Elephants, blazing skies and her two best friends...

Maddie can’t wait to return to Kenya! Until she learns the bill her law firm has sent her to fight is the same one her friend Haki helped write. At first, her work feels disloyal to Haki, but soon the sparks flying between them aren’t anger...but something more. Much more. Which is another kind of betrayal. Her cousin Pippa has been counting on a proposal from Haki for years. But to Maddie, denying her love for Haki also means betraying herself.

What was wrong with her?

No guy had ever had this effect on her. Maddie rubbed her hand along her arm where the rough stubble of Haki’s jaw and the warmth of his breath had inadvertently caressed her skin. Even the vibrations of his rich voice, when he’d gotten permission to touch her, had made all the hairs along her skin sway and dance.

She wanted this feeling to go away. It was overpowering. It was dangerous. It betrayed Pippa.

Maddie set her fork down and took a drink of water. Maybe she needed a shower or maybe she was still jet-lagged. That had to be it.

“I know what’s on your mind, Maddie,” Pippa called out from the far end of the long wood table.

Maddie’s stomach churned. “You do?”

Dear Reader,

After I wrote The Promise of Rain, many of you asked me if spunky little Pippa would ever have her own story. Pippa was only four at the time! Still, there was something about her and her friend Haki that I couldn’t let go of and, after the children in the following books, including introverted Maddie in After the Silence, endured the impossible and stole my heart, I simply couldn’t quiet their stories.

Every Serengeti Sunrise takes readers back to the wilds of Kenya about fifteen years after the third book, Through the Storm. I never imagined sweet little Pippa’s future involving a love triangle, but both love and a writer’s imagination work in mysterious ways. I also felt guilty writing this story because Maddie, Haki and Pippa are good, kind souls who deserve to find true love. It made me wonder about the many different kinds of love and the complexity of relationships. Love is priceless, but it opens the door to pain. Would you turn down the chance to grow old with your soul mate if it meant hurting someone else you loved? Is being true to your heart selfish? Or is it always the right thing to do?

The Kenyan Wildlife Service is a real organization dedicated to protecting Kenya’s unique and extraordinary wildlife. Its teams are on the front lines, fighting poaching and providing emergency veterinary care to wildlife, including elephants. Their conservation efforts, along with those of the smaller rescue and rehab groups they cooperate with, are critical in the fight against poaching.

My door is open at www.rulasinara.com, where you can sign up for my newsletter, get information on all of my books and find links to my social media hangouts.

Wishing you love, peace and courage in life,

Rula Sinara

Every Serengeti Sunrise

Rula Sinara

www.millsandboon.co.uk

Award-winning and USA TODAY bestselling author RULA SINARA lives in rural Virginia with her family and crazy but endearing pets. She loves organic gardening, attracting wildlife to her yard, planting trees, raising backyard chickens and drinking more coffee than she’ll ever admit to. Rula’s writing has earned her a National Readers’ Choice Award and a Holt Medallion Award of Merit, among other honors. Her door is always open at www.rulasinara.com, where you can sign up for her newsletter, learn about her latest books and find links to her social media hangouts.

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To Jeannie Watt for your wisdom, kindness and friendship, and for writing books that make every anticipated release a special gift for the reader in me...and to Victoria Curran for your guidance, for believing in me and for buying my first book, The Promise of Rain. Jeannie, I’ll never forget how you urged me to pitch that story and, Victoria, I’ll never be able to thank you enough for seeing that book as the first in a series that would take readers on a (literally) wild and romantic journey to Africa. I owe the birth of my From Kenya, with Love series to you both, and will be forever grateful.

Acknowledgments

To Claire Caldwell for her patience, incredible editorial insight and for always helping me bring out the best in a story. You’re one of the smartest and most talented people I know. I’m so lucky to have you with me on this journey and am beyond grateful for all you do.

Contents

Cover

Back Cover Text

Introduction

Dear Reader

Title Page

About the Author

CHAPTER ONE

CHAPTER TWO

CHAPTER THREE

CHAPTER FOUR

CHAPTER FIVE

CHAPTER SIX

CHAPTER SEVEN

CHAPTER EIGHT

CHAPTER NINE

CHAPTER TEN

CHAPTER ELEVEN

CHAPTER TWELVE

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

EPILOGUE

Extract

Copyright

CHAPTER ONE

HAKI ODABA’S FUTURE was written in the stones: a few goats, plenty of elephants and a wife who would light up his days like the Serengeti’s blinding sun. He grumbled, slid farther behind the brush that camouflaged his jeep and peered through his binoculars. There she was. Tracked and spotted. A beautiful sight for the worried and weary. He lowered his binoculars and rubbed the heel of his palm against his throbbing temple. God help him. According to locals, the stones never lied—at least not when thrown by the tribal elder. The local Masai’s Laibon had certainly earned his role as healer and wise man over the years, but it didn’t take a rocket scientist or a tribal oracle to know who was destined to be Haki’s “blinding sun.”

The sunrise backlit Pippa Harper’s unruly, corkscrew curls like a fiery beacon glistening against an emerald backdrop of tree canopies in the distance. Her focus on Malik, a beloved, old male African rhino deep in a courtship ritual with several females, didn’t waver.

Not good.

How many times had Haki warned her about being aware of all her surroundings at all times? The heart of Kenya’s savannah beat with the rhythm of life and death...predator and prey. She hadn’t even noticed his presence, and he wasn’t being particularly stealthy. What if Haki was a stalking cheetah or lion?

He pinched the bridge of his nose. As if that wasn’t dangerous enough, predators around here didn’t only come on four legs. What was she thinking? She might as well have radioed her coordinates to the poachers that the Kenyan Wildlife Service were tracking in the area. The KWS had informed Haki and his colleagues at the Busara Elephant Research and Rescue Camp of their presence early that morning, and everyone knew to be on the lookout. Given that her parents, along with Haki’s, ran Busara, one of Kenya’s most reputable elephant rescue camps, Pippa would make quite the prize if she got cornered by ruthless poachers.

Forget being destined to marry. At this rate, Haki would die from exasperation first.

The male rhino’s grunt rippled through the air. Pippa pushed her auburn hair out of her face, peered through her camera lens and began taking shots like her life depended on it.

Raised here or not, she either didn’t fully comprehend the danger she was putting herself in...or she didn’t care. Heaven help him. Haki had faced death before. The scar on his left thigh proved it. Working with wildlife, which included treating five-thousand-pound pachyderms in the field with fanged predators around, was risky business, but there was only one thing Haki truly feared, and that was Pippa’s fearlessness.

Haki put away his binoculars, grabbed his rifle out of the jeep and slung the strap over his shoulder as he made his way toward Pippa. He needed to get her back to Busara and convince her to stay put until they had confirmation that the poachers had been caught or were at least out of the immediate area. He seriously hoped that crash of rhinos Pippa was observing wasn’t what those poachers were after. They’d make a killing off rhino horn. Medicinal powder. Murder for money. It was all too sick and infuriating.

Fifteen meters and closing in, and Pippa hadn’t even turned around. The breeze whispered a soft, luring melody as it caressed the dry savannah grasses and urged each slender blade to stretch and claw at his hands like seductive sirens. Mesmerizing...and full of hidden dangers.

Pippa shifted her knees against the crusty soil and leaned her shoulder against the outcropping of boulders to her left, edging into its shade as the sun crested over it. She readjusted her camera angle and took another shot.

“Come on, girl. Show him your big, beautiful behind already. You’re such a tease,” she muttered as the female rhino stepped away from the restless bull. Two more females in heat joined the group.

“Crashing the party, are we?” Pippa chuckled.

Haki shook his head. That isn’t remotely funny, Pip. She’d been out here way too long and she was lucky her voice hadn’t carried toward the animals. He resisted calling out to her. A few more steps and he’d be able to keep his voice low enough not to startle the rhinos.

Malik, intent on his first choice, didn’t seem to notice the onlookers—two-footed or four. Much like Pippa hadn’t noticed Haki, now five meters away.

A young clump of elephant grass to her right swayed as a traitorous breeze lifted her curls away from her forehead.

The wind shifted.

She seemed to tense, then lowered her camera just as Haki stopped in his tracks.

Rhinos had terrible eyesight, but a keen sense of smell. They both knew it, too.

Malik grunted.

“Pip. Time to go.”

Pippa jerked around at the deep timbre of Haki’s voice and bumped her head against the rocky outcropping.

“Ouch! Get down before you get us both impaled.” She pressed her hand against the back of her head.

“We’re leaving right now. Get up and hope that he’s too distracted by his girl to charge.”

“Don’t give me orders like that. I have everything under control and my jeep’s not far,” she said. She rose to her feet and gave the dust on her khakis a brisk swat.

Haki glanced toward the battered jeep she’d driven from Busara. It was parked in the shade of an acacia tree less than twenty-five meters east of the rhinos. Not a safe spot at the moment. He looked at her pointedly.

“They weren’t there when I parked it,” she said.

“Of course not. Now back away slowly.” The bull raised his head and snorted, as if irritated by the putrid scent of man in the air.

Pippa steadied her camera with one hand as it hung from her neck strap and backed away from the rock. Knowing Pippa, she’d take a bruise to the head any day if it meant protecting that camera from damage. It was the same camera her father, geneticist Dr. Jack Harper, had been given by his adoptive parents during his troubled teen years. It was also the same one he’d brought with him on his first trip to Kenya. Pippa had been four, and prior to that trip, Jack had been unaware that he had a daughter, let alone one being raised in the wilds of Africa.

Haki waited until Pippa was at his side, then nudged her safely behind him as they retreated toward his jeep.

“I appreciate the lift, but I would have been fine,” Pippa said, climbing onto the front passenger seat.

“Fine? You didn’t even hear me walking up. What if it hadn’t been me?” Haki secured his rifle in the back, then got behind the wheel. They’d have to return for her jeep when the situation was safer. He churned the ignition and it choked several times before the engine roared to life. Malik raised his horn in their direction, but Haki left a screen of dust in their wake.

“I knew it was you all along. I saw your reflection in my camera lens when I held it away from my face,” Pippa called out over the engine noise.

Haki’s glower was met with a cheeky grin.

“You were ignoring me.”

“You were stalking me,” Pippa countered.

“Sta— I wasn’t stalking. There were poachers in the vicinity and your mother asked me to track you down when you didn’t answer her radio call. Ignoring is not okay.”

“I wasn’t ignoring her. I was going to radio in as soon as I got the shots I needed for the Busara website. I didn’t want to miss the moment.”

The Busara Elephant Research and Rescue Camp had come a long way over the past fifteen years. Its website was run and edited by one of the Harpers’ closest family friends, Tessa Walker. Everyone in the family contributed posts and updates, and Pippa was responsible for most of the photographs.

After marrying their “uncle” Mac, Tessa had begun building the site, which was dedicated to educating the public on just how precious and fragile their wildlife and the ecosystem were. It highlighted both Camp Jamba Walker and the work done to rescue elephants at Camp Busara. Mac Walker wasn’t blood-related to anyone at Busara, but he was everyone’s uncle Mac nonetheless. He was a bush pilot who’d spent years helping KWS and wildlife research groups in tracking both animals and poachers. He’d become friends with Pippa’s mother back when she first established Busara. So Uncle Mac had known both Pippa and Haki since they were babies and, as far as anyone was concerned, was their honorary uncle. Just as Tessa was an auntie to them all and the nephew she and Mac had raised together after his parents’ death, Nick Walker, was like a cousin.

“You know our safety rules.”

Pippa squeezed fistfuls of her hair before letting the wind have its way.

“How many times do I have to tell you all that I don’t need protecting? I’m twenty-two and you only have a year on me and we both grew up here. I know how to survive here as well as you do. Being a woman doesn’t make me stupid or less prepared.”

Her cactus-colored shirt and sun-kissed hair upped the intensity of her green eyes. Pippa was anything but stupid. Sometimes a bit reckless and sensitive. Always fearless, stubborn and headstrong, but not stupid. She’d even graduated with top grades from her geology program, back when the two of them attended university together in Nairobi. He’d learned about living things and earned his veterinary degree; she’d studied the nonliving. She knew all there was to know about the earth beneath their feet. If only she’d learned how to ground all that energy of hers enough to do something with that education. He reached over and gave her hand a squeeze.

“Of course it doesn’t, but it can make you more of a target or tasty morsel. I may have only a year on you, but I’m also bigger. Not to mention the intense, military-style training I endured alongside KWS. Do I need to remind you who my supervisor was?”

Pippa closed her eyes and slumped back against the seat. She tilted her chin up and let the sun warm her face. Haki put his hand back on the wheel and scanned their surroundings as he made his way toward Busara. She knew full well that, training aside, physical strength and fitness were crucial in his line of work. Even at his peak, his strength didn’t come close to the brute force some of the larger animals he treated or rescued were capable of. Plus, he’d trained under her uncle Ben.

“Fine. You win,” she said.

He glanced over at her and couldn’t resist smiling. Everyone knew that anyone training under her uncle deserved a medal. Ben Corallis had been in the US Marine Corps before losing his wife—Jack Harper’s sister—to a traumatic accident about seventeen years ago. His youngest son had been a newborn at the time—way out of Ben’s comfort zone. Plus, he’d had a hyperactive four-year-old on his hands and his only daughter, Maddie, Pippa’s then ten-year-old cousin. To make matters worse, Maddie had retreated into a shell of silence after the loss of her mother. It wasn’t until Dr. Hope Alwanga, the sister of a family friend in Nairobi, had entered their lives, that they’d begun healing. And that healing had led to Ben and Hope falling in love. Ben later began using his marine experience to help train Kenyan Wildlife Service rangers in their battle against illegal poaching.

Haki had learned from the best, even if he had only worked as a ranger for a year before quitting so that he could go to vet school. Now, working as a field vet for Busara, often in areas where poachers had been spotted, that training was priceless.

“I don’t want to win. I want you safe.” Haki leaned over, keeping one hand on the wheel, and kissed her cheek. Pippa smiled but kept her eyes closed.

She really was beautiful. Haki couldn’t ask for anyone with a kinder heart. The trumpeting of elephants reverberated through the air and he straightened in his seat as he rounded an outcropping and merged onto the worn dirt road that led into camp. Pippa sat up and took a shot of the view ahead. The same photograph she’d taken a thousand times. Busara. The one place that would always be their sanctuary and home.

“I’m sure Aunt Tessa will appreciate those photographs, but until we find whoever was involved in the killing yesterday, maybe you could help out with the orphan we rescued from the scene. I heard she hasn’t taken a bottle yet and you know if she’s too depressed to eat, she won’t make it. I’m betting a little attention from you might help.”

Pippa could never resist a baby elephant, and since her mother, Dr. Bekker, was known as Mama Tembo, or mother elephant, the keepers had nicknamed Pippa “Mini-Mama” long ago. In fact, the vast majority of photographs she took in her spare time were of baby animals. Helping their latest orphan would keep her safely at camp. At least for a little while.

“The poor thing. Of course I’ll check in on her, but don’t think I’m not onto what you’re doing. I’ve known you long enough to read your mind.”

“I’m not that easily read,” Haki scoffed.

“Is that so? Don’t worry. I won’t go walking into a lion’s den. Besides, my jeep is still out there.”

“Good.”

“Oh, I’m not done reading you. You’re extra upset right now because you think the poachers had help. Or maybe this wasn’t the work of poachers at all. It irks you even more when good people succumb to the dark side.”

Haki took a deep breath and tightened his grip on the wheel as they hit a rut on the dirt road.

“I’ll give you that. This baby should have been with her herd. Or if the herd had witnessed the murder, one would think the other mothers would have taken the little one into their protection. Unless, because of the drought and the baby’s age, the herd decided they had to move on and leave it to die. Maybe the situation was still too dangerous to keep the others around. As in, they sensed the human threat was still nearby.”

Female elephants were highly maternal and protective. They wouldn’t have abandoned one of their own, especially not a calf, unless circumstances were extenuating. Unfortunately, with reports of nearby crop destruction by elephants, he didn’t doubt some of the Masai farmers had taken to deadly means to protect their land. Pippa understood the dilemma as well as he did. Man’s indigenous rights versus the elephants’. And all the other wildlife. She touched his shoulder.

“You did your best. You rescued the calf. You’re a good man.” Pippa sighed and put the protective cover back on her camera lens. “How is that legislative proposal coming along? Any progress?”

Haki shook his head. That proposal had been keeping him up at night.

“Still waiting on cabinet approval. Apparently, it has raised the hackles of a human rights organization. No word on if that will slow things down or not.”

He’d helped a group of wildlife advocates draft the proposal aimed at increasing the punishment and/or penalty against individuals from indigenous tribes, like the Masai, who killed elephants in retaliation for crop damages. The killing had to stop. Hopefully, before the extinction of the species. This proposal was a step in the right direction, but the notion that anyone would want to block it made his skin burn. A very slow burn, considering how long it was taking for it to go through.

“Don’t give up hope. Maybe Uncle Ben can ask Maddie if she has any connections to lawyers who can help. Did you hear that she’s planning to visit? I’m so excited. I can’t wait to see her again.”

Maddie was coming to Kenya? Pippa had a knack for switching subjects as quickly as a cheetah on caffeine. He was used to it, but the mention of Maddie’s visit nearly gave him whiplash.

His thumb pricked against the rough patch where his steering wheel had been gnawed by something wild and nocturnal. He shifted his grip. It had been two years since he’d last seen her and even then, they’d barely had a chance to catch up. Usually, her family returned to the States during the holidays and the few times she’d visited her parents and brothers in Nairobi, she’d cut her trips short for some reason and Haki had never managed to see her. The last time she came around he was out in the field for several days with KWS teams and never made it into Nairobi. She’d had no real reason to fly out to Busara, since Pippa and her parents had gone to see her instead. Apparently, getting to see him hadn’t been reason enough.

“Is she coming out here or are you going to Nairobi?”

It didn’t really matter, did it? Haki had clued in long ago that spending time at Busara no longer held the attraction for Maddie it once had. When her family first moved to Kenya, she was only ten and had just regained her ability to speak. She used to beg Hope and Ben to let her spend the night out here so that she, Pippa and Haki could sit around a campfire surrounded by nothing but stars and the call of the wild. Maddie loved animals back then and had always wanted to visit Africa. Being out here had helped her heal after the loss of her biological mother.

Of course, they’d been within the safe boundaries of Busara and their parents were nearby, but those nights had been exhilarating just the same. The kind of experiences that childhood memories were made of. He and Pippa had loved having a new friend around and the three of them had formed what seemed like an unbreakable bond. At least Pippa and Maddie were still close. He still wasn’t sure why things had gotten awkward and distant between him and Maddie. Sometimes he wondered if he’d done something or said something to offend her. Her visits to Busara had slowly fizzled out, and once she took off for college in the US, it was as though they’d both gotten too busy with their lives to bother with one another.

“I honestly have no idea if she’s coming out here or how long she’s staying,” Pippa said. “She was a bit vague in her email, which is strange. I know law school wiped her out, so maybe with this new job in Philadelphia, she just needs a break.” Pippa sat up bone-straight and her eyes brightened. “Oh, my gosh! I bet she met someone. She’d want to tell me in person, especially if it’s serious. Think about it. She’s twenty-six, out of school and working at a firm that’s probably full of handsome, eligible bachelor lawyers. Her nerves must be fried right now. With brothers like hers...and Uncle Ben...I can’t blame her for not introducing any guys to them yet. This one would have to be worth it. But I can’t believe she hasn’t mentioned him to me. I wouldn’t have said anything. Well, maybe to you, but not to anyone else.”

Trust. Life was nothing without it. Trust meant a sense of peace, honesty and truth. It meant feeling safe. A person could be themselves around those they trusted. He was honored that Pippa would confide in him...but Maddie? Getting married?

Something faint and indefinable pinched at his chest. The young Maddie he’d known had loved wearing jeans, feeding baby animals and camping. The last Maddie he’d seen had looked more like a big-city office type: hose, heels and tied-up hair. Maybe the real Maddie was the one who’d be happy spending her life with a man in a suit. They could carpool to court the way he and Pippa liked to floor a jeep across the savannah. He lowered his chin briefly to release a cramp at the back of his neck. It was none of his business anyway. There was no reason why any of it should bother him.

“Maybe you should just wait and see before making up stories,” Haki said, pulling up next to three other Busara jeeps parked just far enough from the camp’s wooden pens so as not to disturb the baby elephants. They were all recovering from injuries incurred when their mothers were killed in the name of ivory. A keeper stood feeding a ravenous calf with a milk bottle in a small grassy clearing to the left of the pens. Dr. Bekker—Auntie Anna, as Haki called her—glanced over her shoulder and gave them a relieved thumbs-up when Pippa hopped out of the jeep. She shook her head at her daughter, then ducked into their small vet clinic.

Judging from the absence of their rescue vehicles, Haki’s father and his crew had already been called off on mission. Dr. Kamau Odaba was a field veterinarian who’d been working at Busara from the start...and who’d fallen in love with Haki’s mother, Niara Juma, and had taken them both under his wing when Haki was five. He was the only father Haki had ever known, and the only one he ever wanted to. He and his mother had taken Kam’s last name after the marriage and his legal adoption. Since his father was Dr. Odaba, their staff avoided confusion by calling him Dr. Haki.

“Maybe I’m right,” Pippa said as she came around the jeep and leaned on the rim of Haki’s open window. “Maddie will need us as backup if she tells Uncle Ben she’s getting engaged. If you thought training with her dad was tough, can you imagine the vetting he’d put this poor guy through?”

“Good. He should.”

“Haki, have a heart.”

“Me?” He couldn’t help but chuckle. “You spent too much time hanging upside down from trees as a child. You haven’t even met this man who—I might add—is a figment of your overactive imagination, yet you’re already defending him. But say he does exist. What if he’s not good for her? What if you end up hating him?”

“I won’t because I trust Maddie’s judgment. I’m sure I’d adore any man worthy of her love.”

Haki rubbed his forehead, then restarted the jeep. Mosi, a small vervet monkey, squealed at them before scampering down a nearby fig tree and eyeing Pippa for food.

“My hands are empty, Mosi.”

The little guy was the only child of the late Ambosi, a three-legged vervet who’d been rescued by Dr. Bekker when Pippa and Haki were infants and who’d spent his life hanging around Busara for treats...or because of the amusing crush he seemed to have had on Dr. Bekker. He’d gotten quite jealous when Pippa’s father, Jack, had shown up at Busara. It was no secret that Pippa missed Ambosi. Everyone did.

“I have to get back to work, Pip.”

“I know. It’s just...” She wrinkled her nose and shrugged. “Never mind.”

“What is it?”

“Nothing. It was a totally selfish thought. Best to keep it in my head.”

“There’s not a selfish bone in your body. An uncontrollably wild imagination, yes. But not selfishness. Out with it.”

Pippa sighed and looked at Mosi, then gazed wistfully at the house that her and Haki’s parents had built after they’d married. It had been built for both families so they could live more comfortably at Busara. Both of their younger siblings had been born in that home. Maddie had played in that home.

“It hit me that I hardly get to see her as it is. Once she’s married or has children, she’ll be even busier. I want her to be happy, the way you and I are, but a part of me is afraid of losing her. See? Rotten selfishness. Don’t you dare repeat anything I just said.”

Haki grabbed one of her hands and pressed her knuckles to his lips.

“First, you’re going to freak Maddie out when she finds out you’ve planned her wedding with a man she’s never met. Second, you’ll always have me. And third, you’ll never lose her. She’s your cousin. She’s family.”

Pippa gave him a small smile.

“Okay. You’re the best, you know? Now, go save some animals or help catch some bad guys.” She ducked her head in the window and gave him a quick peck. “Be safe.”

“You, too,” he warned, then backed out. He pulled his sunglasses out of the glove compartment and slipped them on.

You’ll never lose her. She’s family. But he knew Maddie was more than just Pippa’s cousin. They were best friends the way Haki’s mother, Niara, and Anna were. Pippa was right about a woman’s strength. Their mothers had raised them both at Busara when the remote camp consisted of nothing more than a few tents and a water well. They’d had no amenities. No extravagances. Just each other. Pippa hadn’t had a lot of other girls around growing up out here.

That’s why he hated that Maddie didn’t seem to understand how much Pippa missed her. It was also why Pippa wasn’t just any girl to Haki. He’d known her all his life. They’d been through every growing pain together, from infancy to toddlerhood to the troublesome teens. Maddie had been around during their teens, too. But he and Pippa had a future together. Not because Haki put faith in the Laibon’s divination methods—that silliness was Pippa’s thing, along with reading her horoscope every now and then. No, Haki knew she was the one because their lives had become so intertwined he couldn’t see them ever being apart.

They were perfect for each other. The whole family saw it and often dropped hints about what their wedding would be like. Something small at Busara surrounded by family and the baby elephant orphans they both loved so much...or something more elegant at one of Amboseli National Park’s lodges? It didn’t really matter to Haki. He just wanted life as they knew it to carry on. As long as they both continued their work to save the elephants and he could take care of her and their family... As long as Pippa was happy, he’d be happy.

Maybe asking Maddie for insight on their legislative proposal wasn’t a bad idea. It would give him the chance to talk to her and to nudge her into spending some time at Busara. Like the good old days.

For Pippa’s sake.

Static buzzed over Haki’s radio and he grabbed it just as the call came through. The air rushing through the jeep’s windows went from refreshing to thick and heavy with the burden of death.

He made a sharp left around a dense mass of Red Grass and aimed for the coordinates coming through. Coordinates that were all too familiar.

He wiped his face against his sleeve and stepped on the gas.

The poachers KWS had been hunting down had been apprehended about a kilometer west of where Haki had found Pippa photographing the rhinos. The poachers had tracked the rhinos and were intercepted while heading toward the Kenya-Tanzania border with their tusks.

The old bull, Malik, was dead.

CHAPTER TWO

MADDIE CORALLIS’S PALM stung as she caught herself against the bathroom door at the law offices of Levy, Hatterson & Palomas. Every door in the restored historic building in Philadelphia was the original oak—as solid as nature had intended. She balanced her laptop and a stack of documents in her left hand and gave her right wrist a quick turn to ease her cramped joint.

Higher heels boost confidence and make a girl look more dignified, huh? That was the last time she’d listen to the women in the break room at lunch. No, they had not specifically told her to run out and buy new shoes, nor had they suggested an eye-catching dark red, but she’d overheard them emphasizing that women who— Darnit. Maddie gritted her teeth. They’d wanted her to overhear them. You gullible idiot.

She righted her brand-new pumps using her toes and shoved her foot back in, then glanced around the firm’s loft-style top floor in the hopes that no one had witnessed her klutziness. Patrick Cole, the other junior lawyer, quickly turned back to whatever he was feeding the fax machine, but he made no effort to hide his smirk. Of all the stuck-up—

She pulled back her shoulders, entered the bathroom and locked the door behind her.

“Oh, for heaven’s sake. Of all people,” she muttered. She set down her pile on the shimmery, black granite counter by the sink, inspected her reflection and took a deep breath. “Keep your eyes on the goal. They won’t be laughing when you make partner. Now get yourself together and get back out there.”

The concealer she’d dabbed under her eyes was holding up. Her hair wasn’t. Her long, wavy locks were annoyingly thick and silky, always slipping out of any band or clip she used to keep them in place. No wonder her first mother, Zoe, had finally cropped hers short after Maddie’s little brother, Ryan, was born. It had no doubt made her routine with three little kids around a lot easier. Maddie tried that once during her first year in law school. She had it all chopped off and the resulting dark brown bob looked just like her mama’s did in an old photo. Only instead of looking pretty and chic on Maddie, it made her look boyish and even more pale.

She pinched her cheeks, pulled her bun loose and flipped her head upside down. The three silver bangles she never took off her wrist tinkled like wind chimes as she finger-combed her hair and twisted it back up in a tighter knot. Her second mom had given her those bracelets when Maddie was only ten years old. They’d belonged to Hope’s grandmother...or Maddie’s step-great-grandmother. Hope hadn’t been married to Maddie’s father at the time, but she’d already become an important part of the family. She’d helped Maddie cope after the death of her birth mother and those bracelets meant more to Maddie than anything. Three silver rings, one for each of the three of them—Maddie, her mama, as she used to call Zoe, and Hope, her mom. Her bracelets held memories...and a magical bond. They were a reminder that life went on, and their soft, bell-like music always gave her courage.

She’d make it through this meeting with her boss, the toughest of the partners at Levy, Hatterson & Palomas. She’d presented her work to the senior lawyers before and had survived any criticism thrown her way, but the memo requesting that Patrick be there, too, had her a little rattled. What did presenting her case research have to do with him?

She smoothed her brown tweed pencil skirt and matching blazer, grabbed her pile of folders and headed toward the conference room, this time careful not to catch her heel on an uneven floorboard.

“Good morning, Mr. Levy.” Maddie aimed for pleasantness, without the smile. Being serious, both in expression and looks, was part of her strategy for climbing the ranks. She’d noticed early on that if a guy smiled around here, he was being congenial, but if a woman did, it somehow diluted her brainpower and made her flirty. If she had to play borderline cold, she would.

This office was a man’s world, and Maddie was desperate to move on from being a junior lawyer. The position was synonymous with grunt worker, and a year into the job, the grunt was already getting old. While the seniors got to spend their evenings dining clients at four-star restaurants, she and the other glorified minions in the office burned the midnight oil researching cases, or making sure dates and other details were in order. Being a junior lawyer was beginning to make her wonder why she’d gone to law school to begin with. No hearings. No appearing before judges. No showing what she was made of.

Showing her family—particularly her father—what she was made of was why she’d worked so hard. She wanted to prove she could be strong and successful on her own. And after all those years in law school, here she was getting bossed around and doing work for others. For stern, older men just like her military dad. She scratched her wrist below her bracelets as her boss shuffled through papers.

“Good morning.” Mr. Levy hit Send on what she assumed was a text, then set his smartphone on the polished cherrywood conference table. “Have a seat. Where’s Patrick?”

“I saw him at the fax. I’m sure he’ll be in any minute. Oh, here are the files on the Clear Lake housing developments you needed.” She set the pile—all but her laptop—next to him, then went to the opposite end of the table to sit. “It includes signed affidavits from tenants who’ve been discriminated against, as well as some who’ve tried contracting new builds. Incident specifics are there, as well, including emails and text messages between defendants and the builder.”

“Excellent.” Mr. Levy began scanning pages. “Good work. Ah, Patrick,” he said, as Patrick waltzed in. He stuck out his hand, which Mr. Levy didn’t hesitate to shake. “Have a seat.”

The brownnoser sat in a chair right next to Levy, without greeting Maddie. Maddie fiddled with her bracelets under the table. Man’s world, much? She’d known coming into this practice—which was a huge honor in and of itself—that competition for senior partnership years down the road would be high, but the subtle animosity and jealous streaks among the juniors was worse than she’d expected. Downright ugly, in her opinion. This place redefined competitive.

You grew up surrounded by brothers and a hard-nosed dad. Remember, Patrick is nothing but a twerp, and your boss is a teddy bear in disguise—on some plane of existence.

“I called you both in here to discuss the next two months. Ms. Corallis, we spoke briefly about you helping out temporarily at our office in Nairobi.”

Patrick scooted his chair closer to the table and scratched the side of his neck. A junior lawyer being sent to an exotic locale was a pretty big deal, although Kenya wasn’t exactly exotic to her. At least not in the way it was for those who’d never lived there. Eight years of her childhood, plus regular visits since she began college in the US, made Kenya a second home to her. Not a vacation spot. Plus, traveling overseas and coming back a week later would be exhausting. She’d get jet lag whiplash. And since this was a work trip, she’d barely have time to see her family.

However, the color creeping up the back of Patrick’s neck did remind her of a sunrise over the Serengeti, or better yet, the vibrant red dress of a warrior in the Masai Mara. She tipped her chin up ever so slightly.

“Yes, sir. The Native Watch Global case.” The one she had yet to be fully briefed on. The one that, incidentally, had nothing to do with Patrick. Maybe he was being sent to their London office for something related?

“I had Helen book your tickets. I’m assuming you’ll be able to stay with your family while there.” Mr. Levy passed an envelope down to her via Patrick. “We need you to leave on Wednesday. I trust that all works for you?”

About a week sooner than expected, but did she have a choice?

“Of course,” Maddie said as she opened the envelope. That wouldn’t give her enough time to check on her grandparents a few hours west of Philadelphia. She’d call them. She also needed to drop by the store and get a slow-release vacation feeder for her Betta fish. She pulled the ticket out of the envelope.

“Patrick,” Mr. Levy continued, “I’ll need you to take over this Clear Lake discrimination case in her absence.”

Everything registered in the same second. The dates on the ticket. Mr. Levy turning her stack of blood, sweat and tears over to the enemy. Maddie’s feet went cold.

“Sir. I think there’s a mistake with the tickets. These have me gone a month. I was only supposed to be in Nairobi for a week. I think I’ve given you everything you need for now on the Clear Lake case, but I’ll have my computer with me if you need anything else.”

It had better be a mistake. She didn’t care if she sounded territorial; she couldn’t lose that discrimination case to Patrick. It had high-profile written all over it. If she helped propel her seniors to victory on it, it would build their confidence in her and, in turn, increase her chances of eventually making partner. Handing all her work over to the twerp was worse than a slap in the face. The corner of Patrick’s mouth curved up as he flipped through her files.

“I’m afraid we need you overseas longer than we previously thought,” Mr. Levy said. “Patrick, I’d like you to familiarize yourself with that paperwork, then return it to me after lunch. Today. I want you on the same track we’ve been on with it. This won’t add too much to your workload, given the Kline-versus-Boone case is over. I must say, I love a victory.”

“Absolutely, sir. I won’t disappoint with this one, either.”

You won’t disappoint because I did all the work.

She wanted to scream. She folded her hands on the table in as poised a manner as possible, crossed her legs and let her dangling foot buzz back and forth like a hovering hornet, itching to sting someone. Patrick sat back, all smug, in his chair.

“Feel free to get started on that right now, Mr. Cole.” Mr. Levy gave him a raised brow. Patrick jumped up and gathered his—no, her—assignment.

“Of course. Thank you for the opportunity, Mr. Levy. I’ll have this back to you today.” He hesitated briefly on his way out of the conference room. “Have a safe trip, Maddie. Say hello to your family for me.”

Maddie’s foot kicked up speed, but she managed to keep her lips sealed shut and her look composed from the waist up. What a phenomenal jerk. He didn’t know or care one iota about her family. He just wanted to emphasize to Mr. Levy that he’d be working hard while she’d probably waste time in Kenya lounging around with her siblings. Having younger brothers had helped her develop a certain level of immunity to button-pushing, but this kind of insidious workplace manipulation just irked the—

Her shoe flung off her foot and hit...something...with a thud.

Oh, God. Please, not Mr. Levy’s leg. Anything but the leg.

Mr. Levy frowned at her. Maddie smiled back, big and bright. She was toast.

She ducked her head under the table. Oh, thank you, thank you, thank you. Her heart eased back into its normal position. Her shoe had only knocked the table’s Federal-style leg. Hopefully the grooves would hide any nicks. She stretched her leg and managed to get her foot back in the pump, hands-free.

“Sorry about that. Umm...new shoes. They, uh, don’t fit well.”

He nodded as if that all made perfect sense. Then again, he was married. She’d seen the boutique heels his wife paraded around in whenever she dropped by the office. Shoes Maddie could never afford. Maybe it did make sense to him. She curled her toes in the knockoffs that were doing absolutely nothing for her confidence.

“Better take a more sensible pair to Kenya. You won’t be walking in the city,” he said.

“About that. With all due respect, I can handle both cases. I’m the one who brought the Clear Lake discrimination situation to our attention. I did all that research. The people involved know my name and face and—”

“And you’ve done a remarkable job with it. That’s in part why I personally recommended you for the Kenya case. Listen...” He folded his arms and sighed. “I understand your frustration. I was at your stage in my career once, more years ago than I care to mention. Everyone wants a high-profile case, or at least one that’s bigger than the rest. The Native Watch Global case may or may not be big in terms of headline news, but it’s significant in terms of humanitarian impact. When I interviewed you out of school, you made it clear you were interested in human-rights law.”

“I am.”

“Good. Because NWG is counting on us. What’s happening with Kenya’s native tribes—the Masai, in this case—is very similar to the type of land loss or encroachment our own Native Americans are still suffering. And on top of the tribe’s desperation, a more recent proposal was submitted to increase punishment for defending their crops against destruction by wildlife. Our barristers at the Nairobi office are currently inundated with other cases. Of course, they’ll still handle any actual court appearances with this one, as required by law there. However, they need the extra manpower in gathering firsthand research to counter this proposal before it goes to the Kenyan cabinet for approval.”

Maddie placed her hands on her laptop and nodded. Manpower. More of the same work, only overseas. It was like being a ghostwriter. A behind-the-scenes ghost lawyer. And they were getting off without paying for a hotel, to boot. She took a deep breath and was assaulted by the overuse of air freshener in the old building.

This case was absolutely a critical one. She couldn’t argue with that. She understood the cause and loved Kenya and its people. She really did. But the difference between being a lowly junior lawyer in the US and being one in Kenya was that her family was over there. She loved her family, but an entire month under the same roof? She hadn’t lived there since she was eighteen. A whole month under the watchful eye of her overprotective dad, her medical doctor mom...and her brothers.

Chad had made their dad proud by following in his footsteps and joining the marines. Ryan would be headed to college soon and said he wanted to study medicine like Hope. Maddie felt a bit sorry for Philip, Hope and Ben’s only child together, whom Maddie adored. He was only fourteen, and she could tell from his emails that he was feeling the pressure of keeping up with everyone else. As for Maddie, on one level she knew her accomplishments were great. She’d worked hard because she always felt the need to prove herself. Success meant getting out from under her dad’s umbrella. Sometimes his protectiveness and worry came off as critical no matter what she did. And now, he’d get to see firsthand how she was barely getting by as a lawyer, let alone excelling. She’d handled shorter holidays in the past with skillful maneuvering around certain topics of conversation. And those trips had been about kicking back. But a monthlong work trip was enough for everyone to catch on to the fact that she was basically a nobody. And then, heaven forbid, the career advice would start pouring in.

She shifted in her chair and put her hands in her lap, noticing belatedly that she’d left sweaty handprints on her matte laptop cover. Mr. Levy had probably noticed it, too. Could her day get any worse? She wiped her palms against the scratchy tweed of her skirt. The bottom line was that she’d been given her orders. Nine in the morning and she was already spent. She felt like a teenager all over again, getting told what she needed to do with her life. What she needed right now were her sweatpants, slippers and some ice cream.

“I understand, Mr. Levy. I’ll do my best.”

“I know you will. If there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s that to win, you need to have the right person on the case. I’m not putting you on this one just because of your dual citizenship. I want you on this because you finished your undergraduate studies in three years, graduated law school at the top of your class and do everything meticulously—down to the way I’ve seen you water the ficus tree by the break room that everyone else forgets about—and you’re fluent in four languages to boot.”

“Three, sir. I only know a few words in Swahili. I wouldn’t call myself fluent.” She was fluent enough in French and Spanish, though not as comfortable with them as English.

“Well, that’s a few words more than I know. More importantly, you have an understanding of the people and culture. Their needs. The cultural dynamic. We need someone to actually get out in the field. And, yes, you have family who can take you around to gather information, but if you need help with that, let us know. Visit some of the Masai villagers who are being essentially pushed off their land. Find out their views and concerns regarding potential new punishments imposed on them. Get to the heart of it all, but I don’t want emotion—I want solid facts that’ll stand up in court. You have a tendency to think outside the box. I like that about you. Let me put this bluntly—if we win this case, you’ll be number one on our list the next time a promotion opens up.”

A jolt akin to the one she got from the first sip of a hot, salted caramel mocha latte coursed through her. He’d actually taken note of her work and effort? Top of their list? Her cheeks warmed. She’d had no idea he had that level of confidence in her. Everything in her seemed to shift. This was it. This was her big break. She pushed back a lock of hair that had liberated itself from her bun.

“Thank you. Mr. Levy, that—that means a lot to me. I won’t let you down.”

“I hope not.” He stood to leave. She followed suit, but gave her right hand another subtle wipe on her skirt, just in case he extended his. He didn’t. “Helen should be emailing you some files for review on the case. Easier for travel. Other than that, there’s only one thing left for you to do. Go home and pack.”

“Yes, sir.”

She gathered her things and walked out of the conference room. She could do this. The assignment, she could handle. If she felt too smothered at her parents’ house, she’d go spend time at Busara. After all, she’d be out there anyway to visit tribal villages. And seeing Pippa again would be incredible. No doubt she’d see Haki, too. The last time she’d seen him he’d gotten so much taller and...older. He’d always been mature for his age, but there had been something different about him. She’d also noticed how his relationship with Pippa had changed, even before Pippa had confided that she and Haki had become more than friends. They were an item. A couple. It was a beautiful thing, it really was, but something about it unsettled her. Probably just fear of being a third wheel.

Maddie took a deep breath and let it out as she stepped onto the sidewalk outside the building. Yes. She could stay with Pippa if she needed a break from Nairobi and her father. Pippa, though she was almost five years younger than Maddie, had always been the spunkier one when they were kids. She never let anyone pick on Maddie back then. She still always had her back.

Maddie would always have hers, too.

CHAPTER THREE

IF THERE WAS ever a prime example of man versus nature, the disaster Haki was witnessing was an arrow in the bull’s-eye. Good thing there was no bull in sight—this time. Haki trekked through trampled earth and mutilated scraps of what had been rows of sorghum. Understanding Swahili and a few of the tribal dialects was an asset to his work, but all he could do right now was nod his head and let the Masai farmer continue to vent. He’d slip in peace talks at the right time. He was just relieved that the elephant bull hadn’t been caught “red-handed.”

He assumed it was a bull because one such bull had been reported missing that morning from a conservation area dedicated to transitioning teenage elephants into the wild. It was the same group that took on the orphans rescued at Busara once they were too old to stay there. KWS had been trying to locate that missing bull all day. Haki was hoping the elephant would be found alive.

Just a few weeks ago, another farm had suffered a raid by a hungry elephant in search of food. The farmer had killed it in retaliation. Had KWS not found the body in time, the farmer might have even tried selling the tusks to make up for income lost from crop destruction. And that would have fed into the illegal ivory market, which would in turn have encouraged more poaching, and the vicious cycle would go on. Late-summer droughts made everyone and everything, including vegetation and wildlife, desperate. And desperation had a way of pushing a person’s moral boundaries.

Crops could be replanted. Fences could be mended. But driving a species to extinction—eradicating it because of either anger or greed—was an irreversible, unconscionable act.

Haki understood the plight of farmers in the region. He understood that they had children to feed. But killing was not the answer. If the tiny oxpecker bird could ride the back of a massive rhino in peace—trading the benefit of a bodyguard and free meal for keeping the beast’s hide free of insects—then surely humans could figure out a way to live symbiotically with other species.

A group of women swathed in a geometrical-patterned fabric of oranges and reds, with equally colorful beads adorning their necks, stood watching expectantly. One held tight to a toddler. That had to be the farmer’s young child. The one he said had been playing near their garden when the elephant came stomping through.

Haki wiped the sweat off his forehead with one khaki sleeve, then turned to two of his crew near their medical unit. They’d come out to assist, in case an injured animal was found, after a bush pilot spotted the damaged field and reported possible trouble in the area. Haki’s team had been nearby and the KWS vet assigned to this area was on another emergency call. Luckily, the only casualties here were the crops—not that that didn’t have an impact on the farmer.

“Let’s help him repair his fence before we leave,” Haki said. The fence wouldn’t hold up if the elephant returned for another meal. Even the electric fences used to block off large areas of land reserved for farming weren’t always enough to keep elephants from roaming in from the forests and reserves. But it was all he could do to temper the situation for now.

“We’ve been called out. Another aerial tip. A young elephant stuck in a mud pit. I have the coordinates. KWS still has their area vet unit working with a bull they had to dart. Infected hip wound. No time to build fences,” his medical unit driver called out.

Mud pit. That was one of the repercussions of drought. Haki braced his hands on his belt and stared at his worn and weathered boots. No time. Ironic, given that the savannah was all about time...the cycle of life from dawn until dusk. Yet they were constantly running out of it in an attempt to save lives here, to stop the unique beauty of this place from disappearing.

“Okay. Let’s go,” he said, signaling the medical team to get a move on. He called over to Lempiris, the farmer, and his older sons, who were beginning to clean up their planting rows.

“I’ll try to return to help you with the fence,” he said, in Maa. He would try, on his own time. Good fences make good neighbors. Wasn’t that the expression? Unfortunately, it didn’t translate into elephant.

Lempiris squatted down and scooped up a handful of soil near his sandaled feet without looking up. He probably didn’t believe a man like Haki would care enough to return. Haki was the enemy. The one who only cared about the elephants. And Haki couldn’t blame him, because in all honesty, if this man had killed his intruder, his family would be watching KWS arresting him at this very moment. Haki would have made sure of it.

* * *

MADDIE HOISTED THE strap of her laptop case higher on her shoulder and picked up her pace when she spotted her mom and brothers through the airport crowds. She waved until they saw her and waved back.

The twenty-hour flight, including a stopover in Zurich, had exhausted her, but seeing their faces gave her a second wind. At seventeen, Ryan towered over their mom and even Philip was an inch or so taller than the last time she’d seen him. And at fourteen, he still had some growing to do. Hope was a beautiful sight with her bright smile and kind eyes. She wore the orange, floral-print scarf that Maddie had sent her for her birthday, and dangling coral earrings to match. Hope wasn’t blood-related, but she was their mother to the core, just as Philip was their brother. Blood had nothing to do with how much they loved each other or how family was defined.

“Mom, guys! It’s so good to see you.” Maddie collapsed into Hope’s arms first. She clung on a few seconds longer and let herself feel welcome.

“Mmm, you smell so good,” Maddie said. Hope hadn’t changed her perfume for as long as she could remember and there was something so comforting about a mother’s scent. Maddie and her brothers used to love it when Hope dabbed her perfume on their pillows at night if they were afraid of bad dreams. Somehow, it had helped lull them to sleep, a reminder that they were safe and being watched over.

“Maybe you’re smelling mandazi. I asked Delila to make them as a special dessert tonight.”

“Are you sure you weren’t just using me as an excuse, Mom?” The donuts had been her mother’s favorite treat since she was little. Delila, their housekeeper, had told Maddie so. She’d been the family housekeeper since Hope was a baby, born with a heart defect. Hope’s parents—both doctors with demanding schedules—needed help at the time. They’d also hired Delila’s husband, Jamal, as the family driver. The two had been part of the family every since. After Hope married Ben and the entire family moved to Kenya, Hope’s parents had insisted that it was time for Delila and Jamal to help the next generation. They began splitting their time between the two homes and were loved dearly by everyone.

“She made us come along out of fear that we’d eat them all before you guys got home,” Philip said.

“You mean you didn’t come because you missed me?” Maddie gave him a big hug and then reached up to hug Ryan.

“What have you been eating? I’m supposed to be your big sister.”

Ryan grinned and patted the top of her head.

“Karma, for all the times you bossed me around.”

“Right.” Maddie chuckled. “I only have one suitcase and I’m ready to get out of here. I’ve had enough of airports. I was barely able to sleep on the flight over. Here, Mr. Karma. How about carrying the heavier one?”

He easily lifted the bag she’d broken her back carrying and then grabbed the second one Philip was reaching for.

“Hey! I was taking that one,” Philip said. “You’re such a show-off.”

“These, heavy? They feel empty,” Ryan told Maddie, ignoring Philip’s complaint.

“Here, Philip. Can you take this for me? My shoulder is aching.”

She slipped her laptop case off of her shoulder and held it out. She could have handled carrying it, but having your ego bruised at his age wasn’t fun. Philip took the bag from her and followed Ryan through the crowd.

“Let’s go before those boys challenge each other to a duel,” Hope said. “Jamal is waiting with the car.”

“How’s Chad?” Maddie asked as she and Hope followed the boys out.

“We heard from him last week. He’s okay. Sounded tired, but okay.” Hope put her arm around Maddie as they walked. “I worry. They have him in Afghanistan right now. I know your father is proud that his oldest son followed in his footsteps and joined the marines, but he worries, too. I’m more willing to say so out loud.”

“When will he get to visit?”

“Not for months. And soon, Ryan will be off to college and I’ll only have Philip around.”

“But you’re busy seeing patients. You won’t feel the empty nest.”

“A mother always feels it when her nest is empty. I feel your absence, too, my dear.” She gave Maddie a squeeze. “I’m so glad you’re here. Your father will be home by the time we get there. He was called out for work.”

“How’s he doing?”

“Good. He’s excited that you’ll be here awhile.”

A subtle pang of guilt made her stomach twinge. Here she was, nervous about staying in her parents’ house for so long, while her dad was excited about it. She smiled rather than lying in agreement. Maddie hated lying.

“I expect I’ll be pretty busy this trip. I’m supposed to stop by the law office tomorrow. I have the address. If Jamal is busy, I can always call a taxi.”

“Nonsense. Jamal already plans to help you out as needed. I’d rather you not drive here. It has been too long since you last did.”

Hope had never liked driving in Nairobi. It was nothing like driving in America and she’d always had Jamal take them to school or anywhere else they needed to go. Which wasn’t to say that Maddie hadn’t done it. Once, at sixteen, she’d taken the family car without permission. It hadn’t ended well and Jamal had taken the blame for the fender bender, not wanting her to get in trouble. He’d also told her parents that he’d forgotten the time and had, thus, picked up her brothers from school late, when in fact, he’d found the car missing. Halfway through that night, Maddie had woken her parents up and confessed. The guilt alone had been keeping her awake. Truth and justice. Probably why she’d ended up in law.

Jamal stood waiting by the same old black sedan he’d been driving for years. His salt-and-pepper hair was more salt than the last time she’d seen him, but he looked as tall, dark and handsome as ever. He and Delila were like having extra grandparents around. His face creased with a wide grin.

“Maddie. You’ve brightened the skies over Kenya already.”

Maddie gave him a big hug, then stood back as the guys loaded her bags into the car.

“I missed you, Jamal. How’s Delila?”

“She can’t wait to see you, but you’d think there were ten of you coming. She’s cooking for an army. From the looks of you, you could use some home-cooked meals.”

“Well, you know. I figure why bother eating if Delila hasn’t cooked it,” Maddie teased.

“I thought all that food was because we’re having company,” Philip said.

Ryan elbowed him and Hope scrunched her face.

“That was supposed to be a surprise,” Ryan said.

“No one told me it—”

“It’s all right, Philip. I forgot to remind you,” Hope said.

“He forgets everything. No wonder you’re not allowed to get a pet. Mom and Dad would have to remind you to feed it,” Ryan said.

“That’s not true.” Philip scowled at his brother as they climbed into the car.

“Remember what happened to Mad’s fish when she left for college?”

So that was how Barracuda died? Philip’s face turned red.

“That was years ago. I was like...five...and you were supposed to help feed it.”

“Boys,” Hope warned. This was going to be a long ride.

“Who’s coming over?” Maddie asked, trying to help break up the argument. Her first thought was Simba and Chuki. Her uncle Simba was Hope’s brother. His actual name was Dr. David Alwanga, but Hope had always called him Simba, so when Maddie and her brothers moved to Kenya, they’d insisted on calling him Uncle Simba, too. It was so much more fun. “Dr. Alwanga” was a well-known scientist at the university and a good friend and colleague of Maddie’s maternal uncle Jack, Pippa’s father. Chuki, Hope’s childhood friend and the last person anyone would have thought Dr. Alwanga would fall for, had ended up marrying him. It made sense that they’d stop by the house with their kids, since they lived in Nairobi.

“Simba and Chuki,” Hope said. No surprise there.

“Pippa’s coming up, too,” Ryan said. He shrugged at Philip. “I figured I’d say so before you did.”

“Go put your head in a—”

“Hey, you two. Stop it now.” Hope gave them a look no kid would have challenged. Then again, these were Maddie’s brothers. “That was your surprise. Pippa and your uncle Jack are already at the house waiting to see you.”

Maddie grinned.

She couldn’t wait to see Pippa. They had so much catching up to do. Plus, in all honesty, with everyone around, her dad would be less likely to ask about the case she was working on. At least for tonight.

As they departed, she looked out the window at the familiar buildings and scenery. The conversation in the car faded to the back of her mind. A horn blared at a man weaving a motorcycle-like boda boda through the traffic while transporting a daring passenger. No helmets for protection. A man stood at a small kiosk near the intersection up ahead selling freshly squeezed juice, while his goat ate peels on the ground next to him. A brand-new, rather stunning hotel, with beautifully manicured gardens at its entrance, stood across the street from the man and goat. The old and new. The familiar and unfamiliar.

The past, present and future always seemed to collide when Maddie came here. A trick of the mind. A side effect of memories. She was tired. It had to be why she suddenly felt down. She rubbed absentmindedly at her stomach and barely heard someone say something about her being hungry. She wasn’t, but she couldn’t move her lips to explain. Her lids felt heavy and the hard glass of the window touched her temple as the world outside disappeared. She missed having good friends around. She wanted more than anything to see her cousin Pippa, but truth be told, she wished Haki was going to be there tonight, too.

CHAPTER FOUR

MADDIE SET HER hair clip next to her keepsake box and gave her scalp a quick rub. The wooden box carved with elephants had been a gift from her uncle Jack and auntie Anna. Hope had delivered it to Maddie when she’d visited College Town, Pennsylvania, for the first time, back when Maddie was ten. She pushed her hair over her shoulders and ran her fingertips along the carvings and the lid’s seam. She wouldn’t open it. Not right now, at least.

“Why isn’t this cute guy on your bed in Philly?” Pippa plopped onto Maddie’s bed and picked up the plush monkey—a lemur, to be specific—that had been her favorite doll when she was a kid. It had been a gift Pippa had given her shortly after they’d first met. Most kids under the age of five wouldn’t have given up a new toy, but Pippa wasn’t like most, not then and not now, and the moment she’d given Maddie that monkey, their friendship had been sealed.

“I can’t take everything back with me.” You could if you wanted to. She turned away from her dresser and collapsed onto the bed next to Pippa. “My place is small and every time I visit and pack to go back, I run out of room in my suitcase.”

“You could mail yourself a box, you know.” Pippa made the monkey’s head nod and Maddie let a small laugh escape. What was it about hanging out with her that made Maddie feel like a kid again? Like she didn’t always have to be serious or prove herself. There had been a point in her childhood, after her mother died, when she’d become painfully serious, but once Hope had entered their lives, Maddie had changed and promised herself she’d never go back to feeling that way again. What had happened? Growing up? She snatched the little lemur from Pippa.

“You want me to stick this poor guy in a box? You’re so mean.”

“I know. I’m terrible. Besides, I kind of like that you haven’t totally vacated the place. It made it a lot more comfortable when I stayed here during university, for one thing. And it always felt reassuring. I could count on you coming back to visit. Not necessarily because you missed your family and friends, but because of this guy, of course.” Pippa smirked at her. It had been a while since she’d seen her, but Maddie hadn’t realized it actually bothered Pippa.

She reached over and twirled one of Pippa’s corkscrew locks around her finger and gave it a tug.

“You know I miss all of you and would come here more if I had time.”

Her stomach pinched. It wasn’t exactly a lie. She did miss everyone, but staying away was less stressful. Even the pressure of proving herself to her boss wasn’t as bad as trying to live up to her dad’s expectations in real time.

“I know you’re busy. Being a lawyer must keep you weighed down with things. I personally couldn’t imagine having to work in an office all day. I think I’d lose my mind. You used to love the open spaces, too. Oh, the begging to get your dad to let you spend the weekend at Busara, over and over and over.”

Maddie took a deep breath as she studied the fine crack that was making its way across her bedroom ceiling. How long had it been there? Did her parents know? Did it matter?

“Hey, you.” Pippa sat up, so Maddie followed suit. “I can leave if you need to sleep.”

“No, why? I’m good.”

“You were daydreaming. I asked you if you ever adopted a cat. You said last time that you’d think about it. If the answer’s no, then whoever this guy is who’s allergic to them better be worth it.”

“Gosh. No. To both. No boyfriend, and I don’t have any pets except for a Betta fish. He’s blue this time. My neighbor’s kid is watching him for me, since I’m here so long.”

She had kept a fish in a small tank ever since the first fish her well-intentioned dad had gotten her as a kid. She’d always loved animals and wanted a pet. In a moment of parental weakness—not a term that came to mind often with her dad—he’d succumbed to the idea. Rather, he’d decided to use bribery to get her to go to a therapy session. She’d expected a kitten or a puppy. He bought a fish. Not a big tank or a school of fish. Nope. A single, red Betta. Named Ben the Betta, after her dad. Funny how, though she’d been a bit disappointed with that first fish, she got hooked on him. When Ben the Betta died, she’d gotten another, then another after that. Each with a name beginning with the letter B. And when she left Barracuda with her brothers in Kenya and returned to Pennsylvania for college, she found herself at the shop buying another red one. She’d named this one Bilbo, and had decorated his bowl like a hobbit hole. It was sort of comforting having him around; plus, she liked feeding him.

“How do you do it? I mean, it just sounds so lonely over there. I have to admit, when you emailed and said you were coming, I thought something exciting was up. Like you were getting engaged and needed to plan a wedding and—”

“Oh, for heaven’s sake, Pippa.” She’d have to meet a decent guy for that to happen. The few she’d even looked twice at over the years were either the kind of guys who commanded respect but were also narcissistic jerks who didn’t get her, or they were nice, decent guys...the kind that her father and brothers could flatten with one look. Not that that should matter, but there always seemed to be something lacking.

“I’m just so used to having everyone around—especially Haki, who, by the way, says hello.”

Maddie smiled and hopped off the bed.

“How is he? Or should I ask how the two of you are?” Maddie peered out her window to the garden below. She watched as Delila lifted the hem of her vibrant wrap skirt, crossed the cool grass in her bare feet and began plucking figs from a tree overhanging a couple of wicker chairs. Maddie sat back down on the edge of the bed, took off her socks and wiggled her toes. Man, that felt good. Freeing.

“Haki is the same guy you last saw. Never changes.” Pippa chuckled. “He was such a little man as a kid, he didn’t have much to change. And I think we’re getting closer. You know what I mean?”

No, she really didn’t know. Or understand. The last time she’d seen Haki, she thought he’d changed a lot. Or maybe it seemed that way because she didn’t see him all the time. Then again, Pippa knew him better.

“You think you’re getting closer? Nothing official yet?” Maddie threw her socks in a woven-grass hamper and rummaged in the bottom drawer of her dresser for a pair of loose-fitting khakis. She stripped down to her bra and underwear and added her gray dress slacks and thin sweater to the laundry, then put on the khakis and a green T-shirt. She really needed to wear these on the flight home. So much more comfortable. Her dress slacks were the most casual thing in her closet back in Philly that were decent enough to leave her apartment in. She just didn’t have much occasion to wear anything between business attire and pajamas.

“Like I said, when it comes to change, he tends to walk on eggs. Slow and cautious. I suppose there’s a comfort in the status quo, but sooner or later, he’ll get the nerve to make it official. I mean, it’s no secret we’re together and I seriously think our parents are wondering what he’s waiting for.”

“Hmm. Maybe since you both have practically lived together all your lives, he already feels like he’s married.” She opened the bottle of water on her dresser and took a swig.

“It’s not like he’s already milked the goat or anything,” Pippa said. Maddie’s water went down the wrong way, but she waved Pippa off when she jumped up at all the coughing.

“Pip, what I meant was that maybe he feels comfortable. He doesn’t have to walk on eggshells. You know how he’s all about safety and being in control. He’s also a family kind of guy. Marriage to him probably means kids, and perhaps he’s not ready for that. Or maybe he wants things to be perfect down to the last detail. You know, X amount of dollars in the bank, a life plan...predictable weather. Who knows.”

“How much planning does he need? We have a place to live. He has a career and a job.”

“If I were Haki, I wouldn’t want to live at Busara with both families if I got married. Too many people. It’s a rescue center, not a compound. So he’d need to be able to afford a place of his own. Maybe he’s saving up and wants to surprise you.”

Pippa frowned and picked at her cuticle.

“I guess, but it doesn’t make sense to leave since he works there. We could just put up our own small house, possibly where the old tents used to be. Why have a commute when you don’t have to? He already drives enough.”

“Maybe you’re right. Just give him time,” Maddie said.

Pippa hopped off the bed and gave her a hug.

“It’ll happen sooner than later, I’m sure, and when it does, you have to swear that even if you have the biggest case on your hands, you’ll be here for the wedding. Promise?”

“Of course.”

She meant it. She did. Pippa was like a little sister. Her happiness meant everything to Maddie. She took another sip of water and hoped it would wash away the bittersweet feeling that clung to her chest like morning dew on the branches of a weeping willow. She took a second sip to drown her guilt and to bury her secret as deep as the ocean she’d crossed to get here.

“Pippa, I wouldn’t miss your wedding for the world.”

* * *

THE SKY BEYOND the valley was deep scarlet this time. Yesterday, it had been streaked with bands of carnelian and amethyst. It was never the same. Each evening promised an unexpected blend of colors. Every sunset promised change. It was Haki’s favorite time of day.

“Checkmate.” Kamau leaned back in the rocker on the front porch of the Busara house and linked his hands behind his head. “You’re losing your touch.”

Haki scrutinized the board and retraced their last few moves. He really was losing his touch. His father hadn’t beaten him in at least six months.

“I don’t see it. What happened?”

“Your knight. Three moves ago,” Kamau said, indicating how he’d created a weakness.

Haki had made one wrong choice and left himself vulnerable. He held his head in his hands for a moment, then scrubbed at the stubble on his jaw and sat back in defeat.

“I can’t believe I did that.” He picked up the wooden box that housed the chess-and-checkers set that Kamau had given him as a gift when he was only six, right after Haki found out that Kamau was going to marry his mother and become the father he never had. Kamau had taught him to play checkers even before that, but back then they used to sit on overturned buckets outside the tent that had served as the camp’s kitchen and dining area. And Kamau used to let him win. He began putting away the pieces.

“Your mind wasn’t here. I could tell I had a chance halfway through the game. Anything I can help with?”

Haki shook his head. “Just tired. Long day.”

The camp had quieted; even the baby elephants were sound asleep in their pens with their keepers, but the ebb and flow of insects crying out for their mates rippled through the air like waves licking at the parched, hot sand. Nightfall masked the harsh effects of the drought. It masked a lot of things. But Haki’s father had a way of seeing through veils, even in the dark.

“Perhaps you should have taken the day off and flown with them to Nairobi.”

“No need,” Haki said quickly. He closed the wooden case.

“I said nothing about need.”

Haki smiled and stood.

“Are you going to try to checkmate me all evening? Don’t let one win go to your head.”

Kamau laughed and pushed back his chair.

“All right. Deflect, but you know I’m here if you need to talk, or gain insight into the minds of women...or for tips on how to win at chess,” he added with a chuckle.

“Hey,” Haki said, shaking his finger at him. “Tomorrow will be the start of my next winning streak. You’ve been warned.”

Kamau left the screen door creaking to a close behind him and Haki caught a glimpse of his younger brother, Huru, sketching in the family room. At fifteen, an age when most kids wallowed in hormones and angst, Huru was as mellow as they came. Maybe he channeled it all into his artwork—there was no doubt he had a gift—but sometimes Haki had to wonder if names carried enough power to define a person, or if it was the emotional state of the mother at the time of naming and rearing the child that made all the difference. Huru had always had a carefree way about him. Free, just as his name meant in Swahili, or perhaps how their mother felt at his birth: married, happy and loved, unlike how she’d been when Haki was conceived in an act of violence. Haki meant justice. And there had never been a time when he didn’t find himself wanting it. Wanting those who caused pain and harm to be held accountable, wanting to be sure he’d always be the kind of honorable man Kamau was...and not like the criminal whose blood he shared.

* * *

MADDIE CLOSED HER room door gently and tiptoed downstairs. Everyone but Simba and Chuki, who lived nearby, had opted to stay the night, rather than fly out of Nairobi in the dark. Her uncles had crashed in Chad’s empty room and Pippa was hogging most of her bed. Not that it mattered, given that Maddie couldn’t sleep. It was almost midnight, but for her it felt like midafternoon.

She turned on the kitchen light and squinted until her eyes adjusted. Maybe some chamomile tea would help her get sleepy. What she really needed was to force herself not to nap during the day. The one she’d taken on the way home from the airport had given her a second wind.

She set her laptop on the kitchen butcher block and went to put a kettle of water on the gas stove. If sleep wasn’t happening then work was. She needed to be prepared for tomorrow. The last thing she wanted was for the lawyers overseeing the case to call up Levy and ask him why he’d sent them someone clueless. She pulled up a stool and flipped open her computer.

“A bit late for work.”

She startled but immediately relaxed when her dad put his hands on her shoulders and pressed a kiss to the top of her head. She closed her eyes briefly and took it in. Moments like this, his love felt unconditional. Earlier, he’d wrapped her in a bear hug that she never wanted to leave. There was no mistaking he loved her. But that only made it more hurtful when he was critical. She closed her laptop. Maybe just tonight, this first night, she could avoid a serious conversation with him.

“Couldn’t sleep,” she said. “But you should be. I hope I didn’t make too much noise.”

“Nah.” He padded over to the fridge and pulled out a wrapped sandwich. He held it up for her to see, then unwrapped it. “I tell you, I’m spoiled. Made and waiting for me.”

“A sandwich at this hour?”

“Peanut butter and honey. My go-to late-night snack. You want one? It’ll help you sleep. I can’t sleep if I’m hungry.”

“No, thanks. I ate so much at dinner. Hunger isn’t my problem.”

As much as he’d eaten, she couldn’t imagine why he’d be hungry, but then again, his work was quite physical.

“You look great, Mads.” He took a bite. “Tired, but great. They treating you well at that firm? Good health-care coverage? They’re not bumming off their worst cases on you, are they?”

So much for the warm fuzzies.

“I’m happy there, Dad, and yes, I’m covered. I did read the fine print when I signed on with them. It’s a habit they teach in law school.” The kettle began whistling and she hurried to turn off the stove so it wouldn’t wake anyone.

“I don’t doubt it. Good habit, too. So is carrying pepper spray, or better yet, not leaving work alone after dark.”

“Dad, I’m twenty-six. I can take care of myself. You don’t have to worry.”

“You work in Philadelphia. Big cities have crime problems. Predators lurk in parking lots after dark. If you leave the building every night at the same time, they’ll catch on to your pattern.”

“I know. You went over every safety tactic when I left for college, and I haven’t forgotten the self-defense moves you taught me, either. Luckily, I haven’t had to use them. Do you want a mug of tea with that?” she asked as she poured water on some loose chamomile, dried from the garden.

“No, I’ll grab some milk in a sec.”

“I’ll get it for you.”

“Thanks. Did you hear that Chad got promoted? Lance corporal.”

“Mom didn’t mention that. Just that he was okay.”

“Yep. He’s okay. More than okay. He’s working his way up.”

“That’s good.” Chad had always wanted to follow in his father’s footsteps. No doubt he’d command a unit someday. Obviously, their dad was proud.

“Ryan and Philip are both at the top of their classes, too. Smart boys.”

“It’s so good to see them. I can’t get over how tall they are.”

“So what’s this case you’re here for? If I have any contacts who can help, let me know.”

He had to ask. She set a glass of milk next to him, then cradled her mug of tea as she sat down. Might as well put it out there and deal with the backlash.

“I’ll be stopping by our sister office tomorrow to meet with the barristers, but I’ll also need to spend time in some of the villages. I’m thinking of staying at Busara or Camp Jamba Walker and taking day trips to talk to the village elders and leaders. I’ll be looking into the hardships some of the farmers are experiencing and getting testimony in their defense.”

“Defense of what?” Ben took his last bite of sandwich and brushed the crumbs off his hands.

“A proposal was submitted that calls for harsher punishments against Masai farmers who kill elephants. We intend to have it thrown out.”

His brow furrowed and he cocked his head.

“On what grounds?”

“On the grounds that they’re already enduring hardship and the fines proposed are beyond anything they could afford. The prison terms would prevent families from being able to keep up with their farms or generate income to feed their children and survive.”

“What are you doing, Mads?” He got up, shaking his head, and dumped the last sip of his milk in the sink. “Of all cases, why would you take this on?”

“What do you mean? Why would I fight for human rights? That seems like a no-brainer to me.”

“What about animal rights? You know what goes on out there. Half of your family works to fight poaching. You lived here. You know this. That proposal is needed to discourage native tribes from aiding and abetting. Busara is about elephant rescue. You plan to stay there and expect them to take you around so you can fight this?”

“This isn’t about poachers. We’re not trying to encourage elephant killing. You know I wouldn’t do that. This is about protecting the only land the tribes have left. It’s about protecting their livelihood.”

Ben pinched the bridge of his nose, then rubbed the back of his neck. This was going about as well as she’d expected. Every ounce of confidence she’d been mustering up for tomorrow sank to her feet. Why did conversations with him always leave her feeling confused and plain bad? She put down her steaming mug and gathered her laptop. Even if she didn’t sleep, lying in bed and staring at the ceiling would be better than arguing.

“Maddie, you need to tell them you can’t work on this case.”

“I can’t do that and you don’t get to make that call. My future depends on me helping to win this. This is what I do.”

“What about conflict of interest?”

“I don’t understand. There’s no conflict of interest, especially not if we win.” The only conflict is between the two of us right now.

“Maddie. I’ve personally seen that proposal, and I support it. It was submitted by a wildlife advocacy group and has the backing of Busara and other rescue groups around the national parks. I have no doubt it’ll get passed.”

“How can you be so sure?”

“Because Haki helped put it together. He, of all men, won’t stand by and watch you tear it apart.”

CHAPTER FIVE

MADDIE ARRANGED IT so she could fly out west to Camp Busara with Pippa, Jack and Mac midday, after reporting to the law office that morning. Her dad had promised to stay out of it and not call Haki with a briefing. She wanted the chance to talk to him in person. If he’d worked on the proposal, then all she had to do was get through to him. Haki was a listener. He’d hear her out.

The aerial view of Busara, nestled on a plateau with the river valley to one side and grasslands to the other, was nothing short of spectacular. A lone acacia tree shaded a small observation platform Dr. Bekker used when watching the herds passing through the valley. Lush groves of wild fruit trees flanked the camp, giving it the appearance of an oasis. She could even spot several keepers in rimmed hats leading the baby elephants in their care out for some sun and socializing. A cloud of dust trailed along the road beneath Mac’s helicopter and turned into the camp ahead.

“Haki just got back,” Pippa said into the mic of her headpiece. She pointed at the man shielding his eyes and looking up.

A flutter of excitement mixed with apprehension swirled in Maddie’s stomach. She nodded to let Pippa know she saw him.

Mac began his descent into a clearing just far enough from the camp to keep the draft from kicking up a dirt storm. She waited for the all clear, then removed her headgear, hoisted her backpack onto one shoulder and managed to climb out of the chopper without stumbling. Pippa grabbed her hand and tugged her at a jogging pace toward the jeep.

“Look who’s here, Haki!” She ran to his side, then stretched out her arms and made a show of presenting Maddie. Sometimes the pep in Pippa was too much.

Haki stood there, his strong jawline softened with a few days’ worth of stubble that looked disconcertingly good on him. His shoulders seemed broader, too, unless it was the dark green shirt he wore with his khakis and the way his hands rested on his hips. He’d put on a few pounds of muscle for sure. The corner of his mouth lifted and he let his gaze rest on her for a few seconds.

“Maddie-girl. Finally here.”

She ducked her head and smiled. Why did she suddenly feel shy?

“It has been a while, Haki. Pippa says you’re becoming quite the hero around here.”

He shot Pippa an annoyed glance and let his hands fall to his sides.

“No. Nothing I’ve done comes close to what others do here. But I hear you’re on your way to becoming a world-famous lawyer.”

“Not even close. Pippa,” she admonished. Was he being sarcastic? Had someone already told him what she was here for?

“We could use good counsel around here,” he said.

So he didn’t know.

“Both of you are much too humble,” Pippa said.

Haki put a hand to his shirt.

“I wanted to shower. I mean, I thought I’d make it back ahead of you—all of you—and have time to clean up.”

Mac’s chopper whirred as it lifted off. The air current pushed past them, and Maddie quickly pulled her arms back and wrapped them around her waist before anyone realized she almost went in for a hug.

“Hey, Dr. Hak-man, do you know if Anna is here or off in the field?” Jack asked, walking past them and giving him an air salute.

“I just got here. Last radio communication, my father was out, so she’s probably in the clinic.”

“I’ll check. See you guys at dinner,” he called back.

“Sounds good. I’m going to head in to wash up,” Haki said, thumbing toward the house. “I’ll see you two afterward.”

No hug, then. Friends hugged, didn’t they? Even if he’d been covered in mud from head to toe, it shouldn’t have mattered. This all felt so anticlimactic, but what had she expected? They’d both been so busy the past few years that they hadn’t seen much of each other even when she’d visited her parents. She hadn’t made the effort. So why did it matter now? Because she was afraid he’d hate her by tomorrow?

Pippa looped her arm in Maddie’s and they made their way to the house, purposefully lagging behind Haki. His long, focused strides made it easy.

“Dr. Hak-man? Really?”

“My dad is silly when he’s in a good mood. He doesn’t get that it annoys Haki. By the way, you have to find time for a reading while you’re out here,” Pippa said.

“No way. I don’t need my fortune told. I have enough in my head without cluttering it with nonsense. Besides, it’s kind of overstepping. It’s a tribal custom, not a tourist attraction.”

“You’re not a tourist and you’ll be right there talking to the villagers and elders anyway. One reading wouldn’t be disrespectful or overstepping. It would show that you respect their ways.”

The aroma of freshly baked chapati wafted past them and Maddie inhaled deeply.

“Why is the mere smell of freshly baked bread like a drug? I don’t need to eat anything else but that while I’m here.”

“You’re switching subjects.”

“I’m not promising anything.” She had to admit, Pippa had a point about respecting the Masai culture. It was all in fun, though, right? Or was it? The one reading she’d done, back when she was seventeen, had come so close to the truth it made her nervous. The Laibon had taken one look at his stones and told her she would go far away. Journey far. Leave. Those had been his words. She hadn’t yet told anyone that she’d been applying to colleges in the US, not even Haki or Pippa. She hadn’t told anyone she’d desperately needed to get away. To escape. To live without parents or siblings constantly checking over her shoulder. The Laibon had known, though. Whether it had truly been the stones, or the old man had simply guessed it from her notoriously expressive face, he’d been right. And it had freaked her out a little.

“Fine, but at least think about it. For old time’s sake. I miss having you around and doing things like henna tattoos and...ditching Haki. Oh, yes. Right now. Don’t say no.”

“No. I want to go in and say hi to Auntie Niara and the boys, then run by the pens to see Auntie Anna.”

“Come on. Wearing a suit all day is really sucking the fun out of you. Leave your backpack on the porch steps. We won’t go far. Just far enough to get his attention.”

Haki’s attention. As if Pippa didn’t already get enough of it.

* * *

“WHAT DO YOU mean you haven’t seen them?”

It had been at least an hour since Haki had showered. He’d stayed in the house to help Noah and Huru with some homework problems they’d been assigned via their virtual classes and figured Maddie and Pip had gone to see the orphans and everyone at the clinic.

“We assumed they were here,” Anna said. “I just finished logging treatments and Kam just got back from rounds. They’re still restocking their jeep supplies for tomorrow. But none of us has seen them yet.” She pulled her walkie-talkie off her belt, then set it back and flung her hand toward the unit sitting on the console by the door. “That’s hers, isn’t it?”

Haki flattened his lips. It was hers, all right. She hadn’t taken it to Nairobi, naturally, but she also hadn’t come by the house to grab it today.

“I’ll go look for them. Huru, Noah, go check the old mess tent and the area behind it. Don’t wander off. Just see if they’re hanging out there. Tell them dinner is ready. Let me know if they’re there. I’ll check the lookout.” The old mess tent and adjacent framed tents were original to the camp and where Haki and Pippa had spent their toddler years. They were used mostly for storage now, but Pippa still liked to go back by the old water well and sit in the hammock under the mango tree. He had a gut feeling they weren’t there right now, but with the sun setting and Pippa’s recent carelessness, the more ground covered, the better.

“I’m sure they’re close,” Niara said, setting the last of the dishes on the long, wood dining table. His mother patted his back. “Pippa really knows how to push your buttons.” She nodded toward the massive floor-to-ceiling window that overlooked the southwest side of camp and the valley beyond. Anna’s acacia tree sprawled like a black mushroom silhouetted against a watermelon sky. A flash of blue on the lookout platform beneath the canopy caught his attention.

“I’ll be back in a minute,” he said. He couldn’t help but wonder if wedding bands could be rigged with two-way mics or maybe even tracking devices. Not that he’d do that to Pippa, but what was up with her lately?

He made his way past the elephant pens and through the low-lying grasses that spanned the stretch to the tree.

“I see him coming. Took him longer than usual.”

Pippa’s voice drifted toward him. Always happy. Always energizing. His lips twisted into a smile. She made it impossible to stay upset or annoyed. He couldn’t quite make out Maddie’s response. Her voice had always been soft, even when she was younger. Especially when she was younger. But even now it had a mellow warmth to it, one that blended into the summer evening and disappeared before it could reach him. It made his mind spin with curiosity.

He stuffed his hands in his pockets and slowed his approach.

“We really should get back. I feel like I’m being rude, not having said hello to everyone yet.”

“You’re so much like Haki. So concerned with what others think, always busy worrying and following rules. No one will care. I’ll take the blame if they say anything. Let yourself relax. I mean, look at that. A 360-degree view. Isn’t it amazing?”

He could see Maddie’s silhouette as she pulled up her knees and wrapped her arms around them.

“A part of me could sit here and watch the sun rise every morning and set every night and never tire of it. I remember reading books up here a time or two. I do miss how peaceful it is. Out here you can actually feel the day end,” she said.

“I know what you mean. Whenever I stay in the city, I have trouble winding down. It’s kind of true when they say cities never sleep. All that nightlife.”

The idea of Pip never winding down was borderline scary. A chuckle escaped him. He was answered with soft laughter.

“Okay, you two. Game over.” He climbed the weathered, wooden ladder and crossed his arms on the edge of the platform. “You left your radio behind again, Pip.”

The last remnants of light reflected off her auburn curls, bringing out golden highlights. Every year, the sun seemed to make it lighter.

“I never really left camp, did I?” She gave him a cheeky grin. “Besides, I knew you’d come and rescue us. I can’t climb down if you’re on the ladder.”

He backed down a few steps, then jumped to the ground. Pippa backed down fewer and jumped farther. He didn’t comment. Maddie turned onto her knees, carefully found her footing and looked down at the rungs each time to be sure she didn’t miss a step. He figured she wasn’t planning on any jumps. She was almost there. Her hips were level with his shoulders. Pippa had jumped from much higher than that. Maddie stopped altogether and began tugging at her waist.

“Something wrong?” Haki moved to the side of the ladder.

“Nope. I’m fine. My pants snagged on something. Just give me a second.” She sucked on her lower lip as she held on to the ladder with one hand and tried stretching and tugging at her waistband with the other. Her cheeks took on the colors of the sunset, but since the sky had darkened, he knew reflection had nothing to do with it.

He pulled a flashlight off the back of his belt and shone it at the rung in question. The wood had split and she’d managed to fishhook a thick shard through the empty belt loop of her khakis.

“What is it?” Pippa asked.

“These rungs need to be replaced as soon as possible,” he said. “Guess you’ll have to stay here all night, Maddie-girl.”

“I don’t think so. Besides, you’d never leave me here. Unless you plan to sleep under me.” Her face turned even redder. He kept a straight face. He knew what she meant. Her poor pride needed rescuing.

“I could cut you loose with my knife, but I don’t think we have to ruin your clothes. Stay still a minute and move your hand. Hold on to the ladder with both.”

The bottom of her shirt lifted just enough for the moonlight to touch her skin as she reached for the rung above her head and held on. He stepped behind her, put his hands around her waist and felt for the snag. Her shirt brushed against his cheek and the subtle scents of citrus and fresh soap filled his next breath. He closed his eyes just for a second. He needed to focus. He needed to visualize. He needed to be standing right where he was to keep her from falling backward.

“I’m going to break off the piece of wood at the base of where it splintered. I don’t want it to hurt you, so I’m going to put my hand against your waist to protect your skin. Okay?”

“Should I hold a flashlight for you?” Pippa asked.

“Nah, I’ve got this.” At Pippa’s height, she’d be flashing the light up in his face and his hands would block most of it anyway.

“Do whatever you need to do. If it’s too much work, just cut my pant loop,” Maddie said.

He slipped his fingertips barely below the waistline of her pants and pressed his palm against her, so that the belt loop and jagged end of the piece of wood were against the back of his left hand. With his right, he broke off the shard in one quick move.

“All done. I’ve got you. Let go of the ladder.” He held her by the waist, set her feet on the ground, then immediately let go and took several steps back.

“Thank you,” she breathed. Her long hair shielded her face as she looked down, unhooked the piece of wood from her loop and tossed it into the grass. Pippa hurried to her side and put her arm around her.

“I told you he’s a hero around here. You okay?”

Maddie pushed her hair behind her ears and smiled, but it didn’t quite reach her eyes.

“Of course. I’m totally fine. Thank you again, Haki.” She nodded one too many times.

“No big deal. Stuff like that happens pretty much every day around here,” he said. And by “around here” he meant somewhere in the vast wilds of Kenya. Not that he’d witnessed it, but surely she wasn’t the only woman in the region to hang from an observation platform by her belt loop. Maddie’s color seemed to fade back to normal in the moonlight and her shoulders relaxed. Good. “We should go eat before Huru and Noah clear the table. And I don’t mean the dishes. The appetite of teen boys—surpassed only by the appetite of teen elephant bulls.” He motioned for them to walk ahead of him; then he curled his fingers into his palm and pressed against the stinging abrasion on the back of his hand.

He could handle the sting. In fact, he needed it right now. He deserved it. Justice. Pain for punishment. You have a future, here, with Pippa. Where’s your sense of honor? He closed his eyes and took a grounding, cleansing breath of night air, and then another...but it failed to clear Maddie from his senses.

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