Page 22

SARDWA AIRPORT, AFRICA

I was expecting something a bit cozier,” Celine said as she jumped out on the tarmac and glanced around at the modern runways and multiple hangars. “I saw at least three jets as we taxied down that runway.” She grinned. “What? No control tower?”

“Of course there is.” Dominic gestured at the tall stone building on the edge of the east runway.

“It’s fully equipped, but I don’t have personnel manning it unless it becomes necessary.

I prefer that from the air, the airport appears understated.

But there are three men who have been fully trained to do the job if called on.

” He took her arm and led her toward the parking lot.

“Rashid will be picking us up and taking us to Bon Jaka. He got in yesterday and has been doing the preliminary questioning of the workers.” He smiled.

“I hope you’re hungry, because I also told him to tell Kontara to make us one of her special meals. You’re in for a real treat.”

“Kontara?”

“She’s the cook who helps me keep the other workers happy so they won’t wander away to the big city.” They had reached the jeep, where Sam Rashid was leaning on the fender. “Ask Rashid. He’s a big fan. Tell her about Kontara, Rashid.”

He smiled. “Magnifique. She makes the cuisine at the Ritz taste like it came from a fast-food joint. She’s taken a lot of the local delicacies and made them her own. She’s an amazing chef.”

Dominic opened the car door for Celine. “Prepare to be dazzled and a little intimidated. But I think you’ll like her. She reminds me a little of you.”

Rashid chuckled. “I get that.” He started the car. “Or at least I remember it from that miserable first day you inflicted on me.”

“You deserved it,” Celine said. “You shouldn’t work for someone who would treat a strange woman like that.”

“You weren’t at all strange. You were just pure hell.”

“Did you get the workers’ questioning done?” Dominic asked.

Rashid nodded. “Jason, your overseer, helped a lot. There were a few good leads. But I think you should talk to Kontara.”

“Why?”

He shrugged. “She wouldn’t talk to me. She just said she wouldn’t talk to anyone but you.”

Dominic nodded. “Then she must have a good reason if she knew you were questioning everyone else. Take Celine inside and get her settled while I see what Kontara needs.”

They were drawing up to a twelve-foot iron fence, and Rashid got out to open it. “Whatever you say. Celine?”

But Celine was gazing at the massive white columned house beyond the gates. “It looks very grand. It reminds me of that old classic movie Gone with the Wind . Did you build it to resemble it?”

“Not guilty,” Dominic said. “I actually bought the place from a Dutch planter who was returning to Amsterdam because I needed a permanent base in this area. He inherited it from his grandfather. It’s older than it looks.

Sometimes I like the feeling of age and substance.

Probably because I never had either when I was growing up. ”

“Well, it’s lovely anyway.” She was about to get out of the vehicle when she stopped and turned to face Dominic. “All of this questioning has to do with Caldwell, doesn’t it?”

“Yes,” he said warily. “From now on, everything we talk about is probably going to have to do with Caldwell.”

“Then may I go with you when you talk to this Kontara?”

He grimaced. “So this is where it starts?”

She nodded jerkily. “This is where it starts.”

He took her hand and drew her toward a smaller gate a few yards away.

“Then come and meet her. She has her own quarters at the back of the main building of the estate. It was the only thing she asked when she came to work for me. But don’t be surprised if she’s rude to you.

She hasn’t had a great life. One of my workers found her in the jungle unconscious a while back.

She’d been brutally beaten and raped, and we weren’t sure that she’d live.

She bounced back, but she wouldn’t tell us her name or who had done that to her.

She said we could call her Kontara. She speaks English, French, and several African dialects.

The moment she was able to get on her feet, she started to take over the kitchen and boss everyone around. ”

“Including you?”

“We came to an understanding. I thought that anyone who had been through the hell she had should get a say in her own future.”

“But evidently her life has been better since she met you?”

“One could argue that it’s our lives that have been better. But then you haven’t tried one of her gourmet dishes.” He was knocking on the door. “I’ll let you judge.”

The door swung open and a tall, red-haired woman was scowling at Dominic.

She was in her late twenties or early thirties with a voluptuous body and olive skin; she wore her red hair in a thick single braid that fell down over her breasts.

Her huge, dark eyes were glaring at Dominic.

“It’s about time you came. I needed you.

I have a problem.” She glanced at Celine.

“Who is this? Another one of your damn rescues? Just look at her. She’s not going to be anything but trouble.

And I told Rashid I didn’t want to talk to anyone but you. ”

“But it seems Celine wants to hear what you have to say and she’s earned the right, so be polite, Kontara. Now tell me what the problem is.”

She hesitated. “Rashid was asking all the workers if they knew which villagers were responsible for the attack on Karimu.” She paused. “I know who they were but I can’t tell anyone. I won’t tell anyone.”

“Then we may have a difficulty,” Dominic said. “Because I have to know, Kontara.”

“No difficulty,” she said impatiently. “Because you’re not anyone.

I trust you. You saved my life. You’re just Dominic.

” She paused and then said in a rush, “The massacre was probably done by the Shafira tribe. It’s a village high in the mountains, and the people have been on the verge of war with the Karimu for years.

The Karimu had rich grasslands that support herds of cattle, and the high priest of Shafira must have gotten tired of just toying with them and decided to send his army to take over their village. ”

“It was destroyed,” Celine said bitterly. “And so were all the men, women, and children who lived there. It was a bloodbath.”

“Of course,” Kontara said. “I told you that the priest regarded them as enemies. I knew it was going to happen someday. He was only waiting for the right time and place after he took over the gold mines in the lower valley. Then he knew he could have anything he wanted if he dangled enough gold in front of the right people.”

“Slow down,” Dominic said. “Give me names. Though I’m beginning to guess a few of them. The name of the high priest wouldn’t be Masini Zakira?”

She nodded. “Zakira.”

“And who were the right people he was dangling that gold in front of?”

“The human traffickers who sold women like me to the highest bidders. I was a dancer in a nightclub before the traffickers sold me and at least sixty-five other women to Zakira to be his concubines. He’d give us to workmen, merchants, soldiers, anyone he wanted to reward or bribe.

He was also building an army by recruiting young men and boys from his village, and he found us useful to reward them if they pleased him.

” Her lips twisted. “Sometimes he’d have festivals where they made us perform unspeakable sex acts for hours on end.

And every time I’d try to run away, they’d hunt me down and bring me back and beat me.

But they were careful not to damage me too badly.

” She added bitterly, “After all, I was valuable property. Otherwise, they would have probably killed me. But I kept on running away, and I got to know the trails and caves where I could hide. One day I found a cave where I hid for almost a week and then set out again. I don’t know how long I ran, but I must have gotten far enough away so that I was near this property, and one of your workmen found me.

” Her lips tightened. “But even then, I knew someone would come after me if they knew I was here. Because Zakira liked to make examples, and he would have paid someone to bring me back to him.” She met his gaze.

“And you were kind to me. I didn’t want to cause you trouble. ”

“Dear God,” Celine murmured. “It’s a wonder you managed to live through that horror.”

“Of course I lived through it,” Kontara said fiercely. “Do you think I’d let those beasts get the best of me? There was no way I wouldn’t escape. I only wish I’d found a way to send them straight to hell.”

Dominic chuckled. “There you are. Plain as day. Rashid was right. You can see why she reminds him of you.” He turned back to Kontara.

“She didn’t mean to insult you. We’re all in complete agreement regarding Zakira.

And when you get to know Celine a little better, she may even be able to give you a few lessons on how to send them to those lower regions.

I’m sure she’s not nearly your equal as a cook, but she’s very talented at what she does.

” He was reaching for his phone. “But since you had an up-close-and-personal experience with some of the men in Zakira’s camp, would you look at these photos and tell me if they’re familiar? ”

She took the phone and checked out the photos.

“The man with gray hair is Caldwell. Zakira sent me to him quite a few times. He wanted to please him. They had some sort of deal going on. The other man is Jossland. He works for Caldwell.” She shuddered.

“He and Caldwell both like to cause pain, but Jossland almost killed one of the women he was sent. Caldwell had to apologize to Zakira.”

“What kind of deal with Caldwell?” Dominic asked.

“Weapons and drugs for gold,” she said absently as she turned to look at Celine. “What could you teach me that I don’t already know?”