Chapter 6 #2
Thomas blinked. “I … I’m fine. I think I forgot to eat today,” he said weakly.
“Do you need someone to walk with you?” Ethan asked.
Thomas and Ethan were the last ones there. They were always the last ones. Thomas knew that Ethan would volunteer himself, but he didn’t want company. Not until he could figure out if the note was really real, really serious, and not some terrible prank.
“I’ll be fine; I just need to walk it off,” Thomas said. He forced a smile as he thrust the note into his pocket.
He let Ethan escort him to the door. The oppressively hot, humid summer air was cooler now as the sun sank below the horizon. The whole of Unity was bathed in dusk colors, and Thomas breathed deeply.
“Better already,” he said.
Ethan nodded. “Take care, okay? Unity can’t lose you.”
Thomas smiled, and using his cane, began to walk to the bridge. When he reached it, he stopped about halfway and pulled out the note.
I have your brother Luke, his wife Tilda, and their children.
If you want them to be returned to you safely, you will permanently disable the elevator in the mine.
If not, your whole family will die. If you tell anyone about this note or what I have told you to do, I will kill them.
I have eyes and ears everywhere. You have two weeks to do this, or they die.
El Aguila.
Thomas was shivering. He swallowed hard and tried to look as though he was just enjoying the night air as Lizzy and Troy walked by, their new baby boy Christopher sitting proudly in his stroller.
He greeted them, smiled at Christopher, and got a gummy smile from the baby in return.
“Are you okay?” Lizzy asked. “You look pale.”
“I forgot to have lunch,” Thomas said. “I think I’m just really hungry.”
“We can walk you home,” Troy offered.
Thomas shook his head. “No, I’ll be fine. Don’t worry. Mrs. Odenkirk will feed me in a little while when Clary gets back from her last run out to the farms.”
“Clary is a godsend,” Lizzy said. “She has no trouble bringing in goods from the farms, which is such a help to us. I am so glad you found her.” She patted his arm.
Then they were off.
Thomas felt a pang of guilt. Lizzy and Troy had designed and built the elevator that the note was telling him he would have to destroy.
Is this note real? How did El Aguila get into Unity and into the smelter to put it in my locker? He wouldn’t come here himself.
Thomas looked around as though expecting to see figures clad in black jumping out at him from every growing shadow.
Gathering himself together, Thomas decided on a plan of action. He would have to go to San Antonio with all haste the next day and send Luke an urgent telegram. He needed to know everything was well and that his brother and his family were fine. Then Thomas could simply ignore the threat.
Yes, rather than get folks like Robert worked up, he should check how real the threat was first. That would be the prudent thing to do.
Feeling somewhat better, he set off for the boarding house.
As he approached, he saw that there was a commotion on the front steps. A group of people had gathered around something or someone.
“… oh, stop it … I’m fine!” a familiar voice cried.
Thomas ground his teeth. It was Evelyn. Was she drunk again?
He walked up to the steps, and people parted to let him through. He stood over Clary’s younger sister, who was seated on the steps. He looked down at her with a disappointed look on his face.
She looked up at him and then paled. “What?”
“What are you doing?” he asked.
“Sitting in protest,” Evelyn said.
She sounded sober.
“Protest?” Thomas asked.
“Yes, she’s been too disruptive; she can’t stay here,” Mrs. Odenkirk said sternly. The little old lady stuck out her chin in defiance of anything he might say.
“Okay. Let’s go, Evelyn.”
“Where to?” she asked.
Thomas shook his head. “That’s the problem, you see, because you’ve created quite a stir.”
She sighed. “I know. I didn’t mean to. I was just trying to …” She looked down at her feet. “I was trying to get back at Clary for bossing me around for years.”
“Well, you did a poor job of it, dear,” Mrs. Odenkirk said, shaking her head. “All you did was prove that you need looking after.”
Evelyn glared at her. “I don’t!”
Mrs. Odenkirk shot her a look, and Evelyn sagged a little. “Okay, fine. Maybe I do. I just don’t know what comes over me, and I have to cause mischief, or I feel like I’ll explode.” She turned back to Mrs. Odenkirk. “Please, can I have another chance?”
“What did she do that you’re throwing her out?” Thomas asked before Mrs. Odenkirk could reply to Evelyn.
The old lady sighed sadly. “She’s been disturbing the peace, coming in at all hours, making a ruckus, and she broke the jug and basin in her room. Those were some of my best.” She folded her arms across her chest.
Sarah, who had been standing on the sidelines, came closer. “Mrs. Odenkirk, if I may,” she said meekly. “I think we can all agree that Unity is about second chances. You very kindly helped me with mine; couldn’t we extend the same charity to Evelyn and help her too?”
Mrs. Odenkirk was clearly very fond of Sarah.
She patted the young woman’s cheek kindly.
“You are a gem with such a big heart. But no. We can’t because, you see, Evelyn hasn’t learned her lesson yet.
You can see it in her eyes, plain as day.
Any help you give her now will just egg her on to do more mischief in the future.
” She turned to Evelyn. “You need to be taught the only way you understand. Off you go.”
Evelyn’s eyes welled with tears. “But?—”
“Oh, Mrs. Odenkirk!” Sarah cried. “You can’t kick her out like that. What will Clary say?”
“Good riddance,” Mrs. Odenkirk said and, turning her back, went up the steps into the boarding house, closing the door behind her.
Sarah hovered a moment, as did some of the other residents who had congregated. A young man Thomas didn’t recognize put Evelyn’s bag on the steps and then turned and left.
“I’m so sorry,” Sarah said. Then she too turned and left them.
Thomas looked down at Evelyn, who was crying with her head in her hands. He didn’t know what to do, but he would have to figure something out. “Come on,” he said, picking up her bags. “I’ll help you find lodging.”
Evelyn looked up and wiped her face on her handkerchief. “Thank you so much.”
“I just want to make it abundantly clear. I’m doing this for Clary, not for you.”
Evelyn nodded. “Sure.”
For the next hour, they walked around town, trying to find someone who would take her in. No one wanted to until finally they approached the Cartwright house. Thomas was certain they wouldn’t want to host Evelyn either, but to his surprise, Mildred agreed.
“Of course you can stay here, dear,” she said kindly. “The guest room is up the stairs and first door to your right.”
Evelyn hugged her and then hurried up the stairs.
“You know what you’re getting into?” Thomas asked.
“Of course,” Mildred said with a look behind her at Evelyn hurrying up to the room. “My nephew Liam was like that. His mother sent him to me to straighten out. He’s the manager of a prestigious bank back in New York now. I know how to get Evelyn back on the right path. Leave her to me.”
Thomas could have kissed her. “Mildred, you are a lifesaver.”
She grinned. “Give Clary a big hug from me, would you?”
“Absolutely,” he said and left.
There was no way to express his gratitude to Mildred, but Thomas was going to find one. Just as soon as he dealt with the note, which felt like it was burning a hole in his back pocket.