The Outsider

by K'Anne Meinel

  The stewardess did indeed inform the captain of the blatant theft. He was immediately concerned and directed her to inform the air marshal. They would handle it when they landed in Chicago. He was very annoyed that a first-class passenger would behave in such a manner. Still, just because the man could afford a first-class ticket didn’t mean he couldn’t be a thief.

  Joy was not worried. She had considered stealing it back, after all. She did not, however wish to allow the man to get away with it. He was an American and would be judged in an American court. She wanted him to be punished. She tried to show her disinterest, but apparently he was not going to take the hints she had given him the entire flight. Even on a nine-and-a-half-hour flight though, there was only so much time she could fake being asleep.

  She was relieved when the pilot announced they were coming into O’Hare International Airport. She sighed and her seatmate noticed.

  “Tired of flying?” he asked congenially.

  Joy kept her thoughts to herself, but she couldn’t help thinking that he should have gotten the hint with her one-word answers, dozing off to ignore him, or just flat out not answering his various attempts to engage her in conversation. She wondered what would happen shortly.

  The stewardess came by, “Ms. Parker?”

  Joy looked up inquiringly.

  “I’m trying to identify your coat. Could you please come with me?”

  Even to Joy’s ears it sounded lame, but she immediately got up and followed the woman, ignoring her seatmate who looked on inquiringly. As soon as they were by the closet the stewardess had put the coat in, she whispered to the tall blonde, “Please get up as you would normally and step away. We’ll handle it from there. After he has been confronted, we will need your testimony,” she informed her.

  Joy just nodded, pretending to identify her coat. “Did you need anything else?” she inquired politely before exchanging another nod and returning to her seat.

  “Pretty nervy of them to try and lose your coat, eh?” her seatmate asked, trying once again to make conversation. Joy nodded, but said nothing as she felt the plane begin to slow in midair. She hated that feeling and hid a yawn behind her well-manicured hand.

  “I always hate landings.” He yawned himself, showing his filled cavities and emitting bad breath. Joy turned away to look at others preparing to land. Seat trays were going up, chairs were no longer reclined, and others were turning off laptops and other electronic devices. She wondered what he would have done if she had gone to use her computer during the long flight.

  Soon enough, they were landing with barely a hop or bump. Joy appreciated that, especially on the larger airplanes as she always had a feeling that much weight shouldn’t be airborne. She should have used a private jet, could have afforded to hire herself one, but again thought about how much more sense it made to fly commercial. She sighed. But on a private jet, she could have avoided her seatmate, not had to deal with the theft, and been left to her own devices.

  As people gathered their things and they taxied to the terminal, she saw a few already taking off their seat belts. She delayed doing anything until they were parked and the seat belt light went off. She made sure to take her time, delaying her seatmate from being able to leave until a few people had left before she removed her own seat belt, stood, stretched dramatically, and then squatted to gather her purse and computer case. She could tell the man was agitated, as though to hurry her, but there was nothing he could really do. She was in his way completely. The aisles started to empty and the stewardess handed Joy her coat with a meaningful look. Joy thanked her.

  “See you around,” the man said as though they’d had a delightful flight together. Joy did not even bother looking back as she rolled her eyes at the stewardess. She’d buy both seats next time if she flew commercial just so she did not have anyone next to her.

  Joy left the plane and made her way down the jetway to the terminal. Once inside the terminal, she stepped out of the way of passengers leaving the big airliner and waited. Standing, she felt better for being on firm ground. She knew she was going to miss her short flight to Milwaukee due to this incident, but she could always rent a car here in Chicago and drive up. She was a confident driver although it had been years since she had driven in America. She waited a while, seeing no sign of the stewardess, an air marshal, or her seatmate.

  “Ms. Parket?” a woman just behind her shoulder inquired.

  Joy turned and corrected her, “Parker, my name is Joy Parker?”

  “I’m sorry, Ms. Parker. I read the text wrong. If you will come with me, I’ll escort you to where you can make your statement so the man we arrested doesn’t need to see you.” She gestured to a waiting golf cart and Joy followed her. They both sat down on the back, facing behind them, as a young man drove them rapidly away from the waiting area. Joy noticed once they were moving that several people came through the door of the jetway, one of them with his hands cuffed behind his back and looking down at his feet. She smiled inwardly, hoping he got what he deserved. She was not too perturbed about her computer, she had backed it up before she had left after all. It was the principle of the matter.

  Joy was right. Her written statement took a while. They verified the computer was hers by her description, password, and what was on the screen. They took pictures of it and returned it to her. The one that was put in her bag to replace hers was not even close to her own. She again wondered what he would have done had she decided to work on the long flight. She never inquired as to what would happen to him, not caring at that moment. They escorted her through customs—she suspected they made the transition easier for her as a result—and then offered to help her with another flight since she had missed the one to Milwaukee.

  “Could you please tell them to hold my bags in Milwaukee. I think I will rent a car here and drive.” She decided she needed the practice and the time alone, and she really was sick of being on airplanes at the moment. Furthermore, if someone else was following her, she wanted to throw them off. The delay here in Chicago probably unnerved someone if they were meeting the man who had stolen her laptop. She was puzzled. Why had he stolen it so early in the flight? It was probably a crime of convenience as he had not known if or when she would be away from her bag again.

  They agreed to do that for her. She had been most cooperative in her statement and polite to them. Most people would be very annoyed, not only at the theft, but missing their next flight. Joy had just been extremely accommodating, unnerving some people with her attitude. She was soon at a car rental place, canceling the booking she had in Milwaukee and renting a sedan, but they couldn’t accommodate her request for a manual transmission. She preferred the feeling of being in control, but she shrugged it off. She was soon leaving the airport parking lot, which was huge, and making her way to the freeways heading north towards Milwaukee. She was not sure she was taking the right one, but that was okay. She was not in a hurry.

  It took her two hours to get to Milwaukee due to the traffic. The clerk had assured it would take only an hour and a half. She was glad she was not on a time schedule as she prided herself on being punctual. Parking at the airport, she searched for and found the security office to collect her luggage. They looked at her oddly, but after showing her passport and ticket stubs, allowed her to take her bags. As she drove away from that airport she pondered where she would stay.

  It was a far cry from the days when she stayed at a hotel in order to wash up and buy clothing. She thought of staying at the Pfister and then shrugged. Why not? She could certainly afford it, had the right clothing, and it was a five-star hotel. She remembered walking past it and seeing all the fine and elegant people waiting inside on that snowy and cold day many years ago. Now she felt like she was up to the challenge and she really did not even think of the fact that she was wearing such fine clothing or driving an expensive, if rented, automobile. As she pulled up to the valet parking, she smiled as he handed her a ticket, the bellboy took her bags, and she walked inside.<
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  “Room for one,” she requested at the desk.

  “Do you have a reservation?” asked the clerk, unconsciously eyeing her and her clothing.

  “No, I do not. Can you accommodate me?” her smooth and learned tones impressing him without conscious thought.

  “Of course, ma’am. I’ll need a credit card and a form of identification?” he answered respectfully.

  Joy was already a step ahead of him, pulling out the passport and credit card and having them ready as she passed them across the granite counter. She looked up as he started to type her information into the computer. The art on the ceiling was incredible, reminding her of many old buildings in Europe she had visited. The gold edging surrounding the art was impressive and as she looked further at the style, she realized the building had to be over one hundred years old. They had copied some styles from old buildings she had seen throughout Europe. The beauty of the place couldn’t be faulted, it spoke of grandeur and style and a time long past. The sweeping staircase invited the viewer to wait and see someone of importance come walking down its wide steps.

  “Do you know how many nights you would like to stay?”

  “No, just put me down for three days for now. If I need to stay longer, I will let you know.”

  “Would you like to use the spa or our private club?” he glanced up at her hopefully.

  “Please,” she nodded, knowing she would need a swim and maybe a workout. “Also, do I need reservations for dinner?”

  “No, ma’am. It’s on a first come, first serve basis in there,” he indicated the bar and small dining room across the richly-appointed lobby. “However, if you need reservations…” he let it hang so she could ask or request them if she needed them.

  “No, that’s fine. Thank you.”

  He nodded as he finished up and swiped her card. “I’m sorry, ma’am. This credit card was declined,” the clerk leaned across to tell her confidentially in a lower voice.

  Joy was annoyed. That was not the first time it had happened either. She appreciated the clerk’s discretion and pulled out another immediately to pay for the room. She had been embarrassed like this before with that particular card and would take it up with the bank immediately. She had heard clerks’ tones change when things like that happened, but this one, at least, was professional.

  “Here we go,” he said with a smile, never intimating that anything was wrong as she signed the paper for the hotel. He snapped to the bellboy. “Take Ms. Parker to room five-oh-five,” he ordered and the man nodded. He slid a copy of the bill and a keycard across the granite. “Have a nice stay, Ms. Parker and let me know if we can be of any further service to you.”

  The bellboy led her to a bank of elevators and once inside requested her keycard to make the lift work. She was pleased at such security measures as she herself had used the lack thereof in the past to stay warm in a nicer hotel. While she understood people sneaking in, she preferred to have certain accommodations private when she paid this much for a room. She had glanced at the total on her bill and while it was a little high, she had found it acceptable for certain amenities she now required when she traveled. She thought briefly about what seven years had wrought and how far she had come, and then dismissed it. She had come to Milwaukee for a specific purpose and the sooner she finished her business, the better.

  Once the door was open on her room she looked around and out at the view for a moment, then had a ten-spot ready for the bellboy. It was a little much in the tipping department for two bags, a five-spot would have been more appropriate, however she never knew if she would need a little more help from one of the bellboys. She could have carried her own cases, but knowing the people who worked at the places she stayed was a good idea when she traveled. “Thank you,” she said with a smile that made him catch his breath briefly as he took the cash, handed her the key card, and then with a saucy little salute, left her in the nice room.

  She glanced at the room once more. The white comforter on the four-poster bed looked inviting and she thought she might take a nap after her long trip. She was more concerned about the bathroom facilities and was pleased to see a separate shower from the bath. The bath was deep and wide and she looked forward to using it as she started the water and closed the drain. She quickly opened her bags, placing her first case on the luggage rack provided by the hotel. Of course, it was not the one she needed and she had to switch them, but she soon had her makeup case that included her travel size shampoo and body wash inside. She took that into the bathroom, placed it on the marble counter, and began to strip.

  She hung up her nice suit right away, then took off her jewelry. She looked in the mirror, realizing how tired she looked, and then looked gratefully at the tub that was filling rapidly. Testing the water with her toe, she slowly got in as she acclimated to the hot water. Sighing deeply, she lay back and relaxed in the water as it lapped and covered her naked body. Smoothing the water down her body, she lay there until it was deep enough to cover her and then sat up to turn off the faucet. Settling back once more, she lay there for a while, nearly falling asleep as she relaxed. She reached for her body wash and smoothed it all over her body before rinsing it off, and then reached for her shampoo and soaped up her long tresses. She smiled as she remembered the dirty blonde she had been and how the honey gold of her hair had changed it. She was pleased with the results since they were natural and required no enhancement at the beauty salons she had visited in Europe.

  Soon she rinsed this out of her hair too and then stood up and rinsed off the last of the suds as she pulled the plug and the water started to gurgle down the drain. She carefully stepped out to the plush area rug and reached for a towel. She rubbed her hair first so it wouldn’t drip on her body and then using another towel, dried her long body. She had been surprised when she grew some more between her nineteenth and twenty-first birthday. Her driver’s license height was inaccurate, but she could change that while she was here.

  Wrapping the towel around her middle, she reached for the hair dryer on the wall and began finger combing her hair until it was dry. By then her body was dry too and she left the towels on the floor for the maid to know they were used and dirty and walked out of the large bathroom. She went to her case and pulled out her hairbrush, pulling the tangles as she enjoyed the curls that the brush tried to remove. By finger combing it instead of brushing it as she dried it, she got a lot more natural bounce. She soon had the snarls removed and quickly tied it back out of the way before she headed for her bed. She closed the drapes completely, not wanting any sun in her room as she eagerly pulled down the bed clothes and climbed in naked. She was out like a light within fifteen minutes after thinking about what she wanted to accomplish the following day.

  CHAPTER SIXTEEN

  Joy was feeling great the next day as she walked to the bank. She had gotten a fine night’s sleep, had a terrific breakfast at the hotel, and decided to take a walk. She had forgotten how close everything could seem downtown and the bank was just down the street from the hotel, only a couple of blocks. She was also loving the weather; the last time she was here it was cold and snowing. Now it was spring, the sun was shining, and the city felt clean. It was a bit brisk, but not so bad that her pleather jacket did not keep her warm. Her matching pleather pants looked fine on her lean frame. They tapered down to her booties with their two-inch heels. Today she was wearing her Ray-Ban sunglasses instead of the Cartier ones. The smile on her face startled a few people as they hesitantly returned it.

  As she walked into the bank and got into line, she removed the glasses and hooked them in the V of her white silk blouse. Unzipping her jacket a little, she looked around the lobby. The place had not changed with its high columns, antique architecture, and its intimidating feel. She no longer felt intimidated, she felt like she belonged. She learned to feel that way midway through the courses at Château Mont-Choisi. The day trips they took to the surrounding cities including Geneva had included banks and museums as well as resta
urants, so the girls learned to use the manners they had been taught. It also instilled a sense of pride as those who had art appreciation learned from their instructors. For Joy, it had been the architecture that captured her eye and her appreciation for fine buildings.

  “Good morning,” she greeted the teller once it was her turn. “Is Mr. Mueller in?”

  The girl returned her greeting and then blinked at the name. “Mr. Mueller?” she asked as though she had never heard it before.

  Joy knew he was still in this building since she had some documents still sent here and then forwarded to wherever she was in Europe, for a fee. It allowed her to keep her privacy. “Yes, he used to have an office right over there,” she pointed to the office behind the counter. Perhaps he is in the building?” she prompted.

  “We have a directory over there in the lobby,” the girl said primly, pointing at a sign along the wall.

  “Could you ask where he might be?”

  “Ma’am, I can help you with a deposit or a withdrawal, but I am not directory assistance,” she said snidely. It was obvious she did not want to do any more than her job.

  Joy was taken aback. Things had obviously changed. This type of customer service was not what she had come to expect. She narrowed her eyes slightly, her good mood rapidly dissolving. “Can you help me get into my safety deposit box at least?”