Loving Eyes

"When we land in New York, if you could manage to be the last one off it might be worth the effort." She gave him a quick but unhurried kiss on the cheek and stepped through the curtain into the galley.

At Kennedy International, there was a rush to get off; most of the Tri-Sigs had been confined to their seats for ten hours, unable to leave the airplane because they had not cleared Customs at Dallas. Seated where he could see the exit, Jim had no trouble arranging to be the last passenger to deplane. The two other stewardesses had taken their carry-ons and gone ahead, but Graciana had lingered. As Jim came up to her with his hand luggage, she handed him his long leather trenchcoat.

"Jim, it might interest you to know that the airline has a block of suites permanently reserved at the Hotel Beauclaire. It's a little business hotel not far from here, very quiet." She handed him a slip of paper. "That's my cell phone. I have a 48-hour layover before my next flight and if you don't absolutely have to be back on campus right away, I'd very much like to spend it with you. Call me when you've cleared Customs; I'll give you my room number, and the desk clerk will have a keycard for you."

"I've a bottle of pepper mescal in my bag. If you can find us brandy snifters, we can drink it together." A woman's anticipatory smile followed him down the jetway.

Outside the terminal, the Kaplan Athletic Department bus was waiting, its cargo bays open. Jim set all his bags except his carry-on in the line of luggage Hayes and Mayweather were loading under the watchful eye of Captain Ohnaka and sought out Warwick.

"Milord, can you do me a favor?"

"Of course, Professor. What do you need?"

"When you get back to the house, would you please throw my gear into my room for me?"

Warwick eyed his protégé. "You aren't riding back with us?"

"I won't be back for a couple of days. Something has come up."

The chapter president chuckled. "You know, you've changed a lot on this trip. I hope she's pretty. If you can't be good, be careful!

"Please get back by Friday afternoon, though; there's going to be a Junkyard Challengers meeting. I understand the Committee is looking for new build proposals, and I bet you have something lurking in that fertile brain of yours."

"You have no idea, milord. No idea at all. I'll see you then." A taxi pulled in ahead of the bus and Jim trotted to it, opening the door and tossing his leather bag in before a disgruntled businessman could claim it.

"Where to, sah?" asked the hackie.

"The Hotel Beauclaire." As the cab pulled into traffic, Jim took out his phone and the note Graciana had slipped him. As he dialed, he said through the partition, "And if you happen to know of a pharmacy that's open, I need to pick up something. Tonight might be my lucky night."