Eamon jumped ahead. "You need to pull Rune off the tour. Now. Before Soo-jin moves again and takes you down."
"That's exactly what he wants. It validates everything he's done and absolves him of injuring three people."
"Rune staying gives him four more days to engineer a murder."
Both options were wrong.
"Seattle," I said. "It's going to happen in Seattle."
"Why there?"
"Because it's my city. If someone dies while I'm responsible for security on my home ground—it destroys any credibility I have."
"Can you stop it?"
"I don't know. Soo-jin has access and authority. I have instincts that already got me crucified once."
"What do you need?"
"Eyes on Seattle. Anything unusual. Anyone Soo-jin meets with."
Eamon jumped in. "I'll coordinate with Mac. We'll position support ahead of your arrival."
"Quietly, please."
"Of course. Griffin, if we're right, if Soo-jin is planning a fatal incident, you understand what that means?"
"It means I'm protecting someone from a man who might kill to erase him."
"It means you might not stop it without becoming the casualty."
"I know."
"And you want to stay on the assignment, anyway."
"Yes."
"Why?"
I thought about Rune in the van. His hand under mine.Still here. Still real.
"Eighteen months ago I walked away and accepted an undeserved verdict. I'm not walking away again. Particularly not when the stakes could be someone's life."
"That's not professional detachment."
"No."
"It could get you killed."
"I'll take my chances."
Eamon exhaled. "Call me when you get to Seattle. Watch your back. You're as much a target as Rune."
The line went dead.
Chapter sixteen
Rune - San Diego - May 14
