Chapter 15

CHAPTER

FIFTEEN

Maddie lingered on the edge of the crowd in the massive lobby as people split up for various excursions on the island. Josh had said he didn't care what they did so Maddie had picked the things that interested her.

Today they were riding a side-by-side on mountain trails. She was much more comfortable on land than in the air or in the water, which was what primarily made up the rest of the outings. She figured she'd ease herself into these adventures.

She observed the group going with her as she waited for her new friends to show up.

She didn't recognize anyone else.

Her gaze stopped on a leggy brunette standing in the middle of a circle of people, entertaining them with a story.

The woman had long, shapely legs that were highlighted by tiny jeans shorts. The black halter top she wore emphasized her ample bosom. Her hair was wild, falling all the way to her waist. Actress: Rachel Bilson.

She was definitely the type of woman who garnered attention.

As Maddie glanced at Josh to see what he was doing now, she noticed his gaze was also on the bombshell.

Familiar questions began to pummel her again.

Was Josh cheating on her? Should she even have to ask herself that question?

Maddie wasn't sure. She wasn't even sure if her suspicions were fair. After all, she was still planning on breaking up with him when this retreat was over. And being upset over that was like the pot calling the kettle black since just last night she'd been marveling over how handsome Brody was.

"Maddie . . . we were hoping to run into you before the excursion began," a feminine voice said.

She looked over and saw Adrienne and Brody had arrived, backpacks slung over their shoulders and hiking boots on their feet.

Relief filled her.

"I'm here and ready for some adventure." Maddie put as much enthusiasm into her voice as she could muster. However, she'd already had all the excitement she needed for the day.

"Glad to hear it." Adrienne's gaze trailed toward the buxom brunette. "That's Logan."

She must have seen Maddie gawking at the jaw-dropping beauty.

"We work together," Adrienne explained. "She's the kind of woman you basically want to hate because she's so beautiful, bubbly, and everyone loves her."

Maddie could see where that would be true. She wasn't usually the jealous or envious type, however.

"It looks like Logan is a part of our group today," Maddie said.

"She is." Adrienne clucked her tongue. "Everything is always fun when she's around."

Funny that Adrienne had said that because Maddie and Josh had gotten into a fight only a couple of weeks ago, and Josh had told her she took things too seriously and needed to loosen up.

That was fresh coming from a Type A workaholic. What he really meant was that socially she was too introverted for him. That her new boundaries were irritating. That she was too much her own person.

Maybe Josh needed a woman like Logan. The thought was honest, not born out of bitterness or jealousy.

Just then, Logan clapped to get everyone's attention. "Okay, it's time to load up. I hope everybody's ready to have some fun!"

The crowd cheered.

But not Maddie.

This would be an interesting excursion for sure.

That earlier conversation she'd overheard about Josh still lingered in her mind.

People didn't think Josh was likable. He might not be named CEO. If not, he would be devastated.

Then there was Jared's death. And Kalani's suspicion of Maddie as the killer. And the note someone had left her.

This dream trip hadn't gone at all like she'd imagined. In fact, it felt more like a nightmare.

At the Kauai Adventures Basecamp, the group gathered around Hilo, their guide, as they were given instructions about how to operate the side-by-side. Josh claimed he'd driven UTVs plenty of times and checked his phone, citing something urgent.

Typical Josh.

Logan was on this trip, as well as Darla, board member Tom McLemore, and head of technology William Wright. She didn't recognize anyone else.

When Hilo finished, everyone climbed into their respective vehicles and pulled bandanas over their mouths so they wouldn't breathe dust. Josh had insisted on driving, which was fine with Maddie. She sat in the passenger seat and snapped her seatbelt in place.

All the perfunctory warnings they'd been given before leaving did nothing to make her feel better. It seemed as if the guides had to go over every possible scenario of what could go wrong.

Now all those situations lingered in Maddie's mind: Tipping over. Driving off a cliff. Ramming the vehicle in front of them.

The possibilities seemed endless.

"Let's ride!" Hilo called.

Josh looked over at her and grinned, looking like a little boy at Christmas. "Are you ready for this?"

"Ready as I'll ever be."

He pulled the bandana over his face, pressed the accelerator, and let out a whoop as they zoomed away.

Brody and Adrienne's side-by-side was near the front of the group, Bree and Fowler were behind them, and Maddie and Josh had been placed closer to the back.

As the ride went on, Maddie found herself relaxing as they bumped along on the trail. Lush mountains loomed above them. Jungle foliage swept by on either side. On occasion, she got a glimpse of the sparkling Pacific in the distance.

Maybe yesterday had been a fluke. Maybe it wasn't a sign of how horrible this trip would be.

Maybe being in Kauai would be a good thing.

The group stopped as they reached a particularly treacherous area of the trail. Hilo had already explained that this downhill section was steep with a ten-foot drop off on one side. For that reason, they would all go down vehicle by vehicle.

They waited their turn.

As they did, Maddie's phone buzzed. She glanced at the screen. It was a message from an unknown number.

Jeepers Creepers.

She squinted. Jeepers Creepers? What did that mean?

How odd.

Before she could ruminate on it too long, Josh said, "It's our turn. Hold on!"

He pressed the accelerator, and the side-by-side lurched forward, headed down the steep trail.

Halfway down, a bang split the air.

The side-by-side tilted toward the embankment beside her.

Maddie gasped and clutched the grab bar in front of her to steady herself.

Had a tire blown? That was her best guess.

"What the . . ." Josh muttered as the UTV careened out of control. His face reddened as he gripped the wheel, his shoulders locked in place as he struggled to steer.

His efforts didn't seem to do any good.

She and Josh headed straight for the drop-off.

Josh took one of his hands off the wheel and unbuckled his seatbelt.

Maddie gaped at him. What was he doing? He needed both hands on the wheel right now.

"Jump!" he yelled.

The next instant, he launched himself out of the side-by-side and landed with a roll on the side of the trail.

As soon as he did, the vehicle barreled toward the cliff at a frightening speed . . . Maddie still inside.