Page 29 of Vacation Friends

Then the unthinkable happened.

Her car plunged over the edge.

Maddie had watched the water slowly cover her windows as her car sank into the river.

She’d seen news programs that showed her what to do in those types of situations. But at that moment, her mind had gone blank.

That was when she’d cried out to God. She begged that if He saved her, she would change.

A few seconds later, a diver had appeared on the other side of her window.

She’d been rescued.

Afterward, she’d realized just how short life was, and she knew she needed to get herself in order.

She’d found an old Bible that had belonged to her granddad and had begun to read it. All the values she’d grown up with had flooded back to her.

Maddie was tired of living for herself, by her own set of rules. Her personal pursuit of happiness hadn’t worked for her so far. When she’d faced death, she’d had an awakening.

She knew she needed to make some changes.

That included not staying overnight with Josh anymore—not until they were married.

Josh hadn’t been happy when she’d told him about her new convictions—and, in return, her new boundaries. He’d actually ridiculed her, said she was becoming a religious zealot.

She’d decided to pretend he hadn’t said the words.

People in the business world, for the most part, weren’t religious. Christianity in particular was a sign of weakness, of a less educated and backward-thinking individual. At least, that had been Maddie’s experience while in New York.

She rubbed her chest, trying to ease the tension there. “If Josh hears about this . . .”

“What do you mean?” Brody squinted as he stared at her.

A flash of self-consciousness hit her. She shouldn’t have said her thoughts aloud. She hadn’t intended to, but the words had slipped out.

“He’s obsessed with this whole event going perfectly,” Maddie explained. “So when he found out one of his employees died, he wasn’t happy. But if he finds out that his fiancée might be a suspect in the man’s death . . .”

She let out a long breath as nausea swirled inside her. She didn’t even want to think about his reaction.

“Hopefully, he’ll be supportive of you and not try to make you feel worse about this whole situation.” Brody’s voice tightened. “It sounds like you’re just an innocent bystander in it all.”

“I am innocent. I’d like to think Josh would support me. But I have a bad feeling in my gut.”

“If there’s anything we can do for you . . .” Adrienne frowned as she peered at Maddie.

“I appreciate that.” Maddie paused, her thoughts still muddled. But now a new determination mingled with her confusion. “I don’t know this Jared guy, but why would someone want to murder him?”

And why would he have her name handwritten on a scrap of paper in his room? Why would he send her that message? How did he get her phone number?

She had so many questions.

Perhaps the biggest was: what did he know that Maddie didn’t?

Nothing made sense.

“That’s a good question.” Brody tilted his head thoughtfully, his gaze appearing equally as curious.

“We’re going to make sure this is the very best event Benchmark has ever thrown,” Adrienne assured her. “Nothing is going to ruin it. I’m sure everything will be fine. Anyone can see you’re not a killer.”

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