The Search by Iris Johansen Read Free Book Online

read yours too. Drink your coffee while I go get your familiar a bowl of water."
    Before she could argue, he was strolling back to the galley.
    Monty wriggled over onto his belly. Nice.
    She ignored him as she took a sip of the coffee. She had been tempted to refuse, but she was so tired she could scarcely think, and what he said made sense. Why shouldn't she use him as he was using her? She suddenly stiffened as a thought occurred to her. My God, why not? Why sit there feeling sorry for herself when she had a chance to--
    "Good. I was afraid you'd pour that coffee on the floor." Logan set a delicate china bowl down before Monty. "I'm glad you're being sensible."
    "And being sensible is doing what you want me to do?" She took another drink of coffee. "I wanted this coffee, so I took it. I'm not into futile gestures."
    "Why isn't Monty drinking?"
    "He won't take food or drink from anyone but me." She reached down, touched the rim of the bowl, and Monty started thirstily lapping up the water. "That's fine china. Monty may break it. He has a tendency to push his bowl around when it's empty."
    "It's all I had and he deserves the best."
    "Yes, he does. Screw your china." She looked around the luxurious interior of the jet. "This is beautiful. I've never seen one like it."
    "I like to be comfortable. I do a lot of traveling and there's nothing worse than being tired and irritable when I get off a plane. One mistake in protocol or financial misstep and the entire trip could be blown." He sat down beside her. "And do you see the inside of a lot of corporate jets?"
    "A few. The government seldom pays for transporting search and rescue groups, and the current administration has given us zilch." Her lips twisted. "Though they're very willing to take advantage of any publicity we generate. We rely heavily on corporations to give us a ride when we need it."
    "I'm surprised. Billions of dollars in foreign aid and not a dime to search and rescue?"
    "We get along." She shrugged. "It's probably better that the government doesn't get involved. We'd probably have to fill out requests in triplicate and deal with strings attached."
    He was silent a moment. "Like the ones Madden has you dancing on?"
    She stiffened. "You don't have an aversion to pulling the strings yourself. You're both into power trips."
    He quickly changed the subject. "You have a job with ATF, don't you? Don't they foot the bill to send you and Monty to disaster sites?"
    "Only when there are explosives involved. ATF doesn't have search and rescue missions."
    "Then why did you take the job?"
    "I had to live." She glanced out the window. "And after the first year I was only loosely affiliated with ATF. Monty and I were permitted to go with volunteer search and rescue groups when we weren't being loaned out to police departments to use in particularly difficult cases."
    "Cadaver searches?"
    "Yes."
    "Why did you do it? You hate them. I had to twist your arm to get you to help Eve."
    "I did what I had to do."
    He studied her closed expression with narrowed eyes. "And why would you have to do it? Why not just quit?"
    "I told you, I had to live."
    "I don't think that's the reason." He said thoughtfully, "You live simply and seem to enjoy it. I offered you any amount you wanted for this job. So it's not money. Blackmail? Now, what kind of crime could you have committed to put you under Madden's thumb?"
    She stared him directly in the eyes. "I murdered a manipulating bastard who pried into my business."
    He chuckled. "Sorry, I'm cursed with an inquiring mind. You're an interesting enigma, Sarah. The temptation to solve you is almost irresistible."
    "Because you think you may need another hold on me?"
    His smile faded. "No."
    "Bullshit. You're thinking all the time, weighing advantages and disadvantages, bad moves, good moves. This was a bad move, Logan."
    "It was the only one I had."
    "There are always choices. You chose Monty and me. It may be the worst choice you've ever made. Because