Out of the Shadows

by Melanie Mitchell

  Leslie couldn’t help but like Bill Cooper. She patted his arm in a gesture of reassurance. “Have you taken any meds today?”

  “Just my cholesterol pill.” He seemed to be short of breath. “I didn’t bring my nitro pills with me.... Stupid, I know...but I haven’t had any problems in two years.”

  “Mr. Cooper, I can’t tell if you’re having a heart attack, but you’re obviously having angina, and your heart rhythm indicates some premature contractions.” Leslie took his blood pressure again and glanced at the monitor. “Are you allergic to any drugs?” He shook his head and closed his eyes. She rummaged in her bag and pulled out two small bottles. She handed him a tablet. “Here, chew this. It’s aspirin.” When he had finished chewing the pill, she handed him another. “Nitro. Under your tongue.” He nodded and obeyed.

  Ben made good time, and when they arrived at the airfield Bill Cooper’s pulse had slowed to almost normal and his color had improved. Charles Endebbi met them at the hangar, and he and Ben began to prepare the Cessna.

  Obviously impatient to be off, Justin Cooper left the confines of the Jeep to monitor the process, mostly staying out of the way. For the first time Leslie studied the younger man and noted that he was probably in his late thirties. He was of average height and solidly built, although not heavy like his father. He glanced anxiously back toward the Jeep. She climbed from the vehicle to try to reassure him. As she approached, Justin whipped around, and she got her first good look at him. His appearance was striking. His features were even and refined, and his dark hair, although thinning slightly, was nicely groomed.

  “Mr. Cooper, your father should be fine,” she said. “His heart rate and rhythm and blood pressure have stabilized, and you’ll be in Nairobi in less than two hours. Ben can call ahead and have an ambulance meet you and drive him to a hospital.”

  Justin Cooper’s light brown eyes flashed with intelligence and agitation. “You are coming with us, aren’t you?” It was as much a command as a question. His stare was intense.

  “I really don’t think that will be necessary. As I said, his condition has stabilized.” She frowned. “I’m needed here, and I couldn’t get back tonight because the airfield isn’t lighted—”

  “I don’t care! I’ll pay you to come with us. I’ll pay Murphy to fly you back tomorrow.” His attitude was unrelenting, and Leslie got the impression that he was used to getting his way.

  She straightened her shoulders. “Look, Mr. Cooper, it’s not about getting paid. I don’t work for money. If I thought your father needed me, I’d come. But I have responsibilities here.” Plus, she thought, she would have to endure Ben’s company, something she’d successfully avoided for the better part of a month. She blinked at that random thought—was that part of her hesitation?

  “Ms...er...Leslie, my father is a very important man. Insuring his well-being should be your primary responsibility.” As if to emphasize what he was saying, he placed both of his hands on her forearms and gave her a small shake.

  Leslie didn’t respond well to being bullied and was growing increasingly irritated. She took a deep breath in an attempt to control her temper. “I need to go assess him again. We’ll talk more in a minute.” She pulled away and hastily returned to the Jeep.

  * * *

  BEN FURTIVELY WATCHED the exchange between Leslie and Justin Cooper. Both Coopers, as he’d been informed several times during their brief acquaintance, were prominent lawyers from Seattle. Their clothing appeared costly, and both wore expensive watches that were inappropriate for the African bush. Either they hadn’t read the guidebook warnings about the high rate of theft of such items, or they didn’t care. He shrugged. Obviously they were wealthy enough to set their own agenda and hire charter pilots.

  For some reason he did not pause to examine, he was annoyed to witness what appeared to be an intense discussion between Leslie and Justin. Objectively, he knew the lawyer was good-looking, in a smarmy, refined kind of way. But he had an unmistakable air of superiority that grated on Ben. As he started to turn away, he saw Cooper grasp Leslie’s arms and hold her briefly. He was overcome by a wave of jealousy so powerful that he became light-headed. Without considering what he wanted to accomplish, he started toward them. He had taken a few steps in their direction when Leslie broke the contact and returned to the Jeep.

  Ben stopped abruptly and rubbed his hands over his face. What is wrong with you? he chided himself. Get your act together and get the man to Nairobi! He managed to refocus his attention and, ignoring the others for the time being, he helped complete preparations.

  At the Jeep, Leslie watched the heart monitor for a minute. The patient’s heart rate was down, but there were still some worrying irregularities. “Mr. Cooper, how are you feeling now?” she asked as she took his blood pressure.

  “The pain is definitely better, and I don’t feel quite as nervous or nauseous.”

  She turned as she heard someone approach. She expected Justin Cooper, but it was Ben.

  “How’s he doing?”

  “Better. His heart rate and blood pressure have improved, so he’s stable enough to travel.” She glanced from her patient to Ben, but when she saw the intensity in his green eyes, she blinked and looked away. “He definitely needs to get to a hospital as quickly as possible. Are you ready?”

  “Yeah.” He nodded, not taking his eyes from her face. “Let’s go.”

  “Uh...Ben, I’m not sure that it’s necessary for me...”

  “You’re kidding, right?” His voice was incredulous. “Get in the plane. I’ll assist Mr. Cooper. You should ride in the rear seat with him.” He turned his back to her and leaned toward the patient.

  “Wait just a minute!” She grabbed his arm and pulled him around. She dropped her voice. “Where am I going to stay? How will I get back?” She was startled to find that, standing this close, she was forced to lean back to meet his eyes. She did not recall his being that much taller than she was.

  He looked down at her hand on his arm and sighed. “Look. There’s a Hilton a couple of blocks from the hospital. You can stay there.” His eyes rose to latch onto hers. “And don’t worry. I’ll bring you back first thing in the morning.”

  Between Ben and Justin, it appeared that arguing was futile. Although she was confident that Mr. Cooper would make the trip with no further problems, Leslie conceded that it would be good for her to accompany him anyway—just in case. Reluctantly, she nodded and climbed into the plane.

  * * *

  TWO HOURS LATER, Bill Cooper was loaded into an ambulance and driven to Nairobi’s most modern hospital, the Aga Khan. Ben found a taxi, and the trio followed. At the hospital, Leslie accompanied her patient as he was evaluated by the staff, and soon he was whisked away to the coronary care unit, reportedly in stable condition.

  Leslie shifted the large canvas bag from one shoulder to the other as she made her way back to the hospital lobby to find Ben. Her work was done and she suddenly realized that she was tired and very hungry. It was nearing dusk, and she had not eaten since breakfast. She hoped to persuade Ben to stop for dinner before going to the hotel.

  “Leslie! Wait!” She turned to see Justin Cooper jogging toward her, skillfully dodging people in the crowded lobby.

  “Dad and I didn’t get a chance to thank you,” he said as he halted beside her. He took her hand in both of his; his light brown eyes were now warm and friendly. “The doctor said that his blood enzymes are good and that the nitro and aspirin probably prevented something really serious. If he does okay tonight, we’re going to fly to the States tomorrow or the next day.” His tone was sincere.

  Leslie smiled. “That’s great news. I’m just glad I was able to help.” There was an awkward pause, and she tried to remove her hand, but he didn’t let go. “I’ll try to stop by in the morning before we leave.”

  Justin’s eyes raked over her wi
th a new type of interest. This change in manner and the look in his eyes made her much more uncomfortable than his earlier arrogance had. “Say, why don’t I try to say thanks properly?” he asked. “We haven’t really had an opportunity to break the ice.” He smiled, revealing perfect white teeth. “Since we’re both stuck here for the night, how about a drink? And then we can talk about dinner.”

  “Uh, well...” His suggestion made her nervous. It sounded like a date and she hadn’t dated since Brian’s death. She looked down at her rumpled skirt and simple white blouse—her standard uniform for the clinic. “I don’t have a change of clothes,” she managed, fairly certain he wouldn’t be deterred by the excuse. On reflection, though, maybe dinner with Justin would work out. She was hungry, and she only had about twenty dollars worth of Kenyan shillings in the bag.

  Glancing toward the hospital’s entrance, she spotted Ben and waved to him with her noncaptured hand. He approached and gave a brief nod to Justin. Leslie was confused by Ben’s angry expression; she wasn’t sure what was wrong, but he didn’t look happy.

  Justin, too, was caught off guard by the intense glower in Ben’s green eyes. Feeling momentarily threatened, he dropped Leslie’s hand and took a step backward.

  Ben eyed them both before he concentrated on Justin. “How is Bill?” Despite his heated stare, his voice was mild.

  Leslie glanced uneasily from one man to the other. Although Ben seemed reserved, she sensed an element of menace directed toward Justin. She tried to deflect the tension by answering. “He’s going to be fine. Right now he’s in the coronary care unit, but Justin just told me that they’ll probably fly home either tomorrow or the day after.”

  Ben continued to watch the other man as he listened. Cooper nodded in agreement with her explanation but didn’t comment.

  Clearing her throat and wishing for enlightenment, Leslie turned to Ben and said, “Justin just mentioned going to get something to drink...and...well, maybe dinner.” She looked back at Justin and added, “We all need to eat.”

  Justin recovered quickly. With a short laugh he responded, “Yeah, sure. Murphy, you probably helped save Dad’s life. I guess I owe you dinner, too.”

  Probably? Leslie didn’t really like Ben, but there was no doubt that his quick decision to commandeer her, coupled with his ability to get Mr. Cooper to Nairobi in a short period of time, had been more essential to saving the man’s life than anything she had done. She blinked and glanced back at Ben, disconcerted to see that his attention was on her.

  Desperate to break the awkwardness of the situation, she took a breath. “Uh, Ben, you mentioned a hotel nearby. Could you help me check in? I’d like to wash up a little. Then perhaps we can meet Justin in an hour or so.”

  “Yeah. Sure. Actually, I’ve already gotten us both rooms at the Hilton.” Ben turned to their companion for a response.

  Justin gestured toward the bank of elevators across the lobby. “That should work. I need to check on Dad first.”

  “The hotel is a couple of blocks south and one block east of here,” Ben replied. “You can find it.” He motioned to the door. “Let’s go, Leslie.”

  Feeling as if she were being herded, Leslie gave Justin a friendly smile. “Then it’s settled. We’ll see you in about an hour in the lobby at the Hilton.”

  “I look forward to it.” Justin seemed to have tuned out Ben. His eyes skimmed over Leslie appreciatively, and his tone was more than a little flirtatious.

  Ben took her elbow and all but dragged her through the hospital exit. Leslie had to practically jog to keep up with him as he pulled her down the brick steps, away from the large building and onto the sidewalk.

  Finally, she slid to a stop. “Wait just a minute!” Making no attempt to hide her irritation, she tried to loosen her arm, but his grip did not slacken. Her canvas bag slipped off her shoulder, and she repositioned it.

  He wheeled around to face her and huffed, “What now?” His tone was just as irritated.

  Leslie took a few seconds to absorb the busy city avenue. The air was still warm outside, despite the darkening sky. The sidewalk was packed with people jostling about, and the street was crowded with cars, motorbikes and the ubiquitous matatus. Horns blared, signaling the displeasure of impatient drivers.

  She returned her attention to Ben. “Lighten up for a second, will you? Why did you pull me out the door like that?”

  “Leslie, he’s married!” Ben squeezed her arm and glared at her.

  She shook her head and gaped at him in confusion. “What?”

  “Cooper is married!” Ben was practically shouting.

  Leslie simply blinked. “Oh... Well, okay... So what?”

  “So what? He was coming on to you!” Ben finally let go of her but continued to glare.

  “No, he wasn’t!” she snapped back. “And even if he was, it’s none of your business!” Absently, she rubbed her arm. “And besides, how do you know he’s married?”

  “He was wearing a ring earlier. He probably took it off for your benefit!” Ben gestured toward her in an aggravated manner; his tone had quieted only slightly.

  Leslie glanced around and saw that they were attracting attention. She sighed and tried to calm them both. Softening her voice, she held up a hand in a motion of peace. “Ben, I don’t care. It doesn’t matter, except that I feel sorry for his wife. I just want to eat something and then go to bed.” She shrugged and added tiredly, “Look, I’ll never see him again... And besides, you’re coming with us.”

  Ben closed his eyes for a second and took a deep breath. “You’re right. Sorry. I guess I was bothered that you might fall for his line.”

  “You’ve got to be kidding!” Her exasperation welled up again. “I’ve seen you in action, Mr. I’ll-take-two-Frenchwomen-here-and-a-bleached-blonde-there! And you’re warning me about some guy I have absolutely no interest in?” She huffed her annoyance and barely avoided rolling her eyes. She could not believe his hypocrisy. How dare he suggest that she might fall for some sleaze or be interested in a married man?

  Ben rubbed his eyes with one hand and sighed. “Oh, hell.” His frustration evaporated. “Thanks for pointing out the irony.” Suddenly, and unexpectedly, he grinned. “You know, I could eat, too. And since Cooper is paying, steak sounds good.”

  The grin caught Leslie off guard. It was genuine, and it changed his face—in a way she liked. He wasn’t classically handsome like Justin, but he was extremely attractive. His green eyes glittered with mirth, and his expression was boyish. She was charmed despite her own misgivings.

  With a slight nod, she laughed as she commented, “As long as it’s not eland or Cape buffalo, that sounds like a plan. Lead the way.” She followed as he started up the street.

  CHAPTER EIGHT

  THE PAIR HAD COVERED about two blocks when Leslie fell a few steps behind Ben. The variety of people on the street fascinated her, and she slowed her pace to take in the sights, sounds and smells. Besides, Ben’s stride was long, and she was too tired to scamper along beside him. A number of vendors displayed all kinds of foods; some she recognized, some she didn’t, and some she regretted that she did. Did they really eat monkey? Other vendors showed clothing and sandals, one was selling small appliances, and several were hawking cigarettes.

  She was captivated by the schoolchildren in their colorful uniforms. Sometimes they tagged along behind parents, but many were in the custody of older siblings. She stopped and watched three small boys being herded by what appeared to be a bossy older sister. She was holding the hands of the two younger boys and trying to keep the oldest moving forward—not entirely successfully, as she had to repeatedly call to him to follow.

  Smiling, Leslie looked up and realized that Ben was nearly half a block ahead of her. She had taken a couple of quick steps in his direction, intending to catch up, when suddenly she was struck hard from behind
; the blow knocked her to her knees. A rough hand to her back shoved her farther down onto the dirty sidewalk, and her canvas bag was yanked from her shoulder.

  Stunned, she pushed up on her hands and knees just in time to see a skinny man running back toward the hospital clutching her bag. “Stop him!” Her first cry barely reached a few yards, but she jumped to her feet and started after the man, furious. Her second shout was much more effective. “Stop him! Stop that man! He has my bag!”

  She had taken only a few steps and was preparing to shout again when she was grabbed from behind, immobilized by two strong arms. A hand clamped over her mouth, and a voice growled in her ear, “No! Shut up!”

  Abruptly, anger transformed into terror, and she frantically tried to break away from the powerful grasp.

  “Stop it! Be still! It’s me!” Ben’s voice was insistent, spoken directly into her ear.

  She stopped struggling and jerked her head, trying to convey that she understood. He released her and she whirled to face him. Her anger returned, and she pointed in the direction of the hospital. “He stole my bag!”

  Since she had been looking at Ben rather than watching the thief’s progress, she missed what happened next. She heard loud yelling, followed by running feet, then the sounds of muffled groans and thuds. She turned toward the noise.

  “Damn it! Wait!” A low string of oaths came from Ben as he pulled her roughly back, trying desperately to turn her away from the melee. But he was too late—she had seen the mob and what they were doing. And despite Ben’s efforts to shield her, she could hear the noises coming from about a hundred feet away.

  A crowd of at least twenty men and women had descended on the thief. He was down on the ground, and they were taking turns kicking and punching him. In that brief glimpse, she saw that his eyes were closed and he was bleeding profusely from his mouth and nose.