Chapter 5

Gwen watched as Jasper angled into his truck and sped down the road, kicking up plumes of dust. She sat back on her duffel bag and thought for a moment. There was no need to panic yet. But Jasper? If he’d come to Njamba, then he must have the same information that she did. So, why did he leave?

She kept her distance from Jasper. From her first dealings with him, it was clear he didn’t show loyalty to people, only money. She found out quickly whom she could trust and whom she couldn’t. Jasper was one of those people you gave a wide berth.

But this complicated things. How many people knew? And was her information even correct? Her instructions said nothing about stealing the diamonds, only to scout locations and to relay information as she found it.

And why send her? Even without her history with Ian, she was easy to spot. With her fair skin, and blonde hair, she couldn’t blend in no matter how hard she tried. So, she did the next best thing and became invisible. She’d hid the four-by-four she rented about a half mile away from Njamba and walked the rest of the way on foot, keeping to the edge of the forest. Anytime someone happened along, she would take cover inside the foliage. It was not something she was comfortable doing. Wildlife had a way of sneaking up on a person.

From her vantage spot nestled in the trees just west of the village, she could hear the chattering of monkeys, the squawking birds, and the rustling of underbrush. She pulled out binoculars as Ian and Gerard stepped out from the Happy Hippo.

Their heads bowed together as they spoke in hushed tones. She wished she knew what they were saying. Being Ian’s right-hand man, Gerard would know all the secrets. She wondered briefly if she should keep her eye on him instead of Ian. Whatever happened, she did not want another encounter with Ian.

She studied Ian through the binoculars. He didn’t seem to have any bruises from the knockout. But of course the real damage happened when he hit the back of his head on the doorknob. She tried not to feel guilty. She hadn’t wanted to hurt him, but to call her a prostitute was too much.

Gwen sighed and tossed down the binoculars.

It didn’t matter what Ian thought of her. The truth was, they’d shared a night, she’d stolen from him, and she’d ruined whatever chance they might have had. At the time, she didn’t even know if she wanted a chance. He was just an assignment that had gone exquisitely right. Afterward, she couldn’t shake him from her mind.

And when he showered less than an hour ago, she’d tried not to spy. Really, she did. But with every pass of the soap, she remembered the exact feel of his skin. His hands. And when he splashed water onto his face, droplets clinging to his lips, she remembered his kiss.

He really needed a better shower curtain. Any interested village girl could sit in the exact spot she’d sat in and get an eyeful without his knowledge. She had a feeling Ian had always been toned and athletically built, but the work in the mine had sculpted him into a masterpiece.

She really had to stop thinking about him. One night shouldn’t affect her like this.

 

Snapping from her thoughts, she focused on the two men just in time to see Gerard nod and take off down the road. Ian stayed where he was and looked out over the river, hands propped on his hips. Wearing a dark T-shirt, cargo shorts, and flip-flops, he looked every bit the casual tourist. But she knew better.

A young woman wearing a red dress exited the canteen and stood next to him, stealing casual glances at him as she spoke. Gwen leaned forward as if that would help her hear.

Ian nodded and brought his arm around the woman, giving a gentle squeeze. She smiled at him and touched his hand that was still on her shoulder. Gwen tried not to notice how her smile transformed her into a beauty. Her eyes alone would be more than enough to turn heads, but her smile reached deep down.

Would Ian fall for her? Maybe he already had. It wasn’t as if there were too many options in Njamba. Most women were married at a very young age. But this woman had to be in her early twenties. Perfect for Ian, should he choose to pursue her.

Ian laughed at something the girl said and bent to whisper in her ear. Gwen shoved her binoculars into her pack and stood. She refused to watch any more. She also refused to acknowledge the jealousy that pricked at her heart. It wasn’t as if she had a chance at Ian, but she didn’t want anyone else to have a chance either. Whether she chose to acknowledge it or not, her heart had laid claim to him.

She sighed and slung her bag over her shoulder. It didn’t matter. She had one more job to do, and Ian would hate her all the more.

So instead of filling her head with what-ifs, she trailed the edge of the woods to follow Gerard. He was already out of view, but she knew she could locate him within a few minutes.

Perhaps he would be the one to lead her to the information she sought.

 

* * *

 

The brief meeting with Jasper had riled Ian more than he wanted to admit. Jasper would return in the morning, and there wasn’t too much they could do to stop him. Sure, they could say he was trespassing. But if they protested too much, Jasper’s suspicions would grow.

“Ian,” Saba said, gaining his attention.

“I’m sorry. Did you say something?”

“I wondered if you wanted to come back into the canteen.”

“No, but I will tomorrow. As soon as Gerard returns we’re heading to the mine.”

“So late?” she asked. “Everyone is finished for the day.”

“We have a few things to do before nightfall.”

“Is it because of Jasper?”

He nodded. “He’s coming back tomorrow. We don’t want him on our land, but if we protest too much he will suspect his information is correct.”

“What information?”

“Someone must have told him we found a wealth of diamonds.”

Saba frowned. “That’s not good.”

“I think someone has been watching us.”

Saba looked around. “I only see the usuals. But if I see a stranger, I will let you know.”

“Thank you.”

She gave a brief nod and smiled up at him. Ian automatically smiled back.

“I guess I’ll go see what’s taking Gerard so long,” Ian said, taking his leave of Saba. He walked down the path toward the office

There were a few times in the past that he had considered dating Saba. But in this culture, one did not merely date. There were rules to follow and secret societies for both men and women. While he thought her beautiful and nice, it would take more than that for him to commit.

As he neared the office, he felt as though someone was watching him. Ian stopped and looked around.

“What are you looking for?” Gerard asked, exiting the office. He set a bundle of long florescent stakes on the ground while he locked the office door.

“Someone is out there,” Ian said.

Gerard picked up the bundle and walked the short distance to Ian, depositing the stakes in his hands.

“If there is someone out there, then we’ll give them something to look at.” Gerard smiled.

Ian nodded. After Jasper had left, Gerard had quickly thought up a plan to place markers throughout the mine. It would throw off Jasper’s hunt if he had to dig at each marker, thinking he would find diamonds. But those locations had already been mined. Jasper might see through the farce, but not at first. It would give them time and hopefully wear him down.

“Let’s get this over with,” Ian said. “The sun will set in a couple of hours.”

“And Jala will have dinner ready,” Gerard said happily. “What do you think she’s making tonight?”

“Who said you were invited?”

“Who said I wasn’t?”

Ian smiled and took off for the mine bed. “You’re in luck. She’s making fufu with peanut soup.”

Gerard moaned his acceptance. “My favorite.”

It was one more reason Gerard fit into Njamba better than Ian. It wasn’t like the dish was horrible, but Ian just couldn’t stomach the big pasty dough ball. His insides protested if he ate too much. Gerard could eat the entire dish and still request more.

It thoroughly irritated Ian.

The office was just a short walk from the mine. Ian had wanted to build the office closer, but with the river and the soggy banks, he didn’t want to take a chance of it flooding or sinking.

At the edge of the land, Ian dropped the long sticks in a pile. “How should we do this? Are there any areas that might have a couple of diamonds?”

“Appeasing his appetite?” Gerard questioned.

“If he doesn’t find any, he’ll know we’re hiding something.”

“This land is stripped for the most part. He might be able to find some in the east corner. And the river, of course.”

“What about at the south end near the field?”

Gerard shrugged. “It’s possible, but unlikely.”

Ian scratched his jaw as he scanned the land. While they only took diamonds from the land and returned the dirt to where it came from, it was easy to see where they had dug and how long ago. The land was scraped flat in some areas, and in others, nature reclaimed it, shaping it back into the sloping banks.

He bent down and separated the bright sticks, giving half to Gerard. “Let’s try to get a couple of areas that might have a spare stone or two. The rest will have to be duds. There’s no way he’d be able to get through all of these stakes in one day anyway.”

“It’s odd that he would even want to try. He doesn’t strike me as the kind of man to get his hands dirty.”

“I think his love of money trumps dirt.”

Gerard nodded and headed to the north end of the lot, while Ian took the south side. They met up in the middle twenty minutes later. As Ian looked out at the land, sprinkled with florescent stakes, he thought it should buy them time. Even he had a hard time remembering where the diamonds were with so much distraction.

“Let’s go eat,” Ian said.

“I’ll meet you at your place,” he said. “I just want to grab a bottle of poyo.”

“Bring me back a beer.”

“You look like you could use something harder.”

Ian nodded his agreement. “But then I’d be useless tomorrow.”

He had to be at the top of his game tomorrow. Jasper would walk all over him if he thought he could. The only reason Ian didn’t bar him from his land was because Jasper had a habit of leaking information. He’d allow Jasper to dig to his heart’s content, hoping he didn’t get too close to the hot spot. But if he did, Ian would have to end it. It was like playing chicken. A game he rarely won.

* * *

 

Gwen watched as Ian and Gerard parted ways. One heading to the bar, the other to his home. It looked as though they were done for the day, having placed florescent stakes all over the plot. She wondered at the significance and if it had anything to do with Jasper.

The sun was setting, and she had to find shelter for the night. She wouldn’t dare sleep outside, nor would she drive hours to find a place to crash. Staying near Ian was the only way to glean more information on him. So far she had found nothing useful.

Gwen was about to trek back to the rental vehicle but was hesitant. With the sun already slipping past the horizon, she was afraid of getting lost.

She hated this part of the assignment. The self-doubt, the fear, the anxiety. At another point in time, she had been fearless. But not now. And it was her own fault. She had done this to herself. She alone had created the monster that stole from Ian.

She let out a huffed breath and steeled her resolve. She didn’t have the luxury of weakness. Just one foot in front of the other. After all, this wouldn’t be her life forever. Only until . . . well, she didn’t want that day to come either. It was like she was living in purgatory. She couldn’t wait until her life was free again, but the cost was too high.

Gwen scanned the area to see if anyone was on the road or nearby. When she thought it was safe to maneuver, she ran to the office. Ian used to have a couch. It’d be perfect for a quick sleep. She’d leave before dawn.

 

* * *

 

Hours later, Ian sat up in bed and tossed the thin sheet from his body. He couldn’t sleep. This time it wasn’t because of the hot, oppressive humidity, nor the ball of dough stuck in his stomach. He was afraid, and that made him angry. It was all well and good that he would play a dancing game with Jasper in the morning, but what if that wasn’t enough? He had to be two steps ahead of the man, because if Jasper decided to flap his mouth there would be soldiers and rebels warring on his land.

He had to get in touch with David. He might have an idea of how to secure the land and keep the village safe without hiring his own security. Having gun-toting guards would only add fuel to the fire.

Ian quickly dressed, knocked his boots out before slipping them on, and slung his gun over his shoulder. The office had satellite Internet and a phone. It was the only place in Njamba where he could connect with the outside world. The rest of the village remained in isolation.

He had thought about adding technology to the village, but it would be a major feat in their remote area. Not even some of the large towns had modern conveniences. But the more he thought about it, the more he thought it was a bad idea. The people of Njamba were happy. They moved about life with no interference from the outside world. So, he let the thought drift away and focused on other things, like health and schooling. And, if the village ever requested modernization, he would oblige.

As Ian neared the office, he brought out his key and inserted it into the lock. But as he turned the handle, he realized it was already unlocked. He stared at the door, trying to remember if Gerard had secured it when he gathered the markers. He couldn’t remember. Since Gerard had his hands full, there was a good chance that he hadn’t.

He held the gun firmly in his grasp when he nudged open the door and slowly stepped into the dim interior. It was hard to see, but from the shadows, everything looked normal and in place. The desk was still in the corner by the one window. The computer and equipment still sat on it. The jeweler’s workbench sat at the side with all of the tools in their proper places. And the couch . . .

Was Gerard sleeping on the couch? He looked a little small, but it could be the shadows. Perhaps it was Foday. He had a key to the office as well. Ian moved closer, his footsteps silent.

He noticed the blonde hair first, shimmering in the pale moonlight. Her body stretched along the couch, her long legs bent just slightly to allow her to fit comfortably. Her chest rose and fell with each sleeping breath.

Gwen.