Dage, on the other hand, wanted protection, not stopping out in the open where some of Baboloki’s hired mercenaries could pick them off. He wasn’t sure how many he employed, but he didn’t trust them. They spent their time poaching, drinking, and giving compliments to the president with disregard for the common people. Whenever Baboloki traveled outside of Gaborone, these men were dispatched along the way to keep an eye out for assassins or thieves who might put his life in jeopardy. Dage had warned him on numerous occasions they were more of a threat than the Botswana people.
Then he’d hired the Hyena Men from Nigeria, a group of circus performers in his mind. Only one of them remained. Baboloki liked to fancy himself as being one with the beasts. His plan consisted of convincing the people of his ability to control such creatures to show them his strength and power. The Nigerian took good care of his beasts and often tried to instruct Baboloki he needed to connect on a primal level. He wondered if the Nigerian might decide to turn the beasts against the president someday.
Besides the hyenas and baboons Baboloki trained with, he had moved to black mambas, most unpredictable creatures. He once overheard the Nigerians try to tell their boss that the cobra was a much better animal to manipulate, but it fell on deaf ears. He was fascinated by the deadly animal and studied them relentlessly.
Kifaru meant black rhino, a strong and powerful animal that the world respected and loved. The black mamba represented death to those who didn’t tread lightly. If Baboloki could demonstrate his control over such a dangerous and feared reptile, he could also convince the tribal people of his divine power.
The Land Rover rolled past the village and onto the medical compound. The smell of burning embers still lingered, and thin tentacles of smoke twisted upward with the morning breezes. Kirk exited the vehicle to survey the destruction then removed his hat to wipe his forehead on his sleeve.
“What a mess. You did this?” Kirk asked Dage then stepped forward to help Keeya out of the back seat.
“No. I advised against it.”
“But you gave the order,” Kirk accused drily.
Dage didn’t answer. He wasn’t proud of not standing up to the president. Many things haunted him the treatment of Dr. Girard, working for a man who destroyed the home of the San people where he had lived. He had carried out other acts of violence to insure Baboloki remained in power.
Then there was Imari, his son. The truth would have gotten him tortured and killed, not to mention the life the little boy might endure. So, he confided in Keeya, who he knew had been wronged, enslaved to a monster, and given no choice but to spend her years serving the man she hated.
The child brightened her days and gave her a chance to love again. Somehow, they’d become friends through it all. It took some convincing, but Keeya agreed to let the boy go to Kirk’s home in another part of the city after they left. One of his trusted employees would take the child and the nurse to a compound in an exclusive gated community on the outskirts of Gaborone. After talking to the man, Keeya promised Imari it was only for a little while and she would soon come back to take him on a fantastic journey.
Dage wasn’t sure that would happen, or if he’d ever see his son again. Putting his faith in a man like Kirk Opperman did not sit right with him. Left with few choices, he handed him over to a stranger and prayed for his safety.
“Put those hands in the air,” came a disgruntled voice behind them.
The three turned to see a man and woman pointing rifles at them. Dage recognized the pair from Camp Kubu who traveled with Chase and the State Department woman. He raised his nose in the air and sobered.
“I should have known you weren’t innocent friends of Chase Hunter.” Dage lifted his hands higher when the woman waved her rifle at him. She didn’t look so helpless and frightened now. A beautiful woman will make a man gloss over details. “Are you even an astronaut?”
Carter smiled. “Not anymore. NASA seemed to think I took too many risks.”
“Shocking,” Kirk Opperman quipped. “And you, my dear, who are you?”
Sam kept silent as her frown deepened.
“Oh, she isn’t much of a talker,” Carter laughed. “But she is really good at other things, like slicing through a man’s neck with a Samurai sword, taking out a kneecap with her foot, and convincing men it was all worth it to be with her.” He sighed then eyed Sam. “I can’t tell you how really incredible she is.” He winked at her as she leveled a dangerous glare his way. “Anyway, here we are. Maybe you’d better tell me why you’re here and what your future plans might be. I have a lot on my plate today and want to make sure I schedule you in—if you know what I mean.”
Dr. Girard came hobbling out of the shed and waved to Keeya. She ran to him until Sam blocked her path and bounced her back with her rifle.
“Keeya,” Dr. Girard called. “Put those things down, Carter.”
“Stay back, Doctor. Sam?” Carter threw out one arm to stop the doctor as Sam leaned her weapon against a tree. After a quick body search of all three, Sam nodded to Carter then retrieved her weapon.
Keeya ran into Dr. Girard’s outstretched arms. “Dage told me what happened. I’m very sorry. This is my fault. If I had not run away, the president would not have come here looking for me.”
“He suspects I was the one who took your son.”
“Our son, good doctor. Our son.” Keeya stroked both his arms.
Carter continued to smile wickedly at the other two men. “I’m waiting.”
“The president plans to do one of his ridiculous demonstrations with those god-awful hyenas today. I talked to him last night.” Kirk tried to lower his hands, but Carter shoved his rifle forward to cause him to lift them again. “Several villages have been invited to watch. He’s thinking this will put to rest the Kifaru nonsense.”
“It isn’t nonsense if it’s true,” Dr. Girard warned. “I was there the day Baboloki entered the safari camp, killing the guests and the people of the nearby village. The village where Keeya and her husband shared a life. I watched them kill her husband.”
“Yet, you escaped.” Kirk’s comment was edged with skepticism.
“Yes. Barely. A plane arrived as the area became overrun with rebels dressed like soldiers.”
“And what of the Kifaru? How does that fit in?” Kirk chuckled. “I mean, this is preposterous.”
Keeya stepped forward and spoke softly. “You know my husband was the rightful heir of the Kifaru diamond?”
Kirk nodded.
“And that whoever possesses it is destined to lead the country?”
“I’ve heard the story, Keeya. Fairy tales don’t impress me.”
Dage growled. “Listen to her.”
Kirk puckered a sour expression. “Why should I?”
“Because that day I gave birth to a son. My husband ran to the safari camp to find Dr. Girard.” She extended her hands to the doctor and pulled him forward. “Tell them.”
“John and I had become fast friends. He was a brilliant young man. He found me that day and handed me his newborn son.”
This time Kirk dropped his hands in spite of being held at gunpoint. “Are you telling me the heir to the Kifaru diamond survived?”
“I raised him as my own son. It is time the people of Botswana knew the truth of that day.” Dr. Girard pointed a finger at Opperman. “Were you a part of the massacre? Did you sanction it?”
Opperman’s left eye took on a nervous twitch. “No. But my father supported it as did other mining operations in the country and South Africa. They were heavily invested in prospecting and sinking mine shafts. When the previous leaders wanted to explore other environmental options for the country, a lot of money poured in to change stubborn attitudes.”
“Why here? Why did they choose this village to destroy?” Keeya whimpered.
“Because your husband tried to make a difference. Showing the villages through education and tourism, they didn’t need to risk their lives in the mines. He led an underground mov
ement for change.” Opperman paused and licked dry lips. “And he carried a lot of weight because everyone knew the story of the Kifaru. People listened to him. He had their best interests at heart.”
“That he did care,” she cried. “Now, for decades, we’ve lived under the rule of a dictator who pretends to the world we have a democracy and that he has the best interests of his people at heart. When it is really the mining industry that lines his pockets and threatens the small villages with poverty if they complain. We are better than that.”
“Things won’t change overnight, Keeya.” Opperman kept trying to remove the sweat from his brow and neck. “I’m on your side. Remember?”
Dage lowered his hands and wasn’t threatened this time. “Time will tell. You have brought us this far. I think you are only trying to cover your ass.”
Opperman took a deep breath. “True. But as a businessman, I understand when the winds of change can’t be stopped. I have investors to look after and a company to run. I don’t need chaos running rampant in the capitol or a leader with an inflated ego making us look like baboons on the world market.”
“News flash,” Carter offered. “The world already sees you that way. But you have all the elements of a great nation here.” He lowered his weapon. “I’m not sure Keeya’s son is going to be able to lead this country, but he can help unite it.”
“My son wants Botswana to be a model for Africa,” Dr. Girard pleaded. “Support him in his efforts. He has the education and training to help find the right people. Others will listen because, like his birth father, he is in possession of the diamond. He is the Kifaru.”
~ ~ ~
The delta sun touched Chase’s bare skin like warm fingers when he and the other Camp Kubu guests returned for the noon meal. This would be everyone’s last day in the delta, and no one hurried up the path to the observation deck where meals had been shared.
Guests shared how the idea of leaving caused a kind of sadness in them. Chase, who’d never imagined a place could make him feel a connection to anything, realized he had mixed emotions about leaving. Was it his Cherokee heritage, or his aversion to Botswana’s pompous President Baboloki who governed by greed and murder? Did the endangered wildlife remind him of himself, therefore instilling a desire to help these people inherit a better life?
He glanced over at Tessa when her musical laughter drifted his way. She and Vernon, thumbing through a guidebook, appeared to share something amusing. The two of them had a special relationship, one he envied. The shy nerd had barely been able to make eye contact with a woman before she came into their lives at Enigma. There were still issues in that department, but his respect and admiration for her left him vulnerable to her charms and mothering instinct. Chase envied their friendship at times—so carefree and innocent, a lot like the two of them. Although Vernon was a monster behind the computer, he was a babe in the woods when it came to women.
When she strolled past, Chase pulled her back next to him. Vernon continued on without skipping a beat, Zoric hustling forward to catch up with him. Tessa made no effort to escape, stepping back into her part as lover.
He spent way too much time in thinking how things would be different if Robert, the inattentive husband, were out of the picture. He felt like a Dateline episode waiting to happen.
This little trip had forced them to share an abundance of time together, pretending to be something they weren’t. At times, the relationship almost seemed real, until Tessa pulled on the reins and got in one of her snarky, temperamental moods to ignite both their dark sides.
In her case, those moods became a cloak of defense against the inevitable. His, on the other hand, only managed to make him aware of how much control she had over him. He hated not being in control. Either way, the time was up on what to do about it. She would be gone when they got back home. This madness in his head, the ache in his chest, needed to end—one way or another.
“Penny for your thoughts.” Tessa elbowed him good-naturedly.
Chase responded with a deep frown. “Do you really want to blush in front of all these people?”
“Do you ever think about anything besides sex?” she whispered. “Well, and, besides killing someone?”
“No, that’s pretty much it for me.”
He touched her back to guide her ahead of him on the narrow path, only to feel her straighten then shiver. A sensitive spot. He committed it to memory in case the opportunity arose to explore it again. Almost immediately, her muscles relaxed, and she tilted her head to send him an interested gaze. Was she really that sensual? She extended her hand back, and he reluctantly took it as they entered the campgrounds.
A commotion greeted them. Chase spotted Peter holding a rifle and several workers moving nervously behind him. Movement near the riverbank revealed a man tying a huge hyena to a tree. Although muzzled, the growl the animal emitted and swaying of his head, lent a chill to his spine. The beast leaped at the handler several times, but whatever he said to the animal, drove him to retreat on his hunches then bounce up again in seconds.
Once the handler had him secure, the hyena lay down and looked up at him. He reached down and scratched behind the hyena’s ears then rubbed his back, all the while, talking calmly to him in some language Chase didn’t understand.
Tessa stepped back into Chase’s body, and he put a protective arm around her. “That is horrible,” she moaned. “I don’t know whether I’m terrified or feel sorry for that thing.”
Baboloki walked up and stared toward the beast. “I wouldn’t feel too much concern for him. He’d rip your pretty throat out if given the chance.” He smiled over at Tessa who retreated deeper into Chase’s embrace.
“Tess, go up on the deck. I need to change my socks after wading in the water to untie your fishing line.” Chase kissed her temple and walked her to the steps. “Need anything while I’m up there?”
As he stepped away, she grabbed his hand and pulled him back. “Be careful. I don’t like this.”
Chase patted her on the cheek and headed off to their tree house to get his Glock. He also had a sense of foreboding.
Chapter Thirty-Eight
Tessa watched people meander into Camp Kubu from the bush on foot, the delta by mokoros, and as well as a couple of trucks. The happy chatter sounded like children anxious for a festive event about to occur. Their expressive faces varied from surprise to joyous smiles. These people were wide-eyed and full of anticipation. Some ventured near the chained hyena only to be frightened away by its lunging, or by the Nigerian who stood straddle-legged nearby with his arms folded across his chest.
His muscled black arms glistened with perspiration in the afternoon sun, giving him a magical aura as he glared out from under his dirty ball cap. He stood like a magnificent statue at times with only his eyes glancing around the area. His downturned lips and flaring nostrils indicated to Tessa the man was also on a short leash, beautiful and dangerous at the same time. Perhaps he hated not being in charge of such an event and agreed to do this only to protect his animals.
Several soldiers brought a cage with a baboon that bared its teeth and blended with the beautiful sounds of the Okavango birds perched in the trees. The erratic behavior chilled Tessa until another closed metal container arrived, secured by clamps on each end. Dread filled her. These animals were never meant to perform for man. Whatever was in the box couldn’t be good. Why else would it have such security and only a few small holes at the top like something an ice pick might make?
“Come on, Tessa.” Handsome had come up beside her and stared down at the crowd. “Have something to eat.” He wore a serious expression. “I don’t like this.”
“Handsome, promise you’ll stay away from the president. I want you safe.” She was surprised at his narrow smile, but continued, “Please.”
“Your concern touches me. You have believed in this from the start.”
She whispered a response. “Not true. I was terrified of you.”
“Yet you followed
me into danger with the hope of finding truth.” Handsome lifted his hand toward her cheek then let it drop as he glanced around the deck.
“I followed you because you protected me and my children. I owed you.” Tessa also looked around, watching the others fill their plates with fruit, cheeses, and strips of dried meat.
“Captain Hunter is good at what he does, Tessa. He won’t let anything happen to you, so stay close to him.”
She nodded.
“It is none of my business, but be careful with your…”
She refocused on his large eyes.
“Don’t let him talk you into anything you don’t want to do. Understand what I’m trying to tell you?”
Tessa nodded. “I won’t.” She laid a hand on his arm. “And thanks.”
His chin went up then he glared down at her touch.
“I’d vote for you. Good luck.”
Watching him stride back toward the area where servers waited on the guests, Tessa was reminded what a giant of a man he was, both in statue and determination.
She spotted Chase walking through the men and women who’d arrived to watch the president perform. His long strides and laser-like focus hypnotized her common sense. No matter what she’d promised Handsome, her heart was a goner. Watching him work, even if it was on the lookout for trouble, drove her to evaluate why the chemistry between them continued to grow.
Captain Chase Hunter was a badass fixer for Enigma who didn’t care how a problem got solved if it resulted in a safer America. His patriotic calling was above reproach. Those dark looks and chocolate-colored eyes could force a speedy confession. She guessed, a female admirer fell victim more often than not. Even she had stared at him in admiration when he wasn’t aware. Why had God thrown him into her perfect little world to stir up chaos and the impure thoughts she fought desperately to repress?
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