When she entered the tent, she found Sara up and dressed. “You’d better grab something to eat. We’re going to be leaving soon.”
“So you and Travis are together now?”
Mattie stopped loading her bag to look at Sara. “Yes. When we get to Manu I’m going to fly out with him.”
Dana came into the tent and, having heard her, asked, “Where are you two flying to?”
“His grandfather left him an estate in Nova Scotia. We’re going there to look at the place. I want you and Sara to take the new species to Wash U and introduce it to everyone.”
“Are you sure? It was your find.”
“I trust you two to mention my name. I need to be with Travis. Besides, I can’t go back to St. Louis right now.”
Dana squeezed her arm. “Do you love him?”
“Very much.”
“I better go have breakfast.” Sara rushed from the tent.
“Do you think she’s upset?” Dana asked.
“I don't know. I did want to ask you something.”
Dana frowned. “What’s that?”
“What’s going on between you and Galen?”
Her friend’s face flushed again.
“Did you sleep with him?”
Dana turned away. “It just happened. But I’m glad it did.” She sighed. “I think I’m in love too.”
Mattie wasn’t sure what to say.
“I know you think Galen isn’t looking for anything serious but I feel as if we have something special. I truly think he can change.”
“I hope you’re right, Dana. Has he said anything to you about what would happen once we get back to Manu?”
Dana turned to pack her bag. “No. We haven’t talked about it yet.”
“Do you know where he calls home?”
She shook her head and continued to load her belongings into her backpack.
“I just don’t want to see you get hurt, Dana.”
“I know that. I appreciate your concern. If things don’t go the way I want them to, I’ll be all right.”
Mattie nodded, then went to work getting everything packed up.
An hour later, they loaded their supplies into the bed of the truck, then drove toward Manu.
Mattie looked forward to getting back to civilization so she could shower, then catch a flight to Nova Scotia. She was looking forward to having a good meal, maybe surrounded by romantic candlelight.
“When can we leave Manu?” she asked Travis.
He glanced at her. “I think it’ll take a few days. We’re going to have to explain what happened to Glass. The authorities shouldn’t give us much trouble since the man wasn’t South American and he admitted to injecting Drew when we were held hostage.”
“Right. I still don’t understand why he did that.”
“I believe, though he didn’t confirm it, he wanted to even the odds a bit. Get the numbers down for head count. Drew seemed to have been randomly picked.”
“How? When could he have injected him? We were all around.”
Travis shrugged. “That I don’t know. Maybe Drew himself will be able to tell us that.”
Mattie leaned back in the seat, hoping that her friend would be able to shed some light on what had happened. Otherwise they’d never know.
Five hours later, they pulled up to the reserve and all exited the truck.
Outside the cab, Travis brushed her arm. “Stay here. I’m going in to talk to them. I’ll find out where Drew was taken.”
Mattie watched as he went into the building, then turned to Dana, who looked white. Something was definitely wrong.
Galen walked away from the reserve toward the hotel.
She moved to Dana’s side. “What happened? Where’s Galen going?”
“To book a flight for one.”
Right away Mattie understood her meaning. Galen was going his own way and his and Dana’s encounter in the jungle hadn’t changed anything.
Mattie couldn’t say she was surprised. The man wasn’t the type to change his spots, unlike Travis, who sincerely seemed to want something with her. “Maybe he’ll change his mind. Remember he has to hang around until this mess with Glass has been straightened out.”
Dana looked Mattie in the eye. “Do you really think he will?”
Mattie shrugged. “I don’t know.”
“Has Travis said anything to you about Galen?”
Mattie thought it best to keep anything Travis told her to herself. Dana didn’t need to know that the man she thought she loved was looking for a sugar mama. “No, he hasn’t.”
Travis stepped out of the reserve and stopped next to her. “Drew and the crew are on a private plane to the US. The CDC is going to run tests on him as soon as they land.”
Mattie was shocked by the news. “Do they think it could be contagious?”
“They don’t know but the team will be quarantined until they’re sure, which means we can’t leave Manu until we get the okay. If they find that he has something contagious, then we’ll be quarantined as well.”
“This is awful. Do they have any idea how long it’ll take to find out?”
“Supposedly a few days. We have to talk to the authorities anyway. Let’s all get a room at the hotel.”
Mattie folded her arm through his as they walked toward town. She was sure he wasn’t happy about the new turn of events but at least they wouldn’t be spending any more time in Manu than they’d have to anyway.
* * * *
Travis opened the door to the room and allowed Mattie to enter first. There was no reason for them not to share a bed when they would be anyway once they flew to Nova Scotia. He wanted her near—to keep her safe.
“Why don’t you get cleaned up and I’ll find Galen. I need to tell him what’s going on. I’m afraid he might try to jump ship and leave without realizing his health could be at risk, though not as seriously as ours since he never actually came into contact with Drew. We just don’t know yet.”
She wrapped her arms around him and kissed his lips. “All right.” She looked as if she wanted to say more but changed her mind.
Travis left the room and took the stairs to the exit. If he knew Galen, he’d be in the nearest cantina, drinking himself under the table. Hell if he couldn’t use a drink himself.
At the third bar he checked, he found Galen sitting alone, a bottle of tequila in front of him. Something had to be troubling him—tequila wasn’t his usual drink.
Travis plopped down in the seat across from him, scooped up the booze, and took a long swallow, the biting alcohol instantly warming his throat. “What’s wrong with you?” Travis placed the tequila down and signaled for the waitress to bring him a glass.
“Nothing.”
“Bullshit! It isn’t like you to drink alone.”
“I knew you’d be busy cuddling up with Ms. Wentworth, otherwise I’d have asked you to come along.”
The waitress brought another glass.
“You know I’m always up for a night of drinking after a week in the jungle—especially after this one.”
“So what happens when you leave Manu, Travis?”
Travis frowned. “What do you mean?”
“Are you going to give up guiding to play house with Mattie?”
Travis wasn’t sure what his plans were past taking Mattie to his great-grandfather’s estate. “I’m going to Nova Scotia to sell some land. I’m not sure what I’ll do after that. It depends on how much I get for the place.”
“And Mattie’s going with you?”
Travis nodded. “Yes.”
“I can’t believe you’re going to let a woman weasel her way into your life. I thought we were both on the same page with our lives. I guess I was wrong. So she’s a good fuck. That doesn’t mean you have to take her into your life and let her change everything.”
Galen’s crude remark made Travis angry. Mattie wasn’t just a warm body to him, though that part was exceptional. She made him look at life differently—made him want t
o be a better person. “Life can’t always stay the same, Galen. You sound as if it’s yours being changed, not mine.
His friend snorted, then refilled his glass and downed the tequila. “I don’t want to talk anymore. I just want to drink.”
“Sorry, but I came looking for you for a reason. We can’t leave Manu until we get an all clear from the CDC.”
Galen’s eyes widened. “The CDC? What the hell is going on?”
“They flew Drew and the other team members to Atlanta to have some tests done. They’re concerned with what Glass injected Drew with.”
“I wasn’t even around the man. I need to leave tomorrow. I have to get out of here.”
Travis shook his head. “You have to stick around to talk to the authorities, Galen. We need to all be united on what happened out there in the jungle.”
“All right. I’ll stay but I’m not taking a room at the hotel.”
Travis knew something wasn’t right. “What aren’t you telling me?”
Galen stared off into space. “It’s nothing. If you need me, you can find me here.”
“You’re going to stay in a cantina for two days.”
“I’m sure I can find a warm bed if I need one.”
Travis laughed. This was the Galen Hall he knew.
“Now let’s stop talking and start drinking.”
Travis poured himself a glass of tequila and slammed it down. The first drink had already worked to relax him; a few more and he’d be ready for a long nap.
Chapter Twenty-Three
Mattie jerked awake when something bumped the side of the mattress. She rubbed her eyes and glanced around, the smell of alcohol tickling her nose.
Travis stood next to the bed, fighting to pull off his boots. He weaved from side to side, then hit the wall. It was clear he was three sheets to the wind.
“Did you find Galen?” Not that she didn’t know the answer to the question.
He grinned. “Yeah. We had a few drinks.”
She gave him a lopsided grin. “Just a few?”
“Maybe more than a few.”
She nodded. “I thought so.” He pulled off his other boot and then unbuttoned his shirt. In the dark she could barely make out all the muscles but she knew every contour and plane intimately. Once he’d removed his pants, he slid onto the bed and looked at her, his expression sobering.
“Are you mad?”
“Of course not.” She brushed her hand across his cheek. “I did want to talk to you about Galen though.”
“What about him?”
“Did he seem different to you tonight?”
“What do you mean?”
“Did he seem distracted?”
He sat up and appeared surprised. “Distracted how?”
This conversation was getting her nowhere. She needed to remember that men weren’t as observant as women. “I guess I’m just going to have to come out and tell you. Dana and Galen made love.”
“What? When?” He looked completely surprised.
Why would Galen keep this from his friend? It made no sense but then again, men were way different. Women shared everything, including the day their periods started. Men clearly didn’t share as much.
“I guess last night.”
His amber eyes widened. “Last night? How the hell did he do that when he was as weak as a kitten?”
“I assumed he wasn’t as weak as we thought.”
“How did you find out?”
Mattie rolled to her side and leaned her head on her palm. “When we arrived in town Galen dropped her like a hot coal.”
“How’d she take it?”
She gave him a questioning frown. “How do you think?”
“I warned him to stay away from her. I told him she wasn’t like any of the women he dated.”
“Apparently he didn’t listen too well.”
Travis grinned. “About as well as I listened to him when he told me to steer clear of you.”
“Did he really? Doesn’t he like me?”
He cupped her face. “This has nothing to do with you or Dana, Mattie. It has to do with how we’ve been up until now. You are the first woman I’ve ever been in love with. I promised myself long ago I’d never be dumb enough to fall for anyone—that all women were like my mother.”
“But you don’t feel that way now?”
He shook his head. “You’re nothing like Lucinda and since I read my grandfather’s journal, I see a different side to her. Maybe she didn’t know about what had been happening while she was married to Jackson. I’ll need to ask her.”
“Do you think Galen could change as well?”
He pulled her close. “That’s hard to say, but I’d not hang my hopes on it if I were Dana. Galen is determined to marry a rich woman. I can’t see him compromising on that.”
Mattie cuddled next to him and closed her eyes. She hurt for her friend—wished she could be as happy as Mattie was at that moment.
Galen Hall was an opportunist and had taken advantage of Dana. Mattie didn’t think she could forgive him for that.
* * * *
“That’s what happened. I suggest you go out and look for the body. It’s about three hundred feet southeast of our second truck,” Travis told the dark-skinned officer. The man looked unsure if he should believe the story.
“I have four witnesses to prove I’m telling the truth.”
“Did you know this man?”
“No, but according to Glass, he was hired by the attorney that drew up my grandfather's will.” Travis knew he’d have to tread lightly with details or he’d end up in prison for trying to steal artifacts.
The officer’s dark eyes bored into his. “I do not understand, Mr. Kane. What was he hired to do?”
“That I didn’t get a chance to find out before the man died. Maybe the attorney thought I had something of value on me.”
“Such as?”
Travis shrugged, praying that the policeman was buying what he told him. He wanted to leave as soon as they received the go-ahead from the CDC.
“Who are these four eyewitnesses? I’ll need to speak with them. Meanwhile I’ll send a few men out to find this man’s body, or what is left of it. I expect you to stay in town until this matter is cleared up.”
“Certainly.” Travis gave him the names, then rose. He seriously couldn’t tell if the man believed him or not.
On the way to the hotel, he stopped off at the cantina. After last night, he never wanted to drink again. His head hurt like hell.
He ducked inside the bar and glanced around. Galen was where he’d left him the night before. This wasn’t good. He’d never seen his friend look so haggard.
Travis strode to the bar. “Can we get a pot of strong coffee and two cups?”
The bartender nodded and turned away.
Travis dragged himself to the table and dropped down into a chair. “Are you planning on drinking yourself to death?”
Galen glanced up and grinned. “I was considering it.”
“Because of what you did to Dana?”
Galen’s eyes widened. “She got what she wanted. If she expected more, that’s her fault.”
“I warned you to stay away from her. Why didn’t you listen?”
His friend laughed. “For the same reason you didn’t listen to me, except I didn’t fall in love. This fling of yours has cost me my best friend. Next thing you know, you’ll be checking out china patterns.”
The waiter brought the coffee and mugs and left.
Travis poured Galen a cup. “Drink this. You need to sober up so you can talk to the authorities. They want your accounting of what happened out in the jungle with Glass.”
Galen wrinkled his nose at the caffeine. “What if I don’t feel like getting sober right now?”
“Well, then you might end up in jail for a drunk and disorderly.”
“I may be drunk but I’m hardly disorderly. I’ve been a complete gentleman.”
Travis shoved the coffee cup under Gal
en’s nose. “Drink it or I’ll force it down you. Then maybe we can talk about why you feel a need to get drunk right now.”
Galen scowled; then with a shaky grip on the cup’s handle, brought it to his lips. “I’ll remember this, Travis. Mark my words. I promise that if it takes a lifetime, I’ll get even.”
Travis laughed yet knew Galen meant what he said. From that day forward, he’d have to watch his back or his friend might plunge a knife in it.
“I’d expect nothing less.” Travis poured himself a cup of coffee. It’d probably take half the day to sober Galen up, to get him able to talk to the police coherently. Thank God Mattie was spending the day comforting Dana.
“Where do you plan to fly after you leave Manu?”
Galen stared into his cup. “I was thinking of somewhere I could gamble. Maybe Rio. There’s a lot of rich chicks there who might want to take me under their wing and support my gambling habit.”
With an eagle eye, Travis watched his friend. Something was definitely amiss with Galen—he seemed to be forcing his cavalier attitude a little too much.
“Sounds like you’ve got it all figured out. If you get tired of the excitement right away, you’re welcome to come to Nova Scotia. I’ll be there a while trying to get the place sold.”
He glanced at Travis. "Mattie's still going, right?"
“Yep.”
“Then I don’t think so, but if I change my mind, I’ll give you a call.”
Travis inhaled, then poured his friend another cup of coffee. “Drink up.” He knew Galen wasn’t happy about his newfound love, but right now Travis didn’t care. Mattie was in his heart and he wasn’t ready to let her go.
* * * *
Dana held her tight, then backed away. “I’m going to miss you.” In the distance, a charter plane waited for Dana and Sara to board.
“I’ll miss you too. I’ll call when we get to Travis’s estate.”
“You’d better.”
Mattie turned to Sara. “Have a safe flight.”
The two women turned and walked toward the plane.
She and Travis were taking another flight later that day. As soon as he’d gotten the go-ahead, Galen had left.
Dana hadn’t taken it well, had spent the evening crying, as she could attest to this morning. Her eyes had been red and dark circles were evident.
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