As they rode back to Shady Belle, Casie couldn't help keep looking across at Jack. She had mixed feeling towards the little boy. She felt a little sorry for him, she felt sure, that once Dutch got hold of Abigail, after he got all the information he was after, he would kill her. After all, she and John were both traitors. She knew what is was like, to lose a mother at such a young age. Thankfully, she knew Jack wouldn't have to witness the death of his mother. The other question, which was on everyone's lips, was, who was Jack's father. Would Abigail finally come clean, and tell everyone who the real father was. Jack was nothing like John. Not in ways, not in looks. Abigail was the only one that knew for sure. John, when he was alive, wasn't convinced that Jack was his son. Casie, also wondered, if Jack knew, that John was dead. Had his mother told him. It also occurred to Casie, that Jack might know exactly where in Blackwater Abigail was. But when she found out that Arthur had Jack, what would she do. She didn't know that they had moved camp, or that they were at Shady Belle.
It was close to sunset, by the time they arrived back. Arthur lifted Jack from the front of his horse, and placed him on the ground, before dismounting himself. Arthur took Jacks hand, and took him to where the ladies were housed. In the absence of his mother, they would look after him. He wouldn't find it unusual, as he knew them all very well.
Casie looked at Josiah, "what do you think will happen to Jack?"
Josiah smiled. "Nothing bad, Casie. But we do need to find out, if he knows that his father is dead, if John is his father."
"But Dutch will kill Abigail, wont he" she asked.
"I don't know Casie," Josiah replied. "But I imagine, he will. He nearly lost you, because of John and Abigail, and Sean died, because of them. That's not something he will easily forgive. Can you forgive them so easily?"
"No Josiah, I will never forgive them, but I also think of how this may affect Jack. I know how it affected me, when my mother was killed." She said, thoughtfully.
"Casie, your situation, was completely different, no one is going to kill Abigail in front of Jack. The rest of you are like family to Jack. Explaining about his father wont be easy, especially if John isn't his father. But that will be something that he will be able to adjust to, over time."
Casie smile at Josiah, "You always make everything sound so simple. But I need to speak with Dutch, and see what he has to say."
Casie walked into the house, and headed to Dutch's room. She knocked on the door, before she opened it. Dutch was sitting at the table, with Arthur and Hosea.
"I'll come back later, if you're busy." She said, quietly.
Dutch beckoned her, to come in, "no honey, come in, I want to discuss this with you as well."
Casie sat down at the table.
"Is everything OK Casie?" Hosea asked, looking concerned.
Casie frowned. "I don't know," she sighed, "what's going to happen, with Jack, and Abigail?"
"What do you want to happen, Casie?" Hosea asked.
"I don't know, I don't want Jack, to end up like me. I want Abigail dead, but I don't, if that means it will affect Jack. I'm not making any sense am I?"
Dutch got up from his seat and walked behind Casie, He put his hands on her shoulders, and kissed the top of her head.
"If Jack turns out anything like you, he will be a very lucky boy. Casie, you make me proud, everyday."
Casie, twisted in her chair, and looked Dutch directly in the face, her face hard.
"Then promise me, if you decided that Abigail has to die, you'll let me be the one to do it."
The three men, looked visibly shocked.
"If that's what I decide, then, yes I promise you can be the one to kill her." Dutch replied.
"We need to keep a check on the post," Arthur said. "Abigail's sister will know, soon enough, that I took Jack. When Abigail finds out, she will send a letter to Tacitus Kilgore."
Hosea nodded, "We will have to be very careful, because the Pinkertons won't be far behind."
Arthur smiled, "Alden, at the Rhodes post office, can be very discreet. I'll have a word with him."
"Good," Dutch said, "we now just have to wait."
Patience was never really Dutch's strong point, and despite Casie, not being his daughter by blood, it wasn't hers either.
It had been a week, since they snatched Jack. He had settled back into camp life, relatively easily. Arthur had gone into Rhodes, every other day, but there was still no letter, or contact from Abigail.
Casie, decided she'd had enough waiting around. She went in search of Micah, at least they could go out and make some money, or something. She looked at her empty second holster. Time to fill it, she thought.
Micah, was sitting on a log, cleaning his guns. Casie sat down beside him.
"Can we do something?" She asked, coming straight to the point.
Micah, put his pistol, back in his holster. "What did you have in mind?"
Casie, tapped her empty holster, "and sitting round here, waiting for some god-damn letter to arrive, is driving me crazy," she sighed.
Micah grinned, "lets go find you a second gun, and then we can find somewhere to test it out."
Micah and Casie, headed to Rhodes. The gunsmith there was well stocked, and Micah had in mind, finding something a bit special for Casie.
They walked up to the counter, Micah looked at Casie "oh no, you go over their, I'm gonna sort this, call it a late birthday gift."
Casie laughed, "Ya know, you're just the best," she walked over to the window, and looked at the comings and goings of Rhodes.
Micah walked over to Casie, and tapped her on the shoulder, he handed her the pistol.
It was gold, with an Ebony handle. Engraved into the ebony wood, was a horses head.
On the barrel was engraved three simple words, Strength, Courage and Wisdom.
Casie ran her fingers along the engraving, and felt the pistol in her hand, it was beautifully balanced. She smiled, and put the gun in its holster. "Are you too tough, for a hug?" she asked, smiling.
Micah smiled back, and they hugged each other tightly, for a moment. In that moment, Casie knew, whatever happened, Micah would always have her back.
Casie, opened the door of the gunsmith. They were about to leave the shop, and go out into the street, when Micah pulled her quickly back inside. He pulled her to the side of the door, and he stood on the other side, peering through the glass, then moving his head back, so he stayed out of site. Casie, did the same, wondering what Micah had seen.
Then she saw. Abigail!
"What should we do?" She asked Micah, in a whisper.
"How the hell should I know, I'm not used to all this cloak and dagger shit!" He grumbled.
Casie peered through the window again. "Looks like she's on her own. Lets follow her, quietly though."
Micah nodded.
They waited, until she was a bit further along the main street, and followed her at a distance. She was headed for the station, which meant she was either, leaving a letter, catching a train, or getting on the stage. They weren't quite sure which.
Casie and Micah watched, as Abigail headed into the station building. They ducked around the side of the building, and Casie peered in the window. She was definitely talking to Alden. Handing him something, Casie couldn't make out whether it was a letter, or money for a fare.
"What's going on?" Micah whispered.
"I don't know, she's either paying for tickets, or dropping off a letter...wait, she's heading back out."
Casie ducked down again, and they both peered out from behind the end of the building to see where Abigail was headed.
Abigail, was talking to the stage driver. Casie couldn't make out what she was saying. The driver was nodding, and opened the stagecoach door, and Abigail got in.
Casie looked at Micah, "She's getting a stage somewhere, lets take it down, and get her!"
Micah grinned, and nodded "Lets get the horses, follow at a distance, until the stage is out of town, then, we'll take it down."
Casie and Micah waited for a few moments, as the stagecoach started to move. They then both whistled for their horses. They mounted up, and followed the stage out of Rhodes.
The stage, was heading North. Casie wondered where Abigail was headed. She thought, that Abigail probably had no idea, where they now had their camp, which was good.
Once the stage was a few miles outside Rhodes, Casie, pulled her bandana over her face. She looked at Micah, and he did the same.
As they got closer to the stage, Casie yelled at the driver. "Stop, this is a robbery."
The driver reached down, for his rifle, but Casie, shot him in the head, before he had a chance to pick it up. The horses, pulling the stage, bolted. Casie, pushed Ice on, until she was next to the stage, and jumped on, grabbing the reins of the spooked horses and pulling them to a stop.
Abigail went for a pistol, she was carrying, but before she had a chance to aim it, Micah was in the back of the stagecoach, and hit her firmly across the jaw, with the butt of his pistol, knocking her out. Micah, quickly tied her up, but before he had a chance to stow her, Casie handed him a length of cloth, she had ripped off the driver.
"You better blindfold her, Micah. We don't want her knowing where the new camp is.
With Abigail, bound and blindfolded, Micah, threw her on the back of his horse, and they both headed back to Shady Belle, Casie, keeping an eye out, to make sure they weren't followed.
As they neared, the camp, Abigail, started to come round.
"You bastard, Micah," she yelled, "you won't get away with this!"
Before Micah had a chance to say anything, Casie, yelled at Abigail.
"Shut up you traitorous bitch. Unless you want Jack to be traumatized for the rest of his life, you'll shut the fuck up!"
Abigail stopped screaming.
Micah grinned.
"Micah, I'm riding ahead, to let them know you're coming. It'll give them a chance to get Jack out the way." She said, as she pushed Ice on.
As she came galloping up the path to the house, Javier yelled "Steady on, Casie!"
She ignored him, and pulled Ice up sharply, as she reached the hitching area. She jumped off and ran into the camp. Dutch was leaning against one of the pillars, talking to Arthur, who was sitting on the steps.
"Jack… out the way...Abigail" she said gasping for breath.
Dutch grasped her by the shoulders "Slow down, Casie. What's going on?"
"We got Abigail, Micah is bringing her in, please, you have to get Jack out the way."
Arthur stood up, and looked at Casie, wide eyed. "I'll sort it, just get her into the house, one of the upstairs rooms. I'll keep Jack outta the way." he strode off, to find Jack.
Dutch strode across to the hitching area. Looking ahead towards the entrance to Shady Belle, he saw Micah riding in, with his cargo.
As Micah pulled up Baylock, Dutch walked up to where Abigail lay across the back of the horse. He grabbed her by the hair, and tilted her head back, ripping the blindfold off of her face.
"Abigail!" He sneered. "Always a pleasure."
"Fuck you!" She spat the words out.
"Again! I'm sure that can be arranged!" He laughed. "Micah, please bring our guest upstairs." He walked towards the house.
Micah grabbed Abigail off the back of his horse, and carried her towards the house. She struggled to get free, but the ropes were too tight, and Micah, had a sturdy grip on the woman.
As he entered the house, Casie followed him upstairs.
Dutch was waiting in his room. Micah followed him in, with Casie just behind him.
Micah chucked Abigail on the floor, she lay on her back, her arms still bound behind her.
Casie took one look at her, laying on the floor, and something just snapped. She let out a scream.
"You fucking, murdering bitch!" She screamed, as she dived on top of Abigail, and wrapped her hands around Abigail's throat, trying to squeeze the life out of her.
Dutch yelled at Micah "Get her out of here!"
Micah grabbed hold of Casie, wrapping his arms around Casie, pinning her arms at her side.
As Micah walked out the door, Casie struggled to free herself, but to no avail. Her angry screams, turned to sobs, as she finally stopped struggling.
Micah carried Casie to her room. He held her tight, for a few moments.
"Easy Casie," he whispered. "Take a deep breath."
"I want her dead," she sobbed.
Micah held her tight, and held his cheek to hers, "I know ya do, we all do, But we need to do this right. You need to be calm, OK?" He whispered, gently.
Casie nodded, and Micah, slowly released his grip.
He turned Casie round so she was facing him. He cupped her face, in his hands. "Leave Abigail to Dutch, when the time comes, I'll make sure you get to end her, if that's what you wanna do."
"You promise?" Casie whispered.
"You have my word, Casie" he said, and kissed her on the forehead. "Now either lay down here, and get some rest, or go outside, and get some fresh air."
Micah, released his grip and headed towards the door.
"Thank you, Micah." she said quietly.
The outlaw turned and smiled at Casie, before leaving the room.