Total pages in book: 158
Estimated words: 145803 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 729(@200wpm)___ 583(@250wpm)___ 486(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 145803 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 729(@200wpm)___ 583(@250wpm)___ 486(@300wpm)
They also mentioned they hadn’t seen any other hikers. That did surprise Vienna. This was late in the year, and most people would expect that the falls weren’t at their height of glory, but the weather was warm, the views were beautiful, and the trail was popular.
They took a break to hike down to a swimming hole before starting up the switchbacks, which would be blazing in the heat. As they lay out in the sun, Harlow tossed a small stone in Vienna’s direction to get her attention.
“We’ve got to talk about what we’re going to do about Wallin. If everything Raine found out is the truth and you really are Elliot Blom’s daughter, Wallin won’t stop coming after you. Not if you’re in line to inherit a good portion of his hotel and casino.”
Vienna had been enjoying her time outdoors without thinking about Wallin or whether or not she had been a fool over Zale. At the simple statement, instead of being upset, she found herself feeling overwhelmed that she had friends that would stand by her no matter what the circumstances or even the danger to them.
“Is there any way to prove that he’s making threats against Blom and Vienna?” Zahra asked.
“If Rainier had answered questions instead of deciding to be a clam, we might know,” Shabina said. “Once he makes up his mind to something, like not talking, it would take a miracle to change it.”
“What about Sam, Stella? Would he know?” Zahra asked.
Stella looked uncomfortable. “When we get back, I’ll ask him, but if he can’t talk to me about it, I’m not going to push him. I don’t want a big fight before the wedding.”
Vienna sat up straight. “No, don’t do that. I would hate that, Stella. If Zale comes around again, and I know he’s in the wedding party, I’ll ask him myself. If he still refuses to talk to me, we’ll just figure another way.” Just saying his name hurt. She wasn’t expecting the emotional response.
“I’m really sorry,” Raine murmured again. “I wish I hadn’t been so angry with those two for withholding the information about Blom. And also the bet between Liam and Wallin. I have such a bad temper. I could have maybe been a little more careful in the way I handled that. If I’d gone to the two of them first and talked to them . . .” She trailed off.
“In the end, Raine, the point is they not only withheld the information, but Zale lied to me about why he was there,” Vienna said. “My life was in danger and I didn’t know.”
“Because they’re so arrogant they think they can outwit everyone, even killers.” Shabina didn’t sound as disgusted as she did worried.
“What about reaching out to Elliot Blom?” Stella suggested. “Would that really be so terrible, Vienna? You could ask him for the information.”
“If he didn’t want Zale and Rainier to even share the information they had on the bet between Liam and Wallin, and he was willing to use me as bait, I don’t think he would suddenly be all that forthcoming. In any case, I don’t particularly want to talk to a man who was willing to throw me to the sharks just to further his cause. Whatever that was. Saving his own life maybe? Making certain he inherits the shares in the casino? Who knows?”
“More than likely, it was to find out who was killing his operatives,” Raine ventured.
Vienna sighed. “I honestly don’t care what his reason was; he was willing to hang me out there, putting my life in jeopardy. Why didn’t he check in to the hotel and have his agents protect him? He was safe somewhere behind a desk while Zale and Rainier took the risk to protect me. I just don’t think I’d trust any information coming from him.”
“I think it’s safe to say the two of you aren’t going to be friends,” Harlow said. “That’s what I’m hearing.”
“I believe you’re reading me correctly,” Vienna said.
Stella glanced at her watch. “We’d better get on the trail. I told Sam we were taking four days to hike this trail. You know how he is. If we take five, he’ll send every branch of the military after us.”
“Did he put a tracking device on you?” Raine asked as they dressed in their hiking clothes and gathered up their gear.
Stella scowled at her. “I said no. The most I did was set up my mini Garmin to send him an alert at night when we camped so he’d have our location. And that was grudging. Before I left, I did set up the Garmin to send to Zahra’s phone every half hour just in case she gets lost.” She held up her mini Garmin and then pushed it into the inside zippered flap of her pack. “That way, she can follow the GPS right back to us, or we can find her. I put an app on her phone.”