CHAPTER 19
"She attacked Devan with his own sword?" Joe could hardly believe what he was hearing.
Methos nodded. "Amazing isn't it."
Duncan shook his head. "No wonder she isn't quick to talk about it … She's afraid everyone will
think she's lost it."
"I can't imagine Beth using a sword." Richie added. "It's so not like her …"
"You never know what someone is capable of until they are tried … " Methos replied. "But you're
right … until she told me what she'd done … I would never have guessed."
"So now we know what evidence was suppressed." Joe stated. "If she'd told that story in open
court Devan would have walked … no one would believe it."
"No wonder Devan was so intent on pay back. She made him look bad … " Duncan said as he
finished his beer and set it on the bar.
"So this nightmare … it was really bad?" Richie asked Methos.
"As bad as I've seen … or heard." He replied, rubbing his ear slightly for effect. "She relives the
events every night it seems, and each night it becomes more vivid."
Richie winced at the thought. He couldn't help but wish he'd been the one there to comfort her.
"She asked me to stop by this afternoon …"
"Then you should go." Methos replied. "I may not be back to the house before dark … so if you
could stay …"
"I'll stay as long as she needs me." Richie said as he turned to pick up his helmet and strode out
of the club.
"Any word on Asher Devan?" Methos asked.
"As a matter of fact … " Joe pulled out his notes. "He's had quite a few visitors over the past two
weeks … and authorized his attorney to withdraw several large amounts of cash from his bank
account. You aren't going to like what you see."
Methos looked over the names of the visitors and when he came to one of them he shook his
head. "Look at this?" he passed the list to McCloud.
"Damn." Mac cursed their luck. "Blake Mitchell … How did he get hooked up with Devan?"
"I found several Watcher's reports on Mitchell … seems they've met at least 57 times in the past
three years. Not sure what the connection is … or even why these two get along … My guess is
that Devan is Mitchell's teacher."
"I thought that young upstart said he didn't need a teacher." Methos replied.
"Guess he changed his mind." Joe replied.
"This is not good. Seacouver is a regular stop for Mitchell … " Duncan was concerned.
"Look on the bright side McCloud …" Methos said as he walked over to his coat and drew his
sword, inspecting the blade. "If Mitchell comes for Beth … even Richie stands a good chance of
beating him."
"Maybe you should have mentioned this before he left, Joe … so he could at least be prepared."
Duncan complained.
"He knows … he was here when I was printing off the reports."
Methos and Duncan locked their gaze on one another and then on the door. Both sensed the
presence of another immortal … neither had heard Richie's engine pull up outside.
"Company?" Joe asked.
Duncan nodded as Methos moved to the other side of the room with his sword still drawn.
The door opened and they both let out a sigh of relief.
"Amanda … what are you doing here?" Mac asked as he met her halfway across the floor and
pulled her into a hug.
"What do you mean what am I doing here? Don't tell me you forgot." Amanda replied, letting go
of him and only then noticing Methos and the sword. "Expecting someone? I hope that's not for
me."
Methos gave her a wicked grin that made her feel a tad uneasy, but when the laughter reached
his eyes she joined in. "You really know how to make a girl feel at home."
"We do our best." He replied, putting the sword back in his coat and walking over to kiss the
cheek she offered. "It's nice to see you Amanda."
"Hi Joe." She gave the older man a wave as he stood behind the bar.
"Ok … everyone's been greeted. Now will you tell me what you're doing in town? I thought you
were in Europe." Duncan asked again.
"You really need to work on your memory darling." Amanda chided as she took off her jacket and
made herself comfortable in a chair next to Methos. "You invited me … remember?"
"I invited you?" Duncan tried to recall … and then it hit him. "Next week is Claudia's opening
night … "
"Good thing I reminded you. She'd never forgive you if you didn't show up for the concert … or
the gala afterward. Remember she's counting on you to make sure her entourage is well
populated. I seem to distinctly recall she was reserving three limos and expected you to fill
them."
"Claudia does like to make an entrance …" Duncan chuckled.
"What night was that?" Methos asked, pulling out a small notebook from his back pocket and
pretending to flip through it. "Oh drat the luck … it appears I'm all booked up … have to … wash
my hair that night."
"Oh no you don't … remember our deal? … My barge for a month in exchange for one opening
night appearance." Duncan replied.
"Aren't you forgetting something?" Methos shot back. "I've got body guard duty." He grinned.
"Body guard?" Amanda asked.
"That's right … you do … and since I plan to invite Beth, you better check on that tux."
Methos frowned and Amanda was completely lost.
"Ok … who is Beth and why does she need a body guard?" Amanda eyed both of them wryly
wondering what they had gotten into now … and she also wondered just how close this Beth
person was … in particular how close she was to Duncan.
"Here Amanda … This will take awhile …" Joe handed a glass of white wine over the bar to
McCloud who placed it on the table in front of her. "You will probably need it … I know I do every
time I think about it."
"She attacked Devan with his own sword?" Joe could hardly believe what he was hearing.
Methos nodded. "Amazing isn't it."
Duncan shook his head. "No wonder she isn't quick to talk about it … She's afraid everyone will
think she's lost it."
"I can't imagine Beth using a sword." Richie added. "It's so not like her …"
"You never know what someone is capable of until they are tried … " Methos replied. "But you're
right … until she told me what she'd done … I would never have guessed."
"So now we know what evidence was suppressed." Joe stated. "If she'd told that story in open
court Devan would have walked … no one would believe it."
"No wonder Devan was so intent on pay back. She made him look bad … " Duncan said as he
finished his beer and set it on the bar.
"So this nightmare … it was really bad?" Richie asked Methos.
"As bad as I've seen … or heard." He replied, rubbing his ear slightly for effect. "She relives the
events every night it seems, and each night it becomes more vivid."
Richie winced at the thought. He couldn't help but wish he'd been the one there to comfort her.
"She asked me to stop by this afternoon …"
"Then you should go." Methos replied. "I may not be back to the house before dark … so if you
could stay …"
"I'll stay as long as she needs me." Richie said as he turned to pick up his helmet and strode out
of the club.
"Any word on Asher Devan?" Methos asked.
"As a matter of fact … " Joe pulled out his notes. "He's had quite a few visitors over the past two
weeks … and authorized his attorney to withdraw several large amounts of cash from his bank
account. You aren't going to like what you see."
Methos looked over the names of the visitors and when he came to one of them he shook his
head. "Look at this?" he passed the list to McCloud.
"Damn." Mac cursed their luck. "Blake Mitchell … How did he get hooked up with Devan?"
"I found several Watcher's reports on Mitchell … seems they've met at least 57 times in the past
three years. Not sure what the connection is … or even why these two get along … My guess is
that Devan is Mitchell's teacher."
"I thought that young upstart said he didn't need a teacher." Methos replied.
"Guess he changed his mind." Joe replied.
"This is not good. Seacouver is a regular stop for Mitchell … " Duncan was concerned.
"Look on the bright side McCloud …" Methos said as he walked over to his coat and drew his
sword, inspecting the blade. "If Mitchell comes for Beth … even Richie stands a good chance of
beating him."
"Maybe you should have mentioned this before he left, Joe … so he could at least be prepared."
Duncan complained.
"He knows … he was here when I was printing off the reports."
Methos and Duncan locked their gaze on one another and then on the door. Both sensed the
presence of another immortal … neither had heard Richie's engine pull up outside.
"Company?" Joe asked.
Duncan nodded as Methos moved to the other side of the room with his sword still drawn.
The door opened and they both let out a sigh of relief.
"Amanda … what are you doing here?" Mac asked as he met her halfway across the floor and
pulled her into a hug.
"What do you mean what am I doing here? Don't tell me you forgot." Amanda replied, letting go
of him and only then noticing Methos and the sword. "Expecting someone? I hope that's not for
me."
Methos gave her a wicked grin that made her feel a tad uneasy, but when the laughter reached
his eyes she joined in. "You really know how to make a girl feel at home."
"We do our best." He replied, putting the sword back in his coat and walking over to kiss the
cheek she offered. "It's nice to see you Amanda."
"Hi Joe." She gave the older man a wave as he stood behind the bar.
"Ok … everyone's been greeted. Now will you tell me what you're doing in town? I thought you
were in Europe." Duncan asked again.
"You really need to work on your memory darling." Amanda chided as she took off her jacket and
made herself comfortable in a chair next to Methos. "You invited me … remember?"
"I invited you?" Duncan tried to recall … and then it hit him. "Next week is Claudia's opening
night … "
"Good thing I reminded you. She'd never forgive you if you didn't show up for the concert … or
the gala afterward. Remember she's counting on you to make sure her entourage is well
populated. I seem to distinctly recall she was reserving three limos and expected you to fill
them."
"Claudia does like to make an entrance …" Duncan chuckled.
"What night was that?" Methos asked, pulling out a small notebook from his back pocket and
pretending to flip through it. "Oh drat the luck … it appears I'm all booked up … have to … wash
my hair that night."
"Oh no you don't … remember our deal? … My barge for a month in exchange for one opening
night appearance." Duncan replied.
"Aren't you forgetting something?" Methos shot back. "I've got body guard duty." He grinned.
"Body guard?" Amanda asked.
"That's right … you do … and since I plan to invite Beth, you better check on that tux."
Methos frowned and Amanda was completely lost.
"Ok … who is Beth and why does she need a body guard?" Amanda eyed both of them wryly
wondering what they had gotten into now … and she also wondered just how close this Beth
person was … in particular how close she was to Duncan.
"Here Amanda … This will take awhile …" Joe handed a glass of white wine over the bar to
McCloud who placed it on the table in front of her. "You will probably need it … I know I do every
time I think about it."