Finally, with no other alternative, Miguel made the only decision he could. Turning his attention to Ellie, he said, "We�ll leave the supplies here for him in case he�s been delayed. You wait here. If he hasn�t shown up by the time we�re finished unloading, you go back with us."
"No!" Ellie protested. "He might need help!"
"And he might be dead!" Miguel retorted, the harshly abrupt words escaping his lips before he could stop them.
She looked away, a tortured expression on her face at the thought that she might have arrived too late.
Seeing her distress, he placed a comforting hand on her arm. "I no mean to upset you, Se�ora, but we cannot leave you here by yourself!"
She returned her eyes to his face, imploringly. "We could look for him. Do you know where he�s been living?"
"No. I go no farther than the landing strip."
"Please!" she implored. "He can�t be far! If you don�t want to help, then wait for me while I look!"
He shook his head, firmly. "This island, she is dangerous place to be. Even sitting on the landing strip, we are in constant danger. I have family, Se�ora. I only agree to make these deliveries because Se�or Grant, he pay good." Turning away from her, he spoke several words in Spanish to Eustacio.
The two men went to the rear of the plane and each lifted a box, which was carried down the steps and placed at the edge of the landing strip. Then, they returned for more boxes.
While Miguel and Eustacio worked to unload the boxes of supplies, Ellie went down the steps to the landing strip and stood on the hot asphalt beside the plane. Her attention was riveted on the treeline, scanning the edge of the forest in desperation, searching for any sign of human life.
The flora was the tropical plants typical of the Central American region. Ferns, palms, and a host of other native trees and shrubs crowded close together at the edge of the meadow. Creeper decorated the jungle canopy in a spider-web pattern of thick, ropy vines. It was an eerie place; a perfect setting for the ancient creatures that lived there. It was a place straight out of her most horrifying nightmares.
Finally, just as Miguel placed the final box on top of the stack of supplies, Ellie saw a shadow of movement just inside the treeline, and a figure emerged into the sunlight, wearing the familiar fedora hat that was as much a part of him as the fossils he studied.
Ellie released the breath she had been holding in a heavy exhalation of immense relief. "Thank God," she breathed.
She was embraced by a sensation of warmth as Dr. Alan Grant, unaware of her presence, approached Miguel and extended his hand for a friendly handshake. "How are you, Miguel?" she heard him ask.
"Well, Se�or. You�re late," Miguel replied. "We were getting worried."
"Actually, you�re early," Alan contradicted with a pleasant smile.
Miguel withdrew his watch from his pocket to verify that fact, then nodded in agreement. "We made good time."
"Let�s see what you�ve got," Alan said as he approached the stacks of boxes, to begin examining the contents, as was his habit before bestowing payment.
Miguel was not offended by this. He understood that Alan�s existence depended on the accuracy of his shipments, and Miguel probably would have done the same had the situation been reversed. Of course, Miguel thought with a smile, I would not be living on this island!
Alan glanced up at him, squinting in the sun�s glare. "There are a lot of boxes here."
"Si�, Se�or. All necessary."
Skeptically, Alan returned to the task of examining the contents. Mostly, the boxes contained heat-and-serve canned goods, soup, bottled water, coffee, loaves of bread, and other foodstuffs necessary to sustain life. In addition to the food items were ink pens, paper tablets, razor blades, microscope slides and other items he desired to make his life on the island easier and more comfortable, or to aid his research and record-keeping. The only thing that seemed out of place was that the quantities were far greater than he had requested.
He looked up at the Costa Rican again. "Miguel, this appears to be about twice the amounts I requested."
Miguel cast a quick glance at Ellie, who was making her way toward them. "Si�, well, there is a reason for that, Se�or."
Alan frowned at the Hispanic man�s ambiguous responses. "What are you talking about?"
"Well, you�ve been here on this island all alone for a long time, so I bring you a special present." With a sly wink, he nudged Alan in the ribs with his elbow. "Something to keep you company while you�re here, eh?"
Alan�s puzzled expression indicated he was not comprehending the other man�s vague words. Skeptically, he flipped open the lid of the ice chest that held the perishables nestled in a bed of ice cubes. In addition to the two cartons of milk, the tub of butter, the packages of lunchmeat and the cheese he had asked for, he saw a large plastic bag that protected several items wrapped in white butcher paper. He knew they probably contained cuts of meat, items he had not requested.
Looking up again, he said, "Miguel, I didn�t ask for these."
Miguel made a broad sweep of his hand, as if brushing away the subject. "They�re paid for, Se�or Grant. May as well enjoy."
"Paid for?" he asked, closing the lid again. "Who paid for them?"
"I did," replied a familiar feminine voice.
Alan froze briefly, recognizing the voice, then turned toward her as she approached him.
A quick intake of breath indicated she was just about the last person on earth he had expected to see on that south sea island, but his inner reaction surprised even him. At the initial sight of her, he felt his heart leap with joy. Then the delight of seeing her there quickly faded, replaced by the cold fear inspired by the knowledge that as long as she was there, she was in danger.
As he gazed at her, he sensed a change in her since the last time he had seen her. She was still beautiful, but the impish smile and playful eyes that were so much a part of her personality had diminished, leaving something very different in her, a definite lack of luster, a loss of enthusiasm. She appeared tired and defeated.
Ellie stopped before him, a slight smile on her lips as she observed his physical appearance. Still ruggedly handsome, he was lean and tanned from the rough life he was leading. He had kept himself clean-shaven, but he obviously had not cut his hair since he had left the United States; indeed, probably even before that, for his lank brown locks that protruded from beneath the hat were longer than she had ever seen them. He was dressed in his usual attire of blue jeans, work shoes, and a work shirt. She noticed instantly that he carried an electrified shock prod in a loop attached to his belt.
"Ellie, what are you doing here?" he asked with an impatient edge to his voice.
Ellie tried not to be offended by his question. She had anticipated his anger, but even so, she felt a twinge of hurt, which she managed to cover with sarcasm. "I might ask you the same," she responded. "I seem to recall you saying you never intended to come back here."
He glared at her for several moments, during which time Miguel very quietly slipped away, unnoticed. "This isn�t a game, Ellie," he said at last. "You know this island isn�t safe."
"So do you, yet, from what I understand, you�ve spent nearly seven months here."
He was surprised by her comment. "I asked Mark not to tell you ---"
Ellie flinched almost imperceptibly. "Mark didn�t tell me. How I found out isn�t important. I�m here, and I�m going to help you with your research."
"No." His refusal but blunt, abrupt, leaving no room for doubt that he did not want her there.
Again, she felt a twinge of hurt feelings, but this time she channeled it into anger. As he turned toward the Cessna, intending to order Miguel to take her back to the mainland, she seized his arm and pulled him around to face her again, effectively preventing him from seeing Miguel as he scurried up the steps of the airplane. "I won�t go back, Alan. I have permission to be here, same as you."
Surprise flashed across his face at the news that she had obtained permission from the authorities to be there. "Ellie, I can�t do my work if I have to worry about you."
"Then don�t worry about me. Just tell me what needs to be done, and let me do it. I�m a good worker. You know that."
The rev of a Cessna engine drew Alan�s attention away from her, but he could do nothing except watch in dismay as the airplane sped down the runway and lifted into the brilliant blue sky.
He turned back to her with an accusing look, the same look he had used to maintain order in his classroom when students became too unruly.
Ellie was not intimidated. "I paid them extra to leave before you could say no," she confessed. "And in case you�re wondering, I also paid them for the supplies, so they could make a hasty departure without having to wait around for payment."
He glared at her several more moments, his blue eyes icy with anger, then he abruptly turned his back to her and walked to the edge of the forest, where he had left the four-wheeled hand truck that would be used to transport his supplies back to the compound in which he had been living. Coming to a halt beside it, he placed his hands on his hips and stared at the ground at his feet, shaking his head with disbelief. His shoulders lifted and fell as he drew in a deep breath, then sank again as he released it in a heavy sigh. "This is great," he said, sarcastically. "This is just great." He turned back to face her, half admiring her determination and half condemning her foolishness. "Have you lost your mind?"
"Alan, I was tired of sitting at home staring at four walls with nothing to do except think about everything that happened. I hoped maybe you�d let me work with you again."
"What is this?" he asked, spreading his hands in a gesture of bewilderment. "A form of female midlife crisis or some such nonsense?"
Ellie frowned, puzzled by his peculiar comment. "Midlife crisis? What the hell are you talking about?"
"You have two little children at home, or had you forgotten?" He seized the handle of the dolly and dragged it behind him as he strode toward the supplies, casting a meaningful look at her as he passed her. "They need their mother at home, not out here on an island trying to �find yourself� or whatever it is you�re trying to do." He stood the dolly beside the supplies and began stacking the boxes on the frame.
Ellie stared at him, agape.
He didn�t know! Somehow, he had not received her letter or her messages. And he must think her a neglectful mother for leaving her children behind while she spend a minimum of six weeks on an island nearly half a world away.
She approached him. "Alan, I need to explain ---"
"Go get your suitcases," he interrupted, resigned to the situation. "Miguel left them on the runway."
Ellie gazed at him, imploringly. "Alan --"
"Look, you said you wanted to work," he reminded her, shortly. "Since you�re stuck here for the next six weeks, I�ll put you to work, just like you wanted. Get the suitcases. I�ll make room on the four-wheeler for them, but you�ll have to carry the ice chest. With all these extra supplies, there won�t be enough room for them." There was an inhospitable tone to his voice that was hurtful, and he turned his back and began lifting the boxes of supplies and arranging them on the aluminum platform of the hand truck.
Ellie fell silent. Turning away from him abruptly, she strode to the concrete runway, and picked up the two suitcases and her duffel bag, and carried them back to the four-wheeler.
As Alan finished stacking the boxes and her suitcases on the hand truck, Ellie picked up the ice chest by its handle. Then she followed him as he led the way into the forest, pushing the hand truck ahead of him.
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