Cabin Fever

“I cannot do this now,” Piper called, coming along the path. “I want to return to the ship.”

Carly jumped back and gave her attention to placating her supermodel.

It was going to be a long day.

* * *

PIPER BARELY MANAGED to keep her mask of indifference in place until she reached the line of taxis waiting in the road. She ordered the taxi driver to go away, and then climbed into the backseat and slowly drew her knees up to her chin.

Nandan. He should be with her. If only she hadn’t left him. Her brother had only been ten the last time she saw him.

Squeezing her eyes tight, she dug her nails into her palms. She heard her manager’s—Mrs. Henderson’s—clipped voice in her head. Stop crying!

She let out her breath on one last gulp. Then silence.

Mrs. Henderson had been right. Allowing herself to wallow in her emotions did not make her feel better. She felt worse. Weak. Foolish. And it solved nothing. She’d had private detectives searching for Nandan for more than five years. But it was as if he’d vanished from the earth.

The wind gusted in from the sea across the high bluff, blowing through the palm fronds. Seagulls squawked and other birds sang happy chirping songs. She wished she were a little bird and could fly away.

She set her jaw. If she let it, the guilt would swallow her whole like a boa swallowed a mouse. Then how would she help Nandan once she found him?

Sitting up, she wiped her cheeks and reached into her purse for the bottle of meds the doctor had prescribed for her. Back of the throat, easy swallow. She substituted the medicine bottle for her makeup bag.

A little repair work and she’d be as good as new.

She only hoped they’d believed her story about the heat.

6 (#ulink_6c66d6fc-aaaf-50bb-993a-a330982a5c39)

“YES. THOSE SHOULD work great. Let’s stop for the day.” Carly called to the crew, her voice echoing inside the large cavern. “Thank you, everyone.” She approached Piper. “I realize the cave terrain was rough, but you were fabulous.”

Piper shrugged. “I’m just glad we’re done. I need a drink. Where’s the nearest cantina?” She exited the cave with a swish of her flowing sheer orange cover-up. Her makeup and hair people followed in her wake like courtiers of a queen.