CHAPTER 33
Joe groaned as he put the phone back on the hook. This couldn't be happening.
"Something wrong?" Richie asked as he set his helmet on the end of the bar and helped himself to a beer.
When Joe didn't respond immediately Richie set the bottle down. "Joe, what is it?"
"I need to call MacLeod." He replied. "I have a lead on Methos."
"That's good isn't it?" Richie asked. "I mean . he's not dead is he?" It had been almost 3 weeks since they'd returned to Seacouver and in that time there had been no word on the ancient immortal's whereabouts.
"Not because he hasn't tempted fate." Joe responded despondently. "That was one of my contacts at the South American bureau of the Watchers. There has been a rash of Quickenings all over Mexico and one in Guatemala."
"And .???" Richie asked, impatient to know how Methos was involved. "He's behind every one of them." Joe replied. "He's hunting, and has become so bold that the Watchers now believe they know without a doubt who he is."
"That's just great." Richie groaned, burying his face in his hands as he propped his elbows against the bar. If the Watchers knew, it would only be a matter of time before word filtered to immortals intent on capturing the Quickening of the most ancient of them all.
"Not only has he unmasked himself, but it's put me in a bad light with the Watchers by association. I keep swearing I don't believe Pierson is Methos, but I don't think they are buying it." He shook his head. "Which means it could be more difficult for us to track Garrett and any immortal he comes in contact with. They will be watching me more carefully and information will be harder to come by."
"At least we know where to look for Methos." Richie replied sadly. "He'll know the truth soon enough and that should stop the insanity. Maybe if he stops, it will take the heat off of you and they'll trust you with the information we need to find her. And once she and the baby are back with him, maybe he can find a way to make the Watchers believe he really is Adam Pierson, relatively new immortal." Richie had to think there was a way out of this mess. Life with any immortal was dangerous enough without that immortal being one of the prize trophies in the game. He worried about how hard it would be for Beth and the baby if Methos couldn't resume a less prestigious identity.
Joe had much more serious things on his mind, and he had a bad feeling. He hadn't told Richie about the sadistic way Methos played with his prey before finally ending it. He seemed to be taking particular delight in extracting as much pain as possible from his opponent before putting them out of their misery. 'Cruel' had been the word his friend at the bureau used.
That could only mean one thing, he'd let the darker side of himself rise above the man he and the others called their friend. The whole situation sickened him. "Promise me one thing kid. Promise me if you see him you will get out of his way."
Richie didn't like how that sounded. "Joe if I see him I have to tell him about Beth."
"NO. You leave that to me." Joe demanded, turning his back on Richie and walking slowly but with determination to the office and slamming the door.
Joe's call was not to MacLeod. It was to the airline. He didn't even bother to pack a change of clothes, but stuffed a copy of the photo they'd taken of Beth's message in his pocket. Slipping out the back, Joe hailed a cab before Richie even knew he was gone.
When Richie finally got Duncan on his phone, he was so relieved he didn't let him get a word in edgewise. "Mac, thank God. Why didn't you pick up? Joe thinks he's found Adam, but there's trouble man. This is bad."
"Woah, woah, slow down." Duncan said. "I couldn't answer because the flight attendant made us turn off our phones to land."
"Where are you going now? Did you get a lead on Beth?" Richie asked.
"No, I'm afraid we struck out." Duncan replied. "Actually we're just leaving the airport now. We're in Seacouver and will be at the house in about 15 minutes. Meet us there."
"Mac wait" Richie tried to tell him the rest of it, but obviously Duncan wanted to hear it in person.
When Richie got back to the house, Duncan and Amanda had not arrived, but Claudia was trying to placate a very irate Esperanza.
"Are you going to tell me where Beth is or am I going to have to call my cousin in the police department? It's been over two months since I've seen her and I'm very worried." Esperanza demanded.
Claudia looked over the woman's shoulder to Richie, who didn't have any answers either.
"Esperanza!" he greeted the woman cheerfully, hugging her and momentarily stopping the questions. "It's so good to see you."
"It's good to see you too Richie, but I'll feel much better when I see Beth . and the baby." Esperanza replied. "And don't try denying anything. My friends saw her leave with Adam the day before Christmas and she had a baby in her arms. I would have come as soon as the two of you got back in town, but I was helping Rosa pack up her things."
"Pack up? Where is she going?" Richie asked, trying to change the subject.
"Back home to run the family shop. My Aunt is too ill and she's been anxious to return." The older woman replied. "And now that she is on her way, I want to see for myself that Beth is all right. She is family to me and I won't take no for an answer."
"Look Esperanza" Richie said, putting his arm around her shoulders and walking her into the main room. "Duncan will be here in a few minutes. I'm sure he'd rather be the one to talk with you about this."
"Right" Claudia replied, relieved to hear Duncan was on his way. "Why don't I make coffee?"
Esperanza nodded. "I only want to know she is all right. My friends told me so many things that made me afraid for her."
"What kinds of things?" Richie asked just as he felt Duncan and Amanda's presence in the entryway.
"Richie, you said you had bad news ." Duncan stopped mid sentence when he saw Esperanza.
He and Amanda greeted the woman, and saw Richie and Claudia's concerned looks behind her.
"Richie said you would tell me where Beth and Adam are." Esperanza didn't waste any time. "And why no one told me she had the baby."
"Her neighbors told her Beth and Adam left Christmas Eve with a baby." Richie gave Duncan the heads up.
"And that is not all they told me." She replied. "I know about the men and the guns and all of you running in and out of here covered in blood."
Duncan was taken aback, trying to think of something to say.
"I didn't call the police because I knew you were all protecting her. But then I was told she had to rest and Adam didn't think visitors were a good idea, and the next thing I hear the house is empty and she's had a baby . four months early . and neither of them are in the hospital." Esperanza continued. "Now I will get some answers or my cousin with the Seacouver police will get them. I want to know where she is."
"I wish I knew." Duncan said truthfully, trying to weigh how much he could say. Esperanza cared about all of them, but he couldn't be completely honest with her. "Yes, Beth had the baby, a little girl they named Cassie." He began, moving to sit on the sofa and pulling her by the hand to join him.
"But it was too early." Esperanza commented.
"That is what we thought too, and I can't explain it, but the baby and Beth were fine. The man who was after her is dead and we thought she was finally safe." Duncan continued.
"You thought she was safe?" Esperanza immediately forgot her questions about the baby and focused on his words.
"Your friends saw Adam and Beth leave with the baby because they flew back to her home so they could be married." Duncan explained. "We followed a few days later and the wedding was New Year's Eve."
"Oh I'm so sorry I missed it. I know they will be very happy." The older woman's eyes filled with happy tears at the thought.
"It was beautiful, and they were happy . until Beth and the baby were kidnapped that very night." Duncan told her.
"Mater dei." She gasped, crossing herself. "Who would do such a thing? Adam must be sick with worry. He will find her no?" her words poured out in rapid succession.
"We're all looking for her." Duncan wasn't going to get into the fact that Adam didn't even know the truth. "And I promise, as soon as she is safe I will call you myself."
"I should call my cousin. Maybe he can help." Esperanza picked up her phone.
"We are working with the authorities in her hometown, and have some good leads." Duncan insisted. "I came back to Seacouver to go over some plans with Joe and Richie so we can find her."
"What kind of monster would do this?" Esperanza asked. "And where was Adam?"
"The man who took Beth had known her all her life, and he drugged Adam." He replied.
Esperanza began to mutter in Italian under her breath her worries about her friend's fate. "I am so worried Duncan. She seems so strong, but her heart is very fragile. I see these things. I know. You must find her." She insisted.
"We will, and when we do I promise I'll call you." He took the woman's arm as he walked her to the door and hailed a cab outside for her.
Joe groaned as he put the phone back on the hook. This couldn't be happening.
"Something wrong?" Richie asked as he set his helmet on the end of the bar and helped himself to a beer.
When Joe didn't respond immediately Richie set the bottle down. "Joe, what is it?"
"I need to call MacLeod." He replied. "I have a lead on Methos."
"That's good isn't it?" Richie asked. "I mean . he's not dead is he?" It had been almost 3 weeks since they'd returned to Seacouver and in that time there had been no word on the ancient immortal's whereabouts.
"Not because he hasn't tempted fate." Joe responded despondently. "That was one of my contacts at the South American bureau of the Watchers. There has been a rash of Quickenings all over Mexico and one in Guatemala."
"And .???" Richie asked, impatient to know how Methos was involved. "He's behind every one of them." Joe replied. "He's hunting, and has become so bold that the Watchers now believe they know without a doubt who he is."
"That's just great." Richie groaned, burying his face in his hands as he propped his elbows against the bar. If the Watchers knew, it would only be a matter of time before word filtered to immortals intent on capturing the Quickening of the most ancient of them all.
"Not only has he unmasked himself, but it's put me in a bad light with the Watchers by association. I keep swearing I don't believe Pierson is Methos, but I don't think they are buying it." He shook his head. "Which means it could be more difficult for us to track Garrett and any immortal he comes in contact with. They will be watching me more carefully and information will be harder to come by."
"At least we know where to look for Methos." Richie replied sadly. "He'll know the truth soon enough and that should stop the insanity. Maybe if he stops, it will take the heat off of you and they'll trust you with the information we need to find her. And once she and the baby are back with him, maybe he can find a way to make the Watchers believe he really is Adam Pierson, relatively new immortal." Richie had to think there was a way out of this mess. Life with any immortal was dangerous enough without that immortal being one of the prize trophies in the game. He worried about how hard it would be for Beth and the baby if Methos couldn't resume a less prestigious identity.
Joe had much more serious things on his mind, and he had a bad feeling. He hadn't told Richie about the sadistic way Methos played with his prey before finally ending it. He seemed to be taking particular delight in extracting as much pain as possible from his opponent before putting them out of their misery. 'Cruel' had been the word his friend at the bureau used.
That could only mean one thing, he'd let the darker side of himself rise above the man he and the others called their friend. The whole situation sickened him. "Promise me one thing kid. Promise me if you see him you will get out of his way."
Richie didn't like how that sounded. "Joe if I see him I have to tell him about Beth."
"NO. You leave that to me." Joe demanded, turning his back on Richie and walking slowly but with determination to the office and slamming the door.
Joe's call was not to MacLeod. It was to the airline. He didn't even bother to pack a change of clothes, but stuffed a copy of the photo they'd taken of Beth's message in his pocket. Slipping out the back, Joe hailed a cab before Richie even knew he was gone.
When Richie finally got Duncan on his phone, he was so relieved he didn't let him get a word in edgewise. "Mac, thank God. Why didn't you pick up? Joe thinks he's found Adam, but there's trouble man. This is bad."
"Woah, woah, slow down." Duncan said. "I couldn't answer because the flight attendant made us turn off our phones to land."
"Where are you going now? Did you get a lead on Beth?" Richie asked.
"No, I'm afraid we struck out." Duncan replied. "Actually we're just leaving the airport now. We're in Seacouver and will be at the house in about 15 minutes. Meet us there."
"Mac wait" Richie tried to tell him the rest of it, but obviously Duncan wanted to hear it in person.
When Richie got back to the house, Duncan and Amanda had not arrived, but Claudia was trying to placate a very irate Esperanza.
"Are you going to tell me where Beth is or am I going to have to call my cousin in the police department? It's been over two months since I've seen her and I'm very worried." Esperanza demanded.
Claudia looked over the woman's shoulder to Richie, who didn't have any answers either.
"Esperanza!" he greeted the woman cheerfully, hugging her and momentarily stopping the questions. "It's so good to see you."
"It's good to see you too Richie, but I'll feel much better when I see Beth . and the baby." Esperanza replied. "And don't try denying anything. My friends saw her leave with Adam the day before Christmas and she had a baby in her arms. I would have come as soon as the two of you got back in town, but I was helping Rosa pack up her things."
"Pack up? Where is she going?" Richie asked, trying to change the subject.
"Back home to run the family shop. My Aunt is too ill and she's been anxious to return." The older woman replied. "And now that she is on her way, I want to see for myself that Beth is all right. She is family to me and I won't take no for an answer."
"Look Esperanza" Richie said, putting his arm around her shoulders and walking her into the main room. "Duncan will be here in a few minutes. I'm sure he'd rather be the one to talk with you about this."
"Right" Claudia replied, relieved to hear Duncan was on his way. "Why don't I make coffee?"
Esperanza nodded. "I only want to know she is all right. My friends told me so many things that made me afraid for her."
"What kinds of things?" Richie asked just as he felt Duncan and Amanda's presence in the entryway.
"Richie, you said you had bad news ." Duncan stopped mid sentence when he saw Esperanza.
He and Amanda greeted the woman, and saw Richie and Claudia's concerned looks behind her.
"Richie said you would tell me where Beth and Adam are." Esperanza didn't waste any time. "And why no one told me she had the baby."
"Her neighbors told her Beth and Adam left Christmas Eve with a baby." Richie gave Duncan the heads up.
"And that is not all they told me." She replied. "I know about the men and the guns and all of you running in and out of here covered in blood."
Duncan was taken aback, trying to think of something to say.
"I didn't call the police because I knew you were all protecting her. But then I was told she had to rest and Adam didn't think visitors were a good idea, and the next thing I hear the house is empty and she's had a baby . four months early . and neither of them are in the hospital." Esperanza continued. "Now I will get some answers or my cousin with the Seacouver police will get them. I want to know where she is."
"I wish I knew." Duncan said truthfully, trying to weigh how much he could say. Esperanza cared about all of them, but he couldn't be completely honest with her. "Yes, Beth had the baby, a little girl they named Cassie." He began, moving to sit on the sofa and pulling her by the hand to join him.
"But it was too early." Esperanza commented.
"That is what we thought too, and I can't explain it, but the baby and Beth were fine. The man who was after her is dead and we thought she was finally safe." Duncan continued.
"You thought she was safe?" Esperanza immediately forgot her questions about the baby and focused on his words.
"Your friends saw Adam and Beth leave with the baby because they flew back to her home so they could be married." Duncan explained. "We followed a few days later and the wedding was New Year's Eve."
"Oh I'm so sorry I missed it. I know they will be very happy." The older woman's eyes filled with happy tears at the thought.
"It was beautiful, and they were happy . until Beth and the baby were kidnapped that very night." Duncan told her.
"Mater dei." She gasped, crossing herself. "Who would do such a thing? Adam must be sick with worry. He will find her no?" her words poured out in rapid succession.
"We're all looking for her." Duncan wasn't going to get into the fact that Adam didn't even know the truth. "And I promise, as soon as she is safe I will call you myself."
"I should call my cousin. Maybe he can help." Esperanza picked up her phone.
"We are working with the authorities in her hometown, and have some good leads." Duncan insisted. "I came back to Seacouver to go over some plans with Joe and Richie so we can find her."
"What kind of monster would do this?" Esperanza asked. "And where was Adam?"
"The man who took Beth had known her all her life, and he drugged Adam." He replied.
Esperanza began to mutter in Italian under her breath her worries about her friend's fate. "I am so worried Duncan. She seems so strong, but her heart is very fragile. I see these things. I know. You must find her." She insisted.
"We will, and when we do I promise I'll call you." He took the woman's arm as he walked her to the door and hailed a cab outside for her.