Freeze (The Jewel Project #4)

14.2|| The Beast Inside is Sleeping, Not Dead

Jimmy nodded and stood, too, taking Kyle's phone out in the process. There was already a text from Jessie letting him know everything was fine at the hotel. But it didn't say much. Snitch Gravel's men had still found them easily. The thought plagued his mind as they made their way back. They found the rest of the group at a table in the thankfully empty lobby.

Tina was already terribly pale, so he guessed Jessie and Kay had told them about the latest attack. Jerry also wore a pained expression, while Billy sat quietly, his arms crossed over his chest, nibbling on his lower lip.

"Thank God," Kay breathed the moment they reached the table. "Are you okay? You're both wet."

"Yeah, we're fine," Jimmy said, sitting next to Jessie. "We just decided to make a couple of snow angels before we left."

Kay wasn't distracted and kept watching Kyle expectantly, but he didn't say anything, just drummed his fingers on the table, following their progress as if it was the most interesting thing ever.

"Senseless jokes and potential colds aside, how on earth did they find us?" Jerry asked and all eyes turned to him.

"Maybe they were looking for something else," Jimmy said.

"Yeah, bullshit," Kyle interjected, not raising his eyes from his fingers. "Like that would ever happen. They were after us. There's nothing of interest here."

"But assuming they know we've been to Avignon, which they shouldn't," Jerry continued, "we stopped here because we wanted to throw them off. We had no reason to. We could've reached Tours by now. So how--"

"Tina, where'd you get that?" Jessie cut in, pointing at the book Tina clutched to her chest.

"What?" Tina held the book tighter. "It's just a novel I bought. Am I not allowed to read?"

"I asked you where you got it," Jessie insisted, her tone with a slight edge to it. "And when."

Jerry's eyes widened as if he realized what was going on, but Jimmy was still baffled why Jessie felt the need to roast Tina over a book.

"Please answer," Jerry said.

"I got it at the gas station outside of town," Tina finally answered.

"And how'd you pay for it?" Jessie continued, looking even more annoyed.

And that's when Jimmy finally realized why it was important. Even without an answer, he knew Jessie's hunch was right. There was no other explanation for it.

"You used your credit card, didn't you?" Jessie insisted.

"What's it to you?" Tina fired back, her face red with anger.

"They traced us!" Jessie yelled. "That's what it is to me!"

"Jessie, calm down," Jerry said, raising his hands. "She didn't know. This is my fault. I didn't tell her."

"It's not your fault," Jessie started.

"Jessie, knock it off," Kyle said, his voice calm and even. "Tina, it's okay, it's not the end of the world. We're in the middle of the country. We could go anywhere from here."

"Except back to Avignon, because I'm betting she paid for the guidebook with her card as well," Jessie mumbled.

"Maybe we should really head in another direction," Billy said warily. "Throw them off."

"We don't have time for that. We're meeting Sam and Tom in Chambord," Jimmy said.

Silence filled the room and the tension seemed to ease, which was a blessing. He hated how on edge everyone was, how Jessie had lost her cool with Tina, how Jerry was being sloppy, how Kyle kept ignoring Kay as if that would fix anything.