Page 106 of Vacation Friends

No, she wasn’t.

Her TV was on, she realized, though the volume was off. The light from the screen flickered in the room, though she couldn’t see the screen itself.

Take a deep breath, Maddie. This might not mean anything.

She knew sometimes TVs in places like this came on with advertisements for the resort and things to do around the area. Maybe that was what had happened—something logical instead of sinister.

For all Maddie knew, she could have left the TV on when she was here last. She’d been so distracted that maybe she hadn’t noticed. Watching television hadn’t seemed that important after her conversation with Josh.

Her thoughts felt scattered, and she couldn’t make sense of them.

Maddie resisted the urge to run. She’d already had too much attention on herself, and she didn’t want any more.

She could do this. She’d keep her eyes wide open. At the first sign of trouble she would call for help.

As a precaution, she pulled out her phone and dialed 911. She didn’t hit Send. Instead, her thumb lingered over the button. If anything frightened her, she’d make the call.

Slowly, she stepped forward and peered into the bathroom. Into the shower. Behind the door.

No one.

She continued beyond the front entry of the suite and into the living room.

She scanned the couch and the chairs and the tables. There were very few places a person could hide in here if they wanted.

There was no one.

She wanted to let down her guard, to relax some. But she couldn’t.

Not yet.

Instead, she walked into her bedroom. Stood in the doorway. Scanned the space.

Again, nothing looked amiss.

No one could be beneath the bed because it was an enclosed wooden box.

That only left the closet.

Her hands shook as she walked toward it. She drew in a deep breath as she reached for the door.

Everything in her wanted to run.

What if someone was hiding inside? What if when she opened the door, this person jumped out?

He might easily knock her down. Maddie might drop the phone before she could call for help.

He could also have a knife or a gun. Some kind of weapon.

She needed to think each of these scenarios through.

Or this could all be nothing.

That was what it most likely was. Nothing.

She closed her eyes and lifted a prayer. Then she grabbed the door handle and jerked it open.

An empty closet stared back—empty other than a few hangers, a complimentary robe, and a safe.

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