Page 54 of Lethal Illusion

“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.”

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