Chapter 40

It turned out that everyone except Marla and Carrie wanted to go for a walk. Carrie planned to rest and Marla needed to do her nails so the rest headed towards the woods. They fell into a loose pack formation, the other couples instinctively walking behind Kane. Elise was one step back and to the right of him.

John came along next, followed by Helen, then Giselle and Franz, while Rose and Daniel brought up the rear. The arrangement effectively cancelled Elise’s hopes of having a private conversation with Rose but she still hoped to deal with the matter before the night was over.

As they entered the tree line, a sound came from the left and in a blur of movement, Kane and John positioned themselves protectively in front of the others, muscles tense and senses alert. It took less than a second for them to identify the source and realize there was no danger. As the two men visibly relaxed their stance, Julia and Thomas emerged from the brush.

“Hi there!” Julia called