Page 79 of Close Your Eyes and Count to 10

“Totally,” agreed Hector with a frown. “It’s really not like him to be out of touch. He and Lucia talk constantly.”

“It’s true,” said Angeline thoughtfully. Mav stared at her. “It’s not really like him. Were he and Lucia fighting, maybe? Maybe he needed some space from her. Like Mav said, she could get a little clingy. She wasn’t thrilled about him taking off to come here and leaving her with the baby.”

Adele felt goose bumps come up on her arms. That sense she had was firing on all cylinders. What the hell was going on? She turned to look at Malinka who was watching the scene with interest but surprisingly had not gone live on Photogram.

Petra turned to them, her back to the Extreme group now. “If you are not part of Extreme, this is your last chance to get off the island before the storm comes. I suggest you pack your things and go with the officers. Go home to your families. This site is not safe when heavy rains come.”

Adele looked back at the hotel. It slouched, black with menace against the gunmetal sky. The clouds were moving fast, foliage wild in the wind.

Almost. Shealmostaccepted. The dealwasn’tthat she would risk her life for money. She knew that the kids needed her in their lives more than they needed a million dollars. It was just a game.

Was someone really missing? Again?

“I’m good,” said Cody. “I’m staying. Hey, with one less contestant, the odds just went up for all of us.”

A man with nothing left to lose.

“Me, too,” said Malinka, sounding slightly less certain. “We got this.”

A young woman with no children, no one waiting for her to come home.

The old woman’s eyes fell to Adele. There was wisdom there, a kind of steely calm.

Almost.

If she left now, she’d be home in time to tuck the kids in tonight.

And then she’d have to face the sting of failure, the look of disappointment on Blake’s and Violet’s faces, even if they tried to hide it. Even if they said all the right things, and they would. She couldn’t let them down on this one. Everyone else—their dad, most of their friends—had hurt or disappointed them. But not her. She was going to stay. She was going towin. Cody was right. The odds had just improved for all of them.

“Thank you,” said Adele, her voice catching mutinously. “I’m staying, too.”

Petra smiled sadly and nodded as if she knew the plight of all mothers everywhere, how you’d risk everything for your kids. Even when you were risking more than you had to give.

The old woman raised a gnarled, ringed hand. In response, the men on ATVs formed a line along the property’s exit and killed their engines.

After the roar ceased, one of the officers spoke. “Now, we ask that no one associated with Extreme leaves this island until Mr. Tang’s whereabouts are known.”

“What?” Mav barked, outraged when just moments ago he’d refused to leave the site and the island. “That’s ridiculous. I’ll dowhateverthefuckIwant.”

But Angeline had his arm, whispered something in his ear. And, finally, he lifted his palm.

“Fine,” he said. “Let us know when he turns up. And, when he does, I expect an apology. And you can forget aboutyour fucking donation. This island sucks.”

Angeline stepped in front of him, speaking directly to Petra. “We’ll make good on all of our promises. You have our word.”Then to the police officer, “And all of our cooperation in locating Alex.”

The two officers moved toward their vehicle which was parked on the other side of the ATVs, with access to the road.

“Finish your game,” said Petra to Mav. She moved to leave with the officers. “Whether you want to pay or not, the bill will come due.”

Mav lifted an arm toward the men on the ATVs.

“And what are these guys going to do if we try to leave?” Maverick asked. “Shoot us?”

One of the men laughed, and Maverick glanced over at them, ran a hand through his hair, tried and failed to look tough. The men—were they soldiers of some kind?—all stood stone-faced; Adele had no idea where the laughter had come from. Angeline put a hand on Maverick’s arm, but this time he shook her off.

The older officer turned toward them. “These men are empowered to detain you by any means necessary and bring you to the police station if you leave this property. For your own safety, we will be closing the roads and establishing a curfew due to the storm.”

“By any means necessary?But who are they? They’re not cops,” said Maverick. “Are they soldiers? What is their authority?”

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