by Rula Sinara
“That actually sounds like a brilliant idea,” Kesi said. “Your sleep time would be more flexible, too. We’d be willing to pitch in. Between Mugi, Mac and I, you’d have solid help in any subject.” Bringing up sleep time showed that Kesi definitely understood teens.
“And that would give me the chance to also teach you those other things we talked about.” Mugi grinned. Everyone was agreeing and helping to convince him. Except Tessa. She just listened, lips parted as she nervously scratched the back of her hand.
“I know leaving your friends back home won’t be easy,” Mac said.
“I don’t want to leave them. There’s no one to hang out here my age,” Nick blurted, then lowered his chin so his hair fell across his face. As if it wasn’t dark enough outside.
“You have me there. But we could visit everyone at Busara and you could get involved with teen student initiatives in the area. A lot of older kids work together online and meet up at various lodges to organize public awareness campaigns and fund-raise to save certain species. There’s even a group of teens who meet up at Hodari. If you’re interested. Or perhaps you could run a sort of ‘kid camp’ here. You seem to have a knack for teaching this survivalist stuff. I don’t have all the answers, but we could do this as a trial.”
Nick shrugged again and sat a little straighter. “Sure. Maybe.”
“Ben, who you met at Busara, lives with his wife and children in Nairobi. He could help us pick a regular high school out there and I’ll figure out how to get you back and forth daily or ask if you can stay with them during the week and return here on weekends. We can work things out however you prefer,” Mac said.
“Nick.” Tessa spoke up for the first time. “I’m not abandoning you. I’d come and visit. It’s just, like Mac said, I have to take care of some things in my life right now. I think you’d be happier hanging out with Mac.”
There he had it. She still wanted to drop Nick off and leave like she’d originally planned.
“Yeah, I guess being here, at least for a while, would be cool,” Nick said, jerking his hair out of his face and sitting straight. “Aunt Tessa?”
“Yes?”
“I wish you could stay, too.”
* * *
TESSA BARELY SLEPT that night.
It had been hard keeping up appearances with the Lagats and the Johnsons, acting like everything was normal, especially after Mac and Nick returned from their flight to spot Bakhari. She still couldn’t believe he’d hidden Brice’s message from her. Oh, and then there was Nick. Nick, who’d given her such a hard time. The same kid who she was so sure couldn’t stand her had taken her by surprise and almost made her cry. She tossed and turned in her tent, tried to put it all out of her head. Things were settled. That was good. Nick was safe here.
Her life was a mess. He didn’t need any part of it.
Despite her troubled sleep, Tessa woke full of determination. She stuffed everything she’d brought into her backpack and looked around to be sure she hadn’t forgotten anything. Mac and Nick had gone up again in the chopper to help one of the park’s newer research camps spot a herd of rhinos they were tracking. Mac had also promised to go to Busara and take Anna up for some overhead observations of the elephant herds. Nick was excited about going with him again. The kid seemed to have found motivation and purpose.
This was it. She hated taking advantage of the fact that they were gone, but she had to do this. Last night, the Johnsons had asked if Mugi could drive them back to Hodari Lodge so they’d get more out of their one-night stay. Taking the jeep back would give them a chance to see the Serengeti from ground level. It would take longer to get there, but Tessa couldn’t pass up the chance at a ride back.
And Brice would be expecting to find her there.
She jogged to the cottage in time to find the Johnsons wrapping up their breakfast and getting their children ready for the jeep ride. She didn’t care if it was a tight fit. She’d offer to have one of the twins sit in her lap if she had to. Shoot, she’d hang onto the back like ostrich bait.
“Hey, everyone. Good morning,” she said.
“Good morning,” Kesi greeted her, along with the others. “Hungry?”
“No, not really, thanks. I’ll take a banana.” She grabbed one off the table still set up outside. “So, would it be okay if I squeezed into the jeep with you?” she asked the Johnsons.
Mr. Johnson shrugged and glanced at his wife. She didn’t seem bothered.
“It’s fine with us. If the twins don’t drive you mad,” he warned.
“I don’t mind them at all. They’re great.”
“Can I talk to you inside a minute, Tessa?” Mugi asked.
“Of course.”
“We’ll be right back,” Kesi told the Johnsons.
Tessa followed them inside. What should she tell them? She hated lying. They’d been so good to her.
“I wonder how Mac and Nick are doing,” she said, hoping to both deflect and make sure they weren’t already on their way back from their aerial search. “They left pretty early.”
“You can radio and ask.”
“That’s okay. I’d just be bothering them and they’ll probably say they’re fine even if they’re staring down a rhino’s nostrils.” Tessa almost added, “Like father, like son.” “Like uncle, like nephew” didn’t have the same ring, even if it fit. Team NickMac. She was glad. Worried, yes, she always would be, but she knew Nick would be safest with Mac. It was why she was confident with her plan to leave. She tried to keep her tone light. “You know how they are.”
“Yes, but where do you think you’re going this morning?” Mugi asked. “You’re supposed to stay here and be safe until we hear more. Mac didn’t say anything to us about you leaving. Does he know?”
Funny how fast a lie could brew up when someone was desperate. She had to be careful, though. Mugi could easily call Mac.
“Actually, I spoke to Ben Corallis. He said he needs to meet with me in person to discuss the contents of the drives and the next step. He asked me to leave Mac out of it because he’d made it clear, back at Busara, that he wouldn’t let me get involved in helping. You know how he is. And given he’s piloting that tin can with Nick in it, I’d rather he not be distracted. I’ll be fine. I’m simply going to go up for a meeting. Ben asked me to keep it quiet, but I owe you two an explanation and there you have it.”
“I personally agree with Mac,” Kesi said. “Don’t do anything dangerous. Why can’t this Ben come down here?”
Think. Think.
“He said there are some other officials who need to talk to me, as well. And I think I mentioned that you had guests here at the time. If you ever meet him, you’ll understand that he calls the shots. You know how important getting to the bottom of this is. In fact, we should get going soon.”
“I’ll wait at Hodari Lodge and bring you back when you’re done, then,” Mugi said.
“Oh. He said it could take a while but that he’d already made arrangements for me.”
Mugi gave Kesi a skeptical look.
“Okay. Let’s head out,” he finally said.
Tessa gave Kesi a hug.
“Thank you for everything.”
“Why does that sound like goodbye?” Kesi asked.
“It was just a thank-you, Kesi. You deserve them daily.”
And yes, there was a goodbye in it because depending on how things went at Hodari, there was a good chance she wouldn’t be coming back.
* * *
MAC CHECKED THE forecast on his radio and adjusted his course and speed to stay ahead of the storm that was approaching. After he and Nick had helped Anna with her data collection, they ended up staying a few hours at Busara. It was Nick who’d asked if they could. Part of that may have been because of Pippa and Haki—hanging around younger kids and ac
ting like a role model seemed to be a real confidence-booster for him—and part of it, Mac guessed, was because he seemed genuinely interested in the elephant orphans. Like he identified with them and wanted to be sure they were well and adjusting to their new family and situation. It was a good thing, though it did tear Mac up a little inside.
It wasn’t until were well on their way back to Jamba that dark clouds had eclipsed the sun. The rainy season didn’t start here until at least the end of October and into November, but if a random storm came through late summer, it was a gift. This one apparently wanted to get a head start on the wet season. Mac routinely checked forecasts, but weather, as much of a blessing as it could be, also had an unpredictably cruel side. The last thing Nick needed was to be reminded of his parents’ plane crash. He’d been doing surprisingly well with the helicopter flights, but he’d never hit air turbulence in one. If Tessa found out their coordinates with respect to the storm right now, she’d kill him.
His detour took them over shrubs and trees that made landing prohibitive. He’d dealt with rough weather patterns before. He could do this. But flying alone was one thing. Carrying precious cargo really did a number on a man’s mind.
The chopper took a sudden drop, making Mac’s insides feel like a ten-car pile-up against his throat. Nick yelped as he grabbed for the closest surface. He’s all right. Focus on flying. He regained control but had all his senses on alert in case they hit more turbulence. Keep her steady.
“You okay, bud?”
“Yeah,” Nick said. More like squeaked.
“Hang on. There she is.”
Camp Jamba had never looked more beautiful. He landed just as the sky broke loose.
“You were brave up there. You did good,” he said. “Let’s get out of here.”
He and Nick ran through the mud and wind to the cottage and made it through the door as lightning snapped overhead.
“We were so worried!” Kesi rushed over with a towel as Mac and Nick hung their caps on the hooks by the door. She handed it to Nick, who began drying off.
“I’ve never been up during a storm. My parents said it was too dangerous. That was awesome,” Nick said.
Mugi tossed another towel to Mac. He didn’t look good.
“Everything okay? The Johnsons?” Mac asked. Had someone had an accident? His instincts went on full alert. Had something bad happened while he wasn’t available to fly anyone in for emergency care?
“The Johnsons are fine,” Mugi said. “I drove them back to Hodari and they got their fill of giraffes along the way. They said to pass their thanks on to you.”
“But something is wrong,” Mac insisted. He looked between Kesi and Mugi. Then it hit him. Tessa wasn’t there. He didn’t hear any puttering around the kitchen or any other sign of her. “Tessa. Is she sick? Is she in her tent?”
Mac had seen awful malaria cases, cholera and a slew of stomach infections. He’d worried that she had gotten sick that night when they found Nick. Rain began pattering against the ground outside and lightning flashed in their window. He started for the door.
“She’s not here,” Kesi said.
He stopped and turned.
“What do you mean she’s not here?”
“She’s gone. I drove her back to the lodge with the Johnsons.”
“She just left without saying goodbye to me?” Nick asked.
Kesi wrapped her arm around Nick.
“Honey, she said to tell you she’d be seeing you again soon and to enjoy your time with your uncle.”
Blood rushed to Mac’s head. She left? Why? What happened to staying safe?
“Why in the world would you take her there? I made it clear she was to stay here. We discussed what Ben said.”
Mugi threw his hands up in the air and stalked into their living room.
What was going on? Had she decided to give Brice the benefit of the doubt? Was her devotion to her vows more important than her trust and faith in Mac and their friendship, to the unconventional yet undeniable family they were forming with Nick? More important than stopping Brice’s criminal activity? Just as quickly as his face heated, it went cold. What if she did something stupid? Like trying to find out for herself if Brice was innocent or guilty.
“What did she say she was doing exactly?”
Kesi shook her head at Mugi.
“Tell him.”
“Speak up, Mugi. Both of you.”
“She said she spoke to Ben and he wanted to meet with her. Without you.”
“Without me? Why? I’m the one who brought him into all this.” Mac slammed his hand on a thin side table, then gripped his hair. “Was Ben there when you dropped her off?”
“I don’t know what Ben looks like, but yes, there was a man waiting at the door and she told me that was him, said goodbye and got out of the jeep. I was helping unload the Johnsons’ bags and she basically disappeared.”
“She said, when she was here, that Ben would arrange for her transportation back to Camp Jamba and that Mugi shouldn’t wait,” Kesi added in her husband’s defense. “We know you trust Ben.”
Nick stood staring at them all. He didn’t say a word. Mac went for their satellite phone, though his chances of getting through to Ben in a storm were slim. He tried, anyway. Nothing. He threw it on the couch.
“I need to talk to her. I need to go,” Mac said, reaching for the door. Mugi had it blocked in two strides.
“You’re not going anywhere in this weather. You know better than that,” he said, glancing pointedly at Nick.
Mac rubbed his eyes. Mugi was right. Mac had to put Nick first. Getting himself killed wouldn’t be a responsible move. It wouldn’t help anyone. Mugi glanced at Kesi over his shoulder, then back at Mac.
“If you want to see her, you’ll have to wait for the storm to pass.”
Mac understood that. What worried him was that, by then, it might be too late.
* * *
TESSA FINISHED DRYING her hair, brushed one side back and secured it with her new comb, which was fashioned with engraved, fake ivory and accented with pink, unpolished rubies. She studied her face in the framed mirror that hung in her room at the safari lodge, added a dab of lip gloss and straightened her back. She hadn’t felt this fresh in days. The bath had given her time to think. The water had solidified her resolve. The makeup and hair comb...well, what beauty touches didn’t boost a woman’s confidence? If only they were enough to calm her nerves.
You can do this. Get your life back. Just tell him you’re in this together. Convince him he can trust you from here on out. Tell him that you love him.
She held her breath, counted to ten, then let it go. One more check had her unbuttoning the top of her blouse and smoothing the back of her hair. The lingering humidity from the odd rain shower they’d gotten earlier kept making it frizz. She was tempted to throw it into a ponytail, but that would ruin the look. She was nervous. Picking on things. Brice wouldn’t care about her hair.
She’d make him not care.
She was beginning to empathize with Mac’s desperate need to leave the nest. Like a fledgling, he had to fly off and figure out who he was as an individual. He’d refused to be defined by his father or brother or by the fact that his mother had left him as a child. Tessa had been letting everything negative in her past define her. Mac had been so much braver than she was, and instead of trying to understand his choices at the time, she’d taken them personally. She’d been young and afraid.
But she wasn’t a kid anymore. As insecure about the entire situation as she felt, she was strong. She had to keep reminding herself of that. She’d made the decision to leave South Africa and she’d brought Nick this far. She wouldn’t let him make the same mistakes she had. She didn’t want him to let the loss of his parents define him. He needed Mac as a role model. So no matter what
happened today, she’d deal with the consequences. Even if it meant Mac never speaking to her or trusting her again.
She scanned the room to make sure everything was put away. Brice liked things clean and tidy. She smoothed the woven throw at the end of the bed and looked around again. She hated the creepy feeling of being watched. It made her wonder if hidden cameras had caught her stealing those flash drives at home. She shook the thought. Things were under control. None of that mattered anymore. She’d made a decision, risky as it was, and she was sticking with it. She sat on the edge of the bed to slip on the heeled sandals she’d purchased, along with the sundress, at one of the lodge’s gift shops at the last minute, then smoothed the bedspread where it had wrinkled under her.
He’d show up any minute now. He said four o’clock. It was 3:59. There was no turning back. What’s meant to be will be.
A deep, firm knock sounded against the solid wood of the door. She pressed her hand to her chest and took one last fortifying breath,then went to open it.
Brice stood there, dashing as ever in a suit and tie. He took a step in and placed his hands on her bare shoulders, then moved them up to her cheeks.
“Thank goodness you’re all right,” he said.
“Brice. I’m so sorry about everything. About thinking the worst. I’m so glad you’re okay and that you’re here now. I missed you.”
He ran his hands down her back, then drew her into a tight hug.
“I missed you, too, darling.”
CHAPTER ELEVEN
MAC COULDN’T HAVE landed at Hodari fast enough. He’d left several messages for Ben before leaving Jamba, but hadn’t been able to wait any longer to hear back.
He knew with every cell in his body that Tessa had lied about talking to Ben. He’d suspected that maybe Brice had somehow gotten to her, and when the storm passed he’d gone straight to his tent and found Brice’s note missing. That said it all.