“Hell no. I always work naked. Anyway, I don’t want anything blocking the signals. You bring the smokes?”

Cole lit a Winston and handed it to her. He started to light one for himself but glanced at Savannah and decided against it.

“Got the skunk?”

He held up the gym bag. “We could only find an armadillo. I hope that’s all right.”

Mona rubbed at her jaw. “Should be. That armor might take a little longer to burn, delaying the signal, but it should be all right.”

“Burn?”

“Yeah, you two go gather some wood. We’ll need a fire.”

“It’s gonna be wet,” Cole said.

“That’s good, lot of smoke. Makes the signal stronger.”

“Hold on,” Savannah said. “I’m not going to gather any freaking firewood in the dark until someone tells me what this is all about. I’m cold. I’m tired. I’m wet. And I’m more than a little freaked-out. Naked old women in the river? Dead animals thrown into a fire? Is this like a cult thing or something? If you two are planning on sacrificing a virgin, I can assure you, you’re too late.”

Mona looked at Cole. “You didn’t tell her?” He shrugged. “Don’t worry about it, honey. You’re gonna love it. Now just be a dove and go grab a shrub or two. We’re almost ready.”

Savannah glared daggers at Cole.

“Stay here,” he said. “I’ll get it.”

He went back to the woods and gathered some stray limbs. Mona instructed Savannah to hand her a box she’d stashed behind one of the rocks in the sand. Savannah handed over a large red Tupperware container. Cole returned with an armload of kindling, which he dropped in a pile at his feet.

Mona took a can of lighter fluid from the box and emptied it over the brush. She held out her hand. “Lighter?”

In seconds they had a good flame going, the wet wood catching quicker than Cole would have thought. The smoke was suffocating, but the heat was a godsend. Cole and Savannah knelt, huddling close to the flames to warm their hands. The moment of comfort ended as soon as Mona tossed the dead armadillo onto the fire. A shower of sparks flew, and the stench sent them both scurrying away.

Mona dusted off her hands on her bare, wrinkled rump. “The riverbed drops off sharp midstream. I’d say the bottom’s at least thirty feet down, so it could take a while for it to rise.”

“Rise?” Savannah looked at Cole. “No. This is not happening. Whatever is about to happen … it is not happening. I’m outta here.” She marched off.

Cole ran to head her off. “Wait.”

“No, you wait. This is … what is this?”