JJ bit her pink lips without saying a word. She reached out and tucked a strand of her golden hair behind her ear, staring at him for a long time. Just when Jack thought she was about to do something, JJ suddenly spoke.
"Reed said he gave us the location with the highest probability."
"Huh?" Jack didn't quite understand what she was trying to convey.
"Your acting is terrible. If we run into the killer, it'll be easy for them to see through you," JJ's face got closer to his, so close he could now smell the sweet fruity scent of her lip balm.
Jack, feeling insulted that she dared to question his acting skills, which he had always prided himself on, retaliated without hesitation.
"Do you mean like this?" Hmm, it turned out to be grapefruit-flavored.
JJ's response was somewhat unexpected. It wasn't filled with passionate affection like Zoe's, who seemed ready to offer him everything, nor was it filled with the challenging tone like Maureen's. It was also unlike Hannah's response, which ranged from initially shy and awkward to explosive after they fell in love.
JJ responded gently, making Jack unconsciously act more softly in return.
When Jack came to his senses, he found that their roles had unknowingly reversed, with him now half-leaning into the passenger seat. He didn't retreat immediately but maintained the same position as JJ, nose to nose, staring unblinkingly at her lips, which had lost all their lip balm.
"It's getting late. If we don't move soon, we'll have to sleep in the car, dear Mr. Reichard," JJ said again, her voice a bit hoarse.
Jack grunted in response, then stopped teasing her halfway. Bad woman.
He returned to the driver's seat, released the handbrake, and the SUV got back on the road. They drove on the mountain road for a while before finally stopping in front of a row of wooden cabins.
A large neon sign beside the cabins lit up, displaying the green word "VACANCY."
The temperature at night was very low, close to minus seven or eight degrees, but fortunately, there was no snow. Jack retrieved two Canada Goose down jackets from the back seat, handing the white long women's coat to JJ.
The car engine remained running. The row of wooden cabins was just the reception area. They still needed to drive further in. The mountaintop cabins were true to their name, with each room being a standalone wooden cabin, looking quite distinctive.
Wrapped tightly in their down jackets, they jogged into the reception area.
Ding! With the doorbell's chime, a short man with a full beard behind the counter looked up. Seeing a handsome man and a beautiful woman walk in, he greeted them with a warm smile.
"Welcome to the mountaintop cabins. How can I help you?"
"Give us a room, one with good soundproofing," Jack said with a mischievous grin, receiving a playful punch from the embarrassed JJ.
"Haha, no problem. Our cabins are at least 30 feet apart, so you won't be disturbed."
"60 bucks a night, including breakfast. Cabin number 10. You can find its location on the little map on the wall."
"Are you here alone?" JJ curiously looked around the reception room, which was fairly clean and well-organized.
As she spoke, seemingly feeling hot inside, she casually loosened her down jacket, revealing her shapely figure.
The short man appeared normal at first, but as soon as Jack moved away to look at the map, he showed a greedy look, sizing up JJ.
"The economy isn't great. There are no fixed employees here. Cleaners come daily to tidy up. Usually, it's just me."
"You're lucky. The weather has been great these days, no snowstorms, so you can enjoy the view of the snowy peaks."
JJ seemed unaware of his gaze, lazily leaning against the door, showcasing her alluring curves.
"Dear, have you found it? I'm exhausted. This place doesn't even have cell signal; it's so boring."
"Found it. Cabin number 10," Jack excitedly pointed to a spot on the map, then impatiently complained.
"You were the one who insisted on coming here for a vacation. Now you're bored too? What a troublesome woman."
"Hmph, are you already tired of me?" JJ acted like a spoiled woman, throwing a minor tantrum.
Watching the bickering couple run back to their car, the bearded short man had a sinister look on his face. He casually pressed a switch, and the large neon sign next to the reception cabin flickered. The green "VACANCY" word now had a red "NO" lit up in front of it.
"Hey, dear, why didn't you grab the luggage?"
JJ, being held by Jack as they entered the cabin, was surprised.
"We'll sleep in tomorrow and leave by noon. No need to unpack. This place is deserted," Jack replied.
Before JJ could respond, Jack scooped her up in his arms, shutting the door with his heel.
JJ let out a surprised yelp, then giggled, "No, it's cold inside. Turn on the heater."
"Okay, okay, whatever you say."
Jack took a moment to find the remote for the heater. By the time he went to the bathroom to freshen up, JJ had already brushed her teeth and was standing aside, watching him absentmindedly.
"Did you wait long?" Jack casually washed his face. Amid JJ's startled cry, he lifted her again, letting her long legs wrap around his waist.
"Turn off the lights," JJ whispered in his ear.
The room plunged into darkness. The rough-hewn wooden bed looked sturdy but was actually quite noisy, creaking incessantly.
JJ was struggling, having to pretend to make various strange sounds while whispering into Jack's ear.
"The bathroom's dressing mirror is one-way. I also found half a bloody tooth in a crack by the sink."
Jack was struggling too, holding back. Normally, they acted out the scenes for real. This time, it was all just acting, which he found quite uncomfortable.
Of course, there was no way they would truly act it out. Even if JJ agreed, the suspect was probably watching, and there might be hidden cameras filming. All this would be used as evidence later, potentially in court, which would be the ultimate embarrassment.
"This room has been specially modified. There are electromagnetic locks on the door, hidden well. The furniture is all fixed to the floor, including the bedside lamp, nailed down."
"The snow guards on the windows of the other cabins are wooden. Only this room has iron plates. Once locked down, it becomes a big cage."
They gathered enough information within minutes through simple actions like freshening up and finding the remote.
"Should we notify Rossi and the others?" Jack's hand had already reached the signal device JJ had hidden.
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