“No. There are others coming this way. We need to run.”
I didn’t need to be told twice. He and I ran back to the vehicles. It was obvious he was holding back so he kept pace with me. All the engines were running. Winifred was at the wheel of our vehicle.
“Kicked the hornet’s nest, did I?” I said as I slid into the backseat. To my surprise, Carlos joined me.
“Not too badly. There are only a few headed this way,” she said as she turned the car around. We followed the other cars back the way we’d come.
“How are you feeling?”
“Fine. Let Bethi know it worked.”
Winifred nodded.
We drove forever. My butt went numb, and my patience wore thin. The clock on the dash flashed two a.m. Sure we’d stopped for bathroom breaks, practice, and slowed down for a fast food dinner, but we still continued to push further north as if trying to make up for the westward detour.
The Urbat alley remained a beehive of activity with many leaving their posts to follow us north. Though Bethi felt more assured by the response to our test, no one else did.
“Seriously, are we there yet?” I asked, letting my head fall back against the seat.
“Almost,” Winifred said.
Thankfully, she wasn’t sugarcoating it. We pulled into a motel parking lot a few minutes later. The neon light flickered like a horror movie, and the burned-out bulb of the yard light cast shadows on the long, narrow building. The weathered exterior doors to each room needed new paint—at least, on the bottom half.
“I changed my mind,” I said, looking out the window. “Let’s drive all night.”
“Gabby needs a break. She said this area’s been clear for a while.”
“Gee, I wonder why,” I mumbled as I opened my door. I waited for Carlos as he grabbed our bags from the trunk. The rest of the group shuffled toward the shady “office.”
“Not that I expect five star hotels or anything, but a single star would be better than this.”
“We’ll be safe,” Carlos said, coming to stand beside me.
I tipped my face up to look at him. “From the Urbat, yes. But I bet there’s a lot nastier stuff crawling around in those rooms.
“Come on.” He led me toward the office. The rest were just coming out with keys.
“The rooms only have one bed each,” Emmitt said as he held up a fistful of old-fashioned keys.
I glanced at the numbers on the doors. One through lucky number seven.
Carlos took a key and watched me. My guilty conscience had me wondering if he was expecting me to throw a fit.
“Well, come on, snuggle buddy,” I said. “You can protect me from everything that skitters away when the lights go on.”
I heard Michelle make a concerned noise. She looked less pleased than I did. Bethi, on the other hand, seemed to have no problem with the situation.
I followed Carlos to the door and peered around him as he turned the light on. The inside was far better than the outside. The room smelled fresh, was bright, and looked clean.
“Thank God!” I flopped onto the bed and didn’t move.
Fourteen
Something tickled my hair, and for a confused moment, I was certain I had a cockroach crawling on me. My eyes flew open, and I almost yipped in surprise when I saw Carlos not far from me.
As my mind tried to sort through the lingering dream and the recalled impression of our current motel, I noted other things. The sunlight that poured through the window. Carlos shirtless and on top of the covers. My bare feet comfortably tucked under the same covers.
I blinked at Carlos’ sleep-relaxed face as I tried to shake the dream that still clung to me. Ethan had visited me and a bittersweet pang remained.
In my dream, Ethan hadn’t said anything to me, just smiled gently and held my hand. We’d been sitting somewhere, but I couldn’t recall that detail, only the feel of his hand holding mine.
Something moved in my hair again, and I twisted to see what. Carlos lay with his arms behind his head, and his fingers tangled in the ends of my hair. I made to move away but saw his fingers delve deeper. Despite his closed eyes, he was awake.
I rolled toward him, trying not to stare at his chest.
“I dreamt of Ethan last night,” I said softly.
Carlos turned his head and looked at me, his dark eyes fathomless.
“I’m sorry he’s gone.”
“Why? You didn’t like him.”
“No, I didn’t. But you did. And I see how much it hurts you. I would do anything, even put up with another man in your life, to erase the pain I see.”
I hated when Carlos said stuff like that. I wasn’t emotionally ready to deal with it.
“Maybe that’s why he came to you last night,” he continued. “Maybe he was telling you he’s okay.”
“No,” I said, shaking my head. “He was letting me know he’s still waiting for me. He’ll be there on the other side, ready to hold my hand.”
Carlos remained quiet for a moment.
“I won’t leave you like he did.”
I scowled at Carlos and got out of bed.