The old man’s eyes narrowed, his bushy eyebrows practically touching above his blade of a nose. “Yes, they were asking about three people who match your description. I told them we knew nothing about you, but they didn’t believe me.” The man lifted his cane and pointed it at them. “They said you were escaped prisoners and that you are armed and dangerous.”
“We are armed,” Wyatt told him honestly, “but we’re not dangerous. You have my word.”
“We’re simply trying to get home,” she said, her voice cracking on the last word.
Her show of emotion seemed to do the trick. The old man nodded and ordered the others to drop their spears.
“I believe you,” he said. “The others were not trustworthy.”
“Do you have a phone we can use or some way to contact help?” Wyatt asked.
The old man shook his head. “We don’t have much and the men burned my home to the ground, but you are welcome to stay as long as you need. We will provide you shelter.”
Though there were bad people, as in all countries, most of the citizens of Santigo were extremely generous, willing to share their meager possessions. She was sad that she wouldn’t be able to help more of them.
“That’s very kind of you,” Amelia told him, “but we don’t want to put your villagers at risk.” The thought of sweet, kind Father Juan lying in a shallow grave in front of his church flashed through her head and a wave of sorrow crashed over her. She cleared her throat. “Have you heard of Doctors International?”
“Yes. They come to our village often.”
“Do you know of Manos Curativas?”
“I don’t know that name, but there is a hospital several kilometers away.”
“Can you tell us how to get there?” Wyatt asked.
“No one from the village has been there but I can get you close.”
After he gave them directions, they thanked him and bid the group farewell.
“Did he know how to get to the hospital,” Ryan asked once they were back on the path.
“He knew of one, but he’d never been there. He gave us general instructions. Hopefully we’ll be there before nightfall.”
Chapter Twenty
Maggie McQueen punched the off button on her phone and dropped it to her desk. The call had gone directly to Amelia’s voicemail—again. She’d tried for five days to contact her best friend to no avail. At first, she wanted to tattle on Wyatt for skipping out on his physical therapy. It would be fun to watch the fireworks when Amelia tore into him for neglecting his rehab. Now she just wanted to hear her friend’s voice.
She knew Santigo was a poverty-stricken country with limited resources, especially in the rainforest, but it wasn’t like they were on a different planet. The phones worked since Amelia called her once her plane landed and had even sent a photo. That was the last she’d heard from her. It was as if she’d disappeared into thin air.
Spinning to her laptop, she accessed the website for Doctors International and found the number for the headquarters in Atlanta. When a receptionist answered, she explained that she was trying to reach someone at the hospital where Amelia had been stationed. She was connected to a manager.
“This is Mallory. How may I help you?”
“Hi Mallory. I’m trying to reach a friend who’s been assigned to Manos Curativas in Santigo in South America. Can you give me the number for the hospital?”
“I’m sorry, the hospitals don’t have landlines, but the doctors and nurses have cell phones. I can give you the number for the head nurse, Ieshia Dorsey. She’s a permanent resident.” Mallory recited the number and Maggie scribbled it on a notepad. “I can tell you that the cell reception in Santigo isn’t the greatest, especially in the rainforest where Manos Curativas is located.”
So she’d discovered. “Thank you, Mallory. I’ll give Ms. Dorsey a call.”
As soon as she hung up, she dialed the number, but it kicked instantly to voice mail, too. Maybe there was a problem with the cell reception. Towers might be down or something. There had to be a reasonable explanation why she couldn’t contact either Amelia or Ms. Dorsey.
Grant Colton and Sawyer Oldham passed by her door. She called out to the two men and they back pedaled, coming to a stop.
“What’s up, Mags?” Grant asked.
“You spent time in Santigo during your SEAL days, didn’t you?”
“I did,” Grant confirmed. “Why?”
“That’s where Amelia is stationed for her mission with Doctors International. I heard from her when she landed a week ago, so I know she arrived safely, but I haven’t been able to contact her since.”
“Maybe something’s up with cell service around the world,” Sawyer mused. “I haven’t been able to contact Wyatt either. He’s gone dark.”
“When was the last time you spoke with him?”
“The day he left. He said he’d check in but didn’t. I’ve been trying to track him down to no avail.”
Maggie was getting a weird feeling about this. There were definite sparks between Wyatt and Amelia, even if neither one wanted to admit it. What if the friend Wyatt decided to visit was Amelia? Now they were both incommunicado.
“We were headed to the bat cave to see if they could trace his phone,” Grant told her.
“I’ll come with.” Maggie hopped up from her chair. “Maybe they can trace Amelia’s phone, too.”
“Let’s take the elevator.” Grant pushed the down button. “It’ll be quicker.”
“Where did you say Wyatt went?” Maggie asked as the doors swished open and they loaded into the lift.
“I didn’t because he wouldn’t tell me,” Grant said. “I have no idea where he is right now.”
“He was being very cryptic,” Sawyer agreed. “I got the feeling he was headed to hook up with a woman, but he was tight-lipped.”
Maggie’s eyes widened. “Do you think he went to Santigo to see Amelia?”
Both Grant and Sawyer looked skeptical. “Why would he go see her when she’s put him through hell since the accident,” Sawyer asked.
Maggie slammed her hands on her hips. “She did not put him through hell. She was rehabilitating him, so he’d heal and recover.”
Grant chuckled. “Well, her tactics were brutal. I can’t count the times he asked me to lie and say I hadn’t seen him when she asked.”
“He’s better, isn’t he?”
Grant held up his hands. “I’m not questioning her tactics, Mags. I think Amelia’s awesome.”
“I think there’s something going on between them,” she proclaimed. “Even though she flat denied it when I asked,” she added under her breath.
“Why do you think that?” Sawyer asked.
“Because I went looking for her one night and I found her coming out of Wyatt’s room. She said she was checking on him, but she was blushing. I’ve been watching them together since and I’m telling you, there are definite sparks.”
“He’s never said anything to me.” Sawyer looked at Grant. “What about you?”
“No, and he usually tells me about his hookups.” Grant looked thoughtful. “That would explain why he was so evasive about where he was headed.”
The door opened in the sub-level where the cyber experts worked their magic. It was like stepping onto the deck of the Starship Enterprise with all the computers and screens covering the walls and taking up space on every available surface. Normally they’d go straight to Tyler Redmond, but he was away on his honeymoon. He tied the knot with the love of his life, jewelry designer Lyra Kee. Instead, they headed directly to the big boss.
Peter Dennis looked up from a monitor when they approached and turned down the rock music that drifted from surround sound speakers. His high-tech office was a computer expert’s dream space. “Hey guys, what’s up?”
“We’re having trouble getting in touch with both Amelia and Wyatt. Can you trace their phones for us?”
“Isn’t Amelia in Santigo for Doctors International?”
&nbs
p; Maggie nodded. “I talked to her when she arrived a few days ago, but I haven’t heard from her since. She hasn’t answered any of my texts and when I try calling, it instantly kicks to voice mail. She hasn’t returned my calls, either.”
Peter swung his chair around to face a monitor. The same images were projected onto one of the several screens on the wall. “Let’s see what’s up.” His fingers flew over the keys as windows popped up and disappeared so quickly, it made Maggie dizzy. “Hum.”
Instantly alert, Maggie peered over Peter’s shoulder. “What does that hum mean?”
“Dr. Howell’s phone has been inactive for eight days.”
“Can you tell if it’s shut off or just out of cell range?”
“Shut off,” Peter confirmed. “The last known location was Santigo, but with it off, it’s untraceable.”
Fear settled in her stomach. “What about Wyatt?” They were together, she could feel it in her bones.
More tapping of buttons and sliding of windows. Peter sat back against his chair. “Wyatt’s phone is inactive, too.”
“Can you pinpoint his last known location?” Grant asked.
“I can. It was six days ago, and…that’s strange.” Peter spun his chair to face them. “It looks like he was in Santigo, too.”
Maggie’s instincts were spot on. Wyatt did go to visit Amelia. But where were they now?
“Wyatt was in Santigo six days ago?” Grant looked at her. “You were right. He did go to see her.”
“I can’t believe he didn’t tell me,” Sawyer groused. He clapped a hand on Peter’s shoulder after he’d spun back around to his screen and started tapping keys. “Pete, I need you to trace his watch.”
“Already on it. I can tell you he hasn’t activated his agent in distress alarm, so he’s probably fine.”
“Maybe they wanted alone time,” Grant supplied.
Maggie shook her head. “No way would Amelia take off when she just arrived on the job. She’s not like that. She takes her responsibilities seriously.”
Peter’s fingers stopped abruptly, and he let out a curse. “That’s not good.”
“What?” the three asked in unison.
“His watch is inactive, too.”
“How’s that possible?” Maggie asked. “I thought the trace was always on, even if the battery died.”
“It is, unless the watch was damaged somehow. The only other reason it would be offline is that someone else has it.”
“What do you mean?”
“It automatically deactivates when someone other than the owner takes possession of it so that it can’t be manipulated. Kind of like a kill switch.”
“Can you trace one more number for me.” Maggie recited the number for Ieshia Dorsey.
“Inactive as of eight days ago,” Peter responded.
“Is there any way to tell if cell reception is down?”
“Let me check the towers in the area.” Tap, tap, tap. “No reported outages anywhere in the country.”
“Amelia leaves for Santigo on a humanitarian mission and disappears eight days ago. Wyatt takes a mysterious trip to Santigo and disappears six days ago. Not a coincidence,” Grant insisted, echoing Maggie’s thoughts exactly.
“But where are they now?” Sawyer asked.
Maggie’s gaze moved from Peter to Grant to Sawyer. “How can two people disappear without a trace?”
Chapter Twenty-One
A hot, steamy bath overflowing with bubbles. The fragrant scents of lavender and vanilla wafting invitingly from the water. A full glass of chilled Cabernet Sauvignon. Lyrical music strumming softly in the background. Candlelight dancing off the ceramic tiles. Wyatt naked, his big muscular body glistening as he reclined across from her in the tub.
In the next room, a king-sized bed awaited with the covers turned down enticingly. More candles were placed strategically around the room, providing a warm, romantic glow.
Amelia was so lost in her fantasy she didn’t realize Wyatt had stopped until she slammed into his back. Ryan managed to pull up before he crashed into her.
“What is it, Wyatt?”
“I see buildings up ahead.”
They’d been following the route the elderly man had given them, not knowing which hospital they’d come across since Doctors International operated more than one in the area. It didn’t matter which one they came to first. Once they reached civilization, they would be able to call for backup.
Amelia hoped to never step foot in Santigo again.
She craned her head around him and spotted the structures he was talking about. It wasn’t a hospital, but another village. Her heart started to pound faster. It looked like the one she and Marin visited her first day in Santigo.
She scooted around him. “I know this place. I’ve been here before.”
Wyatt’s head snapped to her. “You have?”
She nodded slowly. “I think so. I recognize the layout of the huts and the setting. I’m pretty sure this is where we delivered the baby my first day here.”
She searched the surrounding area, hoping to spot Cosi, the little boy whose mother gave birth, running around. As if conjured by her thoughts, a group of children darted across the clearing, laughing and squealing, playing some version of tag.
Amelia rushed forward.
“Amelia, wait,” Wyatt made a grab for her, but she evaded his grasp. “Cosi?”
The little boy stopped in his tracks and turned at the sound of his name. A huge smile lit his face and he ran forward, arms outstretched.
She crouched down to his level to hug him. “How are your mother and baby sister doing, Cosi?”
“They are good, but she cries. A lot,” he sighed with an exaggerated roll of his eyes. He motioned with his fingers. “Come see.”
She almost took a header when he tugged her hand. Wyatt grabbed her shoulders to keep her from face planting into the dirt and helped her to her feet. “Cosi, wait.”
He stopped and turned with a questioning look.
“Cosi, have there been any men visiting your village in the last few days?”
His face scrunched up and he shook his head. “No.”
Good. Maybe that meant the gang took a different route. “What about Ms. Mari or any of the other doctor or nurses. Have they been around?”
“No. No one has been here.”
Wyatt leaned close to whisper, “Just because they haven’t been here doesn’t mean they won’t come.”
“Right. Cosi, these are my friends Wyatt and Ryan.”
Cosi waved and both men waved back.
“What happened to you?” he asked Ryan.
“I uh, fell down.”
“Ouch,” Cosi sympathized.
“Cosi, we need to get to the hospital as soon as possible but I don’t remember how to get there. Can you take us?”
His head bobbed up and down. “Yes.”
He took her hand and began leading them through the forest. With the exuberance of youth, he leapt over downed trees and skipped ahead, setting a scorching pace that angered her numerous blisters.
“Cosi, wait.” He stopped mid skip. “Us old folks can’t run as fast as you. Can you slow down?”
White teeth flashed in his face and he nodded. Then he hunched over and staggered slowly as if he was an old man.
“Very funny, Cosi,” she said with a smile. He smiled back and continued forward.
They’d travelled about a mile when Wyatt called for Cosi to stop. He switched to English so the young boy couldn’t understand what he was saying. “We don’t know what we’ll find at the hospital. If no one’s cleaned up the carnage and the bodies are still there, it could be a disturbing scene.”
“The gang might be waiting for us, too,” Ryan pointed out.
Amelia waved Cosi over. “Cosi, when we get close, I want you to point us in the direction of the hospital and then I want you to go back to your home. Okay?”
He lifted a shoulder in a shrug. “Okay.” He started down the trail
again and they followed.
Her breathing sped up with each step, knowing they were close. It seemed like they’d been walking through the rainforest for months instead of days. Knowing they were about to reach civilization was euphoric. Hope, that state of mind that deserted her, returned full force. Even the bleeding blisters were forgotten.
Cost stopped and pointed through the trees. “The hospital is over there.”
She could see the building. “Thank you, Cosi.” Amelia hugged him.
“Thanks, little dude.” Wyatt held out his fist for a bump, but that gesture must not have made it to the remote part of Santigo. Cosi stared at him curiously. Wyatt switched to a high five and the boy’s face lit. He jumped up to slap Wyatt’s hand.
“Why did you make a fist?”
“This is how we greet friends in the United States.” He positioned Cosi’s hand and then bumped his against it.
Cosi’s giggles rang out. “That’s fun!”
“You can even add to it.” He bumped Cosi’s fist again and then added Kai Costa’s favorite explosion on the end with his fingers opening wide and twitching, complete with sound effects. That made Cosi double over in laughter. Then he kept wanting to repeat the moves over and over with Wyatt.
Something in the vicinity of Amelia’s uterus contracted. He was so good with kids. A natural. And they adored him. He would make beautiful babies. A longing tugged at her so hard, she took a step back. She wanted to be the mother of his blond haired, blue eyed children.
#
Wyatt ruffled Cosi’s hair. The boy batted his hands playfully and then pointed to Wyatt’s head.
“Oh, you like my lid? Cool, huh?”
Cosi nodded wide-eyed and held out his hand.
Bloody hell, it was his favorite hat. But this brave young man had gone above and beyond, guiding three strangers through the often-dangerous jungle. He lifted the hat from his head and placed it on Cosi. The little boy looked as if he’d been given a precious gift. He snugged it on tight and with one last fist bump, he moved to Ryan and went through the routine with him. Then with a huge wave, he scampered away.
Without a Trace Page 20