Page 38 of Signs and Wonders

Evan knew that Seth would be beside himself with the signal cut off. It surprised him that Travis hadn’t broken down the door already.

In a burst of madness or inspiration, Evan took one of the forms. “Is there still room on the one-night orientation?” he asked Jennifer.

She grinned like he had given her a puppy. “Are you thinking of joining us? We have another overnight starting tomorrow. We’d love to have you come look around and see the lodge. I’m sure once you do, you’ll want to come back for a longer session.”

Evan filled in the form before he had time to second-guess himself and tried not to think about Seth’s reaction.

“How does this work?”

“You can drive to the Summit, or we run a shuttle bus from the library,” Jennifer told him. “All you need is an overnight bag. The one-day orientation is very reasonably priced at one hundred dollars. Meals are included. There’s even a spa preview that you won’t want to miss.”

“I can’t wait.” Although the butterflies in Evan’s stomach made him want to throw up. “Can I take another form? I have a friend who might want to sign up.”

“Sure.” Jennifer handed him the paper. “My email is at the bottom of the page—just let me know if we’ll have one more joining us.”

He started to leave and then paused. “What is the symbol that’s on all the materials?” He pointed to a heraldic shield with two crossed keys behind it.

“That’s the crest of Renou-Vous’s founder, Fletcher Swain,” Jennifer said. “It’s been in his family for generations. You’ll see it around the lodge as well.”

I might have just gotten a clue about Swain’s anchor. “Family crest,” my ass.

Evan picked up a brochure and tucked it into his pocket.

“Are you sure you don’t have any other questions?” Jennifer asked.

“What are the costs like for the longer programs?” Evan felt like she was trying to stall him, and he didn’t want to lag behind the others, who had begun to leave.

“We make sure that cost is never a problem,” Jennifer assured him. “We have payment plans and financing, and even scholarships. There are plans for every budget. If that’s what’s keeping you from signing up for other programs, please don’t worry.”

Evan thought he heard desperation beneath her pleasant tone. He was used to dodging sales pitches for everything from cell phone plans to used cars, but something about Jennifer’s voice made him hesitate.

Does she get in trouble if she doesn’t meet her quota of signups? Maybe she’s worried about more than getting a bonus.

“How long have you been involved with Renou-vous?” He knew he couldn’t delay much longer without the cavalry coming in to rescue him.

“Two years.” Jennifer’s relief that Evan hadn’t left yet was palpable—and suspicious.

“How did you get involved?”

Her smile faltered. “I was coping with a tragedy. My sister disappeared, and I ran myself ragged looking for answers. Then I found Renou-vous and realized that it’s possible to be at peace even when there are no answers.”

Evan studied her expression. Her voice sounded sincere, and her eyes begged him to believe her, but something in her body language seemed at odds, and he wondered if the guides themselves were under a geas.

“Thank you for your time.” Evan really hoped that his leaving wouldn’t cause trouble for her. “I need to get back to work. People are waiting for me. See you tomorrow.”

Before she could protest, Evan slipped out the doors and into the main library. He pulled harder than necessary, expecting them to be spelled shut, and nearly stumbled backward when they opened normally.

Despite the session going over its allotted time and lunch hour being over, no one followed him out, which made him wonder again about some sort of compulsion spell.

He was not surprised to find Travis seated where he had a view of the doors. They exchanged a glance, and Travis gave a nod in acknowledgment.

As soon as he was outside the meeting room, his phone vibrated with missed messages.

“Seth?” he murmured, wondering if the wire was transmitting again.

“Evan? Are you okay? Travis moved into position—”

“I’m fine,” Evan said. “I’ll tell you all about it once I have a chance to sort what I saw. Travis is right here, and I’m heading back to meet you at Lacey’s.”