His companion seemed to read his thoughts. "She'd really have a fit," she said. Her hand reached out and touched his shoulder with compassion, and Richard closed his eyes to control the impulse to jerk away. The thought of his soon-ex-wife, and the compassionate touch of another woman because of it threatened to darken his mood. He shook it off.

His mood darkened even more thinking how furious Marie would be, knowing he wasn't alone. Surely she knew by now her deception hadn't worked. He shrugged off the depression. Either way, she'd know soon. One month until the divorce was final, and he was going to enjoy it.

****

Cynthia approached the ticket counter next to the gate. A frail looking woman behind the desk looked up after Cynthia handed her their tickets. Cynthia was sickened by a sweeping feeling of foreboding as the woman examined her, and then looked over her shoulder toward Bill and Steve who hovered in the distance by a window wall overlooking the tarmac keeping a nervous vigil as people passed. Cynthia breathed easier when the woman looked back at her computer and typed away on the keyboard.

"There's a thirty minute delay," the woman said. Was it a hint of suspicion she heard in her tiny voice? Cynthia's eyebrows rose, but she decided, no, when the woman appeared to ignore her and looked to the next person in line after her.