Page 25 of Scent of Peril

“That would be great.” Logan gestured to his overstuffed pack. “My gear is for surviving outdoors. No phone cords needed.”

“Makes sense.” She wondered why things were suddenly so awkward between them. “I hope we can get the local cops to head back out to the mountain soon.”

“All in good time.” He gave a nonchalant shrug.

“Hey, open up.” Shane tapped on her window. She obliged by opening her door. “Do you want my keys?”

“Ah, sure.” She took the key fob for his SUV. “Thanks.”

A minute later, Chase returned with two room keys. She slid out of the SUV. “Come, Teddy.”

“You’re in a suite on the ground floor, room 1008,” Chase explained. “There’s a side exit down the hall, so you can take Teddy outside as needed without having to go through the lobby.”

“That’s great.” She accepted her key. Logan took the second one. “And they’re going to keep our name secret?”

“I put you down as Mr. and Mrs. Lyle Kirkpatrick, here celebrating your honeymoon.” Chase grinned when Logan scowled at his fake name. “The clerk didn’t seem to care who was staying in the room since I slipped him a little extra to keep quiet. Oh, and I paid enough to cover room service and any other amenities for the next two days.”

She rolled her eyes. “Hotel clerks are not supposed to give out the names of their guests. Whether you pay them a little extra or not.”

“Yeah, well, if they slip up, it won’t matter.” Chase’s smile faded. “Stay safe, okay? Shane and I will be in touch after we chat with the local police.”

“Thanks, Chase.” Logan glanced at her, then added, “I’m armed. Hopefully, we won’t be in a position where I need to use my gun.”

“I pray that won’t be necessary too,” Chase agreed.

“Me three.” She shouldered her pack. “Come, Teddy.” She paused, then glanced at her brother. “I assume we can access the side entrance with our keys?”

“Yep. And that’s a good thought to head in that way,” Chase agreed. “There’s extra dog food and other supplies in Shane’s SUV.”

“I know. Thanks.” She headed toward the back of the building with Teddy trotting at her side. Logan stayed back, letting her take the lead.

The suite was nicer than she’d expected. There was a small living area along with a kitchenette. Moving forward, she poked her head through the doorway leading to the bedroom.

“Are you sure about sleeping on the sofa?” She glanced at Logan over her shoulder.

“Yep.” The corner of his mouth tugged up in a grin. “I can always use the sleeping bag if needed.”

“Right.” She stripped off her winter coat, hat, and gloves. Raking her fingers through her long blond hair, she wished she had a toiletry kit so she could take a shower. The suite was much larger than the tent but felt oddly more intimate. She told herself to stop letting her imagination run amok. There was no reason to be worried.

They were safe here.

Yet she had a feeling that being cooped up with Logan for the rest of the day would be more difficult than hiking through the woods while trying to avoid being struck by a bullet.

Logan sethis pack up along the side of the room, the gaping bullet hole seeming to mock him. He wasn’t sure that staying here with Jess was the right move.

But he couldn’t come up with a decent alternative either.

First and foremost, he wanted her to be safe. And for now, this seemed the best way to accomplish that task. Even if it meant staying in a hotel room together.

He stood, looking everywhere but at Jess. As he shed his coat, hat, and gloves, he tried to think about how the police wouldmanage to track Craig Benton. Especially if the guy used a fake name.

He had a bad feeling they wouldn’t have much success without help from the Sullivans. Specifically, Jessica and Teddy.

Jess ducked into the bedroom long enough to drop her backpack, then returned to the living room. She seemed ill at ease too. This situation was hardly normal for either of them.

She sighed. “This is going to be a long day. I’m not used to having nothing to do.”

“I hear you on that.” He turned and headed toward the kitchenette. “More coffee?”

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