The Visitor - The Bell Tower 1873 - 1875

by Barbara Svetlick

  “Absolutely not though her perception is very keen.” Meeks opened the envelope and smiled as he read the report. “You might want to read it since it appears Mirisa and the children have been spending a lot of time shopping, eating out and attending the children’s theater. James I think you bought all of them season tickets.”

  James laughed because if nothing else she had a sense of humor. He picked it up and read it. “It seems Mr. Sampson is back to publically pursuing her and Mr. Sinclare stopped by the house late in the evening. I really don’t like her being alone.”

  “James get your mind back on the assignment. She has protection so we don’t have to worry about her and the children.”

  “Damnit Dominic, you know that they won’t do as thorough a job as we do.” James poured a shot and handed the letter to Garnett.

  “James.” He turned and looked at Meeks. “She’ll handle whatever she needs to and she wouldn’t want you to worry.”

  “I always worry about her.”

  “That’s obvious and I think I’m going to vote for your not becoming a father because you will drive everyone crazy.”

  “Fuck you Garnett.” James got up and went into the living room for a new cigar. Garnett looked at Meeks.

  “Sorry, I don’t have anyone I can send to release his anxiety this time and I’m sure not going to volunteer.” James came back into the room as Meeks said it. He handed him a new cigar and sat back down brooding. “James just remember that with each minute we delay in going home you lose money.”

  “Is this her way of punishing us for taking an assignment?”

  “It is her way of dealing with the anxiety that we may not return.”

  They received a message within the hour. Garnett put the papers in the safe behind the false panel in the staircase, put on their guns and left the townhouse. It was cold out but so far they had not gotten any snow in Washington. They rode into the city and took the causeway into the country. The payroll was taking the western route out of Washington before heading toward Manassas and straight west through to Harrisonburg. There was a seven man unit with the wagon as far as Harrisonburg where it would be turned over for distribution to the different units along the Ohio and West Virginia trails.

  Meeks and James rode on toward Manassas while Dominic and Garnett stopped at the tavern along the river. A half hour before the unit was to pass through Alexandria, Dominic and Garnett rode into the dense forests along the highway and waited. The wagon passed on time. Within thirty minutes four men came down the highway at about the same clip as the unit was traveling. About thirty minutes later the General’s aide and another rider came down the road heading in the same direction. Dominic smiled and Garnett shook his head. What men wouldn’t do for a blonde, especially this blonde? Libby was the only one who thought bondage was something she should be allowed to use on others. They waited until everyone was out of sight and mounted their horses taking the trail through the Wilderness. They knew the route the money was taking so there was no rush.

  Meeks and James were sitting in the dark about ten miles west of Manassas listening more than watching. They heard the horses approach and suddenly stop. Two men dismounted, walked over to the side of the road and began to chop down a large tree. It took them less than ten minute to fell the tree which hit the road with a thunderous crash. The two men mounted their horses and headed back east a hundred yards then slowly worked their horses up into the tree line.

  James motioned to Meeks and they started to circle above them until they could hear them talking. James got into position as Meeks slowly walked down the ravine and when he got close the two men stood and turned with their guns drawn. Meeks took the cigar out of his mouth as James shot them both between the eyes before Meeks could even say ‘good evening’. They pulled the bodies further up the ridge and moved closer to the road. The wagon approached and was almost on top of the fallen tree before they saw it.

  The driver pulled the reins up hard and the soldiers on horseback immediately pulled their guns circling the area looking for an ambush. The horses were dancing as they snorted from being reined in so tightly. Meeks watched them pointing out one to James as the member who was in on the heist. By the stripes on his uniform, he appeared to be a Sergeant and was a slightly out of shape older man. Obviously, the plan was that the two men who cut down the tree were supposed to either kill or disarm the unit. This was the same method that had been used in the last heist which went horribly bad for the soldiers.

  The Sergeant kept looking around trying to decide why no one was responding when the first few minutes of surprise were vital for a successful robbery. He ordered everyone to dismount and help move the tree before they were hijacked.

  The men tried moving the tree which would not budge. “Sgt. Dumphries, it’s not cut all the way through but it has been deliberately felled.”

  The Sergeant stayed on his horse as the driver and soldier riding shotgun backed up the wagon and stood at full alert for any movement. Meeks believed the overgrown road they passed a mile down the highway probably lead to a hideaway or old barn where they would put the wagon until they could move the money.

  "We need a hatchet or something to get this thing out of the road. It's too big to push and the horses haven't moved it an inch." Sergeant Dumphries was cussing under his breath because his boss was going to be riding into a fully armed detail without warning.

  "Keep working on it. If necessary unhook the wagon horses and see if you can pull it out of the way. We only need enough room to get the wagon around it without getting stuck in the mud."

  Sergeant Dumphries kept looking around wondering when they were going to come out of the woods but he was beginning to get a really bad feeling. They all heard the horse hooves in the distance and took up positions to the rear.

  James set his bead and when the four men came around the bend, expecting everyone to be already disarmed, James took out Sergeant Dumphries who was still on his horse furthest from the wagon. The protection detail which consisted of young inexperienced soldiers panicked and hit the ground but instead of turning their attention to the trees they aimed for the four men coming up fast who at this point started to fire at the soldiers. The gun battle lasted less than two minutes killing two of the riders, wounding one who fell off his horse but the fourth rider pulled up as he fired back and headed east to warn the General’s aide that it was a trap.

  Meeks stood and set him in the sight of his rifle as you would a spooked deer. The shot took him in the side of the temple and lifted him out of his saddle sending his body flying through the air before it hit the road and rolled. The soldiers were still firing so no one particularly noticed where the shot came from or even noticed the direction his body traveled. Meeks and James worked back to their horses, climbed the ridge and headed east staying in the trees. The men at the wagon were still on the ground trying to determine if there was anyone waiting to pick them off. Charles Mackley, the General’s aide, and Libby passed at a trot assured that since the gunfire had stopped that the situation was under control. Mackley and Libby turned off the road onto the overgrown dirt road which lead to the old barn. James dismounted, handed his reins to Meeks and moved down to the edge of the tree line behind them.

  Dominic and Garnett stayed about a thousand feet behind the Aide and when the shooting started Mr. Mackley and Libby both stopped and waited. It was about ten minutes before it became quiet. Mr.Mackley waited a few more minutes proceeding until they reached the fork leading down a dirt road. Dominic and Garnett came down onto the highway but kept their distance. Charles and Libby sat patiently waiting to hear the sound of the wagon.

  James stepped out into the path telling them to drop their guns and dismount. Charles Mackley kicked his horse going around James as Libby pulled her gun. James was expecting her reaction and rolled out of the way shooting her in the arm causing her gun to drop. Libby slumped over trying not to be thrown by her horse as Charles turned his horse back grabbing her reins whe
n Meeks stepped out of the dark and pulled him off his horse. Charles scrambled to his feet and grabbed for his gun when Meeks kicked him in the groin bringing him down before hitting him with the butt of his gun. Dominic and Garnett came off the highway and stopped next to them.

  “Well darling it’s been an awfully long time since we have had the pleasure of your company.”

  Libby glared at Dominic as James pulled her off the horse and threw her on the ground. She pushed herself away from them as she put her hand on her wound which was bleeding profusely.

  “You had no right to shoot me.”

  James handed his gun to Meeks before he bent down and moved her hand removing her jacket and tearing off the sleeve of her blouse. “Then you shouldn’t have shot at me first. It’s not like you didn’t recognize me even with my clothes on.” He tore strips of the clothed and wrapped it around her arm tying it as tight as he could as she glared at him. “You may want to temper your attitude for I would hate to see you meet an untimely ending.”

  “James get your fucking hands off of me.”

  “Funny you have never said that to me in the past. Is this a new profession that you have taken on?”

  Libby swung as James stood. “I don’t know what you are talking about and I will have you arrested for attacking me for no reason whatsoever. You cannot connect me to the robberies.”

  “I don’t think I have said anything about robberies but honestly Libby do you think that lover boy here, once he is put into a dark and cold jail cell, won’t turn you over as the mastermind behind this entrepreneurship of parting the government from its money without spreading your legs?” James lit a cigar. “Well, without spreading your legs for the entire Army though I am sure if you penned a book on your military conquests that it would have made you far more money than robbing payroll wagons. Maybe you have just gotten too old to successfully part a man from his assets.”

  “If Charles is your only evidence as to what you believe I have done, I hardly think your case will go far. You forget how much influence I have.”

  Garnett dismounted, picked up their guns and threw them in the brush. He walked over to Libby and pulled her up by her injured arm as she screamed in pain trying to pull away from him. Garnett twisted it harder and told her she should have stuck to using ropes and playing with the good boys.

  Libby spat in his face and told him he had no idea how to play rough or how to please a woman. Garnett smiled at her, handed his pistol to James, took the rope off his horse throwing it to Dominic and escorted her into the trees. They knew she had a mouth on her but had no idea she could use that many cuss words in such a creative way. Dominic dragged Libby back out onto the road kicking and screaming. He threw her on the ground next to Mr. Mackley who was moaning but not fully conscious.

  Mr. Mackley had been with the General since the beginning of the war and after the General retired from the Army he took Charles with him to run the appropriations office of the Army. The older the General became the more duties were unknowingly surrendered to his Aide. Libby on the other hand was very infamous in the upper army circles before the war and they hadn’t seen her in Washington until she showed up in the documents from the General.

  “Tell me darling, was it the General who sought after your unique form of pleasure? Is that who you think will vouch for your dalliances in the criminal world?”

  “I don’t have to talk to any of you.”

  Meeks lit his cigar off of James’ and walked around behind her as she craned her neck to follow his movements. The bruises on her jaw were starting to form and Meeks reached over and pulled her head back by her braid as he squatted down behind her.

  “No you really don’t but let me explain the choices you have tonight.” Meeks blew a smoke ring and waited for it to dissipate above her as he pulled out his knife placing it gently against her windpipe. “Where does the buck stop? This gangly little aide who probably can’t find his dick in the sunlight or the General who always loved to be dominated by women with chains and whips?”

  James watched as she calculated what she would consider an option not on the table. You could tell that she didn’t believe that they would kill her since they were after bigger fish.

  “You can’t prove anything except I was out on a ride with Charles.”

  Mackley started to moan as he tried to get his bearings about him. Dominic put his foot in the center of his back and leaned toward Libby. “You over estimate your odds but you always did believe you were more attractive than you are.”

  Meeks pressed the knife slightly as a trickle of blood started to run down her neck as she took in her breath unable to move. “He’ll kill me.”

  “Well there isn’t much of a choice since that is what I am about to do.”

  “NO!” She reached up and put her hand around Meek’s arm. “It wasn’t the General!”

  Garnett cut off a piece of rope and slowly bound Mackley’s hands behind his back hog tying him as Dominic stepped toward her squatting down. “Who?”

  She took in her breath. “His son.”

  “Malcome?”

  She couldn’t respond for fear that the knife would cut deeper. “Libby, he’s in the service of the President. Why in the world would he do something like this?”

  Meeks pulled his hand away but didn’t release his hold on her. “He loses heavily at the tables and his father cut him off after they came after him for the losses. At first he just wanted to pay off the debt but he just gets back into trouble only worse.”

  The Corporal of the unit walked up with his gun drawn on them. “Drop your guns.” They all turned and looked at him. Dominic reached into his coat and the soldier turned the gun on him. “Don’t move.”

  “We’re with the army son. If you will watch your trigger finger, I’ll give you the orders.” The Corporal backed up a few feet as Dominic pulled out the papers and handed them to him. He called back to one of the soldiers who came up and lit a match so he could read them. He folded them back up and handed them to Dominic. “What can I do?”

  “Take both of them into custody along with the one who's wounded. Make sure you tie them up better than you would a pick pocket who has taken your father’s watch. Captain Reynolds will meet you back at Manassas to give you a new route and relieve you of the prisoners.”

  “Thank you Captain. Don’t you think she should be covered or something?” He turned and yelled for the men as they turned leaving the Corporal to deal with her nudity and retrieve their horses.

  The boys followed at a distance until they were within sight of Captain Reynolds party. Garnett slowed down and pulled Libby’s head back and kissed her. Libby tried to kick him and he just laughed. Dominic spoke to the Captain giving him the information on Malcome before they headed back to Georgetown.

  “Garnett you are one sick person.”

  “Yeah, but isn’t it great to be on assignment when you control the situation and sex is part of the job.” They rode hard and after they cleaned up decided to head out to celebrate. Meeks told them he was heading back and would see them in New York. None of them argued with him even though it would take him all night to reach Mirisa.

  Mirisa spent the day shopping with Charisse and they ended the day getting their hair cut and styled. Mirisa held the little hand mirror up and knew that she loved the shorter style. They decided to end the evening at their favorite restaurant.

  The owner looked at them. “Are you meeting your husbands?”

  Charisse smiled. “We are dining without men tonight and would appreciate your seating us at my regular table.”

  The owner looked down at his book and nervously looked back at Charisse and Mirisa. “I am afraid that we are booked tonight. Might I suggest that you have dinner…”

  Charisse narrowed her eyes before she started laughing. “Mirisa?”

  “I don’t believe that my husband is going to be happy to learn that we have been turned away.”

  “Please accept my most sincere apologies M
rs. Meeks and Casper. I would not turn you away if we had a table but with the holiday season our tables are booked solid up to Christmas.”

  Mirisa put her arm on Charisse’s. “Thank you Mr. Mater. We should have made reservations.” Mirisa pulled Charisse out of the restaurant running into Louis Sampson. He tipped his hat and smiled.

  “What a pleasant surprise.” Louis looked past the women believing their husbands were behind them. He had a woman on his arm but she didn’t see a need to acknowledge Charisse and didn’t know the woman with her. “Did you dine alone tonight or did your husbands have business that drew them away from such beautiful dinner companions?”

  “Mr. Sampson…”

  “Mirisa, I thought we were beyond formal greetings.”

  Mirisa was too irritated to be agreeable but she took in her breath and smiled. “Louis, it is good to see you.”

  “And you.” He turned to Charisse. “Mrs. Casper.”

  Charisse laughed. “Louis, the world is aware that you are pursing my sister in law but I find your manners to be impeccable despite your intentions. I should warn you that my brother is not someone you should push.”

  “I shall consider myself warned.” Louis bowed slightly as the doorman held open the door. “Have a good evening.”

  Mirisa looked at Charisse before they headed down the street to a smaller restaurant that did not have rules about dining.

  The last day she went shopping by herself and finished up the Christmas shopping for the staff before picking up her dress for the fundraiser. Mirisa decided that since she hadn’t heard from them in three days that she was going to just spend money until she became totally bored. She bought extremely expensive silk undergarments, new shoes and a lot of things for putting up her hair.

  The sales lady helped her with the latest hats for daytime wear which were smaller and more attractive. She came out of the last shop and stopped to put on her gloves. Mirisa stepped off the walkway looking in both directions before crossing to her carriage. As she approached the carriage, Louis walked up behind her and opened the carriage door.