“It’s about the Adivasis. There should be more about the Baiga in here.”
I leaned down to scratch Kishan’s ear. “What are the Adivasis?”
“It’s a term that classifies all of the native tribes together, but it doesn’t differentiate among them. Several cultures fall under the heading Adivasis. Here, we have the Irulas, Oraon, Santals, and,” he flipped another page, “the Baiga.”
He found the section he was looking for and ran his finger down the page as he read important parts in a verbal shorthand.
“They practice bewar cultivation. Slash and burn agriculture. Famous for tattooing. Depend on jungle for sustenance. Employ ancient medicines and magic. Bamboo handicrafts. Aha! Here is exactly what we’re looking for, Miss Kelsey. Baiga men grow their hair long and wear it in a jura or bun. The man holding Ren fits that description. Though the confusing thing is, a Baiga leaving his tribe to serve someone like Lokesh would almost never happen.”
“Even if he paid the man well?”
“It wouldn’t matter. Their lifestyle is centered around their tribe. There would be no reason for him to leave his people. It’s not within their cultural norm. They are a simple, straightforward people. A person of the Baiga would be unlikely to join the ranks of Lokesh. Still, this warrants investigation. I will begin my study of the Baiga tribes tomorrow. For now, it’s time to rest, Miss Kelsey. I insist. It’s very late, and we both need fresh minds.”
I nodded and replaced the books I’d taken from his library shelves. He squeezed my shoulder.
“Don’t fret. All things will work out in the end. I feel it. We’ve made great progress. Kahlil Gibran said, ‘The deeper that sorrow carves into your being, the more joy you can contain.’ I know that you’ve had many great sorrows, but I also feel that your life will hold many great joys, Miss Kelsey.”
I smiled. “Thank you.” I hugged him and whispered against his shirt, “I don’t know what I’d do without you. You get some sleep too.”
We said goodnight, and Mr. Kadam disappeared into his room while I climbed the stairs. Kishan padded along behind me and followed me into my room. He stood at the glass door to the veranda, waiting for me to let him out. When I slid open the door, I knelt beside him and patted him on his back.
“Thanks for keeping me company.”
He hopped up on the swinging love seat and promptly fell asleep. I climbed into bed and hugged my stuffed white tiger tightly, hoping to fill the empty space inside my chest with thoughts of Ren.
I woke around 11:00 a.m. Mr. Kadam was on the phone and hung up as soon as I sat across from him.
“I think we’ve had a lucky break, Miss Kelsey. In my investigation of the Baiga, I’ve found nothing out of the ordinary regarding the tribe located in Madhya Pradesh. The tribe in eastern India, however, seems to be missing.”
“What do you mean missing?”
“There are usually small villages near the Baiga tribes who deal with them from time to time. Such meetings are often due to controversies over deforestation or other various disputes. This tribe appears to have relocated recently and hasn’t been found. They are nomadic and do move around, but this is the longest they have gone without contacting the locals.
“The Baiga are limited by law now and cannot move about as freely as they did in the past. I will do some more research today. I also have some connections than can take satellite photos of the area and find the tribe at its current location.
“If it warrants more attention, I will inform you and Kishan. You two have had quite an ordeal the last few weeks, so I want you to rest today. There is nothing you can do until I have more data. Go for a swim, watch a movie, or go out to eat. You two deserve a break.”
“Are you sure there’s nothing I can do? I can’t really relax when I know Ren is suffering.”
“Your worrying about him won’t make him suffer less. He would want you to rest too. We will find him soon, Miss Kelsey. Don’t forget that I have led soldiers into battle many times over, and if there is one thing I’ve learned, it’s that all war-hardened troops need R&R, including you. Making time to relax is very important to the mental well being of all soldiers. Be off with you. I don’t