A Killing Rain by P.J. Parrish Read Free Book Online Page A

hear anything. And only if I hear anything.”
    Louis turned it on and slipped it into his pocket. “What airline were the tickets for?”
    She frowned. “I didn’t actually see the tickets. He told me they were for Sydney. Wait... wait, I remember him telling Ben something about kangaroos on the airplane.”
    “Qantas, that’s their mascot” Louis said. “Okay, I’ll call as soon as I can.”
    He opened the door and looked back at her. The yellow porch light glimmered in her dark teary eyes.
    “He’s fine, Susan. He’s with his father.”
    She put her arms around Louis’s neck and gave him a quick hug. “That’s what I’m afraid of,” she whispered.
     
     

CHAPTER 6
     
    Chaos. That was Louis’s first thought as he went through the glass doors of Miami International Airport. A swift-flowing stream of people dragging suitcases. Screaming babies. Burning neon advertising duty-free booze and perfume. And a babel of languages he couldn’t understand.
    His second thought was that there was no way he going to be able to find Austin and Benjamin in this mess. If they were even here.
    Louis pushed his way through the crowd, his eyes scanning the signs above the ticket counters. Aerolinas Argentinas. Sol Air. Iberia. Varig.
    He trotted on, dodging the luggage carts and the women pushing strollers. Alitalia. KLM. Martinair. Copa. Edelweiss Air.
    He caught a glimpse of a clock as he ran past the El A l counter. It was nine-fifty-five.
    Aeromar . Copa. TACA. Cayman Airways. Mexicana.
    Damn it! Where the hell was Qantas?
    He spotted a guy wearing a badge on a string around his neck and ran to him.
    “Which way to the Qantas counter?” Louis asked.
    The man just stared at him.
    “Qantas! Where is it?” Louis demanded.
    The man muttered something in Spanish and walked away.
    Louis looked around. The human river eddied around him and there wasn’t an official-looking person in sight. Then he spotted another guy in what looked like a porter’s vest. He was running some weird giant turntable that spun Saran Wrap cocoons around luggage.
    “Hey,” Louis said, raising his voice. “Where's Qantas, man?”
    The sweating man did not look up as he jerked a giant piece of Samsonite onto the turntable. He pointed left.
    Louis had raced right by the Qantas counter. He ran up to it, pulling out the photo of Benjamin. There was one agent, an older woman tapping away at her computer.
    “Excuse me,” Louis said.
    “One moment, young man.”
    He slapped the photo of Benjamin down on the counter. “This boy might have been abducted. I need to know if he is on one of your flights.”
    She looked up. “Abducted?”
    “He was with a man, a black man about six foot. His name is Austin Outlaw. He has a ticket for your flight to Sydney tonight. Could you check, please?”
    The woman ’s blue eyes blinked and she punched a few buttons on her computer. “Yes, here he is. Austin Outlaw.” She looked up at Louis. “There are also reservations for a woman and a child.”
    Louis could see what the old woman was thinking —- mom, dad, and son. Sounded like a vacation, not an abduction.
    Louis glanced at his watch. The flight had left . “Did they get on the flight?”
    “Oh, I’m afraid I can’t tell you —-”
    “This is official police business.”
    The woman’s blue eyes narrowed. “You don’t look like a policeman. Show me your badge.”
    Louis stared at the woman. She didn’t blink.
    “Look,” he said quietly, “I’m a private investigator and the boy’s mother is back in Fort Myers worried sick.” He paused. “You got any kids?”
    Now the woman blinked. “Four grandkids,” she said. “How do I know you’re telling the truth? How do I know the three of them didn’t all just go off together?”
    Louis pointed at her computer screen. “Look and see if Susan Outlaw got on that plane. You don’t have to tell me anything. Just look.”
    She hesitated then punched a couple buttons. Louis watched her