Dangerous Deception - A Short Story (6 page)

Gwen understood well what Tau must have felt like.
She was glad he was now able to live with his past. Hopefully, someday she would too.

“There you are, Jack.”
Kay saw the children and laughed. “What have we got going on here?”

“A butterfly convention,” Jack answered.
“It was Gwen’s idea.”

“What a lovely
way to channel their energy.” Kay put her hand on Jack’s shoulder. “We need a few supplies at the market. Would you mind?”

“Of course not.”

Gwen glanced at her watch and saw it was only a couple of hours till she was to meet with her contact. “Mind if I come along and help?" It would save her taxi fare and she could get some more photos of the locals.

Jack tossed her
a smile that suggested he was more than pleased to have her tag along. “All right.”

“Great, let me grab my
bag.”

* * * * *

As usual, the Market was bustling with activity and Gwen seized the opportunity to get some shots of the children playing in the streets. She heard Jack chuckle and glanced over.

“You only wanted to come along so you could get some more pictures.”

“You sound disappointed,” she teased, hoping the interest he had been showing in her the past couple of days wasn’t just her imagination.

“Maybe a little.”
He smiled as he searched through a mound of papaya, gently squeezing each one he chose. “So is there a special man in your life back in London?”

Gwen couldn’t help the
grin that sprang to her lips. She attempted to take his picture, but he refused to look at her. “You should know. You had me checked out, remember?”

“Only Michael was mentioned, and I can’t seem to picture the two of you together.”
He moved on to the mangos, glancing back only briefly.

“We’re not...
At least, not anymore.”

“That’s good to know.”

So he is interested on a more personal level.
Her heart fluttered at the thought.

“Is Michael the reason you moved to London
?”

She nodded
, lowering the camera to her side. “I thought I was in love. It took me three years to figure out he was a jerk.”

“May I ask what brought you to that conclusion?”
he asked with barely a glance.

“When you spend 24
-7 with a person you really get to know them. Sometimes better than you want.”

“
Liberia?”

“Among other places.
He was a cameraman with great instincts. He went for the shots that no one else would.”

“He must have been good at it
, if he owns his own paper now.”

“That was always his dream.”

“Was it your dream as well…I mean, to be a part of it?”

“It was until I realized what he was willing to do for it.”

“I’m sorry it didn’t work out for you, Gwen.”

She met his gaze.
He had the warmest eyes she’d ever seen. “I’m not. He taught me a lot about myself; about the person I was, and the person I want to be.”

“And who is that?”
He tilted his head slightly.

She shrugged her shoulder and said,
“This, what I’m doing now, here in Dewana. I don’t want to just report the news. I want to make a difference.”

With a grin, Jack turned back to the vendor.

Stealing a glance, she watched him pay for the fruit. Just as he turned, she scooted over to the next booth and pretended to be busy looking over the merchandise.

“For your meeting with the general?” Jack asked
over her shoulder.

She turned, coming within inches of him.
Her pulse quickened as her eyes settled on his perfect, full lips. A brief image of him kissing her flashed through her mind. “Excuse me?” She stepped back, her eyes meeting his.

He nodded toward the table.
“The scarves."

Gwen tore her gaze away from him and glanced down at the table
where an assortment of brightly colored headscarves were displayed. “Oh...umm...yeah.” She picked one up and held it to her face, peering over the edge at him. “What do you think?”

“I like this one better.”
He sat his bags on the ground, plucked a green and black scarf from the table, and stepped toward her.

She swallowed hard.
Oh for heaven’s sake. He’s just a man.
But unlike any she’d ever met.

His hands trembled as he draped the scarf over her head and wrapped
the ends around her neck. “Much better. It accents your...” He leaned forward, squinting....“golden-brown eyes.”

She pushed him back, laughing
.

He reached for his wallet.
She tried to stop him, but he shoved her hand back. “It was my choice, so I pay.”

“Fine.
Since Michael didn’t allow me much for personal expenses, I’ll let you.” She shoved her camera strap further up her shoulder. “Going free-lance wasn’t the brightest idea I ever had, but it beats the alternative.”

“What caused the break-up?”

Before she could answer, a man bumped into her, nearly knocking her off her feet.

“Pardon, ma’am.
Have you seen Sako?”

“I...um...No.
I’m afraid I haven’t.”

“Sorry to have bothered you.”
His gaze shifted quickly to her pocket before dashing away.

Gwen looked down and saw a piece of paper sticking from her pocket
, no doubt the location of her meeting place. She glanced back at Jack and found he was no longer smiling. She drew in a deep breath and released it. “Guess I’ll see you later.”

“Please let me come with you.”

Though tempted, she shook her head. “I’ll be fine. I’ll take a cab back.”

Jack
returned to the fruit vendor, offered him a hundred bucks to deliver the groceries to the orphanage, then darted after Gwen. Two blocks later, he saw her meet with a man dressed similar to Mr. Rajah. After a brief exchange, they both turned in Jack’s direction. He blended into the crowd to avoid detection and continued to follow them through the busy streets.

Several scenarios played out in his mind.
The worst one being that this was all a set-up and both he and Gwen would end up dead. What in the world was he thinking? He should have never agreed to her meeting with the enemy. He didn’t care how many war zones she had been in. She was still his responsibility.

Who am I kidding?
I like the woman. She’s beautiful. She’s exciting. And whether she wants to admit it or not, she’s way in over her head on this assignment.

Jack followed them another three blocks before losing them in the crowd.
He searched the buildings, trying to figure out the best one to hold a clandestine meeting with a known rebel. Across the street two police officers walked side by side, peering into the various shops and cafes. They, too, seemed to be looking for someone. Recalling Mr. Rajah’s warning, he prayed it wasn’t Gwen.

A disturbance outside one of the shops caught their attention.
Jack backtracked to get a better look. Two men in casual clothing were shoving one another and yelling at the top of their lungs. As the policemen drew near, the men spotted them and took off running. The officers gave chase.

Relieved, Jack continued to look for Gwen.
It didn’t seem likely they’d meet in a public place. Or would they? He thought of the ruckus a few minutes ago. It could have been a diversion. The more he thought about it, the more it made sense. What better insult to the local police than to play in their own backyard. He just had to figure out where.

* * * * *

Gwen was directed to a secluded table in the cafe where a black man stood, wearing a dark blue, double-breasted suit and dark sunglasses. He appeared to be no more than a couple of years older than herself, and when he smiled she was quick to notice his perfectly shaped white teeth. As she approached, he removed his dark sunglasses to reveal a set of warm, dark brown eyes. He didn’t look anything like the red-eyed, fire-breathing demon she had envisioned. According to Michael, he was the RFAGC’s most prominent battlefield commander; the man in charge on the ground while the movement's supreme political leader, Akua Chidike sat behind bars for treason.

“General Kabassa?”

He stepped forward and shook her hand gently. “Welcome. I trust you are enjoying your stay here in Lerato?”

She was surprised at his well-spoken English.
“Yes, thank you.”

“Please, have a seat.
Are you hungry? Would you like something to drink?” He moved to pull out a chair for her and she sat down.

“A cola would be nice
. Thank you.”

He
waved down a waiter and ordered their drinks before taking a seat opposite her.

“Do you mind if I take notes?”
Gwen asked, removing her black spiral notebook and a pen. Despite the pounding of her heart, she tried to appear relaxed and in full control of her emotions. But the truth was she felt petrified.

“Of course not.”

She had always preferred getting the tougher questions out of the way in the beginning of an interview, so she positioned her notebook on her crossed leg for support and began. “Foremost on everyone’s mind, is why you’ve stood by and allowed the amputations and murders of innocent civilians throughout Dewana?”

“I never ordered amputations of civilians.
Ex-soldiers allied with the RFAGC, but not directly under my command, are to be blamed for this.” He lifted a cigar from the ashtray and drew in a long breath then, with his eyes steady on her, he blew the smoke out of the corner of his mouth. “I don’t believe in innocent killing, Miss Jacobs. If soldiers have raped, I have executed them. If soldiers have been found in error, I have disciplined them. These are the only two crimes I’m guilty of.”

Gwen carefully considered her next question.
Suspecting the bulge under his suit jacket was a weapon he would have no qualms using on her. “Last year, the BBC reported the mass destruction of a village just inside the border of Liberia. Do you know who’s responsible for it?”

“
I have no knowledge of the incident?”

Judging from his quick answer, she had a hunch he did.

The waiter appeared with their drinks. In a lame attempt to calm her nerves, Gwen took a drink of her soda.

“What about the children who’ve been abducted and forced to join your movement?”

"We don't force people to join us," he answered. "Many of these young boys and girls are orphans and outcasts. We offer them food, clothing, and shelter so they join us voluntarily.”

“So you’re providing a humanitarian need
.”

His eyes narrowed,
“Tell me, Miss Jacobs, do I really look like the big bad wolf people are making me out to be?”

She ignored his question and came back with one of her own.
“You speak English very well. Were you schooled abroad?”

“
Yes. Britain, mostly. I’ve also spent time in the U.S.”

“
Really? May I ask where?”

“
Berkley.” He took a drink of his coffee, his gaze never leaving hers. “Are you familiar with California, Miss Jacobs? It’s a beautiful state.”

“
I’ve been there a few times. It is beautiful. Is that where you first became interested in politics?”

“
I’ve been interested in my country’s future since I was a young boy. Seeing the monopoly of power that has allowed corruption and smuggling to thrive in Dewana makes a person want to do something about it. Surely you can understand that.”

“Haven’t you done the same thing by using the diamond mines
, you now control, to fund your movement?”

“I suppose we are guilty of this, but it is no different than our government’s attempt to tip the balance of power by employing private security firms or mercenaries, often in exchange for lucrative contracts and mining concessions.”

True
, she thought, but didn’t say as much.

“Besides, we are striving for a better future for our country
, where as those presently in power only wish to pad their pockets.”

She suspected he wasn’t any different.
“It’s been rumored that the RFAGC receives considerable support from the Liberian government. Is this true?”

“We have many friends who support our cause
. To list just one would be biased.”

“So President
Kanneh is a supporter of your movement?”

His expression hardened as he snuffed out his half-smoked cigar in the ashtray.
“I believe I’ve already answered your question, Miss Jacobs.”