Standby (Open Skies Book 4) by Becca Jameson (popular e readers .TXT) 📕

A woman across the room stood from her seat and nervously waved their direction, so Jake guided Shayla toward her. “Marilyn?” She was about five-six with long dark hair in a messy ponytail and glasses. She was wearing jeans, a T-shirt, and a cardigan.

“Yes.” She held out a hand.

After shaking Jake’s she turned to Shayla. “You must be Shayla?”

“Yes.”

Jake pulled out a chair for Shayla. Marilyn was already working on a cup of coffee, so he kissed Shayla’s forehead and said, “I’ll order you a vanilla latte. Be right back.”

He hated walking away, but he needed to place their order. It only took a few minutes, and it would seem neither woman had spoken much until he returned, as if not wanting to leave him out, which he appreciated.

“Tell us what happened,” he suggested toward Marilyn.

She drew in a deep breath and dabbed at her swollen eyes. It looked like she’d been crying for hours. Her face was splotchy. “Hawke has been acting odd for months. Or maybe years and I didn’t see it. I was growing suspicious. Also, it took me a few weeks to find out what his phone passcode was. I had to watch carefully and catch the times when he was unable to use facial recognition, usually in the car, until I memorized the numbers.”

Jake nodded.

“Anyway, last night was the first time I had access to his phone. He usually has it on him all the time, even taking it in the shower. But he was distracted and tired when he got home from work at eleven, so he dropped it on the bedside table with his wallet on his way to the bathroom.”

Jake reached for Shayla’s hand and held it on top of the table.

“He thought I was sleeping. I opened it the moment he stepped into the shower, and then Jesus. There are no words.” She dabbed at her eyes and looked down.

“I’m so sorry,” Shayla said. “I want you to know that none of us had any idea he was married.”

Marilyn flinched as she glanced up. “None of us?”

Shayla nodded slowly. “Sorry. I’m just the latest victim. In the past week, I’ve managed to find three other women.”

Marilyn shuddered and wiped at new tears. “How the hell could I be so stupid?”

Jake cleared his throat. “Your husband is slick. I’m not surprised.”

Marilyn nodded and pulled it together, looking at Shayla. “Anyway, I memorized your number, put you in my phone, and texted you right then without thinking. Impulse.”

“I’m glad you did. Where is he now? Does he know about this?”

She shook her head. “I told him the kids and I were going to my parents’ for the day. He didn’t care. He barely even glanced at me as we left. He was propped in front of the television channel surfing. I’ve never been so nervous in my life. I don’t even think we can go back there. Besides the fact that I never want to see his lying, cheating ass again, I’m not even sure it’s safe. Has he hurt anyone?”

Shayla shook her head. “Not that I know of. Not permanently anyway.”

“Would you mind filling in some of the details?”

Jake gave Shayla’s hand a squeeze, deciding to give Marilyn the CliffsNotes version. “He has a pattern. He picks a woman—always dark hair, slender, on the taller side. Like you. He flirts, makes her feel special, then takes her to his hotel room. I’m sure you don’t want the intimate details, but—”

Marilyn shook her head. “Don’t sugarcoat it. Give it to me straight.” She continued to wipe tears away. Silent ones.

He drew in a breath, watching her closely to make sure she could handle it. “He’s cunning. Never takes anyone to dinner or anything. Just to his room. Yaps about not wanting to waste time. He’s selfish in bed and then falls asleep.”

Marilyn released a sardonic laugh. “Yep. That’s Hawke.” She swallowed. “Sorry. Go on.”

“He texts and calls infrequently between hookups, but never meets up with anyone except when he’s on an overnight. Although two of the women we’ve met weren’t flight attendants, so I’m not sure how he managed with them.”

“Wait. You’re a flight attendant?” Marilyn glanced at Shayla.

“Yes. Sorry.”

It was hard to remember there was a lot Marilyn didn’t know. Jake nodded. “Two flight attendants. The other two are airport employees. Those are the last four. I can’t tell you about anything prior to that.”

Marilyn shivered, her hands wrapped around her coffee. He was honestly shocked she was able to hold it together as well as she was. “Go on.”

“After a few ‘dates,’ he gets verbally abusive and then physical.”

Marilyn cringed, her chest rising and falling rapidly. More silent tears fell. She ignored them. “That’s Hawke for you.”

Jake took a deep breath, hating to think what Marilyn had been through. “When the women leave him, he harasses them until he finds his next victim.”

Marilyn nodded. “I went into his phone records this morning. I could see a pattern of the same number—yours,” she said as she glanced at Shayla. “But going back further, there are other numbers. I didn’t have time to analyze the pattern though.”

“Your husband has a squeaky-clean record with the airline. It’s not even public knowledge that he’s married. I had to do some digging to figure that out. We’ve only known it a few days.”

“Also not shocking. He has always kept his job completely separate from us.”

“How long have you been married? How old are your kids?”

“Ten years. They are six and eight.”

“And they’re at your parents’ right now?”

“Yes. I didn’t tell my mom and dad what was going on yet. I just dropped them off and came here. I don’t know what to say or do yet.” She grabbed a napkin this time to wipe her cheeks. She was shaking violently now.

“Are you going to go back home?” Shayla inquired softly.

Marilyn stared past them at nothing for a moment and then turned back. “No. Definitely not.”

Jake kept his hold on Shayla. This was important to