Chapter 43

"Oh damn!" Kid exclaimed coarsely as the milk boiled over, flowing all over the iron surface of the stove. His first instinct was to get hold of the pan, his hands getting scalded in the process. He let out another curse, and brought his burned fingers into his mouth to somehow soothe the painful sensation pulsating in his sensitive skin.

"Men and cooking… never a safe combination," Ari remarked teasingly as she walked into the kitchen.

Kid had to chuckle at the comment and his own clumsiness while Ari removed the pan from the stove and carefully started wiping away the spilled milk. "I wanted to take Lou some hot milk. She'll probably wake up soon."

"Louise seems much better," Ari said as she rinsed the milk-soaking cloth. "Maybe she's on her way to recovery… you know, doctors often make mistakes."

Kid nodded slowly, and the words left his lips before he was even aware what he was saying. "Lou ain't gonna die. Nobody's gonna hurt her."

Ari stopped her motions and cast a confused look at the young man. "What do you mean by that, boy?"

Kid realized he had talked too much, but he did not regret it. Actually, he was dying to tell Ari the good news. She had been the shoulder to cry on for years, and he didn't feel right hiding this.

"Kid?" Ari urged him when he kept quiet and deep in thought.

The Southerner strode to the door and closed it to avoid the conversation being overheard even though there was nobody else in the house apart from Lou. Kid returned to Ari's side, who was perplexed by the young man's mysterious ways. "Lou's never had cancer."

"Then I'm right, and the doctor made a mistake."

Kid nodded. "Unfortunately, Dr. Hill failed to find out what was making my wife so sick. Poison."

"Poison?" Ari echoed in obvious shock and disbelief.

"Somebody's tried to kill Lou, Ari. The tea she usually took was laced with a very poisonous plant. The doctor here in Rock Creek discovered the real cause of her declining health, and it seems his treatment is really helping my wife. You saw her this morning… awake at last."

"But, Kid, who would want to harm Louise? And why?"

"I ain't sure. Her assistant in the store supplied the herbal tea that she claimed helped her soothe her stomachaches. He was quite upset and outraged when he found out she was married to me. You see, apparently he thought of her as something more than his boss. I don't know if that's enough reason for anybody to wish somebody dead. Jimmy and Cody rode out yesterday to find this man and prove what we suspect."

"Poor Louise. It's unbelievable."

Kid nodded. "For some reason Teaspoon wants to keep hush-hush about this. Only my former fellow riders and I know about it. That's why we kept this from you. Rachel and Theresa don't know either."

"And Theresa's man?"

Kid shook his head. "He's in the dark too, but to be honest, I feel better that way. He's behaved like a pig lately… as if my wife belonged to him, and I don't like his attitude… or him for the matter."

"He's sure an enigmatic gentleman," Ari mused. "And I can't shake off the feeling I've seen him before, but he denies it."

"You mean in Fort Kearney?"

"He claims he's never been there, and you know I never go anywhere else. I wish I could remember. It's silly, but when an idea gets into my head, I can't rest until I haven't solved the puzzle. It drives me crazy." Ari giggled, and added, "In any case, I guess it's not important, but somehow he looked troubled when I told him."

Kid's interest perked up instantly, and an idea crept into his mind. "I just hope for Tessie's sake that what he's hiding ain't a woman on the side. I can't think why else he would deny you seeing him before. Maybe he was where he shouldn't."

"Who knows, Kid? If I could remember, I could tell you."

Kid shook his head as he poured some new fresh milk into a clean pot, and placed it on the stove. "In any case, he's my least worry now. All I want is for Lou to get well, and see the man who tried to kill her brought to justice."

Ari smiled wryly, and patted him on the back. "When are your friends due back?" she asked.

Kid shrugged his shoulders. "I dunno. What I do know is that they won't come back until they had turned every stone. I blindly trust them, and I'm sure they won't let Lou and me down."

"Do you really have to do that here?" Theresa exclaimed annoyed as she energetically brushed her long, blonde hair. In the reflection of the mirror she could see her husband slumped in a chair and smoking one of his thin cigars. "You know I hate it when the stench clings to my clothes and my skin, and I smell like an ashtray all day."

"Don't start, Theresa," Albert replied, blowing a puff of smoke in her direction. "I know you're nervous, but please don't take it out on me. I also have a right to soothe my nerves whatever way I choose, and a good cigar always does the trick."

His words did not appease Theresa, whose irritation soared by the minute. "You men are so selfish! All you think about is yourselves and nobody else!"

"Theresa…"

"I'm so fed up with your kind!" the young woman continued in a loud voice as she expertly braided her long hair. "You, Kid, and all the rest! A bunch of selfish morons!"

"Stop right there, Theresa," Albert said in an authoritative tone, stubbing out the cigar in an ashtray and rising to his feet. "Don't ever compare me to that cretin! Ever! I'm a real man who knows his place and responsibilities. I'd never do anything to endanger or harm my family. I could never do anything like Kid McCloud who didn't give a damn about his wife for years, and now regardless whether she gets hurt or worse, all he cares about is doing his will."

Albert's furious speech took Theresa by surprise, and she felt she could not stay put. What he was saying was totally unfair, and she had to voice her opinion. "That's going too far, Albert," Theresa said, turning around to face him. "I agree Kid shouldn't have taken Lou away when we expressly told him not to, but I do know he's well-intentioned and loves my sister."

"You're too soft, honey," Albert said, lifting his hand to caress her cheek. The young woman had to suppress a scowl as the tobacco reek clung to his hand reached her nostrils. "You'll soon see your brother-in-law's true colors. I bet that as soon as your sister dies, it won't take him long to find a replacement."

"Albert!"

"What's that face for, honey? I'm just doing what you said last night. You were right. It makes no sense to pretend Louise isn't so sick. It's too sad, but we all know your sister isn't going to make it."

Theresa's eyes welled up. "It's so, so hard," she croaked bitterly.

"I know, my love," Albert whispered, massaging his wife's tense shoulders. "Nobody can do anything for your sister. We can only hope God takes her soul soon because she's just going through unnecessary suffering."

Theresa nodded, and wiped her tears gruffly. Turning around back to the mirror, she finished doing her hair, and washed her face to erase the trails the tears had left on her cheeks. "I'm ready to go now," she said, sniffing, and as she noticed that her husband was still only in his shirt, she added, "Come on, Albert. Grab your jacket, and let's get a move on."

The man shook his head. "I ain't going today."

"Wh… why not?" Theresa asked, totally befuddled.

"What's the use, honey? Me being there won't help your sister."

"But these might be the last days or even minutes we have left with her."

"Theresa, the sick woman lying in that bed isn't Louise, and I refuse to think of your sister as a poor, dying woman. I want to remember her as she always was… lively and cheerful. I'd hate it if my memories of her were smudged by the image of what's left."

"I… I understand that, but I really need to be with her… until the end. It's important to me."

Albert nodded, and planted a feathery kiss on her cheek. Theresa donned her hood and tied the ribbon under her chin. Once Theresa had walked out of the door, Albert took another cigar and lit it. The smoke filling his lungs really relaxed him, and he was glad Theresa was gone to enjoy this petty pleasure of his. As he took a deep puff, there was a knock at the door. "What now?" he groaned irritated, expecting it to be Theresa who had forgotten something. Yet, when he gruffly opened the door, he was surprised to find his father before him.

"Why is your wife going out all by herself?" Dr. Hill asked without preambles, pushing his son out of his way and walking into the room. "And please, put that out. The whole room stinks," he added with a disgusted expression.

Albert quickly stubbed out his new cigar, and said, "What are you doing here, Father?"

"Do you honestly think I'd step aside when we're at a crucial point in this business? We're very close, Albert, and we can't afford mistakes."

The young man knew that his father's veiled criticism was addressed to him, and even though it irritated him to be constantly reminded of his flaws, he did not say anything. "Everything's getting on as it should," he stated firmly.

"You haven't answered my question, son. Why is Teresa going on her own?"

"She wants to go and see her sister… I don't know why because Louise isn't aware what happens around her. She's practically a corpse."

"Cut the short talk," Dr. Hill ordered him roughly. "Why aren't you acting as a dutiful husband? You should be with your wife and in that house! Our whole future depends on what happens there. Don't you understand?"

"I have my reasons to stay away," Albert replied defensively.

"What reasons?"

"I've been recognized," Albert blurted out, and as his father instantly showed a horrified expression on his face, the young man continued, "Louise's husband has some kind of housekeeper. She's now here. I didn't think much of her at first, but it turns out she also knew the McClouds as children. It's Ariadna Giles, Father, and she kept saying I looked familiar to her."

"And what did you say?"

"I kept denying I've ever met her, naturally. I can't understand how she can remember me. It's been twenty years or more."

"You were eleven back then, and still have the same acid face and gawky figure. Ariadna was always a nosy busybody, and very clever for a woman," Dr. Hill spat scornfully.

"What are we gonna do about her?"

"To ensure our safety, the most effective measure would be to get rid of her," Dr. Hill said casually, and at Albert's troubled expression, the physician let out a guffaw before he continued, "That wouldn't be too smart, though. It might raise suspicions, so you better stay clear of that woman. After all, your wife is in the house and will keep us updated."

"I've never wanted anything as much as Louise's death!" Albert exclaimed. "All this waiting's becoming a torture."

Dr. Hill remained impassive after her son's passionate harangue. "How was she yesterday?"

"The same. At death's door," Albert replied spitefully.

"Did the local doctor see her?"

"I don't know."

"You don't know!" Dr. Hill roared angrily. "You don't know! Albert, don't you realize what that would mean to us?"

"She's already more dead than alive. We're safe," the younger man replied casually.

"No, we aren't! There are ways to fight the poison, and if a doctor realizes what's really wrong with Louise McCloud, all our efforts would have been in vain. She's likely to heal if she gets the right treatment; after all, she's proved to be tough, holding on all these weeks."

Albert started to panic. "Louise has to die. She must die!" he exclaimed, throwing his arms to the sky. "We should have used something stronger, like cyanide, and she'd have been dead for weeks by now."

"Alfie, Alfie, could you please stop to think before talking nonsense?"

Albert's baffled eyes darted to his father. "You haven't called me that for ages… since I was fifteen."

Dr. Hill shrugged his shoulders. "It's your real name even though I sometimes forget it, and whenever you start acting like a fool, I have the impression I'm dealing with a child and not a grown-up man." Albert's face hardened at the new poisonous arrow hitting him square in his pride. Dr. Hill ignored his feelings like usual, and added, "What is vital now is to send Louise to the hereafter by any means and as soon as possible."

"But… but how?"

"You'll have to figure that out. You're the only one who has access to her. She's your family… Sneak into that house at night, and press a pillow against her face… shoot her… stab her… just anything, but don't get caught."

"Don't worry, Father. Louise will die… she sure will."