Page 36 of Sheltering You

Finally, Rabie reached for his backpack and dug out another toy, apparently satisfied, at least for now.

Jasmine relaxed against the seat and checked her phone again.

Derrick inched forward in traffic. When they reached the airport, they’d have to return the rental and then get to the terminal. By the time he finished his checklist, best case scenario, they’d be wheels up in a couple of hours. At which point, if they hadn’t heard from Basma, he’d reach out to Michael and figure out what to do next.

Assuming they didn’t get arrested and thrown into jail between now and then.

After Derrick found a spot in the vast rental car lot, he ordered an Uber.

“Put your game away.” Jasmine’s voice was tender when she spoke to Rabie.

He didn’t respond, but Derrick heard the bag zipping, so he must have obeyed.

“Thank you, Rabie.” To Derrick she said, “We are waiting for something?”

He caught her eye in the mirror. “We’ll get out when our ride is near. You all right?”

She nodded.

“No news?”

“No, but she will reach out. The Ghazis are good people. They will not harm her.”

The Ghazis. He filed the name away, not bothering to argue with her assessment, though how people who wouldn’t give a grown woman her choice of where to live and with whom—who would employ guards to stop her—could be considered good, he couldn’t fathom.

When the Uber driver was three minutes away, they headed toward the rental car facility. Though anxiety churned in his gut, he did his best to act confident, like he belonged. Like he did this all the time.

Which he did—renting cars, anyway. Not the kidnapping part.

He dropped the keys in the box and the suitcases into the Uber’s trunk—it was a midsize Nissan—and slid into the backseat beside Rabie. Jasmine sat next to the other window.

The driver—Kyle, according to the app—couldn’t be more than twenty-two. He was slight and pale with messy blond hair that made him look like he’d stepped right off a surfboard. “Signature Aviation, yeah?”

“That’s it.”

He angled into traffic and maneuvered away from the main terminal toward the one used for private aircraft.

Traffic was dense, as always. It seemed to take forever before, finally, Kyle left the bulk of the cars and headed for the modern building.

It wouldn’t be long now. As soon as they were on the plane, they’d be safe.

“Don’t stop!” Jasmine shouted.

Kyle had slowed considerably. “Ma’am, I gotta drop you⁠—”

“Keep going,” Derrick said, then to Jasmine, “What is it?”

“He is inside. There, see?” She averted her gaze while Derrick peered past her.

The automatic doors slid open as the driver passed, and Derrick saw a Middle Eastern man wearing a suit and tie. He was watching the road, and everything about him screamed security.

Derrick twisted to face Rabie. “Did you recognize that man?”

He shook his head, but he seemed terrified. Of Derrick? Or of the man inside the terminal?

“What you want me to do, dude?” Kyle asked.

“Can you just drive, please?” Derrick needed to think.