Page 97 of Storm Warning
“She’s gone. Left right after you did.”
Remi sank onto the sofa and pressed her head into her hands. “I need to warn Hawk of the additional players.”
“So, there’s Erika, and what about this Cole guy?”
“Cole wasn’t wearing a mask when he abducted me and put me on a boat,” Remi said. “He was trying to escape. He told me that I needed to remember before it was too late. Those exact words here. I believe he sent this picture.” She hadn’t thought of this, even after her memories had rushed back, but ... “When he helped me up into the helicopter, he’d taken my rucksack, which had my camera inside. It was waterproof, so it could have survived if he went into the water with it.”
“That would make sense,” Jo said.
“I wanted to come back to the lodge for perspective, and I think I have a new one.”
“What is it? If you don’t mind my asking. Erika bad. Cole ... good?”
A knock came at the door. Remi yanked her handgun from her holster. “Who is it?”
“It’s Dylan.”
She lowered it to her side. Jo opened the door and Dylan entered, leading another guy into her office.
Remi squeezed the grip of her gun. “Dylan? What is this?”
“You mean who?” the stranger asked.
To Dylan, she said, “I mean what are you thinking, bringing this guy in here?”
“He says he’s part of your security detail, compliments of John Marshall,” Dylan said.
She didn’t recognize him, but that didn’t mean he wasn’t John’s security. She’d test that. Remi lifted her gun anyway.
The man aimed a handgun at Dylan’s head. “Lower your weapon, Ms. Grant.”
“You aren’t security detail for John. Who are you?”
Two men stepped in behind him and entered the office. “These menarethe security detail that John sent you. Now they work for me. It’s a buyer’s market. John Marshall has double-crossed me.”
Her insides buckled.
“Are you ... Charles Whitman?”
“One and the same, only my friends call me Chuck.”
“And Erika?” Jo asked.
“You mean Latasha Pascoe. She was an operative for Zarovia, protecting their interests. You don’t have to worry about her anymore.”
Was?
“She’s been eliminated.” Whitman signaled to the security detail and gestured at Jo, Dylan, and Remi. “They’re all coming with us.”
“Wait a minute,” Jo said. “Someone needs to stay behind and take care of the guests.”
Like he would care about that, but Remi was thinking the same thing.
He glanced at one of his men. “Take care of it.”
Remi screamed, “Wait! What are you going to do? You can’t harm innocent families and children.”
“Relax. I’m not a barbarian, for goodness’ sake. Inform them there’s a gas leak and they should all pack up and head home. The lodge is shutting down for now.”
