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Authors: Jannine Gallant
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whole process entertaining.”
“I couldn’t agree more—holy shit!”
“What?”
Craning his neck as the light turned green, he was forced to drive away. “Did you see him?”
“Him, who?” Ainslee stuck her head out the window.
“Parnell Jones. With his height, he’s kind of hard to miss. He disappeared into Fast Times.”
She turned back to face him. “Do you think he’s one of the contestants?”
“He must be. It’s too big a coincidence to have seen him twice in two days for any other reason.”
Flipping her hair over her shoulder, she settled onto the seat and smiled. “That’s great.”
“It is?”
“Sure. If he was headed into Fast Times, it means he hasn’t figured out the Speed connection. At least we know we aren’t in last place.”
“Gotta love that, but we don’t have much of a lead.” He let out a long sigh as traffic stalled. “Read the clue. Let’s hear what the old bastard has tortured us with this time.”
Chapter 5
Ainslee slammed the door of the SUV and walked to the same picnic table in the same rest area she’d stopped at the day before. The phrase running in circles sprang to mind. Plopping down on the bench, she dropped the clue on the table.
Griff sat beside her. “We aren’t idiots. We can figure this out.”
“Then why do I feel so stupid?”
He scowled as he spread out the paper between them. “You shouldn’t. Victor was a sadist. He wanted us to sweat over these clues.”
“They seem to be getting progressively harder. Or parts of the riddles are harder, anyway.” She planted her elbows. “We’ll get this.”
“Read it again. The beginning, which should give us our next destination city, has been nagging at my brain.” He leaned back and closed his eyes.
She took a moment to study him. The hard jaw, straight nose and angled cheekbones coupled with straight dark hair suggested a touch of Native American blood in his heritage. But it was his direct green gaze that sent a quiver through her every time he glanced her way. The man had sex appeal to spare.
She cleared her throat. “Large simple, like a phase of the moon where the old man ends. Look behind a founding father’s little achievement for your stone . ” She frowned. “What part of the riddle is bugging you?”
He rolled his eyes. “The whole thing, but in particular, large simple. Somehow they go together, but not the way he words them, if that makes any sense.” He let out a sigh. “Let’s focus on the moon instead. What are the different phases?”
“Full, new, waning, waxing. Do any of those suggest a place to you?”
“Isn’t waxing what women do to their legs?”
“Yes, but people wax other things, too. Like furniture or cars.”
His brows shot up. “Detroit is the Motor City.”
“Definitely large, but I don’t know if it’s simple. The residents probably wouldn’t appreciate the description.”
He pulled out his phone. “What about waning? Sounds like a town in Texas.” He scrolled for a moment then scowled. “No city anywhere called Waning. Are you sure those are the only phases? Isn’t there a crescent moon?”
“It isn’t an actual phase, just a description.” She smacked her head. “Who says Victor knew that, though? I really am an idiot. Check Crescent City.”
Griff typed on his phone. “There’s one in California and one in Florida.”
“Victor sent the letters from San Francisco. The California one could represent him in the game, since he was one of the six men in their squad.”
“Crescent City is hours north of San Francisco. Wait! New Orleans is called the Crescent City.” He jumped up from the bench. “Now I know what was bothering me.” A smile spread. “Large simple is a play on words for Big Easy, another New Orleans nickname.”
She stood and gave him a high-five. “You rock. Nice job.” Scooping up the clue, she read through it again. “Well, duh! Where the old man ends refers to the Mississippi River,
“I couldn’t agree more—holy shit!”
“What?”
Craning his neck as the light turned green, he was forced to drive away. “Did you see him?”
“Him, who?” Ainslee stuck her head out the window.
“Parnell Jones. With his height, he’s kind of hard to miss. He disappeared into Fast Times.”
She turned back to face him. “Do you think he’s one of the contestants?”
“He must be. It’s too big a coincidence to have seen him twice in two days for any other reason.”
Flipping her hair over her shoulder, she settled onto the seat and smiled. “That’s great.”
“It is?”
“Sure. If he was headed into Fast Times, it means he hasn’t figured out the Speed connection. At least we know we aren’t in last place.”
“Gotta love that, but we don’t have much of a lead.” He let out a long sigh as traffic stalled. “Read the clue. Let’s hear what the old bastard has tortured us with this time.”
Chapter 5
Ainslee slammed the door of the SUV and walked to the same picnic table in the same rest area she’d stopped at the day before. The phrase running in circles sprang to mind. Plopping down on the bench, she dropped the clue on the table.
Griff sat beside her. “We aren’t idiots. We can figure this out.”
“Then why do I feel so stupid?”
He scowled as he spread out the paper between them. “You shouldn’t. Victor was a sadist. He wanted us to sweat over these clues.”
“They seem to be getting progressively harder. Or parts of the riddles are harder, anyway.” She planted her elbows. “We’ll get this.”
“Read it again. The beginning, which should give us our next destination city, has been nagging at my brain.” He leaned back and closed his eyes.
She took a moment to study him. The hard jaw, straight nose and angled cheekbones coupled with straight dark hair suggested a touch of Native American blood in his heritage. But it was his direct green gaze that sent a quiver through her every time he glanced her way. The man had sex appeal to spare.
She cleared her throat. “Large simple, like a phase of the moon where the old man ends. Look behind a founding father’s little achievement for your stone . ” She frowned. “What part of the riddle is bugging you?”
He rolled his eyes. “The whole thing, but in particular, large simple. Somehow they go together, but not the way he words them, if that makes any sense.” He let out a sigh. “Let’s focus on the moon instead. What are the different phases?”
“Full, new, waning, waxing. Do any of those suggest a place to you?”
“Isn’t waxing what women do to their legs?”
“Yes, but people wax other things, too. Like furniture or cars.”
His brows shot up. “Detroit is the Motor City.”
“Definitely large, but I don’t know if it’s simple. The residents probably wouldn’t appreciate the description.”
He pulled out his phone. “What about waning? Sounds like a town in Texas.” He scrolled for a moment then scowled. “No city anywhere called Waning. Are you sure those are the only phases? Isn’t there a crescent moon?”
“It isn’t an actual phase, just a description.” She smacked her head. “Who says Victor knew that, though? I really am an idiot. Check Crescent City.”
Griff typed on his phone. “There’s one in California and one in Florida.”
“Victor sent the letters from San Francisco. The California one could represent him in the game, since he was one of the six men in their squad.”
“Crescent City is hours north of San Francisco. Wait! New Orleans is called the Crescent City.” He jumped up from the bench. “Now I know what was bothering me.” A smile spread. “Large simple is a play on words for Big Easy, another New Orleans nickname.”
She stood and gave him a high-five. “You rock. Nice job.” Scooping up the clue, she read through it again. “Well, duh! Where the old man ends refers to the Mississippi River,
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