Page 36 of Lethal Illusion (Six Points Security #8)

Sloane’s mouth fell open. “Why didn’t you say something? Gus would have dropped us off there.”

“Because there’s always a chance the wrong people might ask him about us.

This way, if it happens, he won’t be able to divulge our exact location.

” A bolt of lightning split the sky, followed by a clap of thunder that shook the ground.

“Come on, let’s go. If we’re lucky, we’ll get there before the rain starts. ”

So much for not getting wet.

The sky opened up and pelted them with rain as they darted across the courtyard of the Fleet Creek Cabin Motel, which consisted of eleven small cabins arranged in a U-shape, with rooms opening to the parking lot. They headed for the cabin in the middle with a sign marked Office and went inside.

Aside from a small reception desk, the place looked like somebody’s home.

A couch and overstuffed recliner faced the television that was mounted over the fireplace, with an old coffee table crammed in between.

Nature pictures adorned the walls, while the hall to the right presumably led to the bedroom and bathroom.

A middle-aged woman wearing tan pants and a flannel shirt sat on the recliner watching a home improvement show on the television. She glanced up at their entrance and smiled, not seeming to notice that they were drenched to the skin. “Welcome to Fleet Creek. How can I help you today?”

The door swung shut behind Navarre. “We were hoping you had a cabin we could rent for the night.”

“Well, let me check.” She got off the recliner and crossed to the reservation desk, where a name plate indicated her name was Christina. A move of the mouse, and the computer screen came to life.

After a few clicks on the keyboard, she said, “You’re in luck. We have two cabins available: one’s at the end by the road and the other’s next to the office. Both come with a queen-sized bed. Which one would you like?”

“We’ll take the one by the office.” Navarre glanced to Sloane to make sure she was okay with the single bed, and she nodded. It wasn’t like they had much choice. They were adults; they could handle sharing a bed for one night. “Does the room come with a phone? I lost mine on the hike.”

“It does, but there’s a charge for each call. The rates are listed on the nightstand.”

“That’s fine.” Navarre dug out his wallet and handed her a credit card.

As Christina swiped the card, her attention shifted to Sloane. “You look really familiar. Have you been here before?”

Not missing a beat, Sloane shook her head, and droplets of water fell from her platinum hair to the floor. “No, I’m afraid not, but I get that a lot. I must have that kind of face.”

Navarre barely held back a smile.

Apparently satisfied with the answer, the woman opened a drawer beneath the computer.

She took out a metal key attached to a bottle opener shaped like a bear with its jaws open.

“Okay, you’re all set. You’re in Cabin 5.

Checkout is at ten. If you need anything, just pop on by or give me a call by dialing nine-nine on the phone. ”

“Thank you, ma’am.” Navarre stuffed the key in his jacket pocket. “Are there any places within walking distance where we can grab a bite to eat?”

“I’m afraid not.” Christina offered an apologetic smile.

“The pizza place a few miles out used to deliver, but their driver went off to college and they still haven’t hired a replacement.

If you’re really hungry, we have vending machines along the side of the building, but they only take dollars and quarters. ”

He could think of worse meals to eat. After getting change from Christina, Navarre held the door open for Sloane, and they bought enough vending machine food to send a small army into diabetic shock.

While they were at it, they got drinks from the Coke machine, and then ran through the rain to their cabin.

Once inside, Navarre flipped a switch, and the interior flooded with light.

The cabin was basically one big room with a bathroom tucked off to the side.

It came with the basics: dresser, television, small table with two chairs, mini fridge, and a bed with nightstands on each side.

Nothing fancy, but it suited their needs.

Sloane walked to the bed, unzipped her jacket, and their bounty of junk food tumbled onto the plaid comforter. “When we get back, the first thing I want to do is douse this coat in kerosene and light a match.”

“I can make that happen.” Navarre flipped the bolt on the door, checked the bathroom, and made sure the window was locked.

Satisfied with the room’s security, he set his ruck on the floor by the nightstand, picked up the handset of the old school push-button phone, and called the only number he had committed to memory.

As the phone rang, Sloane stripped the camo jacket off and draped it over the back of a chair. Then she removed the much-thinner pink jacket she’d been wearing underneath, the one Sierra’s people had given her to wear, leaving her in the form-fitting blouse. And that pushup bra.

A host of wild thoughts filled his head, and he ripped his gaze away before he hung up the phone and did something stupid. Needing something—anything to do, he crossed his right foot over his left knee and began to unlace his boot.

At last, the call connected, and the sound of Jackson’s deep, melodic voice was music to his ears. “Hello?”

Navarre closed his eyes as a wave of relief slammed into him with the force of a hurricane. “Damn, I’m glad to hear your voice. Essie would have kicked my ass if you died on my watch.”

“What—Navarre, is that you? Holy shit, are you guys okay? Where are you?”

“I’m fine, Sloane’s fine—we’re just hungry and tired.” He cradled the receiver between his ear and shoulder. “Is everybody okay?”

“Yeah, we’re good. Me and Rosario got banged up a little. Garrett’s still in the hospital, but they’re supposed to let him out tomorrow. Where are you?”

“We rented a cabin in Fleet Creek, about twenty minutes from the bait shop.”

In the background, he heard Austin say, “Is that Navarre?” and “Let me talk to him.”

“Look, I’ve got to cut this short,” Jackson said. “The boss wants to talk to you. We’ll talk later, all right?”

“Count on it.” He couldn’t have stopped smiling if he tried. It was such a relief to know his friends—his family, as far as he was concerned—were alive and well.

Outside, the shower had turned into a storm, the rain coming down so hard he couldn’t see the cars in the parking lot.

“Navarre.” Austin’s steely voice came over the speaker a few seconds later. “You have no idea how happy I am to hear from you. Are either of you injured?”

“No, sir. Aside from a few scrapes and bruises, we’re good. By the way, I’m sorry about the drone. I didn’t know it was one of ours.”

“Don’t worry about it. You had no way of knowing. We’re still trying to figure out who hired those assholes.”

“I killed two and incapacitated one. The guy I injured—they said his name is Porter, but I don’t know if that’s a first or last name. He’s going to need treatment for a shattered kneecap.”

“Good to know. We’ll check the local hospitals to see if anyone’s been recently admitted for a similar injury.”

“We also heard one of them mention somebody named Winslow. Does that ring a bell?”

“No, but I’ll pass it along to Larissa. The name might have come up in one of her searches.”

If anyone could find the proverbial needle in a haystack, it was her.

“What’s the name of the hotel you’re at?

” Austin asked, and Navarre rattled off the name and address.

“Do you think you’ll be safe there tonight?

The storm’s pretty bad up here. Last I heard, there’s a flash flood watch in effect, and the forecast doesn’t show this storm easing up until early tomorrow morning. ”

“Yeah, I’m sure we’ll be fine here until things settle down.” He glanced to where Sloane sat at the table, and she nodded in agreement. “After roughing it in the woods, this place feels like the Ritz-Carlton.”

Austin laughed. “Good. If anything changes, give us a call, and we’ll find a way to reach you.”

“I assume they’re not coming tonight,” Sloane said when he hung up the phone.

Navarre shook his head. “The weather’s too rough for them to drive down the mountain. They’ll be here first thing in the morning.”

She glanced at the door. “Are you sure we’ll be safe?”

After everything they’d been through, he understood her concern.

But more important, he wanted her to feel secure.

“Yeah, we’re good. If any of those assholes are still out there, I doubt they’ll be searching for us until the storm breaks.

That door’s pretty solid with a good deadbolt, but I’ll brace a chair under the knob just in case. ”

A smile warmed her lips. “Thank you.”

Her gaze met his, and there was no mistaking the heat in her hazel eyes. Tension charged the air between them, and he felt the strain in his resolve. Digging deep, it took every last ounce of his willpower to keep from getting up and going to her.

She coughed to clear her throat. “Well, I don’t know about you, but I feel pretty gross. Should we shower before eating, or eat then shower?”

Just what he needed: the mental image of her soapy and naked. This was going to be a long night. “Are you close to passing out from hunger?”

She shook her head.

“Then shower first. You’ll feel better when you’re clean.” In need of a distraction, he pushed off the bed. “I’ll take care of the door while you’re in there.”