you?”
Cassidy gave a humorless smile, a mere twitch of her lips, although she nodded her agreement. She was ready to leave for more than one reason. Being here, the same country, the same jungle, where her brother had disappeared two years ago was taking its toll. They’d never found his body and Cassidy still had trouble accepting his death.
The taxi finally squealed around the corner and pulled up in front of the Amazon Orphanage. Dust swirled as it stopped.
“About time,” Cassidy muttered, and moved through the gate. The sun beat hot as she nodded to the bearded driver and pulled open the back door. Anna followed and handed over a booster seat. Cassidy placed it in the backseat and tossed the diaper bag on the floorboard.
Alexis in her arms, she turned back to the relief worker who had short dark curls and compassionate dark blue eyes.
Anna said, “Here are the papers. I sent another copy to your fax machine. It should be waiting for you when you get home. God be with you.”
Cassidy stuck the rubber-banded bundle in the back pocket of her jeans and leaned over to give the sweet woman a one-armed hug. “Thank you so much for all you’ve done.”
Anna squeezed back and said, “Take care of the bebê pequeno—and yourself. You need to go. You really shouldn’t have taken the risk to come here—not with the enemies your father has made with our local rebels.”
Cassidy stepped out of the embrace. “I know. You’re right, but I just couldn’t stand the thought of some stranger picking up Alexis. She’s had enough turmoil in her little life, and that would have added to her confusion.”
Anna’s expression said she agreed. Cassidy assured her, “I managed to e-mail Amy and let her know we were leaving and would be home by tomorrow late. Everything will be fine.” Amy was a childhood friend taking care of things in the States, like decorating the room for Alexis, while Cassidy took care of things in Brazil.
Anna allowed a small smile, and Cassidy knew the woman would have done the same thing had she been in Cassidy’s shoes. Anna motioned back toward the taxi. “I understand, but now it’s time for you to leave. After that villager saw you, too many people know you are here.”
No sooner had the words left her mouth than Cassidy’s taxi churned its wheels and, with the passenger door still open, disappeared around the curve beyond the orphanage.
“Hey! What?” Choking on the swirling dust, she waved a hand in front of her face and stared after the vehicle.
She turned at the sound of another engine and understood.
A jeep full of four men all holding rifles was headed directly toward them.
Anna grabbed her arm. “Run back through the gate!”
As Cassidy turned to obey, bullets kicked up the dirt around her and she froze in shock, terror causing her to shake. Eyes closed, shoulders hunched, she clutched Alexis close. The child howled her protests and fear. Cassidy flinched with each report, but she knew that if these men wanted to kill her or the baby, they’d both be dead.
God, what is going on? Protect Alexis, please!
The shooting stopped; the silence screamed in her ringing ears. Before she could raise her head, rough hands pulled at her.
“Put down the baby!” ordered a hard-eyed man dressed in jungle fatigues, his rifle held negligently in his hand, pointing to the ground.
Automatically, Cassidy pulled Alexis closer.
The gun barrel rose and pointed at the child. In precise English, he stated, “Put her down or I will shoot her.”
And he would. Like he would shoot an annoying dog. Terrified for the little girl, Cassidy kissed the top of her head and bent to put her on the ground. “Go to Anna,” she whispered in Alexis’s ear.
When she tried to straighten, Alexis clung to her, her chubby arms like steel bands around Cassidy’s neck. “No! No! Want up!”
All too aware of the gun still pointed at the child, Cassidy kept her eyes trained on the rebel, reached back and wrenched the clinging arms away from her, feeling like her heart was being torn from her chest in much the same way.
Alexis fought and grabbed at her. “No! Stay with my Cass-ty!”
Cassidy’s stomach cramped at the little girl’s fear and confusion, but she took a step away, holding the child’s hands so she couldn’t latch on again. “Shh, sweetheart. It’ll be okay.”
She shot a pleading look at Anna who stood off to the side with the other two relief workers, eyes narrowed, lips tight. Anna stepped forward to grab up the screeching child and hand her off to one of the other women. She turned back.
The hard hand clamped around Cassidy’s upper arm hauled her toward the waiting jeep. Alexis still cried for her. And these brutes had threatened her.
Cassidy exploded. She struggled and resisted the hands that gripped her. But she was no match for their sheer strength.
Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Anna turn back to the jeep and race toward her. Horror chilled her as she realized what her friend meant to do. “No, Anna, get back!”
Anna ignored her.
Cassidy renewed her fight and landed a solid kick on a hard shin. Her captor grunted and twisted her arm. Pain shot through her shoulder, and Cassidy shrieked.
Anna delivered a solid right hook to the man who held her. He grabbed his bloody nose and hollered, but didn’t lose his grip on Cassidy. One of his companions in the jeep yelled a curse, gripped his rifle and dropped to the ground to help. As Anna turned to face him, he swiped the barrel across the side of her head. Blood squirted; she went down and didn’t move.
Cassidy fought harder until the man grabbed a fistful of hair and brought her face up to his. His black eyes glittered in his filthy, unshaven face. She tried to turn her face from his rancid breath, but he held her head fast as he told her in slow, measured English, “Continue to struggle and I will snap your neck.”
Cassidy froze and whimpered at the pain in her scalp. God, please!
“That’s better.” With no more effort than it takes a cook to toss a pizza, he hurled her into the back of the jeep. Cassidy hit the floor with a grunt. Pain shot through her left shoulder and her hip throbbed.
A third man grabbed her arms and yanked them behind her back. Rough rope chewed her tender wrists. Cassidy stopped fighting. Her muscles quivered from the exertion. She had no more strength left. Struggling now would only earn her more bruises.
The jeep screeched off, churning up dust as it bumped down the pitted dirt road. Alexis’s screams echoed in her ears and fury mingled with the terror choking her.
Cassidy rolled over to see the man who had knocked Anna out. He sat slightly ahead of her, perched on the edge of the jeep instead of in one of the seats. She drew knees up to her chin then kicked out as hard as she could. The bottom of her feet landed on his backside and toppled him over the edge. His harsh yell and shouted curse gave her a brief moment of satisfaction.
His comrades howled with laughter; the driver
