Revenge

A Sequel to The Contract

By

AZgirl66

Chapter 16- Truth, Revenge, and Trudy June

Kitty leaned over the apple crate, protecting her slumbering infant. She quietly implored, "Please, Trudy June, let us go! The law will go much easier on you if you let the three of us go! I'm begging you…"

"You just don't get it, do you?!" the crazed woman seethed, "You stole Will from me! Made him love you…" she shook the barrel of the gun in Kitty's direction, "He made me kill my baby, so you could give him one…" Trudy June suddenly turned her attention to Addie.

"Come 'ere, girl," she ordered, her tone softening.

Addie didn't move.

"Are ya deaf?! I said, come 'ere…or I'll shoot yer precious mother," Trudy June smirked, pointing the gun at Kitty once again.

Addie hesitantly took two steps toward the disheveled woman.

Trudy June reached out her hand and stroked Addie's long, ropey curls, "You look so much like yer father. He would've loved t' have raised ya," she inhaled deeply, "But yer tramp of a mother had other plans," she lifted the child's chin with two fingers, "You and me, we're gonna live a great life together."

"WHAT?!" Kitty shrieked, as Addie's bottom lip trembled. "What is this really about?" Kitty begged, trying not to wake Maggie.

"Revenge…" Weston answered as he strode into the shack, "It's all about revenge. Yer man killed m' boss, m' source of income. Trudy June has her reasons, I have mine," he hissed.

"God forbid you get a job, and earn money honestly," Kitty mumbled, "And besides, you have it all WRONG!" she stood up tall, placing her body in front of where the baby slept, "Matt didn't kill Mannon. One of Mannon's own men did! He saved my life, along with my daughter's!"

Trudy June raged, "Moose was a traitor! A dirty, rotten traitor! If I ever see him again-"

"Wait one blasted minute!" Weston cut her off, "Trudy June, you know for a fact Moose killed Mannon?! He killed the boss?" Weston yelled, noticing Trudy June's sheepish grin.

She haughtily answered, "Well, he just did it 'cause he fell in love with HER!" Trudy June shook the gun toward Kitty.

"You crazy bitch!" Weston slammed his fist onto the old kitchen table, splintering one of the boards, "You had me snatch two children because a some crazy notion about their mother?! You're insane. I don't care how much ya said you'd pay me!"

Maggie started to cry, awakened by the ruckus in the shack. Kitty swooped up the baby, pulling her close to her chest, soothing, "Shh, baby girl, shh…"

"Oh, shut up, ya coward," Trudy June huffed, "Ya wouldn't even kill the baby…"

"Kill my baby?!" Kitty gasped in shock, "What's wrong with you?!" she yanked Addie to her side, pulling her away from Trudy June.

"An eye fer an eye, Mrs. Mannon," Trudy June spat, her spittle spraying in every direction, "Yer baby fer mine. I figure I can drown 'er in front of ya…"

Kitty clutched Maggie even tighter, the infant's cries making her little body shake. "Over my dead body!"

"That's okay by me," the demented woman sinisterly laughed.

The conversation had been so intense, not one person had heard three horses thundering over the hill, the would-be rescuers approaching the shanty.

"WESTON! I know yer in there!" the unmistakable baritone of Matt Dillon cut through the banter in the shack.

"Daddy," Addie gasped, barely above a whisper. She straightened the skirt of her dress and threw her shoulders back. The mere knowledge of her father's arrival gave her a strength she'd never felt before.

"Send my family out here, Weston, and I'll tell the judge t' go easy on ya!" Matt shouted as he positioned himself on the side of the shack, motioning for Festus to take cover on the opposite side of the structure.

Moose dismounted his pure white gelding, taking cover behind the well, dead center in the yard. He'd been the one to tell the marshal that he knew who rode the chestnut horse that used to belong to Mannon.

"Yer fresh outta luck, Marshal!" Trudy June yelled, positioning herself to the side of one of only two windows. "Seems I got somethin' ya want in here. Somethin' you ain't never gonna get back!"

Festus stuck his head out from the side of the building, antagonizing, "Loopy Spoon! Is that you?!"

The crazed woman shouted, "It's TRUDY JUNE! And you'll remember my name when I throw a lifeless baby out inta the yard!"

Kitty clutched Maggie closer to her chest, the infant's sobs adding to all the noise.

"Weston, please help us," Kitty whispered, pleading with her teary blue eyes.

Addie boldly stepped in front of her mother before Kitty could stop her.

"I know what we need to do," Addie forcefully said.

"Adelaide Jane!" Kitty admonished, "You get back over here!"

Weston's facial expression changed as he gently asked, "What's your name, child?"

Addie answered his question, but kept her eyes focused on Trudy June, making sure she was paying attention, "My name is Adelaide Jane Mannon. Daughter of Kitty and Will Mannon. I think that means I have a little say in what happens here." Oh, Mama, I'm so sorry. Please don't be angry.

Trudy June smiled as she approached the bold little girl. She beamed, "You certainly are yer father's daughter," she placed her hand on the child's shoulder.

"Aren't I, Mama…" Addie glanced over her shoulder to gather strength from Kitty, "Aren't I my father's daughter?"

"That you are," Kitty whispered, giving Addie a nod.

Matt's voice cut through the shack once more, "I need t' hear from my wife, or I'm comin' in, guns blazing!"

Addie walked to the side of the window, "We're fine! I promise! We'll be out in a minute!"

Matt, Festus and Moose exchanged confused expressions. They were wondering why Addie had answered and not Kitty.

"Oh, Sweetheart, your mama and sister aren't goin' anywhere. Except the graveyard," Trudy June evilly smiled.

"I'll make you a deal," Addie began, crossing her arms over her chest, "You let my mother and sister go, and you get me. The only child of Will Mannon. I think that means something in Deep Ford," she didn't flinch as she made her shocking proposal.

"Adelaide Jane, you don't know what you're saying," Kitty warned, her eyes narrowing as she stepped in front of her brave girl, bouncing Maggie to keep her quiet.

"But I do," Addie looked into her mother's eyes. She whispered, "I'm my mother's daughter, too, ya know."

"WESTON!" Moose shouted from behind the well, "Let them go! Please, l swear on Mama's grave- the marshal will help you!"

Kitty gasped at the revelation that Moose and Weston were brothers.

"E-nough, Trudy June! That's 'nuff! We have t' let them go. There's no way out," Weston commanded, shaking his head back and forth.

"You want t' let them go?" Trudy June quietly asked, rapidly blinking her eyes.

"Hell, yeah," Weston removed his hat and wiped his brow, "Otherwise we don't get outta here alive."

"The baby can go," Trudy June pursed her lips, "You take her out, Addie, and then come right back. Otherwise, I'll shoot yer mama in the head. Got it, Miss Mannon?"

"Got it," Addie confirmed. She approached her mother, "It'll be okay, Mama."

Kitty didn't like this arrangement one bit, but she did want to get Maggie and Addie out of the shack. She kissed Maggie's cheek before placing her in her sister's arms. When the terrified mother hugged Addie, she whispered in her ear, "Don't come back. Please." But in her heart, Kitty knew that Addie would come back into the shack. The child's very being was created from a Russell and a Dillon. The girl's only choice was to be brave beyond measure.

When Addie stepped into the yard, the sun was still shining in the clear, summer sky.

"Addie!" Matt whispered from the side of the building.

She'd heard him, but didn't look in his direction. She walked directly toward Moose, knowing her daddy couldn't save her mother while holding her baby sister.

"Mr. Moose," Addie handed him her sister. She then slyly whispered, "Weston wants t' let us go. Mama should come out next." She quickly turned, appearing as if she'd never spoken a word.

"Ya done good, Addie," Trudy June complimented as the child reentered the shack.

"Now let my mother go," Addie firmly said. Her big blue eyes bore into Trudy June's small brown ones.

"And what if I don't?"

"Then the deal is off. No one in Deep Ford will ever know that ya found me. That you were smarter than all of them."

Weston marveled at the strength of this young girl. She was smart, brave and sassy. Kind of like his mother, Jane.

"Weston," Trudy June motioned for him to come closer, "you walk the tramp out. That way she won't try anythin' funny."

"Okay," he grabbed Kitty's elbow, "Ma'am?"

"I'm not leaving without my daughter!" Kitty yelled.

"Mama…it's okay. Don't you trust what my father would want?" Addie spoke in code, lifting her eyebrows.

Trudy June felt a tingle make its way up her spine when the child spoke of Will Mannon. We are gonna rule Deep Ford, little girl. And finally, I'll have Will Mannon's child with me.

Kitty closed her eyes and studied the floor. She was scared to leave her daughter with Trudy June, but she felt the need to trust her husband. Had Moose told Addie of a plan to free her?

"If you don't git right now, I'll shoot ya. No skin off my nose," Trudy June hissed.

As Kitty passed Addie, she reached out and squeezed the girl's hand. Addie squeezed back, giving the exhausted mother hope there was a plan.

Weston walked behind Kitty, guiding her toward Moose, when a shrill voice cut through the silence.

"Coward!" Trudy June shrieked as a shot rang out.

Pure mayhem ensued, with everyone screaming at once. Shouts of names, jangling of spurs, and cries of anguish all mixed together to compose a symphony of pure chaos.

"Kitty!" Matt shouted, running in her direction, gun still drawn.

"Daddy!" Addie cried as she saw Trudy June lifting her weapon, aiming it at her father.

"Weston!" Moose charged toward his brother, whose body had fallen over Kitty's. He continued to cling to a screaming Maggie, keeping his body as low to the ground as possible.

"Addie!" Kitty wailed as she lay trapped under the weight of Weston. Matt began to pull her out from under the dead man. He'd taken his eye off of Trudy June for just a second too long.

"Matthew!" Festus bellowed, trying to warn his friend.

Two more shots rang out and two more people lay on the ground, neither one moving.

"Addie!" Matt shouted, while Kitty twisted her body to see what had happened.

In front of the shack lay Trudy June, her eyes wide open in death. A bullet hole right between her eyes. Next to her, flat on her back was Addie, spread eagle and completely motionless.

Matt slid into place next to his child, frantically checking to see if she was alive.

"Dear God, NO!" Kitty ran to her daughter's side, tears clouding her vision, "Oh, Addie, please, Baby…" she sobbed, "Matt, do something, please! What's wrong?!"

"She's alive, Kitty," Matt reassured her, "She's alive…and I don't see any blood," He thoroughly searched the child for any injuries, "I think she fainted, Honey."

XXXXXXXX

Kitty sat with Addie's head in her lap, stroking the child's cheek. The brave little girl had yet to wake up.

"Addie, Sweetie, please wake up. Please…it's Mama."

Matt held Maggie in his arms as he walked around the property, making sure that Weston and Trudy June were working alone.

Festus had dragged Trudy June's corpse to one side of the shack. He stared down at her lifeless body and didn't feel a thing. He'd never killed a woman before. But a woman had never threatened his family in front of him before, either.

Moose sat next to his brother's body, not knowing what to do. He mumbled, "Ya just couldn't go straight. I'm sorry fer ya, Weston. At least in the end you tried t' do the right thing." He rose and hoisted his brother onto his shoulder, taking him to the opposite side of the shack. He didn't want to bury his brother anywhere near Trudy June.

"Moose, can you please come take Maggie from me? Sorry, but she's sopping wet. Kitty, I'm gonna get up onto my horse. Festus, you hand me Addie. I need t' get her home to Doc."

Kitty stared at her husband as if he were speaking a foreign language, "What?" she blinked, caressing Addie's face.

"I said I'm goin' t' take her home to Doc," Matt clarified, pulling Major over toward his wife and child.

"Not without ME you're not!" Kitty snapped, still sitting on the ground, staring up at Matt.

"Kitty, I have t' get going. Honey, we don't know what's-"

"Matthew," Festus interrupted, "I got me an idea. Let Miz Kitty take Ruth home with ya and she can hol' li'l Maggie as she rides. That a ways ya'll can stay t'gether."

"Yeah, Marshal," Moose chimed in, "Festus can ride my brother's horse back t' the ranch after we bury these two," he gestured toward the dead bodies.

Kitty's sad blue eyes met her husband's, "Matt?"

"Let's get going," Matt mounted his horse, "Festus, hand me my daughter."

TBC