Please see Chapter 1 for Warnings and Disclaimers
A/N: I apologize for the VERY short chapter but I did want to update sooner than later.
Chapter 13
"Gone? He can't be gone! There must be some mistake," a frantically alarmed Ms. Weatherby exclaimed when confronted by Chris, Ezra, and Judge Travis in the lobby of the hotel.
"There is no mistake, Madame, and any attempt to cover for him will be met with my extreme displeasure," Judge Travis responded sternly.
"No, he would not have left without me. We – we – well, we are betrothed. Percival would never leave me behind," the spinster insisted with a quiver in her voice and rather wild look in her eye.
"What did he really want with the twins?" Chris demanded.
"Well, it is as he said," the pinch faced woman stammered, unnerved by the gunman's grim tone. "They stole from him, and his employer. Given our association, his and mine, he was concerned that he would be blamed and lose his position. That is no way to start a marriage."
"Ms. Weatherby, where exactly did you meet your betrothed?" Ezra asked pointedly.
"In Marisville, South and east of Canyon City. He was traveling to meet with Mr. Willis prior to his departure for Europe. You see he normally oversaw Mr. Willis's household affairs in Charleston, but Mr. Willis wanted him to come put things to right at the ranch outside Canyon City. Mr. Willis had plans to winter on the ranch, you see." It was obvious the woman felt rather important, knowing personal details concerning such a wealthy and influential man as Mr. Willis. "Percival was so kind and offered selflessly to travel with myself and the children, even though it slowed his progress. He is a generous, upstanding man I assure you."
"And when was this that you met him?" Ezra persisted in is questioning.
"Well, I know it might sound unseemly, such a brief courtship, but we knew just shortly after meeting one another that we were destined to be together," the woman prevaricated nervously before offering her answer. "We met one month prior to reaching Canyon City."
The three men shared a look before the Judge took over the interrogation. "Did you ever meet Mr. Willis?"
"No, I did not have the pleasure. He left the day the children and myself arrived in town. Percival actually had to ride ahead a few days prior while I met with a church group that wanted to interview the few remaining orphans. Obviously it was important for him to confer with Mr. Willis prior to his leaving for Europe."
"Of course," the Judge replied dryly.
M7***M7***M7***M7***M7
"Well, it shore was an almighty mess ta come home to, but I can't rightly complain," Yosemite said, his smile barely visible between his bushy mustache and beard. "Pert nigh every young'un in the whole town come 'round this mornin' ta help clean up an' not a one of 'em was anxious ta sit down on the job," the burly blacksmith and stable master explained with a chuckle. "An' I got me stable hands lined up fer the next month or more."
Chris grinned at the large man, satisfied that adequate reparation had been made and that a number of young people had learned a valuable lesson. After the interview with Ms. Weatherby, even Ezra was convinced that the woman was genuine in her distress at finding her fiancé had left town, and despite being a most unpleasant individual, was probably not involved in Atwood's scheme, whatever it was. Since the Judge was still consulting with Ezra on the matter, Chris had come to collect the twins for lunch.
"Them two must be out back," Yosemite assured Chris.
The gunman headed around the back of the livery to find Billy and Levi dumping a wheelbarrow full of straw and manure.
"Where are Ethan and Eliza?" Chris demanded brusquely.
"Ethan went to return something to Josiah, over at the church," Levi offered. Normally he would have jumped at the chance to take the tool over to the former preacher, but he had not wanted to give Josiah the idea that he was shirking his share of the work. The boy decided he never wanted another encounter with the big peacekeeper's very hard, work worn hand.
"And Eliza?"
"Ah, she, ah went to the outhouse," Billy offered not meeting Chris in the eye.
"And how long ago was that?" Chris asked.
"Guess it's been awhile now," Billy hedged not wanting to get his friend in trouble. In all honesty it had probably been more than thirty minutes.
Understanding Billy's reluctance, Chris took pity on the boy and did not interrogate him further. It was obvious the Standish twins had found a means to avoid at least part of the onerous tasks this morning. Having heard about the thwarted fishing trip, Chris was not overly surprised, though it was more something he would expect of Eliza, not necessarily Ethan.
With a low growl, Chris stormed towards the church, but found no one there. He then checked the outhouse and the rest of the surrounding area before deciding to enlist the help of the others. The Standish twins had disappeared once again.
M7***M7***M7***M7***M7
Eliza couldn't quite open her heavy lids or form a coherent thought. She was moving, but not walking. Up and down. It was bumpy and her head was hanging down. That was strange. She inhaled deeply, trying to clear her head. The smell of horse sweat and leather was strong. Eliza attempted to swallow, but her mouth was so dry, the feat was nearly impossible.
"Girl's wakin' up," she heard a raspy deep voice say from above her.
She tried to remain still and get her bearings, realizing that her hands were bound and that given her position she must be slung across a horse.
"Eliza?" She heard Ethan call, his voice full of concern.
"You stay quiet and still if you don't want any harm to come to your sister," a familiar thin nasal tenor snapped.
Eliza's stomach clenched and her heart felt as if it might beat right out of her chest. Percival Atwood. Somehow he had gotten them and they were riding at a good clip, undoubtedly away from Four Corners. She wondered how far they were already.
The sudden fear gave her a burst of energy and Eliza raked her eyelids open, starting to kick and thrash with all of her might. "Hey now, settle yerself down, girlie," the raspy voice insisted, grabbing a hold of the struggling child while bringing his mount to a stop.
"It's okay, Rob," Atwood said bringing his horse up alongside the other man. "I want to talk to them now that she's awake."
Eliza was yanked roughly from the horse and allowed to fall to the ground, bringing a pained yelp from the girl.
"Hey!" Ethan yelled only to feel the back of Atwood's hand across his face.
"She'll be getting far worse than that if the two of you don't answer my questions quickly and honestly. Where did you sell that timepiece?"
"I already tol' ya - a town," Ethan replied, holding a hand against his reddened cheek. "A little town 'tween here and Canyon City."
"The name," Atwood ground out, pulling Eliza roughly to her feet and putting a knife against her cheek.
"I, I don't remember," Ethan answered frantically.
"Well, you better start or your pretty little sister isn't going to be quite so pretty anymore."
"Hilart," Eliza whispered. "It was called Hilart."
"You said there were numbers scratched inside the case. Do you remember what they were?"
The twins shared a look and came to a silent agreement.
"Yeah," Ethan replied. "Ten dash thirty-two dash seventy-five."
Atwood dropped the knife away from Eliza's cheek and there was no denying the delight in his beady eyes. "That had better be the truth, boy, or your sister will be getting more than a simple little cut on the face."
"I told you what you wanted, now let us go," Ethan demanded.
The nasal laugh sent chills down the children's spines. "Oh, I don't think so. You see I don't trust the two of you one bit."
"They'll come looking for us," Eliza warned.
"Perhaps, but how hard will they really look? They will think you have run off again and despite his theatrical display in front of the judge you must know your father doesn't really want you. If he had wanted you, he would have claimed you immediately. He will be pleased to be rid of you, just like everyone else," the slender man said maliciously.
"We'll slow you down," Eliza spat out, more of a threat than an observation. His words had hit a nerve and she had to wonder if the weasel faced man might not be right.
Atwood grabbed her chin, squeezing painfully, "Oh no my little brattling, you will not, because if you cause any trouble at all, I will cut off your brother's finger." The slight balding man cast a malevolent look toward Ethan who had stepped forward to protect his sister, "And vice versa should you cause any trouble. Do you want a demonstration?" He grabbed Eliza's hand and held the nasty looking hunting knife next to her pinky, allowing it to sink into the girl's flesh. Tears fell unbidden from her green eyes and a soft whimper escaped her lips.
"No," Ethan said going white as a sheet and taking a step back. "We'll behave."
"You had better." He turned to his companion. "Orion has the safe at Willow Creek. That's only a two days ride. We'll go try the combination, and for the children's sake I certainly hope it works," he said offering a glare to the two strawberry blonds.
"So that's what this is all about? A safe?"
"Indeed. As it is a small one, and some of the contents are delicate, blowing it open is not an option. I haven't been able to find a decent cracksman."
"Ya actually took a whole safe?" Ethan asked in wonder.
"And left a perfect replica in its stead. The two of you would have been excellent scapegoats had you not stolen my only means of opening the safe."
"So that's why ya didn't want to involve the local Sherriff - worried he might catch on ta yer rippin' off yer boss," Ethan said with a shake of his head.
"Something like that," the man replied with a derisive smirk. "I don't think you really need all of the details. It's time for us to be moving. Undoubtedly, your champions will make at least a half-hearted effort to look for you. I dare say they won't be looking for the tracks of horses carrying two particularly large men, however." Atwood's self-satisfied grin left both twins with a sick feeling in the pit of their bellies. He was right. Even if the peacekeepers did come across the tracks, it was unlikely that they would consider that either the children or Atwood was responsible for making them, as they were all too slight.
Feeling the children had been adequately cowed by his threats, Atwood untied Eliza prior to her being placed back in front of the man he had referred to as Rob. Luckily, this allowed the girl to slip something from her pocket and drop it circumspectly on the ground before they departed. Ezra had given her the handkerchief yesterday to dry her tears and she had slipped the monogrammed cloth into her pocket this morning on a whim.
TBC..