Black Mamba

by Tierney James

  “But Baboloki ended that practice in spite of environmental groups protesting around the world.” Chase crossed his arms on his chest and stood at ease like a soldier often does.

  “Naturally. He made a deal with the villages to stop poaching, and he would allow the

  big-game hunters who often dropped fifty-to seventy-five thousand dollars each when they came back in. That provided jobs for many people along with schools for the children, medical care like my father’s clinic, and better roads that connected to Maun.”

  “And he got the credit for ending poaching and the improved economic stability, at least among the rural communities,” Chase added. “How is he any different than every other politician in the world? They all take credit for fixing a problem they created in the first place.”

  “Maybe none.” Handsome shrugged. “His military guard has taken advantage of this and hunted at their own pleasure, selling elephant ivory, rhino horns, and other trophies to supplement their salaries. When the villagers complain, they are beaten, shot, or disappear. After a while, they stopped complaining. The numbers of endangered animals, according to Baboloki’s statistics have increased, but who knows if that is really true?”

  “Wasn’t Baboloki supposed to be hunting downriver today?” Tessa asked as she straightened and looked toward the watering hole where a few giraffes still meandered. A military-style truck eased up and stopped. Several guns slipped out over its back railing. A shot rang out, and one giraffe dropped then another, until three of the four lay on the ground.

  The Enigma team gathered together watching five men jump out from the back and run up to the fallen beasts. One brought along an ax and hacked at the large bull’s head while several others took to removing the skin.

  “I think I’m going to be sick,” Tessa moaned.

  Someone revealed a cell phone and took pictures of themselves with the giraffe that hadn’t undergone their attempt at butchering.

  “Are we going to do something?” Sam bristled.

  “Like what?” Handsome said, throwing the trash bag in the cooler then loading it into the Land Rover. The team kept an eye on the mayhem while trying to get back in the vehicle.

  “Stop them,” Tessa demanded, climbing into the front.

  Chase pushed her over and pointed to the back where he’d sat earlier and took the front passenger seat. “You got any weapons besides that starter pistol you waved around earlier, Handsome?”

  “Well, since you asked.”

  Handsome pulled a small semi-automatic handgun from under the seat and handed it to Chase. “There’s another one under your seat, Carter, in a holster attached to the metal frame.

  “Got it,” he quickly announced.

  “Let’s go have a little chat, shall we?” Handsome turned on the engine and put the vehicle in gear.

  The soldiers stopped their excited laughter and machete wielding when the safari vehicle approached. Two of them moved back toward their truck in a calculated, slow movement. The others waited by the downed giraffes. Pulling up alongside of the watering hole, Handsome let the vehicle idle as he stared at the bloody carcasses.

  “Looks like you’ve been busy,” Handsome said offhandedly.

  One of the soldiers looked at his two buddies then over at the truck where the others had disappeared. “Is there a problem?” he asked, his face becoming a mask of temperamental impatience.

  “Do you have a permit to hunt out here? This area has a lot of tourists coming and going.” Handsome pointed to the giraffes.

  “We don’t need a permit.” He smiled devilishly.

  “Yeah,” he joked back. “Here you do. What are you going to do with all that meat?”

  “Leave it. We only want the head and hide. Makes a good rug for some rich man’s wall in Moscow or London.”

  Handsome whistled. “How much do you get for one of these?”

  “Plenty.”

  “Maybe since you don’t have a permit, I’ll just take it off your hands.” Handsome let a chuckle escape from deep in his throat.

  The soldiers came closer and eyed the women. “Maybe you’re showing off for the pretty ladies.”

  A sense of alarm came over Chase when the men who had disappeared into the truck returned carrying some fancy firepower. “Nice weapons. That military issue?”

  The soldier cut his eyes to Chase and frowned. “Not exactly.” Then he twisted his lips in a show of impatience. “We got them on eBay.”

  All the soldiers found this amusing and laughed with each step they took closer. They tapped the side of their weapons with what seemed to be nervous anticipation.

  “Do you have a problem with this?” he asked then looked back over his shoulder at the bloody animals.

  “Probably not as much as the giraffes,” Handsome laughed.

  “President Baboloki gave us some time off to hunt.”

  “Did he now?” Handsome chuckled then smiled broadly.

  “Where is the president? I thought he planned to hunt, too. Why aren’t you with him?” Chase tipped his wide-brimmed hat back with one finger. “He doesn’t strike me as someone who could find his way out of a paper bag without some help.”

  Whatever amusement the soldiers had enjoyed a moment earlier vanished. “Maybe you should keep your mouth shut.”

  “Maybe you should lower your weapons,” Chase added.

  “And maybe you should get the hell out of here before there’s an accident,” the leader snapped, his eyes bulging.

  “Let’s go, Chase.” Tessa leaned up and touched his shoulder. “Please.”

  “The lady makes sense.” The leader nodded her way.

  “I’ll check back later to see how you’re doing here.” Handsome’s face appeared frozen with a plastic smile.

  The soldiers pointed their weapons at them. “Or maybe not. Trust me. We’ll be fine.”

  Two of the men seemed to decide a little more encouragement was necessary, pulled up their rifles, and aimed.

  “Guess we’re not wanted. The camp is expecting us back anyway. We’re already about twenty minutes late. You know how the camp directors get when their bread and butter doesn’t arrive back on time.” Handsome put the vehicle in reverse. “Especially after yesterday.”

  When Tessa’s hand touched his hip, Chase heard her suck in her breath. Both he and Carter stood, brandishing their weapons.

  “You boys take care. I’ll be sure to let the president know we crossed paths.” When he backed the vehicle from the scene, Chase eased down into his seat but kept his weapon leveled at the leader. Carter angled himself forward in order to keep his weapon ready.

  Handsome continued to back the vehicle, using only his side mirrors, until they returned to the shady spot where they’d taken a break. Stopping, Handsome called the incident in to camp, at Chase’s suggestion, in case the soldiers decided to follow up on their threats.

  Even though the soldiers were not hidden, they continued to load what they could of the giraffes into the back of the truck, leaving most of the bodies intact.

  “Guess we made them nervous,” Handsome speculated, looking through the binoculars.

  “Must have forgotten something,” Chase said watching through his own binoculars.

  Just as the driver, or leader, exited the cab and ran back to one of the giraffes, the leopard came bounding out of the tree line and grabbed him. He fought while the cat grabbed the back of his neck and dragged him with ease toward the trees. His screams were terrifying.

  “What is happening?” Tessa stood up with Sam, trying to see the carnage they left behind.

  “Poetic justice, I think,” Chase answered calmly. Some of the other soldiers shot their weapons after the disappearing cat. He put away the gun and relaxed.

  Carter pulled Sam down to sit next to him. “Mother Nature always finds a way, they say.”

  Tessa groaned and shook her head. “Let me out. I have to throw up.”

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  Peter stood next t
o another Land Rover. Chase suspected he was moments from coming to search for them. When Handsome put the vehicle in park, the camp director sighed then approached to help the ladies down.

  “That message scared me. We haven’t had any trouble in forever, and in two days we’ve had a shooting, poaching, and a missing person.” Peter walked alongside Chase and Handsome.

  “Missing? Who is missing? Not the president?” Chase already knew the answer but thought it best to play dumb.

  “Keeya, the president’s aide. We have looked everywhere for her. She has disappeared. This is no place to wander off. The secretary said you were still at the tent when she came down to talk to us this morning. Did she say anything?”

  Tessa still appeared a little pale, so Chase took her small hand in his. The frightened look amused him.

  “We made a quick stop at our own tent then came straight here. I told her I’d interview her later today, maybe at lunch.” If Tessa could do anything well, it was tell a lie. He could spot her attempt at pulling a fast one, but that hadn’t always been true.

  At the beginning of their stormy relationship, he’d fallen for several of her lies and nearly been killed and nearly killed her. When she batted those blue eyes, people, men especially, believed her. She was an innocent. Or used to be. He wasn’t so sure anymore.

  “Last we saw her, she was sitting on the deck with some papers. She didn’t look up when we walked by,” Chase added for a little more reinforcement to the lie. “How long has she been missing?”

  Handsome watched him and even slowed his long, leggy strides. It would be only a matter of time before he would need to be moved to a safer location if this whole Kifaru diamond thing really did make a difference in who led the country. The elections were not that far off.

  “The president’s secretary probably spent an hour with us then checked on tonight’s seating arrangements.” Peter rolled his eyes. “Everyone thinks they’re important, apparently. We’re in the bush. Who the hell cares?”

  “When did Naledi go back to her tent?” Carter interjected as he slipped an arm around Sam who sidestepped him in time to resist being pulled in close to his side. He dropped his hand to hers, and this she didn’t resist.

  “Not sure. After another thirty minutes or so. She waited a while to come looking for Keeya, probably thinking she’d gone to the observation deck or down to the water. That in itself is alarming, if you don’t tell someone where you are. In the daytime, it’s not usually a problem. The secretary finally came to tell us, and we immediately began a search with no luck.”

  They ran up on the dining deck that looked out over the Okavango, where a buffet table filled with finger foods and fruit waited along with hot tea and biscuits left from breakfast.

  “Could she be with some of the other staff?” Chase inquired as he passed out the plates to his friends. The British guests and Germans already sat at a table and sipped tea.

  “That was where we looked first. This is a disaster. Our first visit with the president, and this happens. I understand some photographers from Geo-World magazine will be here soon to document the president’s trip.”

  “Never heard of them.” Tessa set her food on the table.

  “I think they’re European.”

  The two German men shook their head. “I’ve never heard of them, either, but if they’re new, then I wouldn’t have.” They looked at the British guests.

  They shrugged and went back to talking among themselves.

  “Oh, I remember.” Tessa waved her fork in the air. “They are a children’s magazine. Daniel brought it home last year, thinking I’d want him to have it since it was geography based. Too pricey. Great pictures, though.”

  “Who is Daniel?” the director asked.

  Chase leveled a warning gaze. “Isn’t that your nephew? Cute kid.”

  Tessa choked on her tomato wedge.

  With a quick smack on the back, Sam chuckled. “You eat like a kid, Tessa. Remember to chew your food.”

  “Sorry. Too much salt I think.” Tessa twitched away from Sam’s touch. Chase imagined his senior agent hit her a little harder than necessary, but he found it amusing nonetheless. “And yes, Chase, that is my nephew. I’ll have to tell him I met the photographers. Will they be here for the dinner tonight?”

  Peter put his hands on his hips. “Yes. Coming in by plane. The pilot plans to stay the night. Not sure where I’ll put him.”

  Handsome cleared away the plates from the British guests. “He can bunk with me. With Moremi in the hospital…”

  “Great idea,” Peter sighed. “Forgot about that. While you were gone, we got word he came through surgery without any issues and should make a full recovery.”

  Everyone sighed relief with the news and tried to ask a few follow-up questions, but the camp director hurried away to another area to solve a problem. The Europeans excused themselves to their quarters. This time of day usually meant the activity would be a nap. Tea time would be around four then a guide would take guests back out in the safari vehicles or the mokoros until sunset.

  To experience sunset in the Okavango was almost a religious experience. Seeing it with Tessa at his side, created a deep desire to make some kind of romantic gesture toward her. Even when she walked away and stood at the railing around the deck, Chase found himself wondering about the possibility of plunging into a forbidden affair.

  “You’re staring, buddy,” Carter mocked as he elbowed him in the side. “You’re looking a little lovestruck.” His gaze went to Tessa then back at Chase. “When are you going to do something about that? Or are you doing—”

  “No. Nothing. This isn’t the right time.”

  Carter smirked. “You know what? One of these days she is going to kick Robert to the curb and some yahoo good-ole boy is goin’ swoop in and carry her off.”

  Chase couldn’t resist a chuckle. “Is that a threat? Because if it is, I want to see how you react to rejection.”

  “I don’t believe the two of you aren’t a little more than friends, is all.”

  “Believe whatever you want.”

  “If you’d get off that high horse of yours and romance the lady, you might find out she has a thing for you, too. Sam says she and Robert are having some trouble.”

  “What kind of trouble?” Chase turned away from looking at her. “Since when does Tessa confide in Sam?”

  “Beats me. I think those two are screwin’ with our psyches.” Carter stood and stretched. “Kind of makes a man all tingly inside, doesn’t it?” He stretched his neck to look down toward where the tent accommodations stood. “About that. I feel a nap coming on.” He slapped Chase on the back. “If you know what I mean.”

  Chase shook his head and pushed his chair back. “One of these days I’m going to have to plan a funeral for you. Be sure to write down your wishes.”

  In his deep Texan accent, he laid his hand on his heart. “Make sure I still have a satisfied grin on my face, good buddy.”

  “We’re expected to go to our tents, Tessa.” Chase walked up beside her and laid his hands on the railing. He wasn’t sure why this feeling of time running out for what he wanted to say to her kept plaguing him with indecision.

  The thought of breaking up a marriage and getting involved with an agent had always been taboo to him. That all changed the day Tessa opened her front door and invited him into her home. She had no idea what a rollercoaster ride waited for her in the following days. Her bravery and support impressed him so much, he failed to rid himself of her memory until they crossed paths a year later.

  Somehow, she’d managed to worm her way into President Austin’s good graces, and even the president decided she needed to stick around to help out his secret Enigma organization. Now here he was, standing like a schoolboy with his first crush, next to the woman he didn’t deserve but wanted to take anyway, breaking all the rules he’d lived by for so long.

  “Okay. Let’s go.” She turned away and turned back around when Chase didn’t im
mediately catch up. “You coming?” Her eyebrows lifted.

  There had been a time she would have looked terrified at the suggestion they be alone together. He wasn’t sure when that attitude had changed, but her resistance to his presence was a great deal easier to take than her compliance. Her trusting nature managed to create a path of destruction on his moral high road.

  He lifted his chin in acknowledgement and caught up with her.

  “Are you mad at me for my forgetting about Daniel? I’m sorry,” she confessed as she struggled to keep up with his long strides. “Slow down.”

  “No. I’m not mad. Just be careful what you say.” He picked up the pace until Tessa had to almost run to keep up.

  “Then what’s going on?” She managed to grab his hand and tugged enough to slow his steps.

  Chase instinctively looked down at her hand like it was a pair of restraints. She blushed then dropped his hand. He snatched it back in his and slowed down, turning his eyes to focus on their quarters.

  “Sorry. I shouldn’t have touched you. I know you hate that.” Tessa entered the tent when he held back the zippered screen door. Tossing her pith helmet on the camp stool, she then flopped down on the bed, only to fluff her pillow over and over.

  Chase stared at her lying on the bed, all relaxed with her hair twisting out of her ponytail on her neck. “I’m going to sit outside for a while. Try to get some rest.”

  She yawned and rolled away from him so he could no longer see her face. Looking at her form would be his undoing. He quickly returned to the deck to make a plan about Baboloki. Thinking about a pompous dictator seemed safer ground at the moment.

  The warmth of the afternoon sun forced him to admit he needed a nap, too. He stretched out his legs and crossed his arms across his chest. Tilting his hat down kept the afternoon light from his eyes. The sounds of the Okavango were lulling him toward sleep when a hand touched his shoulder.

  He bounded up so fast the man in front of him didn’t have time to react. Chase caught him by the wrist and twisted hard enough the man fell to his knees.