“I wonder how often he needs to take that medication that was in the auto-injector,” she said.

Harlan frowned. “Good question. How does his energy field look?”

“Okay for now. But he’s deeply asleep. I keep thinking about how young he is.”

“I keep thinking about how he called himself a student. That his teacher is the Piper, who lives on an island with no name.”

“So many questions,” Olivia said.

Harlan unfolded his arms and scrubbed his face with one hand. “So little time.”

CHAPTER 28

Olivia was squirming around in the seat, trying to find a more comfortable position, when she noticed she could see the trees at the edge of the road. She yawned, straightened and pressed the lever to bring her partially reclined seat into the upright position.

“The fog is lifting,” she said. “It will be safe to start driving soon if we take it slow.”

“Good.” Harlan raised his seat. “The sooner we get out of here, the better. Ash’s buddies may decide to return. You drive. You know the road. I’ll keep an eye on Sleeping Beauty.”

“Sounds like a plan.”

She cranked up the engine and put the SUV into reverse.

“Hang on,” Harlan said. “Are you going to back down this road?”

“There’s not enough room to turn around,” she explained. “Feel free to get out and walk point if my driving makes you nervous.”

His brows rose. “You’ve done this before?”

She smiled. “Not everyone gets trapped out here at night by accident. This particular logging road is Fogg Lake’s version of Lover’s Lane.”

Harlan startled her with a quick, wicked grin. “I don’t think I’ll ask any more questions about how you came by your knowledge of local geography.”

“A wise decision.”

She used the mirrors and reversed slowly back to the old highway. The hardest part was the bend in the road where the rutted track met the pavement. She tried not to gloat as she negotiated it with finesse.

Harlan looked at her as she got the SUV safely onto the highway and pointed in the right direction.

“You’re good,” he said.

“Gosh, thanks.”

He ignored the fake gratitude and contemplated the abandoned SUV sitting in the middle of the road.

“There may be some useful evidence in it,” he said. He opened the passenger side door. “With luck the key fob is inside. If so, I’ll transfer Ash to that vehicle and follow you into town.”

She glanced back at the unconscious man and kicked up her senses. “He’s still in a deep sleep. I think you can leave him with me. He’s not going to be a problem, not for a while. Maybe indefinitely.”

“You’re sure?”

“I’m sure,” she said. “Reading auras is what I do, remember?”

“All right. Stop immediately if you see any indication that he’s waking up.”