Page 65 of Double

“Right,” Angel agreed. “I just hope Ro beats us there; otherwise, how are we gonna get in the house?”

“I have the security code,” Journey told them.

Their conversation continued around me. My stomach had resumed churning. It stopped once I signed the paperwork, but now it was right back at it. This whole ordeal was a nightmare I never wanted to repeat in life.

Both Charity and Angel had their passports scanned by the border agents with no problem. I held out my passport. The scanning device made a sound I’d never heard before, and my stomach dropped.

“Let me try it again,” the agent said to me.

I held out my passport to be scanned again, knowing this wasn’t good.

“What’s happening?” Journey asked the agent from behind me.

“There’s a . . . uh, a glitch,” he told Journey, before turning his attention to me. Two additional agents approached. “I’m going to need you to step into the office so we can figure out what’s going on.” He motioned for Journey to present her passport. She did, and he quickly scanned it. “Miss, please proceed to the boarding gate.”

One of the additional border agents tried to take my arm. “No,” I said, moving out of his reach. “No.”

“What’s going on?” Charity came toward us.

“They’re saying there’s a computer glitch with Tinsley’s passport.”

“They’re trying to keep me in this country.” Tears welled up in my eyes because I knew everything had been too easy. “I knew I shouldn’t have come here. I told you,” I said to Journey.

This time, when he reached for my arm, the border agent caught it. “Ma’am, I need you to come with me.”

“Let her go!” Charity jumped in his face.

The second agent moved to block her. “Please head to your boarding gate, miss. Interference in this matter will lead to your arrest.”

“Where are you trying to take her?” Journey asked.

I was doing my best to dig my feet into the concrete of the airport floor, but it wasn’t working. The agent was basically dragging me along.

“Go boneless!” Charity suggested as she ran alongside of the border agents.

I took her advice and relaxed every muscle and bone in my body, effectively making myself dead weight. People were starting to stop, stare, and point at the drama that was unfolding right in front of them. Typically, I hated being the center of attention, but at the moment, I didn’t give a fuck. All I wanted was to be allowed to board my plane and get the hell off of Iredia.

“Don’t make me pick you up and carry you, miss. You can make this easy or difficult.”

“Then I choose difficult.” I remained boneless.

I could hear the chatter of the crowd that was growing and see people snapping pictures with their cell phones. I could hear yelling and even feel the presence of Journey, Lyric, Charity, and Angel not far behind me.

“Call Double!” I yelled, hoping one of them could hear me.

The agent gave me a violent shake that caused my bones to jerk. “Stop this dumb shit and stand up and walk. I won’t keep carrying your fat ass.”

If he thought insults would work, he was crazy. I remained in my boneless state. There was no way in hell I was about to help these men lead me to my demise. As much as I fought, I was no match for a grown man, and before too long, we were right outside the door of a room marked Security Room #3. One agent opened the door, while the other one practically tossed me inside. When I caught my balance and stood to my full height, I looked around the room. Seated inside were Sterling Gillespie and two of his minions.

“You have a lot of nerve, showing up on my island like you have some kind of right,” he told me with a sneer.

“This is my home,” I replied through gritted teeth.

“This will be your cemetery. This is my island. Nothing happens here unless I give the okay. You were stupid to come back after defying me, but that is a mistake you won’t make again.”

I could hear the ladies outside the door, banging on it and demanding my release.

“Take her stupid companions into custody. See how loyal they are to her after spending a few days in jail,” he told nobody in particular. Then he turned back to me. “You, you little dumb, bravehearted bitch. You are going to walk out of here with me, and you will not make a scene in the airport. If you make a scene, I will kill⁠—”