Chapter Fourteen
Carlo let go of Simone’s hand with a last squeeze. She retracted her hand from the throttle, her annoyance bouncing through the cockpit. He shifted in his seat. He wanted her to trust him, and had held on to her hand during take-off as if trust could be transmitted through touch.
He’d read through everything the HR department had sent him, and although they’d sent only the general information, it had been insightful.
Simone had a dependent.
Automatically he wanted to delve into the various scenarios again. He glanced at her; she was twitchy. She might appear calm on the surface, but tension ricocheted through her, making her movements jerky.
Who could her dependent be? The options had been running through his mind since yesterday when he’d read the information from the HR department. Dependents were usually children. He’d deleted the idea right off the bat. Surely, if Simone had a child it would have surfaced by now. The image of her with a baby kept popping up in his mind’s eye…she would be a wonderful mother. He stifled the deep, novel feeling of longing that stirred in his belly at the image.
It could be a family member, her mother maybe, or her father or her sister. It could be someone else’s child. Maybe her sister’s baby. From what he understood it wasn’t uncommon for schoolgirls to fall pregnant in the neighborhood she’d grown up in. Simone had consciously pulled herself out of that pit, but her sister… Carlevaro East Africa had one of the best international medical plans for their expatriate staff but he didn’t know the details of their medical insurance policies or how someone classified as a dependent.
He closed the mental circle and got back to the family member. The spike in his perfect infinite loop was the notion that Simone needed money to keep someone going. Someone with a health problem or a nasty habit. The type of problem only money could feed…and solve. She’d hinted in the past that her mom had a habit. Alcohol or drugs. He couldn’t recall which because she’d always talked around it. The notion was too close to home and he rattled out a breath, deleting the thought.
It all hung around him like an itch he couldn’t quite reach to scratch.
He hovered over how to approach the situation because he didn’t want to interrogate Simone about her family life. Since he’d never shared anything about his own family with her it was unfair to expect her to bare herself to him now.
The bottom line was that poaching meant money. Simone had a dependent. She would need money. One plus one equaled two. He cursed inwardly as he shot her another glance. The flight was short, and he had to make most of the time with her. Once at Seronera, they’d be driving to the Carlevaro mobile safari camp and that was a whole day excursion. Why had he signed up for it at all?
She cleared her throat and shot him a glance. “I studied those graphs last night.”
Her words drew him out of his wasteful speculation. “And?”
“It boils down to five pilots if I interpreted the data correctly.” She shifted in her seat. “Those of us who’ve been flying the route that overnights in both the Serengeti and Selous, at Rufiji Camp.”
“Well done. I haven’t had time to look closer yet.” He rubbed at his chin. He’d get to the bottom of this, soon. “Who are the five pilots?”
She took a deep breath and sighed it out. “Me, Michael Flynn, Ted Barker, Samuel Msinga and Benedict Lucas.”
There was some relief in her admitting that she was one of the five pilots. If she were guilty she might have kept that information from him until he’d discovered it.
“I’ve only met Michael Flynn.” He recalled the redhead he’d spoken to on the day they’d arrived. He’d liked Michael; he was the straightforward, easy-going type. “Samuel Msinga and Benedict Lucas are locals?” he asked. After two days investigating the pilots he remembered the names, but he didn’t have all the faces on the company profiles connected to the names yet.
“Yes.” Simone hesitated. “They understand how things work in Tanzania.”
“And?” He had to dig. For these men, there would be no language barrier, and they’d have a network and relationships that would ease their way.
“Just because they’re local doesn’t make them the obvious culprits, does it?” Simone sighed, frustrated. “Between the two of them they won’t kill a fly. Ted Barker is an American and new to Carlevaro Air.”
Barker had only been working for them for eight months, which was a time match if nothing else. That left Simone and Michael. “What’s going on in your mind, Simone?” He tried to read her face, but there was nothing but a frown to work on.
“I don’t know. That’s what the picture says, but my instinct tells me it couldn’t be any of them.” She glanced at him. “Ted maybe…you should have a look in his employee file. I’m not sure where he worked before. It could’ve been with another local airline and he switched to Carlevaro to implement the trafficking.”
Carlo nodded. He churned the information over in his mind, the silence between them stretching. She’d introduced the idea of going through employee files. There couldn’t be a better moment. He glanced at her. She seemed even more nervous than before. “I’ll look at the graphs later.” He rubbed at his brow with his forefinger and thumb. “Simone.”
He stared at her, forcing her to meet his gaze.
Simone gave him a fleeting look, and her heart skipped a beat at the question in his eyes as he held her gaze. There had also been something in his tone that made the hair on her neck prickle. “Yes?” If she weren’t strapped to an aircraft’s pilot seat and hundreds of meters up in the air she would have bolted.
“You know I can’t exclude you from our investigations.”
“No…yes, I mean. I know you can’t.” Her fingers had started to tremble. Exhaling in obvious panic would give everything away, and to grip her hands to her thighs wouldn’t help either. Carlo had been sending funny glances in her direction since they’d gotten in the car and headed for the airstrip that morning. “There is no reason why you should, and given the evidence—”
“The graphs aren’t evidence. I’ll look at them later,” he repeated. He stared at her.
He knows. Her stomach tightened around the twisted cramp she’d be walking around with for days, and her mouth went dry. Somehow, overnight, he’d learned about Sarah.
“I’ve asked for your employee file, as part of our investigation.” He lifted his hands as if in excuse, but he didn’t have to. He was the owner. He could get any information he wanted. “It’s not that I don’t trust you.”
She chewed her lip, staring out of the side window. The trust between them had become rather fickle. Why didn’t he just say it?
“Who is the dependent on your employee file?” he asked. “There are no details, except that you have one dependent?”
Her mind charged back to three years ago and every single employee form she’d had to fill in for Carlevaro East Africa. She recalled every detail clearly, every little box she had to tick—they were flashing by in her mind’s eye as if she was about to die.
“It’s my sister.” She swallowed and blinked. “Gabi.” The lie had slipped from her tongue so smoothly. “I’m helping her pay for her studies, and she is on my medical plan.” The first bit was at least true. She immediately regretted lying but it was too late.
Carlo might have asked for her employee information, but as soon as he had her medical aid file, which was locked away with the salary information for confidentiality, he would see that her dependent was Sarah Carla Levin. A little girl with a date of birth that solidly put her in the nursery phase and not in her second year of medical school. Hopefully, he would believe her and not ask to see those damning documents.
He nodded and looked away. “How’s Gabi doing? You always spoke of her.” His hands had relaxed and he pulled the flight documentation from his door’s pocket. “You missed her when you moved here.”
She almost burst with the quake of relief that vibrated in her. She wiped the sudden sweat on her palms off on her pants, making as if she were stroking out a crease or two. “Gabi’s doing fine. She’s on her way to becoming a gynecologist.”
Oh, for fuck’s sake. The next thing she was going to tell him was how Gabi had cut Sarah’s umbilical cord at birth and had ever since wanted to become a doctor. She worked hard, to such an extent that she was first in her class. Gabi had only been seventeen at Sarah’s birth and had been unsure of what she wanted to do with her life. Cutting Sarah’s umbilical cord had been an intensely emotional, if not spiritual, experience for her sister.
“She’s lucky to have you to look out for her.” There was a tremor in his voice, and she glanced at him. He was staring blindly at the documents he’d balanced on the yoke in front of him. A minute passed before he met her gaze without wavering. “I’ve failed my sister completely. It’s not a guilt you want to live with.” He sighed. “You must do for Gabi what you can.”
He hadn’t tried to hide the pain in his eyes; not for the first time she wanted to prod him further. Something had happened to Carlo, which had left him isolated, despite being surrounded by family and work. She wanted to know more, but he’d started to fill in the documents. And probing Carlo was not on her list of how to keep things focused on business, so she consciously turned cold toward him, shutting her mouth.
But her mind and her heart weren’t so easily switched off, and their conversation circled around in her thoughts.
They landed the aircraft in silence.
“We’re here for two nights,” Carlo said as he glanced at her.
She nodded and got out of the aircraft to lower the air stair and open the hold.
After they’d locked the aircraft, they got into the waiting game drive vehicles and took the short trip to the camp.
As they arrived at the Carlevaro Seronera Camp Simone eyed the group of Maasai warriors doing the jumping dance in welcome. No chance in hell she’d be able to slip away from this one. A waitress shoved a breakfast cocktail into her hand and she joined the circle of in-house guests enjoying the show.
Kevin Jenkins, the lodge manager, nudged up to her. “We don’t have a staff room available for you. Michael is flying out later, but we gave the pilot room away ages ago to a guide who is traveling with a group of Americans. We didn’t know you’d be here and availability is tight as it is.”
She searched Kevin’s face, her mind racing. After the Ngorongoro Crater she’d be happy to sleep in the kitchen.
“Don’t panic,” Kevin said. “I put you in a guest chalet as requested.”
Simone swallowed. “A guest chalet?” She couldn’t imagine this being authorized by the reservations department. “As requested?”
“To accommodate the Carlevaros we swapped two guest couples around to go to the Grumeti Camp first. We have enough rooms available, with the brothers sharing.”
She raised a hand in protest, but Kevin hitched his shoulders.
“That’s what Carlo ordered and it’s arranged now,” he said above the singing of the Maasai.
Carlo. Did he think he was doing her a favor? How was this going to reflect on her? She spent an overnight at this lodge every week, and knew most of the staff by name. Sleeping in a chalet would set the tongues wagging all the way to Dar es Salaam and back.
Poor Kevin—shuffling guests around to accommodate the Carlevaros. He’d made a great effort to show the Carlevaros how important this site inspection was, impressing with his Maasai cultural experience and breakfast cocktails. The big shots from the Carlevaro International headquarters in Rome rarely visited East Africa and he had to make this inspection count. She should be the last person to grumble about something as insignificant as a bed right now.
“Enjoy your stay,” Kevin said and he smiled at her as the dancing ended. He left her to catch up with Carlo, Angelo and Dino.
With resignation, Simone picked her bags out of the row lined up by the porters. Natalia came up to her, all smiles. “I wish we could have such a welcome for all our guests.”
“I think everyone who does a full itinerary with Carlevaro gets the cultural experience in at some point,” Simone said.
“I hope so. It’s something we should market more.” Natalia turned to the others.
Carlo, Dino and Angelo wrapped up their conversation with Kevin and walked up to them. “I’ll finalize with Simone,” Carlo said, locking gazes with her. Natalia strode off with the others to follow the porters and Kevin outside.
“We’re here for two nights, then Lake Manyara,” Carlo said, “Can you arrange to refuel at Arusha the same day we fly to Lake Manyara? Ruaha is able to accommodate us after Lake Manyara.”
She nodded, trying to keep her face impassive, untouched by his words. She bit the tip of her tongue to try and control her seething emotions. If she had to sit around she’d much rather do it at home with Sarah. “What am I supposed to do for the next two days?”
His gaze took her in, and for a second, she feared he might read her mind.
He lowered his voice. “Rest and relax. Play the tourist.” He leaned closer. “Permission granted. And I’d like a full report on the spa facilities. Bill it to my room.” He stepped away but she didn’t miss the naughty spark in his eyes.
The situation had become completely unbearable. As if she would spend the day being pampered…on his account! Before she could give him a sharp retort, Carlo strolled off to catch up with the rest of the party.
The Maasai and other guests had dispersed. She’d eaten nothing that morning, in an attempt to avoid the Carlevaros at breakfast. She was ravenous and took the way to the kitchen.
She pulled her phone out to call Michael Flynn, who should still be at the lodge. The flight to the Selous departed in an hour’s time. She paused a second to order her thoughts. She was probably the only innocent pilot currently aware of the poaching and air trafficking situation, and she had no permission to reveal anything to Michael.
The poachers hadn’t managed to stow the tusks the night before. What were the chances they’d try again? If the poachers stowed the tusks that night it would prove that they were unaware of the Carlevaros’ investigation.
Rubbing her forehead, she was still undecided as she ambled into the staff mess, which was situated behind the kitchen. She pocketed her phone when she saw Michael sitting at a table, busy on his phone, an empty plate pushed to the side.
“Hey Simone, fancy seeing you here,” Michael said by way of greeting. “How’ve things been?”
She grimaced. “Hectic.”
He gave her the once-over. “You look knackered. Are those boys working you too hard?”
Michael was the sincere type and wouldn’t mean anything other than what his words implied. “No, the situation is difficult.”
“Sarah?”
She put her finger to her lips to silence him. “I don’t want to bring her up. With the promotion and Ross…I want to keep Sarah out of it.”
Michael shrugged. “Your kid, your life.”
She walked over to the steam tray and helped herself to some warm maize porridge. It was the stuff she had grown up on and every time she ate it, it took her home. She poured a coffee from the urn, letting go of a deep sigh. This was more her world, and relaxing here in this casual atmosphere was like coming home after a long day, wearing high heels that pinched her feet, and kicking her shoes off. She put her plate down and sat in a chair opposite Michael.
“How long are you here for?” He raised his brow at her. “Are you staying the night?”
“We’re here for two nights because they can accommodate us.”
“I got kicked out this morning so that they can get the room ready for some guide. Where’re you slumming?”
“I…” Simone hesitated. There was no way out. “I have a chalet.”
“Woo-hoo!” Michael gave a soft whistle. “Moving up in the ranks? I promise not to tell Ross.” He winked at her.
She pulled a face at the idea of Ross. “It was the only available room.”
“Lucky you. I wish management would accommodate me like that, and then I’d tag Annie along. She loves the whole spa-thing.” He glanced at the staff at another table as they got up and left the mess.
“How’s Annie’s new job going?” Simone asked.
“She’s loving it and neglecting me. All environmentalist, saving the elephants, one at a time, you know.” Michael gave her a lopsided smile. “Where’re you off to next?”
The other staff had left and Simone tried not to show her relief too openly. They were alone and she could talk to Michael freely.
She told him their plans for the next couple of nights, and they both fell quiet for a minute. “Stopping over in the Selous tonight? Staying at Rufiji?” Simone asked.
“Yip.”
She searched his face. Trust could be such a simple thing, such a dangerous thing. But she’d known Michael for three years and had co-piloted with him many times. In a second her decision was made. “Do me a favor, will you?” She stirred her porridge, ignoring the unease that slid down her spine. “Check the hold before they load the empty food containers and the luggage.” She hesitated. “Don’t let anybody see you, if you can manage.”
“Sure.” He raised his eyebrows at her. “Why?”
“I…just let me know if you find anything strange? Anything really. And scratch deeply, not just on the surface.”
Michael opened his mouth to ask more, but she shook her head. “Just look, okay?”
He nodded then checked his watch. “Gotta fly.” He stood and whispered with a wink, “Mum’s the word. I’ll see you in Dar.”
She grinned back at him. “Thanks.”
As Michael rushed off she slumped back and got busy with her breakfast.