Trip to Murder 26
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Matt and Sean said little as they made through the streets of St. Louis. Timothy had managed to secure two horses for the men as well as help them sneak back out of the police station. They were now on their way to Frank Peats house. It was time things were settled.
Resting his hand on his handgun as he rode, Matt thought about what they were planning to do. Though certainly no stranger to violence and violent methods of obtaining justice, he was still uncomfortable with this particular idea. Still, there seemed to be no other option. He just hoped it worked.
It wasn't until they finally cleared the lights of the city and were in a much less densely populated area that Matt finally relaxed a little. This was more to his liking, even if it was dark, a fact that did not escape his notice. Since their second night there, it seemed he and Kitty had seen little of the city in the daytime. He planned for tonight to be the last of that.
They had ridden quite a distance, when Sean finally reined in and pointed to a large gate just down the road. "That's the Peat estate." He said. "Most likely Frank knows we're loose and probably suspects we'll come after him. He'll most likely have a lot guards surrounding the place."
Matt nodded, his jaw jutted out. "That's alright. I don't care how many guards he has. It won't help him any. If I have to kill every last one of them, I will get to him and he will tell me what I need to know."
"Let's hope it doesn't get to that." Sean stated with a touch of amusement in his voice. "After this is over, I don't want to have to arrest you for murder."
Matt eyed him disdainfully. "How do we get in there?" He nodded towards the property surrounded in front by a high fence.
"Follow me." Sean said, as he turned his horse from the road.
"I will as long as you lead me where I want to go." Matt answered following along.
Sean led them down into a gully which crossed onto the Peat estate, skirting the fences. Neither man spoke as they rode. Being of one purpose and one goal, words weren't necessary. It was now time for action.
Silently, the two men rode as close as they dared to the main part of the estate and the huge mansion that sat on it. Tying their horses in some brush, they quickly headed closer on foot.
Sean had been to the Peat estate exactly one time in his life and that had been as a boy, following along behind his father. He hadn't stepped foot out there since. But though it had been years, he still knew exactly how it was laid out. It had made that big of an impression that he hadn't been able to forget.
Matt knew nothing about the place, but despite his earlier mistrust of Flannery, he believed the young man knew what he was doing in this instance and would be able to get them into the large three story house without being shot or having to shoot anyone.
Quietly as possible, they crept closer and closer to the house until they could go no further without being seen in the bright moonlight that bathed the yard in its eerie glow. Crouching behind a wagon, left sitting in the yard, they watched for several minutes. The house was formidable complete with two guards on each side of the house as well as front and back.
The two guards, on this side of the house, ceaselessly crossed and re-crossed a path from the front to the back of the mansion. Neither one spoke and they barely acknowledged each other as they passed in their trek from front to back.
At first it looked as though Matt and Sean would have to tackle the guards all at once, a task made difficult by the light and the fact that two other guards were within hearing distance in both the front and the back of the house. But then Matt noticed a blind spot.
Just after each man passed the other, about mid way, they also passed a large, dense clump of bushes. With the house being so long, the men up front and in the rear of the house would not be able to see anything happening in the middle of the side yard. Matt elbowed Sean and pointed out the small opportunity Peat's landscaping would afford them.
Sean understood and readily nodded his assent. Waiting until the two guards had nearly reached the end of their path before turning, Matt and Sean sprang from their hiding spot and sprinted across to the clump of bushes, ducking down just in time to prevent themselves from being spotted.
With almost military precision the two guards reached the end of their path and turned back, retracing their steps. Just as they reached the midpoint, close to the bushes, Matt and Sean sprang from their hiding spots, grabbing the two men from behind and dragging them down into the shadows. Two well placed punches and those two guards were no longer a problem.
With merely a nod between them, Matt and Sean pressed themselves against the side of the house and crept down towards the back. Sean watched the guards for a moment then looked back over at Matt. Taking a deep breath, he stood and marched his 6'2" frame out into the open and away from the house.
"Hold it!" One of the guards called. "Who are you? How'd you get back here?"
Sean walked a few steps further, making sure to draw the guards well away from the house, before turning and facing them. "Uh… hello." Sean gave them his best smile. "I think I got lost and I was wondering if you give me instructions out to the road."
"Huh?" One of the guards started forward, gun raised and pointed as his partner aimed his own firearm. "Mister, you got just two seconds…"
Suddenly Matt sprang up behind the two men. Grabbing the nearest one by the arm, he spun him around and backhanded him into oblivion. The other one heard the sound of flesh against flesh and turned just into time to meet Matt's fist head on. He crumpled silently to the ground beside his partner. "Only took two seconds." Matt said as he bent and grabbed one of the men by his legs and hauled him backwards and away from the house.
Grinning in amazement, Sean did likewise with the remaining guard, dumping him beside his co-worker. Quickly, Matt and Sean ran back to the house. Once there, Sean pointed out a low window near the middle, to the left of the centrally located door. With a minimum of effort, Sean raised the window high enough for he and Matt to slip through, quietly closing it once they were inside.
When their eyes adjusted to the dim light, Sean nodded to a door on the opposite wall. Matt raised a hand and gestured for him to go first. Swiftly the two exited the room into a long dark hallway which, when followed, led to a staircase. Taking the stairs as quickly and quietly as they could, both men paused once they reached the next floor.
"His bedroom is the one at the end." Sean whispered.
Matt looked down the hall and saw light spilling out from under the door. "Think he'd mine visitors?" He asked.
"One way to find out." Sean answered. "Let's go visit."
TBC