by Lisa Harris
“I’ll make sure the police look into his background discreetly.”
A nurse stepped into the room, wearing a stark-white uniform. “I’m sorry, but I’m going to have to ask the two of you to leave. It’s time for some pain medicine so our patient can rest.”
Alex stood up beside Meghan. “We will look into this, but if you think of anything else, please let me know.”
Oscar nodded. “I will. And please. Find whoever did this.”
*
Alex walked past the row of patients who were sitting along the wall of the narrow outer corridor of the hospital as they waited to see a doctor. He tried to process Oscar’s theory. Meghan had first mentioned the possible connection of insiders involved in the poaching. In reading more online about the poaching issues, he’d found several articles that pointed to people within the industry—those supposedly involved in wildlife conservation—being implicated in the rhino-poaching rings.
“What Oscar says makes sense, Alex. The missing camera in a spot where no one would think to look unless they already knew it was there, the GPS tracker showing the poachers were near that rhino—someone could be feeding poachers information from the inside.”
“I agree.” He stopped to face her beside the row of cars outside the front of the hospital. “I’ll contact the police and have them look into Dominick, but if there really is an insider involved, what about Ian? He’s the most obvious, the one with the most to gain.”
“No way.” Meghan shook her head. “I’ve worked with him and his wife for the past eight months and I can’t see him compromising what means so much to him and his family. He loves this land, the animals and the people here.”
Alex continued toward the Jeep beside her, still not convinced. “Everything you’ve just said could be motivation in itself. With the economy down, you mentioned that the reserve is facing financial issues. Maybe Ian even fears he could lose the reserve if things don’t turn around. Now take the poachers. They’re well financed, but they need someone, like Ian, to ensure they stay in business. Right or wrong, it becomes a win-win situation for everyone involved.”
“I still don’t agree.” Meghan climbed into the driver’s seat and shoved the keys into the ignition, but she didn’t start the engine. “If we’re looking at an inside job, I think we’re looking at one of the rangers—like Dominick—or a staff member.”
She might be right, but he’d seen far too many men who worked on the principle that the ends justified the means. Most of them hadn’t started out intending to sell their souls, but a man’s integrity could be twisted and broken if he thought compromises would save him in the end. The problem was, in the end, they never did.
Alex clenched his hands in his lap, wondering if he should even bring up the other idea gnawing at the back of his mind. “There is one other issue to consider, but you’re not going to like it, either.”
“Wow.” She shot him a wry grin. “You’re really on a roll today, aren’t you? But I have a feeling you’re going to tell me what you’re thinking whether I’m going to like it or not.”
Alex smiled back. She was right. “I’ve been doing some research since I got here. Equatorial Guinea is one of a number of countries that has become a haven for traffickers—anything from drugs to humans to wildlife. While the current president has been working with the UN to help enforce stricter laws against all forms of trafficking, the new regime trying to take power in next week’s election has known ties to an international crime syndicate.”
Meghan’s eyes widened. “Now you’re really stretching things. You’re telling me that the poaching that has been going on here is somehow related to the threats against my father and whoever trashed my room?”
“I think it’s a possibility.”
Her smile was back, taking his heart by surprise. “So what would Chuck Norris do, Officer Markham?”
“I’m serious,” he countered.
Her smile faded. “I still think you’re stretching the connection.”
“Maybe, but I’m trained to look at all the possibilities, which is exactly what I’m doing.”
Meghan slowed down and pulled off onto a narrow paved road. “We need to get back to the lodge so we can film this afternoon, but first I want to show you one of my favorite places.”
A minute later she stopped the Jeep in front of a fenced-in, small wooden building.
“Where are we?” he asked.
“This is one of the two hides on the reserve that overlook the water.”
He followed Meghan between two chain-link fences to the wooden structure that stood on stilts above the water. A board creaked beneath him as he stepped into the hide.
Alex hesitated. “Are you sure this is safe?”
“Ian assured me just yesterday that both hides had been checked and repaired.”
“Wow.” Alex ducked down to look through the wide opening in the front, then sat on the bench overlooking the slow-moving water. “I can see why you like it here. This is stunning.”
He hadn’t expected the assortment of wildlife. Trees, reflected along the water’s edge, held huge birds’ nests. Since his arrival, Meghan had shared a wealth of information, teaching him not only about the mammals they encountered but the vast diversity of birds. She’d taught him to identify herons, fish eagles, warblers and yellow-billed oxpeckers. They’d clearly barely scratched the surface.
Alex took the binoculars she’d handed him and honed in on a small bird with a bright orange beak and chest and a blue back sitting on a thornbush. “What is that one called?”
“It’s a Malachite Kingfisher.”
Two hippos grunted in the middle of the pool, only their ears and the tops of their heads visible above the surface. Beyond the hippos, a crocodile lay on the far bank, sunning itself.
“I could spend hours out here.” She put the cap back onto her camera. “But for now we should get back. I need to check on Kate and then we need to track down Kibibi. I just thought you’d like to see this.”
“I do. Your love for the bush is starting to rub off on me.”
She laughed, but there was a new reserve to her countenance. He studied her face, trying to read her expression. Fatigue showed in her eyes, but it was more than that.
“About everything that happened today,” he began. “I’m sorry. Sorry that I wasn’t able to be up-front from the beginning with you. Sorry that you are having to go through this at all.”
“It’s not your fault. You were just doing what my father wanted.”
“He loves you, you know. That’s why he hired me.”
She looked up at him and caught his gaze. This time it was doubt he saw in her eyes.
“He hired you,” she said, “because he prefers delegating problems with me so that he doesn’t have to interact with me himself.”
“I don’t understand.”
Meghan stood up and headed back to the Jeep.
He went after her. “Meghan?”
“All he’s ever done is pay someone else to fix my problems. There was boarding school when he wanted to be free to travel more, or a hired nanny during holidays because he was busy.” She stopped at the Jeep and leaned against the hood. “This situation is no different. He arranges for a Texas Ranger, along with a couple of guards, to protect me, thinking it will make everything okay. He’s never realized that the only thing I’ve ever wanted from him was for him to be my father.”
THIRTEEN
Meghan thumped on Kate’s door with her elbow while balancing a tray of food she’d picked up from the kitchen. A moment later, Kate opened the door, wearing a pair of Mickey Mouse long-sleeved pajamas, hair pulled back in a ponytail and her nose still red from blowing it too much.
“Thought you might like some homemade soup and fresh bread.” Meghan set the tray down on the kitchen counter, then turned to her friend. “How are you feeling?”
“I know I don’t look like it, but I’m actually feeling tons better.” Kate took the lid off o
f the bowl and breathed in the aroma. “And this smells delicious, which is a good sign. I haven’t been able to smell anything for days with this cold. Plus, I’m actually hungry.”
“Getting your appetite back is a good sign. So does that mean you’re up to going out with us this afternoon?”
Kate set her hands on her hips and cocked her head. “Are you really missing my company, or are you having trouble with Mr. Cowboy?”
“Very funny, Kate.” There was no way she was going to admit that going out again alone with Alex had her almost as worried as running into the poachers. Somehow knowing who he really was had changed everything.
“I’m kidding, and you know it. I just don’t think I’m strong enough to even walk to the Jeep at this point, but tomorrow for sure. I’m about to go stir-crazy locked up in this chalet.” Kate grabbed a spoon and sat down in front of the tray. “Though to be honest, I’m not sure I want to be out there, either. After last night, I’m finding myself jumping at every little noise.”
“Brace yourself, then.” Meghan popped open the tab of the pineapple soda she’d brought for herself. “Because there’s more to the saga.”
Kate’s face paled. “Another rhino was killed?”
Meghan briefly explained the threats, her vandalized room and the fact that Mr. Cowboy was really a Texas Ranger.
Kate’s jaw dropped. “I’m not sure what surprises me the most, that someone trashed your room or that Alex is a Texas Ranger.”
“I’m still trying to take that one in, as well. But what I really wanted to say is that I hope you’re up for company for a few days. With all that has happened, Alex is insisting I stay with you, along with a hired guard outside the chalet at night.”
“I actually think that’s a good idea, and I’ve got room.” Kate nodded at the extra twin bed against the wall. “But I’m wondering if you should go out at all. This sounds serious, Meghan. Though somehow I have a feeling that having your room trashed isn’t the only thing you’re afraid of.”
Meghan frowned. Kate could be far too perceptive at times. Her feelings toward Alex had her wanting to run. But she wasn’t sure she could put her feelings into words at this point. “It’s nothing to worry about.”
“Like I believe that.”
Meghan grabbed one of the bread rolls from the tray. She did need someone to talk to, and Alex certainly didn’t fit the bill.
“When I’m out there in the bush filming, or editing, or in discussions with video crews back in the States, I’m this confident person who knows what needs to get done. But when it comes to my heart…it’s an entirely different matter.”
Kate blew on her soup, then took another spoonful. “We all have our stories of broken hearts, Meghan. The key is finding out how to deal with those fears and not let them stop you from moving on.”
“I could really use some advice.”
Kate set her spoon back in the bowl. “I never told you about Kevin.”
“Who’s Kevin?”
“My ex-fiancé left me at the altar a year and a half ago.”
“You never told me that you were engaged. That’s horrible.”
“Yes, it was. He ran off and married my best friend, who would have been my maid of honor at our wedding. I always thought the story would make the perfect script for a romantic comedy if it had a different ending. Something along the lines of ‘jilted bride finds love with lonely best man’ or something like that, but in my case, there was no lonely best man or happy ending. Just a lot of embarrassment and explanations as to why my fiancé was honeymooning with my best friend.”
“Ouch.”
Kate took another sip of her soup. “Now it’s your turn. What has you running scared every time Mr. Cowboy looks at you with those luscious eyes of his? Because, trust me, if I were you, the last thing I’d be thinking about is running.”
“Luscious eyes?” Meghan groaned at the comment. “Please.”
“You can’t blame a girl for noticing. Now, be honest.”
Meghan nibbled on the bread, unsure how honest she wanted to be on a day that already had her feeling exposed.
“Okay, I’ll admit that his eyes are a bit…luscious.” She paused, hoping that talking about it would help her to put things into perspective. “But part of me isn’t convinced I’ll ever find anyone who loves me enough to stay around for the long haul.”
“Because of your parents.”
Meghan nodded. “My mother chose another family over me. My father chose his career over me. I’ve always felt as if I was battling against the odds when it came to relationships.”
Those losses had affected her relationships with men. Not all marriages ended the way her parents’ marriage had. Not all mothers walked out of their daughters’ lives, and not all fathers put their careers before their families. So what was wrong with her that she’d never been reason enough for anyone to stay, to try to make things work?
“So their decisions left you feeling as if you’re not worthy of being loved?”
Meghan tried to swallow the lump in her throat. “I guess that pretty much sums it up. I was the little girl always waiting for someone to choose me—and most especially for my mother to come for me.”
“But she didn’t.”
“No.” Meghan took a drink of her pineapple soda, then set the glass down. “She and her new husband were killed in a drunk-driving accident on their way home from dinner just a few months after she left. So, no. She never came back.”
“You never told me that part of the story.”
It was the hardest part to remember. Faded memories of her mother drifted through her mind. They’d been few and far between. Some good, like nighttime kisses and bedtime stories. And others not so good. Like the loneliness of boarding school and knowing her mother would never be there to talk with her about clothes and boys. “It’s easier just to say it was a long time ago and brush it off, but her leaving did affect me.”
There had been very few people in her life she’d let glimpse into her heart. A handful of girlfriends throughout the years, her aunt Rita and lately Kate.
“Maybe we’re all searching for love in our own way,” Kate began. “I always thought I had the ‘perfect’ family, but I was the plain Jane and knew I wasn’t perfect. Still, I kept trying to portray that image. I ended up battling with my self-esteem and trying to find someone who’d love me. I thought things were different with Kevin. Turns out, I was wrong.”
“Have you ever got past his leaving you?”
“Some days it’s hard. I have to consciously remind myself that my identity isn’t determined by who I’m with, but by the One who created me. That, more than anything, is helping me put the past behind me.”
“That’s pretty profound.”
“I also had to accept that Kevin is with the right woman. It’s still a struggle sometimes to believe that there’s someone out there for me, even though I wasn’t the one for Kevin.” Kate pushed her bowl back and looked at Meghan. “So what is it about Alex? What makes you push him away?”
Meghan wiped the bread crumbs off the table, then brushed them onto the tray. “A lot of things. From the start, he’s made me feel vulnerable. But now I’m thrown by the fact that I think I read him completely wrong. All this time, I thought he was protective of me because he cared for me, but now I know that he’s simply a cowboy who came to save the maiden in distress as part of a job. That means he doesn’t feel the same thing I do.”
“How does he make you feel?”
She didn’t have to close her eyes to see him.
“Comfortable. Happy. He’s the first person in a very long time who has made me want to stick around and take a chance.”
“Maybe there’s your answer.”
“But—”
“No buts. No excuses, Meghan. You can’t let your past dictate your future. I spent years chasing the wrong kind of love. You can spend your whole life running away from love, but I don’t think either option is right.”
&nbs
p; Meghan wrapped her fingers around the soda can. “I hardly know him.”
“So you guard your heart and let him walk away? Then you’ll definitely lose him.” Kate shook her head. “Because that’s what happens when you guard you heart and don’t take a chance.”
*
Alex viewed Kibibi and her four cubs through the camera lens in the passenger side of the Jeep while Meghan videotaped the scene with two cameras. One was positioned on a tripod, strategically placed outside the Jeep, the other she held where she sat beside him. They’d spent the past two hours slowly following the family through the bush, but the anticipation that they might be joining the pride anytime soon ended when Kibibi stopped for a nap in the afternoon sunshine.
But despite Meghan’s disappointment, the interaction between the lioness and cubs amazed him. The affection Kibibi displayed toward her cubs as they nuzzled against her, playing with her tail and with each other until three of the cubs fell asleep beneath the cloudless Africa sky, was unexpectedly moving.
Meghan switched off the camera and stretched her legs while the three cubs slept. The fourth still played, batting at his mother’s tail as she flicked away the flies. The mood in the clearing—and in the Jeep—was peaceful and calm. He’d discovered early on that making a documentary was far less glamorous than he’d imagined, but the chance to get to know Meghan had made up for the hours of waiting for those perfect shots. This afternoon, though, she’d said little beyond giving him a few photography tips along the way.
He pulled out a ziplock bag of trail mix his sister Julia had sent with him and offered Meghan some.
She picked out three honey-roasted pecans and popped them into her mouth.
He stared at the bag, shaking his head. “You know, you’re not supposed to do that.”
“Not supposed to do what?”
“Pick out your favorites.”
“You mix everything up?”
“Yeah. It’s called trail mix.” He dug out a small handful from the homemade combination of dried pineapple, banana chips, pecans, M&M’s, pumpkin seeds and almonds and ate them in one bite.
Meghan’s nose wrinkled.
