CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
Those who are absent are always wrong.
– CONGOLESE PROVERB –
Remi and Monifa were cracking eggs open into an industrial-sized stainless steel bowl when Remi heard the heavy footfalls echoing across the courtyard into the open door of the kitchen. “What on earth?”
Wendy, who was closer to the door, set down her butcher knife next to the half-chopped potato to look outside. “Sam and Pete just ran out to the front.”
The three women hurried into the courtyard and followed the men between the buildings. Through the open gate, Remi saw their Land Rover driving off, but the dust trailing up behind it prevented her from seeing who was behind the wheel.
“What’s going on?” she asked Sam.
“Good question,” he said. “You happen to know where Nasha is?”
“Nasha? Why would she take it?”
He looked over at Pete. “Get the truck keys.”
Amal apparently heard the commotion, almost running into Pete on his way into the office. “Is something wrong?”
As much as Remi didn’t want to believe it, she couldn’t think who else might be responsible. “Sam thinks Nasha stole our car again.”
“What?” Amal glanced toward the dusty speck on the horizon. “That’s not possible. I just saw her.”
Sam looked over at her. “You’re sure?”
“I’ll show you.” She walked them through the courtyard and pointed toward the shade trees. Nasha, a basket over her arm, collecting eggs.
“If it wasn’t her,” Remi said, “then who was it?”
Wendy and Pete exchanged glances, Wendy saying, “There’s no way any of the girls would take the car. They’re all honest to a fault—never mind I don’t think any of them know how to drive.”
“Hank,” Sam said.
He certainly had access to the keys, Remi realized. “Why not say something? ‘Hey, I’m taking the car for a spin.’”
“A spin?” Sam looked over at Amal as though hoping she had some explanation.
“An early drink?” she said. “Maybe he wasn’t thrilled to find out the school was dry.”
Pete drew his gaze from the dirt road as the Land Rover headed downhill, disappearing around the bend. “Should we go after him?”
“Let’s wait,” Sam said. “If he’s not back by lunch, Remi and I can go looking. We can pick up the nails then.”
Pete nodded. “I’ll lock the gate.”
Sam watched him walk off, then turned toward Remi, his expression dark.
Unfortunately, Sam’s and Pete’s anger failed to lessen by the time they all sat down to breakfast. “Leaving the gate unlocked?” Pete said. “What if we’d all been in bed? What if—”
Wendy reached for the coffee carafe, pouring herself another cup. “We’re all in one piece,” she said. “Maybe we should wait until he returns and find out what he has to say.”
Four hours later, Sam, who was tacking tarpaper on the roof, saw the Land Rover approaching. “He’s back.”
Remi was down below, sweeping construction debris from the subflooring. Pete was filling a wheelbarrow with dirt from the endless pile behind the shed. As Sam climbed down from the roof, Pete pushed the barrow toward one of the half-empty planters in the courtyard, asking, “What do you want to do?”
“I brought him here,” Sam said. “I’ll talk to him.”
Pete agreed, then went back to work.
Remi followed Sam out of the courtyard to the front of the school, somewhat worried on Hank’s behalf. She knew that Sam felt responsible for every one of those girls. When they’d begun looking into building the school, security had been first and foremost in his mind. He’d spent countless hours with Pete and Wendy on the design, making sure that the local contractors they’d hired were the best. When these same contractors weren’t able to finish the second dorm, he and Remi had dropped everything so that they could come out to help. In less than two days, Professor Lazlo Kemp was flying in for the same purpose.
With the rainy season bearing down on them, time was of the essence. Having to stop work after the delay caused by the theft from the first supply truck and now the lack of nails put them even further behind schedule. And Sam’s face reflected that. He stood there, his arms crossed, jaw ticking, waiting for the car to pull up to the gate.
“Sam . . .”
He glanced over at Remi, but said nothing.
“Don’t do anything you’ll regret.”
“Like put my fist in his face?”
The classroom door opened and the girls hurried out, most running toward the mess hall. A few, however, wandered toward the front, Nasha included, curious about what the adults were doing in the drive. “Don’t forget that there are a lot of little pitchers with big ears.” She nodded toward the girls.
“What if I promise to hit him quietly?”
“Maybe I should talk to him instead. After all, Renee’s my friend, and he’s here because of his connection to her.”
Sam nodded. “I’ll get the gate.” He walked over, opened it, then closed and locked it after Hank drove the Land Rover through.
Hank got out of the car, holding up a carton of nails as if that explained his five-hour trip. “Figured we wouldn’t get much done without them. I bought all they had on hand in the village. Ten boxes.”
“Very kind of you,” Remi said. “Except that Amal and I were supposed to go.”
“Thought I’d save you the trip. Amal’s a lot more useful around here with the girls than I could ever be.” He reached into the car, pulling out a large cardboard box, no doubt containing the other cartons of nails. When he turned, he looked at Sam, who had walked up, his expression stony. “Before you say anything, I realize that I left the gate open in my haste to get out before anyone woke up.”
“You did,” Sam said.
“Yes, well it may turn out to be a good thing. Not the gate, my trip into town.” He hefted the heavy box and closed the car door with his hip. “While I was there, I saw a man getting out of a white pickup truck. There was a definite scar running down his cheek.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
Rain wets the leopard’s spots, but it does not wash them off.
– ASHANTI PROVERB –
Remi glanced back behind them, seeing Nasha standing next to Amal. Worried that the child would overhear what Hank was saying, she turned to the courtyard, trying to keep her smile light. “Nasha, wouldn’t you like to join the other girls at lunch? I promise you, they don’t bite.”