Chapter 11

After leaving the hotel, Boggs retrieved the wagon he had brought along from the stables. He preferred riding, but knowing that he'd be travelling with Louise, he had thought that the best option would be to use a carriage. Since the moment they stepped out of the hotel, the girl hadn't said a word, which Boggs was pleased about. Nothing annoyed him more than a chatty woman. His own wife had been one on the quiet side, but now he thought ruefully that maybe if she had been more open and talkative, he'd have foreseen her intentions to snatch his children away from him.

Boggs had been livid when he had found the four of them gone. Had he managed to discover her whereabouts, he would have killed Mary Louise with his bare hands without any remorse. His children, especially the boy, were something nobody had any right to play with, not even their own mother. Thinking of his late wife made Boggs red with anger; she had made a fool of him sneaking away like she did. She had been his lawful wife, one who had pledged to obey him, but instead she had bitten the hand feeding her like a low-life weasel! Boggs had almost danced the day he found out she was dead. It served her right for going against him, he had thought with a self-contented grin.

After discovering that his family was gone, Boggs had tried to find them. Yet, luck hadn't been on his side back then, and a few weeks later he had been arrested and sent to prison for seven long years. He had always been able to slip away from justice but this time he had let his guard down and all because of this matter with Mary Louise. During all this time behind bars he had been carefully planning the best way to get revenge on those who had talked against him on the trial. They deserved to pay a high price for putting him through this ordeal, so as soon as he was released, he had seen to this matter.

After that, he had focused all his efforts in rebuilding his business and after a few years he was back on the trail. Now he was a wealthy and distinguished man who had made himself a big name in gunrunning. Boggs had practically built a town around his headquarters and home. There were men who were paid big money to protect him and at the same time he offered them a place to escape from the law. There was nothing lacking in his life, except his children, especially his son, who one day would inherit everything he had now. So Boggs had spared no efforts or expense to look for his offspring. It hadn't been very difficult to locate the younger ones. The private detective whose service he had hired had started making his inquiries and as soon as Mary Louise's death was known, he had started searching the orphanages of the area. It was the most logical place to look into since his three children had been living like orphans all this time.

Soon the detective had got news for him and informed Boggs of the exact location where his children were and how their names had been changed to McCloud. This new piece of information brought about another reason in his list to hate the guts of Mary Louise. Boggs hadn't lost any time and went to pick up what rightly belonged to him at that run-down orphanage. The nun he had talked to had tried to prevent him from getting his own family, insisting that those children's father was dead. Boggs wasn't a man known for his patience and had used his persuasive "arguments" on the woman and fearing for the safety of the other children, the nun had sent for Jeremiah and Theresa straightaway. The man had expected to finally get back his three children, but to his consternation, Louise wasn't with her younger siblings. The sister simply said that the girl had run away a few years ago, and they hadn't heard from her again. Boggs was sure that the woman in the black habit wasn't telling the whole truth but he decided to let it go this time. Now he had two of his children back, and he was sure that he'd find out where his eldest was eventually.

The gunrunner hadn't been wrong in his assumptions. As soon as the children were before him, and he told them that he was their father, they had reacted with evident surprise. Yet, after that initial reaction, Jeremiah was obviously pleased with the unexpected news. The girl simply stared at him warily, without saying much, but the boy was almost ecstatic. Louise had always told them that their pa had died a long time ago, but obviously she and the nuns had lied to him. Jeremiah excitedly talked to his newly-found father and asked him all kinds of questions. Boggs had to shush him on more than one occasion, displeased at the talkative nature of the boy, but at least in one of his comments he mentioned Louise. The man tactfully asked him if he knew where his eldest sister was and Jeremiah had told him without hesitation. So Boggs had left the two children in a hotel room in St. Jo with a lady he had employed for their care and Jerry, one of his best men.

The man turned his eyes to Louise, who sat very straight on the wagon seat by his side; her eyes fixedly looking ahead and her face empty of all expression. Boggs had no doubt that she would be difficult to tame. Being the eldest, Louise had surely been influenced by her mother's opinion, but he just didn't care what it took him, he'd make sure that she behaved like a dutiful and obedient daughter to him at all costs. He wouldn't have any more of her insolence and scornful airs, and he'd rather have her dead than have her own flesh and blood bring disgrace over him. Louise was simply a girl, as useful to him as dirty water, but she was his after all. Mary Louise should have given him more sons instead of so many girls, but there was nothing he could do to change the course of nature. He already had big plans for the girl and would make sure that nothing would stop him from getting what he had in mind.

"We'll make camp here for the night," Boggs announced as he pulled the wagon to a stop in a small clearing.

Lou didn't try to reply and simply jumped off the carriage. With her arms folded, the girl stood watching Boggs intently. He unhitched the horse and tied it to a tree. After that he started picking up a few fallen boughs and made a fire.

"Don't stand there like an idiot," he barked and as she didn't move an inch, he crossed to her and gave her a strong push, which made her fall onto the ground. Louise didn't complain or utter a single sound; she just simply repositioned her body and sat near the fire but as far away from her father as possible. The man reached to grab some saddle bags and taking out another gun from inside and placing it into his jacket pocket, he hurled the bag to Louise.

"Make yourself useful," he said in a loud voice, "and fix us something for dinner. You'll find some provisions there. I didn't bring you along to have you lazing around."

Lou silently glared at him, and after a few seconds she reluctantly started to put together something to eat. When it was ready, she handed Boggs a plate but she didn't eat. After the unexpected appearance of her dreaded father, she had lost her appetite. All she wanted to do was get Jeremiah and Theresa from wherever he had taken them and make an escape out of his life for good. She wouldn't have this man rule their lives in the same way he had made her mother's a misery. He wasn't her father, or at least she didn't feel he was. Her mother had decided that he wasn't good for them, and Louise would rather die than let him go against her mother's will.

Lou had been very young when her ma had decided to save her offspring from his control, but she remembered her mother's tears and shouts when he used to beat her. She received some of his "kindness" herself, and whenever she saw him, Louise felt terrified of him. Those memories were imprinted on her mind and would never leave her. She could even feel the fear with which her mother had lived, and Lou swore to herself that she wouldn't have a repeat of her childhood. She wasn't a young child any more, but a woman and he wouldn't scare her easily. All she needed to do was to find out where her siblings were and come up with a plan to get them.

Boggs was munching some of the tasteless stew Louise had prepared when she asked, "Where are my siblings?"

The man looked up at her, surprised that she was talking after the silent treatment she had bestowed upon him. "Don't fret. You'll see them in due time."

"Where are they?" she repeated, a subtle threatening tone in her voice.

For some strange reason, instead of ignoring her question, he simply said, "In St. Joseph."

"Whereabouts in St. Joseph?" Lou insisted.

"Stop the damned questioning and keep quiet, girl," Boggs barked, annoyed at her inquisitiveness.

Louise wasn't one to be easily shushed and continued regardless. "What do you want from us?" she asked again.

Boggs peered at her for a few silent seconds and noticing the resolution in her eyes he knew that she wouldn't be happy till he satisfied her curiosity. "You are my children."

His answer refueled her irritation as she realized that he was implying that the fact he had fathered them was enough reason for him to pop out suddenly and disturb their lives again. "You never cared about us before, why now?" Her tone was calmed despite the anger boiling within her.

"I always cared, but your mother…"

"Don't you dare to talk about my mother!" Lou talked loudly, her eyes glowing as if they were on fire.

Boggs stared impassively at her for a few seconds in silence and rising to his feet slowly, he dawdled towards her and slapped her hard across the face once again. He dropped onto his knees by her side and grabbing her hair and arm roughly, he forced her to meet his angry eyes. "Listen to me, girl! I won't have you talk to me like that. Your mother snatched you all from me, but now I'm back for good whether you like it or not."

Lou tried to break free but his grip on her hair was too strong, and all she managed to do was to hurt herself more. "I ain't gonna stay with you. You ain't my father."

This time Boggs did not even hesitate to use all his strength against his daughter and threw a direct punch against her already sore face. Louise felt her nose creak painfully and blood streak down her right cheek. "You're gonna learn by fair means or foul. I'll teach you to treat me … your father … with due respect."

Feeling like an animal that had fallen into a deadly trap, Louise fought to get free with all her strength, but Boggs secured his grip on her as he continued talking. "That uprooted and indecent life you've led so far has come to an end, you got that? I've already selected the man I'm going to marry you off to."

"I'd rather kill myself than marry one of your thugs!" Lou barked loudly, not believing what he had in store for her. She needed to get the hell out of here and his presence. She could only imagine what would happen to her if she didn't try to break free. This whole thing was simply insane. She hadn't heard or seen anything of her father for ten long years, and now he appeared out of the blue with the intention of turning her life inside out.

At her words Boggs wrapped his hand round her neck and started squeezing it hard. Louise writhed in his hold as the pressure in her neck made her almost choke. She panicked as the idea that he was trying to kill her crept into her mind. Feeling there was no way out, her body reacted in panic, and suddenly she spat in his face. Instantly Boggs loosened his grip around her neck as he brought his hand to his face in sheer disgust. As soon as her neck was free from his hold, Lou felt an immense sensation of relief and began coughing as the thin air going through her throat felt like balls of fire. The feeling of liberation didn't last long as Boggs was over her once again.

"You dirty bitch!" he shouted as he began delivering blow after blow on Lou's face and body. She couldn't react or even struggled as his punches were leaving her without a pinch of strength, and on the verge of unconsciousness. Suddenly, the silence of the place was broken by a very angry voice, which definitely didn't belong to Boggs.

"Take your hands off her!" Those words were followed by the click of a gun being cocked. Boggs turned to the sound of the voice and saw a young man appear from among the trees, his gun aimed at him.

"Who the hell are you?" Boggs barked loudly, annoyed at the interruption.

"Nobody of your concern," Kid replied, walking towards them purposefully, his stretched hand holding the gun continually pointing at the man. "Leave the girl alone!" He had been following Lou and the stranger, tying to keep a low profile. At some point he had lost track of them, and when he had finally found them again, the scene meeting him had made him boil with uncontrollable fury. The man was beating Louise to a pulp, and this time Kid didn't hesitate in barging against the beast who was abusing Lou so cruelly.

In her foggy mind after the blows she had received, Lou lay on the ground and thought that she had heard somebody talking in a tone and voice which reminded her of Kid very much. She knew that was not possible as the young man was surely in Rock Creek. With considerable effort she managed to move her head to one side and opening her eyes just a crack, she saw Kid aiming his gun at her father. Her first thought was that the injuries on her head were making her see things.

"This is a private matter," Boggs replied unkindly and in a flash he took hold of his gun. "Get the hell out of here!"

Kid stood his ground and noticing movement where Lou lay, he saw her open her eyes and look at him with a confused expression. Without lowering his gun or shifting his attention from the man, he asked, "Lou, are you all right?"

Hearing his voice calling her, Louise knew that her eyes weren't playing tricks on her. Kid was the only one who used that name for her and in a whisper she let out, "Kid?"

"Yes, it's me," he said softly and directing his gaze back to the man purposefully, he added, "I'm gonna take you out of here."

Boggs snickered and replied with sheer sarcasm, "What a tender scene!" He shook his head gravelly and added unkindly, "Sonny, if you value your life, heed me and go to hell."

Kid plodded to him in three strides and in a flash Boggs took hold of Lou's limp body and placing her in front of him, he jammed his gun into her temple menacingly. "Move one more inch and I'll kill her."

The rider stopped short and cursed himself for putting Lou in more danger than she was already in. Now that he could see her face clearly, he grimaced on noticing the state that beast of a man had left her. "And now drop your gun easy and nice," Boggs continued and at Kid's hesitation the older man pulled the gun harder, implying that he wouldn't hesitate to pull the trigger.

Kid glared at the man, who was sneering venomously, and finally lowered his gun. In a matter of seconds his eyes shifted from Boggs to his own hand, debating with himself whether to let go of the gun, and in that tiny lapse the lanky man hurried to aim his gun at the young man, ready to shoot.

"Kid!" Lou shouted at the top of her voice and in a couple of seconds shots resounded in the stillness of the night. Lou felt her body slump down as the hands restraining her loosened their grip on her. In the fall she bumped her head against the ground and instantly the sound of pattering feet reached her ears and she noticed a body hovering closely over her. Her eyes were closed and she didn't dare to open them, fearing what she might find.

"Lou, are you all right?" Kid's worried voice sounded, which filled her with great relief. She opened her eyes and found the boy looking down at her with great concern. "Are you all right?" he repeated.

Louise simply nodded, and with a weak voice she managed to ask, "Him?"

"I think he's dead," Kid replied.

His words left her with a myriad of feelings battling in her insides. She couldn't say she was sorry for Boggs's death. Her father had died the day her mother took them out of the hell the man had forced them to live. Then his terrifying appearance just today had made her see his death as a liberation. The sensation of relief permeating through her, though, made her feel somehow glum at the same time. She had never felt happy for anybody's death, but somehow the feelings she was having right now were too close to gladness, gladness for the death of her own father, the man who had given her life. Was she such a cruel and insensitive person? Maybe there was something from her father's nature in her and she was actually not a good person, but somebody capable of cruelty and hard-heartiness.

"Lou?" Kid called her, snapping her out of her reverie.

"Please, help me up," she muttered and taking her hand Kid was able to put her back on her feet carefully. She was a bit dizzy and shaken, and the rider made her sit on a fallen log straightaway. A few meters ahead of them she could see Boggs's inert body lying on the ground, and she had to lower her eyes, unable to endure the image.

"How are you feeling?" Kid asked by her side, still unconvinced that she was all right. Her face was all bruised and bloody and she didn't look well at all.

"I'm fine," she whispered without lifting her eyes to him.

Kid decided not to insist on the matter and asked instead, "Who was that man, Lou?"

This time Louise turned her gaze to him and blurted out, "He was my father."

His reaction to her words was instant as shock, remorse and shame registered clearly in his face. "Oh… Lou… I'm sorry… I didn't know … I…," Kid stuttered clumsily, unable to say one single logical phrase.

Louise grabbed his hand to stop his incoherent flow of words and said, "It's all right, Kid. You got no election. He could have killed you. I'm sure he would've." Her words didn't bring any comfort to his troubled mind. He had killed Lou's father, and although he knew he couldn't have done anything else to prevent this outcome, Kid couldn't help but feel totally aghast. "Don't blame yourself, please," Lou insisted in a weak voice, guessing what direction his thoughts were going. "You did what you had to do." The Southerner nodded imperceptibly and the pair stayed in silence for a few minutes. It was Louise who spoke again after that lapse. "Kid?" she called hesitantly.

"Yes, Lou?" he replied, turning his gaze to her and noticed that her eyes were downcast.

"Could you do me a favor?" Louise asked, still not daring to look up.

"Sure. Just name it," Kid retorted promptly.

Lou squirmed in her seat and folded her arms over her chest protectively. "Could you…" she started awkwardly, "could you… take care of him?" After finally letting out the question, she dared to meet his eyes and knew that he wasn't simply being polite. He was genuinely willing to comply with her unpleasant request. Kid nodded and without hesitation got ready to do just as she asked him to do. He was about to turn away when he stopped short as she called his name. Without uttering a single word Kid stared at her quizzically and Louise simply said, with a small smile, "Thank you."