The Book of Lies

43

First time flying?” a young woman with a pencil-point chin asked from her seat next to him.

Ellis stared downward at the floor of the airplane, his fingers wedged above his closed tray table. But he didn’t answer.

“Sir, you okay?”

Again, Ellis stared at the floor. He was at the window; she was on the aisle.

“You need to throw up?” the woman asked, rifling through the seat pocket. “There’s a bag right—”

“Y’hear that?” Ellis asked.

The woman looked at him, confused. “You’re really gonna throw up, aren’t you?”

“You don’t hear that sound? Like a high-pitched whimper. Y’know, like a dog?”

At that, the woman raised an eyebrow and lowered her sharp chin. Ellis was still staring at the floor of the plane. “Ohh . . . you have a puppy down there, don’t you?” she asked, motioning downward as if she were pointing through the floor to the cargo hold.

“There it is again!” Ellis insisted.

“Sweetie, I got a mopey cocker spaniel at home. Every time I take her on the plane, I swear I hear her crying for me. And then someone’s kind enough to tell me I’m just being nuts.”

For the first time, Ellis turned toward the woman. And grinned. “I’m just being nuts, aren’t I?”

“Totally understandable,” she said, tapping him on the shoulder. “You’re sweet for worrying, though. You really love your pup, huh?”

“She means a great deal to me,” Ellis said. With a deep breath, he stared out the open window at the tiny lights that dotted the landscape.

“We’re beginning our descent into Cleveland,” the pilot announced overhead.

“By the way, for your pup,” the woman next to Ellis began. “Have you tried giving her a sedative? That always calms mine before a big flight.”

“No, I need her alert,” Ellis explained as he reached for his leather diary. “She’s about to have a very busy night.”