Page 44 of Devlin

Devlin chuckled as Mia rolled her eyes, the warm glow of nostalgia settling over him. Let them tease. Their history was his leverage—one that would keep Mia close while he showed her what they could still be.

The table erupted in laughter, but Devlin caught the way Robert’s smile didn’t quite reach his eyes. Let them laugh. Let them wonder. He wasn’t worried about anyone else at this table. The only thing that mattered was Mia—keeping her safe and having a chance to prove that they weren’t just a part of each other’s past but also meant for each other’s future.

As he finished his breakfast, he kept an ear on the conversation, watching as Robert and Charlie continued to angle for Mia’s attention. Ravi, meanwhile, had barely looked at her, too preoccupied with stealing glances at Ritah when she walked in and sat beside Karen.

Then Robert made his move. "I thought you might want to go check the water stations with me today," he said, flashing Mia a confident smile. "I know it’s your day off."

Devlin’s jaw ticked. He hadn’t told her about their plans yet, but he wasn’t about to let Robert wedge himself in. “She’ll be with me today,” Devlin said smoothly, his voice leaving no room for argument. “We’re taking a little trip.”

Mia turned to him, curiosity flickering in her gaze.

Before she could ask where they were going, Charlie wiggled his eyebrows. “Oh, a date?” he teased, feigning shock. “Mia, you’re stepping out with one of the investigators? That’s very daring of you. I haven’t seen you go out with anyone since you’ve been here.” He sighed dramatically. “Not that I haven’t tried.”

Percy cackled. “That’s because Mia has standards, and you, Charlie, are simply too easy.”

Laughter rang out again, but Devlin didn’t miss the way Robert remained silent, his gaze assessing. When Devlin turned to Mia, he found her watching him, a silent question in her eyes. But she didn’t ask where they were going. She didn’t challenge him.

Her trust meant everything. Now, he just had to make sure she knew she could trust him with so much more.

A few hours later, Devlin sat in the back of the van beside Mia, his head swiveling from side to side as he took in the breathtaking scenery of the Ugandan countryside. They were at the edge of the Queen Elizabeth National Forest. Vast stretches of emerald-green forest spread out in the background. Their dense foliage provided the perfect backdrop to the blue sky as they drove along the hard-packed dirt road.

"It's beautiful, isn't it?" Jonan asked from the driver’s seat, his voice carrying a note of quiet pride.

Cole rode shotgun beside Jonan, his arm resting lazily on the open window, while Todd occupied the middle bench seat, scanning the landscape with quiet curiosity.

Mia turned toward Devlin, catching his gaze. "I don’t know why I expected barren land when I first came here." She scoffed, shaking her head as she looked out the window again. "I was so surprised at how lush the forests are."

“Yes, yes,” Jonan agreed, his dark eyes flicking toward her in the rearview mirror. “With Lake Victoria to the south, Lake Edward on our western border, and Lake Albert to the north, our forests grow plentiful.”

He came to a stop as a small herd of elephants meandered across the road on a well-worn path. “Oh my God!” Mia’s arm reached out to grab Devlin’s arm as she whispered in awe of the sight before them. She held up her phone to snap pictures of the mother elephants with a few babies lumbering to keep up.

“Give me your phone and turn around, Mia,” he said.

When she did as he asked, he snapped a picture of her with the elephants in the background. Then impulsively, he flipped the camera and shifted next to her to snap a selfie with both of them in front of the savanna vista.

He wondered if she would complain at his high-handedness, but as they sat, she perused through the pictures. “This is good. Mom will love the one with me in it.”

She didn’t mention him, but he was glad she didn’t immediately delete the one with him beside her.

As they settled for the next leg of the trip, Devlin rested his arm on the back of their seat. His fingers brushed against her shoulder in a tentative touch as he pointed out another baby elephant hustling by. Mia glanced at him, her lips still holding the faintest smile she had when she’d spied the elephant. That small, simple reaction sent a quiet sense of relief unfurling in his chest. She didn’t object, and he kept his arm resting across her back as they turned to view the passing landscape.

The overland journey stretched across several hours, the road winding through thick jungle and small, scattered villages. Jonan served as their guide, pointing out landmarks and sharing stories.

“It takes longer to get to the lake than a hornbill can fly,” he explained, his voice warm with pride. “We have to travel north to enter Queen Elizabeth National Park because Kigezi Game Reserve is south of it. But we are heading to Kisenyi, a small fishing village on the lake’s edge.”

“How do Uganda and Congo handle the fishing rights on the river?” Todd asked.

"With diplomacy and great difficulty," Jonan answered with a wry chuckle. "While there is an arbitrary line down the middle of the lake, we are always arresting Congolese fishermen who cross over."

“So there’s a Ugandan police presence on the water?” Devlin asked.

“A small one. But as you know from Alain, the lake is also a crossing point for refugees and, of course, for smugglers bringing goods into the Congo. The same happens on Lake Albert, to the north.”

As they crested a hill, the forest suddenly gave way, revealing the village ahead. Mia let out a quiet gasp. “Who would’vethought that right at the edge of the forest, they would carve out this place?” she murmured in wonder.

“It is a prosperous little village,” Jonan said, his tone light but firm. "Because of the fishing. There is a church, a mosque, and even a hotel."

“Hotel?” Mia repeated, her brows lifting in surprise as they passed a squat building with a thatched roof. A hand-painted wooden sign out front declared it the Lake Edward Retreat.

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