Page 63 of In the Heat of the Jungle

Dazed, she argued, “Oh, no, you don’t, Mr. Elliott. The safari and wager are on. I owe you four points, so you’d better collect them before we lose count and time. I’d better pay up as we go.”

Leigh was so insistent and seductive that Jace lost his head and made passionate love to her. The tropical world where colorful birds sang, playful monkeys chattered, and exotic flowers bloomed was wildly enticing. It was as if they were secluded from everyone and everything in the lush green haven. Primitive instincts took control.

As they lay nestled together, she murmured, “I’m fine now. I was merely faint from hunger for you.”

“That’s a condition I wouldn’t mind you keeping, woman.” Despite his jesting words, Jace was convinced something was wrong with Leigh. He needed to get her back to camp so he could search it for clues while the others were gone. If he didn’t find anything suspicious, he would need to decide what to do about her illness. He couldn’t be selfish and keep her with him if her life or health was in jeopardy. He also wanted and needed more time with Chad, to open up the man about those crimes, but he had to think of Leigh first.

~*~

As Leigh slept on her cot, Jace searched Chad and Reid’s tents to find nothing enlightening. He was disappointed because he wanted to discover a reason for her condition. He walked to the eating tables outside, lifted the canteen lying there, and drank from it. Within moments, his head was spinning like a leaf in a brisk wind. He sat down and shook his head to clear it. When the spell passed, he noticed the canteen on the table was Leigh’s, as each person had one with initials scratched on it. He recalled they had shared his canteen during the return trip, but she had drank from hers before her last dizzy spell.

Jace sniffed the contents to detect no unusual odor. He went to his tent and poured the remaining liquid into a cup. He rinsed her canteen and hung it on the post where all canteens stayed when not in use. Johi filled them each morning from water boiled by a servant, filled Leigh’s with the same water everyone else drank. What had been slipped into hers? By whom and why?

Jace searched the men’s tents again. He hadn’t missed anything. He was vexed with himself for doing so, but he entered Leigh’s tent to search it while she slept nearby. He knocked over her spare boots, and a small bottle rolled to the ground. He bent and fetched it. White powder was inside. Jace used his handkerchief to take a sample. He returned the bottle to its hiding place. He wondered if she did have an illness she had kept from him and this was medicine. He would try to find out from Chad—without letting his old foe know just what he had discovered.

~*~

The others entered camp while Leigh was bathing in the river, and Jace kept guard at a respectable and concealed distance.

Chad approached Jace as he sat on the ground cleaning his pistol. “How is she?”

“Do you know of any family illness she may have inherited?”

Chad shook his dark head. “Did you ask her?”

“Yep, and she answered the same. Leigh says she doesn’t have any suspicious bites or scratches. She’s taking her quinine; I counted her supply to make sure. She slept most of the day. When she got up, she was fine. Maybe it’s just the heat and climate. We’ll watch her. If she continues like this, we’ll have to head back.”

“I understand. The important thing is Leigh, not the money.”

“I’m glad to hear you say that, old friend. Since neither of us has made any progress, our bet doesn’t really matter, does it?”

“You’ll still earn the twenty-five-thousand salary.”

“What about her bet? You covering it, too?”

“Naturally I’ll pay the thousand pounds, but it isn’t her fault she got sick. No matter, you won it fairly, if she can’t finish our trek.”

“I can see this situation doesn’t upset you. I suppose you wouldn’t mind getting her away from my temptation so you can woo her.”

“What does that mean?” Chad asked.

Jace smiled. “If she stays here, I’ll be after her as soon as she’s well. Leigh Webster is one exciting and beautiful woman.”

“Too bad you can’t follow her back to London,” Chad taunted, “if we have to leave early.”

Jace stood and stretched. “Ah, yes, those charges against me. You can assist me there, old friend.”

Chad looked intrigued. “How can that be?”

“Help me discover who framed me and Father, how it was carried off, and why it was done. Got any ideas?”

Chad looked at the brown-haired man. “Are you claiming innocence, or just trying to clear yourself?”

“You knew Father well enough to know he wasn’t involved in murder and arson.”

“True, but then who do you think did it, and why?”

“You and Webster,” Jace responded in a calm tone.

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