Chapter Five

A lifetime later, the speed of the boat noticeably changed and Izzy opened her eyes to see them approaching a small island. From the changing colors of the water, she thought they might be over a reef. The island itself had a glistening white sandy beach on one end that became a rocky shoreline on the other. On the very top of the craggy hill, white windmills gleamed and solar panels glowed in the sun.

The rest of the island was covered with dense trees. Barely visible were the occasional splashes of white Izzy assumed were buildings. The plants were lush with the varying greens of the foliage and the beautiful blooms of tropical flowers. According to the pilot when they landed, the temperature today was balmy, in the seventies, and the sun shined bright in a cloudless sky.

A floating dock came into view and the pontoon veered toward it. An excited hush fell over the group and even Izzy found herself leaning forward in anticipation. Then wished she hadn’t as her head threatened to implode.

The man who’d arrested Izzy at the airport came sliding down the steps, springing into motion. He hopped onto the deck, tied the boat off onto the cleats, and then lowered the ramp. The pilot came down and passed him the luggage, one bag at a time. Then the two of them assisted everyone off the boat. Once everyone was on shore, the pilot gave a cheery wave, climbed aboard and departed.

The churning water caused the wooden pier to rise and fall sharply. Coupled with the blazing sunshine, Izzy felt so rotten all she wanted to do was lie down. She no longer cared who was right or wrong as long as there was a cool dark corner to curl up in at the end of the journey.

Izzy made it as far as the tree canopy before collapsing to her knees. With one hand braced on the trunk of a tree, she leaned over and retched up the contents of her stomach. Excited murmurs expressing concern caused her head to throb even more. Her vision darkened, dizziness assailed her, and unconsciousness was a real threat. She couldn’t remember ever feeling this sick in her life.

A strident, female voice said, “Move out of the way!”

Large, cool hands gently pressed to her forehead, and Izzy leaned into the touch. It felt so good. Her stomach gave another heave, but nothing came out.

“Her skin is clammy and her heart is racing. How long was your flight?” she asked.

“Seven hours,” Isabel croaked.

“When’s the last time you drank water?” the woman asked in a light, lyrical accent.

“Can’t remember,” Izzy admitted.

“Come. We get you to de clinic, get you hydrated, and you be right as rain, yes?” the woman said. “The rest of you, go on now.”

The ladies scattered, obeying the voice of command.

The woman helped Izzy to her feet, and with a supportive arm around her waist, escorted Izzy up a long wooded path to a small, white bungalow. Once inside, she took Izzy to one of the bedrooms and set her on a single bed. The woman gave Izzy a glass of water to sip while expertly inserting an intravenous drip into her arm. Then she ordered her to lie down and placed a pillow under her head. “Rest. You’ll feel better when you wake.”

Since Izzy didn’t have the strength to do anything else, she did as instructed. Her eyes squinted as the bright light filled the room, making her light sensitive eyes throb. Mercifully, the woman closed the blinds to darken the room. Izzy relaxed and blessed darkness took her.

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A hand gently shaking her shoulder woke Isabel. “Huh?” she asked, her voice groggy.

“You need to use the restroom, drink more water, and eat. You’ve been asleep for over twelve hours. Your bladder must be screaming,” a woman said.

The events of yesterday immediately came to Izzy’s mind. This was the woman who’d assisted her when she’d gotten sick and almost collapsed. Under the woman’s watchful eye, Isabel stumbled her way to the toilet. The relief on her bladder was immediate.

As she washed her hands and splashed water on her face, Izzy became alert enough to realize she was both hungry and thirsty. Returning to the attached bedroom, she found a large bowl of sliced, fresh fruit, a small salad, and two turkey sandwiches waiting on a small bedside table. Isabel fell on the food like a starving wolf. She devoured everything, drank the two bottles of water, and with her belly content, fell asleep.

Isabel didn’t know how long she slept, but when she next woke, not only was her headache gone, but it was the most rested she’d felt in months. A scan of her surroundings revealed her belongings sitting just inside the bedroom door. Isabel placed the suitcase on the bed, took out a clean set of clothes, and went into the bathroom to shower off the travel grime.

She emerged feeling like a new woman, ready to tackle the world. It was time to find out where she was and clear up this misunderstanding. She’d call Ryan, get the name of the resort where she was booked, and ask to be taken there.