Page 42 of Phoenix Rising

“So was Elijah,” Talia told them. “That is what he called himself. He convinced sane and extremely successful people to willingly and happily hand over their life savings and follow him blindly.”

“They definitely would’ve drunk the Kool-Aid for him,” Hunter agreed. Audria thought he might be alluding to the Jonestown Massacre, where Jim Jones’s Peoples Temple cult committed murder-suicide by drinking a grape-flavored beverage laced with potassium cyanide. If she remembered correctly, over 900 people had died, including small children. “Elijah demanded total surrender from his flock. He was also security-conscious and loved theatrics. He boasted he could harness the power of lightning.”

“Seriously?” Audria snorted. “What did he mean by that?”

“He concocted an elaborate laser show with remotes, sound effects, and smoke,” Talia explained. “He made it look like he had caught a lightning strike with his hands. I will admit it was awe-inspiring.”

“It sounds like it,” Audria agreed.

“What did this Guru Phoenix look like?” Hunter wanted to know.

“He was average height and build but seemed much bigger when speaking,” Audria said.

“Again, Elijah was the same,” Talia said. “Did he have flowing black hair?”

“Actually, no. He wore glasses and had a beard. His hood slipped down as he ended his sermon, and I noticed he was bald.”

“Could be how he’s disguising himself,” Hunter deduced.

“I think we should send Hunter and Talia there to check him out,” Logan decided, and everyone readily agreed.

“One more thing,” Audria said. “Since someone has targeted us, we’ll need new identities.” The personas of Ross and Amy Green had been burned. They worked out the details and agreed to speak in the morning once arrangements had been made.

Reese’s phone buzzed as soon as they disconnected, and he stood and walked to the windows to answer. Audria eyed the welcome basket. This was now an official mission, and she never drank on the job, but she wasn’t guarding anyone right now. There was nothing they could do to find Paige tonight. It was a shame to let good champagne go to waste. She popped the cork and poured the bubbly liquid into the two plastic flutes from the basket. Reese was out on the deck, talking on his cell. Probably the ex-wife, updating her on what they had discovered, which was nothing concrete.

Audria waited until he ended the call before sliding the door open and stepping out. The sky was an inky black, dotted with twinkling stars. The temperature had cooled somewhat, but it was still a muggy night.

Reese turned, and the smile he gave her almost had her tripping over her feet. He was so handsome, emphasized by the silvery moonlight. She handed him one of the glasses. “I thought you could use this.”

His hand brushed hers, sending sparks through her veins. “Thanks.”

He took a sip, and she watched how his Adam’s apple bobbed in his throat. What would he do if she leaned over and licked him there?

“Audria?”

She blinked. “What?”

“I said, if Paige somehow found out Guru Phoenix was Elijah, Richard Caraway, or whatever he calls himself, it would’ve been a major story.”

That dampened her thoughts of tasting Reese. All over. “One that might have gotten her killed.”

“Yeah. Seth Sarver worked up a profile on Richard Caraway after he went missing.” Audria remembered Seth; he was one of the top profilers in the FBI. “I called and had him forward it to me. He concluded that Caraway wouldn’t hide for long, that his thirst for attention and adulation would bring him out sooner rather than later.”

“That has to be what Paige discovered.”

“I think we stick with the Occam’s razor approach,” Reese responded.

“The simplest explanation is preferable to a more complex one since it is easier to prove.”

“Exactly.”

They stared at the nature surrounding the resort, with thousands of stars twinkling overhead. An owl hooted in the distance. Soft music drifted up from somewhere below. The champagne was going to Audria’s head because she had the irrational urge to kiss Reese.

“I guess we better get to sleep. Tomorrow will be another long day.”

Disappointment washed over Audria, but he was right. It would be busy, and her coworkers would arrive in the morning.

She stood and swayed, the effects of the champagne going straight to her head.

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