Page 35 of Flynn

Five minutes later, he was using the motel desk phone to call Rhy. Unfortunately, his boss didn’t answer. He left a terse message. “Rhy, we’re at the American Lodge and need clothes, shoes, phones, and cash. Please call ASAP, thanks.”

Taylor sank down onto the edge of the bed, drawing the edge of the quilt up and over her shoulder. “How long before he calls back?”

“I’m sure it will be soon.” He forced a smile as he crossed to the thermostat and cranked the heat. “Try to relax for a few minutes. We’re safe here.”

Even as he said the words, he squelched another flash of guilt. Hadn’t he said that while at the lake house?

For the first time since this nightmare started, he seriously considered handing Taylor’s safety over to another member of the team. Maybe he wasn’t qualified to protect her. He’d done his best to stay focused on the case, but he’d failed miserably.

This was part of the reason he’d broken off from their kiss.

He couldn’t afford to be distracted.

“This isn’t your fault, Flynn.” As if reading his mind, Taylor crossed to his side. “I can see you mentally beating yourself up over what happened. Remember, it was my idea to see if we could find the house in the lake photograph featuring my cousins.”

Had she? He shook his head. “I’m the one who put us in harm’s way.”

“You’re the one who saved my life.” Clutching the ends of the quilt in one hand, she placed the other on his arm. “I wouldn’t have made it out of there without you.”

That didn’t make him feel any better since she’d only been in the lake because of his harebrained plan. But the hotel phone rang, preventing him from saying anything more.

“That’s Rhy.” He brushed past her to grab the phone. “Yeah?”

“What on earth happened?” Rhy asked, concern lacing his tone. “You need me to bring clothes and shoes?”

“Yes.” He dropped to the edge of the bed. “It’s a long story. Bottom line, we’re safe but need help.”

“Of course,” Rhy said without hesitation. “Give me your sizes and I’ll grab new stuff for you both.”

Flynn gestured for Taylor to join him. After giving out the requested information, he said, “Thanks, Rhy. I appreciate your support more than you know.”

“I’ll be there soon. And Flynn? Stop beating yourself up. Every one of us has been in difficult situations, barely managing to escape unscathed. We are humans who do not have the ability to foresee the future. Take comfort in knowing God has been watching over you and is always there for you. I’ll be there in thirty or less.” Without saying anything more, Rhy ended the call.

Rhy’s words were a balm to his soul. If he thought about some of the situations his teammates had been in, they’d made mistakes too. His boss was right about the fact that no one could see the future. Except God.

The only reason to look backward was to learn from his mistakes.

They just needed a better plan moving forward.

“It’s wonderful you have Rhy to depend on,” Taylor said, breaking the silence.

“Yes. I am blessed to work with an amazing team.” He turned to face her. “And we will all do our best to keep you safe.”

“I know.” Her smile seemed a bit sad. “I just wish there was more we could do to find the gunman.”

“We’ll find him.” He spoke with confidence, despite wearing a blanket in lieu of clothes. “He made one mistake today; he’ll make others.”

She looked thoughtful. “Do you have any idea how many people live on Peabody Lake?”

Too many, he thought with a sigh, then he reached for the phone. He’d call Gabe and have him run a list of property owners on the lake. If he remembered correctly, they had run a similar list back when Grayson had a run-in with a gunman on Peabody Lake back in June.

“Hello?” Gabe’s voice was hesitant, likely because he didn’t recognize the number.

“It’s Flynn. We’re at the American Lodge.”

“Wait, what happened at the lake house?” Gabe asked.

Thinking about how the boat sank made him wince. So much for staying under budget. He quickly filled Gabe in on what had transpired. “I’m sorry, but we’ll have to pay for a new boat and new blankets.”

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