Page 3 of The Survivor

“No.” Maya headed for the door. “And you’re right, it wouldn’t matter. But I already dropped in to see her this afternoon, and she wasn’t worried then. I need to know if I’m going to have a trip or just an update.”

“It is Bailey.” Tashi was following her out of the main house and down the walk to the arched bridge, past the armed guards. “Either way it will be fine.” She watched Maya cross the bridge and head toward the curved door. “And it will be good for you to not have to think about Bevan or Nadim for a little while. Do you want me to wait for you?”

Maya looked over her shoulder. “Why?”

“Because you belong to us, and you’re a little sad tonight.”

“I won’t be sad while I’m with Bailey,” she said gently. “But I thank you for the thought.”

“You’re very welcome,” Tashi said as she turned and headed back toward the main house. “If you can, I suggest you let Bailey take you far away for a little while.”

“I might do that.” Maya opened the door and peeked into Bailey’s room. It appeared Tashi had been wrong. Bailey was curled up on the couch with one of her textbooks, but she appeared to have dozed off. Maya could see her tousled mop of golden hair against the embroidered teal cushion. Maya just stood and gazed at her for a long moment. Curled up like this, she looked smaller and younger than her ten years, and yet Maya knew when she woke her blue eyes would be filled with spirit and intelligence and probably the worry Tashi had told her about. Maya suddenly wanted to touch her. She took a step closer…

And Bailey instantly opened her eyes, wide awake. “Hi, Mama.” She gave a quick yawn and sat up on the couch. “I’m glad you’re here. Though it took you a long time.”

“But here I am,” Maya said. “I came as fast as I could.” She sat down and put her arm around Bailey’s shoulders. “What are we supposed to be worried about?”

“The baby,” Bailey said. “I’m worried about Riva’s baby.”

“I didn’t even know Riva was going to have a baby.” She tried to remember exactly which deer Riva was. “Why should you worry about her?”

“Because she’s always alone. I didn’t know she was going to have a baby, either, but she always kept to herself and away from the rest of the others. Then today I was sitting here and thinking about her, and I suddenly knew why.”

“Knew? Are you sure?”

“Of course not,” Bailey said. “I don’t know much about babies. I’ve only read about them in some of my books, and I saw one being born on the mountain once. That was cool.” She added quickly, “And scary.”

“Well, do you think that we have to really worry about Riva? Does she look like that mother who gave birth on the mountain?”

She shook her head. “Skinnier.”

“Do you think you might know if Riva was close to that point?”

Bailey shrugged. “Maybe.” Then she asked, “You mean the same way I learned about the baby?” She thought about it. “Yeah, it was as if she told me. Maybe she didn’t want to be alone any longer.”

“So if I send the herdsman, Chima, up to the mountain to keep an eye on Riva, do you think that would be safe for her? You like Chima, don’t you?”

She nodded. “And he could tell me if she wasn’t feeling well and then I could go?”

“If you feel comfortable with it. I don’t want you worried. It’s up to you, Bailey.”

She was frowning seriously. “That’s scary, too. But I don’t think Riva would have been able to let me know about the baby if it wasn’t natural and right. In my books, it says that animals can know all kinds of things that people don’t. They smell better and hear better, and they know when earthquakes are going to happen. It’s like magic, isn’t it, Mama?”

“I don’t believe that’s what all your books would tell you.” She pressed her lips on the top of Bailey’s head. So silky soft, so beloved. “But maybe something a little like it. You can tell me after you read a few more books on the subject. Okay? Now, have you drawn any pictures of Riva? I can’t see you sitting here waiting for me and not keeping yourself busy.”

Bailey was already giggling and handing her a sheet from her art book. Maya studied the picture of Riva critically. “You have to be smarter than me. I can’t tell whether she’s going to have a baby or not.”

Bailey broke out into laughter. “She knows she is, Mama. And now I do, too. You don’t have to know anything. You’re just being silly. I’ll show you when we go to see her.”

“Whew, what a relief.” Maya grabbed Bailey and rocked her back and forth. “Good thing I have you around to fill in the blanks. Now just show me what else you’ve worked on today. After that we’ll cuddle a little and I’ll hold you until you go to sleep. Then I’ll go back to my office and call Chima’s dad and tell him to send his son up the mountain tomorrow. Does that work for you?”

Maya took a moment to talk to Bailey’s nanny after she was sure her daughter was asleep and then left for the main house. Tashi had told her that she should let Bailey take her away for a little while, and that was exactly what had happened. It was amazing how innocence and love could change and balance a world that seemed to hold only darkness. But that time was over, and she had to return to reality and solutions. Tashi might remain optimistic, but Maya could see that the situation on the island had gotten considerably worse over the years. If she couldn’t find a way out, then Maya and these villagers might be caught between Nadim and his scum, and that up-and-coming vermin Charles Bevan. She couldn’t stand the thought of what that would mean for any of them.

So she mustn’t let it happen.

As soon as she entered her office, she slowly picked up her phone. Riley Smith was now at Cambry, Morgan Cade’s palatial estate outside London, where the Helen of Troy Museum had been established. She set up the phone for visual, then punched in the number.

Riley Smith answered on the third ring. There was a shocked silence when she saw Maya’s face on the screen. “Maya? Are you all right? Why are you calling?”

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