Chaos Theory (Nerds of Paradise #2)(65)

Keeping a perfectly straight face, he said, “If you’re going to treat me for dinner, then I get to eat whatever I want for dessert.”

Melody’s knees came close to giving out. The rain wasn’t the only thing getting wetter and wetter as they hiked. She had a hard time wrangling her imagination as they crossed a more sparsely wooded patch close to the bottom of the slope, nearer the other curve of the lake. She was sorely tempted to call a time-out in the competition so that she and Will could find a dry patch of ground, break out the sleeping bags, and work a few things out. Maybe twice.

The only thing that stopped her was the sight of someone walking toward them as they cleared the tree line and made it out to the lake shore.

“Jonathan?” Will called out before Melody could gather her thoughts enough to pay attention to her surroundings.

“Hey, guys.” Jonathan raised a hand in greeting as he strode to meet them near the shelter of some overhanging pines.

“Is there a problem?” Will asked.

Jonathan hunched into the thick rain parka he wore. He shook his head. “Not per se. I’m here to see if you want to leave the competition.”

“Not waiting for us to call for help now?” Melody used the excuse of the pause in their hike to rub some warmth back into her arms. It would have been nice if the ponchos included in their backpacks were just a little thicker or a little more waterproof.

“We’ve had so many calls for rescue in the last day that Howie sent teams out to find everyone and see if they want to come in,” Jonathan explained. “Seems he didn’t anticipate the weather being so bad.”

“What about the cheaters?” Melody frowned, a twist of anger spiraling through her. “Did he anticipate them?”

Will crossed his arms, the gesture a clear show of support for Melody’s question.

Jonathan pushed out a sigh and rubbed his face. “Yeah, Howie knows about the cheaters.”

“Has he done anything to disqualify them? Yank them from the competition?” Will asked.

“No.” Jonathan didn’t look happy about it. “He says there were no rules in place against cheating, and in a way, their efforts show ingenuity.”

Melody huffed with indignation. Will muttered something unsavory under his breath.

“He did send me with more food and other supplies, in case you need to restock what they took,” Jonathan went on. He unzipped his parka to show them pockets full of energy bars and something cloth that Melody couldn’t identify. “Take what you need, unless you’re ready to come in.”

“We’re not coming in,” Will said. He checked with Melody to be sure. She nodded. “We’re seeing this thing through to the end.”

“I’m glad to hear it.” Jonathan sent them each a lop-sided smile, taking out the plastic-wrapped, cloth bundles and handing them to Melody.

“Why?” Melody took a bundle. It was socks. Dry socks. She gasped like it was Christmas morning.

“Why am I glad you’re staying in the competition?” Jonathan grinned. “Because you’re one of only two teams left.”

At that revelation, both Melody and Will stood straighter. “Who is the other team?” Will asked.

“Ed Grayson and Katrina Bonneville.”

Will and Melody exchanged a look. If she’d been on the verge of giving up, that statement would have kept her in the game. Melody saw the same sense of determination in Will’s eyes.

“They’re the cheaters,” he said.

Jonathan winced. “I can neither confirm nor deny that assessment.”

“They are, then.” Melody could have jumped up and down, she was so happy to finally have a clear picture of what was going on. She turned to Will. “We are so going to crush them.”

Will just nodded.

“I’ll tell you what else,” Jonathan went on. “You’re only about a day away from the finish line. I’d’ve said you’d be able to get there tonight, if not for this weather. The forecast is for rain all day, so take it easy.”

“You’re telling us to take it easy at a time like this?” Melody rested her weight on one hip and pointed the packet of socks at him.

Jonathan chuckled. “That’s what they said too.”

“Where are they?” Will asked. “Can you give us any indication of who’s ahead?”

“Not really.” Jonathan switched back to looking sheepish, like he’d already told them too much. “I can tell you that they are nearby. You’re pretty much neck-and-neck. You’re bound to run into each other before you reach the end.”

“Not if we can avoid them,” Will said.

Melody’s brow shot up. “What? We’re going to avoid them?”

“Like the plague,” Will went on. “Keep them guessing. And don’t give them a chance to take anything else from us.”

“Good point.”

“Here. Take the rest of these.” Jonathan started emptying the rest of the supplies from his parka into Melody’s and Will’s arms. “No one else needs them anyhow, and honestly, I’m rooting for you two. Everybody is.”

“Does everybody know what’s going on?” Will asked.

“Pretty much.” Jonathan broke into a smile. “We’ve got everyone who’s been rescued in the last few days holed up at the resort—I mean, the finish line. Your GPS trackers all show up on a map we’ve got set up there. It’s like watching the Olympics in there right now.”