Chapter Sixty Seven

The blackness swirled around him. The stench of the water was in his nose burning and making his head throb. He couldn't get a breath and he gasped. No sound came out of his mouth. His jaw kept trying to open and his eyes were stuck together.

He sat straight up in the guest bedroom and stifled a scream. Ximena grabbed him and held him. He had sweated through his Union suit. He was shaking in a panic.

"Davos? Davos? I am here."

"The water?"

"You are safe, you are dry. He can't hurt you."

David held onto Ximena like a little boy. He composed himself.

"I better go check on the old man. I won't be able to sleep. I am sorry Ximena, I didn't mean to wake you."

"Davos, I am honored to wake with you,"

—&—-

David padded down the hall in his wool socks borrowed from his Father's drawer.

They had been at the Denver mansion for almost two days. The snow had piled up and he sent the driver back to the hotel.

Lila asked him to stay; Branch asked him to leave.

He chose to stay.

They settled into a room on the second floor. Lila brought down some necessities for the night.

JD had been in and out of consciousness. When he was awake, he was clearly agitated when he saw David, Branch or Lila. The doctor asked them all to leave.

So the four adults passed silently in the hall with Lila the only one to get a conversation with the three others.

David pushed the door open. His manservant was asleep in the chair and the doctor was not to be found.

He walked over to the bed and sat in one of the empty chairs next to his father.

The manservant stirred, "Mind if I go to the water closet."

David nodded in assent. He watched his father sleep. His breath was shallow. He tried to feel the hate, the anger, the malice. All he could feel was regret and disgust. Regret for his life before Ximena-disgust for his father.

He looked at the old man. He didn't look as if he would last the night. A fleeting thought of the old David—-helping him along with a pillow.

The thought was quickly pushed aside, "I am not you." he whispered, "Did you push me over? I guess I will never know."

JD heard David's voice in his consciousness. He moaned and tried to get past the darkness holding him in. He willed himself to awaken and speak. It didn't happen.

David noticed his restlessness, "I am sorry. Rest. I need you to know I forgive you."

A moan escaped finally from JD and he quivered. David was taken aback by the movement and stood up.

"This was a mistake"

JD opened his eyes and David saw a terrified, trapped man. They locked eyes for a minute or so. Their eyes were identical except for the warmth. JD's had none.

His eyes closed and he went back to the darkness of paralysis. Maris and James David and James were there around him. "Not my despicable son."

The manservant returned and David walked out in the hall. He was still wide awake; there would be no sleep tonight with his father's hate-filled eyes seared in his memory. He went down to his Father's office to see what he could find out about Maris and "her dealings with the devil."

—-&—-

Branch was in the study going through all of JD's files. He found all of the Denver assets' balance sheets that he had not seen before. The safe was locked again. He wasn't sure if Lila had locked it back or a servant or that impudent family member, David. The room had been cleaned spotlessly and even the fireplace grate emptied. The room was freezing but he did not want to light a fire and call attention to his presence.

"Some long-lost cousin isn't going to swoop in here and ruin my plans. I have put everything into Autonberry Assets and making the old man happy. One good thing is JD didn't seem too happy to see him. I wonder why Lila allowed him to stay. She has been cool and standoffish to all of us since the old coot collapsed and she had her fainting spell. JD said she was simple-minded, as simple-minded as Maris. She didn't seem very competent, fainting the way she did. Ahhhh but those breasts. So lovely."

He continued to go through the files, "Where did JD put those custody of James papers I drafted? Just like he wanted, the same one he used on Maris? They were supposed to be ready today for me to file at the courthouse. And his trust and will and naming me executor. We hadn't got to them yet but I could have sworn he had them out. Lila didn't leave the room with anything so she didn't take them. Damn weather."

"The wills? The marriage license? I swore he had it out this morning? I will ask the servants when they cleaned up where it was. I wonder if he has another safe? Would make sense."

David stood at the door watching Branch as he fumbled through his Father's desk.

His first thought was "The old man deserves it hiring such an unscrupulous lawyer."

But his second thought interrupted, "He shouldn't be in here while my Father is dying upstairs,"

"Excuse me?" David's voice bounded through the room.

Branch was startled and knocked a decanter off the desk. He stood up quickly and banged his knee on the desk all the while slamming his finger in the drawer. He cursed loudly.

David wanted to chuckle but schooled his emotion.

"You are a visitor here, sir and I am JD Autonberry's legal representative. I have every right to get his affairs in order, just in case."

"Just in case? Of death? Of incapacitation or a full recovery? I can't decide which would benefit you the most, attorney man."

"Of course, recovery. But he has complex dealings. I must not allow any to go untended."

"Like Maris? And the custody of her son?"

"That doesn't concern you."

"Injustice and persecution should concern every man—with a conscience."

"You have no idea what you are talking about."

"I don't? Then explain? I am family, remember?"

"I don't have to explain myself to anyone. You haven't even told me who you are? I am not defending myself to you or anyone." with a quiver in his voice.

"Hmmmm, God one day or maybe just me, tonight? Man to man?" and he walked toward him.

Branch picked up a poker, "Don't come near me,"

"Oh, do you feel threatened? I have no weapon? It's not like I can put you in a sanitarium or asylum for daring to challenge the almighty JD Autonberry."

"Who in the hell are you?" Branch yelled.

"Maybe one of the four horsemen of the apocalypse? Coming for you?" as he poured himself a drink. He was enjoying making Branch uncomfortable and squirm.

Branch came after him with the poker, David ducked and it caught the side of his head. Blood trickled down from the surface wound. He swung immediately and knocked the wind out of Branch with his fist to his gut. He crawled over and took a vase and tried to hit David with it. He quickly moved away from the object. It crashed to the floor. He tried to stab David with the letter opener and gashed his union suit. David looked at the attorney with contempt. He had learned quite a bit in Mexico about combat and real men.

"You are spineless" David taunted.

"Stop!" Ximena cried out.

The men looked toward the voice and she was pointing a derringer at Branch.

"Move away from my husband if you value your life."

"Rescued by the Mexican bitch?"

He didn't finish the statement as David laid him out with a single punch unconscious. He stepped over the body, finished his drink, and took her arm.

"I am sorry about that Ximena. But he had it coming"

"Why apologize? I was hoping to shoot him," she laughed.