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Once we do that, I can make other plans to get us out of this mess. Leo is here with me in Charlotte. I also called in some backup who would have arrived after us.
Of course, I had to tell Leo what happened with Tennessee. I didn’t think it was wise to come here on my own. Little did I know alone is exactly how I’d end up.
I preempted Federico would have pretty much the same timeframe I had to find Tennessee. So, after I spoke to him, I got on the next plane to Charlotte and found Tennessee’s details on the way. In la Costa Nostra, all we need is a name to find whatever we want on a person.
Within ten minutes of me landing, the phone call I got from D’Agostinos Inc. gave me everything I needed to know to find her and her cousin.
Because Tennessee isn’t used to my kind of life, she wouldn’t have known not to go home. I guessed she would have thought she was safe there because she never gave me an address. The clever little thing she was ditched her phone, though. That was a smart move, just not enough.
I don’t know when Federico’s guys got there, but I think they saw me slip into the house. I hid in the closet for at least an hour before Georgia left. I didn’t want to cause a scene with Georgia there, and I think Federico’s men were waiting for me to strike.
They knew once her cousin left, I’d make my move, and the goal was clearly to take us both out.
“We can’t keep walking around like this,” Tennessee says against the silence. Her voice sounds weary and raspy, as if she hasn’t spoken in days.
“I know. We just need to get somewhere safe.” I hope we find somewhere soon. Night’s about to fall. Once it gets dark, being out here in the open woods will be as good as serving ourselves up to the enemy on a plate.
Besides, I don’t know what kind of animals may be out here, and I don’t want to waste the ammo.
Another half an hour passes, and we come across a dilapidated cottage with the roof caved in.
“Let’s check in there,” I say.
We head over there, and I’m almost afraid of what we’ll find when we go in. The cottage looks like something from a horror film.
The door creaks open when I push it and almost falls off the hinges.
I allow Tennessee to go inside first, and I follow closely behind. The place looks like hell, and it’s clear nobody’s been in here for so long it carries that unlived-in smell and silence.
“The place must have been ruined in the hurricanes a few years back,” Tennessee surmises, looking around.
A hurricane explains the devastation perfectly.
“Let’s see what we can find.” It’s a long shot that I might find a radio or some way of communicating with the world outside the forest, but I try to have hope.
Of course, I find nothing, but at least there’s a box of candles and water running from the taps in the kitchen. As I’m not sure how clean it is to drink, I’m going to try and find the water source or another one. There must be a river nearby.
“What now?” Tennessee asks, walking into the kitchen.
“We stay here and figure things out.”
“We’re going to stay here for the night?” She raises a brow.
“It’s the best idea I have so far. Let’s go down to the basement. It will be warmer.” I don’t want to stay here any more than she does, but it’s a good place to be if trouble comes. We can take cover behind these walls, and I can protect her better.
I light one of the candles, and we make our way down into the dark, dank basement.
A moldy smell hits me when we reach the bottom of the stairs, and I look around to see boxes everywhere. I place the candle on the table in the middle of the room and find some old curtains on top of one of the boxes.
I lay them down on the floor for Tennessee to sit on.
“Come here. Sit and rest. I’m going to check the surrounding area a little better.”
She sits and wraps the longer parts of the curtains around her shoulders to keep warm. Seeing how flimsy the fabric is, I take off my jacket and throw it around her, surprising her.
“Thank you,” she mutters.
“Don’t mention it.”
