by Lisa Harris
“The most important?” He hesitated. “I’m not sure.”
“Make sure you look both up and down.”
“Meaning?”
“Down to avoid any holes and snakes. Up to check for any unwelcome predators.”
She felt the muscles in his arm tense and suppressed a chuckle. She had no idea where her boss had found this guy, but cowboy or not, he seemed better qualified to lead a hoedown than a trek through the bush.
“Sounds like good advice.”
Moments later, she stopped at a rise in the terrain, where forest opened up into a narrow grassland. Even after eight months of working here, she’d yet to tire of the ever-changing landscape and animals that filled its terrain.
“It’s beautiful, isn’t it?” she said.
“Incredibly.”
The sun began to drop in the distance, painting the sky brilliant shades of orange and pink. Acacia trees, with their flat, green tops, sprinkled the horizon. Half a dozen giraffes walked gracefully across the far edge of the open veld.
She pointed toward the left. “Look down there, at the water hole.”
A family of elephants had gathered at the water’s edge, mamas and babies with their bulky forms casting gray shadows across the tall grasses. This was the one place in the world where she felt safe, alive and whole.
“Do you believe in God?”
He nodded at her question. “‘The heavens declare the glory of God and the skies his handiwork.’ It’s hard not to believe when you see things like this.”
She’d always felt the same way. Cell phones, the internet and email always managed to pull her in a million different directions. But standing here, in the quiet stillness of God’s creation, everything seemed to move back into perspective.
“Wait a bit longer until darkness settles in and the stars come out. There’s nothing like seeing the Milky Way and the Southern Cross light up the sky.”
They started walking again. “Do all of the assistants on your project get such personalized attention?”
She didn’t quiet her laugh this time as she looked up at him, wondering how he’d become the distraction that had almost erased the pain in her knee. “I can’t say that I’ve ever escorted a cowboy through the bush.”
Arm snug around her waist, those dark eyes with a hint of amusement in their depths, this particular cowboy looked incredibly appealing. But she brushed the thought aside. There was no way she was falling for this stranger. There was no way she was falling for anyone, because she’d yet to meet a man who made her feel worthy of being loved. Relationships weren’t for her, and that was that.
She dismissed the ridiculous train of thought. They continued walking. Twenty more minutes, thirty tops, and they’d be back at the lodge. In a couple more weeks, the job would be over, and she could send him back to Texas. Which was why, for now, it was time to change the subject.
“Have you ever been to South Africa before?”
“I visited once. Many years ago. My mother was from here.”
“So, coming here was more than just a job?”
“You could say that. I’ve always wanted a reason to return to my mother’s homeland.”
“You’ve piqued my interest.” She adjusted the grip of her hand around his waist. The fact that they had something in common surprised her. Her father had grown up in Kenya, the son of a missionary, so she’d learned early on the mysterious lure of the the African continent. “Tell me about yourself.”
“Me?”
“If we’re going to work together,” she said, “we might as well get to know each other. Where is your family from?”
“My father owns a ranch in West Texas, but many years ago, shortly after he passed the bar, his father arranged a hunting trip for him north of here near the Zimbabwe border. My mother’s father owned the game farm where they hunted. And as they say, the rest is history. They fell in love, had a whirlwind romance, and eventually they married and she followed him to the United States.”
“Romantic.”
“It was, but she died when I was twelve.”
“Do you miss her?”
“Every day.”
“Any sisters or brothers?”
“Three older sisters. My father never remarried. I don’t think he ever got over losing her. I think it’s your turn now. What about you?”
Meghan had realized the moment she’d asked him the first question she’d opened up a can of worms she’d prefer left closed. She loved her father, but their relationship had always been strained. It had been weeks since they’d talked and even longer since they’d seen each other. Explaining that to strangers was difficult.
“My story’s a bit more complicated.”
“Isn’t family always?”
She laughed. She liked him, which bothered her. And he was clearly worried and protective over her safety.
But none of that mattered beyond the short term. They had been nearly finished with their filming when Jared, her asssistant, came down with a life-threatening case of malaria. Once the filming was wrapped up and the edits finished, she’d never see Alex again.
She switched her mind back to his question. “I’m an only child. Boarding schools for junior high and high school, summers and vacations with my aunt in Southern California. There really isn’t much exciting about my life unless you want to start comparing who’s visited the most countries or eaten the weirdest food.”
“Deep-fried cantaloupe pie at the county fair is about all I have to offer.”
She wrinkled her nose. “I think I’d opt for a bag of barbecued Mopani worms before trying a slice of that.”
Alex laughed. Maybe the man was actually beginning to relax.
“You mentioned a lot of traveling. Where’s home?” he probed.
“I don’t really have one. My father’s an ambassador. I see him a couple times a year. I love him, but after my mother left him when I was fourteen, things changed between us. It wasn’t his fault, though. I don’t know a man alive who’d know how to deal with a moody teen while trying to save his part of the world.”
Meghan pressed her lips together, wondering why she was baring her heart to a man she’d just met. Even Kate didn’t know the details of her relationship with her father, and they’d known each other for months. “The lodge is just over the next ridge. We should be able to see the lights any moment now.”
“Tell me about this assignment you’ve been working on. I was given some details, but still would like to know more.”
She let out a sigh, thankful for the change in subject. “For starters, this is my first big assignment. As you probably already know, it’s a documentary in connection with the lodge and the reserve’s conservation program, the Chizoba Predator Project. For eight months, we’ve been tracking a lion family and documenting the dynamics within the pride. Now we’re waiting to take the final footage we need, when Kibibi introduces her cubs to their father. It should happen in the next couple weeks.”
Meghan stepped into a shallow hole along the path and felt her sore knee twist. She stumbled against him.
“You okay?”
“Yeah. I just need to be careful.” She tried to find her balance, then pulled back slightly from his steady grip. “The ground isn’t even, and the last thing I need is to sprain something else.”
“Make sure you look both up and down.”
“Very funny.”
He winked at her, only managing to intensify the ridiculous stir of her heart.
“We can stop here for a moment if you need to.”
She tried to take another step on her own, felt her knee give and had to press her hands against his chest for balance. He was too close, her emotions too near the surface. Talking about her father always brought with it turmoil from the past. And the handsome cowboy in front of her wasn’t helping.
She drew in a deep breath and tried to relax. Something wasn’t right. “Do you smell that?”
“What?”
“Cigare
tte smoke again.”
She’d always been sensitive to smells, making her certain this was the same scent she’d noticed earlier today. The same brand the poachers had left. They were out here somewhere. Planning. Tracking. Preparing for another strike. She was certain of it.
The roar of an engine jerked her from her thoughts. She turned toward the noise and felt her breath catch.
“Poachers.”
“Who’s being paranoid now?” He nudged her with his shoulder. “It’s probably just your friends coming to pick you up.”
“Maybe.” She pulled them off the trail and into the cover of the bush, waiting for the vehicle to emerge. He was probably right, but if not… “My paranoia stems from reality. There was something I didn’t mention earlier.”
“What’s that?”
“The last person who got in the poachers’ way was murdered.”
THREE
Meghan let her lungs release the air they’d been holding as soon as the familiar form of Samuel appeared in the disappearing light, driving one of the lodge’s vehicles. Relief spread through her. She’d been wrong. Which meant no more worrying tonight about poachers, wild predators…or needing Alex’s help.
She stepped back onto the trail as Kate jumped from the Jeep and threw her arms around Meghan’s neck.
“Whoa, careful.” Pain shot through Meghan’s knee as she fought to keep her balance. Alex grabbed her shoulders from behind to steady her, but she managed to hobble away from both of them to lean against the front bumper of the Jeep.
“What in the world happened to you?” Kate began. “I’ve been worried sick. I saw you jump into the other vehicle. I thought you were behind us, but by the time we circled around to check on you, you’d vanished.” Kate’s gaze shifted from Meghan’s bruised leg to Alex. “And who are you?”
“Kate, Samuel,” Meghan began. “Meet Alex Markham. He’s our new production assistant. Kate works with photography and editing, and Samuel’s one of the best trackers you’ll find in southern Africa.”
“Assistant?” Kate’s gaze narrowed.
“I am sorry about what happened earlier. I certainly didn’t mean to cause such a commotion.” Alex shot Kate a smile, then held out his hand. “It’s nice to meet you, Kate. Samuel.”
Any traces of frustration on Kate’s face disappeared. “It’s nice to meet you, too, Mr. Markham.”
“Call me Alex.”
“Okay…Alex.”
Meghan caught Kate’s gaze taking in Mr. Lone Star’s Stetson, boots, belt buckle and all his charm. She was actually fawning over the man.
Meghan shook her head. He was smooth. She’d give him credit for that. And attractive, if you liked the cowboy type. But the last thing she needed was another complication in her life.
“Yes, Kate, he’ll be picking up the slack for Jared.”
Her grin had yet to diminish. “Sounds good to me.”
“I am glad the two of you are safe, but what about your vehicle?” Samuel didn’t seem to notice Kate’s gawking stare. “I am assuming that since you are out on foot in the middle of the bush at dusk that something happened to it.”
“The brakes on the Jeep gave out,” Meghan told him.
“Is that when you hurt your leg?” Kate asked.
“Yes, I smashed it against the dash, but it’s nothing. Really.”
“I’m not sure about that.” Kate studied the bruise in what little light remained. “It’s already turning purple.”
“It’s nothing that a bag of ice and a couple pain pills can’t fix.”
“And the vehicle?” Samuel asked. “What is the damage there?”
“The front end’s banged up pretty badly. It’s wrapped around the base of a tree trunk.”
Samuel’s gaze narrowed. “You know Ian is not going to be happy about another big expense, but at least both of you are okay. That is what really matters.”
Meghan caught the concern in Samuel’s eyes.
“Meghan tends to be a bit accident-prone,” Kate began.
“What kind of accidents?” Alex asked.
“In case you didn’t notice, I can hear you both.” Meghan frowned as she set her camera down and climbed into the front passenger seat.
Kate slid into the backseat beside Alex. “It is true, Meghan. Either you’re accident-prone or maybe you’ve just had a string of bad luck lately—”
“It was nothing,” Meghan countered.
“What kinds of accidents?” Alex repeated.
“For one,” Kate began, “two days ago, the side of a hide collapsed while Meghan was inside studying our lion family. All joking aside, it actually could have been very dangerous.”
“It collapsed?”
Meghan caught the concern in Alex’s voice. “Kate. You shouldn’t have brought that up.”
“Why not?”
“Because our new assistant has a tendency to worry. He even implied that the brakes on the Jeep went out due to sabotage.” The guy was clearly a worrywart. She’d only added to the mess by mentioning the poachers to him. The idea that the poachers might come after her seemed stupid now. The man who’d been killed had been in the wrong place at the wrong time. The chances of it happening again were pretty much zilch.
“Sabotage?” Samuel headed back toward the lodge. “That does not seem very likely. It is far more probable that the owners are cutting back on costs and missed the vehicle’s last scheduled maintenance.”
“The owner’s facing financial issues?” Alex asked.
“No more than any other lodge when the world economy is down.”
“It’s one of the reasons he agreed to help with the documentary we’re working on,” Meghan added. “He’s hoping the added exposure will bring in more tourists. Kate and I blog, and post on Facebook and Twitter, everything we do, complete with videos and photos. People love it.”
“Have there been any other accidents?” Alex clearly wasn’t ready to drop the subject.
“Kate, I’m warning you. Say nothing. Because, Mr. Lone Star, as much as you seem to want there to be, there is no conspiracy going on here. In fact, our days are far less glamorous than most people think, and certainly not dangerous unless you count an occasional encounter with a pack of wild dogs or—like today—a run-in with a rhino. Most of our time is spent out in the bush waiting. No saboteurs, no encounters with poachers, no bad guys waiting in the wings.”
A moment later, the lights of the lodge came into view, hopefully putting an end to the conversation for good. Because all Meghan wanted now was a hot shower and a good night’s sleep.
She stood up and slid out of the Jeep before Alex or the others could react. “Thanks for the ride, Samuel. I appreciate your coming back for us.”
“Where are you going?” Kate asked.
“Back to my chalet. Once I get ahold of a bag of ice and some pain medicine, I plan on crashing. It’s been a long day.”
“I will talk to Ian about the vehicle and make sure it is brought in.”
“Thank you, Samuel.”
“And I’ll walk you to your cabin.”
Meghan took a step forward, then turned back to Alex. “I appreciate your help, really I do, but I’m fine. My knee’s feeling better already, and I’m sure you want to get settled.”
Alex Markham had managed to wreak havoc with her emotions, and she needed distance to help her regain some perspective.
“Okay, but I think you should get your leg checked out by a professional.” He caught her gaze, causing her stomach to flip. “Isn’t there a doctor or clinic nearby?”
“He’s right, Meghan,” Kate added. “You should see a doctor. Just to make sure nothing is broken or torn.”
Meghan shook her head. “I’ll be fine. It’s been a long day, and tomorrow will be just as long. I’ll see you all in the morning.”
Before anyone could say another word, Meghan started down the paved walkway that ran beside a row of chalets, determined not to limp. Everything she’d said had been tru
e. All she needed was some pain medicine and an ice pack, and she’d be as good as new by morning.
Alex—and Kate, for that matter—was making far too big a deal about nothing.
Something rustled behind the purple flowering bougainvillea hedge to her right. Meghan squinted at the thick climbing vine. There were intermittent spotlights along the path, but clouds had covered up the stars and moon, leaving it too dark to see anything.
Meghan sped up, trying to put as little weight as possible on her bad leg as she hobbled down the path. She was beginning to see a poacher behind every bush. She shook her head. This was crazy. Alex and his paranoia were rubbing off on her. It was probably nothing more than a bush baby or a monkey looking for a free handout.
Meghan repositioned the strap of her camera bag over her shoulder. She’d been foolish to venture out without her flashlight, but Alex had her completely rattled. How could a man she knew nothing about leave her so flustered? Clearly she’d been out in the bush too long. For the most part, the men who stayed at the lodge were either over sixty or had wives or girlfriends. None of them had garnered a second look from her.
She started down the row of chalets where the staff stayed. Tonight was quiet, as most people were up at the lodge eating dinner.
Meghan stopped. This time she was sure she’d heard something, and whatever it was sounded too big to be a monkey.
“Hello?”
No answer.
She continued down the path, past her chalet, ready to prove to Alex that there was no bogeyman or saboteur—
Meghan froze as the main power switched off, leaving her in total darkness. Without a flashlight, it was almost impossible to see what was ahead of her. She’d wandered too far down the path to be able to find her chalet, but neither did she want to stay where she was. She knew from experience that power outages could potentially last for hours.
She turned back toward the chalets and took an uneasy step forward. Her knee buckled, and she hit the ground full force. Meghan screamed at the impact, felt her head hit something hard, then gave way to the blackness surrounding her.
*
“Is she always so…?” Alex searched for the right word as Meghan disappeared down the path toward her chalet.
