Chapter Sixteen

A/N One thing I need to mention. If I remember right, Cass had been in prison seven years when he got out of prison in Days of Wrath. That is not the case here. He is supposed to have gone into prison just after his sister turned 15. Which means it's only been six years from the time he went into prison, got out, killed Beth and then went back in.

~oOo~

Nick held onto Tabitha with one arm while holding the reins with his free hand. The child had started to fall asleep and almost fell off his horse while she was riding behind him. Embarrassed, the young girl had admitted to her stepmother she hadn't slept well. She was told that she could ride in front of Elizabeth…but the child-who had begged to ride with Nick-again begged to stay with him. Elizabeth might have argued with her only before she could put her foot down a wolf jumped into their path way and Nick had to shoot it—as it was foaming at the mouth. "You saved her from Mr. Kline and were good with her when the second bear killed him, now the wolf." Elizabeth had flicked her wrist. "I think she's gotten into her head you're our shelter from the 'storms' that have been hitting us." Elizabeth had paused and asked if Nick minded, knowing he may very well have to keep a firm grip on Tabitha if the girl fell asleep. Naturally, Nick had no objections whatsoever.

"Once we get off this mountain, I'll wire my family. We can look into traveling to the school for the blind and deaf after that." Nick turned his head slightly and looked on Elizabeth, not surprised by the turmoil he saw in her eyes. "I'll ask Mother or Audra to come join us. I mean, it would be better if you had female company. As he saw the amused look that started dancing in Elizabeth's eyes, he added, "Besides Tabitha,"

Elizabeth, who had been feeling stressed, couldn't help it-she busted up laughing. "Well, I was going to say she," Elizabeth said as she gestured towards Tabitha, "sure doesn't look male to me." She then grew serious. "I appreciate your willingness to help get her to the school, but…" she squirmed slightly. "I don't know."

Without having to ask, he just knew what was wrong. "I told you, you're a Kegan in my eyes. I'm not holding Cass against you."

Elizabeth sighed and quietly asked. "You said you felt your family wouldn't either." She allowed her eyes to wander over the snow-covered ground and frosted trees. "Only, are you absolutely sure? I mean, whether I like it or not, people do have a tendency to judge others by the families they come from. I find it hard to believe they won't have any reservations."

Nick didn't speak at first. How could he? He was too busy running Jarrod's short marriage, along with all that happened after Beth's sudden death. As much as he hated it, there was a degree of truth in her fears. Finally, he broke his silence. "Maybe I can't give you a hundred percent guarantee they won't have any issues- only I can't see them putting their feet down and objecting so fiercely we'd have a serious problem either." He then added, "why stress out before any of my family has a chance to meet you?"

Elizabeth startled him when she sighed. "Jarrod might recognize me."

"What? When did the two of you ever talk to each other?" Nick's eyes were wide as he asked the question-even as a possibility came into his mind. The thought he'd had was confirmed when Elizabeth spoke again.

"I never said we spoke. I said he might know me; guess I should say he's seen me when I was fifteen and would be more than blind not to have known my maiden name is Hyatt." She went on to say how she'd actually been to her brother's first trial. "Ask your brother, my 'brother' had a few charges against him that day…stealing money was on the list. I was sitting in the back when they read that charge. It was then I realized how he'd helped me buy Adam." Her eyes grew hard and her voice cold. "That's the day I stopped referring to a second brother, the day I stopping calling him Cass and referring to him as 'that man', or something besides his name. I..." Her voice trailed off, though the concern that had been in her voice still rang loud and clear.

"Let's not worry about any of that for now, just take one day at a time." Nick smiled, again assuring Elizabeth he'd help her no matter what. "We'll be in town before nightfall." Afterwards, silence enveloped them as they continued their journey.

While Nick and Elizabeth pushed their horses forward, Tabitha slept. Though, they would have discussed an alternative route had they known who Brian Stillman was and that he had made his way up the mountain. As it was, Mr. Stillman was now standing next to the first real wooded area near the valley.

Brian Stillman… definitely not a name anyone would lay favorable odds on. The man was five feet seven inches tall and had long, stringy, unkempt, brownish hair. He seldom did as he said he would, and would rather live off someone else's dime than do any real work himself. He had been in trouble with the law ever since he hit fourteen, though his crimes had never been that serious. That is, until he'd hooked up with Vince Hall-a medium sized thirty-year-old man who had absolutely no morals or ethics. The two had robbed a few banks before being arrested in Hayden.

Brian had stopped running when he'd gone around a bend and saw snow everywhere. "Vince moved too soon!" He grumbled as he ran his hand over one of the sleeves that belonged to the stolen coat he was wearing; it had been in the prison wagon. Even though he was clueless as to what it was doing there, he'd taken it as it was quite thick and would keep him warm. "And then he runs the opposite direction!" Brian swore he'd get even with 'that man' the first chance he got. Though, revenge on his former cohort would have to wait. First, he was going to have to figure out what he was going to do in his current situation. However, before he had time to dwell on the problem, Nick, Elizabeth and Tabitha came into view. An evil grin slowly spread across Brian's face as he quickly moved into a group of trees and waited.