Kiss of Death----10
Rosemary Clark watched as the rider raced towards her and waited for Manual to pull to a stop beside the front porch. She knew instinctively that something was wrong and was glad her husband was already sleeping.
"What's happened?"
"Senora Tate sent me to get you. Something has happened and she needs your help!"
"What's happened?"
"I do not know, but I found Senor Wilmington choking her and hit him with a bottle. She has him in her bed even now."
"Saddle my horse, Manual! I need to check on Joseph!"
"Si, Senora!"
Clark turned back to the house and hurried towards her husband's side. The sleeping draught she had given him with dinner would ensure that he slept through the night. She often slipped it to him when she did not want to feel his hands on her as he fumbled with making love. She quickly covered him with a blanket and hurried outside where Manual was waiting. She quickly mounted the big white mare and rode towards the Tate ranch.
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Angela looked up as the sound of hoof beats reached her ears. She looked at the still unconscious man and was struck by the innocence she found in his relaxed state. This man was hers and she would not allow anyone to interfere in the life she was meant to have. Reaching for her robe she stood away from the bed and moved to the window. She smiled as she recognized the white horse bathed in moonlight and knew her friend had arrived. She looked at Wilmington once more and hurried out to the porch to greet her friend.
"Oh, Rosie, thank you for coming so quickly."
"You know I'll always be here, Angela. What's going on?"
"Buck came back from town and said he didn't think we should get married and I was so angry I screamed at him!"
"Why did he try to choke you?"
"I was so angry at being used by him that I threatened Larabee and he knows I know where Chris is! What am I going to do?"
"You're going to do exactly what you planned and marry Wilmington!"
"He won't marry me now!"
"Of course he will," Rosemary declared, smiling as she took her friend's arm and walked back to the bedroom. "After all you have that ace in the hole!"
"Yes, I do, don't I?" The malicious grin spread over her face as she sat on the edge of her bed and gently tapped Wilmington's cheeks. She heard a soft groan and knew he was on the verge of waking and smiled as the blue eyes finally opened.
Buck felt the touch of a soft hand on his cheek and forced heavy eyelids to open. He smiled as he looked into the familiar face, but that smile died before it completely formed and anger exploded as he tried to get free of the ropes that held him fast to the bed.
"Lie still, Buck, you're not going anywhere just yet, but if you promise to behave I just might release you, although right now you look damn sexy and helpless!"
"I'll show you who's helpless, Bitch!" Wilmington spat as he continued to struggle against the bonds.
"Buck, I am going to say this once and after that Chris…"
"Where the hell is he?"
"Temper, temper, Buck," Clark said as she sat opposite her friend.
"Get these fucking things off me!"
"Not just yet!" Tate said as she ran her fingers down his chest and stopped at his navel. "Now, I have let you get away with that vulgarity twice, but from now on any transgression on your part will result in punishment for Chris Larabee. Now I know you don't want him hurt so I'm sure you'll be willing to cooperate in my plans for our happiness."
"You see, Buck, Angela and I are a team and right now we have something that you care about. Chris Larabee is a captive audience and you are the performer who can assure his survival, but you have to put on the performance of your life tomorrow when we bring the preacher out here! You and Angela will be married and live happily ever after and at the same time your friend will be treated according to your actions. As of right now you will not use that vulgar language and you will treat Angela with the respect she deserves."
"I'll kill you both for this!"
"Now, Buck, it's time you realized who is in control and set your mind to pleasing me instead of making me angry." Angela smiled as she leaned over the helpless man and pressed her lips to his.
"Don't fuckin' touch me!"
"Rosie!" Tate said sitting up as anger dominated her face.
"Yes, Angela?"
"When you go see Chris, break his arm!"
"No!"
"Certainly…"
"God no!"
"Any preference as to which one?"
"The left I think!"
"No! Sweet Jesus, Angela, don't do this!"
"I'm sorry, Buck, but I warned you and now Chris will pay the price."
"Angela, please, I'll do anything you say."
"I hope so, Buck, because Chris' life really does depend on you. Rosie, make sure Chris knows why his arm is being broken!"
"I will!"
"God damn it! Please, Angela, I promise I'll do whatever you say, just don't do this!"
"You should have thought of that before you used those words. Now be still and listen to everything I have to say because I'm sure you don't want to make the same mistake twice. Understood?"
"Y…yeah," Wilmington stammered as he looked from one woman to the other. Their matching smiles did little to soften the horror he felt and his heart skipped a beat as he realized there was nothing he could do except cooperate for now.
"Good, because I can promise you that Chris Larabee will not like the consequences if you so much as breathe the wrong way!" Angela warned.
"Angela, let him go," Wilmington tried, but knew by the malicious gleam in her eyes that he was speaking to someone he had never really known.
"Now, why would I do that?"
"Because I'm asking you to."
"Oh, Buck, I love it when you beg like that, but I'm afraid you'll have to prove how much you really love me before I give you any rewards."
Buck's stomach churned as he forced himself to remain calm in the face of the two women who seemed to hold all the cards. Taking a deep breath he felt some of the tension leave his body as he looked at the woman he had once thought he loved.
"I want to see him!"
"I don't think so!" Angela said with a grin.
"Then how do I know you're telling the truth and that Chris is even alive?"
"You take my word for it!"
"Your word does not mean much right now. I'll cooperate if and when I see that Chris is alive!"
"I could have Rosie bring you a finger…"
"No!" Wilmington shouted and fought against the tight ropes that bound him to her bed.
"Such anger, Angela, are you sure you want to take him to your bed."
"Oh my, yes, Rosie, I certainly do. Buck was always wonderful in bed and I crave the feel of his hands on my body." She touched his cheek and smiled at the look of disgust on his face.
"Angela, I'm telling you right now that I won't cooperate until I see Chris. I'll fight you every step of the way and when the preacher gets here I'll tell him and anyone who'll listen what you're doing!"
"I said no…"
"Angela, perhaps it would be best if we take him to see his friend."
"We can't let him see where we're holding him!" Tate spat.
"We won't have to. I've given you several sleeping draughts and we could give him one before we leave and another on the return journey. That way he can see that is friend is still alive, but he will not know where he is!"
"Will you take the sleeping draught, Buck?"
"Anything, Angela, but I need to talk to him."
"I don't know if he'll be up to talking," Clark said.
"What the hell does that mean?" Wilmington spat in anger.
"It seems that your friend had an argument with a bullet or two, but I assure you I've taken care of the wounds and even given him something to help with the pain, although I'm sure today will be even worse on him than the extraction of two bullets," Clark said as she turned to her friend. "It was the right arm?"
"No, the left," Angela said and watched Wilmington's face for the reaction she wanted and knew she had his undivided attention. "I will have Carmon mix the sleeping draught and tell Manual to get the buckboard ready. You rest easy, Buck, and I'll be back in a few minutes."
Wilmington watched the two women leave and tugged on the ropes, but they were too tight and he was finding it hard to concentrate. He now understood the meaning of the fine line between love and hate, and wanted to use that line to strangle Angela Tate and Rosemary Clark. Closing his eyes he thought about Chris Larabee and his own part in his long time friend's misery.
'God, Chris, I'm sorry,' he thought and waited for the two women to return.
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"I'm not so sure this is a good idea, Rosie," Angela said as they walked into the kitchen and she told Carmon what she wanted.
"You'll never keep him in line unless he sees that Chris is his own hostage to fortune, Angela. You need to make him realize that you truly do have the upper hand and that Larabee's life depends on his behavior. It will also work in your favor to have him witness the breaking of his friend's arm and I think that's what will ensure his cooperation."
"Buck does care about Chris."
"Exactly, and he'll be willing to do anything to keep us from hurting Larabee further, but we won't be able to keep this up very long."
"What do you mean?"
"I think Joseph is starting to come apart. I'm not sure how much longer I can control him."
"What will you do?"
"Get rid of him, but it will also mean I'll have to leave Midfield."
"You can't leave me!"
"I won't have a choice, and neither will you. I think it would be best if we left before Rawlings becomes suspicious."
"Damn it! How can everything have gone so wrong so fast?"
"It happens, Angela, remember St. Louis?"
"But I love him, Rosie."
"I know you, do and I wish there was some other way, but you have to face the fact that sooner or later Chris Larabee and Buck Wilmington will have to die."
"When?"
"I think we'll be safe for a couple of weeks. You do have money tucked away?"
"Yes, of course."
"Good, because when we get ready to leave we'll have to move fast."
Angela knew her friend was right, but she wanted Buck Wilmington and she would have him, even if it were only for a few weeks. He would be hers to do with as she wished and Chris Larabee would be damned because he would suffer for anything that displeased her.
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"JD, did you send that telegram?"
"Just sent it, Vin. Mrs. Potter said she'd let us know as soon as she got an answer back."
"Good. I'm gonna go check on Chris' place and maybe patrol the area, but I'll be back by nightfall. Any problems just…ah hell, Kid, ya know what ta do as well's the rest of us. I'll see ya later."
"Sure, Vin, watch your back!" Dunne warned and walked towards the livery with the soft-spoken Texan.
'That's Chris' job,' Tanner thought as he mounted Peso and headed out of town. Since Buck and Chris had ridden out of Four Corners, Vin's hackles had been on edge and right now something was eating at him. He couldn't place why he felt something was wrong, but had never been one to ignore his instincts. If there was no word from the two men when he returned he would head for Midfield at first light.
TBC