Rachael was suddenly conscious of her appearance, her uncombed unruly mop of hair and no makeup, with the four men staring at her. She lifted one hand to tidy her hair. Rio caught her wrist and pulled her hand to his hip. “You look fine, Rachael.” His voice was gruff. He glared at Drake as if he had accused Rachael of looking bad.
“Hey,” Drake spread his hands out in front of him with innocence. “I think she looks great. Especially for a dead woman. Kim thought you might have drowned in the river, but I see you were rescued by our resident jungle man.”
“Quit trying to be char ming,” Rio said. “It doesn’t suit you.”
Rachael smiled at the blond. “I think it suits you very well.”
Rio pressed her hand tightly against his hip, as if he were holding her to him. “What happened, Kim?”
“We were taken prisoner by Tomas Vien and his people. They were not after the medical supplies or even the ransom as we first thought.” Kim looked at Rachael. “They were looking for Miss Wilson.
They had pictures of her.”
When Rachael stirred, Rio squeezed her hand, signaling her to stay silent. “How is it you managed to get away from them?”
Drake looked at Rio sharply, his strange eyes narrowing, but he said nothing.
Kim glanced at his brother. “I didn’t make the meeting with my father. It was for a special ceremony my family knew I wouldn’t miss unless something happened.”
Tama nodded. “My father was very worried. There had been talk all up and down the river about the bandits and how they were looking for someone and if anyone harbored her they would be killed. Our people were warned. When Kim didn’t return, my father sent me looking for him. I sent out a call and Drake was close, so he came along to help me track Kim.”
“I called you on the radio.” Drake picked up the story. “I knew you’d want to know Kim was missing and help us track him, but you didn’t answer, so I was worried about you. Obviously unnecessarily.”
“My radio is out of commission,” Rio said tersely. “It took a bullet.”
“Fritz is injured.” Drake moved toward the small cat, but Franz paced back and forth in front of the wounded leopard and showed his saber-like teeth in warning.
Drake made a face at the clouded leopard but moved away from the agitated cat. “So you ran into trouble.”
Rio shrugged. “Nothing I couldn’t handle. You helped Tama pull Kim out of the bandit’s camp?” He glanced toward the snarling cat. “Franz, settle down or go outside.”
Franz hissed in warning but curled up around Fritz, eyes staring at the intruders.
Drake nodded, all the while keeping a wary eye on the clouded leopard. “Kim was in bad shape. They didn’t believe him that she’d gone overboard into the river. He was beaten.”
Rachael made a small, strangled sound. Rio slid his thumb over the back of her hand in a soothing gesture.
“They beat ever yone, even the woman,” Kim reported grimly. He looked at Rachael. “They aren’t going to give up looking for you unless they find your body. Someone offered a million-dollar reward for you.”
Rachael closed her eyes against the sudden despair sweeping through her. She hadn’t considered that much money. People killed for far less. What would a million dollars mean to the men facing her?
“That explains a lot,” Rio said. He sighed softly. “Drake, my medical supplies are running a little low, but I’ve got enough to clean up Kim and pack his wounds.”
“I’ll get the plants we need,” Tama said. “We didn’t stop for anything, we hurried to check on you.” He left the house abruptly.
“I appreciate that,” Rio answered. He sank into the chair beside Rachael, casually shifting her, careful of her leg beneath the blanket, settling her partially onto his thigh, arranging her leg and the blanket to his satisfaction. He waved at the others to find seats.
“What is it?” Drake asked as he rummaged through the medical bag. “What does a million dollars explain?”
“I had a visitor last night. One of ours; one I didn’t recognize. A traitor, Drake. I couldn’t imagine what would induce one of ours to turn traitor, but a million dollars can go to a man’s head.”
Rachael stayed very quiet, aware the information being passed back and forth was important to her.
She hoped they forgot about her presence and would speak more openly.
“How could he have been one of ours if you didn’t recognize his scent, Rio?” Drake didn’t look up from where he was washing Kim’s wounds.
Rachael couldn’t bear to look at Kim’s swollen, bruised face. He was stoic as Drake cleansed the lacerations, but as he shrugged out of his torn shirt, she saw him wince. He turned slightly and she gasped. “What did they do to you?”