by Lynn Landes
“I need to question her, Bronnah.”
“Get in line, Chase.” Realizing how she sounds she whispered, “Forgive me, she should wake up soon. What are you hoping for?”
“Answers. The why and the who,” he quips.
A bitter laugh erupts from Bronnah as she glares at Eve. “Why? Money, and the Who, that would be the Chen. We know that already. It’s disgusting how they play with people’s lives.” She jumps up and moves away from the bed.
Eve moans and begins to pant heavily. Sweat beads on her forehead and she thrashes about again. Bronnah immediately soaks a cool strip of cloth and one after one, she begins exchanging the dirty ones for clean ones. She feeds her water with a ladle and sits heavily when Eve calms down.
Chase watches her tend to her enemy and do it with kindness and his love for her grows even stronger. When she reaches for the morphine, he stops her with a gentle hand.
“I need her lucid, Bronnah. No more drugs.”
Bronnah glances at Eve as she moans again and thrashes on the bed. “Chase?”
"I know it seems cruel, Bronnah. Without the ledger, we will never find out who is behind this. I need names. Especially a location. She may know where to find them. Eve is our last chance to catch them and save more girls from this future."
Eve starts to cough a horrible, dry, hacking cough and Bronnah rolls her to her side just as she vomits into a bucket. "Water," Eve pleads and he hands her a cup. When Bronnah attempts to roll her to help her sit up, Eve screams out.
“Damn,” Bronnah jumps back and Eve falls backward onto the bed. Her breathing has grown rapidly worse, and Bronnah checks for fever only to flinch when Eve latches onto her wrist.
“Drops,” she coughs out.
Bronnah is shocked by the power of her grip. “Eve, it’s not time for your drops yet. We have some questions for you.”
"It burns," she cries and releases her grip on Bronnah. Anger turns to weepy, begging, and from begging into rage. It's a vicious cycle that will not stop. Frustrated, Chase rips a sheet into strips with his knife and stomps over to the bed. His eyes seek Bronnah's, and he hesitates.
“Leave now if you can't handle this,” he states softly.
“Do what you need to do Chase, I’m here to help.” Bronnah keeps Eve from hurting them while he quickly ties her hands and feet to the four-poster bed. Her screaming is heard throughout the house.
Eve coughs and chokes, dry heaving now and Bronnah is forced to prop her on a pillow while keeping her strapped down. “I’ll kill you both! The Chen are coming for you! You’ll never be safe from them.”
"I need you to give me names, Eve. Tell me where to find the Chen, and I will give you your drops," Chase demands.
Eve goes still and then begins to laugh hysterically. Gone is the once exotic beauty and in its place, is a true monster. Bald on one side of her head with ribbons of scars and puckered skin, the vision of Eve burns its way into Bronnah’s soul.
Dr. Higgins rushes into the room with swollen sleep filled eyes and skids to a stop. “What is going on in here?” he demands.
Eve begins to weep and beg for her meds. “Please, help me. They won’t give me my drops, help me…” she begs. Dr. Higgins tries to rush to her aid, but Chase stops him with a hand to his chest.
“No. I need to question her, Doc, while I can. She’s wanted for kidnapping and …”
Eve begins coughing and wheezing while Bronnah rushes to tend to her. She lifts the bucket catching her vomit once more. "Please… I will tell you…just give me my drops!" Eve weeps.
Chase shows his badge to the doctor and pulls him quickly from the room, leaving Bronnah to deal with her patient. Eve attempts to lunge at Bronnah, only to look in shock at her restraints. Her tactics change as swiftly as her moods from rage to tears. “I’m sorry, help me, please…” she coughs and struggles to catch her breath.
Dr. Higgins returns and checks her pulse, attempting to calm her down. “It hurts so much... make it stop.”
“I’m trying dear, tell them what they need to know, and I can help you,” he urges.
“Stupid man!” She screams and spits at him.
The Doctor jumps away in shock while Eve glares at them with hatred glittering in her one good eye. She snarls, “I killed them. Jonas and the Chen. They were on the train coming for you. How stupid do you think…” she has a coughing fit and they are all alarmed when she coughs up blood.
Bronnah turns away, seeking comfort in Chase’s arms. “I can’t do this,” Bronnah whimpers.
“What’s wrong pretty girl,” Eve’s hysterical laugh has her turning back, “too much for you? This is nothing compared to what they will do to you. Mr. Chen himself is aware of you. You shouldn’t have stolen his property…” another coughing fit and Dr. Higgins jumps up to prepare a syringe.
“Human beings, Eve! Not property! Innocent girls and young women whose lives you tried to destroy.” Bronnah jerks away and grabs the syringe from the Doctor. Chase escorts him outside while Bronnah sits beside her in a chair and holds the needle up in front of her face.
"All for this, sweet elixir," she squeezes it and the morphine squirts on the blanket in front of Eve, causing her to scream in outrage.
“No! Don’t waste it… Oh God, it hurts,” she screams and struggles leading to another coughing fit. This time Bronnah doesn’t bother to help her. Instead, she squirts all the fluid into the bucket beside the bed while Eve cries and begs.
Eve goes still when Bronnah draws out a small brown glass bottle she stole from the Doctor's house. Her one eye flies open, and the screaming stops as Bronnah dangled the liquid in front of her face. "Oh, I have your attention now, Do I? I don't blame ya, that morphine doesn't hold a candle to this…" she slowly uncorks the bottle and Eve leans forward pleading for it.
"Please, I… I'll tell you anything, everything…" she whimpered when Bronnah lifts the small cap with a few drops of liquid up over her own mouth and captures the fluid on her own tongue. Her eyes close in ecstasy, and she sits back laughing and recaps the bottle.
Chase watches from the doorway and understanding dawns. He steps forward when Eve begins hurling curse words and struggling once more, only to fall back against the bed. “Eve, you didn’t really think this was about the girls, did you?” He demanded. Eve stills, and the shock shows on her face.
“Bronnah and I have plans for those drugs, but for it to work, I need to know Mr. Chen’s address. More specifically, I want details!” He leans down and jerks Bronnah’s head back by her hair and kisses her, sucking the sweet nectar from her tongue while Eve watches. “I wanna dance, Chase…” Bronnah stands and begins swaying, circling his body, trailing her hands up over his back and shoulders and into his hair.
Eve watches and her mouth waters with the need to taste it. "Please," she whines, "I'll tell you, just give me my drops." Chase laughs at her and captures Bronnah's hands shoving her into a chair, while she pouts.
"No. Tell me what I need to know first, and then we will share with you," he snaps, jerking the bottle from Bronnah.
Eve starts talking, and Chase is stunned by the details she gives him. The warehouse he works at, his home address, and the number of people he has working for him is astonishing. Her breathing grows worse, and Bronnah is sure that she is on the verge of passing out. She works quickly bringing Dr. Higgins back so he can administer the proper dose of Morphine. While he prepares the needle Eve watches and coughs up more blood.
“Need drops,” Eve screams, fighting against her restraints.
“Sorry, Luv, we’re fresh out.” Bronnah holds up the bottle and smiles, “It’s a syrup. Delicious, but not medicinal.”
Eve hisses when Dr. Higgins injects the morphine. She begins to weep, before switching to hysterical laughter. "Should… have… known…" her heads nods and her breathing slows down.
"Did you get what you need?" Dr. Higgins asked and before Chase can answer, Eve opens her eye and looks at them in a moment of clarity.
"No matter." She slurs her words, "Jonas has new magic nectar, and it makes those others look like candy. One dose and you're hooked for life. Mr. Chen will be put out of business, and we don't even have to touch him." Rambling and confused now she murmurs, "I killed Jonas… he will send more after you Bronnah. You should thank me…" she hisses. "The things he would have done to you…" her head rolls to the side, and her voice trails off.
“How did you kill him,” Chase demands.
"I stole a train and rammed you. You should've seen his stupid face," she coughs when she tries to laugh. "He was so shocked." Eve laughs until another round of coughing takes over, and she struggles to catch her breath.
“This new drug, Eve, where is it?” Eve looked at her and over at Chase.
Eve begins coughing and vomiting blood, this time the Doctor pushes them from the room. “Enough, I need to tend to my patient.”
"We've finished here anyway." Chase turns and guides her down the hall.
“But Chase we need to…” Bronnah stammers.
“No, I have all I need,” Chase demands.
“What?” She gasps as he walks her swiftly inside through the house and to the room they have been sharing.
Chase has two new carpet bags packed and ready to go. "While you helped with the injured, I went to town and picked up a few things we will need. Mrs. Higgins helped." He gestures to the bed where a soft dark blue velvet day dress with a matching corset, stocking, and shoes waits.
“Chase,” she gasps as she runs a hand over the dress. “It’s beautiful, but I’m afraid you wasted your money on the corset. You have a way of destroying them.”
“I look forward to taking it off later,” he laughs and pulls her close. “Bronnah, I bought two tickets to my home in Wyoming, say you’ll come with me?”
“What about Jonas and this new drug?
"I have everything I need to stop the Chen. They will be too busy to come after you. With Jonas dead, the new drug will probably die with him. I can't save the whole world from everything. I will report it to headquarters, and they will send someone to investigate it. Right now, you are my priority. I can take your statement with the Sheriff in my hometown, and this nightmare will be over for you. What do you say? Will you marry me?" he asked.
"Of course!" She replies without a moment's hesitation. His kiss steals her breath, and she laughs when he growls at the knock on the door.
“Two days,” he replies, “and I will have you all to myself.” Bronnah laughs when he frowns, and rips open the door.
“Mr. Rivers, the Doctor has asked to see you.”
"Thank you, Mrs. Higgins." Chase takes her hand in his and presses a kiss to the knuckles. "I'd like to thank you personally for your hospitality and charming company this week." A red blush stains her cheek, and she waves him on.
"Think nothing of it, Marshall. I'll help your wife get ready, you go on. He said the patient doesn't have much time left." Bronnah pales, and her smile fades. Sitting down on the side of the bed she doesn't hear Chase leave.
“I know it is wrong to wish death upon someone, will you pray for me, Mrs. Higgins?” She sits beside Bronnah on the bed and takes her hand.
"Of course. You need to remember that our faults make us human. Nothing we have been through or go through is wasted. Our Father holds our destiny in his hand. Surely you have seen this first hand, now?" Bronnah is shocked and looks at her.
“Chase told me the circumstances of your meeting. It seems to me that all of this was destined to happen. Truth be told, he is planning on surprising you with a wedding once you arrive in Wyoming, but I think it would be best for our men to learn that not everything should go according to their wills.”
Bronnah is stunned but relieved to have the charade over with. “What do you mean, Mrs. Higgins?”
“I mean if you’d like, we could plan a wedding at our church, something small and intimate.” Bronnah’s heart swells with excitement.
“I’d love that. I have learned one thing, Mrs. Higgins. Life is too short to waste a moment on regret and what ifs. Will you help me?”
“Call me, Anna. I have a few house calls to make this afternoon. You can come with me and meet the preacher. We will arrange everything.” Bronnah laughs and hugs her new friend.
“Stay and plan a funeral or go and plan a wedding? Is it selfish of me, Anna, to be happy when someone is dying?”
“No. We will pray for her soul and hope that God shows mercy and then we will ask our father to bless your future.”
***
“Good Morning, Darla,” Sheriff Rex said to the young widow running the postal office. “I need to send a private message,” he slides an envelope with cash, and she grins.
“You’re just in time, I was getting ready to shut down for my morning break,” she jumps up and rushes to put the closed sign on the door. “I’ll leave you to it.” She disappears as usual when he makes his “request.” It’s not easy raising three young boys without their father. The money helps feed them and buys her security from the local men who think a widow will settle for anyone. Grinning she sits and counts her money.
“Wyoming bound, train 42, Central Pacific, stop.” He murmurs as he taps out his message to California and thinks as he waits for his reply. It was easy enough to find out which train they were leaving on and their destination. The sound of his reply coming through has him grinning. His hope was to drug both Bronnah and Eve and take them both out at the same time, but that damn Marshall doesn’t leave her side for a moment.
“All set, Darla. Have a nice morning,” he flips the open sign over for her and marches down to the train station.
“What’s the plan, Sheriff,” his deputy asked softly.
“Trains have accidents all the time, but this one will meet with an Indian Raid. It’s an unfortunate and bloody way to die.”
“Sure is, I almost feel sorry for them, but they should know better than to steal from the Chen.”
“Yep. You watch over them and make sure they’re on that train in a few days. I have a matter of a burn victim to tend too. Can’t make them suspicious.”
“Yes sir,” he smiles and mounts his horse.
Chapter 32
Bronnah and Anna leave for the day with Chase's approval, and later she nervously asks Anna for a moment alone to speak to the preacher. Standing in a small wooden church she sits with a young preacher who looked to be her age and murmurs, "I need to ask forgiveness Father?"
He’s quiet for a moment and nods in understanding. “I can’t give you what you seek. You must pray to him, directly.”
"I'm afraid that my anger has blocked me from my walk with God," she whispers and wipes at her tears. Bronnah sits with him and tells him of her journey across the sea. She tells him of the loss and the offer of a second chance at happiness, and she waits while he takes it all in.
"You've had a time of it, Ms. O'Dalaigh, but if you let go of the anger, one day, you will be able to think of this time with thankfulness. We will pray for those souls and ask our father to watch over those still affected by these people's sinful actions."
"How do I just go on with my life, knowing that they're still doing this? Is it all my fault? If I'd stayed, so many lives would have been spared…" she starts to say, but the preacher interrupts her.
"No. There is no such thing as luck. Every step you took was guided by a loving hand. Don't you see that just has your steps are guided, so, too, are others? You have done everything you can to help, and now it's time for you to trust in those around you to do what they can.
“But, there are more young women, being…” she stops when he holds up a hand.
“Ms. O’Dalaigh you aren’t God. Let go and let him move, just as he did for you.”
His fierce words strike a chord in her heart, and her tears start to flow. Pressure untangles releasing her soul, and she finds comfort in the strength of his words. "Thank you for reminding me."
“It’s my job, Ms. O’Dalaigh, and I woul
d be honored to marry you tomorrow at eight pm if you wish.”
“I’d like nothing more. Thank you.”
An air of excitement floats through the house the next day. Dinner is animated as the four girls talk about the day. Bronnah is quiet and rises quickly to help Anna with the dishes. Chase is worried and desperate to get her alone for a moment. Bronnah has been silent since they buried Eve. She passed in the night due to infection and complications from her damaged lungs. Dr. Higgins assured them it was for the best. They chose to bury her in an unmarked grave outside of town.
Bronnah stared at the grave in seeming shock, but how could she tell them it was with relief. She was glad Eve couldn't hurt anyone else. "Chase, could you help me with the horses? I need to check their shoes, and I'm afraid that isn't my forte," Dr. Higgins asks.
“Of course,” he glanced at Bronnah before he leaves, and she gives him a smile of encouragement.
Anna takes charge clapping her hands immediately after the men leave. “Alright girls, keep them busy until we’re gone.” The two girls squeal and run outside. “You know what to do. Are you ready, Bronnah?”
“Yes.” They run upstairs. Bronnah begins stripping out of her dinner dress and washes quickly in a bowl of water. Next, she checks her hair and sighs thankful that it was done before dinner. Anna rushed inside carrying a gown and Bronnah gasps.
"I hope you don't mind, but I asked around, and a parishioner at our church was to be married and well… her betrothed ran off. She offered to sell this, and I snapped it up. What do you think?"
"I couldn't possibly," but even as she speaks, she is running a hand over the ivory satin hooped skirt. "Anna, it's gorgeous!"
"I know!" Anna squeals, "It an off the shoulder gown but the shoulders are covered in beautiful lace and look at the back," she spins the dress, and Bronnah's hands tremble. Tiny satin covered buttons line the back of the dress to the bottom of the skirt. "Don't break my heart, Bronnah. Wear it."
"Truly? I should say no, but I don't want too." Bronnah laughs when Anna squeals and helps her dress quickly. "It fits perfectly!" Bronnah stares in the mirror and is stunned. Her hair is up off her shoulders, and the corset makes her waist look tiny. She runs a hand over the lace sleeves and stares at Anna.
