Page 150 of Hard Rain

“I will.”

His voice had dropped into something dangerous.

“I want a four-man team. Whip. Axel. Knox. Grant.”

“Wait…what?” Knox frowned.

Boone reached into his desk drawer, pulled out a badge, and tossed it to Grant.

Grant caught it cleanly.

“The hell?” Knox blinked.

“Grant accepted my job offer,” Boone said.

Grant clipped the badge onto his belt.

Sheriff Mercer looked between his brother and Boone before asking, “Where do you need us?”

“Doing what you’ve always done best.” Boone looked around the room. “Keep combing the county. Talk to people. Lean on every contact you’ve got.”

He checked the room one last time.

“It’s too late to do anything tonight. Let’s get some rest.”

Whip caught Knox by the arm before another question could escape him and steered him toward the door Axel was already holding open.

Grant followed.

Jesus, fuck.

Boone owned a mansion. Axel knew his boss came from old money, but this?

Not even close.

He wandered through the house, taking in one room after another. Antiques. Modern. Rustic. Every room had its own personality.

He found Whip on the back patio beneath the stars. A full moon drifted between broken clouds, one of those rare October nights when the sky actually opened up.

Out here, the stars looked close enough to touch. Sharp like ice chips in the darkness.

The cold bit through his jacket, but Whip lifted his face like he didn’t mind it.

Fresh from the shower, Whip had left his blond hair loose. It brushed his shoulders and fell partway down his back. He usually wore it tied back. Axel liked it better this way.

“Hey.”

Whip looked up from the lounge chair and accepted the mug Axel held out.

“Boone said we could have a few drinks as long as we didn’t get drunk.”

A smile tugged at Whip’s mouth.

“I’ll take the coffee.”

“I figured.”

The silence settled comfortably between them, and Axel was content to leave it alone. Being quiet with Whip was one of their things.