by Sky Winters
“What do I know about wandering around looking for tiger poachers?”
“Nothing. That’s why I am sending you. I want a fresh perspective instead of the same drivel I’ve been getting on these stories from Timmons lately. I need a better journalist on this and you need a break from this city. Are you my girl or not?”
She sighed. “I’m your girl. I’ll get it done. When do I leave?”
“Tomorrow. Get yourself a flight booked into Dhaka as early as possible. I’ve already got a guide lined up for you. His name is Matt Helford and he’ll make sure you are well taken care of and safe on your journey. He’s worked with the BBC journalists in the past, so he knows the ropes.”
“Matt Helford? Doesn’t sound very Indian.”
“That’s because he isn’t. He’s former British military. You’ll be in excellent hands.”
“I hope so. I don’t relish being eaten by tigers or picked off by poachers.”
“You’ve got this. I’ve every confidence that you will do a fantastic job.”
“Thanks for the vote of confidence. Now, do you mind if I take the rest of the day off. I need to figure out what to pack to go roam through the wilds of India. I’m pretty sure I may have to do some shopping. I trust I can charge that off to the magazine?”
“Opportunist! Of course you can.” He pointed his finger at her. “Just don’t get too out of hand.”
“Me? Of course not.”
“I trust you. Now go get me a great story.”
“I will.”
Though she wasn’t going to say it, she was terrified of the assignment. She had traveled all over the world covering various stories, but always in cities and towns. The most remote locations she had ever visited were state parks and river festivals. It was hardly the same as trekking through some exotic wilderness with tigers and other lethal animals. Of course, she also had to factor in that she wasn’t exactly an athlete. Though far from being what some would consider fat, she was a bit thicker than most girls and not in prime shape for a safari.
A few hours later, she stood in a local outdoors shop trying on all-weather clothing for her trip. She opted for lightweight but waterproof materials after doing a bit of study on conditions in the area. It would be hot but potentially very wet at times. Smiling into the mirror, she thought she looked pretty good in the khaki colored jacket and pants she was trying on. It was a good color against her olive skin and dark hair, bringing out the deep brown of her eyes. At least she would look the part, she thought.
Making her way back across town, she started to feel excited about the trip. It would do her some good to get out of her own head and focus on her work. Where better to do that than an exotic location she had never been to? Though she knew the subject of poaching could be dangerous, Sam had said he’d lined up a guide. Someone familiar with the area should be able to give her all the information she needed without her having to risk anything to gain it on her own.
“Oh shit,” she said as she stepped into her apartment with the bags containing clothes, boots and other amenities the sales person had recommended when she had told him where she was going.
Bending down, she picked up the large Russian Blue curling itself back and forth through her legs. Who was she going to get to babysit her cat? Usually, her fiancé took care of her while she was away. The thought of him interrupted the temporary peace she had found in considering her trip to India. She had spent the past week trying to think of anyone but him and it was impossible. Everywhere she turned there were signs of him.
She was absorbed again in thoughts of how things had fallen apart so suddenly. Nothing had warned her that something was wrong. How could she have been so blind to it? She was jarred back into reality by the sound of the doorbell.
She opened the door to find an older couple and a teenage girl standing there to look at her. “Yes?”
“Hi. We’re Hannah and Saul Miller. This is our daughter, Janet. We just moved into the apartment next door and wanted to introduce ourselves.”
For a moment, Tabitha looked at them blankly. Who in New York City bothered to introduce themselves to a neighbor? Then the accent sank in. They were from the south and she supposed that was something they were used to doing. She smiled at them and invited them in for a moment.
“Oh, no. We didn’t want to intrude. We just thought it might be nice to know a few of the people around us. I just accepted a position as a science teacher at Xavier. My wife will be teaching there, as well, and Janet will be a freshman there.”
“Well, it’s very nice to meet you,” she replied.
“You have a cat!” Janet squealed, suddenly leaning down to pet Siniy.
“You like cats, I take it?” Tabitha said.
“I love them. We can’t have one because Mom is allergic. No pets at all. It sucks.”
“That is unfortunate, but I’m sure your mother’s health is more important,” Tabitha replied.
“Yeah,” Janet replied glumly as Siniy decided she was sleepy and wandered away from the girl to go lie in the window sill, stretching out in the sunlight.
“We’ll let you get back to what you were doing. I hope we will see each other again soon,” Hannah told her, nudging the other two back toward their apartment.
“Sure. Nice to meet you,” Janet said as she closed the door and began unpacking the items from her bags so she could wash them before packing them up. The last thing she needed was some sort of odd chemical rash from wearing them straight off the hangers.
“Okay, let’s find someone to take care of you,” she told Siniy as she scanned her speed dial. She tried Carla first, since she had been slated to take care of Siniy during the honeymoon that Tabitha should have been on until today. Unfortunately, Carla’s mother had fallen ill and she’d gone to stay with her for a while, so no luck there. A dozen calls later, she still couldn’t find anyone that could take her on such short notice. She scanned the internet for kennels, but wasn’t really thrilled with that idea. Finally, she went to some of the pet sitter sites but no one was available so quickly.
Then Janet’s face came to mind; how happy she had looked to be around her. She wasn’t thrilled with leaving her in the hands of someone she didn’t know, but she was desperate. Walking out of her apartment, she knocked on her neighbor’s door, looking a little embarrassed.
“Hi, I know you just met me, but I’m in a bit of a pickle and could use some help. I’m a journalist and I leave tomorrow for an assignment in India. It was very last minute and I can’t find anyone to care for my cat,” she began.
“Well, of course that’s a problem, but my allergies. No way could I help you out,” Hannah told her.
“Yes. Yes. I know, but she’s pretty self-sufficient. All I really need is for someone to feed her, change her litter and make sure she is okay. I thought that since Janet was so taken with her, perhaps she might be willing to just check on her before and after school? I’ll pay her for it and the cat would stay in my own apartment, so it wouldn’t affect your allergies.”
“I don’t know…” Hannah began, but she was quickly cut off.
“Yes!” Janet exclaimed, pushed between her mother and the door. “I’d love to take care of her.”
“Are you sure? I mean, it needs to be okay with your mother too,” Tabitha said.
“Mom, please?” Janet begged.
“Sure. I guess it doesn’t hurt to have a little bit of a job here. How long will you be gone?” she asked.
“I’m not sure. It depends on what I find. A week or two at most.”
“I think we can manage that.”
“Oh, you have no idea how much this means to me. Do you mind if Janet comes back over with me now so I can show her where everything is?”
Janet was already on her way out the door before her mother could answer. Hannah shrugged and laughed, leaning out the door to speak to her daughter, who was already waiting outside Tabitha’s door for her.
“Don’t be too long. Dinner will b
e done in a half hour.”
“Okay, Mom,” Janet replied, following Tabitha back into the apartment.
“Wow, that is beautiful,” Janet said as she caught sight of the white lace and tulle wedding dress hanging in the hall closet where Tabitha now kept the kitty litter. In some way, it seemed fitting.
“Yes, it is,” Tabitha replied, trying to keep the emotion out of her voice.
“Is it yours? Are you getting married?” she said excitedly.
“I was. It didn’t work out,” Tabitha told her, hoping she would leave it at that. Of course, being a clueless teen, she didn’t.
“Why not? Did something happen to him?”
“Just his feet,” Tabitha replied, causing the girl to look at her with a raised eyebrow. “They got cold.”
“Oh. Cold feet.” She laughed, then realized it wasn’t really something that was funny. “I’m sorry. Why did you keep the dress?”
It was a good question, Tabitha thought. Part of the answer was that she had worn it and that it couldn’t be returned for even partial credit. She had gotten up and spent hours having her makeup and hair done, making sure everything was in place for the large wedding that was to take place that afternoon. Finally, she had gone to the church and changed into her wedding gown, waiting for the moment when she would say her vows and become Mrs. Stephen Conroy. She was nervous and excited, but so happy. After five years, she was finally marrying Mr. Right.
Then Carla had come into the room. “Tabitha, something’s wrong.”
“What?” Tabitha asked, watching as her best friend and maid of honor’s face fell a bit.
“Stephen. He’s not here. We didn’t want to say anything until we were sure, but he’s not here.”
Tabitha sat down hard in her chair, feeling suddenly too weak to stand. What could have happened to him. No way would he have skipped out on her on their wedding day. He must have been hurt or detained somehow. This couldn’t be happening.
“Call the police. Something has happened to him.”
Carla’s face fell a bit more as she walked over and knelt down in front of her, putting her face up to Tabitha’s, and reaching out to squeeze her hand. She spoke softly, but the words cut like a knife as they assaulted Tabitha’s ears.
“No, Tabitha. His groomsmen aren’t here either. Neither are his parents. We called his brother and he told us that Stephen called them that morning and told them the wedding was off. He told them not to come.”
“What?” Tabitha yanked her hand away and stood up. “This is a joke, right? You’re just yanking my pre-wedding nerves aren’t you?”
“I’m afraid not, honey. I’m so sorry.”
“Oh, God. Oh God. Oh God!” Tabitha wailed, her words turning to tears. The door flew open and her mother came in, pulling her close and hugging her tightly. A moment later, her father joined them, his face red with fury.
“I’m going to kill that son of a bitch,” he muttered.
“No, you aren’t,” Tabitha’s mother said quietly, giving him a stern look as she continued to try and comfort her jilted daughter.
“I want to,” he growled. “I should.”
“What you’re going to do is go out there and send all those people home in as dignified a fashion as you can manage. Then, we are going to take our daughter to our house and help her get through this day and as many more as necessary until she can sort this mess out.”
“Fine, but I still may kill the bastard.”
“John! Stop it and go take care of the guests.”
He groaned and left, telling the guests that there had been an unfortunate incident that required a cancellation of the wedding. As they filed out of the building, he took care of sending the caterers home, n o doubt bemoaning the amount of money he had just paid them for food that wasn’t going to be eaten. Tabitha heard later that he sent it all to a local homeless shelter for their evening meal, including the cake.
“Tabitha?” Janet said, snapping her out of the memory.
“I don’t know. I guess it was just so beautiful that I didn’t have the heart to throw it away.”
“Maybe he’ll see that he made a mistake and come back,” Janet said optimistically.
“No. I’ll have to get rid of it at some point. I just can’t yet.” She closed the door.
“I understand,” Janet said softly.
“Anyway, that is everything you need to take care of Siniy. I will give you a key, just make sure you lock the door each time you leave. This is a pretty safe neighborhood, but an unlocked door just asks for trouble.”
“I will double check it each time.”
“Good. And I know how it is to be a teen. If you want to stay and play with Siniy for a while when you check on her or just kick back on the sofa away from your parents for a bit, you are welcome to do so. Just don’t make a mess or invite anyone over. Okay?”
“Okay. Thanks.” Janet beamed. “I don’t know anyone here yet anyway. Siniy will be my first friend.”
“She is a good girl. Good company.”
The girl nodded and left, promising to return the following morning for her first check in. With that out of the way, Tabitha finished packing her things. Her flight would leave tonight, shortly before midnight. It was going to be a long day just getting there. After a light dinner and some more research on the area of India where she would be going, she and Siniy curled up in the bed for a few hours of sleep. It was the first night she didn’t dream of herself standing in front of a minister with no groom.
Chapter Two
After an eighteen-hour flight, along with an almost two-hour layover in Istanbul to make her connecting plane, Tabitha was exhausted. She walked slowly through the airport, looking for someone who was supposed to be waiting for her. It was difficult since she had no idea who she was looking for, but she finally spotted him standing to one side. She was usually met by professional drivers in dark suits, but today she was met by a rather tall, handsome man wearing faded jeans, hiking boots, and an old Star Wars t-shirt.
“Matt Helford?” she said to the man holding a sign with her name on it.
“Tabitha Stewart?” he replied blandly, looking her up and down woefully.
“Yes,” she said, too tired to even be concerned with whatever it was he seemed to find distasteful about her.
“Very good. Let’s get going. Normally, I would stop off at a couple of the touristy type places for you to sightsee a bit, but it’s late and we need to get you checked into your hotel for the night. I have other plans for dinner, so you’ll be on your own. There’s a decent place to eat in the hotel and you’ll need your rest. We have an early start in the morning. Six a.m. I expect you to be ready when I arrive. I’ve no time to wait while you put on your makeup or polish your teeth,” he prattled off as they waited on her luggage.
“Fine,” she replied, already dreading spending a week or more with this pompous British asshole. They were quiet as they made their way out to what appeared to be a well-worn Range Rover, and rode to the hotel in silence. Was it possible she had already offended him somehow or was he always this way, she wondered.
“You’ve a new guest, love,” he told the young girl at the front desk with a wink. She giggled before looking over at Tabitha, the smile fading from her face into a sour note.
“Name?” she asked him.
“Not me. Just her. I’ve got somewhere else to be,” he said. “I’ll get your bags before I go.”
Tabitha watched as he strolled back out toward the rover, having a hard time believing how rude he was being. She had every mind to call her boss and complain. Maybe he could find her someone else to guide her through the area. In only the short time she’d been near this man, she had seen just how awful this journey was going to be with him in the lead.
“Do you have a name?” the girl asked impatiently.
“Tabitha Stewart,” she told her, giving her back the cool glare she was receiving.
“I don’t have a reservation in that name,” t
he gir l replied.
“You’re kidding me. This just gets better and better.”
“It’s in my name. Look for Matt Helford,” her guide said as he returned to the front desk with her bags. He dropped them on one of the rolling carriers and stood waiting while the girl looked it up on her computer.
“Ah, yes. Room 208. How will you be making payment?” she asked.
“American Express,” Tabitha replied, pulling the magazine’s business card from her bag and handing it to the girl.
“Excellent. Since you are only staying one night, the full price of the room will be charged upfront,” she told her without a hint of a smile.
“That’s fine,” Tabitha replied. The girl scowled and ran her card.
“Well, that’s me done for now. I’ll see you at six in the morning,” Matt told Tabitha. The girl behind the counter suddenly lost her frown and smiled broadly in his direction. It just annoyed Tabitha that much more.
“You aren’t going to help me get my bags up to my room?”
“No. You should learn to pack a bit lighter. This isn’t a Las Vegas vacation,” he said flatly.
Tabitha watched him walk back out to his vehicle in disbelief. What a complete jerk! She was definitely calling and having him replaced. Turning back toward the girl, she noted the smirk on her face and felt like slapping it off. She wondered if that would cause an international incident.
“Here is your room key and your receipt. Check out is at eleven a.m. tomorrow,” she told her.
“Fine.” Tabitha tucked the key and receipt into her purse and maneuvered the large metal baggage rack toward the nearby elevator.
Inside her room, she collapsed on the bed. She was already emotionally and physically exhausted and this was just the beginning. How was she ever going to make it through this? Already, she was second guessing her agreement to come on this assignment. It took every bit of her strength just to get up and make her way to the bathroom. She splashed cold water on her face until she felt half alive and pulled out her phone, hitting speed dial.
“Do you know what time it is?” a sleepy voice said from the other end of the line.
