Page 34 of Frostbite

His eyes widened. “You think someone on our team might be involved?”

“I don’t want to think that. But you yourself said we could have a mole. It’s best to keep our eyes wide open.”

He offered a somber nod before standing. “I should go before someone catches us talking.”

“Smart thinking.”

As he headed back toward the great room, Olive took another sip of water. A few minutes later, she walked back to the couch.

Everything felt calm as people snoozed.

Olive sat on the couch, leaning against Jason and drawing the blanket tighter. He instinctively wrapped an arm around her and pulled her closer. The fire popped softly, sending a spray of sparks up the chimney.

For a moment, she felt safe. Secure. Protected.

But she knew those feelings wouldn’t last.

Her mind kept circling the same questions until exhaustion finally started to pull her under.

CHAPTER

SIXTEEN

Olive must have drifted off,because the next thing she knew, she heard athud.

Her eyes snapped open.

At first, she thought she’d dreamed the noise. The sound had been distant—muted by the storm.

But, no. It was real.

Another noise followed, softer this time. Like something brushing against wood.

Olive sat up slowly, her pulse quickening. The embers threw faint red light across the room, enough to outline shadows of her teammates sleeping around her.

She listened.

Silence.

Then a faintcreakoverhead.

Olive’s gaze darted to the ceiling.

She and Jason had already checked every room upstairs. No one had been there. They’d been thorough.

She reached out and touched Jason’s arm.

He immediately stirred, his instincts still sharp even in half-sleep.

“What is it?” he whispered.

“Upstairs,” she murmured. “I heard something.”

Jason’s expression hardened as he pushed the blanket aside.

The wind howled against the windows again—but the sound above them wasn’t the wind.

It was deliberate.