by PJ Skinner
‘Oh my God, that’s why you were vomiting. What fantastic news! When are you due? We are going to have babies.’
‘Sam, are you sure you're pregnant?’
Sam’s excitement evaporated and she went a funny colour.
‘Of course!’ she said, ‘I’m such an idiot. I remember now. The stick thing from the pregnancy testing kit landed in a pool of liquid under the toilet. The liquid must have contained hormones from your pee which gave me a positive test. I’m not pregnant. So that’s why Becker didn’t kill me.’
‘You’ll have to explain this comment later. I’m a little tired for so much excitement today.’
‘I have booked a private flight back to Calderon tomorrow,’ said Hernan Sanchez. ‘I’ll get one of my drivers to collect Gloria’s car.’
***
Back in San Blas, there was a solemn meeting of the residents, chaired by the Schmitt brothers who were dressed in black suits and white shirts with fat black ties. The atmosphere in the hall was interwoven with worried muttering and thick cigarette smoke percolating in the air. There was blond hair turning grey on heads bowed with age, and many chairs had walking sticks balanced against them or hooked on the back. Hans Schmitt stood up to speak. He grasped the lectern like a drowning man gripping a lifebuoy, his knuckles white.
‘By now, most of you will know that Boris Klein and Kurt Becker have been found dead in the woods outside of town. We may never know what happened to them although it is rumoured to be connected with the death of my son, Hans. The police have designated it a murder-suicide and we don’t want to arouse their suspicions. It would not be wise to pursue it,’ he said.
‘What will happen to our town?’ shouted someone.
‘There is no reason to believe that we are finished. What is certain is that our community is wounded and will never be the same again. I understand that some of you plan to move to Argentina but I’ll be staying here in San Blas, and I hope many of you will also stay here with me. The war is over. This is my home. I want to live my last years in peace. I have met a woman from Lago Verde and I intend to marry her.’
There was some loud murmuring which he quelled by raising his hand.
‘I know that some of you will object to her ethnicity but I don’t care anymore. I think it is time that we woke up and joined the twentieth century. We need more workers to make a success of the village and I propose to go to the mayor of Lago Verde and organise some interviews. Is there anyone who objects?’
No one spoke.
‘Okay, I’m going to take that as a yes. We’ll have a service on Sunday for Boris and Kurt and I would be grateful if the memorabilia could be discrete as the police may still be here spying on us.’
‘Thank you and for the last time, Heil Hitler.’
***
Sam was a bit overwhelmed. Needing a minute to herself, she left them in Gloria’s room and went to sit in the stairwell. So, she wasn’t pregnant. She wasn’t sure how she felt. Relieved probably, definitely actually. Thank God. She expelled the air she felt like she had been holding in her lungs for weeks and laughed. That was close. If she ever made up with Simon, she was going to make him wear a condom as well as taking the pill. No more heart-stopping panics for her. And would she take him back? She wasn’t sure. It wasn’t his fault that he panicked when she rang him out of the blue. He would probably be waiting at the airport with flowers, and she did enjoy their reconciliations. She would make him beg, though.
***
The reaction to the article in the Miami Herald was instantaneous. Suddenly, Ramon Vega was famous. He was invited to speak on the important talk shows in America. Larry King Live and CNN news invited him for interviews and he was feted from pillar to post. Women were falling over themselves to help him get over the trauma of his near incineration. He took full advantage of the therapy that they offered, reasoning that one should never look a gift horse in the mouth. It was exhausting being in the public eye. He flew first class and stayed in the best suites. Money poured into his bank account. Publishing houses begged him to write a book, or several. Nazis were, as Guido Luna had remarked, irresistible copy for journalists. Ramon had always imagined that this was what he wanted but when a woman bribed her way into his hotel room and was lying naked on his bed covered in sushi, he realised that too much of anything is boring. That is not to say that he did not eat the sushi, which was lukewarm, and ravish the woman, who was not, but he came to the realisation that he wanted to go home. He rang Alfredo.
‘Hello, old friend.’
‘Hello, you reprobate. Aren't you supposed to be dead?’
‘Reports of my demise were greatly exaggerated.’
‘I hear that you’re famous.’
‘Well, you know, a bit.’
‘Where are you now?’
‘I’m at the airport.’
‘Which airport?’
‘Miami. I’m coming home to Calderon. I thought you might put me up for a while as some bastard burnt my house down.’
‘I’m pretty sure that you can live in Gloria’s flat for the time being. She’s moving in here with me.’
‘Wow! Congratulations. Any reason for the hurry?’
‘I’m going to be a father.’
‘Brilliant! What does Senor Sanchez think?’
‘He thinks we’d better get married straight away. And I agree, not that I was given a choice.’
‘You’re getting hitched? Do I know the best man?’
‘I believe he’s on his way from Miami. By the way, what time do you arrive?’
***
When she got back to Calderon there was only one thing on Sam’s mind. She rang Hannah.
‘Hello, it’s me.
‘Oh, hi, Sam. How are you doing? How’s Sierramar?’
‘Is there someone with you?’
‘No, that’s the television. I’ll turn it down.’
‘Since when is the television in your bedroom?’
‘I meant the radio. How are you anyway? Any news?’
‘I’m not pregnant if that’s what you are asking.’
‘Oh, what a relief! You must be relieved.’
‘Well, yes, I guess so. The mind plays funny tricks on you. I had my period at last.’
‘How is Gloria?’
‘Oh, she’s pregnant and she’s getting married.’
‘What? I distinctly remember you telling me that she couldn’t have children. How did that happen?’
‘The doctors don’t know. They say it’s a miracle.’
‘Who on earth would marry Gloria?’
‘Alfredo. He’s blissfully happy.’
‘You mean drunk, don’t you? Wasn’t he missing?’
‘Not any more. He’s back with us and he asked Gloria to marry him.’
‘Your friends are completely bonkers. Don’t stay too long or you will end up like them.’
‘The wedding is next week. I’m planning on coming home when they leave on honeymoon.’
‘Oh, great, that will be wonderful.’
‘Hey, don’t sound so enthusiastic then.’
‘No, sorry, I was distracted. That’s great news. I’ll ring Mum and Dad and let them know.’
‘Okay, I gotta go. See you soon.’
‘Bye.’
Hannah rolled over in bed to face Simon, who had heard every word and was ashen -faced.
‘Oh God, she’s coming home.’
<<<<>>>>
Thank you for reading my book. If you enjoyed it, won’t you please take a moment to leave me a review at your favourite retailer?
Thank you
PJ Skinner
Other Books in the Series
Fool’s Gold - Book 1 Permafree
Newly qualified geologist Sam Harris is a woman in a man's world - overlooked, underpaid but resilient and passionate. Desperate for her first job, and nursing a broken heart, she accepts an offer from notorious entrepreneur Mike Morton, to search for gold deposits in the remote rainforests of Sierramar.
With the help of nutty local heiress, Gloria Sanchez, she soon settles into life in Calderon, the capital. But when she accidentally uncovers a long-lost clue to a treasure buried deep within the jungle, her journey really begins. Teaming up with geologist Wilson Ortega, historian Alfredo Vargas and the mysterious Don Moises, they venture through the jungle, where she lurches between excitement and insecurity. Yet there is a far graver threat looming; Mike and Gloria discover that one of the members of the expedition is plotting to seize the fortune for himself and is willing to do anything to get it. Can Sam survive and find the treasure or will her first adventure be her last?
The first book in the Sam Harris Series sets the scene for the career of an unwilling heroine, whose bravery and resourcefulness are needed to navigate a series of adventures set in remote sites in Africa and South America. Based on the real-life adventures of the author, the settings and characters are given an authenticity that will connect with readers who enjoy adventure fiction and mysteries set in remote settings with realistic scenarios. Set in the late 1980's themes such as women working in formerly male domains, and what constitutes a normal existence, are examined and developed in the context of Sam's constant ability to find herself in the middle of an adventure or mystery. Sam's home life provides a contrast to her adventures and feeds her need to escape. Her attachment to an unsuitable boyfriend is the thread running through her romantic life, and her attempts to break free of it provide another side to her character.
You can download this book free at your favourite retailer. Please go to the PJSKINNER website for links.
Coming Soon
The Star of Simbako - Book 3 - Summer 2018
The third book in the Sam Harris Series sees Sam Harris on her first contract to West Africa to Simbako, a land of tribal kingdoms and voodoo.
After discovering that her boyfriend Simon has finally gone too far, intrepid geologist Sam Harris takes a job in Simbako looking for diamonds in the Paramount Chiefdom of Fona. Torn between her attraction to Ned, and her distraction by Fergus, Sam makes a friend in Adanna, daughter of the Paramount Chief and meets her match in the formidable Fatimata and her grumpy parrot. A lost diamond, missing husbands, an unclean heiress and a chief who is too British for his chiefdom, Sam has to deal with all of this while suffering an attack of cerebral malaria and nursing a heart lurching between break and burst.
This book is based on visits made to the Paramount Chiefdoms of West Africa. Despite being nominally Christian communities, Voodoo practices are still part of daily life out there. This often leads to conflicts of interest. Combine this with the horrific ritual of FGM and it makes for a potent cocktail of conflicting loyalties. Sam is pulled into this life by her friend, Adanna, and soon finds herself involved in goings on that she doesn’t understand.
You can pre-order this book at your favourite retailer. Please go to the PJSKINNER website for links.
Connect with the Author
If you would like updates on the latest in the Sam Harris Series or to contact the author with your questions please click on the following links:
Website: www.pjskinner.com,
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About the Author
The author has spent 30 years working as an exploration geologist managing remote sites and doing due diligence of projects in more than thirty countries. During this time, she has been collecting tall tales and real-life experiences which inspired her to write the Sam Harris Series chronicling the adventures of a female geologist as a pioneer in a hitherto exclusively male world. PJ has worked in various countries in South America and Africa in remote, strange and often dangerous places and loved every minute of it despite encountering her fair share of misogyny and other perils. She is now writing these fact-based adventure books from the relative safety of London but still travels all over the world collecting data for her writing.
The Sam Harris Series will appeal to lovers of romance and adventure and has a unique viewpoint provided by Sam, a female interloper in a very male world, as she struggles with alien cultures and failed relationships. Book two in the series is due to be published in March 2018 and Book three by Q4 2018.
The author is also working on two other new books, one of which, Rebel Green, is based on her childhood in Ireland.