Джордан Шор - The Search

As in June or July , she thought and almost laughed out loud.

The receptionist picked up a phone, and spoke in a low voice, then looked back at her and rewarded her with yet another smile. Angela made sure to smile politely at the old woman who was covered in wrinkles and could stand to lose a few pounds.

“And what is this regarding, if I may ask?” the wrinkly woman asked her.

“I’m a survivor of flight seven one nine to Anchorage. I plan to file a lawsuit with multiple damage claims against the airline, and several work and protection claims against my insurance company,” Angela replied in a robotic tone. “And I would like the notorious Geronimo Hernandez to represent me in court.”

Once again, the receptionist spoke in a low voice, and once again Angela made sure to keep smiling at the wrinkly woman. The receptionist’s micro-expression didn’t reveal a thing. Angela started to feel uncomfortable, and she felt as if her facial muscles might cramp up soon from all the false smiling. The feeling made her think of Jack, and how easy it was to manipulate men who seek women’s approval. Jack’s romantic side appeared to be nonexistent, but his nurturing side had craved her approval—and nothing is sadder than a single mom raising a son.

Angela questioned whether or not Jack would have been as eager to get her home if she’d told him she had a daughter instead of a son. She had neither, but Jack didn’t know that.

When the investigators showed her Jack’s mug shot as they interviewed her at the hospital, Angela had realized Jack wasn’t the former soldier he presented himself to be. Instead, he was an ex-convict—and the perfect scapegoat at the time.

Angela had needed an explanation for how the co-pilot had died in the woods. She told the US agents that she had seen Jack wash blood off his hands, and she assumed they’d suspect Jack of killing the co-pilot in rage for causing the plane to crash. But to her astonishment, the agents thought Isaac had sustained his head injuries fighting with the Imam, who they suspected had stormed the cockpit.

Nonetheless, Angela still thought it best if Jack went back to prison. She didn’t want to risk his contacting her, or telling his side of the story to the media. She made sure to invent a few racist remarks on Jack’s behalf before she described Kevin’s appearance in detail, and how cold Jack was before he conveniently had found a black blazer on one of his hikes into the woods. The chain of evidence she laid down amused her.

Jack had assumed that “hikers” had left the chocolate cupcake wrapper she hadn’t hidden well enough.

Idiot.

Agent Smith was hard to read, but his younger colleague, Coleman, wasn’t, and when Angela mentioned how Jack heard voices, and how he kept talking to someone named Pamela, who wasn’t present. She quickly understood that Jack must have had a history of mental problems. The fact provided her with an explanation of why Jack would refer to her as Julie in his interrogation.

I didn’t dare say that my name was Angela, because it’s so close to Pamela. I was afraid he’d think that I was her. Also, he kept telling me how much I reminded him of his mother. Please don’t tell him my real name. I don’t want him to contact me , she’d told the agents while she cried her eyes out.

Angela’s heart skipped a beat when the receptionist finally hung up the phone.

“He’ll be right with you, Miss Summer.”

It’s all just a big coincidence, Geronimo. It’s not like I crashed the plane or anything , she prepared herself to say.

Angela felt overwhelmed. She felt as if she’d just passed the finish line. She had rigged the lottery, and she had won. Now, it was finally her turn to experience happiness and all the benefits of a “carefree” life. She didn’t have to clean people’s houses any more—or Dr. Sherman’s pharmacy.

Angela couldn’t stop smiling. She felt flooded with joy.

Her search for happiness was finally over.

I hope you’ve enjoyed reading this novel as much as I’ve enjoyed writing it. And if you did, I hope you’ll encourage others to do the same. For example, you could share the fact that you’ve read this novel. On my website, jordanshore.org ,you’ll find a share-button to help you create a post on your Facebook profile.

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Thank you for your consideration.

And thank you for reading my novel!

Sincerely,

Jordan Shore