Chapter 48

August 1, 1912

Nearly two months has passed since his beloved Sweetpea disappeared with that gutter rat, Cal had begun to start his search. He did this by hiring his own private detective. He had high hopes the couple would still be in the city, so he can have his way, especially with Jack. Meanwhile, he's still keeping tabs with his father back in Philadelphia, who wanted to know why the marriage is dragging on much too long now. He had asked his father once about Mr. Williams. All his father told him was that he had a background in some sort of automotive work, and that he was living somewhere out west, possibly as a rancher. He had three children, two of which were living in New York, the other was a possible drifter, like Jack, though much prettier, and was presumed dead. His new maid was gone as well; she might hold the pieces to the whereabouts of his Sweetpea, only he would have to find her first. But where to begin. Suddenly his telephone rang. He went to answer it.

"Sir, we have found your former maid. She was found wandering around the local shops." The caller says.

"That's very good. Have you found out about where and/or who she is staying with?" Cal asks.

"Unfortunately no, we've lost her, after she got into a cab..."

"Dammit!" Cal nearly throws the receiver. He gathered his composure, then took a deep breath. He was so close to finding his beloved Rose, and to finally getting the marriage underway. He told the detective to keep searching for her, then returns to looking out the city of New York. He decides to take a trip to one of the train builders in the city, ones who have been buying his steel to manufacture their trains.

At the train manufacturing plant, Matthew was pounding a rivet into the steel plates when his supervisor interrupted him.

"You have a visitor out in the lobby, Mr. Williams." His supervisor told him.

"Thanks, Thomas." Matthew says, then puts down his tongs and hammer. He makes his way through the noisy environment until he sees a man who was about a couple years older than him. He was dressed more like he was ready to attend a meeting than to be hanging around in a dirty, noisy environment. He gets up from the bench, then shakes hands.

"Hi. I'm Caledon Hockley. You might know or heard of me from your father." Cal says, looking at the man in front of him, who was covered in grease and dirt from the yard.

"I believe I have heard of you, sir." Matthew says, looking at the steel tycoon. Cal wanted to do a little sleuthing, behind the back of his detective, and now he decides this could be the time to do it.

"Tell me, how was Jesse?" Cal asks, knowing Jesse was dead, but at least he wanted to know the boy's past.

"Oh, Jesse's quite the risk taker we've come to know, and love." Matthew says. "We've always said he's never going to amount to much, unless he's changed his ways. But at least he's happy now." Matthew knew at the back of his head his half-kid brother was alive and well; he had received a telegram from his sister telling him he survived the sinking, but he lied a little, hoping Cal wouldn't notice.

"He was a pretty boy, even when he turned wrenches he was still a pretty boy. He hardly got grease and dirt, even though his head was practically in the engines. I wanted him to work with me, but I guess you and I know he's gone now." Matthew shakes his head. Cal saw his servant walk in.

"Give me a moment." Cal says, following Robert out the door. Matthew watched from the window as the two men exchanged words outside the plant. Another car pulled into the drive. Matthew couldn't make out the person as he got out of the car, but he assumed he was working on behalf of Cal. They stood outside, exchanging a few words, and occasionally, looking back at the window, where Matt was standing. Cal goes back inside the plant, and with his finger resting on his chin, he says;

"I have something to tell you…"

By the end of his shift, Matthew had gone back to his apartment. He knew his boss had worked with the Hockleys in purchasing their steel. He tried to think of a way to write to his sister, but in the end, he knew it would worry her six ways from Sunday if she found out if his boss's associate knew his brother was alive. He missed his old house back in Flushing before he signed it over to his brother-in-law and sister when they first came to New York, and Jon had found work. From his current apartment to his job was too damn long of a drive. He had thought of sending a telegram to his sister, but he thought that would be impractical. He also thought of telephoning them, but his nephew Jack would be the one spurting all the details. Matthew walked to the window, his blue eyes gazing at the busy New York traffic below. From his view he could easily see the New York Harbor, with the Statue of Liberty off in the distance, and ships steaming into the harbor. Finally, he knew what to do, even if it would eventually upset his sister in any way. He got to the counter below and asked for a stationery, and a pen, and got to work writing his letter.

...

August 2, 1912

It had taken all of Matthew's strength to write what he had to say all night, but finally, he was ready to deliver his hand-written note. He got into his car, after cranking and muttering incoherently to start his car. As he drove, he wondered what his brother was doing, to make Mr. Hockley question the motives of what he was doing. He finally reached the house, with the car parked next to the picket fence. He parked his car in front, since the road in front of the house was a considerable distance from it. Matthew breathed deeply, then closed the door of his car, then walked up the steps of his former porch. He noticed the house had recently been furbished; the loose shingles on the roof had been neatly patched, the windows appeared to be sealed. Even the front gate and fence had been mended. Matthew stood at the door, then sighed nervously, before he hesitantly knocked on the door. No answer. He waited for some time, until he heard the tiny patter of little feet, then the door swung open.

"Uncle Matt!" Jack yelled, as Jessica and her husband soon followed, with a loud yawn. In front of them, stood a young man, in complete Victorian suit, was their brother. Jessica cleared her throat, and awkwardly smiled.

"Matthew. What a surprise. We weren't expecting you to come by. Please, come in." Jessica motioned. Matthew looked at his old, familiar house. Memories began flooding once more, until he was reminded when his hand went to his breast pocket, holding the letter.

"I hadn't realized I'd fallen asleep on the couch, until I heard Jack yell. Boy, I'd tell ya, these long dog days of summer can get to ya. Please, have a seat. Make yourself comfortable." Jon says, then flopped back down on the couch, then fans himself with some of his father-in-law's leftover newspapers from earlier. Jessica came in, with cups of lemonade and some light snacks. She carefully set them down, then sat down next to her husband. Jack jumped on the couch, much to his father's dismay.

"Son? Son! What did I say about walking on the couch?" his father scolded. Marion came down the stairs, yawning and rubbing her eyes, clearly awaken by the commotion coming from the living room. She stretched as she made it down to the landing, and gave another quiet yawn. Matthew was about to take a drink of his lemonade when he looked up at her, and was taken aback by her beauty. Though she was in a simple gown that was given to her the day she arrived, she was absolutely beautiful. Shoulder-length black hair, that beautiful face...

"What's going on?" Marion yawned once more, clearly interrupted from her beauty nap. Both Jessica and Jon turned to where Matthew was staring.

"She's beautiful." Matthew stammered nervously, then nervously scratched the back of his head.

"Matt. This is Miss Highland. She's Jesse's girl." Jon says, while Marion blushed, but she nervously took to Matthew, and both shook hands, while Matthew pulled her into a tight hug. "Marion, this is my older brother-in-law, Matthew Williams."

"Take good care of Jesse." Matthew whispered softly into her ear, before releasing his hug. Then he looked around at the house once more, while Marion took a lone chair.

"I like what you have done to the house."

"Oh, it was Jesse and his friends. They sure fixed it up good. Though we can't seem to fix the back door..." Jon says.

"That back door is heavily rotted. Needs a new foundation there. Dagnabbit 'mites. Did you say Jesse's 'friends'?"

"He made some new friends back on Titanic. They're back down at the farmhouse once more." Jon takes a drink of his lemonade.

"It's better if he stayed there for a while."

"What?! Why? What's going on?" Jessica was beginning to worry once more. Matthew knew, as he took a deep breath once more, and could feel the tension in the house. He knew they were very close, but Jessica always worries about her brother moreso. Matthew hesitated, but began to pull a paper from his coat. He nervously handed to both of them, then brushes his bangs from his blue eyes.

"This paper will explain it all. It seems he also made an enemy along the way." Matthew shakily hands his paper to Jon, then pointed to Marion. "It's also better to keep her under wraps, as she might be a part in this as well. We don't want anyone's lives in danger."

"I think Eric has also told us about it, but we also want Jesse's side in this." Jon says, holding onto the paper.

"Well, I guess I'd better be going. Got work in the morning. Once again, wonderful work on the house." Matthew closed the front door, then they could hear a car being started, before driving away. Jon, Jessica, and Marion looked at each other, before Jon slowly opened the paper, then read the contents slowly.

"This is not good at all." Jon says shakily. "This got complicated. This Cal hired a private eye, to look for the whereabouts of his fiancé. Just like Matt said, we've got to protect Marion as well. We don't want to lead anyone here. If need be, we'll hide out with your father and brother in that farmhouse. We're sure he'll never find us there."

"What about with Eric-?" Jessica began.

"No good. But in the meantime, we'll just stay put, and keep a low profile if we do go."