CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED AND FORTY-NINE - The Jungle Chase

alone, injured, and lost on an island crawling with dangerous criminals. And Mason... she had no idea if he was even alive. The thought of Mason brought a fresh wave of emotion. Despite their rocky start on this island adventure, he had become her rock, her protector. The memory of his steady presence gave her strength. She couldn't give up now, not when he might be out there looking for her. As the sky began to lighten with the approaching dawn, Claire carefully extracted herself from her hiding place. She needed to find water and possibly food, and then figure out a way to signal for help without alerting the smugglers. Moving as quietly as she could manage with her injured ankle, Claire began to explore the area around the banyan tree. She was so focused on watching for signs of the smugglers that she almost missed the sound – a faint trickle of water. Following the sound, she discovered a small stream winding its way through the jungle. Claire fell to her knees beside it, cuppi