He looks straight back. “You don’t look like you need no babysitter.”

I lift an eyebrow. “Gus, are you flirting with me?”

His cheeks turn red. “I—I wouldn’t—that—I wasn’t—”

I lean across the aisle and put my hand on his forearm. “I’m just teasing, Gus. I’m sorry. That was mean. But I am happy to see you.”

He nods, then keeps nodding like he’s glad he’s found something to do with his head. “Yeah, okay,” he says, not looking at me. “Ditto.”

We are saved from further awkwardness by Tyler and Sean stepping onboard. “Should be wheels up in less than ten minutes,” Tyler says.

“Thanks,” I say, taking my hand off Gus’s forearm and sitting back.

While Sean and Tyler run through their preflight checklist, I use the plane’s Wi-Fi to scan the local news on my new phone. The gas explosion is getting the most coverage, but there’s a breaking news item about a midnight raid by local and federal agents on a house in Lawrenceville that is ongoing. Sources tell a local reporter that gang activity is suspected, and there seem to be multiple suspects being taken into custody. So Alisha Rondeau took care of business. I only hope that’s the last of the Sureños.

I shut down my phone and look over at Gus, who’s looking out his window. He notices me looking at him and gently shrugs. “Never been on a Learjet before,” he says.

“Me either,” I say.

He raises his eyebrows. “Hey, we’re Learjet virgins.” Then his face flushes the color of brick.

I suppress a smile and lean back in my seat, eyes closed. The plane starts rolling on the tarmac, but I keep my eyes closed. I’m exhausted and keyed up at the same time, and when we roar down the runway and lift off, I think there is no way I am going to get any sleep tonight.

The next thing I know someone is calling me Miss James and I open my eyes to see Tyler standing in the aisle at a respectful distance. “Just wanted to let you know we’ve landed,” he says.

I look groggily out the window even as I sense that the plane is taxiing on the ground. I see some bright lights and the outline of what I guess is a terminal. “Already? Thanks,” I say. Tyler nods and walks back to the cockpit.

In a stage whisper Gus asks, “Why’d he call you Miss James?”

I whisper back. “’Cause that’s the name on my passport.”

Gus nods solemnly at me. “What’s your first name, Miss James?”

“Alice.”

Gus brightens. “That’s my sister’s name. How about that?”