good for you?”
“Ahh…any day that works for you.”
“You name it. I’m free all week.”
“How about Wednesday?” Ryan said.
“Perfect. I’ll look forward to it. If you need transportation or a place to stay while you are in town give my secretary a call and she’ll take care of it.”
“That’s very generous but I’ve got it covered. Thank you for offering.” He had to fight hard not to accept the offer for a free hotel and car.
“Ryan, I’ll contact you Tuesday evening to coordinate the details. I have your cell number.”
“Talk to you then.”
They hung up. Ryan sat quietly processing what had just happened. The last few minutes of the conversation were unexplainable. After he mentioned Keri’s dad, John Dross changed his tone. For some reason, Ryan’s connection with Ronald Hart had not only opened the door for a meeting, but inspired Captain Dross to roll out the red carpet. Whatever the reason, the meeting was set.
Keri knew Ryan would be flying on Tuesday, but she normally never asked where he was going or for how long he would be gone until the day of the trip. So instead of driving to LAX on Tuesday to fly to El Salvador, he would drive to John Wayne Airport and fly to Atlanta to meet with John Dross. Keri would never know the difference.
His three-day El Salvador trip was scheduled to return to LAX on Thursday afternoon. That would give him plenty of time in Atlanta.
In addition to meeting with John Dross, he wanted to visit the Starbucks in Buckhead where he had first met the woman named Angel. There was a good chance she would still be living in the area. Perhaps one of the Starbucks’ employees might give him some information. Or better yet, if he showed up early on Wednesday morning, she might stop for a coffee on her way to work.
The hardest part would be lying to Keri. It hurt just thinking about it. The trust they shared was sacred. He continued to remind himself that he was lying because he loved her.
When he arrived back home, Keri was at the kitchen table drinking coffee and reading her Bible. “I should have brought you a coffee,” he said.
“I actually prefer this,” she said, pointing to her cup.
He raised his eyebrows.
“I see you are not sneezing,” she said. “I guess you managed to avoid being attacked by the Angel ?” She smiled.
“Yeah, I don’t think I’ll need Angel anymore.”
At least not until I find the woman named Angel .
“Did you have any interesting dreams last night?”
He paused. “All my excitement was before I went to sleep.”
She looked at him and smiled. “It’s all about happy thoughts before you go to sleep. Works every time.”
“I’m not gonna argue with that.” He wanted to tell her about his meeting in Atlanta, but he couldn’t. Knowing he was lying to her made him queasy.
After I meet with John Dross , I’ll be able to explain everything to her … then she will believe me .
CHAPTER 16
Southern California
Tuesday morning — April 2003
Ryan showered, dressed in his airline uniform, and departed for the airport at 7:00 a.m. But instead of driving to LAX, as he always did to start his trips, he detoured to John Wayne Airport. He had several choices of non-stop flights leaving out of Orange County to Atlanta, but he planned to take the first available flight with an open seat.
Regardless of which flight he took, the three-hour time change and the four-hour flight guaranteed he would arrive during the madness of Atlanta’s rush traffic.
* * *
He touched down in Atlanta a little after 4:00 p.m. By the time he deplaned and picked up his rental car, it was almost five. With his airline employee discount, he was able to book a room at the DoubleTree Hotel for under $100. The hotel was only a few minutes from Buckhead Village.
After a grueling drive north through Atlanta, he exited the freeway. The area was comfortably familiar. His thoughts tangled between his growing up years and the more recent other
“Ahh…any day that works for you.”
“You name it. I’m free all week.”
“How about Wednesday?” Ryan said.
“Perfect. I’ll look forward to it. If you need transportation or a place to stay while you are in town give my secretary a call and she’ll take care of it.”
“That’s very generous but I’ve got it covered. Thank you for offering.” He had to fight hard not to accept the offer for a free hotel and car.
“Ryan, I’ll contact you Tuesday evening to coordinate the details. I have your cell number.”
“Talk to you then.”
They hung up. Ryan sat quietly processing what had just happened. The last few minutes of the conversation were unexplainable. After he mentioned Keri’s dad, John Dross changed his tone. For some reason, Ryan’s connection with Ronald Hart had not only opened the door for a meeting, but inspired Captain Dross to roll out the red carpet. Whatever the reason, the meeting was set.
Keri knew Ryan would be flying on Tuesday, but she normally never asked where he was going or for how long he would be gone until the day of the trip. So instead of driving to LAX on Tuesday to fly to El Salvador, he would drive to John Wayne Airport and fly to Atlanta to meet with John Dross. Keri would never know the difference.
His three-day El Salvador trip was scheduled to return to LAX on Thursday afternoon. That would give him plenty of time in Atlanta.
In addition to meeting with John Dross, he wanted to visit the Starbucks in Buckhead where he had first met the woman named Angel. There was a good chance she would still be living in the area. Perhaps one of the Starbucks’ employees might give him some information. Or better yet, if he showed up early on Wednesday morning, she might stop for a coffee on her way to work.
The hardest part would be lying to Keri. It hurt just thinking about it. The trust they shared was sacred. He continued to remind himself that he was lying because he loved her.
When he arrived back home, Keri was at the kitchen table drinking coffee and reading her Bible. “I should have brought you a coffee,” he said.
“I actually prefer this,” she said, pointing to her cup.
He raised his eyebrows.
“I see you are not sneezing,” she said. “I guess you managed to avoid being attacked by the Angel ?” She smiled.
“Yeah, I don’t think I’ll need Angel anymore.”
At least not until I find the woman named Angel .
“Did you have any interesting dreams last night?”
He paused. “All my excitement was before I went to sleep.”
She looked at him and smiled. “It’s all about happy thoughts before you go to sleep. Works every time.”
“I’m not gonna argue with that.” He wanted to tell her about his meeting in Atlanta, but he couldn’t. Knowing he was lying to her made him queasy.
After I meet with John Dross , I’ll be able to explain everything to her … then she will believe me .
CHAPTER 16
Southern California
Tuesday morning — April 2003
Ryan showered, dressed in his airline uniform, and departed for the airport at 7:00 a.m. But instead of driving to LAX, as he always did to start his trips, he detoured to John Wayne Airport. He had several choices of non-stop flights leaving out of Orange County to Atlanta, but he planned to take the first available flight with an open seat.
Regardless of which flight he took, the three-hour time change and the four-hour flight guaranteed he would arrive during the madness of Atlanta’s rush traffic.
* * *
He touched down in Atlanta a little after 4:00 p.m. By the time he deplaned and picked up his rental car, it was almost five. With his airline employee discount, he was able to book a room at the DoubleTree Hotel for under $100. The hotel was only a few minutes from Buckhead Village.
After a grueling drive north through Atlanta, he exited the freeway. The area was comfortably familiar. His thoughts tangled between his growing up years and the more recent other
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