Page 58 of Girl in the Water
Lately, the tension she felt inside her chest when they were around each other was nearly unbearable. She was aware of every move and sound he made. She wanted him to look at her, then when he looked at her, she didn’t know what to do with herself, what to do with her hands, what to say.
“Ian?” she whispered.
He didn’t stir.
She’d tried to talk him into getting off the floor. He wouldn’t. She’d tried to switch places with him, but he wouldn’t do that either. He was like a great boulder, unmovable.
Maybe she was crazy to try. Except a tiny spark deep inside her heart told her she wasn’t.
This trip was it. She’d graduated from college. She had a job. The same job as he had. They were partners. If he didn’t finally see them as equals, he never would.
So the next morning, as they sat in the office of the head of the human trafficking division at the Departamento de Polícia Federal, Daniela was determined to be extra professional and useful.
“The Heyerdahls arrived in the country on July second,” the federal commissioner,delegado,said from behind his metal desk, reading his notes.
He was an attractive man, swarthy good looks, close to forty, tall, well proportioned, well-spoken, with nearly accent-free English, someone who would come across well at press conferences.
“Carmen and Phil Heyerdahl,” the delegado went on, “along with baby Lila spent one day in Rio for their See-Love-Aid orientation, then they flew to Eduardo Gomes International Airport, in Manaus.”
All that checked off against Daniela’s notes.
“I understand they were with a group,” Ian said.
The delegado consulted his papers again. “Twenty-one people.”
“Is it common for volunteers to bring their children along? As young as six months?” Daniela asked.
“I’m not certain,” the man said. “You would have to ask See-Love-Aid.”
“Then you don’t mind if we stop by their offices this afternoon?” Ian asked in a deferential tone that was a lot more subdued than his usual growl.
The man flashed a photo-op quality smile. “Not at all. We have investigated thoroughly, you understand. But we would be, of course, very happy if you found something we hadn’t. The United States has our full cooperation.”
Daniela liked the sound of that.
Brazil and the US were negotiating some kind of a trade treaty, Ian had told her on the airplane, so they would likely get the full benefit of the spirit of cooperation. Looked like he hadn’t been mistaken.
They talked with the delegado for another amicable half an hour before Daniela and Ian left.
“That was a waste of time,” she said in the cab. “We didn’t learn anything new.”
“Courtesy meeting.” Ian looked at his phone, probably to see if anything new had come in from the office. Two seconds later, he put his phone away. “We just needed to check in and have the federal commissioner’s approval. Now the real investigation begins.”
They didn’t wait until that afternoon to visit See-Love-Aid. Ian gave the cab driver the address, and the man took them straight to the organization’s headquarters.
A graying woman in her fifties met them, Cristina Luiza Sousa, Vice President of Operations. She spoke perfect English, with an accent only slightly heavier than Daniela’s. She had warmth in her smile, fierceness in her eyes, and toughness in her carriage, the kind of woman who could rule the world given half the chance.
When Daniela got around to posing her question again about children on the tours, the woman said, “We do have children in nearly every group, but usually teenagers. Toddlers or younger children are pretty rare. Lila Heyerdahl was the youngest we’ve ever had. Her parents are experienced. They’ve worked both in Africa and South America before. This is their second time in Brazil, actually. They missed the work after the baby was born, from what I understand, but didn’t want to commit to something more involved, so they decided to do two weeks with us. We anticipated no problems.”
“And they’re still in Manaus?” Ian asked.
“Yes. They don’t want to leave without their daughter. Understandably.” The woman smoothed down her skirt. “We put them up at our See-Love-Aid lodging. We’ll do whatever we can to help them and the investigation.” Her voice wavered. “We are all heartbroken.”
Daniela thought she was telling the truth. That haunted look in her almond-shaped brown eyes couldn’t be faked. Cristina Luiza Sousa really did care, wasn’t just concerned with how it looked for her organization or how she could fend off a lawsuit.
Daniela liked the woman on the spot. Senhora Sousa was a strong, self-possessed female who’d dedicated her life to helping others. Daniela had very similar plans for her own future.
Ian asked a few more questions. Senhora Sousa answered all of them.
