“Why is Sheridan Lane here?” her mom asked. “And why was she naked?”
“She’s wearing a towel,” Gabby said, as if that was normal. “I’ll explain in a minute. I left something outside.” To give her mom something to do, she said, “Will you make some coffee or tea? I will explain after I—” She didn’t say check the perimeter.
Phil said, “I’m coming with Gabby.”
“No, wait here, Phil. I’ll be right back.”
Phil followed anyway, breathing heavily before he’d even walked a foot. “Gabby, are you really marrying this guy?”
Gabby scanned the wooded area behind the cottage and the beach. Some of the trees bent in the wind, and the leaves rustled, but she didn’t see anyone. Markus had scanned for surveillance devices earlier.
“It seems really fast. Has he even met the kids?”
The terrain behind the cottage wasn’t meant for walking. Gabby scrambled up an embankment and walked through some underbrush that could provide cover for an intruder.
“Are you sure this is what you want?” He gestured to her. “You’re not really acting like yourself.”
“I dropped something out here earlier.”
“What?” he asked, scanning the ground.
“Umm, a necklace,” she improvised.
After circling the entire cottage and finding nothing, Gabbywas satisfied. She headed back inside while Phil trailed behind, still talking about her abrupt choice to alter her life and that of the kids.
“What about the necklace?” Phil asked.
“I give up,” she said.
Markus returned from Sheridan’s place about two minutes after they’d gone back inside. Gabby gave him the “all clear” nod.
“Mom, Phil—” Gabby said, “Markus and I are going to take a moment with Sheridan. Then we can talk.”
“Do you have a session?” her mom asked, clearly trying to make sense of it.
“Yes.” Gabby nodded.
“That’s good. At least you’re listening to someone.” Under her breath, she said, “Although I don’t know why she was wearing nothing but a towel.” Her mom cleared her throat. “Do you even remember you have children?”
Gabby escaped to her room before her mom could sling any more barbs. Instead of sagging against the door like she wanted, she said, “Hey, Sheridan. Are you doing better?”
Gabby picked up a pile of her clothes on the floor and tucked them away. Nothing like having your bra and undies out for an important work meeting.
Because they were in a bedroom, there wasn’t anywhere to sit. This was an unwelcome escalation of the one-bed situation. One bed was supposed to force you into sex, not whatever this was, but here they were—sitting awkwardly on the bed interviewing Sheridan Lane.
Markus balanced on the edge of the mattress like it was a chair. “Let’s cut to the chase,” he said. “You were right. Your door wastampered with, and it was also wide open when I got there, like someone took off when they heard me. It wasn’t obvious whether they took anything.”
Sheridan nodded. “Glad I wasn’t hearing things at least.”
Markus said, “President Simon already ordered your evacuation.” He stopped to perform some calculations in his head. “We can get you out on a plane by this afternoon.”
“Nope.” Sheridan shook her head adamantly. “I’m ninety percent sure President Simon or someone in the White House wants me dead.”
“What?” Gabby’s jaw dropped. Why was no one cooperating today? “Why do you think that? Did you have a vision?”
“I’ve had a premonition building since the morning Genesis took me here. I wasn’t sure what it was about, but over the past week, it has been getting stronger. When that person broke into my room, I had a flash of clarity.” She made direct eye contact and in a serious voice announced, “The president killed Amanda Duvall. He knows I know.”
Markus rubbed his temples and groaned. “And your evidence is a vision?”
