Page 79 of Fatal Thrill

Kieran spit on the ground. “They won’t complain after I explain things to ’em.”

‘Explaining things’ in Kieran’s terms probably had to do with encouraging the men to keep their mouths shut about his interrogation techniques or winding up at the bottom of acliff.

Jaya stepped forward. “Who’s going to watch over my dad if you go with us, Percy? Someone could still come afterhim.”

Percy glanced at Miles and Charlotte. Miles held up both hands. “Don’t look at us. We’ve got a wedding to attend this weekend and I’m in charge of security, so I have to be back beforehand to take care ofthat.”

Jon figured Jaya was more worried about Sean taking off, but anything that helped their cause to keep Percy from tagging along was good in hisbook.

“Sean may not trust you because you’re police,” he said to Percy, “but you’re still family, and that carries weight with him. If we have the cross, he’ll be more cooperative. You can work on getting information out of him about his other possible criminal activity. Maybe reduce the charges against him if hecooperates.”

Hands on hips, Percy gave each of them a serious glare. “Sean will have protection, and if he doesn’t run, I’ll work on reducing the charges against him, but I am going withyou.”

Damn. Outside of dumping him between the castle and airport, Jon saw no way to get rid of his new hitchhiker. Didn’t mean he couldn’t set ground rules. “The minute you step on the plane, you’re part of my team, which means you do what I say, when I say. No questions asked and no renegade shit that could endanger everyone, including you. The first time you don’t do what I tell you, you’re gone,understand?”

Percy leaned over to Jaya and asked in a conspiratorial tone, “He’s kind of a hardass, isn’the?”

Jaya reached for Jon’s hand, a smile on her face. “I think badass is a betterterm.”

Badass or not, Jon hoped Finn was still alive. He’d only failed once to rescue a missing person, and he prayed he never didagain.