Tell It Like It Is

by Stanalei Fletcher

  Shelby was in danger here. If they went much further, she couldn’t retreat. She didn’t give lightly, but she recognized that neither did Kane. Until now, he always seemed to hold something in reserve.

  He pushed aside the shoulder of her top where his clever mouth roamed over exposed skin. She lost more willpower with each scorching kiss and hoped—longed—that he was as committed as she was to the moment.

  A distant pattering sounded from the bedroom. Suddenly, Oscar hopped next to them onto the pull-out bed. The dog’s high-pitched yip shattered the moment. Shelby jumped at the intrusion, which worked to break them apart better than gallons of ice water.

  “Oscar!” Kane grabbed the dog.

  “I’m so sorry to interrupt,” Rosalee said from the open doorway. “But I think I smell smoke in my room. And I don’t think it’s the fire you two have started.”

  Chapter Seventeen

  Smoke! Shelby scrambled off the pull-out bed, leaving Kane holding the dog. She chased after the author who’d headed back into her bedroom. “Wait, Rosalee. Don’t go in there.”

  Rosalee ignored her. “If I lose my work, he’s won.” She tossed the words over her shoulder. “Help me gather everything.” She started to sweep up her papers and notebooks.

  The moment Shelby entered the room she caught the scent. Smoke wasn’t visible in the air yet, which must be why the alarm hadn’t sounded, but the smell was strong. She glanced up and noticed a sprinkler system. Surely, if there was smoke or fire in the house, it should have gone off. The fact that it hadn’t gave them a few precious minutes to save Rosalee’s work. She yelled at Kane, “This isn’t a drill. Come quick.” Shelby grabbed the laptop and file folders.

  The dog raced into the room and began yapping. Kane appeared in the doorway, all traces of exhaustion gone. He glanced around and scrunched up his nose as he swore under his breath. “I’ll handle this stuff.” He crossed to his aunt and took the papers out of her hands. “Get dressed. Make sure you add extra layers because we’re leaving. Now.” He found the briefcase by the desk and started stuffing papers inside while Rosalee pulled clothes on over her pajamas.

  As Shelby helped the author, she caught Kane’s gaze. His expression said the same thing she was thinking. Someone had found them. Again. She wanted to know how, but didn’t dare take time to figure it out.

  She helped Rosalee into a sweater then retrieved her overcoat. Once the other woman was dressed, Shelby turned for the door. “Let’s go.”

  “Oscar,” Rosalee called as she started to follow Shelby. The little dog scrambled toward her and she picked him up. She stopped and turned around. “My purse!”

  Kane was closing the briefcase. “I see it.” He hurried to the chair, grabbed the purse, and handed it to his aunt. Then he carried Rosalee’s briefcase in one hand and her laptop bag in the other.

  As they reached the suite door, someone pounded on the other side. A voice shouted, “There’s been a fire. I’m coming in.”

  Shelby stepped back as Leone entered, breathing heavily as though he’d run up the stairs.

  He took one look at the three of them standing at the door and nodded. “I see that you must have smelled the smoke.”

  Kane took a step forward. “What’s going on?”

  Leone looked somewhat embarrassed. “A small fire started in the laundry. We believe it is out, but Mr. Mansfield would feel better if you all relocated to his suite at the resort.”

  “But if the fire is out, why must we leave?” Rosalee asked, cradling the dog in her arms.

  “It is purely a precaution,” Leone replied. “And there will be quite a bit of chaos as we clean up after the incident.” He gestured to the room. “There’s no need for you to repack. My staff will have your things brought to you as soon as possible.” He stepped back and held the door open for the group to precede him into the hallway.

  Shelby took a moment to grab her own laptop, then followed Kane and Rosalee out the door.

  No one spoke as they left the suite, then headed downstairs, but Shelby heard Kane’s hurried pace urging them to move faster.

  As they reached the bottom, Kane continued out the door carrying Rosalee’s briefcase. “I’ll warm up the car.”

  Mansfield stepped out of his den, his gaze landing on Rosalee. “Thank goodness you’re okay.” He took her hand. “I was coming up to check on you. We think the fire is out, but the fire trucks are on the way.” His shoulders slumped. “I can’t tell you how sorry I am that this has happened.”

  Shelby glared at their host. “I’m sure you understand that Rosalee is behind her deadline. We must get her to a place that’s safe so she can finish her work.”

  “Of course.” Mansfield nodded. “That is prudent. And although I don’t believe we’re at risk, I can’t ask you to stay in my home with this stench. I’ve contacted the resort and given them your names. They’ll put you up in one of my suites.”

  “Come with us.” Rosalee pulled Mansfield into a one-armed hug while holding tightly to the dog. “You can’t stay here, either.”

  “I’ll follow after I’ve met with the fire department.” He returned the hug. “I’ll be right behind you. I promise.”

  “Bless you, Manny, for all you’ve done for us,” Rosalee said. “I do hope the damage isn’t too bad.”

  “Not at all, my dear. My humblest apologies for this trouble that’s interrupted your work.”

  She gave him a defiant smile. “Don’t you worry. I’ll finish the book.” She turned toward the door where Shelby waited impatiently for her to say goodbye.

  Shelby glanced at Kane as he came back through the front door. “What took you so long?”

  “I wanted to check out the car, make sure it’s safe.”

  Mansfield nodded grimly. “Given the circumstances, I don’t blame your suspicions. Although, I’m sure this fire is simply an accident.” His eyes narrowed as he looked at Kane. “You didn’t find anything, did you?”

  Kane shook his head. “Everything looked fine, but I obviously couldn’t check out the entire car. Thank your staff for keeping the area around the car cleared of snow. It made my task easier.”

  Mansfield smiled slightly. “I’m glad of that.”

  “I’d like an update on the cause of the fire when you can,” Kane said to the billionaire.

  “Absolutely. However, this is my first visit here this year. I suspect some varmints must have nested in the ducts and my staff missed clearing them out. Regardless, I’ll ask the fire department to forward their report to you.”

  “Thanks.” Kane took Rosalee’s purse from her then tucked her arm in his.

  Mansfield frowned, seemingly still upset that his guests were forced to leave, then gave Rosalee another apologetic look. “I am so sorry, my dear, that you have to leave so soon after settling in.”

  “You’ve done so much to help already,” Rosalee said. “I do hope this is truly an unfortunate mishap, and not because of me.”

  “Don’t talk nonsense.” Mansfield shook his head. “You were perfectly safe here, and you’ll be safe at the resort. I’ll join you shortly and we’ll have a chuckle over the whole incident.”

  Shelby took Rosalee’s arm and they headed down the steps into the storm. She heard Kane say to Mansfield, “See you at the resort.”

  Kane hurried to Rosalee’s other side and blocked the snow from Rosalee as it blew. When they reached the SUV, Shelby held the dog while Kane helped his aunt into the back seat. He handed the purse to her, and she draped the strap over her neck and shoulder, then reached for the dog.

  Shelby made sure her charge was settled and buckled in then she climbed in the front seat and looked back at Rosalee. “How are you doing?”

  The other woman leaned against the backrest. “I can’t believe this is happening. Poor Manny, he must be beside himself.”

  “I’m sure he’ll be fine,” Kane said as he climbed in and clicked his seat belt. “He has half a dozen staff to help.”

  Shelby
snapped her belt in place and kept her mouth shut. She didn’t like this whole setup. Too many coincidences were piling up. From the glance Kane sent her way, she could tell he thought the situation felt off as well. “Is there somewhere else we can go besides the resort?” she asked. “I want Rosalee as far away from Tahoe as possible.”

  Kane shook his head. “Not with the roads closed. Flights will be grounded, too. We’ll be lucky to get down the mountain in one piece.” He pulled out of Mansfield’s plowed driveway, through the open gates, and onto the road that led down the mountainside to the resort.

  A short distance later, flashing lights grew closer. Kane slowed and started to move to the side of the road for the oncoming fire truck.

  Shelby was impressed. “They got here fast, especially in this storm.”

  “I’m so glad,” Rosalee said. “Now Manny can relax and get out of that house soon.”

  Kane pulled as far to the side of the road as he could. Once the fire truck passed, he drove forward at a snail’s pace as the road angled sharply down. Heavy snowflakes fell steadily and although it looked like a plow had been by, it had been some time ago. With the nighttime temperatures, even the SUV’s four-wheel drive had a hard time on the icy snow.

  As they took a sharp turn, the SUV started to fishtail. Shelby drew in a quick breath that she didn’t release until Kane righted the vehicle. “That was close.”

  “I agree,” Kane replied. “The car’s not handling the icy roads as well as I’d like. The brakes feel soft.” He shifted to a lower gear as he took the next turn. Then he swore.

  “What’s wrong?” Shelby felt the car pick up speed as it headed into the turn. “Slow down.”

  “I can’t,” he growled, tapping the brakes repeatedly. “The brakes are gone.”

  He twisted the steering wheel to keep the car on the road. Even in the lowest gear, the SUV picked up more speed. He wrenched the emergency brake, but it made no difference.

  Shelby felt a jerk when the car slid into the unplowed shoulder. The heavier snow grabbed the wheels. Kane tried to correct the car’s movement by steering back onto the road, but instead of straightening out, the SUV started to spin down the hill, toward another sharp curve.

  ****

  Nothing Kane tried prevented the car from hitting the guardrail on the S curve ahead. The SUV scraped the metal railing with a screech right out of his worst nightmare. “We’re not stopping.” He spoke as calmly as he could to keep the others from panicking despite his own rising alarm.

  The car slowed, but the momentum of the spin, combined with the weight of the luxury SUV, buckled the rail. The railing gave way and the back tires left the road. The rear of the car dangled for a heartbeat before it dropped over the side.

  Rosalee screamed. The dog barked. Shelby grabbed the safety handle with one hand and latched onto Kane’s arm with the other. Her tight grip bit into his biceps even through his jacket.

  Kane was aware of the car sliding, then it rolled onto the right side. One of the back passenger windows shattered. Snow blew in, along with cold, and the sound of tearing metal. The SUV rolled again, then again, and with a shuddering crash, came to a sudden halt.

  By some miracle, they landed upright. The engine had died, but the headlights still knifed through the falling snow. From the angle of the SUV, Kane guessed they faced uphill. Although the windshield was intact, it was webbed with cracks. All he could see were refractions of snowflakes.

  Without moving too much, he cautiously tested his legs, then his arms. Everything seemed to work. His neck felt as if it had been wrenched, but other than that, he was okay. He looked over at Shelby to see her moving gingerly, but moving. Relief, and another emotion he didn’t dare name, filled his chest.

  “No one move,” he called over the wind howling inside the car. “I don’t know how stable we are.”

  Shelby nodded and tried to look over her shoulder. “Rosalee, are you okay?”

  A low moan sounded from the back seat. The dog was ominously silent.

  “Rosalee!” Shelby reached for her seat belt. “She’s not moving!”

  “Aunt Rosalee!” Kane yelled while looking in the rearview mirror, but the angle was off. He reached up to adjust it, as Shelby twisted in her seat. He grabbed her arm to stop her. “Speed comes from slowness,” he spouted off an old adage he’d learned in his martial arts training. “We’re in a deep ravine. If you move too fast, it might upset the car’s balance. We don’t want to tumble the rest of the way down.”

  Understanding filled Shelby’s eyes, followed by fear for his aunt. He felt that same fear.

  “I can’t just sit here,” she said. “I need to check on her. I’m lighter than you and can squeeze between the seats.” She unbuckled her seat belt and started to climb back.

  “Inch your way back,” he cautioned. “Make sure you’re stable between moves.”

  She nodded then climbed in slow motion onto the center console, her head facing the rear. “Can you call for help?”

  Kane looked at the dash. “The safety system appears to be off-line. We must have broken the antenna in the roll.” He unlatched his seat belt and slowly felt for his phone. He was afraid to move too much with Shelby climbing around. “I can’t reach my phone. Where’s yours?”

  “In my back pocket.”

  Her backside was right there, next to his head. In the reflected light from the headlights, he could see the outline of her phone. “Don’t move.” She froze as he reached into her pocket. Her cargo pants weren’t painted on, but he could still appreciate, even in these dire circumstances, how fit her body was. “Got it.”

  “Get a good feel, FBI?” She moved carefully into the back seat.

  A reluctant smile tugged at the corners of his mouth. “Not as much as I’d like, Northstar.” He was grateful for the slip of humor to ease the grim situation. Shelby maneuvered next to his aunt and checked her over. He immediately turned serious. “How is she?”

  “She’s breathing and her pulse is strong.” Shelby removed her hand from Aunt Rosalee’s neck. “There’s a gash over her right temple. She must have been hit with glass when the rear window broke back here. I need to find something to stop the bleeding.”

  He heard his aunt moan again as he pressed a button on the phone. “I’ve got a signal. I’ll try to get some help.”

  “Good.” Shelby’s voice was muffled as she dug through items that had scattered over the seats.

  “Oscar…” Rosalee said.

  “Don’t move,” Shelby cautioned. “We’ll find the dog, but first, we need to take care of you.”

  Kane placed the call to the 9-1-1 operator and started to give them an update. Just then a loud screech pierced the night. “No one move!” he yelled. The car slid, angling as it drifted several feet then jerked to a stop with a loud thud. “Sorry, ma’am. I can’t stay on the line. The car isn’t stable. I’ll leave the phone on. Just hurry.” He tucked the phone into his coat pocket and looked over his shoulder. “Help’s on the way. Are you okay?”

  “We need to get out of the car,” Shelby said. “I don’t think we can wait for help to arrive.”

  Kane surveyed the surroundings as best he could through the cracked windows and falling snow. The SUV listed to his left, which made him wonder if the right rear bumper had caught on a tree and was keeping them from plunging the rest of the way down the hillside. If they stayed inside the vehicle, they would avoid exposure and hypothermia. But in this precarious position, the car was ready to careen down the hill. Waiting inside for help to arrive wasn’t an option. It had become a death trap.

  “I’ll stay in the front to keep the car balanced,” Kane said. “If I get out first, with you and Rosalee back there, gravity could shift us over the edge. Can you get Aunt Rosalee out by yourself?”

  “I’m not an invalid,” Rosalee said with more strength in her voice.

  “Good,” Kane replied. “Shelby, see if you can climb out on the right. I think that side is more stable.”
/>
  ****

  Shelby’s heart raced. Cold air from the broken window stung her face. The only good thing about the blowing snow was that it appeared to slow the bleeding on Rosalee’s cut. “I think I can get us out. But it’ll be tricky.”

  Kane glanced over his shoulder. “Just go slow and steady.”

  She unlatched Rosalee’s seat belt and eased the straps from around the older woman. Rosalee moaned when Shelby moved her arm. “Are you hurt there?”

  Rosalee took a breath and nodded. “The airbag stopped me when we hit the guardrail. When we rolled, my head knocked against something. I don’t remember what happened next.”

  “We’ll get you out, but you’ll need to move carefully.”

  “Where’s Oscar?” Rosalee’s voice raised in panic. “I won’t leave him.”

  “I’ll find him.” Shelby spoke as calmly as she could. “Let’s get you out first.”

  With Rosalee’s seat belt undone, Shelby eased the author away from the door, trading places with her. She tried the handle, but the door wouldn’t budge. “Something’s jammed the door,” she said to Kane. “I’m going to have to use force.”

  “Be careful,” he said. He had moved from the driver’s seat to the passenger side. His expression was anxious when he looked over his shoulder at her. She glanced away. The last thing she needed was him worrying about her.

  Shelby clenched her teeth, braced her shoulder against the door, and shoved. With a wrenching screech, it gave slightly. She scooted to the edge of the seat and leaned into it with all her weight. The door pushed wider, plowing a swath of snow behind it. There was just enough room for her to squeeze through. When she jumped out she sank knee deep into the heavy snow. She pushed at the door to open it wider but her shoe caught a branch under the snow and she slipped. Repositioning her footing, she tried again, pushing harder. The door squealed open enough for Rosalee to climb out.

  “Rosalee,” Shelby called over the howling storm. “Take my hand.”