“Aidan.” Garrett struggled to her feet as she tried to stop him. But it was too late. He was on Sid.
“Bastard!”
Garrett was startled to hear the word and it was only in that moment that she realized Aidan never cursed. At least she had never heard him.
“Stop!” she shouted, but neither heard as Aidan pummeled Sid.
Mark grabbed Aidan from behind and Burke and Drew wrestled with Sid.
“It was an accident,” Mark repeated over and over.
“I didn’t mean to hit her,” Sid said through his broken and bleeding lips.
Aidan let Sid go. Sid staggered, holding his jaw before sinking into a weak squat.
Aidan squatted down beside Garrett and gently traced her nose. “It’s not broken. How are you feeling?”
“Like an idiot. It was a stupid thing to do.”
Aidan nodded.
“It’s my fault. I shouldn’t have reacted.” Mark shook his head. “I can’t believe I did.”
“You hit Sid first?” Aidan smiled. “And here I thought you were the more civilized of the two of us. You’d rather read than fight. What happened?”
“Yeah, hard to believe but you can only take so much. I’m not a fighter. You know that.” Mark squatted down beside Garrett. “I’m sorry.”
“Don’t, Mark.” Garrett shook her head and grimaced. “It’s not your fault.”
Aidan looked at Garrett. “What the hell were you thinking?”
Mark put a hand on her shoulder. “What can I do?”
“Nothing. I’m fine, really.”
Mark nodded and stood up.
“We’d better camp here for the night,” Aidan said.
“Don’t be utterly ridiculous. It’s just past noon. We’ve got a lot of hours yet before we need to make camp.” Garrett thought of how much farther they had to go.
“She has a point, Aidan,” Mark began.
“She’s hurt,” Aidan insisted.
“I’m fine.” She stood up to emphasize her point. “Something to eat and then we move on.”
Sid glanced at Mark. “I’m sorry, man.”
Mark nodded. And he headed to the right and away from Sid. Obviously forgiveness would be a while coming.
“C’mon, Burke,” Drew said as he rose from the ground and followed Mark.
“You’re sure you’re okay?” Burke asked her as he rose and wiped at his pant leg.
She dropped her hand from her nose. “I’ll live.”
“Okay.” He followed Drew.
Garrett watched her team move silently to the edges of the clearing. She waited until they were out of earshot before turning to Aidan. “You know they fought because they’ve reached their limit of endurance. Ian could suffer a total collapse. He’s not overly strong in case you haven’t noticed. And Sid, well, he’s so angry and getting angrier. Even Burke,” she said with a sigh. “They’re becoming a very dangerous group. The sooner we get out of the jungle, the better.”
“You’re right. We keep moving.” He skimmed a finger along her cheek. “You’re okay?” His hands dropped to her shoulders.
She brushed a strand of soggy hair. “I’m a little shaky but that’s all. I’ll be fine in ten minutes. The nosebleed is gone. A drink of water and something to eat and I’ll be good to go.”
“Okay, ten minutes.” He handed the water bottle to her. “Have a drink,” he said, his voice laced with concern.
They were back at it fifteen minutes later. It was a quiet group that trekked through the afternoon. At the front and rear, Aidan and Mark watched vigilantly, flattening long grass and ensuring that the deadly creatures of the forest were at least warned of their approach. The rain had finally eased to a drizzle that dripped in a dismal litany through the leaves.
They were miserable. They had all taken more than they had ever taken before. And Garrett wondered how the scientists would possibly survive another day and night out here. But they all knew there was no choice because the only other option was unthinkable. There had been one death on this expedition, none of them planned to see another.
Chapter Nineteen
There were few days that he didn’t think of her. Anne had been everything to him. He’d never thought it would be like this. Other men had lost wives and they’d recovered, but he and Anne had been different. She’d been everything to him.
Blue crumpled the edge of his cowboy hat. He’d been on the losing side of things for too long. First his father when Aidan had arrived, then Anne’s death, now the biggest game of all—his guiding business that had accidentally ventured into poaching and was now poised to make him wealthier than any Iban could imagine. If they discovered who killed Malcolm—worse, if they reported it—it was over.
It was never supposed to be like this. He had liked Malcolm, what little he had known of him. What he did know was that the man didn’t listen to warnings and was too naïve to suspect trouble. If his instincts were honed as they should be, none of this would have happened. Malcolm had become too soft. Blue suspected his numerous trips to Kuching had done that to him. Malcolm had become too used to the white man’s way. It didn’t matter, wouldn’t have mattered except for the beheading. He cursed again; the fates had made a mockery of every plan he laid.
He shoved his glasses up as he roughly wiped his eyes. His business partner had underestimated him. The glasses dropped and he squinted through the smudges. This time he would be the winner that Anne had always known he was.
* * *
Aidan feared it might take luck to get them out of the wilderness before he killed one of them. His normally good temper was long gone. He’d already punched Sid more than once. It was unthinkable. He’d never punched a man before, never wanted to, despite his occupation and despite the fact that he often carried a gun. But that was different. The gun had never been pulled in anger. He’d had thoughts of punching Sid for hours before he actually did and that had only been the first time.
“Aidan.”
Mark’s voice cut into his thoughts.
“Sid.” Mark looked worried. “Something needs to be done. The man will go off again.”
“You’re probably right.”
“Definitely right. He is absolutely unbelievable. What would make her take someone like that on her excursion?”
“Because he’s not normally like that,” Garrett put in as she joined them. “I’ve only worked with him in the lab and he’s brilliant there. His wife split with him just a few months before we left. It started then. I mean, he’s always had an edge. But I thought he’d get back on an even keel long before this.”
“Yeah, after all, it was only a wife.” Mark laughed.
“Only a wife?” She whirled on him.
“I wasn’t serious.” Mark stopped laughing but with obvious effort. “I was being facetious.”
“Yeah, well, be facetious somewhere else.”
Her determined, don’t mess with me, I’ll take care of myself look only made Aidan want to kiss her. Instead he watched as she walked away. Sid joined her and the two began to talk. He was too far away to hear and finally he turned away.
“Aidan,” Mark whispered urgently.
Aidan turned around and saw Mark motioning to him. Mark stood on the edge of the forest, his attention drawn to something farther in.
Aidan slid up beside him. The forest was trampled. Branches were broken.
“Were one of Garrett’s guys here?” Aidan asked.
Mark shook his head.
“Then what?” Aidan moved silently into the area, being careful not to disturb whatever had occurred here.
“What do you think?” Mark asked softly.
“No idea. I told you about the monkey?”
Mark nodded. “You think this might be tied to that poaching?”
Aidan squatted down and brushed leaves aside.
“What do you have?”
“Hair.”
“Let me see.” Mark squatted down beside him. “Human. Not Caucasian.”
He looked at Aidan. “Didn’t you say your hunters were Chinese?”
“Yeah, but not Caucasian doesn’t narrow things much.”
“Yeah, but footprints do.”
Aidan brushed carefully at the disturbed ground. “Whoever they were they walked heavily.”
“That’s not good and not Iban,” Mark said. “How long ago do you think?”
“Fairly recent. The footprint would have been washed out otherwise.” Aidan examined the broken branches. “They’re headed to the river. Makes sense, they probably have a guide and a boat waiting.”
He couldn’t believe they were here again or that they were still here. He recognized the footprint. It was the same—the same size. He’d seen it how many days earlier? The Chinese hunters, the same ones he had seen the day he had found Garrett and her team.
“Do you think they might be our shooter?”
Aidan frowned. “It’s still wide open. Anything is possible.” He hunched down and examined the footprint. It was faint but it was obviously a hiking boot. It was a heavy mark and the two others he could find matched the first.
“He’s alone.”
Mark sat back on his haunches beside Aidan. “Are you sure he’s part of the same group?”
“I’m going down to the river and taking a look.” He scowled. “Maybe they think they have time to get out. The death of an Iban guide wouldn’t be reported to the authorities for a while. At least I’m assuming that was their thought process.” The words sounded bitter even to his ears but they were truth.
“Or ever.”
“Exactly.” Aidan stood up. “They called their guide Pedro. They were fools and racist on top of it all. Either way, they’re an aberration here.”
“Aidan,” Mark warned as he too stood. “Don’t let your emotions cloud things.”
“I won’t.” He clenched his fists.
“What are you going to do?”
“Put the pressure on.” He glanced to the forest. “If they’re still here I’ll see what I can flush out.”
“Are you nuts? Don’t you have enough to worry about?”
“Hold them.” He nodded toward Garrett’s group. “Keep them moving and I’m going to see what I can find out.” Aidan didn’t give Mark a chance to protest before he slipped into the forest.
“Hey!” Mark’s voice called. “If the storm changes direction, we could sock in fairly quickly.”
“Yep,” Aidan called from the shelter of trees. “You know what to do if it does.”
“Mark!” Garrett called as her team trudged ahead. “Where’s Aidan?”
“Checking trail ahead,” he said evasively.
“What? Did you find something?” She touched his arm. “Tell me, Mark, please. If I know I have a better chance at keeping the emotions in the group on an even keel. You know, no surprises.”
“He found evidence of the hunters he ran into earlier.”
“Hunters,” Garrett breathed. “He never said. Could they have killed Malcolm?”
“Possibly. Look, don’t tell him that I’ve told you. Please. I told you only so you would have enough background to keep them”—he gestured with a sweep of his hand—“under control.”
“Got it. No more questions about that. But I’d like to know something.”
“What?”
“What happens when we get to Kuching?”
“What do you mean?” Mark frowned.
“Well, there’ll be police reports, an investigation into his death. Will we all have to be interrogated?”
Mark smiled. “I’ll handle it. They might want to speak to you but I doubt if the others will be of much use. And really, Aidan should be able to handle most of it.”
“Because he’s an investigator.” She frowned. “Here?”
“Some of the time,” Mark said. “Look, don’t worry about it. Odds are I’ll be able to get the information I need and with Aidan’s help we may have this all wrapped up.” He stopped, leaned over and whispered, “Between you and me, the police won’t take this too seriously. Unless Malcolm had some political or otherwise notable connections, he was just another Iban guide dead in the rain forest, too difficult to investigate. They might send a token officer in, that’s it. Aidan and I will do what we can.”
Garrett stood there until the others caught up with her. She felt like Alice and she’d just been dropped down the rabbit hole. How could the police not care? How could any of this be a reality? As she mulled that over, she fell into step with Sid and soon wished she hadn’t.
“At least some of us have something to look forward to,” Sid sneered. “Bet you’re hoping we never get to that village. Making out with Wild Man at least makes this tolerable for you. Not like the rest of us. Shit, what do you care? You have him.”
For a moment Garrett was speechless. Sid’s anger was getting out of control. And none of them could survive another twenty-four hours like the last with Sid constantly bitching. She stopped just a few feet off the path, far enough away from the others for privacy but not far enough to be out of sight.
“Look, Sid, I’m tired of fighting with you.”
“Then don’t.”
“Sid, I’m sorry about your wife.”
“Shut up,” he snapped. “Just shut up. I won’t talk about her.”
“You have to talk about her. Apparently that’s eating you up. You’re impossible. You’re making everyone else miserable.”
“Bugger off,” he snarled.
“I don’t think so, Sid.”
“Don’t think what?”
“I don’t care how good you are, I won’t take you on another expedition if you can’t show me you can be civil. Your attitude, well, frankly, it sucks. You’re making everyone uncomfortable, and considering our situation, that could be dangerous.” She held up her hand, warding off his next words. “Don’t even say it. I know someone is already dead. That’s a little hard to ignore. But it won’t happen again.”
“What makes you think I want to go on another expedition with you?”
“Maybe you don’t,” Garrett said sagely. “I imagine with your pleasant disposition, word will get around. You’ll have offers everywhere.”
“Touché.”
“So, unless lab work appeals to you . . .”
“Look, I’m sorry.”
Garrett stared at him. She hadn’t expected this. She’d expected reluctant agreement, but an apology?
“I’m human, too, you know. And Ian seriously gets on my nerves. Between that and—” He swallowed and looked away. “My wife. Well, my nerves are frayed.”
“And you want to take it out on someone. I get it. Although I’m a little concerned. I’d expect you to be more open-minded.”
“I could give a flying mongoose that he’s gay. It’s the sissy hysteria that’s driving me over the bend.” He looked sheepishly at her. “Okay, the Malcolm crush thing was tough to take but I can get over that. The hysteria thing, not so much.”
“I’ll speak to Ian. Although I don’t know what good that will do, and we only have another day out here, hopefully.” She frowned. “But there will be other expeditions, I hope, and he might be there.”
“That could be a no-go point unless he kills the hysteria.”
“No one surpasses his knowledge of coleoptera.”
He bowed. “I’ll do my best to be civil.”
“I’d appreciate it.” She squeezed his hand before heading back to the others. “Try counting backward.”
“I will,” he said.
“Thanks,” she gripped his hand briefly again before turning to walk away.
“In French,” he shouted to her retreating back.
Chapter Twenty
From thirty feet up, nestled on the edge of the forest canopy, Aidan was able to see more clearly. Beneath him the forest floor rustled and a monitor swished his tail before disappearing into the underbrush. In the distance, the river shimmered blue and deceptively inviting. Aidan squinted as a small figure moved and a boat lau
nched into the river. Whoever they were they were on their way out, too far away to follow.
He headed back to the others and was surprised ten minutes later to find Ian trailing behind the group. Ian had become a constant shadow of Sid’s lately, making it impossible for Aidan to get close.
“You’re back,” Ian said as he swung around to face Aidan. “Where’d you go?”
“Into the forest.”
“Why?” Ian scowled. “What aren’t you telling us?”
“Who did Malcolm go to meet that day?”
“How should I know?” Ian’s scowl deepened.
“I would suspect you would know where Malcolm went. That maybe you knew everything about him.”
“Hardly. What are you suggesting?” Ian looked away.
“That maybe you had a thing for him.”
“Maybe,” Ian murmured, and when he looked up there were tears in his eyes.
Aidan had a hard time holding his gaze. He could handle many things but tears in a man were hard for him to take. He snapped a nearby twig and peeled the outer bark. “Where did he go, Ian?” he repeated the question without looking at Ian.
“He was meeting someone he knew from a local longhouse. He said he had a chance to make good money,” Ian replied. “I think he knew whoever he was meeting well. He called him something, a nickname, I think.”
“What?” Aidan pushed.
“I don’t remember.” Ian hiccupped. He wiped his hand across his nose.
Aidan looked away. “Nothing?”
Ian shook his head.
“And you were jealous?” Aidan asked.
“A little.” Ian wiped his eyes with the back of his hands. He glanced at Aidan. “No, never. I wouldn’t do that. That’s what you think, don’t you? That I killed him. I loved him!” He choked and wiped the back of his hand against his mouth. “Or at least I could have, given time.”
“But you must have seen something.”
“No!”
“But you followed him?”
“Yeah. I followed him for a while but then he lost me.” Ian sighed and sniffed. “That was stupid, I know. I was lucky to find my way back to the others.”
“Have you ever shot a gun?” Aidan asked. He knew the answer but pressure could be applied through many methods. This, lies and insinuations, was one of his least favorite.
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