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“So, still in limbo, but why the grim reaper vibes?” I was getting tired of him beating around the bush.
“Camila reached out to Gray and let him know that whatever game was originally planned today was canceled because of a special request made by parties unknown. And that makes me wonder if today’s jungle adventure is a trap.”
“You think our target suspects something is up, and they’re trying to get rid of us?”
“Possibly. So, heads on a swivel.”
I started to turn, assuming Carter was done with me, but he shot his arm out, stopping me from joining the team. “Fuck, what else is it?”
Carter lowered his arm, directing a passing glance over our team before his attention stopped on Charley. “I obviously told Gray about your connection to Charlotte yesterday. Camila, no surprise, wouldn’t open up about her involvement in any of this.”
But?
“Gray pulled an image of Charlotte from the cameras here and ran her photo through our software. Lucy’s unfiltered one, too.”
My heart fucking stopped. I’d made Charley a promise and clearly remembered the fear in her voice when she’d begged me to destroy her image.
“You two,” Stephen piped up, interrupting us, “over here now. Time to go over the rules.”
“What is it? Just tell me.” I braced myself, knowing Carter was about to lay me out with some bad news. And why wouldn’t that be the case? Story of my life.
“Charley’s not who you think.” Carter kept his voice low and his eyes on her. “She’s a criminal, Jack. She was part of a crew involved in a string of heists as their getaway driver. The night of her last heist before fleeing the States, two undercover FBI agents were killed.”
I backed up.
Then one step more.
My hand dove through my hair before going to the back of my neck.
No.
No way.
“She’s on the FBI’s wanted list.” Carter’s final words were the nail in the coffin of my heart when he said, “Charlotte Lennox is wanted for murdering one of those Feds that night.”
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
CHARLOTTE
“It was so incredibly awkward.” Lucy sipped her glass of orange juice, her eyes bouncing back and forth between Mason and Mya, quietly chatting about ten feet away from us. “Ever since that one kiss yesterday morning, Mason has barely looked at me. And I’m pretty sure it’s because of her.”
I chanced a look at the “her” in question, and it dawned on me that Mya’s blonde hair didn’t match her darker brows. Was she trying to become a target for the bad guy they were hunting? That’s brave.
Mya met my eyes for a moment, as if sensing she was the subject of discussion, gave me a polite smile, then returned her attention to the man who clearly still had my sister’s pulse racing from her overnight adventure in the treehouse. Not that I could be judgy. My pulse was still off the charts because of Jack.
After doing a quick inventory of the camera locations, as well as the three cameramen near Stephen, I admitted to Lucy, “Pretty sure Mason and Mya used to be a thing.” The Band-Aid of bad news needed to be ripped off at some point before my sister landed herself in heartbreak territory. “They all know each other. Everyone on our team. Jack told me last night.”
Lucy’s glass about slipped from her hand, but she saved it from falling and calling more attention to us. “I knew it.” She shook her head, eyes wide and pointed their way. “Are they in cahoots together to win the money?” Before I could answer, she continued, “They were all acting weird in the room last night, especially Mya and Oliver. Like as in, they didn’t argue. Which would be the first time they’ve gotten along since we met them.” She sipped her juice, eyes volleying between Oliver and Mason. “Oliver and Mason both want her, huh?”
“Okay, that’s a lot of questions,” I said, my gaze flying over to Carter and Jack. I was growing uneasy at the way Jack’s back muscles kept tensing at whatever Carter was quietly sharing with him. “The only answer you need to know is that they’re not here for the money,” I told her once I found her eyes again. “They work together on a security team. And they’re here to catch a serial kidnapper who’s been abducting women after each season ends. Six women who’d been contestants on the show are missing.”
I quickly snatched the glass from my sister, knowing the truth I’d laid out for her was likely to send it into free fall, and set it aside on a nearby bar-top table.
Lucy’s nose wrinkled and eyes narrowed in question as she pinned me with her signature worried look. “Are we in danger?”
“Every woman here is, but I’m also concerned Jack and his friends will figure out who we are.” Too paranoid someone would overhear me, I mouthed the words, “They have ties to the government.” Thank God I’d taught her to read lips a long time ago.
“I’m so sorry.” Her panicky blue eyes met mine. “You were right not to come here.”
