Page 151 of Lethal Danger

She took off around the side of the Flying Dragon, running onto the hidden path that wound behind and under rides and would cut minutes off the race to the gate.

If Pierce had already gotten through, she and Flash would keep going, beyond the fair and as long and far as it took to catch him.

Forty-Four

Hawthorne slowed his sprint as he neared the Flying Dragon.

A person stood in the rain wearing a light-colored jacket.

As he got closer, he spotted another figure, sitting next to the path. A dark hooded jacket was thrown over the person’s shoulders.

Both people looked small and slim. Women?

Thunder roared as he stopped close to them, gaze locking on the person sitting down.

It looked like…yes. “Rebekah?”

She lifted her head, and he knew for sure. Rebekah’s round, sweet face and big eyes.

She got up and sprang into his arms, hitting his chest hard.

Hawthorne held her tight, all his regret, guilt, and worry melting away as the desire to protect and cherish this girl swelled in his chest. “Thank you, Lord.”

“Amen.” The comment brought Hawthorne’s attention to the woman who stood a few feet away, watching them with a soft smile.

“Did you save her?”

“No. Well, not alone. I’m with the Phoenix K-9 team.”

Rebekah pulled away slightly, and Hawthorne kept one arm around her as she stayed tucked into his side.

“Phoenix K-9 is here?” Hawthorne’s heart hiccupped. Did that mean Jazz was there, too?

“Yes. All of us. I’m Cora. The others are on their way to catch Pierce Cracklen before he leaves.”

“Jazz’s uncle?”

Cora nodded. “I believe he’s the one who tried to kill her and your sister.”

A surge of anger shot through him. Righteous anger, he hoped. No one could do that to his sister and get away with it. “Where’d they go?”

“Jazz went that way.” Cora pointed toward the faint path by the Flying Dragon that he could barely see in the rain-soaked darkness. “I believe it’s a shortcut Jazz knows to reach the east gate as quickly as possible.”

Hawthorne ducked his head toward Rebekah. “Can you stay with Cora until I get back?”

Rebekah nodded against his ribs, slowly lowering her arms from around his torso.

“I’ll be right back. I promise.” His reluctance to turn away surprised him. God must already be preparing his heart for the relationships he wasn’t going to hide from anymore.

But another relationship called to him. With a beautiful redhead, who happened to be going after the bad guy Hawthorne wanted very badly to take down right now.

He headed for the obscure path, hoping it would lead him to the villain and the heroine. And, Lord willing, a happy ending.

Jazz glanced over her shoulder as she darted under the supports of another ride.

Nev and Alvarez jogged close behind.

Phoenix and Dag followed them, though the ease of their movements made Jazz suspect the team could probably outpace them all if they wanted to.

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