And on their last night in Kenya she had more or less accused Zageo of doing nothing!
She’d been so wrong. So terribly, terribly wrong. Feeling totally shattered by these revelations, Emily almost staggered over to a nearby bench seat and sank onto it, her legs having become too rubbery to keep standing.
‘He took my passport to identify himself as a friend to Hannah and Malcolm?’ she asked.
‘It is to be hoped it will satisfy.’ Abdul frowned at her again. ‘You did not know this?’
‘Zageo said he had something planned for today but he gave no precise details.’
‘All going well, he intends to fly them out.’
‘Without…’ She swallowed hard. ‘Without permission from the authorities?’
‘A blind eye may be turned but I have no reason to trust these people.’ The signature tune of a mobile telephone alerted him to a call. ‘Please excuse me, Miss Ross,’ he said, whipping the small communicator out of his shirt pocket and striding to the end of the jetty to ensure a private conversation.
Emily waited in tense silence, hoping—fearing—this was news of Zageo’s rescue mission being transmitted. Abdul had his back turned to her so she could neither hear him speak or see his expression. Her heart jumped as he wheeled around, tucking the telephone back in his pocket.
‘We go,’ he called, waving her to join him as he strode back to the river bank, clearly galvanised into action.
Adrenaline surged through Emily as she leapt to her feet. ‘Go where?’
‘To the landing pad. Your presence is required there.’
‘Landing pad?’
‘For the helicopter,’ he explained impatiently, probably thinking her dim-witted.
Emily had imagined Zageo was using his private aeroplane, but a helicopter definitely made more sense in the circumstances—a much quicker in and out. If Malcolm and Hannah had co-operated in leaving the farm with Zageo.
She half-ran to keep up with Abdul as he headed up to the hotel. ‘So Zageo is on his way back?’ she asked breathlessly.
‘Yes. But not yet out of danger. He is using one of the helicopters that normally flies tourists around and over Victoria Falls. It allows some leeway over Zimbabwe airspace but not as much as this flight has taken.’
Could it be shot down?
Emily couldn’t bring herself to raise that question, though she felt compelled to ask, ‘Is my sister…?’
‘They are all in the helicopter,’ came the curt reply. ‘It will be reassuring for the Coleman family to see you, Miss Ross.’
‘Right!’ she muttered, thinking what black irony it was that they didn’t completely trust Zageo’s word, either.
Guilt and shame wormed through her. She had not credited Zageo with compassionate caring nor with the kind of integrity that went beyond any normal expectation. He was not only a man of great character, but the most generous person she had ever known. Given another chance, she would show him an appreciation that went far beyond the bedroom.
At the hotel entrance a driver and minibus were waiting to transport them to the helicopter base. This was only a fifteen-minute trip from the hotel and neither Abdul nor Emily spoke on the way. Once there, they were met by the base manager and escorted straight through the waiting lounge where groups of tourists were gathered for their sightseeing flights.
As soon as they were outside again and taking the path to the landing pad, their escort pointed to a black dot in the sky. ‘That’s it coming in now.’
‘No problems?’ Abdul asked.
The base manager shrugged. ‘Not in the air. Our best pilot is at the controls.’
The limited answer worried Emily. ‘Are any of the passengers injured?’
‘Not to my knowledge. There was no call for medical aid,’ came the reassuring reply.
They waited near the end of the path, watching the black dot grow larger and larger. Emily felt a churning mixture of excitement and apprehension. While she desperately wanted to see Hannah and her family safe and sound, would they thank her for interfering in their lives? Zageo had acted on her behalf, probably being very forceful, intent on showing her he did deliver on his word. She could only hope this dramatic rescue had been the right action to take.
The wind from the whirling helicopter blades plastered her clothes against her body and blew her hair into wild disarray but Emily maintained her stance, facing the landing so she was immediately recognisable to her sister. She could now see Hannah in the cabin, directly behind Zageo who was seated beside the pilot.
At last the helicopter settled on the ground. The base manager moved forward to open the door and assist the passengers in disembarking. Zageo was out first. He gave Emily a searing look that burnt the message into her brain—payment made in full! Then he turned to help Hannah out, delivering the sister who had not made it to Zanzibar—the sister who had inadvertantly brought Emily into his life.
But would he want her to stay in it?
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
EMILY had found it a strangely fraught day. While there had been joy in the reunion with her sister and relief that the rescue had been very timely according to Malcolm, who was immensely grateful to have his family brought to a safe place, she was wracked with uncertainty over where she stood with Zageo.
He had bowed out of any further involvement with her family once they had been brought to the hotel and given accommodation. ‘I’m sure you’ll want some private time together,’ he’d said, making no appointment with Emily for some time alone with him.
Naturally the moment he had excused himself from their presence, Hannah had pounced with a million questions about the sheikh and Emily’s involvement with such an unlikely person, given her usual circle of acquaintances.
Where had she met him?
How long had she known him?
What was their relationship?
Why would he do so much for her?
The worst one was—You didn’t sell yourself to him, did you, Em?—spoken jokingly, though with a wondering look in her eyes.
She had shrugged it off, saying, ‘Zageo is just very generous by nature.’
‘And drop-dead gorgeous.’ Hannah’s eyes had rolled knowingly over what she rightfully assumed was a sexual connection. ‘Quite a package you’ve got there. Are you planning on hanging onto him?’
‘For as long as I can,’ she’d answered, acutely aware that her time with Zageo might well have already ended.
A big grin bestowed approval. ‘Good for you! Not, I imagine, a forever thing, but certainly an experience to chalk up—being with a real life sheikh!’