David moved himself in front of Adam. "Don't think I didn't see your wrists loose from those ropes." He shoved Adam's hands back through the loops and pulled up hard on the rigging causing additional blood to flow from his prisoner's hands. David felt a twinge of pain from below his belt – a reminder of his previous altercation with Adam. He planted a solid, angry punch firmly in Adam's stomach causing him to release a stifled groan. "That's for kneeing me, bastard. You better not have damaged the jewels or …"
"David!" Duncan's voice echoed throughout the root cellar. "I thought you said you'd leave him alone while I was gone."
David stepped back, a wide evil grin adorning his face. "I owed him that one."
Duncan worked himself between his brother and their captive. "I think you're quite a few up on him already," he mumbled as he set a silver basin on the floor.
"What'd you say?" David asked defiantly.
"Nothin'." Duncan was busy soaking a cloth in the soapy water.
David moved towards the back wall and leaned against it, his arms crossed. "You better believe nothin'." He watched as his brother started cleaning Adam's cuts. "Ya know, Amelia's goin' to be mad you didn't let her do that."
Duncan ignored him and continued the task of cleaning the gashes and bruises to the best of his ability. A wave of disgust washed through him as he noticed the heavy scabbing on several of the abrasions on Adam's head, face and wrists. "Jesus, David."
"What now?" David asked irritably.
"Have you been doing this since we brought him here?"
David had found an apple and was busy taking a bite of it. "I think he bruises easy, I've hardly touched him."
Duncan gently pressed one of the purple knots on Adam's forehead and he heard him let out a soft groan. He tossed his twin brother a hardened glare.
David smiled back innocently. "So Doc, you think he'll live, or what?"
Duncan frowned. He turned around and pointed his index finger at David. "You need to leave him alone or he ain't gonna make it. He's gotta be in good shape for us to get that ransom."
David moved forward as he finished his apple. "Don't worry, he will be." He tossed his apple core in the corner of the room. "I know how important that money is to you." He started up the root cellar ladder.
"To all of us," Duncan stated. "Where you goin'? I thought we were making the trade today?"
David stopped and turned his head towards his brother. "Oh yeah, well, there's been a slight change of plans in light of his current situation." A sly, wicked grin slid across his face. "'Sides, I'm thirsty." He continued up the stairs. "You keep workin' on him and we'll take care of business tomorrow. Sunday's supposed to be the day of rest." The sound of his wicked laughter slowly faded as he disappeared. Duncan let out a frustrated sigh and dipped the cloth back in the water. When he stood back up Adam's swollen eyes were slit open. Duncan let out a gasp of surprise; this was his first time face to face with their prisoner.
"Who…" Adam rasped out before starting to cough.
Duncan backed up, troubled by whether he should respond. This man had never done anything to him personally, but he had to his family. He'd heard his siblings' stories about the Cartwrights. Dozens of times. This man was responsible for the death of his father and the misfortune of their ranch. This man who he was now facing and trying to help. He looked around the dim room. Where was Amelia? She should be doing this. After all, she supposedly loved the guy - but she wasn't going to let them turn him over for the ransom. David, on the other hand, obviously hated their captive. Hated him so much that he'd torture him to death? Didn't David want the money as much as he did? Duncan sized up the battered body of the man hanging from the hooks. The ropes appeared to be fraying and his hands were dark with his blood. This wasn't right – the whole situation had somehow become … complicated.
"Oh my god!" Amelia shrieked, "What have you done to him!" She moved forward and roughly pushed her brother back.
Duncan was stunned. The combination of David's taste for revenge, Amelia's delusions, and the stench of blood assaulted his senses. He felt like he was about to pass out. He looked at his sister – could see her mouth moving - but a deafening ringing was all he could hear. He stumbled from the root cellar and out the back door where he dropped to his knees and emptied the contents of his stomach on the ground. Their plan had started out so simple. No one was supposed to get hurt. At what point had it gone so wrong?
~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~
Joe ran the brush absent-mindedly along the back of Scotty as he contemplated what his brother had said. If Adam was just being polite towards Amelia all these years then what was he doing in her room that night? Hoss was right, it was sounding kind of peculiar. He stepped from around the horse. "So, what do you think the whole bit with Amelia Fairchild was really about, Hoss?"
Hoss stood up slowly and stuffed his hands in his pockets. "I don't know." He walked to the door of the barn and gazed sadly towards the main house. "I'm kind of worried about Pa right now."
Joe dropped his head feeling a little guilty that he was obsessing more over the Fairchilds and their connection to all this mess then he was about his own family. He moved back to the horse and began brushing him – this time a little more aggressively. He had a right to grieve in his own way.
"Seems like Pa is having more and more of them visions of his," Hoss stated flatly. "Maybe Hop Sing can talk some sense into him. I ain't got the heart to listen to him talk about it. It's been hard enough accepting the fact that Adam's dead."
Joe's brushing slowed as he heard his brother actually say the words. "Well, I'm going to get to the bottom of this," he mumbled.
"How's that, Joe?" Hoss questioned with concern as he turned around.
Joe looked up at his gentle giant brother and shook his head. "Nothin', Hoss. Pa's our main concern now." He continued brushing.
Hoss nodded as he turned back towards the house. "Yeah, he is. I guess I'm gonna head back up there. See if there's anything I can do." He looked back over at his brother. "You comin'?"
Joe shook his head. "Naw, I'm gonna finish up here. I got some things to take care of."
Hoss gave a short nod. "All right." He furrowed his brow. "Should I be worried?"
Joe smiled. "I'm fine, Hoss. Just be sure to take care of, Pa. He needs you."
"He needs US, Joe," Hoss corrected.
Joe nodded his head. "That's what I meant."
Hoss turned and walked from the barn.
As Joe finished brushing Scotty he moved over to the other horse, Brownie. He couldn't get Hoss's words out of his head. If Adam went to Amelia's room willing- likely then there's somethin'..if she was the last one…. She WAS the last one to see him alive. He thought about the watch and how at the time he knew it was strange that Amelia would be in possession of it. He thought about Sam's words. I suppose it must have fell out of his pocket when he…'Melia was probably keepin' it for him. Amelia had been in possession of his brother's watch. A watch that Roy must have questioned her about. His answers were in Virginia City and he wasn't going to be able to sleep until he got them. If Sam or Roy didn't have them than maybe one of the girls at the saloon would. Somebody else had to have seen his brother leave the bar that night. Amelia herself said he'd walked out on her. He tossed the brush to the side, saddled up Cochise and rode off towards town.
~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~
David pushed open the batwing doors and scanned the room for the three jokers he had dealt with earlier that morning. It was late enough now that if they had been drinking all day they had either passed out or were so stinking drunk they'd be harmless in a fight.
"You come back to settle that bill?" Sam asked.
David thought for a moment. The saloon was his only safe haven from his crazy sister and his dolt of a brother. Perhaps it was worth the price for the peace and quiet it would bring him. He opened up his wallet and pulled out half the amount. "Here's some of it." He smacked it down on the bar. "I'll get you the rest when I can. I hope you at least charged those three hillbillies for some of the damages."
"You started the whole damn thing, why should I?" Sam questioned as he scooped up the bills.
"Well, it takes two to have a fight," David commented. "I mean a really GOOD fight."
Sam frowned. "You just get me the rest of it as soon as you can." He pulled a bottle of whiskey from the shelf and poured David a drink. "To show my appreciation this one's on the house."
David grinned as he picked it up. "Thanks, Sam. I guess you do have a heart."
Sam let out a low growl then waited on another patron. David laughed and turning, spied an empty table in the shadows of the saloon. He made his way over to it, knowing that he could keep an eye on the place without being observed. Considering his luck lately he figured that would work to his advantage.
~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~
As Joe Cartwright rode into town he observed that Virginia City seemed quieter than normal – was it because it was the day of his brother's funeral or was that just egotistical thinking on his part? The saloon seemed alive in spite of the rest of city. He could hear the loud pounding of the piano keys and the roaring laughter of the saloon girls and drunks. He was glad – more people who might be able to answer his questions. He approached the hitching post and slid off his horse. As he wrapped the reins loosely around it he thought about what questions he was going to ask. Who would be the first person TO ask? He entered the saloon and was impressed to see a fairly large amount of people. He made his way through the crowd and up to the bar where Sam was busy pouring drinks.
"Heya, Sam!" Joe called out as he leaned against the wooden rail. "When you get a chance can I get a beer?"
"Sure thing, Joe," Sam responded immediately, pouring him one. "This one's on the house," he added, with seriousness in his eyes. He gave the young man a firm pat on the shoulder then continued to wait on his patrons.
Joe lowered his head and nodded as he took a sip. He was feeling a sense of awkwardness at being in town. They'd just had his brother's funeral that morning and now he was hanging out in the saloon. Course, that's where a lot of people came to drown their sorrows. It was a haven for forgetting the bad and hoping that tomorrow would dawn a better and brighter day. At least he was going to have a tomorrow. He nervously drank another long sip of his beer to settle himself. Stay focused, Joe. Remember what you're here for. To find out information about the night Adam disappeared. Disappeared – that's a funny way of putting it. He finished off his beer, set the glass down and turned around to face the rest of the saloon. There were a few finger points and mumbled conversations, but he didn't care. Someone had to have seen his brother that night. Someone besides Amelia.
"Joe Cartwright. Didn't expect to see you out and about tonight." It was Henry from the livery. "Can I buy you a drink?"
"Evenin', Henry," Joe responded. "A drink would be great. Thanks."
Henry motioned towards Sam who quickly brought a shot of whiskey and another beer for Joe. Henry held up his glass. "To your brother, Adam. A finer man I never knew!"
Joe clinked the man's shot glass and took a long sip. Joe thought about how long his family had known the older gentleman standing next to him. He'd always taken good care of their horses when they were in town. Joe was always impressed at how the man was so skilled at remembering the most minor details about people.
"Joe. I was real sorry to hear about Adam," Henry said sadly. "He sure was in a rush that night to get back to the ranch. Didn't have two words to say to me, just grabbed his horse and rode out."
Joe's eyes opened wide with interest. "You saw him that night?"
"Sure!" Henry laughed. "He had to get his horse, didn't he?" He took another sip of whiskey. "He wasn't lookin' so good. Had he been sick recently or somethin'?"
"What do you mean?" Joe asked.
"Well, his clothes didn't fit him right, they were kind of baggy." Henry laughed again recalling the events of that night. "He sure couldn't manage that horse of his very well either, must've had too much to drink."
"Really," Joe responded quietly turning back around to face the bar. "Anything else you can remember from that night?"
Henry thought for a moment. "No, not really." He finished off his drink. "Just that I was sorry I didn't get a chance to say goodbye or chat with him that night. You never know, might've made the difference between him being there when the fire started and him not being there."
Joe nodded.
"Listen, I didn't mean to bring up those bad feelings. I just wanted to let you know I was sorry about your brother." Henry patted Joe's shoulder. "Will you let your Pa know I was askin' about him?"
Joe nodded more quickly.
"Thanks." He patted Joe's shoulder a few more times before disappearing in the growing crowd in the saloon.
