Page 8 of Jason's Justice
He returned twenty minutes later with a grin on his face.
“Well?” Ilsa asked in frustration.
“I have a place, do you want to drive or fly?”
“I think driving would be better,” Jason spoke first. “I have the severely redacted court scripts from the FBI, and I know they don’t suspect they’re in my crosshairs, but I don’t want to take a chance they get wind of our plans. Being the FBI, they have the ability to track our whereabouts. If they learn of us, they will know that I flew into Seattle, but they won’t know I left. If it comes down to it, they will search this city with their hands on their asses, because I won’t be here.”
“Okay, but what about your rental?”
“How far away is Spokane?”
“Give or take three hundred miles.”
“How’s your vehicle? Will it make it to where we’re going?”
“Yes. It’s only six months old. I celebrated Karen getting sentenced and out of my life. It will hold the three of us and our stuff.”
“Okay, then how about we leave for Spokane tomorrow, then onto wherever we need to be.”
“I like that idea, let Ilsa take you to the basement to see what she has for court documents while I run upstairs and start to pack.” He headed up, while the other two headed down.
CHAPTER 4
“Help you?”Duane Manchester asked as he stopped the truck that pulled into Erin’s Way. He watched as the driver held up his hands, and reached for his wallet. Duane took it, and nodded. “Welcome back, Kevin. Erin said you were coming. I know you don’t know where it is, but I’m to take you to what we’ve dubbed the meeting room. Follow me.”
They watched as Duane hopped onto a golf cart and since Kevin had been there before, he watched Ilsa and Jason’s expressions.
“What is this place?” Jason asked in awed shock.
“This is Erin’s Way, there are at least two other ranches, but as you saw, there’s tight security, and according to the last time I talked to Erin when we were in Denver, she said everyone would be here to meet us.”
After they parked, Kevin climbed out from behind the wheel, Jason exited the front passenger side and opened the back door for Ilsa to exit. Before they went five steps, everyone froze at a scream. Kevin reached for his side, and Jason immediately put Ilsa behind him. Both he and Kevin stood before her. Duane looked at them and laughed as he pointed. Ilsa looked out from behind Jason and gave the same scream in return, then shepushed him out of the way and ran toward the approaching golf cart.
“I take it they know each other?” Jason asked.
“It’s Ilsa’s daughter, Katherine,” Duane said with a grin as the three men watched the women embraced. “The guy driving is Caleb, my son.”
“What?” Kevin asked as he rushed forward and gather his son in a hug. When they broke apart, they grinned at one another.
“What are you doing here, Dad? Not that I don’t want to see you, but is it safe for you to be here? How long can you stay?”
Again, before Kevin could answer, several vehicles started to arrive, and after Caleb parked his golf cart next to Duane’s, the newcomers were there, and Jason stared in shock, when the guy with the eye patch went up and engulfed Kevin in a hug. He looked around wildly.
“I know you guys,” he blurted out, and then did a double take. “Lieutenant Riceman?”
“Black,” Clark said as he stepped forward and held out his hand. As each man came forward, he said their names, and they nodded. The last people to arrive were Erin and Reid.
“Garret,” Jason said as he shook his hand. “Damn, you guys look a hell of a lot better than the last time I saw you.” They agreed and it was Reid that introduced Erin to him.
“Black, this is Erin Riceman. Not only is she the owner of this spread, but she’s also my girlfriend. We’ll go into the barn and talk.” His tone and actions brooked no arguments, and they all followed him and Erin into the barn they’d used as a reception area for Ryan and Pru’s wedding, then turned into a meeting area. They settled and it was Scott and Manny that gathered the cups, sugar, and creamer for the coffee that Reid had come over and made an hour ago. While she had been out and about finding tables and chairs for the room, Laurie had come acrossa restaurant having a close-out sale and was able to purchase several of the tables and chairs from them, she’d also gone out on a limb and purchased four coffee pots. After talking it over with Erin, Laurie had given the restaurant owners Erin’s name and number and told them that if they didn’t sell the walk-in cooler, or freezer, then to call Erin. It had been a great day, and she’d been able to call some people to come help her haul the stuff back to the ranch. Now, they were using the coffee pots, seating, and she had also been able to purchase several cases of disposable coffee cups.
“Wow,” Jason said as he poured himself a cup of coffee, then turned to look at everyone.
“Yeah, Laurie, Duane’s girlfriend was able to purchase all this. Since we seem to be growing by the day, I thought this barn would be good for any meetings, and since you and Ilsa are here to go over Katherine’s case, and whatever else you need to do, I thought this would be a good place for you to work,” Erin explained as she got her own cup, then drew in a deep breath and let it out slowly.
“I’ll give you guys a tour after we talk, but this isn’t everyone.” She waved her stump at the men taking seats, and realized the only women there were Erin and Katherine, but before he could say anything, Clark spoke,
“Our women are hard at work over on the other ranches. We’ll give you the tour. Now, just a little background, you were there when Commander Day told me about my parents, correct?”
