“Could be because his late wife was from there,” Nelson said. “Nailah was her name, I think. She passed a while back, but man, he spoke like she was still in the room with him.”
Ranger leaned forward. “Nelson, would you be willing to help us get close to him?”
Nelson shot Caspian awhat the hell is she talking aboutlook, then turned his attention back to Ranger. “And why would I do that?”
“Show him, Samantha,” Caspian said. “He’ll get it.”
There was a quiet moment, then Ranger placed her tablet on the desk and tapped a finger on an electronic folder. A map of Kenya appeared, along with a photo of Everett Westcott.
“What am I looking at?” Nelson asked.
Caspian could tell his brother was tired and jet lagged, and he wondered if they should let him rest for a few hours before going through with the briefing. But when Ranger started to speak, she got Nelson’s full attention. Keeping her briefing methodical, she talked about the rare earth deposits, the population displacements and the mining operations that followed, and the shell companies linked to Hearts United. Nelson didn’t interrupt, but by the end his expression had hardened in a way Caspian had never seen.
“So, you’re telling me Hearts United financed our clinics so that they could convince the population to clear the land?” Nelson asked, his face red. “And that Hearts United, with my help, convinced tribal leaders to move? That they funded our projects to make people trust them?”
“I’m afraid so,” Caspian said. “Hearts United partnered with you so that Doctors Without Borders’ credibility, and yours, would shield them from any suspicion.”
Nelson shook his head. “No ... I don’t believe this. Your intel is wrong. Has to be.”
“I’m sorry, brother,” Caspian said.
Nelson stared at him, his eyes wide. “Do you think I was complicit in this?”
“Absolutely not,” Caspian said quickly. “But you were used.”
Nelson pushed up from the couch and headed toward the window, where he stood silent for a long time. Caspian sensed that Ranger wanted to say something, but he shook his head, gesturing her to give Nelson some time to think.
“I’ve given everything to that job,” Nelson said two minutes later. “I ... I bled for that work. But I believed in it, you know? I still do. Despite all the corruption, we do manage to help people every day.”
“I know that,” Caspian said. “We all do.”
“We think Westcott is about to do the same in the DRC,” Ranger said.
“What? No. I’m telling you, you’re wrong about him,” Nelson said, running a hand through his hair.
Caspian looked at Nelson, and a hollow ache settled in his chest. His brother wasn’t just angry, he was hurt, betrayed by Westcott and Hearts United.
Torn open from the inside ... just like Laura Newman and Onyx did to me.
“Nelson, my intel isn’t—” Ranger started.
“Enough!” Nelson shouted. “I don’t believe it. I don’t want to. Because that would mean I helped him do this. That I helped him move people I love, people who trusted me, off their land.”
Caspian could feel the conflict tearing at his brother. It hurt to watch Nelson, who was such a good, kind man, struggle like that.
“Maybe we’re wrong, then,” Caspian said, ignoring the angry look he got from Ranger.
Nelson spun toward him. “What?”
“I said maybe we’re wrong. But we need your help to get to the bottom of this.”
It took a few seconds, but then Nelson said, “Okay. If I agree to meet with Westcott, it’s not because you’ve convinced me. It’s because you didn’t, and I want to prove you wrong. You get that, right?”
Caspian nodded, not arguing. He knew better than to push. “Then let’s do that,” he said. “Let’s prove it together.”
“How? I’m a doctor, not a spook. I wouldn’t know where to start.”
Ranger raised a hand. “I can help with that.”
