Free Enemy Mine by Lindsay McKenna Page A

care of them for a few hours, señorita? I have to fly the chopper in a little while. I’ll be back, of course.”
    “Certainly, Mr. Coulter.” She gave him a slight smile. “I’m sure the babysitter could use a rest.”
    The knowing glint in her kind eyes made Mac grin. “Yeah, something like that, señorita. ” He patted Sophie’s shoulder. The girl had come to trust the teacher, as well. “She’s not eaten her breakfast yet.”
    “Poor child.” Adelina twittered and she touched Sophie’s cheek gently. “I’ll see what I can do while you are gone, Señor Coulter.”
    “Yeah, fine. Tiki threw oatmeal at Sophie earlier. I had to clean her up and get her a set of fresh clothes.”
    “Tsk, tsk, that wasn’t right, now was it?” Adelina held Sophie away far enough to look at the little girl’s pale face. “Well! We must remedy this, young lady. And I’ll make sure our sweet Tiki doesn’t throw any more food at you, either.”
    Go for it, Mac thought as he left. Adelina, because of her British training and therefore the best, in Garcia’s eyes, had a cool, calm manner when dealing with the truculent Tiki—one that garnered a fair measure of success. Her elevated status in the household was evident, for she was just about the only one of the staff who could manage the uncontrollable and lonely Tiki. What Mac would like to do was swat Tiki on the rear and make her behave, but if he did that, all hell would break loose. No one ever laid a hand on the child.
    Hurrying out of the villa, Mac saw Carlos Garcia near the dispensary. The morning was gray, the clouds hanging low over the jungle, as always. The temperature was climbing already, the humidity high and making him sweat.
    Carlos saw him and stopped. “Tiki is with Adelina?”
    “Yes, sir, she is.” Mac halted and pointed toward theBell helicopter sitting on the pad. “I need some flight time, Señor Garcia. I’ve only flown twice in the last two weeks and that doesn’t help keep my flight skills sharp. I understand you’ve got a nanny to pick up in Lima this morning? I’d like to have that mission.” Mac stated it as a fact, leaving no room for Garcia to say no.
    Shrugging, the man said, “Of course. Do what you like. This is the third nanny I’ve seen in a week. I’m giving up hope of ever finding a woman who can be good with a child and be a bodyguard.”
    “Yes, sir.” Mac was going to change the odds on this one. He was going to get out of this babysitting gig one way or another.
    “Her name is Katherine Lincoln. She’s Canadian. Señora Olivares said she has had CAF police training, so I’m hopeful her survival skills are superior to the other two.”
    I do, too. Mac nodded and said nothing.
    Brightening, Garcia said, “And do you know what? This is amazing, Mac! The color photo Señora Olivares sent me of this young nanny shows that she has blond hair, blue eyes and, of course, white skin. Isn’t that something? I do hope she can pass the tests, because I’m sure Tiki would dote on her. She’s an even bigger doll than our little Sophie, who sulks and refuses to play with my Tiki.”
    “I see,” Mac said. Tiki was enamored with blond hair, blue eyes and white skin. The child had coffee-colored skin, impish sable-brown eyes and thick, straight black hair.
    Looking at his watch, Garcia said, “Teres is with ouremployment prospect in Lima. I will have my secretary call him and tell him to meet you at the Lima airport shortly.”
    “Will Teres be coming back with us?” Mac hoped not.
    “No. He has other business to attend to down there. You will fly Miss Lincoln here, and I will have one of my guards meet her here at the landing pad.”
    “Very well.” Mac mentally rubbed his hands together. This was turning out better than he expected. Now, if only Miss Lincoln wasn’t a wimp, he could get out of babysitting mode and back into the air to continue his undercover work.
     
    K ATHY TRIED TO KEEP her surprise to herself when