Page 101 of In the Heat of the Jungle

“Frank’s brother is a sailor. Frank thought I had run away from a bad home. He thought my scar was inflicted by a cruel father. He asked James to mail letters to my brother from ports he visited. I couldn’t tell you the truth, but I had to let you know I was alive and well.” Joanna smiled. “I’ll testify against Chad and Reid.”

Jace hugged his stepsister. “Thank you for coming and telling the truth, Joanna. I know how difficult and painful it was.” He stroked her damp cheek and curly hair. He noted the dark circles beneath her hazel eyes and he saw how pale and tense she was. “You look tired. Why don’t you go to bed? We’ll figure out what to do.”

Joanna looked at Leigh. “It’s so nice to meet you. I wish it wasn’t under such grim circumstances. I’m glad you and Jace found each other and married. Please don’t think too wickedly of me.”

Leigh smiled and said, “I don’t, Joanna. I know how charming and devious Chad can be. He fooled me for a long time. He would have killed me if it hadn’t been for Jace. He’ll pay soon. After this matter is settled, we can get better acquainted. We’ll be good friends.”

After Joanna left the room, Lord Salisbury revealed, “With these facts, it will be a simple matter to clear you and Brandon, but Lord Hamilton cannot be arrested and punished. He killed himself last week. He placed a pistol to his head and ended his madness. I thought it best not to upset Mrs. Marlowe with that news. After receiving your cable, I contacted Charles Nelson, my man at Scotland Yard to begin a routine investigation. I surmise that Lord Hamilton became worried and suspicious when questioned about Miss Webster’s sudden death so close to that time of a large inheritance. From Charles’s report, Lord Hamilton behaved quite strangely.”

“No, sir,” Jace refuted, “I don’t think he committed suicide. I believe Reid Adams killed him.” Jace withdrew the cable from Reid to Fiona from Mombasa. He explained his suspicions to the startled Prime Minister and showed him the sworn statement of Jim Hanes and the confessions of the two Arab kidnappers. He related the talks that he and Johi had overheard, and the perilous incidents involving Leigh during the safari. “As you can see, sir, it’s a complicated situation.”

Lord Salisbury shook his head and ruffled his whiskered jawline. “Madness is never simple, Jace. It is apparent that the two cases overlap. It has always amazed me what some people will do for money and power. Greed and obsessions have destroyed many people. A life in politics has shown me countless dark hearts and minds. Charles Nelson will be given this information and evidence tomorrow. He will take down Mrs. Marlowe’s statement. You and your father will be exonerated of all charges.”

Jace sighed in relief, so did Leigh. Jace said, “I’d like to see Louisa Jennings and Cynthia Campbell tomorrow. I want their confessions and punishment, too.”

“Scotland Yard has been unable to question them. Lady Louisa has been very ill since her return from Africa. She is at Marquise Campbell’s estate. Charles did learn that both women are facing financial ruin. That would explain their actions. As soon as Lady Louisa recovers, she’ll be questioned and charged.”

“As for Reid Adams and Fiona Webster,” Jace added, “I have a plan to entrap them, with help from your Scotland Yard friend.”

~*~

Saturday morning, Jace, Leigh, and Charles Nelson of Scotland Yard arrived at the marquise’s estate. Cynthia refused to receive them, but Charles insisted. When Cynthia joined them in the parlor, she looked terrible. Her brown hair was dull and uncombed, her complexion colorless, her lips almost white. Her clothes were wrinkled and stained and her sunken eyes exposed fatigue and anguish. Her mood was a mixture of somberness and hostility.

With the drapes drawn, the house was dark and gloomy. Within moments, they learned why.

“I will tell you nothing about Louisa. She died Wednesday, died from an awful disease she caught in Africa. I warned her to stop drinking unboiled water. I warned her to take her quinine tablets. Why didn’t she listen?” the brunette wailed in anguish. Her brown eyes chilled instantly. “Get out of my home. You did this to her!” she shouted at Jace, then glared at Leigh. Her gaze widened and she paled. “You’re dead! Why have you returned to haunt me?”

“It was a trick, Cynthia, a trick to save my life. We all know Louisa and Chad were trying to kill me.”

“Don’t speak evil of my friend,” Cynthia cried. “You should be dead. Louisa should be alive and married to that handsome devil. It’s all Chad’s fault. If he hadn’t wanted you, we wouldn’t have gone to that death trap. I hate you. I won’t tell you anything.”

Recognizing the woman was on the edge of insanity, Leigh motioned the two men to silence. In a soft voice, she urged, “You must tell us the truth, Cynthia. It can’t hurt Louisa and Chad now. We know your people attacked me on the waterfront. We know Louisa paid men to abduct me in Mombasa. We have witnesses and evidence against both of you. If you don’t tell the truth, you’ll be arrested and sent to prison. You’ll lose everything and be humiliated.”

“I’ve already lost everything.”

Leigh continued in her soothing and persuasive tone. “I can help you, Cynthia. I can give you money to pay your debts, and money to go somewhere—like Australia or Scotland—to begin a new life. You won’t have to be humiliated. You don’t have to be penniless. Why protect a dead woman and destroy yourself? Louisa was your friend. She loved you. She’ll understand you must save yourself. We can’t harm Louisa. We only want to know the truth. Please, let me help you.”

Cynthia looked around the darkened room with wild eyes. The creditors were coming Monday to take everything, to evict her, to shame her. She would have nothing and no one. With money, she could leave London, leave England. Louisa was gone. The plot was dead. “Will you give me lots of money?”

“Yes, all you want. I have plenty. The money means nothing to me, only the truth. Will you let me save you?”

“What about him?” the brunette hinted, pointing to the man from Scotland Yard. “Won’t he arrest me?”

“No, Marquise,” Charles said. “We simply want to solve this case.” With those promises, the grief-crazed woman relented. She revealed how Louisa had poisoned William Webster so Chad could inherit and marry her. When Leigh inherited everything, Louisa went after the blonde for the same reason. She related how Louisa had pulled off the London and Mombasa attacks, and how she had removed the cartridges from Leigh’s gun before the rhino hunt. “We were best friends. I loved her. I helped her because we needed the money. Louisa hated you for messing up her plans. She would have killed you if you hadn’t died from that snakebite. But you didn’t die. My sweet Louisa did. And that bastard who lied to her, I’m glad he’s dead too.”

“Did you or Louisa punish Chad?” Leigh probed in a careful tone.

Defeated, the woman mumbled, “No. Louisa fell ill on the ship. Chad refused to help her. The doctor couldn’t help her. I brought her home with me. My doctor said it was blackwater fever. Louisa suffered terribly. I tended her day and night. Chad wouldn’t even visit her. He’s cruel and selfish. He’s been mad ever since he thought you died.”

Charles Nelson wrote out the woman’s statement. Cynthia didn’t even read it before signing it. “When do I get my money?”

“Monday, when the bank opens. We’ll come and take you there.”

~*~

On Sunday night, August first, Leigh and men from Scotland Yard were concealed behind machinery and stacked crates inside the main Webster company, and other men were concealed outside to thwart any hirelings Reid Adams brought with him. Jace was standing in the middle of the floor, awaiting the final confrontation. One lantern was aglow nearby, casting about eerie shadows in the enormous room.

Leigh was frightened for Jace. She knew that men with drawn weapons were guarding her clever husband. Yet, something could go wrong. Reid Adams was an evil and unpredictable man, also a cunning one. Her pulse raced, and her heart pounded.

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