Page 52 of The Jade Stone Sleuth

Seventeen

Clara pushedher heavy ponytail back over her shoulder and swiped at a thick layer of dust on the bookshelf she’d just cleared of textbooks. She loved the mountainous villages close to Malanje, Angola and Kalandula Falls. The highs were around eighty in June, cool compared to the hundred degrees back home in Arizona.

They were deep cleaning the small school today. With no glass in the windows, the dust and fly poop got thick. She looked around at the crew of youth working and teasing together. She loved these young people. Some were from her own valley, but many were from other areas around the states. They’d all grown close the past two weeks, working together and loving the people in the different villages they visited.

She only thought of Brex every minute or two. Not bad, in her estimation. She missed him and as the days passed she was starting to understand how he’d had to play a role to do his job, but it still hurt that he’d waited so long to tell her the truth and that the relationship she thought they had wasn’t built on trust. He’d only started dating her to get close to the killer.She imagined he’d go back to his previous life, be distracted by beautiful ladies, and soon not think of her at all.

Still, if he appeared, she’d kiss him for a very long time.

Her nerves tingled thinking about their many shared kisses. She longed for him but doubted they’d ever be together.

A loud, rumbling vehicle approached outside, and her stomach tightened. The villagers watched out for them and she hired two security guards to accompany them on the trip, but there was fighting less than thirty miles away and any vehicle arriving at the village always made her uneasy.

She met the questioning gaze of some of the youth and held up a hand. “Stay in here,” she cautioned. “I’ll go check it out.”

Joseph, one of the tall, strong boys who reminded her of Lincoln, shook his head. “I’m going with you.”

“Joseph. I’ve got this.”

He gave her an impertinent look and hurried to her side, shadowing her as she edged to the door and peeked out.

It was a four-wheel-drive Army-looking vehicle. Oh, no. The villagers had disappeared, and the dusty village square was vacant save her two security guards. They stood with hands on their pistols, looking nervous but brave.

She pushed Joseph back. “Send everyone out the back door and to the river.”

“Not without you.”

“I’ll be right behind you.” She had to see what they were dealing with. It could be one of the men from the village visiting his family. It could be a murderous warlord here to conscript teenagers into his army or rape and kidnap young ladies.

Please protect the villagers, my youth, and our security guards.

The doors of the vehicle popped open, and she shoved at Joseph. Two men hopped down, sending up plumes of dust.She and Joseph were closer to the driver’s side and could see clearly?—

“No way,” Joseph cried out. “That’s Aiden Porter.”

Clara sagged against the doorframe as she studied the well-known security specialist. He was handsome, smiling, and well-built, as impressive in real life as he was on television or social media.

Clara edged back, hiding in the doorframe. She was not ready to talk to Brex’s boss.

Aiden’s charm seemed to ooze from him as his blue eyes circled around the quiet village and zeroed in on the security guards. They approached him with outstretched hands, obviously knowing who he was and thrilled to meet the icon in person.

“Guys!” Joseph hollered back into the school. “Aiden Porter is here!”

Relief filled Clara. It wasn’t anyone intent on hurting the villagers or her volunteer crew.

But Aiden Porter was here. Why? Maybe he had a job nearby. Of course, seeing Aiden Porter in the flesh brought Brex to the forefront of her mind. Did he have news about Brex? Her stomach tumbled with fear. Had he come here to tell her Brex was killed in Venezuela? Why else would Brex’s boss show up on her doorstep in the middle of nowhere?

The youth burst through the door of the school, rushing past her. She smiled as they surrounded Aiden and started firing questions at him, though worry was still building inside her. The children and mothers from the village appeared in doorways, watching the interaction.

Aiden gestured to the children as the man who’d exited the passenger side of the vehicle opened the rear hatch. The other man’s back was to her, but Clara could see the muscles in his arms working smoothly as he lifted boxes out of the back—food, clothing, toys. She couldn’t see all of it but enough to know Aiden was gifting this village with supplies. She and her crew had brought some, but it wasn’t easy to haul much on the airplane. The villagers were all smiles, some clapping their hands, the children rushing forward now.

The other man’s back and muscular arms looked familiar. She didn’t dare let herself hope, but then she saw his fancy silver watch glint in the sunlight. At that moment, he turned, grinning down at a young boy who’d scurried over to inspect a box of toys.

Her heart threatened to burst out of her chest.

“Brex!” His name ripped from her lips as she stepped out of the doorframe.

His eyes darted toward her and his face lit up. “Clara!” He dodged around the boxes and the gathering children and raced for her.

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