It sucked. But it wasn’t forever. They’d find the person behind the tampering. They’d hire more staff. Everything would be okay.
She crossed the parking lot to the cabin.
Even though there were people around, the door was locked. Not a surprise. Noah and Colt were the only ones who might need access to bookings and computers.
She stepped inside and locked the door behind her. The second she entered her office, a stench thickened the air. It wasn’t strong but definitely noticeable, kind of like spoiled meat.
Argh. Whatwasthat? Had she left food somewhere?
She scanned the room but didn’t see anything. Maybe in the kitchen.
Quickly, she dropped her bag to the desk before reaching for the window lock.
She frowned. Itwasn’tlocked.
How long had it been unlocked? She never opened the windows, because she didn’t want to turn into an ice block. Which also meant, she rarely checked it.
Wait.
She ran her fingers over the lock. Broken. Someone had broken the lock.
The knock on the outer door made her jump. She gave one more glance at the unlocked window before she made her way into the front area to see Jules and Cass outside. She unlocked the door. “Hi.”
Jules smiled and stepped inside. “Hey, Addie.”
Cass followed, only to stop and wrinkle her nose. “What the heck is that?”
“You can smell it too?”
“Can I smell death warmed up? Yes.”
Addie frowned. “Something must have been left to spoil in the kitchen.” She turned and headed back into the office, the click of Jules’s and Cass’s steps close behind her.
She tugged open the door to the kitchen—only to freeze.
Every muscle in her body, every inch of skin, it all went cold, and a buzzing filled her ears. The smell was so thick now that, fora moment, she thought she’d be sick. Or maybe that was because of the vision in front of her.
Rhett.
Cass’s horrified scream cut through the air like a blade, and Jules’s gasp was nearly as loud. Addie opened her mouth but no sound came out. It was like her very voice had been stolen.
Rhett lay on his back and his sweatshirt was soaked in blood. Blood that had spilled onto the white tiles beneath him. But it was his eyes that made her want to lean over and throw up her breakfast. They were open and completely empty.
Dead. Rhett was dead.
“What’s that?” Jules whispered.
Addie followed her gaze to the wall beside him.
That’s when her knees buckled.
Someone caught her before she hit the floor, but she didn’t look away from the sentence. Each word was written in blood. Rhett’s blood.
You should have heeded my warning.
CHAPTER 18
It felt like something was sitting on Noah’s chest. Weighing him down. Stopping the air from moving in and out of his lungs.
