The men were distressed now, obviously spotting the animals outside and realizing the other men were missing. They began to point and question each other.
Liddie’s heart stopped. She poked her head around the corner of the cabin and saw the two men heading toward the barn. Garrett, gun drawn, was following.
She ran toward the cages. Garrett had used a shovel to clean out some of the muck, and she quickly located it by a tapir. Liddie patted the friendly pig‑like creature, careful not to get close to its teeth. While generally shy, the mammal would bite if frightened.
“Hold it right there!” She heard Garrett yell out, and seconds later, a shot.
Liddie saw one guy fall to the ground, while another took a shot at Garrett. He dove behind a water barrel. The second man disappeared behind the barn. Garrett ran after him.
Liddie grabbed the shovel and ran toward the man who was beginning to move on the ground. He was trying to crawl for the gun Garrett had kicked away.
“Sila!” The man saw her and called out in a plea. Liddie didn’t know what it meant, but picked up the gun before he could get to it and stuck it in her waistband.
The man was missing a few teeth and holding onto his shoulder. Blood was running down a dirty shirt that had long ago lost its color.
He reached out and started walking toward her. “Gun.” He motioned toward the barn. “Sila!” he pleaded again.
When Liddie shook her head, the man’s face contorted in evil anger and he ran toward her. Liddie held the shovel out and tried to hit him.
Another shot rang out from behind the barn. Then another.
The sounds surprised Liddie and in that instant the man was on top of her. He grabbed the handle of the shovel and tried to take it away, but she held tight. Then he pushed and kicked a leg out from under her.
Liddie hit the ground and immediately brought her legs up to kick the man off. He hit the side of her face with the shovel.
The sting of it burned, and she became dizzy. He jumped on her, grabbing at her pants until he found the gun and pulled it from her waistband.
Liddie tried to focus. The side of her face felt numb. She was almost relieved when he pushed himself up and off her.
Until she saw the gun.
Liddie rolled onto her stomach and tried to crawl away. A gun fired.
She wanted to scream, but couldn’t get the sound out. Tears blurred her vision and she felt the weight of a man fall on top of her.
Liddie lifted up and scuttled out from under his body. Blood was on her hands and the sight of it provoked a bolt of panic clear through to her soul. In seconds, she was sure, a bullet would kill her. She struggled to escape and find cover.
“Liddie!”
She didn’t recognize the sound of his voice at first. It didn’t sound like Garrett. It sounded panicked, frightened. Not like Garrett at all. She began to run.
“No, Liddie!” He tackled her and turned her over in the mud. “It’s me.” He took her face in his hands. “You’re okay, Liddie, you’re okay.”
She hadn’t realized until that moment how scared she’d been. The sounds coming from her mouth were not screams, but short yelps of fear. Just like the monkeys, the tapir, the bear and tigers, Liddie had been reduced to helpless prey.
She quickly blinked and turned to see the man who had shot at her, lying lifeless on the ground a few feet away. She looked back into the calming eyes of Garrett.
“It’s over, Liddie,” he reassured. “It’s over.”
****
After pointing her toward the cabin, Garrett disappeared behind the barn. Liddie knew what he was doing. When she turned back to look, Garrett had dragged the other man from behind the barn to lie beside his awful companion.
How ignorant of them, she thought. She watched as Garrett walked toward her. Every step reflected a determination and strength that only fools would take lightly. Dark eyes scanned the perimeter of the camp assuring it was secure. Taut muscles twitched at the slightest indication of trouble. How incredibly stupid for any of these men to think that they could control or conquer Garrett Wade.
This man, Liddie realized, had more than training. Like the tiger, he was hard‑wired with a natural extinct to carry out his duties to the world.
With what felt like a stab to the heart, Liddie wondered what woman would be dumb enough to believe that he could settle down for her.
What woman would be dumb enough to want him to?
****
Garrett walked up to stand beside her. “Won’t be long now.”
Liddie nodded. Her so‑called business trip was ending. A complicated stew of emotions bubbled up inside her. She was relieved and happy, but fearful as well.
Would her relationship with Garrett end here? Would he kiss her off and move on?
“You okay?” he asked, noticing the heavy silence.
Liddie shrugged, keeping her thoughts of him private. “I guess I’m a little nervous to see other people.” She sighed, holding out her arms in disgust. “I’m such a horrible mess. God knows what they’ll think of me.”
Garrett wrapped an arm around her shoulders. “Relax, Liddie. You’ve already won their hearts.”
He walked her over to a set of steps outside one of the cabins, and they sat down. A light mist of rain and faint breeze kept them cool. She rested her head against his chest. The solidity of it revived and calmed her.
“I take it they’re both dead?” she asked.
“Yes.”
The animals were peaceful and relaxed. The whole camp had calmed down. Movement, any movement, was minimal.
“You’re sure?”
Garrett squeezed her tight. “I’m sure.”
Liddie breathed deep. Maybe it really was over.
They sat silently for minutes. “You must think I’m thick,” said Liddie finally. “I’m sorry I didn’t stay hidden. But I thought…”
“I know what you thought.” He interrupted. “But you shouldn’t worry about me so much. You should worry about protecting yourself.”
She turned her face to look at his. “But you worry about protecting me, more than you do yourself. I think it should be a mutual arrangement.” Liddie rubbed her tired eyes. “If you put your life on the line to protect me, why shouldn’t I try and protect you?”
Garrett shrugged. “Because you don’t have the training.” He brought his hand up to her face and eyed the huge bruise that had formed on her cheek. “Look at you.” He pressed on the side of her face and rubbed. “Geeze, Liddie, you got hit with a shovel.”
“Ow! What are you doing?” She slapped his hand away.
“I want to make sure he didn’t break your cheekbone.” Garrett laughed. He poked at it again, stopping when she yelped with pain. “It’s a nasty bruise, but you’ll live.”
Liddie reached around and, without him seeing, grabbed some mud. “Let me see your face.”
When Garrett obliged, she smeared the mud across his chiseled cheeks and chin.
“Oh, no you did not.”
Liddie laughed and tried to roll away from him, but Garrett held her tight. “If you had some professional training,” he noted, “you’d know how to get away from me. But, as you can see…”
He rolled her to the ground and pinned her body beneath his with strength to spare.
“As you can see,” he finished, “you haven’t a chance.”
Liddie took a deep breath and smiled. His eyes quickly changed from sweet to serious. She moved her arm and he released it, letting her lift a hand to his face to wipe the mud away.
“Oh, Liddie.” He collapsed to bury his face into the side of her neck with a soft nuzzle.
“Garrett?”
“Mmmm?”
“Are you and I… temporary?” She tried to sound as if it would be fine with her, if that was the way he wanted it.
Garrett lifted his head immediately and pushed himself back on one elbow to address her directly.
“Nothing I do is temporary, Liddie,”
he said softly. “I’ll be a lifelong soldier, a lifelong pilot, a lifelong conservationist, and,” he came down to kiss her hard before finishing. “A lifelong lover of you.”
Liddie smiled, her heart filling with so much love for the man. “I want you to meet my aunt,” she said quietly. “She’s always had a great love for animals, and I know she’d adore you.”
Garrett nodded. “I know about your aunt, and I would like that very much.”
“You know?”
“I had someone look into your background, when we were in Dubai.” He kissed her again. “I think you’re a wonderful niece, and I’d love to meet the woman who raised you.”
Liddie could certainly understand why he’d been suspicious enough to investigate her.
“So,” she sighed. “I guess it’s all over. We’re done here.”
“Sort of,” he began with a frown, “Unfortunately, I don’t get much down time. There’s so much work to be done.” He squinted in thought. “Once we wrap up here, I’ll probably be in Africa next. The poaching of elephants is beyond catastrophic. If more isn’t done to help them…”
“I know. You have to go.” She stroked his face and let him kiss her softly.
“Would you come with me, Liddie?” he whispered, “After all you’ve been through?”
Liddie closed her eyes and listened to the rain perform a peaceful rhythm through the forest. She remembered how wonderful it was to experience the dignity of the tigers, the curiosity of the monkeys, the songs of the birds, and the playful demeanor of the bears – once they were all cared for and safe. She wanted to fight anyone who would harm or kill them for profit.
“Travel the world with you?” she repeated. “Oh, Garrett, I want to help you save it.”
Her eyes filled with tears as a life’s purpose presented itself. She couldn’t sit in a hotel room waiting for him to return from a mission. Liddie wanted to participate in rescuing the wildlife and putting poachers in prison. But would Garrett let her fight beside him?
“I want to help,” she pleaded. “I want to be with you in the field.”
Garrett pursed his lips, considering the request. “It’s dirty and dangerous work, Liddie,” he nodded toward the animals. “The clients often bite, and the criminals sometimes kill.”
But Liddie couldn’t be discouraged. “I know I’m a bit soft,” she admitted, “and I don’t have the proper training, but…”
Garrett put his hand up to stop her.
“Your training starts now,” he said softly. Then he kissed her with a passion so urgent and confirming, all doubts were erased.
Garrett wanted her working beside him.
They embraced until help arrived, mapping out a plan for the future. At one point, Garrett presented her with a stem of fragrant jasmine plucked from the surrounding foliage.
Liddie smiled. “It’s beautiful, but there’s a bug on it.” She held it up to show off a shiny, beetle-like insect clinging to one petal.
“Get used to it,” laughed Garrett. “Work in the wild isn’t for the faint-hearted.”
He was right, of course. Liddie took a deep breath and shook the flower until the bug fell into the palm of one hand. Garrett watched with amusement as she steeled herself to its creepy crawly nature and placed it on a nearby plant.
“I’ll get used to it,” she declared decisively, then threaded the pretty blossom into her hair with a satisfied smile.
“I believe you will,” agreed Garrett, who sealed his approval with a passionate kiss.
They remained in the camp, answering questions and assisting with the investigation, until every animal received medical attention as well as a plan for release back into the wild.
Acknowledgment
There are many wonderful individuals and organizations working to stop the poaching of our precious wildlife populations. Following are links to source materials for the book. Your interest and support would be welcome and appreciated.
World Wildlife Fund
TRAFFIC
Wildlife Conservation Society
Focusing on Wildlife Crime (Part 1of 2) by John M. Sellar, O.B.E. published in The FBI Law Enforcement Bulletin 7/12/2013
Focusing on Wildlife Crime (Part 2 of 2) by John M. Sellar, O.B.E. published in The FBI Law Enforcement Bulletin 7/12/2013
Special thanks to my niece, Ashley, for all her assistance and support.
Copyright 2013 ©Rebecca Marey/Dickens Dog Press
All rights reserved
No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law.
Trademarked names may appear throughout this book. Rather than use a trademark symbol with every occurrence of a trademarked name, names are used in an editorial fashion, with no intention of infringement of the respective owner’s trademark.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, organizations, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events or locales is entirely coincidental.
Cover Design: Dickens Dog Press
Top Cover Photo (couple): ©iStock.com/Famke Backx
Cover Photo (tiger): ©Depositphotos.com/Dmitriy Kuzmichev
Wild Suspicions (Romantic Suspense) Page 19
