"They wash it in local water, and the water will make you sick. Some say it's a myth, but I believe it. It took me a long time to become accustomed. At the hotel"—she shrugged—"perhaps it's filtered, but I wouldn't count on it."

He dropped the grape. "That makes sense. Speaking of which, your sister didn't look very good this morning."

"Is she sick?"

"She didn't say so, but she didn't even finish a cup of coffee before she took off."

"Uh-oh. Maybe I'd better go check on her."

Nate glanced at Ana, who was making her way back from the buffet table. "If you're finished with your breakfast, go ahead. I'll stay with Ana."

"You sure?"

"We'll take a walk in the garden. You'll find us there. Okay?"

Marisa agreed, and five minutes later, let herself into their hotel room.

She could tell by the nauseous odor snaking beneath the bathroom door that Leslie was not okay.

Marisa knocked softly on the door. "Can I do anything for you?"

A moment passed. The toilet flushed, the water ran in the tap, and the door opened. "It's probably just from traveling. You know how I am."

Leslie didn't even like to go upstate. "This seems like more than that, though."

"We didn't sleep at all the night before last," Leslie said, "and the night before that..."

Marisa remembered the story, the intruders, the threats. "Right. You've had a rough couple of days."

"And traveling doesn't agree with me—never has." She hobbled to her bed, bent with her arms wrapped around her stomach. It seemed an effort to climb in.

Marisa pulled the covers over her sister and tucked them in, remembering their few vacations as children. Leslie had always gotten sick at least once.

She brushed hair away from Leslie's forehead. "Try to get some sleep."

"But we need to talk about this. Figure out—"

"When you're better, sis. Right now, sleep."

Leslie's eyes closed. "Okay. I'll try."

Chapter 5

NATE WALKED ALONGSIDE Ana, who stopped to admire every pretty flower in the hotel's garden. There were lots, even a few blue ones Nate and Ana agreed were the prettiest. He snapped photos of the girl, but as soon as she spied his iPhone, she lost interest in the flora. "Can I see?"

She studied his smartphone with something like awe.

"Have you ever seen one before?"

"There are men in town who have phones like this, but they are"—she lowered her voice and looked around—"bad people. Mama says to stay out of their way."

Why would Marisa live in a place like that? Had the woman no sense? Especially with a vulnerable little girl.

Ana was watching him closely. "You'd better do what your mother says. You want to take a picture?"

She nodded, so he showed her how. After that, she took photos of every flower they came across.