Black Mamba

by Tierney James

  “Handsome will escort you to your tent.” The director passed out the flashlights they’d left on a table. The rest of the group stood, yawning, and agreed it was time to turn in. “Very good. Did everyone approve of their accommodations? I neglected to ask.”

  “Quite good.” The older British woman sighed sleepily. “Glad we’re in the nearest tents. I don’t think I would like being down where you Americans are staying.”

  “Too far from the kitchen, right?” her husband teased then moved up by Handsome.

  The two German men clicked on their flashlights and moved on down the path. They swiftly approached the third tent, swinging their lights back and forth. Handsome instructed them to call out when they were inside. By the time the Brits entered their tents, the Germans called a “Guten Nacht.”

  “We can talk at your place.” Handsome tilted his head toward Sam and Carter. He glanced at Tessa, who appeared to be a little spooked and hooked her arm through Chase’s. He pulled her along. Their flashlights brightened the fivesome’s way to the tent deck.

  Sam immediately took a chair by the door, crossing her long legs. She reminded him of one of those Vogue models who absently stared into space for all to admire. Carter and Chase leaned against the railing, and Tessa remained at Chase’s side. All the flashlights were extinguished since the lantern glowed near Sam. He figured that was the reason she sat there, to make sure she could be observed and adored.

  Chase crossed his arms in front of his chest and arched an eyebrow. “Someone broke into Tess’s room and stole her computer while we were in Gaborone. We planted the information about the rightful heir of the Kifaru diamond and that it had been located.”

  “Were you there during the break-in, Tessa?” he asked. She seemed smaller than he remembered.

  “I was just getting back. Chase and I returned from dinner at President Baboloki’s to find the room had been ransacked. He escaped through a window.” She rubbed her arms and shrugged. The woman had spunk, but he doubted her cold disregard for danger. She wasn’t like them yet. There remained too much light in her eyes for that kind of black heart.

  “You took a risk. I thank you,” Handsome said extending an arm to give her a brief hug. He shifted his disgruntled frown to the two men and noticed Chase straightened to a more agitated stance. The man really did have a thing for Tessa Scott. This amused him to no end. “Why wasn’t it in your room?” Glaring at the captain didn’t faze the man much.

  “I expected them to come at me first. I could pretend to protect it. Make a show of resistance—”

  “No matter. It’s done. We wanted them to take it, and they did,” Tessa interrupted.

  “And the Kifaru?” Handsome lowered his voice, paranoid the bush had dangerous ears.

  “Safe for now. Do these people understand who you are?” Chase inquired, relaxing against the railing once again.

  “Some people in my village remember the day the soldiers came. Most were killed, but others survived to tell the story. They escaped into the bush. One man remembered Dr. Girard who tried to save his badly injured father.

  “My research said no one survived,” Tessa spoke in a soft voice.

  “There were a few, but they scattered to other villages for shelter and even then, the villages were afraid to take them in because of the soldiers. Gradually, they have returned and rebuilt, but it has taken many years. My father, Dr. Girard, made it his mission in life to bring medical care to these people. He raised money over the years to keep the work going.” Handsome stared up into the sky for a few moments as if trying to piece together what to say next. When Tessa laid a hand on his arm, he glanced down at her. “He and my adopted mother were fine Christians who put their faith into action. By taking me in, he risked his life, his career, and his fortune. I, of course, never knew my real father, but I believe God placed me in his hands that day when Baboloki killed my family.”

  “He is an angel,” Tessa said, squeezing his forearm. Handsome laid his large hand on her tiny one, and felt the coolness of the night seeping into her skin. He massaged her fingers to warm them then clamped down on it while she stared up at him. He liked to think she believed in him.

  “As are you,” Handsome confessed.

  “I think I’m going to throw up,” Chase growled.

  “Don’t listen to him, Handsome. Continue with your story.” Tessa shot an annoyed look Chase’s way.

  “We moved around a lot when I was a kid. Changed my name a number of times for the sake of safety. Maybe it was paranoia on my parents’ part. I never knew for sure. Never had a chance to make many friends. They were pretty protective. As a teenager, I rebelled.”

  “Not uncommon,” Tessa consoled.

  “My father used to say it was due to my intelligence.”

  “Boy did he get that wrong,” Chase quipped.

  Handsome ignored the insult. “He, of course, knew all about my real father being an engineer and figured I needed some challenges. When I was around fifteen, he finally told me about where I came from. All those years he’d slipped into the country to work here, I’d never understood why. From that point on, I tagged along to learn.”

  “How did you hook up with the CIA?” Carter asked.

  “Who says I was with the CIA?” Handsome frowned.

  “Just the way you’re denying it, is pretty much an admission of guilt. Don’t forget your little episode in Tunisia,” Chase reminded him.

  “At one point, I made connections with people who I hoped might teach me a better set of survival skills than my father or the engineering university I attended in Missouri. It didn’t take long to attract some interest. I speak four African languages. I was ripe pickings out of thousands. But then Tunisia happened, and I ended up owing a debt to Enigma, thanks to you, Hunter.”

  Carter smirked. “We’re one big happy family. Maybe I should suggest that as our motto.”

  Tessa chuckled and stepped away from Handsome’s continued touch. “So, exactly what is your plan, Handsome?”

  “To rule Botswana as my birth father planned to do.”

  Chapter Eleven

  The slow and easy conversation about Handsome’s plan to rid Botswana of their dictator continued for another half hour. He then lumbered off into the darkness, swinging his flashlight to guard against wandering animals from the bush. There was a chance the camp director needed him to finish up some kind of preparations for the following day. According to him, his quarters consisted of a tent not so different than theirs, but without the comfortable furniture and sweet-smelling soap.

  “Just the basics. It’s enough. I go back to the village on my days off to help out at the clinic.”

  Carter and Chase remained outside while the women slipped into the tents to prepare for bed. Tessa dropped one side of the tent flap across the door for more privacy. They remained quiet for only a few minutes.

  “He’s taking a big risk. Baboloki gets wind of this, and he’s a dead man,” Carter spoke in a low voice. “I’m betting he’s aware the diamond is real and somewhere close enough to threaten his hold on power. It won’t take him long to locate him. My concern is another massacre like the one that started this whole story.”

  “He’s under a microscope. Probably won’t come to that, but you’re right.” Chase could see the outline of Tessa undressing in the tent. “Removing Baboloki could create a vacuum where someone worse could step in. Just because Handsome owns the diamond, doesn’t mean he is the best man for the job.”

  Carter agreed and tried to interject more opinions until he followed Chase’s line of sight and elbowed his friend. “Maybe you’d better go take care of business. You’ve stopped listening to me anyway.”

  Chase straightened and moved toward the tent. “See you in the morning.”

  The slow sound of a zipper opening helped Tessa lose focus on tying the string on her pajama bottoms. Even in semi-darkness, he took her breath away when his six-foot-one frame came through the door. He turned in slow motion to o
ffer one of his intimidating gazes at her as a stream of light from the outside lantern fell across the upper part of his face.

  I’m in a freakin’ romance novel where everything is about to go to Hell. Was that where she would end up?

  “What? You’re staring at me,” he said with all the emotion of a piece of dry toast. He stripped off his shirt. She couldn’t tear her eyes away, and managed to tangle her fingers in the string of her pajama bottoms. Maybe double-knotting was overkill. She undid it. “What did you think about Handsome’s story?”

  He sat down on the end of the bed and patted the covers for a second then untied his boots. He quickly stood and placed them neatly under a camp stool. She liked a man who could pick up after himself.

  Had she really been reduced to this? Next, she’d be daydreaming about him painting the house or weeding the garden instead of throwing her across the bed in a wild night of passion. How sick was that? When he dropped his pants and tossed them on his leather bag, she snapped back to reality.

  “It matched up, for the most part, with what we already knew. He seems a little more reserved and less threatening here. What did you think?” she asked, wondering if he would slip pajamas over his boxer shorts or at least, put on a tee shirt.

  Please, God, don’t let him. Yep. I’m going to Hell.

  He turned around and put his hands on his hips like he might be ready to inspect the troops. His face remained shrouded in shadows. The deep voice sounded a little dark, too. “No. I can’t say I noticed that.” His step closer brought his features into focus. “I see you brought your sexy pj’s.” That condescending smirk reminded her of a creature in Alice in Wonderland.

  She tried a little too hard to appear nonchalant as she shifted her weight to one hip and dropped her hands to her side. When she did, her finger caught in the drawstring and completely untied the pajamas, causing them to slip farther down on her hips. She tugged them up and tied them again.

  He arched a brow. The cold seeped through her thin tee shirt. She folded her arms across her chest to hide her body’s embarrassing reaction.

  “Victoria Secret for Moms had a sale. Couldn’t resist.”

  “Would that be the hot-momma section or the don’t-get-too-close-momma section?”

  “Shut up,” she huffed, pulling the comforter down far enough to slip in with a little grace and a big flippant attitude.

  Her toes touched something hairy and warm near the end of her bed. With a scream, she threw back the covers to scramble out to a standing position and jumped onto Chase’s bed butted up against hers. He moved to his side of the bed when she leaped into his arms.

  “There’s something in there!” She pulled him tighter against her body. She could feel him chuckle as he pushed her to arm’s length, which took several tries before she released her hold around his neck.

  “You’re imagining things. But hey, I’ll play the hero if it gets me another close encounter of the Tessa kind.” Loud laughter followed his comments.

  “Stop it. Do something!” she demanded, and stomped impatiently on the mattress where she remained standing.

  Chase returned to her side of the bed and laid his hand on top of the comforter. Immediately, his expression changed from amused to a frown. “I see what you mean. Not good,” he whispered.

  Tessa brought two fists up to her mouth. “Oh. My. Gosh. Chase! Be careful. What are you going to do?” she asked breathlessly. As he lifted the covers ever so gently, she repeated, “Be careful.”

  He jerked his hands back.

  Tessa gasped again and shivered.

  “Stop talking, woman, and let me do this.”

  “Sure. Sure.” When he frowned at her, she clamped her lips shut and waited for him to move again.

  Chase reached under the layers and grabbed something. He struggled to hold on, grunting with trying to keep control of whatever had found its way into her bed. “I’ve got it!”

  “What is it!” she screamed.

  Chase continued to fight as he dragged the thing out and lifted it into the air. “I’m pretty sure it’s a hot water bottle.” He smiled then laughed. “A hot water bottle covered in a furry wrapping to keep your cold feet warm.”

  “What?” she fumed then jumped to her side of the bed and eyed the monster she’d imagined. Touching it proved once more she remained a coward at heart. “It felt like an animal.”

  Chase handed it to her. “Nice water bottle. Go ahead. Pet it. It won’t bite,” he teased before breaking out in laughter again.

  She took it then slapped him in the chest. “You knew all along what it was, didn’t you?”

  “When I sat down to take my boots off, I felt one at the foot of my bed. I also heard the camp director tell the staff it was time to warm up our beds.” His laughter subsided to a chuckle mixed in with his words. He wiped a tear from below one of his dark eyes.

  “I despise you.” She tried to appear annoyed.

  “No, you don’t,” he said returning the water bottle to the foot of her bed. “Oh, and thanks for the vote of confidence I could save the day, even if it meant my life,” he mused as he tucked the covers back in. “Unless there is something else you require of me, I think we should call it a night.”

  “Well,” she teased. “There is one more thing.”

  His eyebrows arched in expectation, Chase stepped close enough to move the bed. She was still standing on the mattress, so he had to shift his eyes up to meet hers. “I’m yours for the night. Name it.”

  “I need to go to the bathroom. I want you to go with me.”

  His expression changed from anticipation to aggravation. “You want me to go with you to pee?”

  “There might be a snake or something out there. Anything could get in that bathroom.”

  “Way to spoil the mood,” he sighed and lifted her off the bed only to set her feet on the floor. “I’ll get the flashlight.”

  Gentleman that he was, Chase escorted her to their bathroom and flooded the area with light as he stood outside and waited. Returning to the tent, he shone the light all around the inside to alleviate any further fears she might have about uninvited guests. He even pulled back her sheet one more time for a closer inspection before letting her climb into bed.

  “Thanks, Chase. Really.” Tessa watched him circle to his side and slip between the covers.

  He grunted, “You’re welcome,” and turned his back to her.

  “Do you want to talk?”

  “Nope.”

  “I mean about Handsome?”

  “Still nope.”

  “Don’t you think we should? I mean, I have some concerns.” Tessa rolled to her side to stare at his back. He remained silent. “I wanted to run something by you that I found.” Still the silent treatment. “Maybe we could talk while we’re having sex,” she fumed.

  His shoulders shook. Was he holding in a laugh? “Not much on talking while I do that,” he offered in an even tone.

  “Well, that isn’t the gossip among your brainy bimbos at the university,” she quipped. “According to them, you are—”

  Chase turned over to face her. This conversation was the equivalent of gas being thrown on a fire. “I’m all yours,” he said calmly.

  “Good. Thank you.”

  “I haven’t done anything. Yet.” The wolfish expression wasn’t lost on her. He tucked his arm under his head.

  He kept her off guard by saying suggestive things. What could she expect when she’d hinted at a physical reward for his bravery? The tit for tat meant to get his attention might backfire if she wasn’t careful.

  “Last night when we were at Baboloki’s, I ran into a woman in the bathroom.”

  “That’s a relief. No hot water bottles? No other men?”

  “I’m serious.”

  “Me, too. I would hate to have to kick in the door to rescue you in such a magnificent place.”

  “Are you going to listen to me or keep poking fun?” she huffed.

  “Both. Go ahead. I’m al
l ears. You met a woman in the bathroom...” He propped up on one elbow, lying on his side, facing her.

  She scooted a little closer. “Something was strange there.” She launched into a quick retelling of their awkward meeting, the wallpaper and then the warning from the woman with the scars. “I saw her earlier in the day watching Baboloki and me walking through the garden.”

  “Girlfriend?” he yawned.

  “A little old to be a girlfriend, considering I’ve seen pictures of his wife who is about twenty years younger than him and pretty close to looking like a supermodel. Where was his wife, anyway?”

  “The president has a reputation for being a ladies’ man. Maybe he sent her away for a few days. She probably jumped at the chance. He was certainly checking you out.” Amusement etched his face.

  “A lot of help you would’ve been if I needed you. You were on your way to being intoxicated.”

  “What can I say? The man has some good booze. You should try it sometime.”

  “You aren’t listening to what I’m saying. The woman warned against talking about the Kifaru in Baboloki’s house. Why would he have black rhinos in the wallpaper? Or a collection of them in a display case in the hall? On the way out, I spotted rhinos sculptured in the chandeliers hanging on the front veranda.”

  “It is Africa, Tessa. There were also elephants and giraffes.” He rolled to his back and placed his hands beneath his head, staring at the ceiling. “Who do you think she was?”

  “No clue. But she said something curious when I mentioned Kifaru.” He turned his head toward her, still wearing an amused expression. “She said, ‘I know the Kifaru killed everything and everyone I loved. It is vile.’ I think she might be someone from Handsome’s village. Maybe she has information about his parents. Many of the people weren’t identified. Maybe part of his family escaped.”

  “I asked him about that earlier. He said none of the few who came back to rebuild knew anything of his family, and most of the people there now were not even around when the massacre occurred.”