Grounded Read Online Free PDF Page A

…” Grace twisted her head and pointed back toward the scanner, which had burped out the two plastic bins with her things in them, along with the bags and bins of the people who’d been behind her.
    â€œSomeone will hold them for you. This way, please.”
    His grip was firm on her arm until she’d stepped inside the glass enclosure, then he left her alone. Glancing anxiously through the walls of the small enclosure, Grace saw another agent pawing through her suitcase—and a moment later he held up a pair of small scissors. “Sharp instrument,” he called out before tossing them into a bin with other confiscated items.
    Was that
it
? Samantha always brought a whole kit of miscellaneous items for every little emergency on tour: scissors, tweezers, nail clippers, bandages, foot pads, needles, thread, safety pins, markers, sticky notes, even matches—which, she supposed, her assistant usually packed in the checked luggage. Grace had thrownthe kit in the carry-on that morning, “just in case” she needed something, not thinking about security restrictions.
    She stepped toward the opening of the glass enclosure. “I can ex—”
    â€œLady, you need to wait.” The burly agent appeared from somewhere and planted himself in her way. “Stand on those footprints.”
    â€œBut—”
    â€œOn the yellow footprints, miss. And don’t move. Someone will be with you shortly.”
    What? How dare they treat anyone like this! And for what silly reason? She felt like shouting,
“Just take the kit! Whatever! I don’t care! Just let me go so I can make my plane!”
    Did she dare look at her watch? She was afraid to move. But out of the corner of her eye she caught sight of a large wall clock. Fifteen minutes! She’d never make it now!
    â€œBody search in Unit Two!” the man yelled. “Female opt out!”
    Body search?
Were they talking about her? What did they mean?
O God, O God, I don’t like this
.
    â€œBut … I’m going to miss my plane,” she protested weakly to the man outside the enclosure.
    â€œLook. You gotta wait for a female agent. Sorry.”
    â€œHow long will that take?”
    â€œNo idea.”
    â€œBut my flight’s about to leave!”
    She looked around, but no one else seemed to be coming. The man made a show of looking around too. Then he gave her a look that lingered a bit long.
    â€œFine. I’ll get you to your plane on time.” The man reached for a box and removed a pair of latex gloves, pulling them on with a snap.
    But she winced as he stepped into the glass enclosure. Too close, too close.
    â€œOkay, Miss, I’m going to pat down the breast area, then—”
    â€œMy breasts?” Grace felt heat rise to her face. “That’s … that’s not necessary.”
    â€œYou want to make your plane? No talking. Now …”
    Grace felt a firm hand on one shoulder, and then the other running fingers around first one breast, then the other. “Arms out to the side!” the agent said. Grace obeyed, but her breath was coming hard and fast. An old memory resurrected in her mind … that unwanted touch … panic bubbled in her chest.
    She turned her head away—and saw people in the line staring at her. No one had a right to touch her like that! Not then … not now! She’d made a vow …
    The agent’s hands ran down her sides from armpit to waist, then around to her back, down her spine, along her ribs.
    â€œSpread your legs,” the man commanded from behind her.
    Grace started to shake. She squeezed her eyes shut. Hot tears gathered behind her lids.
No, no!
This couldn’t be happening! She never should have allowed this!
    Just then she heard another voice. “Walker!
Stop
.”
    Female. Grace cracked her eyelids. A black woman, hair pulled back tight into a knot at the nape of her neck, stood in the doorway of the