Chapter Twenty-One

Ben was unusually quiet at breakfast. Conversations continued without him with Shiloh and Annie giving him understanding looks. Hoss and Adam had had a rather heated argument while their wives were in the kitchen helping Hop Sing with the last minute details of the meal. When they came out bearing platters of food, Annie and Shiloh looked at each other in sudden ear-splitting silence. Once the dishes were on the table, Shiloh went to Hoss, and Annie went to Adam, each escorting the other's husband to the table and taking the seat beside their brothers-in-law.

"Annie, if you don't mind, this will be the last time I will be sitting next to Shiloh at the dining table for a while," said Adam calmly.

Shiloh smiled at her husband. "I would be happy to sit next to you, Adam, if you can promise that the conversation you and Hoss were having when Annie and I came into the room is over."

Adam pushed his bottom lip up and gave a curt nod. "Fine with me. It really wasn't one I was invested in."

Both women looked at Hoss. "Dadburnit, Shiloh. You know he ought not be leavin' here alone."

Bowing her head and folding her hands on the table, she answered quietly. "I know that even better than you, Hoss." She looked up into Adam's narrowed eyes. "But this is one of those times…we just have to let go." She held Adam's eyes with hers, and though his eyes were still narrowed, they slowly smiled. She and Annie traded places, and when she was seated next to him, Adam leaned in and kissed her, lingering at her ear to whisper, "Thank you."

He wanted to see her smile, but she just closed her eyes, then tucked a small towel into Abel's shirt.

Annie leaned against Hoss once she was seated, but even as she eyed him, he grumbled, "I never thought none of us woulda ever had to let go."

Adam took a bite of bacon as he looked over at Hoss. He washed it down with a sip of coffee before he glanced at Shiloh, then Annie, then calmly back to Hoss. "I seem to remember you needing to take care of Arnie Guthrie alone…because you brought him here. And then there was Waldo Watson."

"Yeah I did," said Hoss. "But they weren't lookin' to kill anyone."

"How many times do I have to say this?" asked Adam, rolling his eyes. "Daniel Slater is nott out to kill me, but he is here because of me. His men were willing to kill the people I care about to get to Shiloh or Abel which means his men would kill you without a thought. He's my problem, and I will handle him." When Hoss opened his mouth to argue, Adam stopped him with his fork pointed at him. "And that's all I'm going to say about it."

"Adam, that's not entirely true," said Robert. "Daniel's behavior changed when I agreed to make you second in the partnership…and when I agreed that we all get paid based on what we bring into the company. On top of that, I kicked him out of what had been our home growing up…our father's home. And he doesn't just want to hurt me. He did try to kill me."

"Robert, I'm not going to kill your brother unless he forces my hand. He's the kind who has other men do his dirty work for him, so I doubt it'll come to that. You're in a better position to take care of the business." Adam smiled. "It's no slight, but I've never seen you handle a Colt, and I don't want you caught in the crossfire. Besides, you're doing your part. Seeing the business running as usual might just bring him out of hiding."

Breakfast was interrupted by a knock on the door. Adam wiped his mouth and dropped his napkin next to his plate. "Excuse me," he said, as he rose and left the table.

"Mr. Cartwright, we're ready to escort the Slaters when you're ready," said Keith.

Adam looked over Keith's shoulder, his mouth slightly opening when he recognize one of the six men Keith had with him. "Uh, Keith…can we talk inside for a minute?"

Keith nodded. Turning to his men, he said, "Wait out here. I'll be back," then followed Adam into the house.

With his arms crossed, Adam gave Keith a serious look. "Why Waverly?"

Smiling, Keith asked, "You know him?" At Adam's reproachful look, he said, "Of course you do. Look, Adam, I know you had a run in with him a few years back, but those were different times and different circumstances. I've used him before without a problem. And he is one of the best shots around with a rifle…besides me." Adam cocked his head and narrowed his eyes. "And you." Now one of Adam's eyebrows arched. "And Micah."

"Mm hm," said Adam. "If you want to use him as a sniper, that's fine, but I don't want him escorting any of them."

Patting Adam on the shoulder, Keith replied, "That's why there's an odd man. He'll be posted away when the Slater's are out of the Lick House, which for Mrs. Slater, won't be that often."

"Good man," said Adam, shaking Keith's hand. "We'll be out in a few minutes." Returning to the dining room, he clasped his hands together. "Robert, Evelyn, we should be on our way to town."

Hoss and Joe pushed away from the table. "We'll bring your bags down, Mrs. Slater," said Hoss, and the two men walked briskly toward the stairs.

Now Shiloh was standing, offering Evelyn a hug. "I do hope your time here wasn't too terrible…except of course for Christmas," she said, smiling apologetically.

Evelyn chuckled. "Even that wasn't that bad, in retrospect. I felt quite safe tucked away in the wine cellar, and if we'd gotten stuck down there…well, there was all that wonderfully old wine."

Standing at the door waiting for their luggage, Robert said, "Mr. Cartwright, I want to thank you for your hospitality."

"Ben, please," said Ben, shaking Robert's hand warmly with both of his. "You and your family are welcome here anytime, Robert."

Shiloh waited on the front porch wearing a shawl while everyone loaded into the wagon. Once Adam had tied Sport to the back, he made his way to her, taking her arms, and leaning in for a quick kiss. "I'll try not to be too long…just long enough to get the Slaters on the stage, and then speak to Daniel's men."

"Please be careful. Some of Daniel's men might have slipped away," said Shiloh.

"I promise." After one last kiss, Adam climbed up to the seat of the wagon, tipped his hat to everyone who had gathered on the porch with Shiloh, then drove out of the yard.

With Keith and one other man riding in front of the wagon, Shiloh watched until the last of the other five men disappeared around the side of the barn, then sighed, prompting Ben to move his arm around her and hug her against him. "He'll be home before he heads out to find Slater. You'll have another chance to see him."

"I know. Just one more. And then who knows how long it will be before I see him again." She twisted around and looked at the open front door. "Or will Abel."

"We'll all help keep him occupied," said Ben, smiling down at her. "Now, let's finish breakfast. These two," he said, smacking Hoss's stomach with the back of his hand, "have chores to do."

"Yeah, we do," said Hoss. "And I don't intend to do 'em on an empty stomach."

Joe giggled on the way into the house, remembering the two platefuls Hoss had already vanquished.

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Since there were seven men accompanying Robert and Evelyn back to San Francisco, Adam and Keith decided to put two men inside the coach with them. One would ride up top with the driver, and the other four would precede or follow the stage depending on the width of the road.

Adam kissed Evelyn's cheek while taking Robbie from her so Robert could help her up into the stage. He then passed Robbie back to her. "Robert," started Adam while shaking Robert's hand, "don't take any risks. If there's trouble stay inside, and let Keith handle it. And if you can make appointments at the Lick House, do it. The less time you're out in the city, the less chance Daniel will be able to get to you."

"Adam, I can't represent the business as a recluse. It has to come first. And you said yourself, Daniel needs to see it going strong."

Once Robert was in the coach, Adam nodded at Keith who was already mounted. "If it becomes too dangerous, he doesn't leave the Lick House."

"Mr. Cartwright," said the stage driver. "Best you step back. We're on our way."

Adam walked back to the boardwalk in front of the stage office and waved as the stage left town. He then turned toward the sheriff's office. Opening the door as he removed his hat, he called, "Roy?"

Roy came in from the back. "Adam, these fellows are probably hungry by now. They got here too late last night for dinner, so maybe they'll be willin' to answer some questions without much fuss. Clem and I'll stand by with guns to keep 'em in line. You can stand back there an ask 'em all at once or you can take one out at time. It don't matter to me."

"I only want two of them, Roy. Can I borrow your handcuffs?"

Roy smiled as he passed Adam his handcuffs. "Let's go in the back and get your two out here, and then Clem and I'll go do our rounds. Just tell me which ones you want."

Adam picked out the two men he wanted fairly quickly. Both men were brought out to the office where Adam immediately had one man put his arms around a support post and handcuffed him. Then he tipped his hat as Roy and Clem left the office.

"Hey lawman!" yelled the man handcuffed to the post. "You supposed to be protecting us!"

"No, he's not," said Adam calmly. "He's supposed to be protecting us from you. Watch and learn," said Adam, winking. Adam addressed the other man who wasn't restrained in anyway. "I have one question, and it's very simple. If you don't come up with an answer, it will get very complicated."

Looking back to the handcuffed man, Adam quickly turned back, swinging his fist at the other man's face, knocking the man to the floor.

"Hey, you can't do that!" yelled the man attached to the post.

"There's no one here to stop me," said Adam, smiling.

"Now, I know you left the area around the house about the time the Paiute showed up…which leads me to believe you went to inform someone that the tables had turned against you."

The man lay on the floor propped up on one arm and wiping blood from his mouth with the other. "I didn't go talk to no one. I was leaving until one of your men found me and hauled me to the front porch," he said as he struggled to his feet.

With his gun drawn, Adam walked behind the man, grabbed his hair and pulled his head back while holding the barrel of the gun near his ear. "The sheriff left for a reason," Adam growled. "A man tried to take my son, and I'm not going to stop until I get some answers." He holstered his gun, hauled the man up off the floor and punched him in the same place he'd already made contact, sending him staggering backward and falling to his knees.

Wobbling, the man fell forward catching himself with his hands on the floor.

"You see, I saw the black coach, and I saw you walking away from the black coach," said Adam. "Who were you talking to, and where was he going?"

"You know who I was talking to," the man struggled to say. "It was your friend, Daniel Slater. But I have no idea where he was going."

Adam shoved the man prone to the floor with his foot. Turning to the man in the cuffs, Adam pointed at the man he'd just beaten. "You're next."

Looking wide-eyed from Adam to the beaten man, he said, "I never spoke to him. I just kept watch. I don't even know what he looks like."

Adam pulled his gun out of the holster and approached the handcuffed man. "Where's he holed up?"

"Honest, mister," the man begged. "He finds us…or sends someone. None of us knows where he goes. He just appears when he wants something. It was the same with John there," the handcuffed man said, indicating the man on the floor. "John said the guy just showed up one day at the Sazerac, handed him a stack of gold pieces, and said he had a job for him."

Stepping closer, Adam raised his gun and glared.

"Look, any of them in the cells'll tell you the same thing. Most of 'em never saw the guy in the coach. John there hired us, not the man in the coach."

Taking a deep breath, Adam shoved his gun back in his holster.

Realizing the interrogation was over, the cuffed man yelled, "You can't just beat a man up in the sheriff's office! Ain't that illegal?"

"Not when he was trying to escape," said Adam as he removed the cuffs. Slipping his gun back out of the holster, he ordered the two men into the back, and then backed toward the door. "Both of you, put a hand through the bars and cuff your hands."

Roy was just walking up the steps to the office, when Adam closed the office door behind him. "D'you get anything out of 'em?"

"No. Daniel spoke to one at the Sazerac, so he came to Virginia City."

Roy nodded and turned the door knob, but before he stepped into his office, he asked, "Why those two?"

"Because they both saw the black coach. One of them spoke to Daniel, but he didn't know where Slater was going when he left."