Cargo: A Leine Basso Thriller (13 page)

Leine woke with
the sun the next morning. They’d driven to the town of Arusha, where they stopped to fill up the Rover and the four jerrycans lashed to the back. Derek drove for another couple of hours before pulling over to rest, preferring to take a northerly route to the Akili Game Reserve during daylight. Guttural snores coming from the front seat told her he was still asleep. Grateful he let her have the back where there was more room, Leine yawned and stretched, then quietly opened the door and got out.

Derek had been right—the storm passed over them in the early hours and the day looked promising. A verdant expanse of savannah stretched in all directions with no buildings or towns or remnants of civilization to mar the otherwise peaceful scene before her. Mount Meru jutted skyward back the way they’d come, anchoring the terrain. A smattering of graceful, flat-topped acacias punctuated the green, along with a vast herd of wildebeest munching contentedly in the distance.

Egrets circled the herd, swooping in to rest for just a moment on the backs of the tolerant before launching themselves into the air in graceful arcs. Other birds she didn’t know the names of sailed above her head, serenading her as she retrieved Derek’s single-burner stove and filled the tea kettle. She searched for and found a tin of breakfast tea and two travel cups, along with some matches, which she used to set the kettle to boil.

She was sitting on the roof of the Rover, dangling her feet over the racks and sipping her tea when Derek scrambled out of the front seat, disoriented, his hair sticking out in all directions. He noticed the makeshift table Leine set up with the tea kettle and stove and staggered toward it, acknowledging her with a grunt. He poured himself a cup of tea and, yawning, scratched his chest, gazing out at the wildebeests.

“It’s migration time, you know,” he said, his back to her. “Although, not
the
migration. The rain brings them back to the valleys. Predator, prey. The dance of life and all that.”

“You sound like an advertisement for
The Lion King,
” Leine said with a laugh.

Derek swiveled to look at her and grinned. “Yeh. I guess I do.” He turned back to the massive herd of animals slowly moving north. “God, I love this place. It gets in your blood.”

“I can see why.”

They sat in silence, watching the peaceful scene and enjoying each other’s company as they sipped their tea. Derek produced a package of jerky he swore was the best he’d ever had, and offered her some. When she asked him what kind of meat he’d used, Derek’s answer was vague.

“Let’s just call it bush jerky.”

As they cleaned up breakfast, Leine glanced back the way they’d come and noticed a tiny white speck in the distance. She retrieved the binoculars from the Rover and trained them on the speck. An SUV with official-looking emblems was headed their way.

“Derek.” Leine nudged him and handed him the binoculars, nodding at the approaching vehicle.

Derek shaded his eyes and squinted through the glass. “Shit.” He threw the rest of their things into the Rover and slammed the back shut. “Get in. We’re leaving.”

“Won’t that look suspicious?”

“Probably, but they’re too far away to check my plates. Besides, if they catch up with us, they’re only going to want money. I’d hate for you to lose more of that stash.”

“Less for you, right?” Leine offered. Derek shrugged, smiled.

“You know me well.”

They climbed in and Derek hit the gas. The back tires spun, finally caught, and the Rover lurched forward.

Derek drove with one eye on the road in front of them, and one on the rearview mirror, trying to keep a good distance from the other vehicle. Leine trained the binoculars out the back window. There were two people in the front seat.

“They’re getting closer,” she said.

Derek nodded. “Yeh. I know. I just need to get over this next hill…” He stepped on the accelerator, and the Rover screamed forward, zigzagging wildly as Derek steered clear of potholes and chunks of road washed away by the downpour.

They crested the rise and dropped down, headed toward a dense thicket of brush in the midst of acres of towering grass. The Rover left the road, flushing a flock of doves as they drove across the flat and into the grass, not stopping until they were deep in the thicket, obscured behind a wicked-looking thorn tree. Derek turned off the ignition and got out. Leine slipped on her shoulder holster and followed him through the tall grass to a lookout where they could watch for the approaching car.

He glanced at the gun in her holster as she came up beside him. “I don’t think we’re going to have to kill them,” he said, his voice low.

“This is for the fauna,” Leine replied.

Derek’s eyebrow twitched upward. “That nine won’t do you much good if you’re charged by an elephant. Or a lion, for that matter. You’ll learn. We’ll make a poacher out of you yet.”

“That’s not exactly what I was hoping for—” Leine fell silent at the sound of the vehicle coming over the rise. The car slowed as it crested the hill, pausing near where they’d left the road.

“Our tracks will be obvious from last night’s rain. Let’s hope they decide it’s not worth the effort.”

The vehicle with the official markings crept along, its front windows down. The passenger leaned out the window, watching the ground.

“What happens if they decide to follow us?”

Derek shook his head. “They aren’t going to want to work that hard. Unless—”

“What?”

“It could be they’re looking for
my
vehicle, specifically. That little exchange of gunfire we had at the house was major activity for my neighborhood. Violent crime isn’t normally a problem in that area. Knowing my neighbors, the police are going to be stirred up hotter than a termite nest and looking for results. I guarantee they’ll be after whoever did the two gunmen. My place was obviously the target.” He shook his head. “It’s not like it’ll be hard to guess who’s responsible.”

“This is a long way from Dar. Would they really come after you here?”

“It’s possible that they put out a description of the Rover so they can bring me in for questioning.”

The vehicle stopped and Derek fell silent. The passenger opened his door and got out. Tall and thin wearing a white, short-sleeve shirt with epaulets and dark slacks, the man started toward them, following the Rover’s tracks. Leine and Derek stayed where they were.

“Turn around, now,” Derek whispered to him. “Don’t come any closer.”

The man took several steps forward, and then stopped. The driver, now outside and leaning against the vehicle, called to him, urging him to continue. The passenger paused for a moment before a strange look washed over his face, and he turned and quickly walked back to the car. When he reached the vehicle, the driver shook his head and climbed back behind the wheel. The passenger got in and slammed the door closed. The car hacked a U-turn and sped back the way they’d come. Derek let out a low whistle.

“Did you see that guy? It’s like he sensed something bad would happen if he came any closer.”

“I’m relieved he didn’t. We don’t have time to dick around with the police.” Leine wasn’t sure she trusted how Derek might react in a stressful situation. Would he have shot the two policemen? How could she know? She’d only just met the man a couple of weeks ago. Not for the first time, Leine wondered if she’d made the right decision to work with the poacher.

Derek waved the insinuation away. “Nah. He wouldn’t have walked any farther. See this?” He grabbed a handful of the straw-colored grass. “Lion habitat. It’s great cover. He didn’t look like he had a gun on him. Probably just thought better of walking through high grass without his side arm.”

Leine stiffened at the mention of lions, her hand moving reflexively to the gun in her holster. She quickened her pace and scanned the terrain.

They were three-quarters of the way back to the Rover when Derek stopped and drew his forty-five. Leine slid her gun free, despite what Derek had said about the smaller caliber weapon not being effective against larger predators. At least it was something.

“What?” she whispered, nerves tingling.

Derek remained motionless for a few more seconds, then relaxed and slid his gun back into his holster. “Nothing. I thought I heard something.”

“You thought—” Leine glanced at him, catching his smile before he looked away. She rolled her eyes. “Okay. I get it. Freak out the American who’s never been on safari.” She shook her head and slid her gun back into her waistband. “You want predators? Come to LA and I’ll show you predators—the kind that shoot back.”

Derek laughed. “Sorry. Couldn’t resist.”

They headed back to the Rover and Derek stopped again.

What now?
Leine stepped past him to see what had brought him up short this time and froze. On top of the Rover lounged an impressive looking lioness, her huge front paws draped over the roof, tongue lolling to the side. Sharp, intelligent eyes studied Leine as if the large feline were contemplating a morning snack. Leine’s breath caught at the sight of the impressive animal, and she reached for her weapon. The small movement caught the interest of the lioness. Her tongue disappeared as she tracked Leine’s hand.

“Don’t. Move.” Derek muttered under his breath. Leine checked at his words, her fingers inches from her gun.

The big cat kept its gaze riveted on Leine and rose to all fours. Powerful muscles contracted and shivered beneath her pelt as her tail twitched. A low growl emanated from deep within her chest.

“
Shit,
” Derek said, his voice tight. Leine attempted to swallow, but her throat had gone dry.

Was this it? Her last hurrah? Former assassin, Leine Basso, mauled by a lion while traveling through Tanzania, carrying a phony passport, in the company of a notorious poacher.

Not the kind of death she would have chosen.

Something crashed through the brush toward them and the lioness turned her head. Leine and Derek drew their guns as an enormous male lion, brown mane flowing like a living headdress, barreled through the grass toward them with a tremendous roar. Before either one could fire a round, a rifle blast thundered through the trees, flushing a flock of birds from the understory. The male skidded to a halt, flipped around, and loped away. The female leaped off the Rover and disappeared into the high grass behind him.

Derek’s mouth gaped open in surprise.

“Where did that come from?” he asked, searching the area for the source of the blast.

“I don’t—”

“That was close.” A man with a rifle stepped from the grass behind the Rover.

The man was clean-shaven and appeared to be in his mid-forties. Easily six feet tall, maybe more, and close to two hundred pounds, his dark brown eyes looked as though they missed nothing. He wore a park ranger’s uniform.

“There is plenty to eat out here. I’m not sure why they picked on you,” he said, his gaze tracking the lion’s exit. He turned to them and cocked his head when he noticed Leine’s gun. “A nine millimeter won’t do you much good out here.” He squinted at Derek, studying him. “Do I know you?”

“Doubt it,” Derek replied. He stuck out his hand. “I’m Derek. And thank you. I don’t usually go into the bush without my hunting rifle.”

“Naasir.” Naasir shook Derek’s hand and studied him for a moment longer before directing his attention to Leine. She stepped forward and offered her hand.

“Claire. And that was my first encounter with a lion.”

“Welcome to Africa, right?” He shook her hand and laughed. It was a big, booming laugh that flushed the last of the doves from the trees surrounding them.

“Thanks,” Leine said, glad the standoff was over.

“What are you two doing out here?”

“Claire hasn’t ever been on safari, so I thought we’d head into the reserve, show her some of the wildlife.”

He nodded behind them. “Ngorongoro Crater is that way.”

“I wanted her to experience the wilderness.”

Naasir slung his rifle over his shoulder. “She will see that. Although, I’d suggest visiting the crater. It’s an amazing place, and the roads are better.” He eyed the gun in Leine’s holster. “You know how to fire your weapon?”

“I’m licensed to carry in the States, why?”

“Just like to know whether you two will need my services again. Wouldn’t want you to end up as a meal for a hungry predator,” he replied with a smile that didn’t quite reach his eyes. Naasir paused for a moment, obviously sizing them up, and then smiled, breaking the tension. “Well, have fun, but be careful. You never know what could jump out at you.”

With that, Naasir disappeared in the same direction as the lions.

“I wonder where he came from?” Derek frowned as he opened the door of the Rover. “He wasn’t what I’d call a typical park ranger. Besides, I know quite a few of them. There aren’t many that work out this far.”

“Good thing he was close by,” Leine said. “I think we should do what he suggested and leave.”

Derek smiled. “Before those two cats decide they lost out on a good snack, you mean?”

“Exactly.”