Page 78 of Radar

He moved forward, careful not to step on the debris.

The blue-suited woman lifted the first-class curtain and stepped through, leaving a gap.

Xander paused to see with his own eyes how Elyssa had come through.

Elyssa was in an aisle seat with Radar between her feet. His paws rested over her lap like a weighted blanket. Radar looked comfortable, which meant Elyssa had to be holding up okay.

She was kneading his velvety ears while she looked up at the staff.

“Ms. Kalinsky-Landers, while we do our assessments of the other passengers, would you mind stepping off the plane withyour dog? We have someone to check on you in the boarding area.”

Elyssa got up, and the attendant helped her get her backpack and purse from where they’d been wedged under her seat. “I’ve lost my phone,” Elyssa said.

“I’ll see if I can’t find it after the others have deplaned,” the staffer said.

“This dog belongs to Xander Belov.” Elyssa looked toward the curtain. “I don’t know …”

“Yes, Mr. Belov will meet you after you debark,” the woman said, using a voice that suggested, “Stop stalling, get off the plane.”

As Elyssa headed toward the exit, the first responders moved up the passageway.

Xander side-stepped out of their way and strode toward the boarding area where Finley was waiting for them with an electric cart.

“You made it. Listening to the tower exchange, for a while there I wasn’t sure.”

“Do you know the cause?” Xander asked. “Were comms working?”

“I was on the phone with White. She’s finding out. We’ll have an answer for you probably by the time we get back to our rooms.”

With Radar at her side, Elyssa made her way up the jet bridge, not looking at all surprised to see Xander standing with his hands on his hips. He was probably radiating concern, and he tried to tamp it down.

She looked okay. She was walking fine. She didn’t grip the wall or Radar.

And Radar wasn’t booping her or searching for help.

The look Elyssa shot him wasn’t friendly.

Xander sent a questioning look toward Radar, and Radar lifted a single eyebrow as if to say, “What the heck, bro?”

So now, his dog was mad at him, too?

“You were on my flight,” Elyssa said as she got closer.

“Technically, you were on mine,” Xander rejoined.

“Okay. But you knew I was there. Or how did Radar know to come and check on me?”

She had him there. “Because he’s Radar,” Xander said.

“You just let him walk around the plane like that?” Elyssa asked.

“No.”

Radar looked up to her, and Elyssa, in turn, scratched his neck and whispered. “You, handsome boy, are the best of all best boys.”

Xander held out an open palm. “Elyssa, this is Special Agent Steve Finley, FBI.”

Finley pulled out his badge wallet and extended it to her. “How do you do, Ms. Kalinsky-Landers?”