Chapter Thirty-Six
It was still a shock to know that Sandra was alive, and that she’d been there. Nate had given up. There had been moments over the years when he tried to look for her again, but there wasn’t much he could do. Not when there was nothing to go on.
To think she’d been that close…
“What are you going to do?” Jack asked, leaning on Nate’s desk. “Vane says he wants to talk to you.”
“I know. He’s been saying that for the last two hours.” Nate gave him a wry smile. “Or, rather, he’s demanding to speak to whoever’s in charge. The US Marshals are busy with the Silver Lantern, so…”
“Might as well go and tell him to shut up, at least. Unless he wants to confess to something.”
Nate scoffed.
“He’s not going to confess to anything. Not unless he’s trying to bribe me into releasing him.”
“He’s that desperate, I’m sure,” Jack remarked.
There was no doubt about it. Nate wanted to go back home and check on Rachel, but he had to deal with the pile of filth that was in the cells.
At least he didn’t have to deal with Pike too. The US Marshals were dealing with him elsewhere. Vane was on his own.
Nate stood up.
Jack raised his hand from his lap. “Just hear him out. I’ve got a feeling this is going to be interesting.”
His heart pounding, Nate went into the cells. Vane was sitting in one of the two holding cells, running his hands through his hair as he slumped on the bench. He looked up as Nate entered and groaned.
“What do you want?”
“You wanted to talk to the town marshal. So here I am.” Nate leaned against the bars. “So, what is it? What do you want to talk to me about?”
Vane scowled and looked away. Nate rolled his eyes.
“Are you going to make me an offer I can’t refuse so you can get out of here and disappear? I know what’s going through your head.”
“That’s not…”
“Don’t even try to deny it, Vane. You’re in enough trouble without bribing a lawman.
Even if I did help you out here, there are US Marshals outside and in the immediate area.
You go anywhere in any direction, you’re either going to run into a lawman with a gun, or you’ll end up getting shot.
Not that I would be disappointed if that were to happen.
You know this area well enough to know that it’s dangerous at this time of year. ”
Vane’s nostrils flared. His hands were clasped with his elbows on his knees. Nate felt a sense of satisfaction knowing that he had him dead to rights. He shook his head.
“You’re disgusting. You would take advantage of vulnerable girls and abuse them…”
“They wanted to be there.”
“They wanted to do what went on in the Silver Lantern? Really? If you’re going to come up with a lie, Vane, come up with a better one.”
“You wouldn’t understand.”
Nate coughed.
“Do you think I don’t? How do you think I felt when I knew my wife had been kidnapped by you? That she was taken back to the place that her mother tried to keep her away from?”
That made Vane look up, his expression confused. Nate waited, wanting to see realization dawn in the man’s eyes.
“I don’t…”
“You seriously kidnapped Rachel not knowing that she was Mary Bell’s daughter? The pregnant widow you brought to the Silver Lantern and beat to death when she tried to escape?”
“What?” Vane shot to his feet, his eyes wild. “I didn’t… her death had nothing to do with me!”
“You beat her and held her prisoner after she hid her daughter. You and Pike are responsible for her death.” Nate could feel the anger brewing in his chest, but he felt strangely calm. “You really didn’t know that Rachel was Mary’s daughter? You were around Mary for months.”
“It was almost twenty-five years ago!” Vane protested. He rubbed the back of his neck. “I wondered why I had a sense of familiarity with Rachel when I first saw her.”
“Well, you and Pike aren’t getting your hands on her again. Or the rest of the girls. They’re safe now, and you two are going to pay for what you’ve done.” Nate leaned in, his face almost pushed through the bars. “I’m going to make sure of that.”
Vane’s eyes narrowed.
“Is that a threat?”
“Absolutely. And I don’t think you’re in a position to threaten back. Once your operation crumbles, nobody’s going to stick up for you. They’ll be too busy trying to save their own skins. Nobody is loyal when serious consequences are close.”
Vane stepped toward the bars. Nate didn’t pull back. He wasn’t scared. Not of him.
“You shouldn’t be so cocky about that.”
“Really?” Nate challenged. “Because I can’t see you coming out of this well.
You’re going to be the one who goes to jail, goes into hard labor, hanged, whatever.
Whatever the outcome, it’s going to be because of your own doing.
And the fact you’ve been doing this for decades is not going to work out well for you.
Might even increase your sentence if you’re lucky not to get sentenced to death. ”
Vane slammed his hand onto the bars, making them rattle. Nate drew back a little as they vibrated near his face. Vane’s eyes were dark, almost glinting in their wildness.
“I’m going to get out of here,” he snarled. “And I’ll make sure you and your wife never see each other again.”
“And how are you going to do that when you’re never going to see the light of day again?” Nate stepped away. “I don’t have time for childish tantrums. Threatening me isn’t going to get what you want. You should’ve thought about things before you became a kidnapper and brothel owner.”
“I’m not…”
But Nate didn’t listen anymore, simply walking out of the room and shutting the door. Then he locked it as an afterthought, sliding the key into his pocket. Jack was waiting for him, giving him a bemused look.
“Don’t ask.” Nate walked past him. “I’m going home to my wife. I want to make sure she’s all right.”
“I’ll come with you.” Jack followed him out. “Isabelle said she was going to look after them, and I want to know if she's all right. This is hard on her as well.”
“I think everyone’s been hit hard with this. And Isabelle is a godsend.”
Jack smiled.
“I won’t argue with that.”
They arrived back at Nate’s house in silence, and found the inside warm and inviting.
There was someone moving around in the kitchen, and Jack went to check.
Olive was slumped in one of the chairs by the fire, her mouth open as she slept.
Sandra was curled up at one end of the settee, wrapped in a blanket.
She looked up as Nate entered. Her eyes brightened.
“Nate.”
“Hey.” Nate squeezed her shoulder before sitting in a nearby chair. “Where’s Rachel?”
“She went upstairs to sleep. She looked more worn out than us.” Sandra brushed her hair behind her ear. “Daisy’s asleep as well.”
“And Olive, from the look of it,” Nate mused.
She smiled.
“I’m not far behind. Knowing that I’m safe now… it’s like a weight off my shoulders.”
Nate swallowed and touched her arm.
“I’m sorry I didn’t find you. And I’m sorry…” he began, but she cut him off.
“You don’t have to feel guilty about not finding me. That lot are good at covering someone’s tracks. If they don’t want us to be found…”
“Even so…”
“Nate, it’s fine. I knew it was a dangerous situation as soon as I was in there.
I tried to leave, but that’s easier said than done.
” Sandra paused. “There were a couple of moments when I wished you would find me, but I knew there wasn’t anything you could do.
Even at your most creative, I knew you couldn’t get me out. ”
Nate flinched.
“You make it sound like I couldn’t do it at all.”
“What could you have done? Vane and Pike are dangerous people. I was stupid enough to be sucked into their business.” She took a deep breath. “I’m just glad to be out of there now. And you did that for me. You did save me, Nate. Please don’t forget that.”
Nate wanted to cry. He’d gotten his childhood friend back, and almost lost his wife. He took a few deep breaths and rubbed his face, trying to calm himself. He wasn’t about to break down, not here.
He almost lost those he held dear to him because of these men. If they managed to walk away, Nate knew he wouldn’t be safe.
“How are you feeling now?” Nate asked. “Is it beginning to sink in you’re out now?”
“I don’t think it will for a while, but I’m feeling better.” Sandra nodded toward the kitchen. “Isabelle’s setting up a bath for both of us. I must admit, it would be a delight to have a nice hot bath instead of a lukewarm one.”
Nate could imagine. A snoring noise from Olive made him smile.
“I’m glad to see Olive is faring well enough.”
“We’ve had something to eat, and I think the weight of what she’s witnessed over the years has just… been lifted.” Sandra shrugged. “If I’d witnessed what she had for nearly thirty years… I think I’d feel the same.”
“She’s a tough lady.”
“Very. She was like a mother for everyone there. She did whatever she could to protect us. She even got Daisy out when Pike was looking the other way.”
“That’s why she was locked up?”
“Yes. And she refused to back down when Pike confronted her.”
Nate had more respect for the woman. She really was remarkable.
The weight of the day tugged at him. Sleep was hitting him hard. Yawning, he stood up.
“You’d better get some sleep. You and Olive deserve it.”
“Nate?” Sandra smiled, the smile reaching his eyes. “Thank you. And I missed you.”
Nate didn’t respond to that except with a return smile and a touch to her shoulder. Then he dragged his feet up the stairs to the next floor, shrugging out of his jacket and taking off his Stetson as he went. He was so worn out he felt like he could fall asleep on the floor.
Rachel was in his bed, curled up on her side and fast asleep.
Her chest rose and fell a little as she slumbered.
Nate stood at the end of the bed and watched her for a moment.
She looked so innocent, so sweet as she slept.
His heart ached knowing that she had gone through so much.
To be kidnapped by the same people who took her mother and could’ve given her a completely different life was frightening.
He was glad that Mary Bell had been able to rescue her daughter. His wife had been given a better life because of her actions.
And she would have been proud of the woman who had become his wife. Rachel was someone anyone could be proud of.
He certainly was.
Dropping his jacket and Stetson onto the chair, he kicked off his boots and lay on top of the bed.
The fire was fresh, so it was warm enough without having to burrow under the blankets.
He lay there, listening to Rachel breathing, and it was soothing.
He felt the tension from the last twenty-four hours seeping from him.
It was like this was what he needed to get out of the turmoil he’d been stuck in.
He wasn’t na?ve. He knew there was still a long way to go.
Vane and Pike needed to be dealt with, and that could take time if they were able to get a good lawyer to delay things.
But with what everyone had witnessed, and what Nate had found in the ledger, it was more than enough to put them both away.
He was looking forward to the day when he could finally breathe. And with Rachel at his side, he could see that happening.
Rolling over, he put his arm around Rachel and gently tugged her close. Rachel let out a contented sigh. She tucked nicely against him, and she snuggled against his arm. Nate was sure he could see a smile.
This was something he’d wanted for a long time, but he’d not been able to admit it, not even to himself. Just someone who was there for him, to hold him and let him know that things were going to be all right.
And, at that moment, Nate really believed it.
He felt a smile tug at his mouth as he closed his eyes and drifted off into sleep, Rachel nestled in his arms as if she’d always been there.