The Price of a Perfect Angel

she saw me. She was standing by the departure board, bouncing on the balls

me a hug that felt like a cage. "I am so, so, so relieved! Your p

orked out," I s

e snatched my phone from my other hand. "Let me see the confirma

retend it was our

at back," I sai

e screen, pulling up the e-ticket. "Cabin 12B! Got it! I

the crowd heading for the boarding

t her run. Let he

and a magazine. I wanted to give her plenty of tim

could hear her voice from down the hall. She was talking to

her voice full of sweet reason. "We agreed to split the cost, but she' s b

, her shoes kicked off, her coat and bag thrown onto the upper bunk as if to

there you are, Gabby! I was just telling

hint of confusion on his face. "Ma' am

aid, waving a dismissive hand. "We' re b

hat leaned out. It was him. Barney Lester. His eyes, small and predatory, scanned me up and down. My

e a gravelly rumble that I remembered from my nightmares.

a new piece on the board, a

being a little... difficult. We agreed to share this cabin to save money, and no

illiant liar

, his expression hardening

w corridor. "Yeah, don' t be like that, little lady. Your friend looks tired. If you' re g

in, the same one he gav

n. The same people, the s

time, I w

the killer from my past. I felt a strange sense of calm. I

ours and forty-five minutes

econd

uctor and her new friend Barney. "I just don' t understand why

n it ha

gle echoed from deep within h

ook of pure, unadulterated pa

she sq

rupted from her. It was a wet, explosive

ew to her rear, but it was too late. A dark, foul-smelling sta

s a second later

gony and humiliation. She shot up from

gone, sprinting down the corridor, leaving

stared after her, their

and bag from the upper bunk and tossed them out into the h

down on my

. I' ll... I' ll get someone to clean that up." He looked at me, his ey

tely. "I think the situat

disgust on his face. His "friendly" offer seemed to hav

the pillows, a small,

ckm