Page 84 of Storm Warning

“I’m listening.”

“You’re not going to like it,” she said.

“We’ll never know until you tell me.”

“I need to go back to Hidden Bay.”

He jerked the wheel. “You’re kidding.”

Had he swerved to avoid another vehicle, or was that just a physical knee-jerk reaction to her statement?

“I’m not, actually. John said I need to relax and take my time to recall details. I’m not going to feel comfortable until I’m back there on the rugged coast. I keep going back to what Sergei said, thinking about it. He thought he was a good guy doing the right thing, but he would be labeled a traitor.”

“And?”

“I need perspective. So much about this isn’t making sense to me. Isn’t adding up in my head. I just have this gnawing feeling in the back of my mind.”

“I understand needing perspective. But the lodge isn’t exactly the safest place for you right now.”

“You heard John. Cole is in custody. You can let him know where we’re going, and he can have people waiting when we get there. How about that?”

He grunted.

“Look. I know my way around better than anyone. It’s my home turf—at least it has been for two years.” And she might call it home forever if given the chance. “You saw the photographs of the waves that I took. The ones with the faces?”

“Yep. I’d love to ask you more about them. Like how in the world did you get them. But more importantly at this moment—what do they have to do with our situation?”

“Patience. And perspective. Do you know the difference between an amazing photograph and just a boring image?”

“Other than one is amazing and the other is boring, not really.”

She laughed. “To capture an image that stirs emotion, you can’t look at things at just eye level. You have to move around and look at things from different angles.”

“I get what you’re saying. Butwhydo you think we need to look at things from a different angle? There’s nothing more to figure out here. You’ve remembered. Now you just have to tell the right person.”

“Do you really think it’s that simple?”

He sighed. “There’s more going on here, but I’m not sure it’s for us to worry about. Regardless,howwill going back to the lodge give you a new perspective?”

Yeah. About that.“Jo texted me with an update.”

“Wait. We got burner phones, and you passed that number to someone else? Brilliant.”

“I’m responsible for that place,” she said. “Jo isn’t going to share the number with anyone.”

“You’re not responsible to manage the lodge when your life is threatened.” He practically growled. “Your friends and employees can pick up the slack.”

“And I appreciate that. But just listen, will you? I’m glad she got my text and was able to respond.”

“Get to the point.”

Right. He was right. She dreaded telling him the rest. “I got another one of those packages.”

“Package with the puzzle piece?” His jaw working, Hawk stared straight ahead. “All the more reason you shouldn’t go back.”

“That’s what I thought you’d say.”

“If you really believe Cole sent the package and is asking you to remember, then it’s just a strategy to lure you back to the lodge.”

---