The first-class passengers strolled leisurely to their seats aboard the Pan Am direct flight from Frankfurt to JFK. It was going to be busy for one of the flight attendants working the first-class section, but it had nothing to do with her official Pan Am duties. She was rather tall, with a white porcelain complexion set off by a blonde pixie cut. Easy to spot in a crowd. One of the passengers immediately took note, and touched her arm as she walked down the aisle in first-class. “Would you please hang up my sport coat. Take care, it is pure cashmere.” She flashed him that Pan Am smile. “By all means Mr. Merkel, I’ll give it special attention.” She helped him shed the elegant jacket and briskly walked to the forward closet.
The password and name match; he’s the guy, she thought as she placed the jacket on one of the hangers. In the process, she deftly removed a small notebook from the right inside pocket and wedged it in the waistband of her uniform skirt.
The remainder of the flight was strictly routine. Upon arrival at JFK it was just a matter of one more transaction and she was home free. She glanced at her watch; the timing was perfect. She gathered her luggage and headed for the Carey bus stop, pausing a bit apart from the waiting crowd. Almost immediately, she was joined by another Pan Am flight attendant who set down her luggage next to hers and said, “I’m just in from Paris, how was your flight?” “Pretty much routine,” she answered. A minute or two later the bus arrived and again she gathered her luggage. With a distracted expression, she deliberately took the girl from Paris’s carry-on instead of her own. Once on the bus she felt a wave of relaxation and thought, almost finished, just a quick trip to Bloomingdale's to pass on these little treasures and mission complete.
