On the Hunt

Kira nodded toward Harlan, who had stopped at the plane to talk to Charles Darue, the captain of the guards. “I wouldn’t dare be anything else. Harlan has had me covered and guarded since that night on the cliffs. I’m not sure if it’s because he wanted to earn another medal to add to his collection or just that he hates to lose. He told me you called about me?”

She chuckled as she rubbed Mack’s head. “Several times. But you were in no shape to take the call, which only worried me more. Harlan was very soothing, though, or I would have been on my way to that damn castle of his. I told you that if you let Harlan help you, everything would turn out as it should.”

“It didn’t turn out quite that way.” Kira paused. “And he’s not the easiest person to get along with.”

Sarah frowned. “But everything is going well?”

“It appears that it is,” Kira said. “At least we came to an agreement.” She hesitated. “But I might have to take a few weeks off soon, if you don’t mind.”

“Of course. You know you run your own clinic these days. You have better contacts than I do.” She frowned again. “It’s not because you’re still ill?”

“No, I’m definitely on the way back. The doctor said I was very lucky.”

“I believe it.” She smiled. “You had Harlan on your side. John and I are very grateful to him.”

“I wasn’t exactly helpless.” But that sounded a little churlish and she added quickly, “I’m very grateful for both my own and Mack’s sake that Harlan was there. No, I just have to touch base with a few old friends. Then I’ll be back here and working hard.” She smiled teasingly. “Maybe on a few new concepts.”

“Good,” Sarah said absently. “‘Old friends’…” she repeated. “That reminds me: I received a few calls from a friend of yours while you were in the hospital. Jabir Kalim. It rather surprised me because I hadn’t heard from him in a long time. He would usually only speak to you.”

“Kalim?” Kira repeated slowly, shocked. “What did you tell him?”

“What Harlan told me.” She made a face. “And Kalim was not happy. He wouldn’t talk to anyone but me. He called me twice more and was angry each time. I think you’d better call him back.”

“I will.” Kira had no choice. An angry Kalim was never good. “Thanks for relaying the message.”

“Well, he was always your friend and good to you. You learned a lot from Kalim.”

“Yes, I did.” Her gaze went to Harlan, who was still talking to the captain of the guards beside the plane. He looked up and peered at her searchingly before he abruptly straightened as he caught something in her face. Then he started toward her with the same expression he’d worn before they’d landed the plane. Searching. Probing. She’d have to tell Harlan about Kalim as soon as possible. It was neither fair nor smart to keep anything from him. Particularly now that she realized Kalim might blame Harlan for putting her in the hospital. Until he learned the truth, there might be all kinds of violence in store.

No, she’d have to make certain Harlan knew about Kalim right away.

She turned quickly back to Sarah. “Can you stay for supper before you leave the island? Maybe even let me tell you about Harlan’s niece and what I might be doing with her horses? She’s bringing them here tomorrow, and I’m very excited about it. I believe you will be, too. There’s one black stallion that you’re going to love. Domino. We’ll have to bring the dogs together when I get far enough along in training the horses…”

“I wouldn’t miss it,” Sarah said. “And I have to thank Harlan in person, so I might as well let him feed me supper tonight. I’d much prefer our island to that swank castle of his.” She was walking toward Harlan as she spoke. “You took good care of her, Harlan,” she said as she shook his hand. “I can’t thank you enough.”

“You’re very welcome. But I heard what you said about my humble abode. Not kind, Sarah.”

She laughed. “I’m like Kira. We have a problem with castles—and admit it, so do you and John. He told me about that rajah’s palace in India, and how the two of you ended up in the jungle hunting poachers and ivory smugglers to get away from it. John knows after all these years that I have a simple soul.”

“I doubt that,” Harlan said. “But you’re right, the castle isn’t nearly as comfortable as your Summer Island here. It’s safer when you need strong walls to ward off an enemy, however. I have quite a few of those wandering around.”

She nodded. “So John told me. I’m sure he’d approve of you taking additional care of my island. He insisted on furnishing me with a full security detail the day he turned the deed over to me. I usually leave all the security arrangements for the island and our townhome outside Miami to him. I’d rather deal with dogs and people than paperwork.”

Harlan nodded. “Then you won’t mind if I contact him and ask if I should add any special arrangements to my list?”

“No, I’m sure that, between the two of you, you’ll have it covered.”

“If you change your mind, just name it. Anything you want.”

She chuckled. “That’s hard to resist. Maybe staying in your castle might not be so bad. I’ll have to ask Kira what she thinks.”

He tilted his head, considering. “I can tell you that she likes the woods and her friend Sarah. Other than that, I’m still exploring what will keep her content.”

“She likes a good many more things than that,” Sarah said. “Maybe she’s just bored with the palaces of the high and mighty. She’s seen a lot in the short time she’s lived. You’ll have to ask her.”

“I will. In the meantime, will you and Kira show me around your beautiful island and tell me how I can make my niece happy here?”

“Of course,” Sarah said. She walked ahead of them up the hill. “It will be my pleasure. I’m eager to meet your niece. It will be like having a young Kira again. Did she tell you how we came together when she was a child I found climbing a mountain to get away from a volcano eruption in the South Seas?”