When Ren stopped to drink at a small stream, I discovered that Phet had packed lunch. It was a large green leaf wrapped around a ball of sticky white rice stuffed with spicy meat and vegetables. It was bit too spicy for my taste, but the plain rice helped staunch the heat. Finding two more leaf wraps in the backpack, I tossed them to Ren, who showed off by leaping up and catching them in the air. He, of course, gulped them down whole.
Hiking for about four more hours, we finally broke out of the jungle and onto a small road. I was happy to walk on the smooth pavement – at least until it started burning my soles. I could have sworn that the hot, black tar was melting the rubber on the bottom of my shoes.
Ren stuck his nose in the air, turned right, and marched alongside the road for a half mile or so until we came upon a brand new, metallic green Jeep SUV. It had tinted windows and a black hard top.
Ren stopped next to the Jeep and sat down.
I panted, took a long swig of water, and said, ‘What? What do you want me to do?’
Ren just stared blankly.
‘Is it the car? You want me to get in the car? Okay, I just hope the owner doesn’t get mad.’
Pulling the door open, I found a note from Mr. Kadam on the driver’s seat.
Miss Kelsey,
Please forgive me. I wanted to tell you the truth.
Here is a map with directions to Ren’s home. I will meet you there.
The key is in the glove box. Don’t forget to drive on the left side of the road.
The trip will take about an hour and a half. I hope you are safe.
Your friend,
Anik Kadam
I picked up the map and placed it on the passenger seat. Opening up the back door, I threw in the bags and pulled out another water bottle for the drive. Ren hopped up into the back and stretched out.
I swung into the driver’s seat and popped open the glove compart-ment to find a small ring of the promised keys. The big one read Jeep. I started the engine and smiled gratefully as a rush of cold air blew in from the vents.
When I pulled out onto the small, vacant road, a little voice on a GPS device chirruped: ‘Drive fifty kilometers. Then turn left.’
Staying on the left side of the road and gripping the wheel, I looked down at my hand. Despite sweating and wiping at my face constantly, Phet’s ink design was still there, as permanent as a tattoo. I turned on the radio, found a station that played interesting music, and let it keep me company on the drive while Ren napped in the back.
Mr. Kadam’s directions, in addition to the GPS unit, were easy to follow. There was almost no traffic along the route he had chosen, which was good, because every time a car passed me, I clutched the wheel nervously. I had just learned how to drive on the right side of the road, and switching sides was not easy. Driving on the ‘wrong’ side of the road certainly wasn’t covered in driver’s ed.
After an hour, the directions said to turn onto a dirt road. There was no name on the path, but the GPS beeped that we were at the right place, so I turned and entered deep jungle. We seemed to be in the middle of nowhere, but the road was maintained and the drive was smooth.
The sun was setting and the sky was turning dark, when the road opened up into a cobbled brightly lit drive that circled around a tall sparkling fountain. Flowers surrounded the fountain, and sitting behind it was the most gorgeous home I’d ever seen. It looked like a multi--million dollar mansion that might be found in the tropics or perhaps sitting on the shores of Greece. I imagined the perfect place for it would be on the peak of an island overlooking the Mediterranean Sea.
I stopped the car, opened the doors, and marveled at the magnifi-cent setting.
I exclaimed, ‘Ren, your home is amazing! I can’t believe you own this!’
Grabbing my bags, I walked slowly up the paved stone walkway and admired the four-car garage. I wondered what types of vehicles were housed there. Beautiful tropical plants surrounded the home, turning the grounds into a lush para----dise. I recognized plumeria flowers, bird-of-paradise, ornamental bamboo, tall royal palms, thick ferns, and leafy banana trees, but there were many others as well. A curved pool and hot tub were lit up on the side of the house, and a glittering fountain sprayed water from the pool into the air while rotating its patterns and colors.
The three-story house was painted white and cream. The second floor had a covered, wraparound veranda with wrought iron balustrades, supported by cream-colored pillars. The upper floor featured tall, arched balconies while sparkling panoramic windows were the feature of the main floor.
When Ren and I approached the marble and teakwood entryway, I twisted the doorknob and found the door unlocked. The outside was warm and vibrant, reflecting the intense, bold colors of India. The inside was opulent and lovely, decorated in cooler shades.
This sure beats sleeping on the ground in the jungle.
We stepped into the wide, dramatic foyer. The entryway had vaulted ceilings, exquisite marble flooring, and a curved sweeping staircase with ornate ironwork balustrades. The room was capped by a dazzling crystal chandelier. Huge windows showcased the panoramic view of the sur-rounding jungle.
I slipped out of my sneakers, regretting how dirty they were, and crossed the foyer into a gentleman’s library. Dark brown leather chairs, ottomans, and cozy couches were set atop a beautiful rug. A large globe stood in the corner, and the walls were lined with bookshelves. There was even a sliding ladder reaching up to the top shelves. A heavy desk sat to one side with a leather chair. It was meticulously neat and organized, immediately reminding me of Mr. Kadam.
A carved stone fireplace took up one wall. I couldn’t imagine when a fireplace would ever be used in India, but it was a beautiful showpiece nonetheless. A golden vase full of peacock feathers picked up the teal, green, and purple accents of the throw pillows and rugs. I thought it was the most beautiful library in the world.
As we made our way into the house, I heard Mr. Kadam call out, ‘Miss Kelsey? Is that you?’
I had been determined to be upset with both him and Ren but discov-ered I couldn’t wait to see him.
‘Yes, it’s me, Mr. Kadam.’
I found him in Ren’s large, stainless steel gourmet kitchen. It had a black marble floor, granite countertops, and double ovens, where Mr. Kadam had been busy preparing a meal.
‘Miss Kelsey!’ The businessman rushed toward me and said, ‘I’m so glad you are safe. I hope you aren’t terribly angry with me.’
‘Well, I’m not too happy about how everything happened, but,’ I grinned at him and looked down at the tiger, ‘I blame this guy more than you. He admitted that you wanted to tell me the truth.’
Mr. Kadam grimaced apologetically and nodded. ‘Please forgive both of us. We never intended to upset you. Come. I have prepared a meal.’
He bustled back to the kitchen, pulled open the door to a room full of fragrant fresh and dried spices, and disappeared inside for several minutes. When he stepped out, he deposited his selections on the kitchen island and opened another small door to a deep, walk-in butler’s pantry. I peeked inside and saw shelves full of fancy dishes and goblets including an impressive collection of silver. He pulled out two delicate china plates and two goblets and then set them on the table.
I closed the door. ‘Mr. Kadam, something’s been bothering me.’
He teased, ‘Only one thing?’
I laughed. ‘For now. I’ve been wondering, did you ever really ask Mr. Davis to come with you to take care of Ren? I mean, what would you have done if he’d said yes and I’d said no?’
‘I did ask him, just to keep up appearances, but I also subtly sug-gested to Mr. Maurizio that it might be in his best interest to persuade Mr. Davis not to go. In fact, I offered him more money if he would insist Mr. Davis stay with the circus. As far as what to do if you had turned us down, I suppose we would have had to make you a better offer and keep trying until we found one you couldn’t refuse.’
‘What if I still said no? Would you have kidnapped me?’
Mr. Kadam laughed. ‘No. If our offer had still been turned down, my next step would have been to tell you the truth and hope you believed me.’
‘Whew, that’s a relief.’
‘Then I would have kidnapped you.’ He chuckled at his joke and turned his attention back to our dinner.