Page 77 of Close Your Eyes and Count to 10

After a few more minutes, he saw the back doors of the school swing open, which didn’t surprise him. There was a lot of cutting and screwing around going on at East Tanglewood High School. Kids taking off in expensive cars they didn’t deserve, smoking down behind the parked buses. He watched one young couple get it on in the back of a Jeep.Not that he could see anything, but the rocking vehicle told the tale.

He sat up, feeling a rush of adrenaline. There she was. Violet Crane and a friend, an Asian girl in a tutu and pink in her hair.

He watched as they got in the Kia and pulled away. Agent Coben gave them a little space and then followed. No rush. He had a tracker on her car.

27

ADELE

Crouching, Adele organized her pack. Rope. Flashlight. Jerky. Water. Wipes. She wouldn’t need much. Outside, the wind had started to pick up; it pushed at the tent. She rolled up her sleeping bag, attached it through the loops. Not that she’d be doing much sleeping.

Her phone pinged, and she took a deep breath. But it was just Blake, his texts coming in quick succession.

That storm has picked up steam. Looks like they’re closing the airport.

Was that true? The weather didn’t lookthatbad yet.

That casita you found is your best bet. It’s on the highest elevation.

But did Extreme already know about her recon? How many cameras did they have? Where were they?

All you need to do now is be the last person found and you win, Mom.

She tapped out a response:I’m good, kiddo. Don’t worry about me. Aren’t you in Algebra 2 right now?

She checked the app, just to be sure he was in school. She didn’t want him cutting class because of this. She was comforted to see both Violet’s and Blake’s dots at the high school. They were safe, so she could focus. The butterflies in her stomach felt more like helicopters; she was so nervous she actually felt nauseated.

Mom, whatever you do, don’t fall for their tricks. They’ll do whatever they can to lure you from your hiding spot or to scare you into giving up.

I got this. I’ll be home tomorrow. Win or lose.

Outside, a distant rumbling turned to a roar. The approach of vehicles. She stepped out to see Malinka emerging from her tent.

“Oh, no,” said the other woman as she approached Adele, eyes looking past her.

The same ATV caravan from earlier roared into sight again; Cody emerged from his tent. With his hair pulled back and without his hat, he looked less like a kids’-show character and more like someone tough and rugged that you’d want on your team. But they weren’t a team, Adele had to keep reminding herself. Everyone was here to win. That was all. He’d said so himself.

Adele and Malinka both turned to face the road as the engines grew louder.

Finally, the ATVs came into view, the smell of gasoline heavy on the air. The older woman—Angeline had called her Petra—climbed off the lead vehicle when they came to a stop. Adele found herself a little mesmerized; the old woman was kind of badass.A rare power radiated off her, though she was small, maybe just five feet tall, unapologetically wrinkled.

The door to the trailer opened, and the Extreme team tumbled out, looking exhausted and stressed. Maverick took the lead, Angeline behind him, and Tavo and Hector trailing. Someone was missing. Alex, the CFO. Adele remembered the raised voices she’d heard.

Trouble in paradise, Cody had said.

It certainly seemed like it. If they weren’t in control of the game, who was?

Behind the ATVs, a small, official-looking gray-and-white Prius pulled up. Blue lights on its roof flashed languidly. As it came into better view, Adele read the words on its hood,Policia Municipal. Two slim men climbed out. Clean-cut and baby-faced, they looked like they were playing dress-up. Uniforms crisp, unarmed except for big radios buckled to leather belts.

Maverick strode over to meet them.

“Are you kidding with this right now?” he asked, his voice strained with annoyance.

Adele moved in closer, feeling Malinka and Cody flanking her.

“You should know that all incoming flights to the island have been canceled,” said Petra, moving a step closer to Maverick. She was so much smaller than he was that she had to look up at him. Still, her approach forced him to take a step back.

“We’re still waiting for a contestant,” he said. His voice came up an octave, a boy not getting his way. “His flight was scheduled to arrive yesterday, but it was delayed.”