Unveiled (41 page)

He started to walk on when a glimmer from the window caught his eye. Curious, he glanced back, then froze as he spotted a small lacquered box positioned in the center of a piece of blue velvet, displayed to draw attention.

It was the music box he had given Kate. Christopher wouldn’t forget the tiny box, with its ivory roses and trailing leaves. He’d bought it with the last pennies he’d possessed, wanting to make her happy and surprise her. She had seemed genuinely to like the present, so it was doubly odd to see it returned to the pawnshop.

He stepped into the shop and waited until the rotund Italian owner put down the glass he was polishing and came to the counter.

“I would like to purchase that music box in the window,” Christopher explained, then reached into his pocket and withdrew a wad of bills. The merchant’s eyes grew wide and he hurried off to get the box.

“Yes, sir. Anything else, sir? I have a lovely new set of china, imported from England. And a nice rosewood table that a lady would love.”

“No, just the box.” Christopher studied the piece, then glanced up at the eager shopkeeper. “You wouldn’t remember who brought this in, would you?”

“Oh, yes. A handsome man, with blond hair. John Sweeney was his name. He said it belonged to his wife, but she no longer liked the tune.” His smile fading, the shopkeeper leaned closer with a worried expression. “He said it was his to sell. There is no problem, is there?”

“No.” Pocketing the box, Christopher paid the man and walked from the store.

A handsome young man. Instantly he dismissed the thought. No, Katie was a lot of things, could impersonate Fan Pemberton and manage to keep her secrets to herself, but she wasn’t a cheat. He couldn’t imagine her carrying on a secret affair. And yet…

Doubt tormented him. Why then had she sold the box? Who was this man, and how did he come to possess this intimate gift he’d given his wife? There seemed no easy explanation.

He had to stop this. No one knew better than Christopher what mistrust would do to a marriage, and the last thing he wanted was to return to their previous relationship, full of doubt and insecurities. He loved Kate; there wasn’t anything he wouldn’t do for her. And he sensed that she returned that love. Yet he still felt uneasy.

He would ask her tonight. He wouldn’t let this fester, nor would he continue to wait patiently while something else ate away at her. He would demand an explanation and would clear the air. Surely Kate would have some logical reasons, and he would laugh and it would all be over. Easier now in his mind, he hurried back to work.

“…I really don’t know why you’re so upset. All I did was see the boy.”

Katie stared at John Sweeney, her blue eyes full of grief. “You know I don’t want you to see him. For the love of God, John, don’t do this. Sean is innocent of everything. He deserves a chance in life—don’t take that away from him.”

“Well, now, I didn’t say I couldn’t be persuaded.” John Sweeney grinned, but the smile vanished as quickly as it came. “But I warned you what would happen if you didn’t pay up. I haven’t a cent from you for weeks, Katie darling. We’ll have to remedy that, or else.”

“Here.” She thrust a handful of bills at him, hiding her disgust. What had she done to deserve this?

She didn’t dare tell Christopher, and didn’t have the first idea of how to get rid of Sean’s father. That the man didn’t care at all for his son was obvious. Sean was merely a tool to blackmail her, but how could she stop him?

As if reading her mind, John pocketed the bills and smirked. “That will do for now, but it’s been a cold winter. I need coal for me fire, some whiskey at night—you know, all the comforts you’re used to.”

“What would it take to make you go away once and for all?” Desperate, Katie nearly pleaded with him. “Think of your child, the future…what would make you leave us alone?”

John Sweeney shrugged, but there was a gleam in his eye as he calculated his price. Finally, after what seemed forever, he grinned.

“I think fifty thousand would do it.”

Stunned, Katie stared at him as if he were mad. “Fifty thousand dollars? Surely you’re joking. There’s no way I could get that kind of money—”

“I’m afraid that’s your problem, Kate,” John said, unconcerned. “I don’t mind taking my share in payments. In fact, I kind of enjoy it. I made my acquaintance with Sean the other day, and I could continue to, ah, visit him. But if you really want to get rid of me, mat’s my price.”

“You would do this.” Katie felt the emotion well up inside of her. “You would risk ruining your son, just for a little money.”

“It’s not a little money, Kate.” He cupped her chin in his hand, seeing her expression of scorn. “You and I both know that. And we both know the value of it. You have my price, Katie love. Pay it or my son and I will become even closer.” He grinned. “And we both know how much you’d love that.”

Katie watched him go, her fists clenched in despair. My God, how long would she pay? And how could she be sure, even if she got the money, that he would stay away from them?

There was only one way she could be sure that John Sweeney would never come near her again. She dismissed the thought as it came to her mind, but it stayed within her soul.

Only in his death would she ever be free.

“Kate, we need to talk.”

Katie glanced up from her sewing, surprised at the tone in Christopher’s voice. The parlor was empty, Sean and Eunice having retired moments before, and Kate realized that Christopher must have been waiting for this time. Apprehensively she put down her sewing as he retrieved something from his pocket.

“I know I told you that we were going to start over, and that there would be no more secrets between us. I really believe that mistrust destroys a relationship, and that we need to believe in each other. Do you agree?”

The walls were closing in. He knew something; Katie could sense it. She nodded and waited, trying to stop the panic that was building inside of her.

“Then I want to ask you about this.” He placed a package wrapped in burlap into her lap.

As she stared at him dumbly Katie’s gaze dropped to the parcel and she pulled at the twine. The package fell open, and she saw the black lacquered music box nestled inside.

How did Christopher find this? She had given the box to John Sweeney when she had no money…had Christopher seen the man? Did he already know?

“Where…” Her voice was almost a squeak. Surely he hadn’t confronted Sean’s father, her ex-lover…

“I bought it from a pawnshop near the bank. It’s the same box that I had given you, do you remember?”

“It can’t be,” Katie protested. “I don’t know how—”

“Why don’t you tell me what happened,” Christopher pleaded. “And what’s troubling you. Kate, I know something’s wrong. I can help you, or at least I’ll try. Please, you’ve got to trust me.”

He made it sound so easy. All she had to do was explain, then he would share her burden in all this. But she couldn’t. Katie couldn’t bring herself to risk their newfound happiness by confessing John Sweeney’s blackmail. Christopher had barely recovered from the shock of learning about the scandal without seeing her lover face-to-face. No matter how much Christopher cared for her, there were limits to any man’s patience, and she didn’t want to test his.

Worse, even if he knew, there wasn’t much he could do about it. John Sweeney would torment her and Sean for as long as he thought he could prosper from doing so. They wouldn’t have a moment’s peace. Christopher might be tempted into a confrontation, and the thought of that gave her chills. No, it was better this way. John Sweeney was her mistake, and a problem she’d have to solve on her own.

“There’s nothing wrong,” Katie insisted, fingering the box and refusing to look up. “I just…haven’t been feeling well, that’s all. It’s common when expecting. I remember such with Sean.”

“I see.” Christopher’s voice betrayed his hurt “And the box?”

Katie shrugged. “I didn’t know it was gone. Perhaps one of the workmen picked it up when we had the new furniture delivered. Or a servant. I really don’t know how it wound up in the pawnshop.”

“Katie, look at me.”

Forced to do so, Kate raised her face, her lips trembling. Christopher sighed with frustration. “I can’t help you if you don’t let me! Why can’t you tell me what’s wrong? Haven’t we learned from our mistakes in the past?”

Katie got to her feet, clutching the box. “I’m sorry, Christopher, but you have to believe me. If you don’t mind, I feel a little ill. I want to go to bed.”

He nodded, watching as she rushed from the room, holding the box tightly. When she reached her bedroom, she closed the door in relief.

She had to solve this problem soon. John Sweeney would destroy her marriage if she didn’t. But she’d only been able to come up with one solution. Carefully Katie placed the music box inside her bureau drawer, then pushed aside her lacy underthings.

There, beneath her corset, gleamed an 1846 Colt revolver.

“Are you sure this is it?”

Christopher stared at the police report, frowning at the number of entries listed.

The clerk nodded. “We’ve got quite a dossier on Mr. Sweeney. Mostly petty stuff, but there is that one charge that could see him hanged.” The clerk indicated the last line. “Some states don’t take too kindly to armed robbery, and Colorado is one of them.”

“I see.” Folding the paper and thrusting it into his pocket Christopher thanked the man and left.

So John Sweeney was a criminal. From the dossier, it seemed he specialized in petty crimes, like robberies and blackmail. He’d never been arrested for violence, but that didn’t always mean everything.

How could his Kate be involved with this man? None of it made sense. He had come to the police station on a whim, desperate for information, and hadn’t really expected to find anything on the man. He certainly didn’t expect such a complete listing of crimes that the man had committed or to discover that the police were actively looking for him.

Frowning, Christopher walked swiftly toward home. If Kate’s story was right, that she hadn’t known the box was missing, perhaps someone did steal it, and in that way John Sweeney came into possession of the item. He’d heard of the thieving rings in Philadelphia, some of which made Dickens’s stories look tame. Was John Sweeney a Fagan? Or was there more to it?

That theory had one huge hole—it didn’t explain Kate’s unhappiness. She had been having dreams lately, nightmares that left her trembling and crying in his arms. He begged her to talk to him, but she withdrew more and more each day. He was getting frightened for her. As angry as it made him to know she didn’t trust him completely, he didn’t want to press her. Their love was too new and too fragile.

She was sleeping when he arrived home. Christopher smiled as he saw her, sprawled across the bed, her hair spilled out over the white pillows like black lace. Clad in a demure white eyelet gown, her pregnancy barely visible, she looked lovely, like a sleeping goddess he’d wandered upon.

A rush of love came through him as he smoothed her hair and pressed a kiss on her forehead. Whatever it is, Kate, he vowed, I will find out what’s troubling you and we’ll face it together. I promise.

There was silence when Katie woke. Outside, the full moon poured into her window, bathing the covers and the sheets in silver.

Crossing herself, Katie shivered. Madness. Sleeping in the moonlight made one addled—everyone knew that. She was about to draw the blinds when she heard the barely perceptible chink of pebbles against her window.

He was back. Her heart sinking, Katie fought the nausea that threatened. She’d given John Sweeney a huge sum of money the last time she’d seen him, hoping against hope that he would finally stay away. But that had been barely a month ago and he was back, like a vampire, ready to draw blood.

She couldn’t go on like this. Christopher was suspicious already, and would eventually discover her secret. What would happen then was anyone’s guess, but none of the alternatives were good.

More importantly she had to protect Sean. Katie’s mouth filled with bile as she envisioned John Sweeney, tempting her son like the devil himself. Sean was happy, was doing well, and was full of confidence. What would happen to her sunny little boy when he learned about his father? What would happen when society found out?

He had to be stopped, Katie vowed. Reason left her; she only knew one fact, and that was that she had to get rid of John Sweeney, once and for all. Tears choked her, and she slipped her hand inside her drawer and pulled out the gun, feeling the cold, metallic weight in her hand. She put on her cloak and put the gun inside her pocket.

Outside, it was cold. Wind ruffled the trees, and the leaves sounded like bats in the night sky. Moonlight poured over everything, making the paths luminous and deadly.

He stood near the gazebo, smoking impatiently and glancing toward the house. When he saw Kate, his face became relieved and he threw his cigarette onto the ground.

“So, you’ve come.” He forced a smile, which vanished instantly when Katie didn’t return it. “I need some money, love. I’m almost out of whiskey.”

“Johnny, don’t do this.” There was a crazed look in her eyes that made John Sweeney take a step back. “Please. For the love of God, have some decency and leave us alone. Please.”