Page 23 of Hell In A Handbasket
“And it’s entirely wholesome that you moved as quickly as you did.” She meets my eyes. Then Aubree’s. “I appreciate you coming, doctors. If you’d like to step on board, I’ll get you settled in and briefed on our case.”
“No.” Micah shoots his hand back, stop-signing me before I walk chest-first into his palm. “We don’t work with liars. There’s a certain level of trustneededin our world, Solomon, and you’ve blown your credibility with one fucking stunt. All for a free ride?” He shakes his head. “You could’ve just asked for the ride and said you were coming to Mayet. We still would have helped.”
She firms her lips. “Really?”
“Probably. We have history, and I’m not oblivious to the times you’ve stepped up and followed through to our aid.”
“You mean the time I got your doctors inside Pastore’s house to save your ass? Or the time I had drones fly over the bank your beloved Chief Mayet was stuck inside?” Then she looks at Fletch. “Or the time I took care of your friend at your ex-wife’s funeral?”
“You think you’re making a point.” I drop Archer’s hand and make my way around Micah. “But you’re actually making his. You’ve helped us, we’ve helped you. If you wanted a ride, you probably just needed to call and ask. Or, ya know…” I roll my eyes. “Booked a commercial flight like a normal person.”
“Can’t fly commercial when you’re transporting a fucking armory,” Felix sneers. “Why transport all those guns if you’re not heading into war?”
“Why ask such hairy questions so near CCTV cameras?” the guy behind her, Jay, counters. He lifts his chin, gesturing toward the cameras under the eaves of the airport terminal. “Get on the bus, and we’ll explain what’s going on.”
“Not getting on the bus.” Archer grips the back of my neck and pulls me away. “Not till you tell us what the hell is going on. You have us at a disadvantage, Bishop. All five Malones, three Malone wives, and a baby who could be born today, and it wouldn’t be too soon.”
Christabelle growls. “I’m not giving birth today! I’m fine.”
“That’s an entire family line in one well-timed accident,” Tim rumbles. “Excuse me for not appreciating our impromptu visit to the fucking sticks.”
“Why the hell would we want to wipe out your family line?” Sophia huffs. “I create helpful networks that span this country tousethem. Not to kill them.”
“It’s handy having cops and medical examiners indebted to you,” I counter, only to glance behind her and find the friendly smile of a woman I’d know anywhere, even if we’ve barely said more than a dozen words to each other, ever. “And the mayor’s daughter in your back pocket, too, it appears.” I meet Jen Lawrence’s silver-gray stare. “Your dad know you’re traveling with undesirables and causing fights in rural airports?”
She snorts. “My dad know you’ve left the city without returning his calls in favor of meeting up with,” she gestures to Jay and Soph, “undesirables?You didn’t even fact-check Soph’s request. You just followed orders without question.”
“A professional courtesy, I thought.” Unimpressed, I bring my focus back to Sophia’s. “I won’t make the same mistake twice. What the hell is this all about, Solomon?”
“Can we just get on the bus already?” Christabelle slaps her palm on the smooth black exterior and places her foot on the bottom step. “I’m not crowning, but Iamtired. I need to pee, so can wepleaseget to our hotel? For the sake of my sanity and the ache I feel in my vagina, I’m begging you lot to stop with the pissing contest.” She shakes Cato’s hand off and takes Jay’s instead, accepting his help and squeezing past Sophia to board the bus. “Sweet baby Jesus, it’s air-conditioned.”
“Coming in?” Taunting, Soph smirks and challenges Felix. “We got your girl now, and your plane already left.”
He narrows his eyes. “There were no warnings about it being here, were there?”
“Well… since we’re admitting to lies.” She laughs, leaning against the wall to allow him room to muscle past. Then she looks at the rest of us. “I got me a pregnant Ms. Cannon and your current New York don. The rest of you are low-level targets in comparison. In or out?” She pokes her leg forward, then back again. “Come on, folks. This ain’t the hokey pokey.”
“It’s one case. One DB. Oneeasilysolved ID, considering the knee replacement she’s had.” I slip my hand into the depths of my bag and find an elastic, then I start toward the bus, elbows up, combing my hair with my fingers and tapping Soph’s chin with my arm on the way past. “One case, Solomon. Then I’m telling the mayor his beloved Jenny has shitty friends.” I march onto the bus and into blissfully cool air conditioning. Glancing right, I emerge into what can only be described as furnishings well ahead of our time. Black interiors, silky curtains, and pod-like double-stacked cubbies with luxurious, full-size beds tucked within each one.
“Holy cow.” I finish tying my hair and tug a cubby curtain aside, and peeking in, I spy the perfectly made bed with silky covers and plump pillows. Better than anything any local hotel would offer. My heart thrums with both dread and delight. Angst and humming excitement as I wander the long aisle that is purely sleeping quarters.
Eight beds.
I count them—eight—with the top beds at my chest height, the bottom beds touching the floor. Small ladders built into the frames make it so sleepers can climb into the top easily, on the foot-end of each cubby is a flatscreen TV nestled into the wall, and on the window side, a slim counter space with cup holders and electrical outlets for phones or whatever.
While the rest of my family bicker and bargain at the bus door, I walk the length of the bus and emerge into a galley kitchen with expensive appliances, stainless steel finishes, and a stone countertop for food preparation. Past that, I move into the…living room? Packed to the brim with really big people.
“Welcome aboard, Chief Mayet.” Spencer Serrano—I already know his name from past encounters—is tall. Seven feet, easily, with an old scar marking just one side of his face and enough muscle in his neck to make it lookthick. He extends his hand. Not to shake mine, but to take my bag. “I can store that for you, if you want.”
“Thanks.” Carefully, I bring it over my head and dangle the strap over his palm. “Keep it somewhere cool, please. And don’t drop it. I have glass vials and syringes in there.”
He nods. Not surprised by my words. Not concerned by his newfound responsibility. Which means Sophia already briefed him on myprivatemedical information.
Charming.
“Doctor Mayet.” Kane Bishop steps forward next. He looks a hell of a lot like Jay. Not exactly the same, but certainly similar enough to prove they’re related. He doesn’t take my hand, but he stops on my right and turns back to the rest of his crew. “I think you’ve met most of ‘em, but just in case,” he gestures to the blonde with blue eyes and a blinding smile, “Jess.”
She waves. “Hi, Chief. Good to see you again.”
