Wild Suspicions (Romantic Suspense)

by Rebecca Marey

  He sat in a folding chair across from the bed, struggling with his own desires. This nightmare, he determined, had to end tomorrow. For Liddie, for him, and for the sorrowful stash of creatures Parker had locked up in that barn.

  The sound of Liddie’s breathing soothed him. When he felt sufficiently recovered, Garrett left the cabin to cross the camp and check in at the office.

  If he’d done right, Parker was almost asleep as well.

  ****

  When Liddie woke in the morning, it wasn’t to the sound of rain. Opening her eyes to confront a brighter day, she lay still in the bed, struggling to identify the unfamiliar calls and cackles of various birds and wildlife. Her head felt heavy and her stomach painfully empty.

  Then she heard the breathing. She wasn’t alone.

  Afraid to move for fear of waking whoever it was, Liddie focused on the rhythm. Quick and restless. It was Parker, she determined. Not Garrett.

  The room was awash with light from a window Liddie hadn’t noticed in the dark of night. A hastily cut screen was stapled into its wood frame to keep the bugs out. More light filtered through cracks in the cabin walls. It was clear now, how rickety and weatherworn the accommodations were.

  She slowly turned to look at Parker, praying that he remained asleep. If someone had told Liddie two days ago that she’d come to fear him, she would have laughed in their faces and assumed they were jealous. Parker possessed such an attractive, all‑American‑boy facade. How foolish she had been to not look deeper.

  Never again, Liddie vowed, would she be so readily conned by wealth and good looks.

  The mattress was thin, and the bed creaked when Liddie moved. She slowly inched over to the side of it and slid out from under the covers. After lowering herself to the floor in silence, Liddie remained crouched for a moment. She wanted to be sure Parker hadn’t been disturbed.

  He snoozed steadily, still wearing the pants he’d had on last night. The cover sheet was stained with the mud that had dried and crumbled off them. Liddie assumed that he’d stayed to drink with the men after catching her, then came back to the cabin and collapsed into bed. He might have taken a pill as well. For that, she was grateful.

  She moved to her suitcase. Someone had dressed her last night. She closed her eyes, not wanting to think about it. Grabbing a pair of shorts and bra, she moved out of the bedroom and put them on. What had happened last night, she wondered? After she drank the water?

  Liddie ran a brush through hair that had dried wild with tangles. A barrette helped tame it into place.

  She looked back at Parker with disdain. He’d wanted no trouble from her – to pretend that it was okay to drug, seduce, and sequester her at will.

  Then force her to have his baby.

  Liddie’s head reeled with revulsion. So much was out of her control. She closed her eyes as memories of last night came to her, faster than she could process.

  Garrett gave her the spiked water. Garrett took her clothes off. And Garrett put her to bed. A memory of cool water and warm hands brought goose bumps.

  He’d bathed her.

  Liddie clutched her stomach. A queasy tide swirled within it. She wasn’t in charge of her body or her life. A sob of despair threatened to choke away all strength.

  Was Garrett helping her, or just getting his share?

  The thought crashed against the boundaries of her faith. As much as she wanted to believe, she couldn’t be sure. Was Garrett playing a game? Strategically trying to capture her from Parker, or was he actually trying to help? She might be running from one monster, into the arms of another.

  How could there be any chance of saving herself if she didn’t know?

  ****

  The camp looked deserted. The torches that had been lit last night were extinguished now. Liddie opened the cabin door and stepped out.

  The humidity was already kicking in, and the sounds of the rainforest grabbed her attention again. For the first time, Liddie was able to see how dense the foliage was that surrounded the area. She studied the camp. The jungle, the cabins, and the barns.

  The forest was dense, and the buildings were shabby. This was no vacation resort. On the contrary, it looked like a rest area for hikers in the middle of nowhere. The cabins, though larger, reminded her of the makeshift shelters ice fishermen would use on the frozen lakes bordering Wisconsin. Some were hardier than others, but few were created for overnight living.

  Liddie heard an animal’s cry. She walked with determination toward the barn. Why were the animals being stored in such a way? Thoughts of a research station or veterinary camp came to mind. Was Parker funding a wildlife organization?

  The mud of the camp had dried out with the morning heat. Liddie was able to walk quickly with no danger of slipping. As she got closer to the wooded building – the one she’d ran into while panicked – the pleasant sounds of the outer jungle gave way to anguished cries.

  On reaching the door, Liddie hesitated and turned to see if anyone was watching. The animals, she was sure, were in cages. She’d heard the rattling last night, and could hear it now. The latch of the door was already lifted, so she cautiously pulled it open. If any animals were loose, she would close it quickly.

  There were no windows or lanterns in the barn. Liddie could make out cages, but since it was brighter outside than in, it took a moment for her eyes to adjust. The odor was strong and disgusting, like a kennel that hadn’t been cleaned in years. She pulled a portion of her shirt up to cover her nose and mouth, then walked in slowly, letting the door close behind her.

  Like the cabin, light streamed in from cracks in the slatted walls. She stood by the door, fearful of the wild cries, but waiting for the pupils of her eyes to grow wider so she could see exactly what was there.

  Cages of animals, live animals, were piled in stacks of four and filled the room.

  Liddie saw monkeys, various kinds of exotic birds, and two small bears. Each bear had a light patch on its chest, but neither looked well. There were animals that looked like boars, otters, and interesting squirrels.

  The terrifying grumble of a loud growl had Liddie turning toward the back. She saw a familiar striping pace back and forth behind bars.

  Tigers!

  The shriek of an agitated monkey ripped into her thoughts, and she jumped with fright. There were three tigers in all, each in its own cage. One lay still, watching her with lazy eyes, while the other two paced restlessly, back and forth in their small pens.

  What in the hell is Parker doing?

  Liddie tried to estimate the number of cages, then stopped. What did it matter? There were countless birds and critters of all sizes, and she wasn’t particularly pleased with their treatment.

  She’d never seen anything like it. Could this actually be part of an animal welfare mission? Liddie couldn’t understand how. No one who respected animals would store them like this. The conditions were horrible, and the animals were agitated, the tigers now growling and pawing at the bars. These poor creatures were miserable.

  Liddie moved closer, praying that the large, striped beasts were locked securely in their cages. They watched her approach, eyes angry and mouths wide. The cages, she realized, were too small for comfortable movement.

  Another of the tigers collapsed to the floor. Breathing heavily it pushed a large paw between the cage bars. Its eyes blinking with despair. Liddie moved closer. She wanted to comfort it in some way, but didn’t know how.

  “I wouldn’t get too close.”

  She whipped around to see Garrett standing behind her. She let her shirt drop away from her mouth and nose. “What’s going on here?”

  “Can you help?” asked Garrett. He held up a bucket. “These animals need water, and we haven’t got much time.”

  He didn’t have to ask twice. Liddie took the heavy bucket Garrett had already filled to the brim, and followed him toward the monkey cages. Using an empty can, he spooned water into dry saucers that sat in the corners of some cages. Other plates had been
kicked out and were lying on the floor nearby. Liddie watched as he managed to place them back in the cages without the animals grabbing or biting him.

  “Are you helping or not?” He yelled to be heard over the excited screeching. “We’ve got to hurry.”

  Liddie forced herself to move. Garrett showed no fear. He moved quickly about the cages, patting fur and distributing water as if each animal were a neighborhood dog or cat. He was working hard to get every animal a cup of the liquid sustenance as fast as possible.

  She wanted to ask him questions, but decided against it. The animals were too desperate. The barn was stifling hot. How could they stand it in here?

  The question answered itself soon enough when Liddie spotted several dead animals. Brightly colored birds rotted at the bottom of filthy cages, and mounds of fur lay motionless and covered with ants and flies.

  What a waste of life. The sight of it filled her with sadness.

  The water provided relief, albeit tiny. The monkeys jumped on their plated puddles as soon as Garrett placed them in the cages, screeching either joy or frustration. He splashed some of it directly on their bodies, and Liddie watched as they rubbed and licked desperately at the wet spots. Their eyes focused on Garrett with hope and excitement as he approached.

  While Garrett splashed at one cage, Liddie cupped her hands and threw water into others. An odd squirrel she’d never seen before lapped up a droplet as quickly as it landed.

  It was heartbreaking to witness such desperation.

  Garrett took her empty bucket and motioned toward the door, where another two pails full of water were waiting. She quickly grabbed one and turned back to the animals.

  As horrible as it was in the barn, she couldn’t leave. Without help, the wildlife would die.

  Her anger was building. Why were these animals stocked away in such heat and filth? Why such small cages, and why hadn’t the men been watering them properly?

  She and Garrett moved from front to back. When they reached the tigers, Liddie’s fear got the best of her. She moved next to Garrett.

  “They can’t get out, can they?”

  He shook his head. “Nothing to fear.”

  She watched two of the tigers use what energy they had left to rise up on back legs and growl at them.

  “They’re so angry.”

  “That’s because they’re starving,” said Garrett flatly. He approached the first tiger cage. The big cat roared and took a swipe at him, its mighty paw managing to catch a bit of Garrett’s shirt.

  “Stand here,” he directed, pointing to a spot in front of the cage. He put down the bucket to position her at a safe distance. Close, but far enough away so she wasn’t within the animal’s reach.

  Liddie realized that he was setting her up as a distraction. Pushing fear aside, she waited as Garrett circled around the back of the cage.

  He nodded when ready, and Liddie rattled an empty bucket at the tiger. It growled and swiped at her as they hoped it would. Garrett quickly grabbed the bowl in its cage, filled it with water and placed it back in the corner. He splashed more water at the tiger to get its attention. Liddie backed away. The tiger immediately lost interest in her and turned its attention to the water. In moments the cat had lapped it all up.

  They did the same for each tiger, and didn’t stop until they’d worked most the room.

  When a shout came from the door, Liddie jumped.

  “Yo! What the hell are you doing?”

  Liddie turned to see Parker’s silhouette in the light of the door. Garrett moved toward him, and Liddie followed.

  “Damn, Parker,” yelled Garrett, throwing a bucket across the room to hit a wall. “They’re all dehydrated. What the hell is the point of that?”

  Parker looked coldly at Liddie, but addressed Garrett. “Why is she helping you?”

  Garrett shrugged and turned to Liddie. “Why are you helping me?”

  Liddie looked from one man to the other. She wasn’t sure what to say and decided to confront Parker instead.

  “What’s going on here, Parker? Why are all these animals trapped in here like this? What have they got to do with the corporation?”

  Her boss quickly looked at Garrett, who just shrugged.

  The animals were more energized now and started kicking up a storm. Parker ordered them out of the barn.

  Outside the door, Liddie took a few deep breaths. The difference in air quality was astounding. Those animals shouldn’t be locked up like that. It wasn’t healthy for any living thing.

  “What’s going on, Parker?” she asked him again.

  He smiled. “They’re beautiful, aren’t they?”

  “Yes, they’re amazing, but I still don’t understand why they’re here.”

  He took her arm and started to lead her away. Confused, she turned to look back at Garrett who remained by the door.

  “We’re doing good here, Liddie.” Parker continued. “It’s all about conservation. The Maxon Corporation is working with the Malaysian authorities and several wildlife organizations to relocate animals in danger.”

  “But why such small cages, Parker? And the heat – it’s barely breathable in there.” It didn’t make sense. The family was so unbelievably wealthy. If he cared so much about helping, why didn’t those animals have proper cages, better ventilation and water?

  “Some of them have died already,” she went on. “It seems cruel to me.”

  “I know, I know. That shouldn’t happen,” he agreed. “It’s the guys. They have a rotten work ethic. I’ll have a talk with them.” He slowed so she could walk beside him. “There’s no reason the animals shouldn’t be cared for in a better way. Garrett was right to handle it. All I can say is that they won’t be here long. They should be out tomorrow.”

  “To where?”

  “To zoos, parks and preserves,” said Parker. “Wherever the authorities think is best.”

  That wasn’t good enough. Liddie worried that many of the animals wouldn’t survive another day in that barn. “They need to be cared for now, Parker. That barn is a hell hole.”

  He stopped and put his hands on his hips. Beads of sweat dripped down his forehead. He hadn’t changed into fresh clothes, and Liddie knew that he must have come looking for her as soon as he’d awakened.

  “Damn it, Liddie, you just don’t let up!” He rubbed his right temple. “I’m tired and more than a little hung over. I’ll talk to the guys and take care of it.”

  He grabbed her arm again and walked her back to the cabin. “I’ve got to wash up and change. Why don’t you go over to the office? The guys usually put out some food.” He dropped her arm, and Liddie stopped walking. She watched him dunk his head into one of the large rainwater barrels, rise up and then shake the water out of his hair. What could she do? Where could she go? There wasn’t another car, SUV or truck to be seen.

  Parker disappeared into the cabin, and a thought suddenly occurred to her. How were the animals going to be transported?

  There had to be trucks here. Maybe in the other barn. She hadn’t heard any sounds coming from that direction. Perhaps that’s where Parker housed the transport vehicles.

  Then she thought about the laptop. Parker said they had work to do. Maybe Paco had added files for the export of the animals. That would make sense. It would also tell her what organizations he was working with and where the animals were going.

  The cabin door kicked open and Parker came back out, dressed in clean khaki pants and a short‑sleeved polo shirt.

  He motioned toward the office. “You going to eat something?”

  Liddie shook her head and placed a hand on her stomach. “Not right now, Parker. I’m feeling nauseous.” Considering all the pharmaceuticals he’d been pouring into her, it was completely plausible.

  He shrugged. “Fine. Suit yourself. But don’t try to get out of here, Liddie.” Parker glanced around at the forest, “If the snakes don’t get you, the tigers will.”

  Liddie waited for him to leave, then ran in
to the cabin and pulled the computer onto the bed. As she waited for it to boot up, images of the animals came to mind, trapped in cages in a hot and dirty barn.

  Was Parker uncaring, or simply ignorant?

  The tigers were so incredibly beautiful and the monkeys so amazing. She imagined them moving through the thick vegetation of the jungle, in their natural element.

  None deserved to be jailed in such a way.

  Liddie got up and checked a few windows. She didn’t see anyone. At some point, she knew she’d have to fight Parker again. It wore her out to think about it.

  Would Garrett continue to help?

  She stretched to look out a window, toward the back of the camp. Garrett was leaving one barn and quickly walking to the other. She watched him look around to see if anyone was watching.

  More animals? Could there possibly be more animals in that other barn?

  Liddie went to the bed and quickly browsed the files on her computer. One new, untitled folder hadn’t been there before. She opened it up to find spreadsheets, freight bills and more. It was the paperwork needed to process rolls of paper and, if she was reading it right, home decor items from Malaysia.

  Paper from Malaysia? That was a first. And they’d never imported home decor items, either. Not from anywhere. She took a closer look. Some of the shipments weren’t even scheduled for the United States. Some were labeled for China and Japan. She clicked around the various folders. Where were the special documents and transportation papers for the animals? Even she knew you couldn’t transport live animals without health reports, vaccination records, and more – especially when they were leaving one country for another.

  Liddie clicked off the laptop and ran to the front door. She was certain Parker was still at the office eating. She wanted to stay out of his sight for as long as possible.

  She went back to the bedroom and pulled at the bottom right corner of the mesh screening that covered the window. The staples let loose easily. She placed the laptop into its case and climbed out. The forest was like a wall that started about six feet out from the cabin. She pulled at the leaves of a large tropical plant and used them to create a hiding place for her laptop.