What Lies Behind by J. T. Ellison Read Free Book Online Page B

He’s a good target, we both know that. The threat assessment showed plenty of people who want him dead.”
    “If so, someone inside his senior staff or the folks he met with did it. No one else knows he’s here.”
    They jogged through the doors, went straight to the back and out onto the tarmac. With the hullabaloo, no one thought to stop them. So much for being inconspicuous, though.
    “Sam is going to skin me alive if I don’t get home tonight.”
    Chalk shot him a grin. “Cheer up, lover boy. If our principal goes splat, you can get right on the next plane south.”
    “If our principal goes splat, we’re done for. You take the terminal, I’ll meet the plane. Cover my six.”
    He would be totally exposed, but there was no help for it. Chalk disappeared into the shadows behind him, and Xander stood with the other employees, his arms crossed, staring toward the empty tarmac. He listened hard to the charter employees. Apparently, the engine lights had flashed red, and the pilot wasn’t about to try a transatlantic flight with possible trouble. It could be a simple mechanical issue.
    Xander had a feeling that wasn’t the case. Just a small frisson of
something
, up the back of his neck. He scanned the area. Murmured, “All clear,” into his mike.
    A few moments later, the Gulfstream came into view.
    Xander stepped to the side, out of earshot, and phoned James Denon, who answered sounding rather panicky. “What’s happening? They won’t tell us what’s happening.”
    “We’re here, sir, we’re waiting on you. There’s nothing apparent on the ground. Are you all right?”
    “I am. What in bloody hell is going on?”
    “They’re saying it was an engine problem. Chances are, that’s all this is. You just sit tight once they land. If they force you to disembark, make sure you come out last. I’ll be waiting for you at the foot of the stairs. We can follow the same protocol as before, staying out of sight, but right now, I think we should stick close.”
    “I agree. Something feels off.”
    “Roger that, sir. You hang tight inside as long as they’ll let you.”
    Xander hung up and casually turned, scoping the building behind him. He still had his shades on, eyes roving right, then left. He couldn’t see Chalk, which was good. His adrenaline was surging, running hard through his body, so hard his hands were fighting the urge to shake.
Breathe, Xander. Breathe.
    The Gulfstream touched down, a small puff of white smoke rising from its tires. It headed toward the terminal, then suddenly altered course and began taxiing toward the southern hangar instead of the terminal. A radio crackled on the hip of the employee standing nearest him.
    “This is Gulfstream 890. Got another warning light, we’re leaking oil. Gonna head directly into the hangar. We’ll disembark the passengers before we go in. Better find another plane, looks like we’re going to be out of commission for a while.”
    There were sharp curses from the assembled crowd, but Xander ignored them.
    The hangar.
    A hundred yards away.
    Xander had eyes on it, but he wasn’t close enough to scope it properly. He scanned the building rapidly, looking for anything out of place. There was something, near the roof, twenty degrees to the right. A shadow. As he watched, the shadow pulled back slightly, and there was a flash. A mirrored flash.
    His adrenaline shot into overdrive, and he clicked on his comms unit.
    “Chalk, buddy, we got a shooter on top of the hangar.”
    “Roger. Can you take him?”
    “I need to get closer, and higher. If I start heading his way, he’ll know I saw him. You’re gonna have to end around, let me get into position.”
    “There’s a metal ladder behind me, runs up the side of the terminal building. The two buildings are about the same height. Should be the right angle.”
    “This might draw some attention to our client.”
    “Better attention than dead. I’ll cover Denon, you take the shooter. Out.”
    Xander