by Hatch, Marcy
Katherine nodded, remembering the privacy clause she had signed.
“It took me a while to find out where you were, but I couldn’t get in to see you. They said you were incommunicado.”
Katherine winced, remembering how she’d retreated those first few months. “I’m sorry, I . . . I got tired of the press,” Katherine said.
Neither of them said anything for a while, not sure which words were right, or wrong. And then they both spoke at the same time and laughed, slightly embarrassed, and Jack played the gentleman and insisted she go first.
She felt her face flush. “I wanted to say I’m sorry,” she said, “for leaving.”
“It’s all right. I understand.”
She shook her head. “I . . . I’m not sure you do. You don’t know how many times I wished I’d never come back, how many times I thought about Harlan’s place. I even went there, can you believe it?”
“Really?”
Katherine blinked again and smiled. “It isn’t the same,” she said.
“No, it wouldn’t be,” Jack agreed.
Katherine took a deep breath, feeling it hitch in her throat. “Can I ask you something?”
“Anything,” he said.
“When you first got here, did Louis ask you what you wanted?”
Jack nodded, looking straight at Katherine. “He asked me, if I could have my heart’s desire . . .”
“W-would your answer be the same?”
“No,” Jack murmured, taking a step toward her.
Katherine met his gaze, not flinching though in all truth was she was afraid of the answer.
Jack closed the distance between them. “It’s you, Katherine,” he whispered. “It was always you, from the first moment I saw you.”
He was kissing her before she could say anything else, wrapping her in his arms and holding her tight and it was exactly like her dreams, except better, because it was real. She kissed him back.
“I missed you. I missed you every day.” He wiped the tears from her eyes.
“Oh, Jack,” she said, her voice catching. “You have no idea. I thought you were gone . . . forever . . .”
“I’m sorry, I wanted to barge into your private compound so many times . . .”
“Oh my God, I wish you had.”
He kissed her again and they had almost a full two minutes of bliss, wrapped in each other’s arms, before an apologetic cough interrupted them. They broke apart slowly, though not completely, neither wanting to let go entirely.
“Sorry,” Louis said from the doorway, meaning it this time.
“What now?” Jack asked, holding tight to Katherine’s hand.
“Well, if you recall, I said there had been a development.”
Jack glanced at Katherine, pulling her a little closer. “I thought this is was what you meant.”
“I wish it were.”
“Why don’t we sit and be comfortable,” Miss Adjani said, gesturing toward a grouping if chairs near the stone hearth at the end of the room.
Jack and Katherine reluctantly followed her to the end of the room, taking seats next to one another, fingers entwined, while Louis and Miss Adjani sat across from them. Within moments one of the employees appeared as if on cue with a tray and a carafe of coffee.
“Let’s hear it,” Jack said as soon as he had his coffee in hand.
“Yes, tell us why you’ve asked us here,” Katherine echoed.
Miss Adjani cleared her throat. “I will. We will. But first, I think we should explain that this place was not meant to be what it is now. Louis originally intended it to be a simple retreat from the madness, a place where there was nothing to remind of the world beyond, a place where a person could forget about whatever it was they might want to forget and just be, here, now. But then of course he discovered the way to go back.”
“I never intended to share it with anyone,” Louis said. “It went in the face of everything I imagined the island to be; not to mention, I thought it would be dangerous. But then I discovered people had gone back, and it was actually necessary they do so. That’s how you were chosen. I knew you both needed to go back to do what you did.”
“But what if we hadn’t?” Katherine asked.
“I already knew you had. It was simply my job to facilitate getting you there.”
“But why didn’t you just tell us?”
“Well, I did.”
Katherine and Jack both gave Louis a look that said otherwise.
He gave a sigh. “I told you as much as I dared, as much as I thought I should. If I had said you had to go back in time and kill your own great-great whatever grandmother, would you have done it?”
Katherine didn’t answer and Louis nodded, not without sympathy.
“Okay, then why are we here now?” Jack asked.
“Ah, yes, well, as I said, there’s been a development.”
“What kind of development?” Jack asked, not liking the sound of it.
“You need to go back again.”
“Are you kidding me?”
“I’m afraid not. And believe me, I don’t like this any more than you do. This is highly unusual. I’ve never encountered anyone who was supposed to go back more than once.”
“And why on earth would I agree to go back?”
“You can’t ask this of him,” Katherine interrupted, appealing to Miss Adjani. “Not after we’ve found each other again.”
“Oh, we’re not asking him to leave you,” Miss Adjani said. “In fact, we’re asking you to go together. That’s the development; you’re both supposed to go back together.”
Katherine stared at Louis in shock, and then Miss Adjani, before shaking her head adamantly. “Do you have any idea what I went through? What Jack went through? He was almost killed—twice!”
“I know,” Louis said gravely. “And believe me, I considered not contacting either of you—except that I knew there was no other way. You have to go. You and Jack both.”
“And if we don’t?” Jack asked.
Louis stared back at both of them. “If you don’t, then Duncan MacCabe will not return to Scotland and father anyone.”
Jack swallowed. “Duncan MacCabe? But that’s . . . that’s my . . .”
“Exactly. That’s why you have to go.”
“This is crazy,” Katherine said.
“I know. It seems that way. But if it’s any consolation, you will be somewhere warm and beautiful,” Miss Adjani said.
“Oh? And where might that be?” Katherine asked, a hint of sarcasm in her tone.
“Greece,” Miss Adjani said.
Katherine’s face softened. Greece. That did sound nicer than the Old West. And she’d be with Jack.
“Wait,” Jack said, “When?”
“1821.”
“Wait a minute, that’s right at the start of the Greek War of Independence.”
“I know.”
“But that’s going to be dangerous!”
“It’s all right Jack,” Katherine said. “I’ve already been kidnapped, shot at, and almost hanged. Anyway, I can’t let you not get born after I’ve just found you again, can I?”
“But this is . . . would be . . .”
“I know, dangerous, which is why you need me.” She gave him her best smile and he tried to return a doubtful look, but then he started to laugh. She laughed, too, and pressed herself closer to him, kissing his still damp cheek.
“It will be just like Harlan’s place,” she said. “Paradise.”
Historical Notes
The Adams Express Robbery really happened, but in 1867, not 1875, when an eight-man gang stole almost $700,000 of which only $100,000 was ever recovered—by the Pinkertons.
Hays City is now jus
t Hays.
Tombstone was incorporated in 1879.
The gunfight near the OK corral occurred on the afternoon of October 26, 1881. After the gunfight Sheriff Behan tried to arrest Wyatt Earp, who refused to be arrested at that time. According to William M. Breckenridge (who some historians feel was biased), the Earps and Doc Holliday all went into the Oriental Saloon after they were released from custody. I have them all going over to the Oriental Saloon immediately after the gunfight, a bit of poetic license on my part. John P. Clum was the editor of the Tombstone Epitaph and mayor of Tombstone from 1881 to 1882.
Among the books I found helpful:
Buildings and Landmarks of Old Boston by Howard S. Andros
Helldorado by William M. Breckenridge
The Eye that Never Sleeps: A History of the Pinkerton National Detective Agency by Frank Morn
Sentinel of the Plains: Fort Levenworth and the American West by George Walton
About the Author
Marcy Hatch started telling stories as a kid. She shared a room with her little sister and at night she’d offer three titles from which to choose. She would then make up a story on the spot, using the chosen title as a guide. Later this progressed to written stories, then typed, and finally—an actual manuscript.
Marcy Hatch lives in the Midcoast area of Maine with her not-so-smart lab and four cats. She currently blogs at www.mainewords.blogspot.com about a variety of subjects, including writing, zombies, Skyrim, books, birds, and history.
West of Paradise is her first published work.
Acknowledgements
This being my first published book, and thus my first acknowledgement, I’ll keep it brief (like my blog posts). First and foremost, there are three teachers I absolutely have to thank for being there, for encouraging me, and giving me the best advice ever: Don’t stop writing! Thank you Mr. Wallace (from Norwell High School many moons ago), Mr. Elliott, and Mr. Bouchard (both from Chatham High School). I know it’s taken me a bit longer than expected but I finally have proof that I am a writer! You guys rocked. I also want to especially thank my mom and my sister, Lili, who always believed, and my most excellent CP (critique partner) and mentor, fellow author Dianne K. Salerni.
