Chapter Forty-Four

The midnight hour chimed loudly for those still awake on Friday night—- Saturday morning.

—&—-

Hannah sat between James David and her father riding home from the dance. The moon was full and bright. She dozed with a slight smile on her face on Heath's shoulder. James David would steal a glance when Heath was watching the road. Or so he thought.

"She's beautiful." crossed his mind.

And for the first time, Heath felt a little peace with a young man's attention to Hannah.

"He's a good boy."

-&—-

Jarrod was still at the constable's headquarters at midnight while the Headmaster was questioned; he feigned innocence and only relayed information from a telegram currier.

"I have no idea. I just delivered a telegram and bought the boy a sandwich. He went home. The dormitory was cleared out earlier of upperclassmen. Nothing sinister.``

"Where is James David? Did you send him to Denver?"

"I swear I don't know where he is. I didn't send him to Denver. I swear I don't know anything about Denver."

The police constables pulled Jarrod out of the room by force, "Ok, you are done! Let us handle it."

Philip Davis, his Pinkerton friend, stood with him helping him sort through the details of the past twenty-four hours.

"Jarrod, we will figure this out. Drink this coffee. The Headmaster is trying not to betray the school's benefactor, Autonberry. He knows more than he said. Let me have my turn at him tomorrow when he goes home. Time to stew over his complicity in this,"

"Of course he does. It won't end —-Not soon enough for me. I want this to end. Damn it."

"Me too."

—&—

Grover's fiancée Kitty sat at his hospital bed with her rosary, "Thanking the good Lord for his providence and bringing her a good man. I want to marry him as soon as possible."

Grover awoke during her prayer, "Me too."

—-&—

Nate was getting some new stitches from his family physician in his dining room. The first ones had broken open when he clenched his fist in anger at the situation. Alice sat beside him and poured him his favorite bourbon. She looked at him with love and pride, "I love you, Nate Springer. You will get to the bottom of this I know."

"I think you are an extraordinary find, a wonderful wife my dear. I believe myself to be very blessed."

"Me, too," she teased.

—-&—

Elisabeth upstairs comforted Benjamin; he had awakened from a nightmare and wanted his Pappy.

"I don't like dis bed. I want mine. I want Pappy." he wailed.

"Me, too."

—&—

Chip and JT were still awake going over the events of the day in their room. Worrying about the whereabouts of their best friend, James David, and Maris's health upstairs.

"I have never seen my father so quiet." Chip remarked, "Scares me. Quiet Nick may be the worst."

"Me too"

—-&—-

Nick lay in the big oversized four-poster bed in Maris's guest suite. She was sleeping naturally and soundly in the crook of his arm. The details of the last twenty-four hours raced through his head.

She had finally started to awaken as they brought her into Nate's home. The doctor was examining her and the retching began from the anesthesia. He and Elisabeth had taken turns holding her head and the basin as she seemed to endlessly vomit.

"That's it, honey. Get it all out. Elisabeth and I gotcha."

Elisabeth cut off the ruined gown and helped her into a chemise. Maris was weak and still somewhat disoriented as they got her into bed. She had no memory of the afternoon.

"Nick? Nick?" and he came back into the sleeping room from the sitting area, "Don't leave me."

"I won't, honey,"

"Where's James David?"

"Safe," was the only thing he could think to say.

She accepted his lie and then said, "Grover?"

"Good. He's good."

"My head—-" she moaned.

"Let's lay down. Close your eyes." as Elisabeth dimmed the lights.

"Call me if you need me, Nick?"

"Will do. Thank you, Lis. I appreciate ya."

He took off his boots and dress shirt. He crawled on top of the covers in his union suit and trousers to hold her. "It's hard to believe it was only twenty-four hours ago when we were loving each other." and kissed her on the top of her auburn curls.

"Swans," she mumbled.

"Swans" and he kissed the top of her head.

"I love you, honey."

"Me too," she whispered.

&—-

Branch stopped by a Gentleman's Club and procured a lady for the evening. He took her back to his hotel room at the Palace.

"You have been here with me for the past six hours. Understand?" as he showed her a wad of bills.

"Of course Mista. All afternoon and evening. Anyone who knows me knows I can work long hours."

"Me too," he said lasciviously.

—&—-

Peterson sat at the large oversized desk in the ranch study. He drank another brandy hoping that James David would show up at any minute. He was sweating profusely and his anxiety was affecting his whole body. He was literally trembling.

"I sent him here, to the ranch. His home. Where he grew up. Where is he?"

The grandfather clock chimed loudly at the midnight hour. Peterson grabbed his heart as an aching pain turned into splitting pain in his chest. He knew instantly he was dying. His last thoughts were relief—of not having to tell JD he failed.

His wife's face appeared to him, "I am disappointed in Maris,"

"Me too," and he took his last breath.