Page 97 of Hard Rain

“Davis already knows we’re coming. Beth, you’re with us. Flight leaves in two hours. Pack for a few days and head straight to PDX.”

Boone looked at Beth.

“Push the updated case file to your iPads.”

“Already done.”

“Good. Let’s move.”

Whip pushed back from the table. Just another assignment, only this time it meant Seattle. He’d worked enough cases there to remember good coffee, miserable traffic, and deputy marshals who somehow managed to thrive in both.

And, unless Boone planned on working them around the clock…

Maybe Washington had a condom aisle after all.

OUT OF TOWN

Early afternoon…

Several hours later found them standing inside Seattle SeaTac.

The fucking crowd was a nightmare.

Airports didn’t bother him. People who forgot anybody else existed did.

Tired parents chased children restless from the short flight while families reunited in walkways without a care in the world.

Yep.

Of course they stop in the middle.

Axel caught Whip’s arm and steered him around a couple rushing forward to hug an older pair who’d started waving the moment they stepped through the doors.

Boone grunted from beside them.

“Should be a van outside.”

Their boss stalked through the crowd.

Of course it parted for him.

Nobody sane blocked Boone.

The man was big and looked mean as hell. Who the fuck wouldn’t step out of the way when somebody who looked that lethal walked straight at them?

“You coming?”

His eyes found Whip a few steps ahead, already moving through the crowd without breaking his stride. Axel hitched his go bag higher, shifted the backpack on his shoulder, and glanced around for Knox.

The young marshal wasn’t hard to spot.

Of course, he’d dressed to the hilt and had his badge hanging out where everybody could see it.

They all carried badges.

Axel kept his under his jacket.

So did Whip.