The two-story home they live in is considered grand in this part of the country. It can't hold a candle to San Francisco. Aiden likes to visit there as often as he can. The gambling is first class, the food is phenomenal, and the brothels are, in a word, delicious. He gets hard just thinking about the young girls they provide for him. Yeah, he plans to move there once he gets enough money.
“That little witch will be mine and so will her Daddy's money.” Killing her family had been easy. His men took turns using her mother, and he likes to think she enjoyed it. Her screams stopped after the first two men raped her, perhaps they'd strangled her too long. He was left frustrated, he wanted to hear the sounds of her moaning for him.
Killing Cassie’s husband was a pleasure he wanted to save for himself. Jim was soft, and he ambushed him easily. He tortured him while he told him in great detail what he planned to do to his pregnant wife. Aiden laughs aloud at the memory of Jim fighting. He fought back hard then, wanting to protect her, but in the end, he died screaming as they all did.
Aiden whistles while he walks into the kitchen. The cook has dinner prepared, and she is visibly relieved when he offers to take the tray to his father. “Allow me. Thank you for a fantastic meal, Senorita.”
The first thing he notices is the smell of blood and urine. “Damnit!” He grumbles. He holds his breath and enters the room. He walks the tray to the chair and places it carefully on the seat. Turning, he's not surprised at the sight he finds. “Again, Father? I told you I was leaving. Now, who will look after you?”
His father is sitting in the bed, and the young Maria is naked before him. She is bound and gagged, beaten, and bloodied. He is smoking a pipe and gazing out the window, ignoring the now dead girl before him.
“I can look after myself. What news have you found?” Aiden goes to the cupboard and grabs a sheet, then talks while he works. He drags Maria from the bed cuts her bindings free and rolls her up inside the sheet staining it with her now cold blood. He lays out his plan as his father smiles.
“Excellent, by the time you return I will have taken care of any miners or surveyors that come this way. If they come with their machines, our mine will be stripped, and any hope of a future here will be destroyed. Take what money you need from the safe, don't fail me, son.” Eustace demands.
“Have I ever?” He tosses the limp body over his shoulder and heads outside.
Chapter 12
Dalton slips from their suite leaving a note with Mr. Astor unaware that Cassie is in the library. He has business to attend to that might be objectionable to the fairer sex. His first stop is the railroad ticket office to arrange passage. He finds to his surprise that Mr. Wells has two tickets for them to Wyoming on the Northern Pacific Railroad. Later in the morning, he has an appointment with the owner of the railroad to take a tour and meet the new partners.
With the plans he has for the railroad in his part of the country in his hands, Dalton is determined to make them listen and secure a fair agreement for the ranchers.
He heads to Mr. Wells office where he intends to find out as much as possible about Cassandra Wolf’s family and ranch.
“Thank you for seeing me on such short notice, Mr. Wells,” Dalton says shaking the man's hand.
“Not at all, Mr. Rivers. What can I do for you?” he asks leading him to a chair by the fireplace.
“I have a request that may seem odd. I would ask for your utmost discretion in this matter,” he asks earnestly.
“Now I am intrigued, Mr. Rivers. Nothing of our meeting has been ordinary. You have my assurances. What can I do for you?”
“Please call me Dalton. I would like you to wire ahead to your surveyor and have him find out as much information regarding my wife’s family and ranch. It is not something she likes to discuss and being so newly married, I would like to be prepared for any complications that may come back to haunt us.”
“Perfectly understandable and prudent to be sure. My man is there now and heading back tomorrow. I do have news for you regarding the mine. Her family mine is a veritable untapped vein, Dalton. If you are changing your mind regarding the contracts…” he starts to ask.
“No. My wife is set on this path. She is ready to move on and start our life together. Nothing will change her mind.” Dalton says thinking of her previous statements.
“Well then, if you're certain. I have your portions of the papers ready for your signature. Shall we?” Dalton smiles and thinks how excited she will be.
“Will her papers be ready as well? I could take them with me, and return them signed to you tomorrow after the ball?”
“Excellent. The surveyor wires me every morning with news. I should have that information for you by then.” Mr. Wells decrees. They begin the long process of reviewing the terms and signing documents.
After lunch together, Mr. Wells introduces him to the shareholders. This is what Dalton has been waiting for. A chance to discuss his intention for the Ranchers and Wyoming. He has never made it this far with the investors before and standing in front of the ten men he is ready and
