Page 22 of Craving Sin (Touch of Evil 13)

Brook noticed movement in her peripheral vision. Mitch had collected a prepared backpack from Russell and was making his way back toward them. Despite her increased nausea at being so close to her brother, she closed the distance between them.

“I know you didn't have anything to do with their deaths,” Brook murmured so that only he could hear her words. She held his gaze, unyielding. “You're losing control of the situation, which is why I'm going to use you as bait. No matter how much you wanted Mitch Norona to take the blame, I'm not falling for a fake trail of breadcrumbs when the entire loaf is but an hour's hike away."

Jacob studied her intently, but he was unable to respond when the loud roar of several engines pierced the morning air. Nonetheless, it was evident that she had left him somewhat off-balance.

By the time Mitch reached them, she had already turned away from her brother. Both Victor and Justin quickly flanked him as she shifted her focus to the three vehicles stirring up dust while they entered the clearing.

Russell, now off his phone, didn’t hold back his expletives towards the unexpected visitors. He also made it clear to the others that a former governor shouldn't receive special privileges. Brook seized the opportunity created by the distraction to speak with Mitch.

“Do you mind if I borrow your cell phone? I left mine in my backpack in the back of the SUV. I need to make a quick call to my colleague back at the hotel.”

She held his gaze, silently urging him to comply.

Mitch hesitated, his reluctance to engage with her evident. Finally, he reached into his pocket and pulled out his phone. He unlocked the display before handing it over. Brook couldn't help but notice Jacob observing her intently from the corner of her eye.

“Thanks,” Brook said with forced cordiality before stepping aside to make the call. After dialing Bit's number, she forced herself to exhale slowly. Fortunately, he answered on the first ring. “Remember our earlier conversation about the Kalluk family members and friends? Those of interest have just arrived at the clearing. I assume they want to be the first to know if any remains are found, which means they plan to stay put until we contact the additional forensic techs.”

“I'm on my way, Boss.”

Brook disconnected the call, fully aware of the potential consequences of her actions. She lowered the phone, and its weight seemed to increase as the seconds ticked away. Keeping her back to Mitch and Jacob, she swiped her thumb down in an arc to quickly access the phone settings.

Without hesitation, she toggled the device into airplane mode.

Any incoming calls from this moment on would go straight to voicemail.

In a few minutes, Mitch Norona would be too far away from Nathaniel Carter to receive any information about any warrants. The events of the day could unfold until Brook had the chance to discover why being in Alaska in June was so important to her brother.

“Thanks,” Brook said, casually handing the phone back to Mitch. “It looks like Nathaniel will take care of the Kalluk family before heading back to the hotel. We should probably get moving.”

From this point forward, there was no room for error.

11

Sylvie Deering

June 2025

Wednesday — 10:49 am

The four-wheeler jolted and bucked over the uneven terrain, its engine growling against the challenge. Sylvie gripped the small side handles tighter, trying to steady herself on the back of the vehicle as Theo expertly navigated the path. The cool day became even colder as they climbed higher, exacerbated by the harsh wind against her face. While she had a thicker jacket in the SUV, she never considered bringing a scarf, not that she had even packed one.

“Are you doing okay back there?” Theo called out over his shoulder, concern evident in his voice. Towering trees surrounded them, their foliage thickening with each passing minute. Their surroundings hinted at the possible challenges they might face ahead. “Do you need me to stop?”

“No,” Sylvie replied before cutting off a groan of frustration when her tailbone took the brunt of another hard bump. She had given up straightening her glasses a while back. “Keep going.”

Theo had tucked Mekhi's crude map, sketched on a napkin, into his pocket. They had managed to follow the rough path without interruption, though she wasn’t sure Theo had heard her initial response. He suddenly began to slow down. She peered around him and realized they had come upon the fallen tree that Mekhi had warned them about.

It presented itself more as a large wall of foliage than as a mere obstacle. So many years had passed since it had fallen that leaves and vines completely covered the trunk. It was a testament to nature's ability to reclaim its domain from any intruders.

“Looks like Mekhi wasn't joking about this trail being unused for decades,” Theo said after bringing the four-wheeler to a stop. He let the engine idle before finally shutting it down. Pulling out the napkin, he studied the drawing. “He said if we cut to the left, we should be able to make our way around it.”

Unfortunately, there was nothing but dense undergrowth to the left.

Sylvie dismounted the four-wheeler, using Theo’s back as leverage. Standing next to the off-road vehicle, she surveyed the surrounding area.

“I’ll look for a way around to the right.” Sylvie took a moment to stretch her back muscles while Theo swung his leg over the seat. The slight wince he gave suggested he wasn’t doing too well with the rough terrain, either. “You double-check the so-called trail that Mekhi mentioned would be to the left.”

“Truthfully, there probably was a way around this mess years ago. Mekhi did say that he hasn’t been up here in a while.”

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