The Payment (23 page)

FORTY-TWO

Dane spent a sleepless night and for most of
the day, he stood staring out the study window, praying and hoping
his wife and family would return home. His eyes glued continuously
to the long drive, he suddenly spotted a dark shape coming closer.
His body stiffened and his heart started to race. Please, please
let my wife come back to me, he prayed silently.

When he finished, he spun around, raced out
of the room and house, and stood waiting on the veranda anxious and
frightened.

Jesse pulled the buggy up in front of the
house, he saw Dane waiting on the veranda. Now looking at him, he
could not miss the anguish on his face or the hope in his eyes. He
turned away and stared straight ahead, as he waited for everyone to
get out of the buggy. He watched them walk to the house, about to
drive towards the barn; his hand gripped the reins when Dane
spoke.

“
Damn you Jesse you had no right to
tell her.” Dane growled at his brother as tremendous torment filled
him and a vice squeezed tightly around his heart.

Jesse turned and sneered at his brother. “I
didn’t tell her. The bitch you were so hot for yesterday and our Ma
told her.”

His brother’s words struck him hard, he
should have known Jesse would never betray him, Dane closed his
eyes unable to bear to see the scorn and loathing on his brother’s
face, and he deserved it. He knew, but still it hurt. Hurt nearly
as much as knowing he lost the woman he loved. He felt so torn and
shattered to think of what he could do to get her to return to
him.

He heard the buggy move off, opening his
eyes he stared brokenly at his brother as he headed for the barn.
His shoulders slumped with defeat. He turned and slowly went back
inside the house. In the study, he closed the door, moved behind
the desk, sunk into the chair and buried his face in his hands.

There were so many things happening and he
desperately needed to pull himself together. He would have to put
his own pain aside for the time being. The twins were in a terrible
situation and needed his attention most of all. He also needed to
find some way to bring his wife and unborn child home and hoped he
could win her affection back again.

Somehow, he must find a way to win the love
and respect back from his family. More importantly, he needed to
get rid of their mother before she could do any more damage to
their already troubled lives. So many problems and he did not have
any idea how to solve any of them, but he would somehow and he
needed to start now.

Upset, Tye curled up on the sofa, he could
not understand why India did not come home with them and no one
would tell him why.

Mason moved sulkily around the parlor with
his hands jammed in his pockets, he knew something bad must have
happened and that is why India did not come home.

Tuff sat at the large kitchen table and
sadly told Chin Li what happened and why India remained in
town.

When Tuff finished telling all that
happened, Chin Li went into an angry tirade in his native tongue.
When he finished, he glared at Tuff. “What is wrong with the boy? I
cannot believe he would behave in such a way. He brings big
disgrace and shame upon all of us.”

“
Yeah well from the looks of him, he
knows what a terrible thing he has done and is suffering mightily
for it.” Tuff grumbled.

With an angry sniff, Chin Li bought his hand
down on the table slapping it hard. “We must find way to bring
Missy home, longer she stay away make it harder. Besides babies
need to be born here.”

Tuff’s head shot up and he stared at his
friend in shock. “Babies, did yah say babies?”

“
Missy has two babies and must come
home where she belong.” Chin Lin grinned and nodded his
head.

“
Whooey well I’ll be danged the gal
never said a word.” Tuff said in amazement.

Going over to the stove, Chin Li placed some
kindling inside. “Missy does not know, we must say nothing until
she comes home.”

Tuff gave a quick nod in understanding.
“Well I think that maybe we should just leave her in town for a few
days until things calm down.”

Chin Li let out a worried sigh; he stood a
few moments thinking the matter over. “A week then we bring Missy
home.”

Tuff wondered if it might be as easy as they
thought. He knew firsthand how stubborn the gal could be. Well, it
didn’t matter; her place is here with her husband and family and
especially now that she carried twins.

Jesse waited for everyone to retire to their
rooms before he went into the study; he stood in the open doorway
and saw his brother staring dejectedly out the window. He came to a
decision earlier today and thought now would be a good time to
discuss the matter with Dane.

Dane did not join the family for dinner, he
felt too ashamed and heartbroken to face them. He continued to
stare out the window. He sat for hours, thinking of how he could
bring his wife back home. He wondered how he could face life
without her, he needed her so much, and so did the rest of the
family.

Some sound behind him made him turn around;
he saw Jesse and waited to find out what he wanted.

When Dane faced him, Jesse stepped inside
the room and closed the door. “I’ve come to talk to you.”

Dane stiffened. “There’s nothing you can say
to me that I haven’t already said to myself a thousand times.”

“
That’s not why I’m here. I’ve come to
tell you that when this business with the boys is cleared up and
our Ma is finally gone for good I’ll be leaving.”

Stunned Dane staggered over the pain lancing
through him. “No, I’ll leave. I’m the one that’s let everyone
down.”

With a shake of his head, Jesse smiled
grimly. “Hell Dane, it’s not because of what you’ve done even
though I admit it hurt and disappointed me. I want to leave because
I need to. I want to do something for myself.”

Dane fell into a chair and stared sadly at
his brother, he did not believe him. He knew deep in his heart that
Jesse would be leaving because of him. He could also see by the
stubborn glint in his brother’s eyes that there would be no talking
him out of his decision. “I’m sorry Jesse, God you’ll never know
how much, and I hope when all this is over you’ll change your
mind.”

“
I don’t think I will. It’s something
I want, something I need to do.” Jesse replied before turning away,
he left his brother and went upstairs to bed.

His head falling forward, Dane wondered how
much more anguish he could suffer, not only because of his action
he lost his wife, but now he drove his brother away. Because of him
his family was falling apart, and he needed to do something fast to
keep it together, he did not want to think what would happen to
them all if he failed.

FORTY-THREE

Tye snuck into Dane's room and became
frightened when he found the bed empty, with a sob of fear, he ran
down stairs in search of him, he grew scared that he might have
left as well. When he saw the light coming from the study, he ran
across the room. Relieved at seeing Dane seated behind the desk, he
threw himself at his brother, wrapping his little arms around him
tightly. “I thought you left; I thought you left me like India
did.” He sobbed wildly as he clutched him tightly.

Dane’s head came up when he heard the slap
of running feet on the wooden floor. When his little brother threw
himself at him, he caught him up, wrapped his arms around him, and
held him tightly. “I’ll never leave you Tye. I promise I’ll never
leave and India hasn’t left you, she’s just staying in town for a
few days.” The lie burned his soul, but he could not bear to tell
his little brother the truth. That India may never come home and it
was all his fault.

Tye shifted slightly in his big brother's
arms and smiled at him in relief.

Ruffling his brother’s hair Dane stood up
with him in his arms. “Come on little brother it’s time we were
both in bed.” Turning the lamp out, he carried Tye upstairs, not
bothering taking him to his own room. When he reached his room, he
tossed him on the bed and grinned when he laughed. About to undress
he watched as Mason walked in his room, he decided not to say
anything and out the corner of his eye watched them both settle
beneath the covers.

He turned out the lamp, leaving on his
jeans, he slipped beneath the covers to join them, and even with
his brothers in his bed, it felt empty without India in it. He
missed her cuddling up against him, missed her warm breath against
his skin, and missed holding her in his arms. No matter what, he
would find some way to bring her back home. Not just for himself
but for the family as well. They all needed her.

When Tuff and the boys left for school,
Jesse followed Dane to the study. “I had a talk with Deputy Parks
yesterday, and I’m sure tempted to believe him.”

Dane seated himself behind the desk, arched
a brow, and waited for him to continue.

“
Parks has seen our Ma and the Sheriff
cozying up to each other. He reckons it’s too much of a coincidence
that you were shot and the next day the twins were found with the
dead stranger. He also said the Sheriff had been missing at both
those exact times.”

Thoughtfully rubbing his jaw, Dane dropped
his hand and sneered. “Well it shouldn’t surprise us, she was
always a whore. I think I’ll ride to town and see Jeff and the
twins. Then I’ll try to see India, is she still at the hotel?

Jesse thought his brother would not have
much luck in seeing his wife but kept it to himself. “No she’s
staying with Lisa and her husband.”

Dane gave a quick nod and stood up. “I can
see by the look on your face that you don’t hold much hope that
she’ll see me. You’re probably right but Jesse, I have to try.”

“
I know Dane, I hope you can see her,
and you can work things out between you.” Jesse watched his brother
leave the room and sighed sadly. Hell he could hardly believe how
everything is suddenly falling down around them, and he just hope
they could stop anything else happening to them.

The first thing he did when he hit town was
go straight to Jeff’s office, walking through the door he took off
his hat and held it against his thigh. “Jeff I don’t have to tell
you why I’m here.” He said as moved across the room and took a seat
in front of the desk.

Jeff looked up from his papers and smiled,
but it quickly died when he saw the torment in Dane’s eyes. He knew
something other than the twins being in jail was responsible for
the torture he saw in his brother’s eyes. Jesse already told him
what took place down at the river. Dropping the papers in his hand
onto the desk, he leaned back in his chair. He sensed Dane needed
to talk about what occurred. “Out with it, what’s happened
now?”

His jaw clenched, Dane turned away from
Jeff’s probing eyes. “Hell where do I begin?”

Half an hour later, Jeff could only stare at
Dane in complete and utter disbelief. Hell, Jesse sure left out a
lot of the story. When Dane finally finished telling him everything
that happened since they last saw each other, he could only shake
his head. Whew, Dane sure made a hell of a mess of things, but he
could also see how much he suffered from his actions. “Well it will
be easy enough to keep an eye on the Sheriff and work on a defense
for the twins. But Dane I don’t know how the hell you can fix
things with your wife.”

Dane’s mouth drooped; he stood up and placed
his hat on his head. “Nor do I brother, nor do I, but I’m not going
to stop trying though. Now I best go and see the twins and see how
they’re doing.”

Jeff sighed sadly, as he watched Dane walk
out of the room; he would pay India a visit himself later today.
First though he would go through Mr. Mathews papers and see why
King suddenly became so insistent that there would be a marriage
between the families.

Full of determination, Dane walked into the
jail. “Deputy Parks I would like to see my brothers.”

Parks nodded and stood up. “Sure thing Dane
just go in back to the cells.”

A curt thankful nod at the Deputy, he headed
to the cells, taking a deep breath, he opened the door and stepped
inside the room. One look at the twin’s faces and he knew what they
were thinking, and what they felt. However, the look in Traye’s
eyes filled him with sorrow and guilt. “You boys doing all right?”
He forced himself to say as he stepped up to the cell.

Reese looked from Dane to Traye and sighed
when he only saw his back. Turning back to Dane, he shrugged his
shoulders. “Yeah we’re fine, just damn bored.”

“
Yeah well I can understand. I know
what you’re both thinking. I’ll understand if you can’t forgive me,
but I want you to know that I love India and I can never forgive
myself for what I have done to her. But I am going to do everything
I can to bring her back home.”

He stopped talking for a moment when he saw
Traye stiffen. “As for getting you boys out of here, we’re doing
everything we possibly can, and hopefully you won't be in here for
much longer.”

Reese reached through the bars and placed
his hand on Dane’s shoulder. “I wish you luck in bringing her home
brother, and I know that you’ll get us out of here.”

Dane gave Reese a tight smile of gratitude
then turned his gaze back to Traye who still refused to look at
him. He felt heartbroken knowing he let this one brother down in
the most disgusting and ugly way. “Either Jesse or myself will be
here tomorrow, Jeff will drop by later today.” With nothing left to
say, Dane reluctantly left his brothers.

Once Dane left, Reese turned to Traye.
“Don’t be too hard on him Traye, he’s hurtin something bad.”