Page 71 of Hard Rain
“Yeah, just her and the little dog of hers.”
Axel looked at Whip.
Whip gave a slight shake of his head.
Another dead end.
“Appreciate it, ma’am,” Axel said.
She nodded and disappeared back inside.
Axel headed for the SUV.
“So much for an easy day.”
Whip climbed behind the wheel.
“Didn’t think we had one of those yet.”
The engine rumbled to life as they pulled back onto the gravel road.
The SUV bounced over another pothole before Whip steered them back onto Highway 31.
Axel grunted, “That was a waste of time.”
“We got confirmation she was there.”
“A couple hours too late.”
Whip tapped fingers on the wheel.
“She’ll surface.”
Silence settled between them.
Comfortable.
Too comfortable.
The radio crackled with traffic from the other teams before fading back into static.
Axel tore open a second protein bar from the box in the center console.
“When’d you restock these?”
“This morning.”
“You’re feeding my bad habits.”
“I prefer calling it being prepared.”
Axel made a sound. “That what we’re calling it now?”
Whip smiled and kept his eyes on the road.
Outside, miles of pasture rolled by beneath a sky that couldn’t decide whether it wanted sunshine or rain.
Axel watched it for all of three seconds before looking back at Whip.
