Chapter 14
CHAPTER
FOURTEEN
Rex sprang to his feet and stepped out in front, taking charge. “I’ll get it.”
Every eye followed him as he crossed the room, his steps careful and deliberate. Olive and Jason fell into step behind him. The three of them stopped just short of the door.
The knocking came again—three slow thuds, heavy and deliberate.
Olive and Jason both drew their guns, just in case.
Rex unlatched the deadbolt, then hesitated, his hand hovering over the handle. “Stay behind me.”
He pulled the door open.
The wind roared inside, carrying a swirl of snow and cold. Two figures stood on the porch—a man and a woman, both coated in white.
The man looked to be in his mid-thirties, with dark hair matted to his forehead and worry etched deep into his face. The woman leaned heavily against him, her coat zipped tight but unable to hide the pronounced curve of her belly.
Olive drew in a quick breath. This woman was pregnant—and out in this weather.
“Please.” The man’s voice sounded hoarse from the cold. “Our car slid off the road. We’ve been walking for hours. We just need somewhere warm—just for a little while. Please don’t tell me there’s no room.”
Honestly, there wasn’t room. Even if there were enough sleeping quarters, this inn was the last place a pregnant woman should be.
Not only was there a possible killer hiding out, but given the circumstances it wasn’t wise to let anyone join them. These two looked innocent, but Aegis needed to keep their circle closed until they had more answers.
Yet they couldn’t turn this couple away. To do so would be cruel and heartless—especially given the woman’s condition.
Rex hesitated only a moment before stepping aside. “Come in.”
The man helped the woman inside. She gasped softly, one hand pressed to her lower stomach.
“I’m so sorry to barge in.” Her voice trembled. “We saw the lights from down the road. Everything else was dark, and we’ve been walking so far . . .”
Jason shut the door behind them, sealing out the storm, his muscles still taut.
Olive’s gaze raked over the sheer amount of snow on the couple, soaked in the blue of their lips. “How far did you walk?”
“Two miles, maybe three—all up the mountain.” The man’s voice cracked. “Our phones don’t have a signal. We thought we were going to freeze out there.”
The woman shivered violently.
Mara rushed forward, a blanket in hand that she quickly wrapped around the woman’s shoulders. “Oh, sweetheart. You’re safe now. Let’s get you by the fire.”
“We’re glad you found us. No one should be out in this—especially not someone in your condition.” Warren joined his wife, guiding the couple toward the hearth. “We’ll get a room ready for you.”
“I can pay . . .” the man started.
“Don’t worry about money.” Mara waved a hand in the air.
The man glanced around as if sensing the rest of the group was here together. “We don’t want to intrude.”
“Nonsense,” Mara insisted. “No one’s turning you away tonight.”
Olive exchanged a glance with Jason, then with Rex.
No one spoke, but the unease rippled silently through the group.
More people. More variables. More secrets.
And one very vulnerable pregnant woman caught in the middle of a night already teetering on the edge of disaster.
Had this couple showing up been a coincidence? Or what if this was all a setup?
Olive didn’t want to ask the questions, but she’d be a fool not to—especially considering everything that had already happened.
What were the odds that these two just happened to break down close to the inn? That they’d managed to find this place in a snowstorm?
Was it a near miracle? Or was it planned?
And what about the fact the highway had been closed? How had they gotten around that?
Olive had to acknowledge the fact that there were no other cabins up this road. It was part of the reason Rex had chosen this location. So maybe this couple’s story did check out.
Plus, there was the whole irony of a man and a pregnant woman wandering in the dark looking for a place to stay. The Christmas story slammed into her mind, and she pictured Mary and Joseph doing this very thing—only in Bethlehem.
Maybe this couple had been sent here to remind them about the reason for the season. Not only the season, but the reason for life also—the purpose of existing.
Rex stepped closer. “I know this may seem unconventional, but if you’re going to stay here, we need to take some security precautions. We rented the inn for privacy, and we can’t take any chances.”
“Of course,” the man said, nudging his bag toward Rex. “You can check our things.”
“And we’ll need to check you both as well,” Rex said.
“Is that really necessary?” Mara gaped at the suggestion.
“Unfortunately, it is.” Rex nodded toward Jason and Olive.
Jason patted down the man, and Olive took the woman, offering an apology as she did so. Rex checked out their backpack himself.
The two didn’t have any weapons on them.
“I’m going to grab more blankets,” Warren said. “I have some extras in my suite.”
“And I’ll fix something warm to drink,” Mara added. “And see if I can heat up some stew.”
They hurried off, their footsteps echoing in the space.
The pregnant woman’s breathing had started to slow, color returning to her cheeks in the firelight. The man squeezed her hand, his relief visible.
Olive forced a small smile, but her mind wouldn’t quiet.
Every instinct she had screamed that this night had just taken another turn.
Because whoever these strangers were, they weren’t part of the plan.
And nothing about Project Frostbite had room for coincidence.
The newcomers sat near the fire.
Mara handed them both mugs of warm tea. She’d also heated some stew, and steam rose from the crocks on the coffee table in front of them. Thankfully, Mara and Warren were well prepared and had more than one camp stove with propane burners to use.
Warren returned from the hallway, arms full of blankets. “Room’s ready. It’s the one closest to the great room—and the fire. Warmest in the house.”
“Thank you,” the man said, his voice still unsteady. “We didn’t mean to cause any trouble.”
Mara gave him a sympathetic smile. “You didn’t. You did the right thing coming here.”
Rex stood nearby, arms crossed, his expression unreadable. “Why don’t you tell us who you are?”
The man nodded quickly. “Of course. I’m Bradford. This is my wife, Rachel. We’re from Asheville. We were on our way to visit family in Sevierville for Christmas.”
Olive arched a brow. “In the middle of a storm?”
Bradford gave a small, self-conscious laugh. “Yeah. We left early this morning. Weather wasn’t supposed to hit until tonight, but it turned faster than they predicted. The roads started icing, and then—well . . .” He gestured helplessly. “We slid off near a turn. The car’s stuck good.”
Rachel gave him a tired smile. “We sat there for a while hoping someone would come by, but it got too cold. Bradford decided to venture out and look for help—I was a nervous wreck when he left me. But he returned about an hour later and said he saw a sign for this inn. It was risky, but we decided to walk. It beat freezing to death in the car.”
Her voice was soft, melodic, but strained with exhaustion that ran deeper than the day’s ordeal.
Jason leaned against the stone hearth, his gaze steady. “How far along are you?”
Rachel placed a hand over her belly and smiled faintly. “Eight and a half months.”
“Your due date?” Olive asked.
“Christmas Eve,” Rachel said with a soft smile. “We thought the timing was sweet.”
Mitzi made a small sound. “Sweet, sure. Also terrifying.”
“Tell me about it.” A trace of humor slipped into Rachel’s tone. “Our first. We probably should have stayed home, but I really wanted to see my mom before . . .” She stopped herself, her hand absently rubbing her belly.
Tevin offered a small smile. “Well, you picked the right lodge. This place is practically a fortress.”
Olive exchanged a quick glance with Jason. Maybe it was a fortress, but one already under siege.
Still, no one could bring themselves to be anything but kind. Even Trick, whose usual sarcasm had cooled, stood near the mantel with his hands shoved into his pockets, watching quietly.
Rex’s tone stayed even as he said, “You’re safe here until the storm clears. We’ll get you fed and settled.”
Bradford nodded, gratitude showing in his gaze. “Thank you.”
For a few minutes, conversation turned to lighter things—how bad the roads had been, where everyone was from. But beneath it all, tension hummed like a low current.
Olive felt it pressing in, tightening the air. She couldn’t stop thinking about the flash drive. About Project Frostbite.
About the danger surrounding them.
Her gaze shifted to the newcomers.
Were these two really just lost travelers?
Or had the storm brought something else to their door?
Rachel suddenly stiffened, one hand gripping the arm of the chair. Her breath hitched.
“Rachel?” Bradford was instantly at her side. “What is it?”
She grimaced, one hand pressed low against her stomach. “Just . . . give me a second.”
But Olive knew the truth: Rachel was having a contraction.