Page 57 of Peak’s Code

“We need the laptop,” he said. “The one I left back at the clubhouse. I do have a backup in the saddlebag on my bike.”

Maeve looked toward the motel door. “You brought another computer?”

“I told you. I like options.”

She handed back the phone. “Don’t respond.”

“I wasn’t planning to,” he said. A third message appeared. This one made the room feel colder than the dead air conditioner ever could.

THE MOLE IS WITH CAPTAIN

Peak sat completely still. Maeve read the sentence twice. “What does that mean?”

“Either someone close to Captain is feeding information to the Director, or they want us to believe that.” Peak got out of bed and reached for his jeans. Maeve did the same, gathering her clothes from the floor.

“What are you doing?” she asked.

“I’m checking the bike.”

“You think they followed Captain?” she asked.

“I think whoever sent that knows about the coordinates, the mole, and this burner phone,” he said.

Maeve’s face hardened. “Only Captain knew he gave us the phone.”

“Captain and whoever supplied it,” Peak corrected.

“Could the phone itself be compromised?”

“Yes.” Peak removed the battery. “If it was transmitting, it isn’t anymore.”

“Could they already know where we are?” she asked.

“Probably,” he breathed.

Maeve grabbed her pistol from the nightstand. “So we leave.” Peak looked toward the rain-streaked window. The parking lot remained hidden behind heavy sheets of water. The storm would make riding dangerous, but staying might be worse. The burner phone buzzed again despite the battery sitting in Peak’s palm.

Maeve stared at it. “That’s impossible.” Peak slowly looked down. The vibration hadn’t come from the burner. It had come from his own phone inside his kutte. He pulled it out, and one new message waited on the screen.

DON’T TRUST THE NEXT PERSON WHO KNOCKS

As if summoned by the warning, someone struck the motel door. There were three slow knocks, followed by two quick ones. It was the same signal Captain had used. Maeve raised her weapon, and Peak reached for his. Neither spoke, and the knock came again.

Outside, rain hammered the roof, and thunder rolled across the marsh. Inside, Peak stood between Maeve and the door, knowing one thing with absolute certainty. Whoever was on the other side already knew far too much.

Maeve

Three slow knocks, followed by two quick ones. It was the same pattern Captain had used. Maeve tightened her grip on the pistol until the metal pressed painfully into her palm. Peak stood between her and the motel door, wearing only his jeans, his shoulders rigid as he listened for movement outside. The room remained dark except for the weak flashlight beam resting across the bed.

Rain battered the roof hard enough to hide smaller sounds. She heard footsteps, followed by the click of a weapon being readied. Anything could be waiting on the other side of that faded blue door. The knock came again—three slow and two quick.

Peak glanced back at her. “Bathroom.”

“No,” she whispered.

His jaw tightened. “Maeve.”

“I’m not hiding in the bathroom while you answer the door,” she insisted.