Monahan 02 Artificial Intentions Read Online Free Page B

a shambles and most of my work clothes were in a heap on the rocking chair beside the bed, waiting to be taken to the dry cleaners. I grabbed a few outfits and jammed them into my suitcase along with my sweat pants and several pairs of socks and underwear. Most of my pantyhose were in sad shape but I managed to find a new pair, still in their package at the back of my dresser drawer. My running shoes and windbreaker were in the front hall closet and they were the last things to go in the suitcase.
    I looked sadly at my latest goldfish, Beulah, and said good-bye. Probably for good. By the time I got back from New York, she would no doubt be dead, along with the other twenty or so goldfish I had managed to kill over the last couple of years. I had no luck keeping them alive and with a forced exit from the city and no one to come in and feed her, she was a goner for sure. God forbid the SPCA ever found out about me. I pinched an extra dose of fish food into her bowl and waved.
    The driver was smoking a cigarette and lounging beside the car when I came out. He quickly butted it under his shoe and came towards me to take my suitcase.
    “Got another one?” I asked him.
    His face was a question mark.
    “Cigarette.”
    “Oh. Yeah.” He dug in his breast pocket and handed me a pack of DuMaurier’s. I greedily took one and dragged a little too deeply when he lit it for me. I held back a cough and put my hand on the side of the car to steady myself. The nicotine shot through my system and I felt my blood tingle. The second drag felt familiar, and the smoke stung my nostrils. I didn’t care.
    “You can smoke in the car, ma’am. If you like.”
    I had two more on the way to the airport and when we arrived at the private terminal after crossing a short piece of Lake Ontario on the ferry, he proffered a new package of DuMaurier’s with matches. The matches had his company name stamped on them.
    A small man in a dark, navy suit met me at the car and walked me through the private terminal, directly out onto the tarmac. A sleek aircraft waited for me. I wished the circumstances were different and I could pretend that I was a celebrity or just a plain old billionaire. He followed me up the staircase into the plane and stowed my suitcase for me.
    I could see two people sitting in the cockpit and the man in the left-hand seat turned around when we boarded. He pried himself out of his seat and came into the cabin. He offered his hand.
    “Captain Floyd, ma’am. Thanks Alfred,” he said to my escort.
    I watched as Alfred left the plane and manhandled the staircase up into the plane. Captain Floyd secured the door and turned back to me.
    “Please. Sit.”
    I closed my eyes tightly and scrunched up my face to try and get my concentration back. The only words I had spoken to anyone since Cleve’s phone call were to the limo driver to ask for a cigarette.
    “Right. Sorry.” I turned around into the cabin and looked about. There were four seats on each side of the aisle, and I took one of the seats facing the front by a window. The total seating capacity was eight, with four seats facing front and four facing back. There was a polished wood table in front of the seats which looked as wide as most boardroom tables.
    “Please make yourself comfortable,” the Captain said as he reached over to help me with my seatbelt.
    “We’re flying into Teterboro, New Jersey and our flying time is less than two hours. The co-pilot will be back as soon as we’re airborne and get you some refreshments.”
    “Thank you. I’ll be fine.”
    We were in the air at our cruising altitude within a few minutes and the pilot’s voice came over the speaker. It was weird having him speak directly to me and I paid attention, unlike the times I travel on a commercial aircraft and I ignore all the announcements.
    “Ms. Monahan. Captain Floyd speaking. We’re at our cruising altitude and I’ve turned off the seatbelt and no-smoking signs. In case you didn’t