Page 40 of The Death
No, she couldn’t think about Joe now. It was Michael who was still threatened. She had to do what was necessary to save him. But she could only do that if she made sure that she was where he was being held captive.
However, there was one thing she could do before she devoted herself totally to their son.
She got to her feet and tapped out a text to Joe.
Joe,
It had to be this way. Forget about me. I’ll be safe as long as I can give them something they want. Michael is well enough and being held by Zakira somewhere nearhis village. I’ll do everything I can to send him to you. Be ready.
Then she tossed a few items of clothing in a knapsack and was leaving the Lake Cottage and heading down the steps toward the Toyota in the driveway.
BON JAKA, AFRICA
Dominic received a call from Joe Quinn four hours later. His voice was harsh and explosive the instant Dominic picked up the phone. “Tell me that you’ve already sent that exploratory team up that damn mountain to find Shafira.”
“By the tone of your voice, I’d better answer in the affirmative,” Dominic said dryly. “So it’s a good thing that I can do so truthfully. The first team left for the mountains forty minutes ago. I’m taking another tracking team up there myself in about an hour. But I’ve already told you how difficult it’s going to be for them to find that village. It could be a matter of days or weeks.”
“I don’t know if we have days or weeks. So you’d better find them a hell of a lot sooner than that.”
“You know we’ll do what we can.” Dominic paused. “You’ve heard from Eve? Is the boy all right?”
“Yes, I’ve heard from Eve. And Michael is okay.” Joe added, “It seems Eve is going to make sure he stays that way. She decided to agree to give Caldwell the mask he wants so that she’d be there with Michael and be able to protect him. We found her abandoned car near a field near the woods atLanier, where there were signs she must have boarded a helicopter. Do you realize how difficult it’s going to be for her to keep both of them alive? It will be like walking a tightrope. I could lose them so easily,” he whispered. “That can’t happen, Dominic.” He cleared his throat. “So I’m not going to let it. I’ve called and arranged for a team of my own, including your old acquaintance Caleb, to meet me at Sardwa airport. We’ll set out from there toward that blasted mountain and join you.”
“I’m not waiting for you. I’ll leave a man at the airport to give you the latest directions we manage to find on the trail. As I said, it’s a maze.”
“I heard you the first time,” Joe said bitterly. “But Eve got a confirmation from Caldwell that Zakira was definitely holding Michael for him at his village. That means it’s a maze that’s going to lead to Eve and Michael. So we’ll damn well get through it!”
Dominic found Celine in the library fifteen minutes later. “We’ll be leaving the estate within the hour. If you’re going to come, get your backpack and meet me at the jeep in the front.”
“You know I’m going to come.” She gazed searchingly at him. “You said you had arrangements to make and we weren’t leaving until this evening. Why the rush?”
“The picture’s changed a bit. I can do what needs to be done on the road. I don’t want to waste any time.”
She was frowning in puzzlement. “How did it change? What happened?” She stiffened. “You heard from Eve? Did they hurt the boy?”
“No, I heard from Quinn. The boy’s still okay. But Eve took the deal to do the mask so that she could find a way to protect her son.” His lips tightened grimly. “She’s probably heading in the same direction we are. Only she’ll be getting there faster, because Caldwell knows where the hell he’s going. They know how to move in and out of this jungle without being seen. I just hope she’s still alive when we catch up to her.”
“She’s very smart. She should have a good chance.” Celine added thoughtfully, “But I can see why she’d do it.”
“Of course you can,” he said. “You’d probably do the same thing.”
“No question. After all, it’s her child. Family is too important not to accept being willing to sacrifice to save them. You can understand that.”
“Don’t be too sure.” He smiled sardonically. “Remember, I didn’t have a father like yours. I grew up being taught that I couldn’t expect anything from my family but a life of survival of the fittest. That was okay for me. I was tough enough to take care of myself. But most kids don’t stand a chance when bastards like Caldwell push them around. I saw that again at that massacre at Karimu.” His lips tightened. “I’m not going to let him do that to Eve’s Michael. I don’t know anything about all this family dynamic business, but I know right and wrong and how to stop that bullshit in its tracks.”
“That’s what I’ve been told,” she said quietly. “And I believe you know more than you admit about how families operate. You may not have had any close family members around you or supporting you, but you’ve made up for it by the way you’ve drawn people to you through the years. I’veonly been with you a short time, but I’ve met Sam Rashid and Kontara and Catherine Ling, and every time I turn around, you’re giving orders or calling one of your contacts. I’m sure there are many more that you reach out to. In a way, all of them are your adopted family. You’ve just selected them yourself.”
He smiled. “I appreciate you trying to furnish me with a ready-made clan, but aren’t you reaching?”
“No more than you are by choosing to surround yourself with those particular people.”
“But you forgot about one Celine Kelly,” he said softly. “Have you decided not to consider yourself one of the chosen ones?”
“Our relationship is… different.”
“Yes, it is. And if you decide to come with me today, it may change again. Are you prepared for that?” His voice was suddenly rough. “I don’t know if I am. I want this too much. I don’t want to back you in a corner, dammit. Why don’t you just stay here at the estate with some of my so-called family you’ve chosen for me and let me go take care of what I do best.”
She was backing away from him. “Because it’s my business, too. Barnaby made that clear. So did Eve Duncan when she risked her life for her son. So did you when you showed me those photos of those little children at Karimu.” She turned on her heel. “I’ll go pack my backpack as you told me, but first I’ve got to go talk to Kontara…” She was running quickly toward the kitchen.
