Free Blood Forest (Suspense thriller) by Jonathan Taylor Page B

learned the value of worldly riches,” Ike went on. “You saw the clothes he was wearing.”
    “I think you have a very good point,” Alfred said, smiling widely.
    “I bet the right amount of cash and a promise of good intentions would get us far with him.”
    Nessa’s lips drew into a rare smile, and Ike was shocked to see the expression aimed at him. When he returned the grin, doing his best to keep the crocodile out, she did not look away. For a few rich seconds, he looked straight into her dark eyes.
    “Let’s have a talk with him then,” Alfred declared.
    Nessa nodded, her smile fading and her body tightening up once again. She folded her arms in front of her chest. As she turned, Ike found his gaze slipping down her profile.
    Lightning flashed and thunder rolled in, crashing violently across the sky.

    Temba’s eyes went wide when the first stack of American bills dropped onto the table in front of him. They had got him alone on the porch while the others went in to get out of the rain. All around them, lightning and thunder crashed as the rain poured down in heavy, pounding bullets. Three more stacks of money landed beside the first in rapid succession.
    Ike focused on the cornered pygmy, who stared transfixed by the sheer size and number of the bills.
    Alfred leaned on the table, cut from a slice of an old tree trunk, and waited for Temba to give a reply.
    The small man lifted both hands to his scalp and held them there, as though engaged in a personal struggle.
    “I will explain,” Alfred offered. “My friends and I are looking for a flower that grows in the forest there. We simply want to pick a sample of this flower so that we can use it to make a medicine.”
    Temba scoffed. “Medicine.”
    “It’s true,” Alfred insisted. “We are not friends with any of the local militias. In fact, a good friend of mine died at their hands yesterday. We would have no desire to lead them into that forest.”
    “If this flower has the medicine you are looking for, others will not come for it?” Temba asked, his expression showing that he knew the answer.
    Alfred chose his next words carefully. “If others were to come for it, they would keep it a secret. It is within our best interest that no one else knows about it.”
    Temba gave him a doubtful look, until Alfred added, “That way no one else can profit from it. We would move the flower and plant it in our gardens so that we don’t need to come into the forest to get it.”
    Temba thought about that for several moments. His eyes glanced back down at the stack of bills.
    Ike circled around the table, boots clomping on the floor. He moved up behind Temba, who spun around, obviously not comfortable having the Australian behind him.
    Ike spoke quietly. “Obviously this village exists, or you wouldn’t be protecting it. We have a map. So either we go around chopping up the forest until we find it, or you can take the money and lead us there and make sure that nobody follows us.”
    “We’re here only for the flower,” Alfred put in. “We’re not loggers, we’re not farmers, and we’re not friends of any of the militias. With you as our guide, we can all make sure this village stays a secret.”
    “Kuntolo and I will take you,” Temba agreed. “But only the five of you. No others must know of this place. And we will not lead you into the forest.”
    “Because of the spirits?” Ike asked.
    Temba shook his head. “There is nothing in that forest for anyone. It is a bad place.”
    “You don’t believe in the spirits?”
    Temba turned to look directly at the Australian. “Do you?”
    When Ike shook his head, Temba grinned wide.
    “If you don’t believe in spirits, why do you think the forest is bad?” Alfred asked.
    “It is not safe,” Temba answered.
    “But why?”
    “It is not safe.”
    “All right,” Alfred agreed finally. “You lead us to the village and we’ll worry about the rest.”
    Temba nodded and reached across the table for