Page 94 of In the Heat of the Jungle

Emotions had built so high between and within them during their separation that they needed to seek the truth and peace. Both decided it was past time to be completely honest to solve the mysteries surrounding them, to tear down the barrier between them.

“Because I want you and need you. Because I don’t want you to hate me and reject me. Because I want you to trust me enough to tell me the truth.” Jace walked into the living area. He took a seat on the sofa.

She followed him and sat down on the other end. “Why do you keep saying ‘truth’ as if it has a special meaning? What is it you want from me? I’ve told you I don’t know what goes on inside Chad’s head. Revenge has you both suspicious of everyone. I tried to keep myself from getting entangled; I obviously failed. That’s why I’m here, isn’t it? Somehow you think losing me will hurt Chad. Just when he gets used to the idea of having the firm, you want to release me to snatch it away. Do you ever think of anything except your next plot?”

“The only thing I want to get Chad for is framing me and my father, for murdering him. I want my father exonerated. I want my family name cleared. I want Chadwick Hamilton punished. I know he’s guilty; I just can’t prove it yet.” Jace fused their probing gazes. “You asked what Chad did after your death. At first he didn’t believe my ruse. He was so distraught at losing the path to his dream that he said he would confess to those crimes if I returned you alive. Reid stepped in and made him hush, made him think I was using your death to evoke a confession. Then Louisa jumped in and claimed you and I were lovers, and we’d been duping Chad all along. I denied it of course and, for some reason, Chad believed me. He thought you were going to marry him. We argued, but I convinced him you’re dead.”

“How did Louisa know about us? We were careful.”

“I followed her and Chad into the jungle after she nearly shot you. I overheard them arguing. Louisa accused Chad of trying to kill her. She thought he had rigged her gun to explode. She accused him of trying to frame me for her death, thereby getting rid of two obstacles at once, then marrying you to get your money. He denied it, and he asked her to marry him when they returned to London. He claimed he was only being good to you to entice you to sell him the firm, or to prevent you from firing him. He told her you hated her and didn’t want her around, so he had to pretend to push her away until he got the company. She also mentioned that she’d been helping him by trying to distract me. That’s why she took that new room at the hotel and tried to lure me into her clutches. She planted lots of rotten seeds in his mind. Then I heard gunfire and rushed back to camp. It was that jackal stealing food, remember? I didn’t hear what else they said. It’s my guess she knew about the wager between us and told Chad. If you’ll recall, he asked to see me privately.”

“What did he want?”

“He came right to the point and asked if we were lovers. He also asked if I was behind those accidents. I told him there wasn’t anything but friendship between us, but not because of lack of trying. I accused him of those incidents, of trying to get you away from me. I knew about that powder and the canteen. I believed what you told me about him being unable to inherit, so I thought he needed to marry you to get control. We both know he didn’t. He taunted me about following you back to London and getting arrested. I told him you always defended him. That’s when I learned you weren’t engaged to Tyler Clark. When Chad discovered Louisa was lying to us, he was furious. He suggested we both safe guard you and keep an eye on his mistress.”

“I know Chad didn’t trust her fully. After you left the garden that night, I overheard a talk between them. He accused her of the waterfront attack, but she denied it, even blamed me. She’s hated me since my arrival in England. I’ve never liked or trusted her. I told her about Tyler to settle her down about us being rivals for Chad. I only pretended to make friends to avoid trouble.”

Jace was happy to find her cooperating. “Louise tried to cause trouble with Chad and with me. She hinted that you had tampered with the gun, said how much you western women know about them. She constantly tried to place suspicion on you and me to hide her guilt. She wanted to kill you, Leigh. She tried in London and she tried in Mombasa. But I don’t believe she rigged her own gun.”

“Then who did? Chad?”

“Reid Adams.” When Leigh stared at him, he said, “That’s right, Reid Adams. I’m sure he’s the one who tampered with Louisa’s gun. He’s probably the one who unloaded yours before the rhino hunt, and he’s probably the one who lured you into that quicksand. I think he sneaked from camp, concealed the trail, stole your derringer, then returned things to normal while you were fighting for your life. I’m going to London when it’s safe and kill the bastard.”

“Why would Reid want to harm me? Are you saying he worked for Chad?”

“Part of the time. The rest, for himself and Fiona Webster. I didn’t tell you all Johi overheard the night of your ‘death.’ Their original plot was to lure you here, kill you, frame me, have Fiona get your holdings, and Chad control them until he inherited. When you arrived in London, Chad actually fell in love with you, and changed plans on Reid. Chad decided to marry you and get everything. He was going to forget revenge on me because he didn’t want to take a risk of losing you and your inheritance. Chad mentioned drugged canteens, but also that he didn’t pull any of those other stunts. I have to admit, I believe him. Reid reminded him that he had changed his mind after the buffalo hunt and was planning to kill you in our last camp because of what Louisa told him that day, something vital that I missed after the gunfire. I think it was about our secret wager, and it made him go wild with jealousy and hatred.”

“This is crazy and complicated, Jace.”

“I know, that’s why I had trouble figuring out what was going on. After I was led to doubt Chad was trying to murder you, I knew it had to be one of the others. I was afraid to give the culprit another chance to succeed. I was afraid you’d never be allowed to get out of the jungle alive. I couldn’t guard you every moment. That’s why I faked your death. But it wasn’t the only reason.”

Jace explained his meaning. “Even if I guarded you successfully during the safari, I couldn’t let you leave Africa with Reid and Louisa determined to kill you, and I couldn’t trail you to London to keep foiling their efforts. I couldn’t even be sure they wouldn’t find a way to murder you while you were in my protection. You had become angry and distant, and you refused to confide in me, especially that last night. I sneaked to see you hoping you would open up to me. When you didn’t, I doubted you would believe me and agree to this plan. I was even afraid you would sneak out of Africa with the culprits endangering you. You seemed as if you were telling me good-bye. I was worried and suspicious, and I couldn’t allow you to make a fatal mistake. It seemed best to act then and explain later. Whatever you said to Chad that day you two took that long walk, it changed his mind about returning to his original plot. You told him something to make him doubt Louisa’s accusations and Reid’s urgings. You convinced him he had a real chance to win you. I think Louisa had him fooled by the wager between us. Yet you persuaded him it was meaningless. How?”

Leigh deliberated his words. “You’re telling me that Chad, Louisa, and Reid were all trying to kill me?”

“For different reasons. Chad waxed back and forth. Louisa wanted Chad, enough to kill to get him. Cynthia was aiding Louisa. Reid wanted you dead so Fiona could inherit everything. They’re lovers. I’m certain Chad doesn’t know, or he would have grasped why Reid was so eager to assist his original plot and why Reid kept stirring him up against us. You see, woman, Reid was the one using Chad, not the other way around.”

“Reid and Grandfather’s widow? Where did you get such ideas?”

Jace pulled the paper from his pocket and said, “Reid sent this message to Fiona before he sailed. He was gone before I could steal it. If I had read it first, he would never have gotten on that ship alive. All the time I was watching Chad and Louisa, Reid was fast at work. I just didn’t grasp how involved and how determined he was. Chad finally convinced me he loved you and wanted to marry you, so I was baffled. Johi and I started spying on the others. I suspected Reid of mischief, but I didn’t have any proof or a motive. But now, we do.”

Leigh took the page and read it. The message was from Reid Adams in Mombasa to Fiona Hamilton Webster in Bombay. Those words clarified the mystery, and corroborated Jace’s accusations:

Business complete. Big success. Work over. L dead. J gone. You get all. May have C problem. Will handle. Leaving Africa June eleven. Leave India today. Meet in London. Come fast. Marry me. Love you. Miss you.

R.A.

Leigh was staggered by the multiple plots to … murder her. She recalled that night when she and Reid had talked about Fiona. She closed her eyes and mentally returned to that scene. Leigh knew the woman was beautiful enough to be desired and loved by a younger man. There was fourteen years between them, but Fiona looked Reid’s age. The man had tensed while discussing the widow. Leigh asked herself why she hadn’t caught clues in his eyes, voice, or words.

“What are you thinking?”

Leigh related her thoughts about Reid. “Why aren’t you on your way to London to keep them from getting all the money?”

“I’m sorry they’ll waste some, but that can’t be helped. Your survival is worth a small loss, and you can recover the balances soon. When I thought two friends were joint heirs, I knew Lord Salisbury could use his power and position to prevent execution of the will until we straightened out this mess. I dismissed my suspicions because you lied about the will. You did it to silence me, didn’t you?”

“Yes,” she admitted. Her head was spinning. What she was hearing was painful and alarming. She had underestimated Louisa Jennings. She had been fooled by Chadwick Hamilton. She had never suspected Reid Adams. Her ingrained nature had resisted accepting such evil. So many pieces to the puzzle fell into place, but others were still missing.

“I saw Jim Hanes in Mombasa.” Jace revealed more shocking news. “Right now, Chad thinks we’re both dead, so you’re safe here. Once you’re in control after your birthday and make a new will, none of them will have reason to kill you for profit. But that might not stop one or all of them from trying again for revenge. Frankly, I hate for you to ever return to London, but that’s your choice. I wish my evidence could imprison them, but my word isn’t worth much these days. And I can’t protect you from here. If I trail you there, I would be risking my life and freedom. I hate feeling helpless. I’ll have to think of something.”

---