asked about matters a six-year-old child shouldn't know. Joe wondered what Frankie overheard on the playground at school.
"Is something bothering you?" Joe asked when she stopped asking questions.
Whispering, Frankie replied, "Jimmy said he caught his parents having sex. "Is it a game?"
Joe snorted, thinking sex was a game at times. Lynn sighed in exasperation. She didn't want to have that discussion on an airplane filled with passengers wondering how she would answer. "I have a few questions," Joe said. "Lynn, do you mind if I ask your daughter?" She granted permission with a nod.
"Okay, Frankie. First things first. Can you grab the end of your seatbelt?" Joe asked.
Frankie pouted but did as Joe asked. "Thanks," she mumbled when Joe secured her in the seat.
"About your friend, Jimmy. Was his parents' bedroom door closed?" Joe asked. Frankie thought for a few seconds before nodding. "Did Jimmy knock on the door?"
"No. He heard a noise and walked inside," Frankie replied.
"Ah, and that's where your friend made a mistake. You never open closed doors without knocking. Even when you knock, you must wait until someone tells you to enter," Joe explained. "What do you know about privacy?"
"Hmm. It's doing something without other people watching. Like going to the bathroom, taking a bath and getting dressed," Frankie replied.
"I think the definition is, 'the state or condition of being free from being observed or disturbed by other people, ' which you provided a few examples of when privacy is required," Joe said.
"Do I look like a dictionary?" Frankie asked.
"No," Joe chuckled.
"Jimmy should have knocked. Thank you for explaining it," Frankie replied. She leaned forward to see her mom across the aisle. "Mom, may I have my book?"
Joe felt relieved that Frankie had stopped the interrogation. He removed a fresh pack of gum from his pocket. "Do you mind if I give Frankie one? It would help with the pressure," Joe asked Lynn as the plane taxied down the runway.
"It's fine," Lynn replied.
Frankie grinned when Joe gave her the entire pack of gum. She ripped the package open and gave one to Joe. "Thank you, miss," Joe said, making Frankie giggle. She fell asleep an hour later, resting her head on Joe's arm.
"You're great with children. Do you have any?" Lynn asked.
"Not that I'm aware of. Is Frankie always that curious?"
"Yup. I can't thank you enough for entertaining her," Lynn replied. She unbuckled her seat to lean over Joe to remove the gum from Frankie's open mouth and shoved it into a napkin. "Where are you headed after you land?"
"My first stop is the car rental agency. Then to Hilton Garden Inn," Joe replied.
"That's a pricy hotel," Lynn replied.
Grinning, Joe said, "I got a discount through Expedia. My room doesn't face the beach, but I'm fine with that. I don't want to pay the full price for that luxury."
"How long are you staying in the area?" Lynn asked, curious about her brother-in-law's work colleague.
"One week. I can't afford to stay longer," Joe confessed. "I hope to hit the beach after dropping off my bag."
"Drive to Hobie Island Beach Park. It's on the causeway between your hotel and Virginia Key," Lynn suggested. "You'll have more privacy."
Joe thanked Lynn for the intel. He busied himself with reading Frankie's Harry Potter book. When he caught up to her bookmark, Gordon asked the passengers to fasten their belts. The plane was preparing to land. Joe closed the book and passed it to Lynn. She tucked it into her purse before securing her seatbelt.
When the plane landed, the attendant explained the exit procedure. Joe helped Frankie unbuckle her seat. "I'll grab your bag. Wait until some people leave," Joe suggested.
Frankie rolled her eyes, making Joe smile. "This isn't the first time I've flown on a plane, Mr. Joe. Daddy always tells me to stay in my seat until almost everyone is gone."
Lynn whispered something to Frankie. Joe reached above the seat to remove his duffle and Frankie's bag. He felt a tug on his jacket. "Is something wrong, Miss Frankie?" Joe asked, squatting to her level.
"Mommy said I need to apologize for making you uncomfortable," Frankie replied.
"It's okay. But in the future, you shouldn't have those conversations with strangers," Joe said, reminding Frankie that he wasn't a family friend.
Frankie narrowed her eyes and placed a hand on her hip. Joe's lip twitched in amusement at the feisty child. "Do you work with my Uncle Eddie?" she challenged.
"Yes," Joe replied.
"Then you are not a stranger," Frankie said.
Joe raised his hands in defeat. "You got me there," he joked. Joe stood up and stretched.
Peter slapped Joe on the shoulder, "We'll see you around." Frankie hugged Joe around the waist, surprising him. He didn't typically allow it since he usually carried his gun at the back.
"Next time you visit Eddie, call me," Joe offered. He watched Peter Gazarra exit the plane with his family. Frankie waved before she stepped onto the walkway.
It took Joe an hour to get a car from the rental booth at the airport. He was exhausted from travelling. Joe checked the time when he arrived at the hotel. It was too late to visit the beach after checking into his room. His stomach grumbled. The humidity in Miami made him sweat. Wearing the jacket increased the damp patches on his back and armpits. Sighing, Joe stripped off the warm clothes and showered. He pulled on shorts and a T-shirt. He went to the hotel restaurant to grab dinner. Joe fell asleep when he returned to the room.
The following morning, Joe drove to Hobie Island Beach Park. He spotted a woman resembling Stephanie, and she had two young children. Two women, appearing to be related to each other, and a man were with Stephanie and the kids. Joe decided the two women and the man were Cuban.
Stephanie senses someone watching her family. She asked Ella, Luis and Rosa to join her at the beach in the morning before it got too humid for the children. Stephanie gasped as she watched the man approaching and tugged Hanna onto her lap. Hanna kicks as she attempts to free herself.
"Joe?" Stephanie asked when Joe approached.