Page 39 of Scorched Secrets

Colin found the phones and paid for them in cash. Minutes later, they were back outside.

“If you don’t mind, I’ll drive from here.” He held his hand out for the keys.

“Okay.” She dropped the key fob into his hand, too tired to complain. She was too tired to do much of anything. Her physician brain understood the impact of an adrenaline rush and the resulting crash once the inciting event was over. She’d experienced the phenomenon often when they got word from the paramedic base about incoming gunshot wound victims. Multiple patients hitting their department at one time took a fair amount of coordination and collaboration. She wasn’t a trauma surgeon, but she was still expected to help manage the influx of patients, prioritizing care for those injured the worst.

Understanding the physiology did not help battle the depths of her exhaustion now. She needed sleep, and soon.

“I’m going to head back toward the Weeping Willow Motel,” he said as he backed out of their parking spot. “That should work fine for what’s left of the night.”

She nodded, having nothing better to offer. There had been other motel signs, mostly from larger chains. Knowing Colin intended to pay in cash made the Weeping Willow a better option.

“Wait.” She straightened in her seat. “What about your phone?”

“I have a plan.” He flashed a reassuring smile and pulled into a gas station that was only a half mile from a small hotel. He slid out from behind the wheel and dropped his expensive cell phone on the ground. Without hesitation, he stomped on it with his heel, then tossed the broken remnants in the trash. “I’m hoping they think we’re staying somewhere in this area, rather than going all the way back to the Weeping Willow. Aiden will be here shortly with our replacement vehicle.”

“Okay.” It didn’t take too long for Aiden to arrive. He pulled up and parked alongside them.

Colin’s brother had the red hair she remembered. He flashed her a warm smile as he handed over the keys to a Ford Explorer. “This belongs to a friend of mine, per your request. It was smart of you to grab the laptop, so make sure to take it with you. I’ll handle returning Mitch’s SUV.”

“Thanks, bro,” Colin said. “You’re the best.”

“I know,” Aiden replied cheekily. Then his expression turned grim. “Seriously, stay safe, Colin. These guys aren’t playing around.”

“That’s the plan.” Colin clapped Aiden on the shoulder. “I’ll get you and Rhy our new phone number as soon as I can get them powered up and activated.”

“Understood. Take care.” Aiden nodded at her, then took Colin’s place behind the wheel of Mitch’s SUV.

She climbed inside the Ford Explorer. Soon they were back on the road. Colin was doing everything possible to make sure they weren’t followed. Dumping the phone here was a smart idea, yet deep down, she found herself hoping these guys didn’t start recklessly setting multiple hotels on fire in a desperate attempt to find them. It would increase their chances of getting caught, but at this point, she wasn’t about to put anything past them.

Faye closed her eyes, feeling sick at the thought, and lifted her heart in prayer. Please, Lord Jesus, guide Mitch so he can find these guys before any innocent people are hurt!

Colin glanced at Faye. Her head rested on the passenger window, her eyes closed. He was glad she was getting some rest but hated to wake her once they’d reached their destination.

The near miss at the motel on the heels of the Molotov cocktail was troubling. Faye could have been seriously burned if she had entered her room rather than his. He wished he’d considered the possibility of her phone being tracked. Yet he still didn’t understand how two firefighters had managed to do that. A former cop? Maybe, but firefighters didn’t have the same sort of access to that level of information the way cops did.

Mitch needed to find out if they had cop connections that they weren’t aware of. If not? He tried not to think about the possibility they were on the wrong track.

Battling fatigue, he turned one of the AC vents until there was cold air blowing directly on his face. That helped keep him sharp as he navigated the highway back toward the Weeping Willow Motel.

He noticed there were other signs for hotels too. He figured most of them didn’t take cash, so he kept going. When they reached the Weeping Willow, he was relieved the vacancy sign was on.

After shutting off the vehicle, he noted Faye was still sleeping. He hurried inside, determined to get their rooms situated as quickly as possible.

It took a little sweet-talking and more cash, which Aiden had provided for him, to get two connecting rooms. He was glad to have them since that setup had helped save their lives.

Faye was still sleeping, so he drove to the last two rooms in the row and parked around the corner of the building. There were other cars, too, so he hoped their rooms would appear vacant to anyone driving past.

“Faye?” He patted her knee to get her attention. “Wake up. We’re here.”

“Huh?” She groaned and lifted her head, looking around in confusion. “Where?”

“The Weeping Willow. Come on, I’ll help you get inside.” He slid out and ran around to help take her hand, easing her from the passenger seat. She moved slowly, as if still half asleep, as they rounded the corner and headed toward the rooms. He glanced around and used the key to get inside.

The area appeared deserted, no noisy parties going on like the place they’d left. He steered Faye to the bed, then went over to unlock the connecting door. Glancing back at her, he asked, “Do you need help?”

“Huh?” She stared at him through the dim light filtering through the curtains. “Oh, no. I’m fine.”

“Get some sleep.” He left, giving her privacy, and made his way to the adjacent room. After unlocking the connecting door on his side, he left it open an inch. Just enough that she could easily get in if needed.

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