Dr. Mike?” Michael looked down to see Caitlyn by his side, a pair of bananas in her hand. “Have you seen my mom?”
He glanced toward the alana, where Alexandra had disappeared. “I think she needed some peace and quiet. I’m sure she’ll be back soon.”
“I hope so.” A frown knit the girl’s forehead. “I know the alana’s supposed to be safe, but it creeps me out after dark.” She offered him a banana. “Want one?”
“Sure.”
They sat together and ate, sharing a few bites with the village twins, a pair of round-bellied boys who couldn’t have been more than three or four. Michael listened with fascination as Caitlyn alternated between making the boys laugh with native words and talking about how strange it would feel to sleep on a flat bed under sheets and blankets. Yet as the moon peered over the rim of the shabono and lit the center fire, his uneasiness swelled into alarm. Alexandra had not reappeared, so she might have fallen outside or encountered some kind of trouble . . .
“Excuse me, Cait, but I think I need to stretch my legs.”
Leaving her to entertain the twins, he stood and gestured to Bancroft and Delmar. When they met him in the center of the shabono, he lowered his voice. “Alexandra ran outside some time ago.” He glanced from the security chief to the guide, knowing both of them would realize the danger. “She is not well, and she was upset when she left. I’m thinking a search party might be in order.”
“Lover’s quarrel, aye?” Delmar indulged in a lecherous wink. “I think the lady would appreciate it if you went after her yourself.”
Michael scowled. “You are out of line, friend. I’ll thank you to mind your tongue.”
“I’ll light a torch and have a look around outside,” Bancroft said. “You’re right to be careful. I doubt those murderers are out there, but just this morning the shaman showed me a pair of jaguar tracks in the dirt.”
Michael nodded. “I’ll go with you.”
“Dr. Mike?” Like a lost puppy that would not go home, Caitlyn stood by his side again, her hand on his arm.
“Yes, dear?”
A faint line appeared between the child’s brows. “Are you going to look for my mom?”
“Quite right. Mr. Bancroft and I are going to take a look around outside. I’m sure we’ll be back with her in a few minutes.”
“That’s good. Because it isn’t like her to leave me.” Caitlyn’s voice had gone loud and rough, a bulldozer bravely straining to push panic aside.
Seeing the anxiety in her eyes, Michael decided to do something that felt more than a little odd in this place. Mindful of the natives’ curious eyes, he placed his hand on Caitlyn’s light brown hair, then bowed his head. “Father in heaven,” he prayed, “please bring peace to this child’s heart . . . and help us find her mother. Keep Alexandra safe, Lord, and guard her from danger and the forces of evil in this place. I ask these things in the name of our Lord.”
When he opened his eyes, he discovered that a curious knot of villagers had gathered around him. Like him, they had felt the need for connection; their hands now rested upon the girl’s back and shoulders. Several little ones had crowded into the circle, reaching out to grip Caitlyn’s hands and arms with their small hands.
When she lifted her head, her brown eyes were wet. “Thank you, Dr. Mike.”
“It’s going to be all right.”
A slow smile crossed her face as the murmuring natives reluctantly removed their hands. “They want to know what you were doing.”
“Well—” He searched for the word. “Can you tell them I was praying? Talking to Yai Pada?”
“They thought you were talking in your sleep.” She giggled, then said something to a child standing next to her. Amazing how much of the language she had picked up in only three days.
“I don’t think they have a word for praying,” she told him. “But they will.”
“Good. You can teach them all about it while we go look for your mum.”
Michael patted Caitlyn’s shoulder and sent her back to the hammocks. As he followed Bancroft and Delmar through the alana, he reflected on her comments. Alexandra would never leave her daughter unprotected unless she’d met with an accident . . . or thought the girl would be better off without her.
Had she given up?