Innocence Lost

Chapter 26

Dutch stared down at Kieran, with his arms folded. "Well? Do you want to avenge your sister, or not?"

Kieran closed his eyes, and took a deep breath, trying to take in everything that Dutch had just said.

"How do I know your not lying, just saying that, to protect her?"

"Why would I need to protect her," Dutch scoffed, "you're down in my basement, in chains. One word from me, and I have men queuing up to take your life."

Kieran sighed, "of course I want to avenge my sister, everything I've done has been to avenge her. Why would I stop now."

Dutch, paced up and down the basement, and then turned, and looked at Kieran.

"I might be prepared to let you live, if you agree to do something for me." Dutch smirked, "well actually a few things."

Kieran hesitated, he didn't really have a choice. If he refused, then he would die.

"What do you want me to do?" he asked.

Dutch snarled, "I want you to kill Colm O'Driscoll and Maxwell Rowan."

Kieran swallowed hard, "I...I've never killed anyone," he stuttered, "and Colm, he wants me dead!"

Dutch walked over to Kieran. He leant over him, and whispered in his ear, "there's more than just Colm that wants you dead, boy. Me included."

The colour drained, out of Kieran's face. "I suppose I don't really have a choice."

Dutch stood up, he pulled a cigar, from his pocket, and lit it. Puffing blue smoke into the air.

"There's always a choice, son," he scoffed, "seems lately, you're choices have been a bit poor."

Dutch walked towards the stairs, which lead out of the basement. As he reached the door, he turned to look at Kieran, "Oh and one other thing, you'll need to get the Pinkertons off our backs, so you better start working out how you're gonna do that!"

Dutch walked out of the basement, and headed out of the house. He looked around, scanning the camp for Arthur. He spied him, on the jetty, talking to Javier.

That was perfect, he needed to speak to them both.

He strode across the camp. He now had a plan, to tidy up all the loose ends, that had been vexing him, over the last few months.

"Arthur, Javier. We need to talk."

The two men, focussed all their attention on the gang leader.

"Not here though, and Arthur, I need you to go and get Sadie. Then meet me in my room."

Arthur and Javier, exchanged glances. Something was going on, and they weren't quite sure what.

Dutch sat in his room, with Ella. It was a sitting room, which adjoined the bedroom. Ella, was sitting on one of the chairs. She was pleased, to finally be out of the bed. When the door opened. Arthur came in, supporting Sadie. Her leg, was healing well. So although she was limping, she didn't really need Arthur to support her. But she didn't tell him that.

Javier followed them in. He wasn't quite sure what Dutch wanted to discuss, but he was pretty sure it involved Ella. Which made him think, it also involved Kieran.

Dutch motioned for them all to take a seat. He went to the cabinet, and pulled out a bottle of brandy, along with five glasses. He silently put the glasses down, and poured a generous shot of brandy, into each glass.

After sitting down, Dutch raised his glass in a silent toast. Each of the people round the table, did the same. Once they'd all had a drink. Dutch stood up, and leant on the table, palms down.

"I'm gonna let Kieran go," he stated.

Arthur stood up, "are you crazy? Have you finally lost it?" He yelled.

Dutch looked at Arthur, "sit down, son," he said, quietly.

Arthur, glared at Dutch.

"I said, sit down!" He shouted, angrily.

Sadie touched Arthur's arm. Arthur looked down, at Sadie. Her eyes implored him, to sit down again.

Arthur slumped back in his seat, shaking his head.

Dutch took a deep breath. "Ella's mother, was Kieran's sister. Its all been about revenge. But Ella didn't kill her mother, she shot her, yes. Her stepfather, killed her mother, when he set the house on fire." Dutch hesitated. "Maxwell Rowan lied to us, Arthur. He wanted Ella out the way. Apparently his new wife, has money. If she's really unlucky, she might end up the same as Ella's mother."

Arthur sighed, "but everything he did, everything we've suffered, Ella's suffered, and Sadie. Its because of him. He was gonna turn us over to the Pinkertons, for Christ sake!"

Dutch stood up, walked away from the table, the walked back. "I've told him, we'll let him go, if he takes out Rowan, and Colm O'Driscoll. I also said, he's got to find a way to get the Pinkertons of our back."

"Dutch, he's not a killer, he's a fixer. How do you think he'll manage to kill either of those men?" Javier asked.

Dutch pinched the bridge of his nose, and stared at Javier. "He'll do it, because he's got his mind set on revenge. That's all he's been doing, for the past five years. He won't stop, until he finishes. If I...If we can use that, then we will."

"Ella, what about you? What do you want?" Sadie asked, ignoring the men.

Ella sighed, "I don't care, I just want us all to be safe, and happy. I dont care what happens to my step father, or to Colm O'Driscoll, for that matter."

Dutch walked around the table, and put a hand on Ella's shoulder. "So do I," he said, "but I don't like loose ends, and Maxwell Rowan is a loose end."

Arthur shook his head, "and Colm, what's he?"

Dutch glared at Arthur, "you know what he is, Arthur!"

Arthur stood up again, "and what about if Kieran can't persuade the Pinkertons, what if they get our location, out of him, what then? They were half ready to take him in the other night, they know he's not loyal, to anyone but himself."

"So what you want me to do, kill him! Or keep him chained in the basement, indefinitely? What, exactly?" He raged.

Arthur slammed his fist on the table, "I want you to keep the women we love, safe!" He turned away, and stormed out, onto the balcony.

Dutch followed him out, and gently put a hand on his shoulder. "It's what I want too, son," he said, quietly.

Arthur turned to face Dutch, "then lets just, you and I, go deal with Maxwell Rowan. Once he's gone, we can just let Kieran go. Forget about Colm, and the Pinkertons. They don't know where we are, right now. Lets try and keep it that way."

Dutch gazed out across the camp. Thinking about what Arthur had just said.

Now it was Arthurs turn, to put a hand on Dutch's shoulder. "Dutch, Colm ain't worth it. You know it, and I know it. Look where revenge got Kieran!"

Dutch sighed, and nodded. He knew Arthur was making sense.

"Ok," he agreed. "We'll head out in the morning, we'll deal with Rowan, then we'll let Kieran go."