Diamond Mine by Felicia Rogers Page B

me, Melanie, and the children she cares for.” She faced him with a desperate look upon her face. “Don’t you see, I have to help her! This is all my fault.”
    Her voice pleaded. Why had Rory ever agreed to this fool’s errand? Why had he told the father he would help with this rescue? It would have been better to leave Hannah where she was. Then he would never have known it was her. He could have continued in ignorance. But now a much greater hurt had been opened up. He’d made it possible for her to get herself killed.
    As her lips moved, he focused on the flutter of her graceful hands. He couldn’t deny the reason these possible events bothered him. In his heart of hearts he knew why he’d gone after her, even if he’d never voiced it. He still had feelings for Hannah.
    The vinyl creaked and the car seat groaned as Hannah shifted closer. “Rory, can you help me? You don’t have to go back into the compound if you don’t want to. If you’ll just share your knowledge of the place. I need an edge. Something, anything.”
    Rory stared back. Angry words formed. “Do you honestly believe I would allow you to go back into that place alone? In fact, maybe it would work better if you stay behind, and I go in and get them out.”
    Hannah tapped her finger on her thigh. “Not that I really want to do this, and I do hesitate to mention it, but can’t we just buy Melanie and the kids back? That was how you got me out, right?”
    â€œYes,” he said, hesitantly.
    She ignored his answer and kept talking. “I have a little bit of money saved. Maybe it would be enough.”
    Hannah looked so vulnerable. Dirt-streaked hair matted and clung to her face; large round eyes stared at him. Unable to control himself, he lifted her over the gearshift and onto his lap. Instead of struggling, she buried her head into the side of his neck, and his collar dampened with tears.
    Sobbing uncontrollably, she stuttered, “What will they do to them?”
    He answered truthfully. “I don’t know.”
    Extracting herself from his embrace, she jumped to the ground and paced. Her finger placed under her chin, she struck a pose that reminded him of “The Thinker”.
    â€œLet’s review what we know. First of all, you purchased me, correct?”
    â€œYes, for 15,000 Rand.”
    Her eyes bulged but she kept talking. “Okay, 15,000 Rand, gotcha. Question, did they show you anyone besides me?”
    â€œYes. They were all white, and none of them were named Melanie.”
    â€œNo, of course not. Melanie is African American.”
    â€œAh.”
    â€œSo from your experience as a businessman in pursuit of property, we can deduce that they don’t intend on selling her. At least not to certain people.”
    â€œYeah, the ones who say they are looking for white girls.”
    â€œWhat?”
    He placed his hands on her shoulders and gazed into her green eyes. “I was there to look for you.”
    â€œBut, I don’t understand. How did you even know I was there?”
    â€œOne of the children escaped and came to the monastery where I was staying. I heard a white woman, fitting your description and named Hannah, was taken. I-I went because I had to make sure.” Sweat beaded upon his brow as he neglected to tell the story exactly right. She didn’t need to know that he almost hadn’t gone. Nor did she need to know that the boy had called him a hero.
    Her eyebrows drew together. “A monastery?”
    Rory sighed. “It’s a long story.”
    â€œI bet.”
    He waved away her words. “What matters is that it was you. And now you’re free and shouldn’t even consider going anywhere near that place.”
    He gently massaged her upper arms.
    She said, “There are only a few reasons they might have taken her, and I don’t like the thought of any of them. And don’t give me that look.