Chapter 3

Charlotte's POV

By evening, we finally reach a transit camp on the edge of the outback.

It's really just a run-down motel with a few rows of RV spots for the off-roaders passing through.

The owner is a retired Australian vet named Jack, thick beard, built like a tank.

The whole drive, Tyler and Chelsea whisper back and forth in the back seat, shooting me looks full of venom every so often. I pretend not to notice. All I'm thinking about is where I'll go to enjoy myself once I ditch them tomorrow.

After I park, I grab my bag and head straight to the front desk for a single room.

"Charlotte..." Tyler catches up to me, blocking my path, clearly rattled that I'm actually going through with it. "You're really just gonna leave us here? There's nothing around for miles. Chelsea's not exactly strong, how are we supposed to get back?"

I look at him, coldly. "Not my problem. Tyler, you're the one who said it, back at camp we're done, you don't even want to ride in my junk car anymore. What, having second thoughts now?"

"You..." Tyler can't get a word out, his face going red then pale.

Chelsea tugs at his sleeve from behind, playing the martyr. "Tyler, forget it. Let's not beg her anymore. We'll figure something out tomorrow."

"Good. Glad to see some backbone." I let out a short laugh, turn around, and walk into my room, shutting the door behind me.

After a hot shower, I back up today's dashcam footage and the audio recording to the cloud.

Once that's done, I let out a breath and lie down.

I don't dream at all that night.

The next morning, I wake up to someone pounding on the door.

I open it and find Jack standing there, face dead serious.

"Miss Sinclair, your friends took your car." Jack says it in that thick Aussie accent of his.

My stomach drops. I bolt straight for the parking lot.

The spot where my black SUV was parked is empty.

I reach for my pocket without thinking, and my face goes cold.

Last night, while I was in the shower, I left my car keys and satellite phone on the table outside. Those two little snakes broke into my room in the middle of the night and stole them.

On the front desk counter, I find a note Tyler left behind:

"Charlotte, since you're so heartless, don't blame us for doing what we had to. We're borrowing the car and the sat phone. We're headed into the canyon to catch the sunrise. Take some time to think about how cold you've been. Don't worry, we'll bring the car back."

"Think about it?" I stare at the note, so angry I almost laugh.

These two are unbelievably stupid.

The deep canyon is the most dangerous stretch of this entire region. No guide, no experience, going in there is basically a death wish.

"Which way did they head?" I ask Jack.

Jack points northeast. "Death Valley. That road's brutal, and this is peak season for the dingo packs out there. They didn't even bring a spare tire. They're basically asking to die."

"Did you call it in?" I ask.

"Cell tower's down out here. Can't get a call out. To report it, you'd have to drive to the town, that's a hundred kilometers off." Jack frowns. "Miss Sinclair, what's the plan? Want me to drive you into town?"

"No." I narrow my eyes. "Jack, can I borrow your truck? Or, name your price, be my guide, and take me after them."

Jack blinks, caught off guard. "You want to go save them? Miss Sinclair, that's way too dangerous."

"Save them?" I let out a cold laugh. "No, Jack. I paid for that car in full, and it's got things in it that matter to me. If those two want to get themselves killed, let them. I just need my things back."

Of course, what I really want is to watch those two idiots pay for their own stupidity with my own eyes.

Jack goes quiet for a moment, then nods.

"Alright. I'll take you. Two thousand a day."

"Deal." I don't hesitate for a second.

I climb into Jack's modified pickup, watching the red dust kick up ahead of us, and pull up the backup GPS tracker on my phone.

My car has an anti-theft GPS system installed. As long as we're in range, it'll pick up the signal.

The red dot blinks on my screen, moving deeper into Death Valley.

Run. Go ahead and run. They have no idea they're walking straight into a nightmare.

The thought alone is enough to make me giddy.