Read Online The Greystoke Legacy by Andy Briggs - Free Book Online

what if she comes back to find her dad mauled to death because he ran into the bush unprepared, eh?”
    Robbie could see Archie was wrestling with his conscience. He wanted Archie to shout and complain, then crash out into the jungle to pursue Jane, but he was taking Clark’s advice to heart.
    Clark pressed on. “Mister David led a search party out as far as they could, and they didn’t find nothin’.” Archie’s face looked gray, etched with worry. “That’s a good sign. Means she’s alive and mobile. Also means we can’t just walk out there and expect to find her today. We’ve got four hours to sunset then we’re stuck.
    â€œBe realistic, an aerial search is impractical in the jungle. We might be able to get some help from rangers, but it’ll take too long, and they won’t be able to do much more than us, so I don’t think it’s worth the hassle. I say some fellas stay here, just in case she returns, while we take a team into the green to look for her at first light. Gives us enough time to gather supplies and weapons tonight. Don’t know about you, mate, but if Tafari or another bunch of loggers have got her, I don’t wanna face a bunch of crazy armed idiots with just a few sticks!”
    Archie weighed up his slim options and nodded.
    â€œI want my daughter back, Clark. That’s all that matters.”
    Clark squeezed his friend’s shoulder. “We’ll find her, mate. We will.”
    Robbie had listened for long enough.
    â€œSo that’s it? You’re just going to wait until tomorrow to go looking for her?”
    Clark sighed. “No. We’re going to organize a proper search for her rather than just run aimlessly about.”
    Robbie shook his head. He knew it was futile to try to persuade them to leave tonight. He stormed off across the encampment. All around, workers were gathered in small groups quietly talking. Nobody was doing anything productive.
    â€œWhat are you doing?” screamed Robbie. “Jane’s lost out there. She’s in trouble! We should be looking for her!”
    The workers stared at Robbie with grim faces. Nobody moved. Esmée sat in the shade of the school shack, her eyes averted as Robbie ran over to her.
    â€œYou agree with me, right? We need to be looking for Jane!”
    Esmée looked at him with tearful eyes. She had been crying for some time. She didn’t answer. Clark ran up behind Robbie and grabbed his arm, twisting him around. He was furious and the anger in his voice came out as a sharp hiss.
    â€œWhat the hell d’you think you’re doin’?”
    â€œTrying to do something, unlike you!” snarled Robbie as he tried to shake Clark off. The big man’s grip was too strong. “Get off me!”
    â€œYou listen to me, Robert. This is a serious situation and the last thing we need is anyone creatin’ panic!”
    â€œI’m not panicking, I’m trying to find Jane!”
    â€œYou’re not helpin’! Listen to me. Every man here knows if we call the authorities on this then we can all end up behind bars. You included. And believe me, you really don’t wanna see the inside of a Congolese prison.” He jerked a thumb toward the workers. “If they got wind that’s what we were doin’ then they’d run. Hear me? They’d run to save their own skins because to them, this is just another job. Without ’em we have no one to help look for Jane.”
    Robbie didn’t want to hear that. While some of the loggers were taciturn or didn’t speak English, the majority were fun to be around. “That’s not true . . .”
    â€œâ€™Course it is! Now they all like the girl, and they’ll help search, but we can’t go spookin’ ’em. And what if we got found out? You think you’d ever see your girlfriend again?”
    â€œShe’s not my girlfriend,” snapped