“We’re a great team, you and I. Maybe someday we’ll share all these tales with our children.”
Rebecca laughed. “Hmm, maybe.” For a moment, she imagined a toddler with Kent’s brilliant blue eyes gazing up at her as she described the jungle and underground labyrinths and sudden love for his father. “But you might want to save that excitement for our arrival at the right hotel.” Rebecca gave Amanda an affectionate squeeze before pulling back and winking at her.
Finally, the car bounced down the dirt road to the hotel. Two helicopters, including one that looked like a military aircraft, sat in a grassy field, surrounded by dense jungle. “That’s a good sign. Unless they headed out on foot, they’ve got to be here someplace.” After paying the driver, the ladies lugged their bags toward the dilapidated hotel. Damp clothes clung to Rebecca’s skin and sweat dripped from her brow. “It’s got to be at least a hundred degrees and ninety five percent humidity out here. And they say the Mid West is miserable in the summer.”
“It’s like walking through a steam room with trees and snakes,” said Amanda, laughing.
“Yeah, that’s for sure.” The rickety wooden door groaned as Rebecca opened it and held it so the other two women could step inside. Rebecca approached the front desk and rang a rusty bell on the countertop. The familiar odor of mildew assaulted her senses.
An elderly woman limped out from a dimly lit room behind the counter. Her dark hair was piled on top her head and a long silk dress hung from her bony frame. “Need one room with hot water,” Rebecca said, reading the Vietnamese words she’d scrawled out on scrap paper.
As the woman’s narrow eyes looked them over, Rebecca slid their passports across the cracked plastic counter. A moment later, the woman handed them a key and pointed toward the hallway.
“It looks like she’s put us near where we were before. Let’s go drop off our stuff and then we can talk to the guys,” said Rebecca.
When Rebecca stuck the key in the door and when she jiggled the rusty doorknob, it came loose in her hand. Still holding it, she brushed splinters of wood from her sleeve and laughed. “I just love this place.”
Amanda peered over her shoulder. “Will the door still open?”
Rebecca stuck her fingers through the gaping hole, pulled out the metal hardware and pushed. The warped door seemed too big for its frame. “I’m not sure—I guess we’ll find out here in a minute.” She grunted and pushed until the door gave way. Rebecca turned toward Amanda and smiled, extending her arm inside the room. Two double beds with sagging mattresses and unraveling bedspreads sat on puke-colored carpet. She adopted a mock British accent. “Your room awaits. If there’s anything I can do to make your stay more comfortable, please let me know.”
Amanda burst out laughing and Bunny pursed her lips in a pout. She dabbed at her running mascara and sweaty face with a tissue. “This place is such a dump. If only that flight hadn’t been canceled, I’d be taking a hot bath and sleeping in a comfortable bed soon.”
“Don’t worry, Bunny. I’m sure Kent will get you on another flight before you know it. I guess we better carry our passports, since we can’t lock up the room.”
Bunny dropped onto a rattan chair. “You don’t have to take anything with you. I’ll watch our stuff. You two would probably rather talk to Tom and Kent alone anyway.”
“That’s a good idea, Bunny.” Rebecca set her backpack and suitcase next to one of the beds. She definitely didn’t want anyone overhearing the venom she planned to launch Kent’s way. “But it might be a while until we’re back. Will you be okay here alone?”
Bunny shrugged. “Sure, I’ll just take a shower and crash for a while.”
“Okay, we’ll see you later on then. Slip the chain in the lock when we leave.”
Bunny’s long yawn delayed her response. “All right. See you in a little while.”
Rebecca waited for Amanda to follow her into the dingy hallway before tugging the warped door shut.
* * * *
Kent stared hazy-eyed at the amber liquid he’d been draining from the whiskey bottle. He’d never made a wiser decision in his life, he told himself. How could he not send the woman he loved home before something awful happened to her? She’d almost drowned when the cave had flooded and there’d been other close calls as well. All I did was get her out of harm’s way.
He sighed and then picked up the whiskey bottle again with an unsteady hand. I really feel like shit. Like a skipping movie reel, images of the pain he’d seen in Rebecca’s emerald eyes when he’d said their time together had been fun, but he didn’t do long-term relationships, flashed through his mind.
How he’d been able to speak like an automaton when he’d ached to drop down on his knees and cry out marry me, he’d never know. He’d only cared about one other woman before Rebecca and she’d been blown apart by a land mine on one of his excursions. He still carried the weight of her death on his shoulders. I can’t let something awful like that happen to my Bec.
The dilapidated furniture in the room seemed to bob up and down when he tipped the bottle toward his mouth. No matter how drunk he got, it didn’t make Rebecca’s absence any easier. He rested his forehead on his hand, feeling the heavy weight of his remorse.
He’d spoken those harsh words so Rebecca would find him despicable and leave him and all this danger behind. And now she was on a flight back to Arizona. But could she forget what they’d shared? He couldn’t. They’d shared so much more than just physical intimacy—they’d gotten to the point where they often anticipated what the other was about to say.
She’d looked so empty and unlike her usually lively self when he’d left her at the airport. If only he could somehow make it all right after the expedition ended. But he knew the likelihood of that happening was practically nil. Would you talk to you if you were her?
Kent’s father had called after hearing a newscast about murdered tourists in Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park. When Kent explained he was about to abort the mission, his dad had proposed an outrageous plan. But it was better than anything Kent could conjure up.
A group of men who had served under his father in the First Cavalry Division in Vietnam would fly over and provide back up. His dad had offered to accompany the team, but Kent had urged him to stay behind, since his war injuries had left him with a prosthetic leg.
Despite the fact that the men were gray and balding, they were all in top physical condition. Some ran marathons or competed in Ironman triathlons to stay in top shape, while others were weight room maniacs. Sergeant Rich Cooke was built like an offensive lineman and could bench-press two hundred and fifty pounds. Kent imagined the man who’d scarred his cheek had paid a heavy price.
Phan Tich Chu, one of his fellow scientists on the trip, had connections with the local military, the Vietnamese People’s Army or VPA. The Vietnamese government, concerned about how the murders and the State Department warnings might affect tourism, had encouraged the effort. The retired American soldiers and a dozen VPA ground troops planned to take out the smugglers who had murdered three male tourists, wounded another man, and kidnapped Bunny.
After that happened, Kent could get back to studying Mountain River Cave, to prove without a doubt it was the largest in the world. He also wanted to take the time to find and study the mysterious cave wall drawings he’d recently heard about.
When Bunny had been kidnapped, she’d overheard the smugglers mention hieroglyphics depicting people with special powers. He hated to think the murderers might get control of something that would give them an advantage. But still—finding something in a cave that would turn people into Spiderman or Superman seemed highly unlikely.
And since Bunny had shown herself to be hysterical and irrational ninety-nine percent of the time, Kent wasn’t sure whether he could trust what she’d said anyway.
On the hunch that there could be something to her story, he’d consulted with expert archaeologist, Roberta Lawson, on the phone. Despite the scanty information they had
on the drawings so far, she’d agreed to fly out to take a look. He felt confident Roberta could determine the age of the drawings and relieve any anxiety that the smugglers might find something in the cave that would give them superhuman powers.
Kent tossed back another shot of whiskey, not caring that he’d be hung over as hell the next morning. A rap on a nearby door interrupted his thoughts. “Oh, I’m sorry, I was looking for Kent,” said a familiar female voice. Startled, he knocked the almost empty bottle to the floor with an unsteady hand. He snatched it up and poured the few drops that hadn’t spilled between his lips.
A mixture of euphoria and dread washed over him. Feet padded down the carpeted hallway toward his door. He sat up straighter in his chair. What am I going to say? Kent’s mouth felt dry and his heart hammered in his chest when the knock came.
He wanted to see Rebecca more than anything he’d ever wanted in his life, but at the same time he wanted her flying over the South China Sea toward safety. He clamped his lips together, staggered toward the door and pulled it open.
Rebecca stood there in front of him, her green eyes wide, looking as curvy and sexy as ever.
“You really look like hell.” She raised her nose and wrinkled it. Her gaze shifted toward the empty bottle on the table behind him. “Did you drink that all yourself?”
His shoulders sagged and his gaze dropped to the floor. He hated her to see him looking like such a wreck. He hoped now she’d realize that letting her go had been horrible for him. He ached to burst out with how thrilled he was to see her, how seeing her brilliant green eyes and hearing her crisp, articulate voice brought his whole world back to life. Instead, he forced his gaze toward the floor, telling himself his priority had to be her safety, not getting her back. “Rebecca, what are you doing here?”
“I had to talk to you because I know you lied to me—about everything, including us. Maybe that’s why you’re drowning yourself in the bottle?” She crossed her arms over her chest, her jaw looking tight and determined and a little out of focus.
The distress in her voice made his gut lurch. He looked up to see tears streaming down Rebecca’s face. Acting manly and tough was no longer an option. “You’re right, it was. All a lie, I mean. And you’re right about the drinking. I was so miserable once you left, I didn’t know what to do with myself. I’m sorry.” His speech slurred and his body felt numb and heavy, like it belonged to someone else.
The room shifted on its axis and Rebecca’s emerald green eyes widened as he lost his center of gravity and fell forward. He reached for the wall, trying to steady himself. The last thing he remembered was hearing Rebecca’s distressed, “Oh, no.”
Chapter Four
Kent awakened to a knock and Rebecca’s voice.
“Kent, it’s me.”
He clawed himself loose from the sheets. One nightmare after another had intruded on his drunken sleep. Nightmares where Rebecca shouted at him, walked away, said she’d never forgive him or disappeared by the time he awakened.
He leaped from the bed, stumbled to open the door and stared at Rebecca, rubbing his sleep crusted eyes. My beautiful Bec. “Sorry I was so incoherent earlier. Thanks for not leaving me on the floor.”
She angled her head and plucked at her chin, studying him more like a science project than a future husband. “You were a mess at the time—I couldn’t just leave you lying sprawled out on the floor. I mean I’ll have to say I was tempted after—”
“Wait, Bec, before you say anything else, there are some things I really need to say. First, I want to apologize for what happened.”
“You already did. Well, sort of.” Her eyes narrowed and she crossed her arms over her chest. “I’m the one who came back. It wasn’t like you chased me down.”
“I know. But it wasn’t because I didn’t want to. It’s just that everything got so complicated. I hope somehow I can say this so it makes sense.”
Tears rushed to her eyes and she brusquely wiped them away with a sleeve.
Kent knew he was blowing it. He had to apologize for the lies and his insensitive behavior before the woman he loved turned her back on him for good.
Ever since she’d stepped into his world, his life had sharper edges around it. The urge to pull her into his arms made his hands tremble—every voluptuous inch of her body pulled him in like a magnetic field. But he couldn’t touch her—not now—not after the awful things he’d said.
He hoped she hadn’t closed herself off from him completely so she’d see the emotions warring inside of him—fear, guilt, love, and regret—because she’d always been able to read him. But he knew he couldn’t count on her reading him anymore and that he’d have to let her really see inside his heart. “I’m sorry, Bec. I never meant to hurt you like this. I lied to you. I pretended that our relationship didn’t matter to protect you.”
“Why couldn’t you have said all this before. Now—”
“Because I knew if I did, you’d stay. And you have to get out of here before it’s too late. I’m heading out in the morning with a group of Vietnam Veterans and local militia who know the area well—I’m telling you, the study area is going to turn into a war zone.”
She gazed at him with her enormous green eyes, her long lashes wet with tears. Instead of anger, he saw immeasurable suffering. I caused that . . . His chest felt so tight, he found it hard to draw in a breath.
“I know how serious this is, Kent. That’s why I want to be with you.”
“But why would you want to be there with me after—” He glanced away, unable to finish and sighed. He recalled how he’d made love to her that last time—fucked her, really—leaving her wanting and hiding his feelings behind a self-preserving mask.
As much as he wanted to pull her into his arms and bury his face in her soft, cascading hair, he didn’t feel worthy. “Why don’t you come in and sit down?”
Rebecca strode across the dull gray carpet and stood in the middle of the room, wringing her hands before reaching up to tug on a strand of dark hair that framed her face.
Her presence brought the dreary room to life. “Please, will you just relax and sit?”
She plopped down in a rickety rattan chair.
Kent took a tentative step toward her, worried she’d run off if he got too close too soon. “I’m sorry I treated you like shit. It was the worst twenty-four hours of my life.”
Rebecca covered her face with her hands and gripped locks of her long dark hair so tightly, her fingers paled. Her voice and body trembled when she spoke. “I don’t know if I can ever forgive you, Kent. No one’s ever made me feel as worthless as you made me feel last night. And having someone I thought loved me—when I loved you so much, look at me so coldly, like all we shared never happened—I can’t endure anything like that again.”
Kent stepped closer, his jaw clenched. Hearing her speak of their love in past tense physically hurt. He felt like a huge fist had grabbed his internal organs and twisted them into knots. “I can’t watch you suffer like this without trying to make it better. Please just take my hand.” He reached for her.
She released her grip on her hair and took his hand. He clasped it and pulled it toward his face. He closed his eyes, relishing the sensation of his beloved’s soft skin against his hand. “You won’t ever have to endure something like that again because I love you. And I want you in my life for as long as you’ll put up with my company.”
“You do?” Rebecca looked up at him, her eyes wet with tears. “But I thought—”
He covered her mouth with a finger. Her lips felt so plump and moist, he longed to trace their contours. “Yes, I love you and I want to be with you. More than anything.” He reached for her face, brushing her tears away with his thumbs. “Now please don’t cry. Let’s make plans to see each other when I get back to the States and then I’ll drive you to the airport.”
She shoved his hands away and angry lines creased her face. “No, Kent. Didn’t you hear what I said? I said I want to be with you. And you jus
t said you want me in your life.”
Doesn’t she realize the terrible risk she’s taking? “Please, baby, I do want you in my life more than anything, but I can’t have you in the middle of this.”
“Right. If you envision leaving me in some safe sanctuary for weeks or months while you go out and risk your life—it’s not going to happen. I won’t sit around waiting to hear someone tell me you’re dead.” Shards of silver glittered in her green eyes as they pleaded with him to see things from her perspective.
Kent rubbed the top of her hand with his thumb and drew her hand to his lips. Her fresh scent and the sensation of her soft skin tickled his nerve endings. “I love the idea of you traveling with me under normal circumstances, but not when we’ve got a military operation underway. This mission is likely to have a body count.”
She tugged on his hand, pulling him closer. “I don’t want you near all this violence either, but I can’t force you to walk away any more than you can force me to leave. I’m staying with you whether you want me here or not.”
He knelt in front of her chair and grasped her other hand. “Okay, fine. You stay.” He hoped he wasn’t in for more surprises. “But please tell me Amanda and Bunny aren’t here, too.”
She bit her lower lip and swung her gaze away. “I wish I could.”
Kent pushed himself to his feet and scratched his chin. “Oh, no. They are here, aren’t they?”
Rebecca nodded as a guilty blush stained her cheeks. “Once Amanda suspected Tom wasn’t really visiting his sick mother, she decided to stay. She cares about him a lot, plus the two of us tend to stick together in tough times. As for Bunny, she had no choice. Whether we’d chosen to or not, we’d all be here anyway because they cancelled the flight.”
The Unseen Page 3