Preface
This story is the third and final entry in a series started in The Night of the Lethal Horse and continued in The Night of the Recurring Nightmare. However, it is not necessary to read either of those stories first. Here's a quick summary of those stories:
In The Night of the Lethal Horse, Jim experienced the worst solo mission of his career in the forbidding environment of the Badlands, South Dakota. During the mission, he realized that working without Artie's tempering influence led him to act impulsively and recklessly. It also left him without someone to rescue him when he needed it most. Jim's recklessness led to the death of an innocent child at the hands of the child's own demonic mother — a woman who also raped a bound Jim before the child's eyes. After the child freed him, Jim killed the mother and her even more brutal serial killer brother, Jake Criolla, the original target of Jim's manhunt. Both deaths were in self defense, but the experience left Jim emotionally shaken.
Afterward, Jim briefly returned to Washington to testify in a trial and meet up with Artie. However, as sequestered witnesses, Jim and Artie were permitted only a few minutes to speak to each other in the judge's presence. Artie could see that his partner was shaken, but could not learn more or help him. The two parted with Artie planning to join Jim for a restorative vacation in the antithesis of the Badlands: New York City. Fate — via train trouble — intervened and took Jim to Freehold, New Jersey. Jim was soon pleasantly distracted by horses and an intriguing young Russian born young lady who bred and trained them. But Kat Romaine wasn't entirely what she seemed and Jim's arrival threw a wrench in someone else's plans for Kat. Jim again underestimated the evil that a woman can do. Fortunately, this time Artie arrived in the nick of time to rescue Jim and a seriously injured Kat. However, duty called Jim and Artie away before Jim could consider his feelings for Kat beyond pure lust.
One year later, in The Night of the Recurring Nightmare, Artie has resigned from the Secret Service to marry Lily Fortune and to trod the boards again. Before he left, Artie was deeply concerned about his best friend's well being. Artie urged Jim to find a mature partner who would temper Jim's recklessness as Artie had. Also worried about Jim's personal happiness, Artie encouraged Jim to use upcoming leave time to visit Kat Romaine, the woman that Artie felt might be "Jim's Lily". Just in case Jim didn't agree, Artie set in motion a prank to get the two together after Artie left for his extended honeymoon in Europe. Jim did make arrangements to visit Kat, then living and working on a horse ranch in Stockton, California. But before Jim could leave, duty interfered. Artie's prank — which he did not mean to trigger — was also inadvertently set in motion by a temporary mail room clerk. Thanks to Artie's deception, Jim believed Kat to be in great peril and was torn between duty and desire. With the accession and help of the President and Colonel Richmond, Jim finagled a few days to check on Kat before continuing to his mission in San Francisco.
Once in Stockton, Jim discovered Artie's prank, but it turned out that Kat was in great danger after all. Cesar Criolla, the eldest of the murdering Criolla siblings, escaped from prison in San Francisco. His crimes were as atrocious as his siblings and fate set Criolla on a path to intersect Jim and Kat's life. Jim saved Kat and several others from this evil man, but Jim — again operating without Artie to pull him back from the edge — failed to temper his rage as he pounded Criolla into submission. This act of revenge led to a potentially career altering hand injury for Jim.
Although the Stockton episode left Jim knowing he loved Kat, the two nearly parted ways. His injury, the uncertainty of his future as an agent, and doubts about how Kat's passion for the outdoors and horses could realistically coexist with Jim's nomadic life as a secret agent seemed too overwhelming for both of them at the time. Only the intervention of Stockton's matriarch brought the two stoically suffering — physically and emotionally —lovers together. After a simple justice of the peace wedding, they set off to join Artie and Lily on their honeymoon in Europe. The hope: that Jim could go several months without throwing a right-handed punch, giving his hand a chance to heal enough for Jim to resume his duties with the Secret Service.
Chapter 1 - Betting Men
"I did it! You owe me twenty bucks, Artie!" Jim beamed as he raised a glass of cava in the quiet, romantic restaurant the women had picked for the evening.
"Yes, you did, Jim. I'm very proud of you," Artie smiled grudgingly. "I'll pay you next Tuesday when I get my allowance."
"Honestly, I can't believe the fuss you all are making over a man going four months without punching someone!" Lily shook her head and waved dramatically. Lily had married Artie and taken his name legally but continued to use "Fortune" as her theatrical name. "Kat, don't you think it's ridiculous?"
Lily and Kat had become fast friends, out of necessity as much as commonality. Artie and Jim, however much they loved their wives, were best of friends and thrived in each other's company. When Artie and Lily received word of Jim and Kat's surprise marriage and hopes to join them on their honeymoon, one look at Artie's delighted face settled Lily's response to one of gracious acceptance.
Lily and Kat did have a few commonalities. Both were raised to be fierce, independent woman. Both were raised by families conscious of good breeding, although Lily's family had one thing that Kat's did not: money. Whereas Kat's family had the thing Lily's mother coveted most: a royal background (even if Kat was penniless and exiled). Kat West had been born Ekaterina Romanov, a Russian countess descended from Catherine the Great and remotely in line to the thrones of Russia and Germany. However, Kat had rejected that kind of life even before meeting Jim, choosing a life of wearing denim pants, flannels and mucking stalls while caring for and training horses.
Both of the gals, as Artie and Jim often called them, enjoyed theatre, concerts, literature, museums, good food, wine and culture. Given the nature of the honeymoon, that gave them all they needed to bond even if Lily always dressed up, wore makeup and gushed enthusiastically and Kat wore pants every chance she could, abhorred face paint and leaned towards speaking softly and even stoicism.
"Kat, Lily asked you a question," Artie gently reminded Kat, who seemed to be even more self-contained than usual this evening.
"I'm sorry, Lily. My mind was wandering. What did you ask me?" Kat suppressed a yawn.
"It wasn't 'how boring do you find our company?'" Artie joked with a wink to let Kat know he wasn't really upset.
"I just wondered if I was the only one who thought it a bit silly to celebrate someone not throwing a punch in four months? It isn't exactly normal behavior, after all, punching folks all the time!" Lily said with dramatic flair.
"It is if you are a Secret Service agent," Jim answered taking Kat's hand in his and worrying at her being tired so early in the evening, at least by Spanish standards.
Kat shrugged. "You can't always talk yourself out of a bad situation."
"I can," Artie laughed, trying to lighten the tone of conversation.
"Liar," Jim said.
"Okay, but you can try. Some of us try better than others," Artie jibed playfully.
"You mean used to try, Artie. You're retired now," Jim gently reminded him.
"Which brings up the awkward question of what your plans are, Jim? As the hand seems to be healing well, what are you thinking the future holds?" Artie probed with a caring tone.
"I've got a good ways to go before I can dependably fire a gun accurately or be confident throwing a punch with my right hand, so no decision yet, Artie." Jim was rested, relaxed and didn't seem the least bit anxious when he said it, much to Artie's relief.
"Does that mean you two have decided to extend your stay as have we?" Lily asked with genuine affection for Jim and Kat.
"If you don't mind, Kat and I discussed it and we think one more month away seems about right."
"Mind it, Jim? We're delighted. Lil and I spoke about just yesterday," Artie thumped a hearty slap on Jim's back.
"Yes, indeed. To another month of carefree honeymooning!" Lily toasted. "If you could add one more month, you two could stay to see my debut in the West End. I'm sure you two could find something to do during rehearsals!"
"One month, and then we'll see," Jim said and Kat nodded. They all joined in clinking glasses.
As dinner wound down, but before the flamenco dancer emerged, talk turned to tomorrow's plans. "Ladies, can't we twist your arms to come to the bullfights tomorrow evening? Señor Suarez has invited us to join him in his private box and I can promise you a surprise or two if you come," Artie sweet talked.
"No, I couldn't," Kat said looking physically ill at the thought.
"I'll stay behind with Kat," Lily said protectively. "I like the pageantry, but the killing of the bull isn't to my taste either."
"I suppose we could pass on it too," Artie said.
"We could, but it would disappoint Señor Suarez. I don't think that's entirely wise if we plan to stay in Madrid for another week or two," Jim argued.
"Really, it's fine with me if you go all go. It's just not my cup of tea," Kat apologized.
"Oh, don't let Artie fool you, Kat! Five bucks says he turns his head away when the bull is killed," Jim smiled.
"Honestly, one day I'd like to see you two try to settle up on your inane bets!" Lily challenged.
"Jim owes me $423.25," Artie announced earnestly. He was promptly showered with a spray of sparkling wine from Jim's mouth as Jim couldn't suppress the laugh at the assertion.
"Make that $424.25 including laundering," Artie quipped.
"Ah, thank God, the real entertainment has arrived," Lily toasted as she patted Artie dry with her napkin. The group quieted down to enjoy the flamenco dancer and guitarist who had just arrived on stage.