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“It’s Noah. We’ve got a situation,” I say, trying to keep my voice calm.
“Noah? What’s going on?” he asks, concern creeping into his tone.
I fill him in on what’s happened, explaining about the men who had captured us and the dead biologist back at the cabin. “We need help. They’re still out there, and we’re not safe. You told me I was in the clear. You said you had these guys locked down.”
“I’m not sure what happened.”
“They told me they had someone in the agency,” I tell him, biting anger in my tone.
“Sit tight and lay low,” Fields instructs. “I’ll get a team together and get to you. Don’t make any moves until we arrive.”
“I need you to get me a room at the lodge,” I tell him. “My stuff is at the cabin. Book it under a fake name. If they come to my door, I’ll know you’re on the wrong side of this, and I will make sure you are exposed.”
“Understood,” Fields responds, his voice now steady. The sound of keys clicking in the background tells me he’s taking action immediately and booking that room, “I’ll do everything in my power to get you both safe.”
After finishing the call with Fields, I return to the main hall and find her tucked in a chair, her eyes looking emptier than ever. The warmth has returned some color to her cheeks, but it doesn’t reach her eyes. The woman is running on empty. I get it. I am in the same boat.
“Help is on the way. We just need to stay here and keep a low profile. I’ve got him booking us a room.”
She nods, relief mingling with her exhaustion. “What about the state police to handle the other situation?”
“Other situation?”
“Eric. Carter. We need to tell them about Carter murdering Eric. I need to call Eric’s wife. I’ve been thinking…what if she was with him? Carter might have her, or her body is buried under snow.”
“You’re right. I’ll call them right now. They’ll get here a lot faster than the Feds.”
I quickly make the call. The conversation is brief, but I make sure they understand the urgency of the situation. They promise to send someone out to investigate.
“You okay?” I ask Mia.
“I’ll be fine,” she says, managing a weak smile. “Thank you, Noah. For everything.”
“We’ll get through this. Let’s see if we’ve got a room. I want to get out of these wet clothes.”
Nodding, she stands and follows me outside. The lodge isn’t too far away, but it feels like a hundred miles. We drag ourselves down the block and walk in. I ask the woman at the desk if there is a room reserved for us.
I can’t imagine there are many people walking off the streets, given where we are. “Ah, yes,” the older woman says. She has a friendly smile, and I give her the name Fields provided. Her fingers dance over the keyboard.
“Your room is ready,” she says, handing us a pair of keys. “You look cold.”
“We are.”
“Let me get you some extra blankets, you poor things.”
“Thank you,” I tell her as I accept the keys, and Mia takes the blankets. We make our way down a long, quiet hallway to our room.
I open the door to the tidy room. It’s not luxurious, but it’s better than a breezy shack or hanging out under a pine tree. “Let’s get you into a hot shower,” I tell her. “You need to get warm.”
“So, do you.”
“I want to get you some food,” I tell her, pulling the blanket from her shoulders.
She grabs my face in her hands and looks me in the eyes. “Noah, you’ve nearly killed yourself trying to take care of me. We both need to warm up. Right now.”
“All right,” I agree reluctantly. “Go ahead, I’ll stay here and wait for the police.”
“I have a feeling there won’t be endless hot water in this place. We can shower together—save water.”
