Page 287 of Rangers Last Promise

She turns her head.

“Was that supposed to sound the way it did?”

“Not now.”

“I’m going to remind you later.”

“Please do.”

She fires twice.

One of Harlan’s men dives behind the black SUV.

Sheriff Tate crawls toward us.

“How many?”

“I saw six get off the plane,” I say.

“Two more are firing from inside the hangar.”

“And the pilots?”

“Unknown.”

Mara looks toward the jet.

“Harlan is moving.”

I lift my head enough to see the runway.

Arthur Harlan walks backward toward the aircraft.

Two armed men cover him.

Robert Vance is still beneath the hangar light.

He looks from Harlan to the gunman beside him.

The silver key lies near his feet.

Harlan dropped it.

He knows it’s useless.

Vance finally understands Kane was right.

The Colonel never intended to take him out of the country.

“Harlan!” Vance shouts.

Harlan doesn’t look back.

“You said there would be a seat for me!”

Harlan reaches the stairs.

“There was.”