Fate's Intervention (52 page)

“
A
s you wish.
”

“
Thank
you, Ma
’
am.
”

Matthew sat in the back of the wagon and watched the sheriff and his deputies disappear inside. The next thing he wanted to see was
one of them leading
Mark from the house in handcuffs, but it wasn
’
t to be. When Chisolm stepped outside fifteen minutes later, he was minus Mark.

“
Where is he?
”
Matthew asked, the moment Chisolm entered the wagon and shut the door.

“
He ain
’
t here,
”
Walker
answered, disappointment obvious in the timbre of his voice.

“
Damn
!
”

“
My sentiments exactly,
”
Walker
said with a sigh.

“
So
, what
’
s the next step?
”
Matthew asked.

“
We go by the office and take down your statement. Then we
’
ll issue a warrant and send out an all-points-bulletin, to the neighboring cities. It
’
s only a matter of time before we get him, and when we do, we
’
ll need you and your mother to come back to
New York
and testify. Will you be able to do that?
”

“
We
’
ll do whatever it takes.
”

“
Mind if I ask you a question?
”

“
Sure
,
”
Matthew said.

“
We
’
ve been after your brother for the last fourteen years, and your family has been covering up for him and bailing him out for fourteen years. Mind telling me why the sudden change of heart?
”

“
A
ctually, it
’
s my
father
that
’
s been covering for him all these years, and now my
father
’
s dead and Mark
’
s decided to come after me,
”
Matthew said.
“
We don
’
t see eye-to-eye on the family business, you see.
”

“
Not really,
”
Chisolm said, nodding his head sadly.
“
Family disputes make up a large portion of our business, and it
’
s always a disturbing thing to witness
; b
ut I
’
m glad, and I mean no offense by this, that your daddy died, because that brother of yours needs to be punished for all the misery he
’
s caused to some mighty fine people throughout the years.
”

“
I couldn
’
t agree with you more, Sheriff, or I wouldn
’
t be in your office swearing out that complaint,
”
Matthew said, signing his name to the document that was going to send his brother away for the rest of his life
–
and not a minute too soon by Matthew
’
s estimation. That is, if they could find him.

“
Uh, boss?
”
Pablo stuck his head around the doorjamb and peered into the dimly lit hotel room.

“
Don
’
t just stand there, bring him in?
”
Mark snapped, turning away from the window.

Pablo ducked back out the doorway and turned to Deke
.
“
You go in first,
”
he whispered harshly, peering over his shoulder.
“
I don
’
t want him to shoot me as the messenger.
”

“
What are you two doing out there?
”
Mark yelled from inside the room.

“
Let
’
s just get it over with, Pablo,
”
Deke said, and stepped into the room.
“
Mr. Daragh, sir?
”

“
What in hell is
she
doing here!?
”
Mark screeched, pointing behind Deke. Pablo ducked behind Lilith and pushed her further into the room.

“
Untie my mother at once, you imbeciles!
”
Mark shouted.

Pablo quickly pulled his knife free of its sheath and sawed though the ropes that bound
Lilith
’
s hands. When they were free, Lilith reached up and yanked the tape that covered her mouth, wincing as it pulled at her tender flesh. She rubbed the skin around her mouth and then stomped toward Mark and slapped him so hard across the face that his head snapped sideways.

“
How dare you send these two uncouth barbarians to abduct me from my hotel room!
”
Lilith said, her anger barely contained.

“
Mother, sit down,
”
Mark said, rubbing the sting from his cheek.

“
I will not!
”
Lilith continued, stomping her foot.
“
I demand that you release me immediately! How dare you treat your mother like this?
”

Mark sighed impatiently then turned toward Deke and Pablo,
“
Where is Matthew?
”
He asked through clenched teeth.
“
I told you not to kill him until I had a chance to. . . .
”

“
Uh, that
’
s what we were going to tell you,
”
Pablo interrupted, rubbing his hands nervously down the front of his pant legs.
“
We were just about to make our move, when he suddenly stopped his horse, turned around, and galloped back toward
New York City
.
”

“
The
only thing we could figure to do was to bring your mother here so that maybe she could tell you why your brother up and left her, and what his intention
s
was,
”
Deke added.

“
I see,
”
Mark said, rubbing his jaw thoughtfully,
and
then he turned back toward his mother.
“
So
, where did your eldest boy go, Mother dear?
”

Lilith raised her chin a notch higher and debated
whether
to tell Mark anything. If she did, he would run and the sheriff may never catch him. If she didn
’
t, the look in his eyes promised swift retribution, mother or not. She felt a shudder of revulsion run down her spine.
A
mother
shouldn
’
t fear her own child, but she did, and that made her
angrier
than she
’
d ever been in her life.

“
Matthew has gone to swear out a warrant for your arrest, Mark,
”
Lilith said, and smiled at the look of horror that swept across his face. The look quickly faded when he saw his mother
’
s triumphant visage. His eyes narrowed angrily and his nostrils flared,
“
I see.
”

“
Do you?
”
Lilith
taunted
.
“
Do you really see that Matthew intends to make certain that your reign of terror comes to an end? I only wish that I
’
d had the courage long ago to stand up to your
father
and throw both of you in jail. . . .
”
A stinging blow across her cheek, cut
Lilith
’
s tirade short. She stared at her son in shock. He
’
d never raised a hand to her before, but now she
’
d pushed him too far.

“
Well, now,
”
Mark said calmly, emotionlessly,
“
it would seem that my plans are going to have to be altered somewhat.
”
He turned back to Deke and Pablo,
“
You may escort my mother back to Daragh Manor.
”

“
What do you want us to do after we get there?
”
Pablo asked, hoping that he wasn
’
t going to have to kill anyone.

“
Nothing. Your work will be done,
”
Mark said, then reached into the desk drawer and pulled out two pouches full of coins.
“
Here
’
s payment for services rendered
–
half payment, since you didn
’
t complete the task given you.
”

“
We could always go back and get Matthew, boss,
”
Deke said eagerly, wanting to earn the remainder of his pay. He wasn
’
t happy that he was only going to get half for all the work he
’
d put into this job.

Pablo, on the other hand, couldn
’
t hide the grin that crept across his face. Half was all he needed to pay off his debt and get out from under his cousin
’
s thumb. There wouldn
’
t be any more illegal jobs for him, he thought with glee. He was going to walk the straight and narrow for the remainder of his life.

“
So
, how you gonna get your brother without our help?
”
Deke persisted.

“
I
’
ve just come up with a plan B,
”
he smiled grimly.

Lilith saw the look that crossed his face and shuddered again. He was letting her go. Wasn
’
t he concerned that she would warn Matthew to keep
vigil
? His next words answered that question.

“
T
ell Matthew, Mother, to watch his back,
”
Mark said softly, escorting her to the door.
“
The
sheriff isn
’
t going to be able to catch me before I
’
m able to finish this.
”

Before Lilith could say anything further, Mark slammed the door in her face
.
A
very irate Deke and a very happy Pablo, escorted her away.

“
What do you think became of Mark, Matthew?
”
Lilith asked several days later as their train sped towards Wisconsin.
They were in the dining car enjoying a light repast, neither having spoken for more than half an hour, each so lost in their own little world, that Matthew didn
’
t hear his mother
’
s question until she
’
d repeated it twice.

“
I
’
m sorry, Mother,
”
Matthew said, patting his mother
’
s hand.
“
Forgive my inattentiveness. My mind is elsewhere.
”

“
I understand,
”
Lilith smiled.
“
Did you wire Marcelle and her
father
to let them know when we
’
d be arriving?
”

“
Yes,
”
Matthew smiled,
“
a
nd
admittedly this train is moving far too slow for my liking. Do you think she
’
ll like the engagement gift I bought for her?
”

“
Considering that I helped you choose it, I
’
d say so,
”
Lilith teased lightly.
“
Nervous about asking her to marry you?
”