My Boyfriend Let His Sweetheart Poison My Target; I Jailed Them

I'm a field agent. Just before my wedding, I got an emergency assignment: escort a research scientist, Professor Dickerson, safely home.

But once I boarded the flight, I found the fiance who was supposed to be home planning our wedding circling around a flight attendant instead.

Duane Delgado caught me watching, and his face soured.

"Madge Swanson, didn't you say you were away on business? Did you take this flight on purpose just to keep an eye on me?"

"And who's the old man? You went off to keep him company right before our wedding?"

His childhood friend Leah Stewart cut in with a soft, wounded little pout.

"Madge, it's my first international long-haul and I was nervous, so Duane switched shifts just to be with me. Please don't take it the wrong way."

"Don't worry, Duane and I will take good care of you."

Only then did Duane's tone soften. "That's enough. Sit down, you're holding up the other passengers."

Something sour twisted in my chest. Duane never bent for anyone, and yet somehow it was always her he listened to.

Leah shot me a smug little glance and reached for the metal case in Professor Dickerson's hand.

"Let me put it up for you, Grandpa."

My stomach clenched and I clamped a hand around her wrist. "Don't touch it!"

...

Leah rubbed her hand, all injured innocence. "Madge, you're hurting me..."

Duane's brows knotted at that. He stepped in front of her and rounded on me.

"Madge Swanson, Leah was only trying to help. What's gotten into you?"

My nails bit into my palm. I forced myself not to notice how openly he shielded her.

Duane lifted his chin, studying Professor Dickerson with a suspicious eye.

"Who exactly is this? You said you were traveling for work!"

I drew a slow breath. "It's a work arrangement."

His expression darkened further.

Leah laughed. "Madge, you're a finance clerk. Here I thought you were off on a trip with some rich patron of yours."

"Watch your mouth." My eyes went cold as I moved to shield Professor Dickerson and walk him forward.

As I passed her, she murmured a soft laugh against my ear.

"Selling yourself right before your wedding. How sad. The old man won't even spring for a first-class seat for you."

Catching my displeasure, Leah put on an innocent face and rose on her toes as if to help stow my backpack.

Then her footing slipped, she tipped sideways, and the whole of her fell into Duane's arms.

Color rose in her cheeks, her voice soft and sweet. "You always know just how to look after me, Duane."

Then, as if she'd only just remembered I was there, Leah said, "Madge, don't get the wrong idea. Duane and I have been close like this since we were kids. You're not jealous, are you?"

Duane patted the top of her head. "Your Madge isn't the petty type."

"Madge, try to be understanding."

Duane wasn't even supposed to be on aviation security for this flight.

He'd deliberately switched shifts to be with Leah, and it just happened to land him on my assignment.

Three years ago, after we got engaged, Leah had hung on Duane's arm and cooed,

"Duane will always be my big brother. Madge isn't allowed to find me annoying."

I'd assumed they knew where the line was, that there were boundaries.

But later she'd have Duane bring her late-night snacks, and send racy photos at two in the morning.

Duane never thought twice about it. To him it was all just old-friend affection.

Every time I let a little of it slip out as a complaint, he'd just frown and say I was reading too much into things.

I swallowed down the bitterness and focused on the assignment.

I'd barely gotten Professor Dickerson settled when two men in masks sat down in the rear cabin.

Their eyes swept our way and held on Professor Dickerson for a few seconds.

The hair on the back of my neck stood up. I fixed their positions in my mind and was about to use my encrypted device to have someone run a check on them.

Then Leah came past me carrying a hot black coffee.

She caught her foot on a seat, and the scalding coffee splashed across my leg.

"Are you all right?"

Duane's voice came from beside me.

But the one he was asking was Leah, checking carefully whether any of it had hit her.

Leah cradled her wrist, eyes reddening. "I'm fine, Duane. I was just afraid it would burn Madge..."

"Madge, don't be angry with me. I really didn't mean to."

My stomach heaved, sour rising in my throat.

Only then did Duane look my way, his face set and displeased. "Go to the restroom and wipe it off."

But I couldn't leave. The case was still by Professor Dickerson's feet.

I held still through the sharp burn on my skin and didn't move an inch.

The mission came first. Some things could only be settled after we were safely on the ground.

My encrypted comm device had taken the coffee too. Soaked through, dead for good.

The two masked men were trading glances.

I settled on the restroom as an excuse, a chance to get a read on what they were holding.

I'd barely started toward them when Leah caught my sleeve.

"Madge, do you know those two gentlemen back there? Better not stare like that. Duane's right here, you know"

At the sound of her voice, both of them looked up, and their eyes met mine.

My chest went tight. They'd caught me sizing them up.

Nothing to do but sit back down.

But Leah wasn't finished. When the meals came around, she dropped a cold roll on my tray table.

"Just make do, Madge. That old man next to you is what, halfway into the grave already? No sense wasting food on him."

I rubbed at my brow, worn thin. "Leah, do you think I won't report you?"

She darted straight behind Duane. "Duane, we ran a few meals short today, so I asked Madge to make do with a little and offered to take her out once we land."

"And she turns around and threatens me. Says she'll get me fired!"

Duane clicked his tongue. "It's nothing. Why are you squabbling with a young girl?"

Leah's lip pushed out. "Duane, does Madge just not like me? Everything I do, she can't stand."

I pressed the feeling back down. "I don't need you waiting on me. Please just arrange a seat for me and Grandpa Dickerson where no one bothers us. Thank you."

Leah blinked, then shook her head fast. "I'm sorry, Madge, we can't move people around like that."

She paused, a catch of a whimper in her voice. "I know I'm in your way. But there's nothing I can do about it."

"Then you don't need to come serve us anymore."

I cut her off, keeping my voice as level as I could.

She bit down on her lip, a stubborn flicker in her eyes. "No. This is my job. How could I just slack off?"

Duane sighed. "Leah's only doing her job. Stop giving her a hard time."

Leah suddenly stumbled back two steps and shrieked.

"You touched me!"

She clutched the side of her backside, eyes stretched wide at Professor Dickerson.

"What is wrong with you, old man? You grabbed my ass when you had the chance!"

Professor Dickerson stammered, "II didn't"

Duane's face went hard as iron. "Sir, have some decency."

I stood and put myself between them. "He hasn't moved from his seat this whole time. One look at the cameras will show it. Leah, are you done playing games?"

Leah buried her face against Duane's shoulder. "Duane, she's still covering for the dirty old creep. Is there really something going on between her and him"

"Madge, you should watch how this looks. Don't give people something to talk about."

Duane's expression sank, a layer of frost setting into his eyes.

"Madge Swanson, who exactly is this old man to you? Explain it to me, clearly."

I opened my mouth. Explain how?

Tell him I was running a classified mission? That Professor Dickerson was a state-protected research scientist?

When I said nothing, Duane gave a cold snort, turned, and walked off.

Leah trotted after him in quick little steps, sticking her tongue out at me and flashing a peace sign.

Professor Dickerson frowned. "Madge, while you were back there just now, that flight attendant kept trying to get into my bag."

"And she made me drink a glass of orange juice. Said she was worried I'd get thirsty."

Professor Dickerson handed me the backup comm unit. The screen lit with an encrypted message:

"Target confirmed aboard. Could move at any time. No ground support available. Handle it yourself."

I gripped the device, knuckles going white.

Duane was aviation security. If he'd cooperate, at the very least he could help me keep eyes on the two men in the rear cabin.

I took a slow breath, stood, and crossed the aisle toward the flight attendants' galley.

The door was ajar. Leah's voice leaked through the gap, thick with tears.

"Duane, she's been out to get me since the second we boarded."

"I pour water for the old man and she acts like I'm poisoning him. I fold a blanket and she glares at me. I so much as talk to you and she gets even angrier..."

"Duane, do you regret the engagement? Look at the way she is. She's going to poison your whole life someday."

A few seconds of silence inside. Then Duane's voice, at last.

"That's just her rotten temper. I'll deal with her when we get home tonight."

Leah sniffled. "That old man must be some company higher-up. The way she's so anxious over him, she's scared I'll ruin whatever she's got going."

"Don't worry. I'll keep an eye on her and her old sugar daddy for you."

Duane didn't push back. It seemed he was letting Leah's suspicion and slander stand as fact.

I let go of the door handle and turned back.

If talking wouldn't work, then I'd do it alone.

With Duane's blessing secured, Leah lifted her chin and planted herself in front of me.

"Madge, is there something in that case you can't let anyone see? It feels off to me. I want it checked."

I clenched my fists, knuckles pale. "There's nothing."

But she seized on it like she'd caught me red-handed.

"What are you so nervous about? Everyone can judge for themselves. She's my childhood friend's fiance."

"Says she's on a business trip, and here she is off traveling with this old man, the two of them acting all sneaky!"

As she spoke, she reached for the metal case at Professor Dickerson's feet.

I shoved her back without mercy, and she clutched her shoulder, sobbing.

"Duane, Madge pinched me. It hurts so much..."

The passengers around us turned scornful eyes on me.

Professor Dickerson cleared his throat, wanting to speak up for me, but I pressed him back into his seat.

Duane stormed forward, furious. "Madge, you actually put your hands on her!"

"Tell me the truth. Are you smuggling something?"

He raised his ID badge in front of my face. "If you've done something today that won't stand the light of day, then as security on this flight, I have every right to look into it."

He was questioning me like a stranger. Not a shred of trust left.

At that moment, Professor Dickerson broke into a violent fit of coughing, his lips going purple.

The veins stood out at his temple, and blood seeped from the corner of his mouth.

That glass of orange juice from Leah. Something was wrong with it.

Professor Dickerson's lips had already gone blue. I forgot about Duane entirely and pressed my fingers to the professor's pulse.

My hand slid into my inner pocket and came out with the emergency injection.

Leah lunged at me, grabbing for the syringe. "Don't touch him! What poison are you about to put in him?"

Duane clamped a hand around my wrist. "Madge, give it to me."

I was just done with it. I twisted his grip back, caught the web of his thumb, and threw him clean over my shoulder.

Duane's back slammed into the aisle. The passengers around us sucked in sharp breaths.

He lay there faceup, pupils shrunk to points, staring at me like he'd never seen me before.

I didn't look at him. I pushed the cardiac stimulant into the professor's vein.

Professor Dickerson let out a long, rough breath. His chest heaved, and color started coming back into his face.

Duane's eyes were full of shock as he stared at me, dazed.

He hauled himself off the floor, the shoulder of his uniform smeared with dirt. "You carry a cardiac needle on you?"

"Madge, what the hell are you doing!"

Leah's voice went shrill.

"Duane, she's even got needles ready. That's not caring for someone, that's setting up to kill him!"

The whole cabin went dead silent. Even the head flight attendant, hurrying over, stopped in her tracks.

Duane pressed his lips into a flat line and reached for my wrist. "You're coming to the back with me and explaining yourself."

My heart went cold through and through. I wrenched my arm out of his grip.

Leah stepped straight into the middle of the cabin. "Everyone! I'm a flight attendant on this flight. That woman is carrying an unidentified injection and behaving suspiciously. Please, everyone, be careful!"

Eyes brimming, she caught Duane's hand and softened her voice. "Duane, you're security on this plane. Even if it means turning on your own, you have to do your job."

"What if that needle's poison, what if there's a bomb in the case? Get her under control, quickly"

Duane's hand hadn't touched me yet.

The masked man in the rear cabin suddenly pulled a knife and drove it at Professor Dickerson.

Duane threw his arm up on instinct to block it. The blade sliced across his forearm and the blood came at once.

A second man edged up the aisle. I turned into him, slammed his knife hand aside, and drove my knee into his ribs.

Duane already had the first attacker pinned to the floor, and the head attendant rushed in, pressing a towel to his wound.

Leah, though, wasn't where she'd been standing. She had shut herself inside the lavatory.

She'd shouted the loudest, and when it turned dangerous she left everyone behind.

The captain's announcement came over the speakers. The plane touched down at the emergency-landing airport.

Out the window, two special-ops vehicles were parked on the runway, several plainclothes officers already in position.

The cabin door opened, and an officer led his team aboard.

That was when Leah came out of the lavatory. She'd even powdered her face again, as if nothing had happened. The moment she saw the officers she brightened, pointing at me.

"Officer, she's the one who assaulted people and she's carrying unidentified items. Arrest her, quickly!"

She turned back to look at me, her eyes full of triumph, and even called out to Duane,

"Duane, tell the officers, come on. You saw her hit people, didn't you?"

Duane looked at me, one hand clamped over his bleeding arm, and said through his teeth,

"Leah's right. My fiancee is very skilled. She's not like an ordinary finance clerk."

The officer nodded and unhooked the handcuffs from his belt.

Leah grinned, waiting to watch me get cuffed and dragged off.

But they went around her and walked straight to the two attackers.

The lead officer's gaze swept over Leah.

"Ma'am, you have repeatedly interfered with a top-priority escort mission, leaked information on the target, attempted to destroy key material evidence, and maliciously filed false accusations against a special-ops agent. You'll need to come with us."

I turned and helped Professor Dickerson down the stairs. Behind me came Leah's crying and Duane's footsteps.

He tried to catch up to me, but an officer stopped him.

"Captain Delgado, we'll need your cooperation with the investigation as well. There's a potential leak risk from your time on airborne security duty."