Page 55

CHAPTER

FIFTY-FIVE

NOW

Maddie’s phone buzzed as she packed her suitcase.

Go to the pool. Now. You’ll see why. Don’t get CABIN FEVER.

She paused as she considered the words.

Should Maddie even play with the idea of agreeing to this?

Her first instinct was no. But what harm could it be going out to the pool? Was someone planning on pushing her in? There were too many people around for that.

She paused from packing and stepped onto her patio. Her gaze drifted to the pool area.

Nothing seemed suspicious—except for the fact that Josh had been headed that way. When Maddie ran into him earlier, he’d been wearing a bathing suit. Did this have something to do with him?

She stared at pool another moment, trying to figure out what to do.

In five hours, she needed to be at the airport. That was the earliest flight she could book.

Then she’d be done with all this.

She thought about her choices another moment before deciding to throw caution to the wind. She would see what this text was about. She would play this little game that someone unknown to her had set up.

She headed from her room toward the pool area.

Where was she supposed to go when she got out there? It was a large area—five acres.

Maddie decided to wander around. Someone had wanted her out here for a reason. Now she needed to figure out why.

She plastered on her best smile as she passed several people. Thankfully, no one stopped to talk. But she didn’t see anything suspicious either.

She paused near a bridge over the lazy river and glanced at her phone. No new messages waited for her.

Why had this person lured her outside? It didn’t make any sense.

Maybe she should go back to her room and forget about that text.

She straightened as she spotted Nico. He appeared to be headed toward a large hot tub nestled on the edge of the outdoor area. She could see it from where she was; it was currently empty.

As she glanced farther down the walkway, she saw Josh headed in that same direction with a fruity cocktail in hand.

Was this what someone wanted her to see? If so, why?

She remained where she was and watched.

Was this some type of unofficial meeting between Josh and Nico? Were the two of them discussing the future of the company? Or maybe Josh would try to convince Nico not to take the position, even if it was offered.

Nico dropped his towel and stepped into the hot tub.

Right as he did, a pop of electricity sounded.

A faint scent of smoke filled the air.

Nico froze, his body suddenly vibrating as he stood there.

Maddie’s breath caught.

Was he being . . . electrocuted?

Maddie only stared at the scene for a split second.

Nico would die unless someone did something.

She rushed toward Nico and glanced around, looking for something she could use to help—something that wouldn’t conduct electricity.

Her gaze stopped on his towel. It appeared to be dry.

Quickly, she grabbed it and slung it around his waist like a rope. She couldn’t touch him, or she would be electrocuted also.

Using all her energy, she jerked him back, hoping to break the flow of electricity.

He fell back, taking her with him as he tumbled into the bushes surrounding the hot tub.

Maddie gasped in deep breaths as she tried to figure out if her rescue plan had worked.

Crawling onto her knees, she peered over him.

He wasn’t breathing.

Had she been too late?