CHAPTER ONE
“AREN’T you going to invite me in?”
Matt Watkins was a nice-looking divorced guy who’d recently moved to Lead, South Dakota, to manage a busy service station.
Tonight had been their first official date, but already Terri Jeppson knew she could never be interested in him. She sensed he was looking for a wife. It would be better to dash his hopes now.
“I’m sorry, Matt. I start work early in the morning and—”
“You’re still in love with your ex,” he broke in before she could finish, sounding more hurt than angry.
It was on the tip of her tongue to tell him her love for Richard had died an early death during their six-year marriage. But she caught herself in time.
“Maybe I am, and it took going out with someone else to realize it,” she said. It was an excuse she felt he could live with. “Please forgive me. I really did have a wonderful time with you tonight. Thank you for dinner and the movie.”
He stared hard at her. “When you think you’re over him, let me know.”
She nodded before shutting her apartment door. Glad the evening had come to an end so she could stop feeling guilty, she walked into the kitchen and automatically turned on her answering machine.
Her job as assistant head of the chamber of commerce meant she received a lot of calls transferred to her apartment after hours. Summer was the busiest time. July was the worst in terms of the swarms of tourists wanting to see Mount Rushmore and vacation in the Black Hills.
While she waited to hear what problems needed troubleshooting tonight, she sifted through the mail she hadn’t bothered to look at earlier.
The first two calls were from her mother and sister Beth who lived in Lead with her husband Tom. Unfortunately Beth had discovered Terri was going out on a date. Her family was so eager for her to meet a man who was “worthy” of her, their interest in her nonexistent love life was transparent. They weren’t going to like it when she told them she wouldn’t be seeing Matt again.
Another message played. “Mrs. Jeppson?” it began, letting her know it had to do with business. She tossed her junk mail in the wastebasket while she listened.
“My name is Martha Shaw. I’m calling from Creighton Herrick’s office at the Herrick Corporation Headquarters in Houston, Texas. Your husband, Richard, was injured in an accident where he’s been working. We’ve been told you should come as quickly as possible. A special family emergency visa has been arranged for you to enter the country.”
Country?
“Since this won’t require you going into the jungle, you won’t need any immunizations. The company will pay for your transportation and hotel. After you hear this message, please phone me at the following number day or night so I can book your flight and make hotel accommodations for you.”
Terri stood there in shock.
She and Richard had been divorced for almost a year, and had been separated six months before that. There’d been no communication between them since their divorce had become final. She’d thought he was out of her life forever.
Why would he have lied about his marital status when she knew he was happy to be a free man with no ties?
As for working outside the U.S., she couldn’t imagine it unless a glazier could make a lot more money somewhere else.
The whole thing was a complete mystery to her, but whatever the explanation, it appeared his condition was very serious, otherwise the company wouldn’t have gotten in touch with her.
After playing back the message so she could write down the phone number, she made the call. It only rang twice before someone picked up.
“Martha Shaw speaking.”
“Hello? Ms. Shaw? This is Terri Jeppson.”
“Oh, good. I’m glad you got my message.”
“Thank you for phoning me. How serious is Richard’s condition?”
“I wish I had those particulars, but I don’t. I’m sorry. One of the staff from the Herrick office in Ecuador phoned the company here in Houston, informing us that your husband had been hurt.”
Ecuador?
“I’m afraid she couldn’t give me any specifics, but that’s not unusual when the work site is miles from the city center. The message would have been relayed through a variety of people to finally reach us.
“After you arrive in Guayaquil, you’re to phone the office there. I’ll give you the number before we hang up. By the time you reach Ecuador, I’m sure they’ll be able to give you a lot more information and tell you which hospital your husband was taken to. The important thing is to get you down there as quickly as possible.”
A few more minutes’ conversation and all Terri’s travel and hotel arrangements had been made. After thanking Ms. Shaw, Terri phoned her boss with the news that she had to take emergency leave.
Ray Gladstone, the head of the chamber of commerce, couldn’t have been nicer about it. He said he’d handle everything while she was gone and wished her a safe trip down.