Chapter 45

His thumping heart was the only sound reverberating in his ears as Kid shot out of Teaspoon's office. There was one single idea in his mind: getting to Lou as fast as possible. Sheer fear shook him overwhelmingly as he stumbled and almost tripped when he jumped off the walkway onto the dusty street.

Kid wanted to believe that he had nothing to fear. Albert would not dare to harm Lou when his own wife was around. Theresa would never allow anybody to hurt her sister. Lou was safe. Yet, Kid did not want that weasel near his wife.

His legs could not move fast enough, and his house felt as if it were farther than ever. Kid could hear his friends' running steps behind him, and he briefly thought they must be a peculiar sight to passers-by, all sprinting along the street like mad men. The Southerner was out of breath and his chest and legs ached from forcing himself to go faster than he was able to, but he could not stop. Lou needed him, and he could feel her calling so strongly that his ears rang.

Suddenly, he noticed a woman in the middle of the street, looking in his direction with a bemused expression. It took Kid a few seconds to realize that the woman was Theresa. His steps gradually slowed down until he stopped in front of his sister-in-law. The young woman was grinning, and Kid tried to speak and ask her what she was doing outside, but he hardly had any air in his lungs to utter a single sound.

"What's wrong, Kid?" Theresa asked in an amused voice as she eyed the other men hightailing after her brother-in-law. "That's the way you men entertain yourselves now? Racing each other?"

Even though still out of breath, Kid finally managed to find his voice. "Tessie, what are you doing here?"

"I forgot something at the hotel, and I thought of getting it," the woman replied. Actually, Albert had asked her to go and bring him his pipe, and even though she had refused at first, she had eventually relented. Theresa was not sure why she had not been straight with Kid, but somehow she did not want him and his friends to think she was nothing but a docile little wife.

"And you left Lou alone!" Kid exclaimed a bit too harshly.

The tone of his voice did not sit well with Theresa. The young woman folded her arms in a defensive fashion, and tilting up her chin proudly, she said, "For your information, she ain't alone! She's with my husband! You fool!"

Color drained from his face, and panic seized his whole body. "Oh God!" he exclaimed, and without offering an explanation, he bolted away as fast as he had been running before.

"What on earth is the matter with him?" Theresa exclaimed, gesticulating exaggeratedly.

Jimmy and Cody exchanged worried looks, fully aware that when the truth came out in the open, Theresa would suffer a terrible shock and bitter disappointment.

"Kid's gone through a dreadful ordeal, and he's still havin' it rough," Teaspoon said in a low voice.

"He seems to think he only has a right to hurt, Teaspoon. Louise is my sister, my only living relative, and I've also suffered too much."

"I… I know," the marshal muttered.

"Teaspoon, we need to go after Kid," Cody broke in, and the marshal nodded.

Theresa eyed the three men warily, feeling there was something they weren't saying. "What's happening here? I know you're hiding something," she asked in a demanding tone.

Teaspoon patted the young woman on the arm affectionately. "All in good time, honey," he said, and when Theresa stared at him uncomprehendingly, the marshal shook his head and followed his two former riders, leaving a totally befuddled Theresa on the spot.

Two soft knocks were heard in the silence of the room before the door opened tentatively. Propped up on the pillows Theresa had accommodated under her back, Lou smiled as she caught sight of the person walking in. "Albert, I was wondering when you'd come to say hello. Theresa told me you were here, and I got to think you were hiding from me."

Albert plastered a fake smile on his lips. "Whoever wants to hide from someone as lovely as you must be a damn fool." He paused for a second, and added, "I'm really glad you're feeling better… You actually look much better and have some of your color back."

Lou nodded, and noticing the steaming cup Albert was holding, she asked, "Is that for me?"

Albert looked at the brown liquid trembling inside the cup, and his eyes shone in anticipation. "I thought you'd want something hot to drink."

"Thanks. You just read my mind," she replied, not noticing the intense look Albert threw in her direction. Nausea had become her constant companion since she had woken up, and after throwing up a couple of times that morning, a sour taste reigned in her mouth, and she needed something to wash away that terrible flavor.

Albert left the cup on her bedside table and stood next to the bed. "Has the doctor been here to see you?" he asked, his figure hovering over Louise imposingly.

"Yes, he was here a couple of hours ago."

"What did he say?"

Lou made a gesture of indifference. "He told Kid I should continue with the treatment, and I'd probably feel much better by the end of the week."

"What treatment, Louise?"

"I ain't sure. Kid's been secretive about it, and I'm too tired and drained to care. All I want is to get well, so I'll just take whatever he wants me to." Lou looked up and noticed his set jaw and shining eyes. "Are you all right, Albert?"

The man stretched his thin lips, attempting a smile. "Just fine, Louise. I'm still worried. You gave us quite a scare."

Lou smiled. "You're sweet, Al."

The man looked away and stared at the smoking cup on the bedside table. "Aren't you going to drink your tea?"

"Uh yes," Lou replied. Her arm reached for the cup, but when her fingers grabbed the handle and tried to lift it, the cup trembled in her hold and some of the liquid spilled on her hand and the quilt.

"Let me help you," Albert offered and took the cup from Louise. Sitting on the edge of the bed, he brought the tea closer to her lips.

Louise took a tiny sip, and pulled away, cringing as the tea made contact with her tongue. "It has a weird taste… uh… like bitter almonds."

Albert did not show any emotion on his face as he said, "I couldn't find the concoction you normally drink. I just found this tisane in your kitchen."

The man brought the cup to her lips again, but Louise moved her face away. "Thanks, Al, but I don't like it."

Her refusal took him off guard since he had not counted on Lou refusing the drink. This might be his only chance to have Louise unaccompanied, and he couldn't fail. "Come on, Louise. This will do you good. You need to warm your insides, and…"

"I already had some food," Lou cut him off, and pushed away the cup that Albert held too close to her mouth.

"Stop being difficult, Louise," Albert said in a patronizing way. "You know I just want the best for you, and I'll feel offended if you turn away the tea I so fondly prepared for you."

Lou did not protest because she knew reasoning with her brother-in-law was impossible. So she better get it over with, and he would leave her alone then. In his eagerness for her to drink, Albert strongly forced the tea into her mouth, hitting the edge of the china cup against one of her front teeth. "Hey!" Lou exclaimed, bringing her hand to touch her sore tooth. "That hurt!"

"I… I'm sorry. How clumsy of me. Come on. Be good and drink it up… don't leave a single drop."

This time in a gentler way, he rested the cup against her lips again, and just when the liquid touched her mouth, some noises reached her ears. Lou pressed her hand against Albert's chest and pushed him away. "What's that? Can you hear it?"

Albert was getting annoyed by all her interruptions, and his irritation easily escaped his control "I don't know, and I don't care!" he barked, and his free hand circled around her right arm, his nails digging into her flesh. "Just drink the damn tea!"

"You're hurting me, Albert!" Lou protested, squirming in his hold as she tried to break free, but Albert would not loosen his grip and forced the cup against his lips again. "Albert, stop it! Stop it!" Lou cried out, tossing her head to and fro, which made some of the tea spilled all over the front of her nightgown.

The bedroom door suddenly burst open, and Kid found his wife fighting Albert. The Southerner drew his gun and pointed at the man threateningly. "Steer clear of my wife!" Kid roared angrily, startling Albert and Louise who had not noticed his presence. "Now!"

Strangely with a calm demeanor, the man left the cup on the bedside table and rose to his feet. "What the hell was that, Albert?" Louise demanded to know, sounding stronger than she actually was. "Are you crazy?"

Albert did not say anything, but Kid still kept pointing his gun at him. "Raise your hands above your head, Keller! I have half-mind in blowing your brains out right now!"

"Kid!" Lou exclaimed. "What are you doing?"

Heavy steps resounded in the house, echoing as they dashed up the stairs, and just as Lou demanded an explanation from her husband once again, Teaspoon, Jimmy, and Cody stormed into the room, the three men brandishing their guns. Lou stared at them uncomprehendingly, and she tried once again, "Kid?"

Now that the others were there, Kid lowered and sheathed his revolver. "Everything's fine, Lou. Please don't worry."

His disregarding words managed to irritate her. "Don't give me that, and stop treating me like a fool!" she croaked angrily. "You barge in here, threatening to kill Albert, and you still keep giving me the cold shoulder!"

Kid took a deep breath, unsure how to deal with his wife, but knowing there was no way he could conceal the truth from her any longer. Before he could utter a single sound, Teaspoon asked, "Is everythin' all right here?"

"He… he was forcing Lou to drink from that cup," Kid said, the fury obvious in his trembling voice.

Teaspoon grabbed the cup, smelled the tea, and had a sip. "Did you drink any of this, honey?"

Louise was taken aback by the seriousness in Teaspoon's expression. Actually, everybody was acting very strangely today, and she did not understand what was going on. It was obvious that in the weeks she had been sick, something weird had happened, and she had a right to know about it. "Uh… no, just a sip," she replied hesitating. "What… what's wrong, Teaspoon? Please tell me because you're all scaring me."

Teaspoon shifted his eyes to Kid, who nodded his permission at his silent question. "Bitter almonds…" Teaspoon started slowly. "That tea tastes like bitter almonds."

"Yes," Lou confirmed. "So what? What's all this fuss?"

The marshal took a deep breath. "It's cyanide… that tea is loaded with cyanide. That's why it has that flavor."

"Wh… what? I don't understand," Lou whispered, lifting her eyes to Albert, who looked blankly at the wall opposite him.

"Why don't you tell her, bastard?" Kid barked, giving him a hard push, but Albert did not react, and instead he acted as if he was not in the room at all.

"Lou, your brother-in-law has been feeding you a deadly poison for weeks. That's why you were so sick. You could have died," Jimmy explained.

"And since that didn't kill you, he's now tried something stronger and more effective," Cody took on where his friend had left off. "Cyanide. That would have killed you for sure."

Lou's hand flew to her mouth and a shocked gasp escaped her lips. Her horror-stricken eyes lifted to Albert, and in a trembling voice she muttered, "That… can't be possible. Albert, that ain't true, is it? Please tell me that ain't true."

"Of course it's not true!" the man finally reacted. "They're making all that up because they envy me! You know I could never hurt you, Louise."

Kid clenched his teeth, almost feeling sick to his stomach, just by hearing Albert lying so cynically. "Why don't you tell her how her father's will was in your safe? Why don't you explain that with Jeremiah and her out of the way Theresa, your wife, and consequently you would inherit a small, coveted fortune? Why don't you make her understand why you go by Albert Keller when your real name is Alfred Sanders?"

Louise shook her head, and her hand rubbed her forehead as she was feeling the pulse in her temples throbbing painfully. "I… I don't understand," she whispered in a tiny voice.

"Sanders, don't you think it's high time you fessed up," Jimmy stepped in, not moving his gun which was kept directed to the young man. "The game's over, and you'll be done as soon as a doctor confirms that what there's in that cup of tea is cyanide."

Albert's legs buckled and he heavily sank down on a chair. This was his worst nightmare coming true. "I… I'm… I'm sorry," he stuttered, keeping his eyes downcast as he was unable to face anybody's accusing gaze. "This… this shouldn't be happening. Things should be different."

"Different?" Kid echoed spitefully. "Different in what way? You mean my wife should already be dead? Huh?"

"No!" Albert exclaimed, meeting the Southerner's eyes, and as his blue eyes looked as if he wanted to kill him, Albert was instantly overwhelmed by sheer fury. "This is all your fault! You're the only one who's responsible for this mess! Nobody but you!" Albert barked, pointing a menacing finger in Kid's direction.

"What the hell are you raving about?" Jimmy exclaimed.

Without averting his eyes, Albert jumped to his feet and carried on, "Louise was supposed to have no husband! You… you alone made this happen. This shouldn't be taking place!"

Kid shook his head, shocked and in disbelief as he heard Albert. How did he have the nerve to put the blame on him? Kid was pushing the limits of his patience and self-control more than it was possible, and he was too close to losing the last ounce of restraint in his will. His feet took an impulsive step toward Albert, but he stopped when he felt a hand in his. Kid instantly knew it was Lou's, and he turned his gaze at her. Louise stared at him with shocked, frightened eyes, silently begging him to stay put. At once, Kid forgot about his thirst for retaliation. Lou needed him, so he sank down on the bed next to her, and wrapped his arm around her, letting her know he was there for her.

"Sanders," Teaspoon conjectured. "Stop all that gab. We're done with your lies. We know way more than you imagine." Albert looked at the marshal with skeptical eyes, and Teaspoon added, "We know you ain't alone in this morbid business." The marshal paused to think about the right words to use before carrying on. "Whose idea was it to use poison against Louise? Was it yours… or Dr. Hill's… your father?"

Albert met his eyes, but did not seem ready to talk. "You better spill the beans," Cody broke in. "You've lost, Sanders, and there's no way you can escape."

Albert still kept quite, and after a few seconds he hung his head and said in a low voice. "Yes, it… it… it was my father's idea. He … said we couldn't wait."

"Why not?" Teaspoon asked.

"Louise announced her plans to go away with her husband, so that meant we had to act fast."

"You mean killing her," Teaspoon said, and Albert nodded reluctantly. "Was that in your plans all along?"

Albert shook his head. "Not initially. When she first came along and we realized who she was, I… I was supposed to seduce her… get her to marry me."

"And naturally, even though you didn't know, she was already married, and wouldn't let you drag her to that game," Teaspoon muttered, meeting Lou's eyes. The young woman's face was flustered, obviously shocked and appalled by what she was learning today, but the marshal was sure she wouldn't want to miss any bit of the truth.

"And… well, her sister was more receptive to my …uh charms."

"So you decided to try your hand on young Theresa instead."

"Yes."

"Louise, though, was still in the way to your plans, and had to be done away."

"Yes."

A loud sob resounded in the bedroom, and as all eyes moved in the direction the wail had come from, they noticed Theresa standing at the door. Angry, shocked tears rolled down her face, and her fiery eyes stared at her husband dangerously. Nobody knew how much the young woman had heard, but it was obvious she had heard enough. "How could you? How could you?" she wailed, and overwhelmed by the suffocating pain she was feeling, she swirled around and bolted away.

In an impulse, Louise made an attempt to go after her sister and leave her bed, but Kid held her back. "Don't even think about it. You're still not well."

Before Lou could protest, Jimmy said, "Don't worry, Lou. I'll go and see that she's fine."

As Jimmy left the room, Lou sighed and rested her head on the pillow tiredly. Kid squeezed her shoulders and she cast a black look in Albert's direction. Yet, he never saw her since his eyes remained lowered. Louise knew that after this nothing would be the same. She had never felt so hurt and disappointed in her whole life, and Theresa must surely be feeling twice as bad. Teaspoon's voice started again questioning Albert, and Lou wished she could be deaf to their words, but at the same time she longed to know… she wanted to know everything.