She glanced at him. “What are you talking about?”

He held her eyes for a moment, then looked down. As she followed his gaze, her breath suddenly caught in her throat. In her other hand was the photograph. She had actually pulled it out of her purse and was holding it in front of her.

Anyone who glanced at it probably wouldn’t have given it a second thought. But to have it out in the open was tempting fate. This was their map, the only reason they were in Hong Kong and the only reason they were heading to the East Coast of the United States. If someone was tailing them and figured out what the photograph was, all could be lost.

“Thank you for waiting, ladies and gentlemen,” the voice on the overhead speaker announced. “At this time we will begin boarding our first-class…”

“Put it away,” Mikhail whispered.

Petra slipped the photo back in her bag, then hunted around for her ticket. “Kolya?” she whispered.

Mikhail glanced past her for a moment. “Have a nice flight,” he said, then dipped his head and walked away.

Once he was gone, Petra stretched, then readjusted herself so that she was facing the direction Mikhail had been looking. Sure enough, standing on one of the moving sidewalks was Kolya. He was letting the system do all the work while he leaned against the handrail and sipped at a can of soda.

“At this time we will begin boarding seats in rows thirty-one through forty-four. Rows thirty-one through forty-four.”

Petra watched their young companion a moment longer. Then, with a final mental pull of an imaginary trigger, she retrieved her boarding pass and got into line.

Chapter 2

“At this time, Harold’s son,Jake Oliver, would like to say a few words.”

The old wooden pews creaked as people used the break between speakers to reposition themselves. When no one immediately stood, necks craned and heads turned, looking toward the first row of the chapel.