LOCK UP - Lando Norris [BOOK 2]

26

LANDO

"What do you mean?" I ask my driver, Alister, when he calls to say Evelyn never got off the flight.

"I'm sorry, Lando. I waited and I watched every single person disembark that place, she wasn't on it" he confirms in my ear.

"Hang on, maybe I got the wrong gate number. Give me a minute"

I scramble through my text messages with Evelyn. "Gate 24?" I ask.

"Yes that's where I am" he informs.

"I'll give her a call, stay there" in instruct.

I dial Evelyn's number, it sends me straight to voice message. I hang up and dial again. Same thing.

"What the hell?" I mumble.

I ring Alister back, "her phone must have died, just go and check the boards around the airport. They must have moved the gate"

"Of course, I'll keep you informed" he hangs up and I return back inside the McLaren hub.

"Everything okay?" Zak asks as I arrive.

"I'm not sure, Evelyn didn't get off at the gate Alister is waiting at and her cell is sending me straight to voice message."

Zak places a comforting hand on my shoulder, "it'll all work out. Airports screw that stuff up all the time. Come on, we've got a lot of work to do before this first practise session"

I comply, returning to the sun and running another few rounds, slight adjustments being made as the engineers play with the equipment. But I can't shake the feeling that something is off. Something is bad.

Alister phones me 40 minutes later, "anything?" I bark down the phone on the first ring.

"I'm sorry Lando. There was no changes at the airport. I rang the service desk in Florence. She never checked in"

"What?" I mutter. "There must be a mistake. She was on her way. She messaged me"

"I'm sorry" he apologises again.

"No, it's fine. I'll, I'll figure it out. Thankyou Alister." I hang up from him, a sick feeling cementing itself in the pit of my stomach.

"Zak?" I announce on approach, "I'll be back okay. Just give me an hour"

"Lando, we don't have time for this. You have a job to do." He spits out.

"My job in here, is done. It's also my job to protect her, and right now, I don't feel good about what's happening"

I push myself out of the McLaren doors, heading down towards the Red Bull garage.

"Johan!" I call out as I enter, finding him seated at his usual station with a few other engineers. "Have you heard from Evelyn?" I ask.

Panic takes over his face, "Not since this morning, why?"

"I sent my driver to the airport. Apparently she never got on the plane?" I bellow.