Into the Darkness

by Margaret Daley

  “The general didn’t try to stop you from searching on your own?”

  “I didn’t tell him I would participate personally in the search, just that I would finance one.”

  “It’ll be expensive.”

  “Like I said, Zach is wealthy. He not only works for the pharmaceutical company, he owns part of it.” She bent forward, putting as much emphasis on her words as she could and still talk in a low tone. “Even if he didn’t have the money, I would spend my last dime looking for him. He’s all the family I have.”

  Mr. Slader came closer, almost nose to nose. “People go into that part of the jungle and don’t come out. That’s the way the Quentas tribe wants it, even if Zach had a so-called contact with them.”

  For a few seconds Kate wondered why she didn’t smell alcohol on his breath. She remembered the drink sitting in front of him at the bar. Had she caught him before he had started drinking? She’d gotten the impression he had been there for quite a while. Yet there was a lot about Mr. Slader she didn’t know—starting with what his full name was.

  “I will make it,” Kate said.

  He pulled back, shaking his head. “How can you say that?”

  “The Lord will provide a way.” She placed her palm over her heart. “I know it in here.”

  The searing heat of his look lit on her hand, which was splayed across her chest—briefly before moving up to connect with her gaze. “You’ll need more than your faith to make it, lady.”

  She forced a smile to her lips. “That’s what I have you for.”

  His dark eyes grew round, almost as though a surge of panic took hold of him. “You don’t have me.”

  “According to General Halston and the locals I talked with, you’re the best. If you can’t do it, then no one can. And you’re an American, so I don’t have to worry about a language barrier.”

  “Flattery doesn’t work on me. Besides, what I’m afraid of is that no one can do what you ask.”

  A calmness descended, and Kate relaxed, beginning to see the Lord doing His work. “I didn’t think you were afraid of anything. The stories General Halston told me about your bravery in battle—”

  “Then I would be a fool,” he cut in before she could finish her sentence. “There’s a lot in the jungle to be wary of.”

  “I know. I’ve read about the snakes, the caiman, the—”

  He waved her silent. “Not just the animals. Books don’t even begin to tell you what dangers there are in the jungle.”

  “The plants? The Indians?”

  “Even the outsiders. Man has tried to reap rewards like gold, gems and oil from the unforgiving rainforest. The jungle doesn’t want to give them up.”

  “You make it sound like it’s a living, breathing thing.”

  He cocked his head. “It is.”

  “Will you lead my expedition?” She swallowed to coat her suddenly dry throat, her palms sweaty about the straps of her purse. “I need you.”

  His intense look burned into her, and she felt as though she had been left in the sun too long.

  “General Halston told me you have a few debts. I can take care of them and then some.”

  “Who doesn’t have debts?” He shrugged, but there was nothing casual about the gesture.

  “From what I understand, some men don’t wait forever to get paid. You could use my money.” She named an amount she’d pay him to lead her into the rainforest.

  His brows shot upward. “I don’t see how you expect to find him when two governments and his company couldn’t.”

  “I want to leave tomorrow. He’s been gone almost six weeks and the rainy season will be upon us in a month, so time is of the essence.”

  He laughed. “I haven’t said yes. And haven’t you heard of outfitting an expedition? That doesn’t happen overnight, not if you want it done right. And if you don’t, I’m not your man.”

  Her breath caught at the way he said “your man.” Suddenly the enormous step she was taking gripped her like the jaws of a caiman—tight, suffocating, as it pulled its victim under the water to drown it. She surveyed the hotel lobby, the best one in town, and quaked. The realization that she was so out of her element struck her anew. “Then the day after tomorrow?”

  Mr. Slader surged to his feet. “This will be no stroll in the park on a Sunday afternoon.”

  “I know.”

  “You will have to follow my orders. I’ll call all the shots.”

  “I know, so long as it doesn’t compromise my beliefs.”

  “No, you don’t understand. You’ll have to follow my orders with no questions asked. Giving me any grief is a deal breaker.”

  The suffocating grip about her chest tautened even more, her earlier calmness gone. She struggled for air as though she really was drowning. She had known this wouldn’t be easy. She needed the best guide available if she wanted to find her brother and make it back to civilization alive. Lord, give me the strength to say yes. To believe this is Your will and to have faith.

  The constriction about her loosened, and she dragged in a soothing breath. Then another. “I agree.”

  “Then be ready tomorrow morning at seven.”

  She rose, feeling dwarfed by his large build. “I thought you couldn’t be ready to leave tomorrow.”

  “I can’t. But there are supplies to buy and you have the pocketbook.” He eyed her black purse. “Some of the money you’ll spend will be on decent clothes fit for the jungle. You wouldn’t make it two feet in those ridiculous clothes and shoes.”

  She pulled herself up as tall as possible and didn’t quite reach his shoulder. So, she tilted back her head and looked him in the eye. “I know that. I’ve read about the type of clothes I need, and I’ve got them.”

  “I’ll be the judge of that. Let’s go.”

  “Where?”

  “Upstairs. Show me those clothes you bought that are suited to a jungle.” He took her elbow to guide her toward the staircase.

  He’s going to go through my clothes? Heat suffused her cheeks. No way! She wouldn’t allow it. Then she remembered that she had agreed to obey him without question and wasn’t sure she could keep her word. She shook off his hand and faced him.

  “Do you have a problem with showing me the clothes you intend to wear?”

  She opened her mouth to tell him yes, but no words came out. Zach depended on her.

  He chuckled. “You didn’t last very long. I’d say maybe one minute, possibly two.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “You’re challenging me.”

  “I haven’t said a word.”

  “Lady, you don’t have to. It’s written all over your face.” He turned to walk away.

  “Stop. Don’t go.”

  He shifted his weight, glancing back at her. “Be one-hundred-percent sure. If you don’t follow through on your end of the bargain, I’ll turn around and bring you back to Mandras so fast your head will spin.”

  Her teeth bit into her lower lip. She nodded. She led the way up the stairs to the second floor and down the long hallway, their footsteps on the wooden planks the only sound. After taking her key out of her purse, she had started to fit it into the lock when she noticed her door was slightly ajar. Her hand reaching forward trembled as she snatched it back.

  “I know I locked my door. I always do.”

  Mr. Slader shouldered her out of the way. “Stay back.”

  Chapter Three

  Mr. Slader eased the door open and peered into the room. The set of his jaw underscored the danger that suddenly vibrated in the air. His back stiff, he moved through the entrance. With her heart pounding a maddening pace, Kate followed, peering inside. She gasped.

  Her hand shook as she gripped the door frame and leaned into it for support. Before her lay everything she’d brought with her to the Amazon tossed about the room, the clothes ripped to shreds and any items she had destroyed. What caught her eye and held her stunned was her Bible in the middle of the bed, sheets of it torn out and crum
pled. She nearly collapsed at the sight.

  She pushed past Mr. Slader and hurried to the bed. Scooping up the pieces, she smoothed the crushed sheets and stuck them where they belonged, the whole time aware of Mr. Slader’s attention on her. Silence dominated the room. The only sounds were those she made as she righted what the intruder had done to the Lord’s book.

  “If they think this will keep me away, they don’t know me,” she muttered, completing her task as best she could then standing to face Mr. Slader, who remained by the door. “This does not scare me.” Her hands continued to tremble as she held the Bible clasped to her chest, close to her racing heart.

  “It should. They mean business. Do you have any idea who they are?” His survey took in the chaotic mess flung about the room as though a high wind had roared through, leaving everything turned upside down and inside out.

  She shook her head. “That was a figure of speech. For all I know, it could be one person, two, ten. It’s got to be a simple robbery. Why would anyone be after me?”

  “Because you want to find your brother?”

  “Zach was a biochemist doing research, not a fortune hunter looking for some treasure.”

  “But you said he had a good lead to where the Quentas tribe lives. The legends surrounding these Indians grow each year. Some people, I believe, think they can turn ordinary stone into gold.”

  “Don’t be ridiculous. That’s not possible.”

  “But that’s one of the rumors spreading. Gold fever has struck the Amazon region. What’s the real reason your brother is trying to find them?”

  “You seem like a rational man. I know you have a doctorate in archaeology. Do you really think anyone believes that tale about turning stone to gold?”

  “My, you have been busy. What else do you know about me?” A new tension cloaked the room, contradicting his casually voiced question.

  “Not much. Just some facts. Mostly having to do with when you lived in the United States, and of course, when you were in the military. Nothing really recent.” And for some reason, she didn’t know his full name—just A. C. Slader.

  One corner of his mouth curved. “Then you really don’t know very much about me, do you? I’ve lived in the Amazon for the past five years.”

  “People don’t usually change at the core,” she said to bolster her confidence.

  “I beg to differ. People often change when they have to.” He came into the center of the room and picked up an article of clothing, a white cotton shirt cut into several pieces. “It looks like I’ll have to take you shopping for clothes after all. Just be forewarned there are no department stores in Mandras.”

  Kate sank onto the bed, the springs creaking, the sound grating against already shredded nerves. A damp, moldy odor prevailed, smothering in its intensity. For a brief moment, as she took in her ruined possessions, she allowed hopelessness to take hold. Who would do this to her? Why? Was this connected to Zach’s disappearance? Or, was it really the robbery she so desperately wanted it to be? The trembling in her hands quickly spread through her body. She couldn’t stop herself from shaking. What had her brother gotten himself into? That was the overriding question she couldn’t erase from her mind.

  Mr. Slader prowled about the room, reminding her of a jaguar she’d seen once at a zoo. He picked up pieces of clothing, a smashed camera, a shattered medical kit, and tossed them into a pile in the center of the room where he had stood briefly. All Kate could do was watch, fascinated by his movements.

  She hugged the Bible even tighter against herself and drew strength from its feel in her hands. Someone might have succeeded in destroying her Bible, but he could never take the words she had memorized over the years. She carried them around in her heart where they gave her solace, especially in times like this. Drawing on them now, she stiffened her resolve to continue forward with her search for her brother. He would never abandon her, and she wouldn’t him.

  “Do you still want to start at eight tomorrow morning?” she asked, hearing the quavering lilt to her words.

  “I’ll be here at seven. We’ll grab something to eat, then head out.” He paused in his attempt to help clean up some of the mess and stared at her. “Do you want me—” He bit back the last of his sentence, a frown slashing harsh lines into his face. “Are you going to be all right by yourself?”

  Kate rose on shaky legs, squared her shoulders and looked him in the eye. Had she imagined for a few seconds a softening in his tone of voice? Taking in his fierce expression right now, she dismissed that impression. There was nothing soft about this man. “I have no choice. Yes, I’ll be all right.”

  “We always have choices. You can leave.”

  “Even if I wanted to leave, I couldn’t tonight, so I’m hoping whoever did this has gotten what he wanted and won’t do anything else tonight.”

  “How about tomorrow night?”

  “Is it possible to leave tomorrow afternoon?”

  “No.”

  “Then I’ll deal with it tomorrow night when it comes.” One problem at a time, she thought. Otherwise she would feel overwhelmed and leave on the next boat out of here no matter its destination. Just thinking of what she was about to do made her quake in her practical, comfortable shoes.

  “Okay,” Mr. Slader said slowly, making his way around the pile of destroyed items and toward the exit. “With that in mind, our first problem will be acquiring transportation upriver.” He jerked the door open. “Seven, in the lobby. We have a lot to do.

  * * *

  Slader stood for a moment outside her room, scanning the hallway, counting the closed doors. Ten rooms in all. Maybe there was one available for him. The second he thought that, he wanted to snatch the idea back. He was her guide, not her bodyguard.

  But ten minutes later in the lobby, he palmed the key to the room next to hers. He was a light sleeper and the walls were thin. He couldn’t see her agreeing to him staying with her in the same hotel room to keep her safe, so this was the next best thing. He was doing it because she was right. He needed the money. Every danger signal went off in his brain that this wasn’t the way to make that money, that she would make life difficult the whole way. She reminded him of everything he had tried to escape by staying in the jungle. The only good thing was that the kind of money she was offering would get him completely out of debt. He would have to keep that in mind when he wanted to shake some common sense into her.

  * * *

  Late the next afternoon, Kate dragged one foot behind the other as she and Mr. Slader headed back toward the hotel after completing their “shopping spree” for all the items they would need for their trek into the jungle. The sun was rapidly descending, having sapped the last of her energy an hour ago. The clothes she wore hung off her, damp, emitting an odor she would never have allowed back in Red Creek. The few tissues she’d brought with her in her purse had been used up by midmorning. She’d had to resort to wiping her brow with the sleeve of the same dress she’d worn the day before, something a lady would never do back home. And still, sweat ran into her eyes, stinging them.

  The air in the lobby was cooler due to the ceiling fans that whirred overhead. Kate stood directly under one and welcomed the hot breeze from it. Blowing hot air was better than stagnant hot air. She would never take air-conditioning for granted again.

  The aroma of cooked meat and spices wafted to her, making her stomach rumble. She drew in a deep breath, savoring the images of food that came to mind—anything was better than their brief lunch at the pier, consisting of bananas, manioc cakes and palm-leaf-wrapped fish, baked over a fire not two feet from her. She hated fish, but according to Mr. Slader, she’d better get used to eating it because there might be times that was all there was to eat.

  Kate looked toward the dining room. “Would you care to join me for dinner?”

  He peered toward the bar next to the dining room, then at Kate. “Since we’re leaving early tomorrow, we’d better enjoy what food Mandras has to offer while we can. Our sup
ply will be limited in the jungle.”

  “Is that a yes?”

  He nodded.

  Relief, which surprised Kate, flooded her. She would chalk it up to not wanting to eat alone. She was a social person, and even their limited conversation today was better than no conversation.

  She sat at the table farthest from the door because Mr. Slader indicated that was where they should sit. Again, he took the chair that faced the entrance into the dining room, which Kate realized was a generous term to use for the room the hotel had set up to serve meals. There were seven tables with grass-woven place mats, stained with she didn’t even want to know what, and mismatched utensils wrapped in paper napkins that appeared not to have been used before. The brown plastic glasses were clean at least, and the table didn’t wobble like the one that morning at breakfast.

  For her benefit, Mr. Slader read out loud the menu posted on a chalkboard on the wall by the door. Kate wanted to groan. More fish. The last item was a chicken dish, which she promptly jumped on, giving her order to the little man with dark hair and almond eyes who hovered near her shoulder. Mr. Slader translated into Portuguese for her. The waiter bobbed his head and grinned, several of his teeth missing.

  While the waiter shuffled away, Kate took a look around at the other diners. There were five, all men. While they had been shopping, she had seen few women other than Indians. She knew before she’d left the comforts of her home in Red Creek that she was going to the upper reaches of the Amazon into a part that wasn’t frequently traveled, and until recently, had been home to some very hostile tribes. The last holdout was the Quentas Indians, but her brother felt he would be safe after he had made that initial contact. To him, discovering a potential wonder drug was worth what risk there was. She would put her faith in her brother that he was right, but most of all in the Lord to see him and her safely through this…adventure. She couldn’t find any other word to describe what was happening to her.