Sabbath's 2 Darlings- The 12: Book Two

29. Gold and Red

Esau watched his wife pace back and forth in front of the cold fireplace.

"When will we have it?" she demanded. "I've been lying to my mother since that German cow started showing!"

"Patience, Ida," Esau said from his desk. "We don't want to frighten her."

"Well pay her and be done with it!" Ida shouted. "Do you have any idea how much my sisters will mock me when they find out I still have no children at thirty-seven?"

"Stop fretting, my love," Esau said taking both her hands in his. "Elsa Dressler won't be able to refuse my offer. She'll nurse the child until it is weaned and then I'll pack her off to Canada where she can forget about this whole ordeal."

"And what about Granville Heritage?" Ida asked. "You weren't able to keep him away and now he is friends with the Dresslers. He'll speak up for Elsa. He may marry her!"

The door to the study flew open and Ishmael entered out of breath with his hair all a mess. "Esau I need your help."

Ida stomped up to him. "Where's the infant? You're trying my patience."

"Ida get away from him," Esau ordered and Ida backed down in spite. Esau looked at his brother and noticed the blood on his sleeves. "What have you done?"

"I killed her?"

"Who?" Ida asked. "Not Elsa Dressler?"

"No not, Elsa," Ishmael said. He looked at his brother. "John Sabbath's daughter."

"What?" Esau said getting to his feet.

"I hit her with the motorcar," Ishmael said.

"Did anyone see you?" Esau asked going over to his brother and placing his hand on his shoulder.

"No, the road was empty." Ishmael said.

"And the car?"

"Just a little dusty."

Esau nodded. "Where is she?"

"Wild Wood Lake."

Esau patted his brother on the back. "It will be all right. I'll take care of it for you." He hurried out of the room with Ishmael following him. "You stay here. Jude will be your alibi if they start asking questions."

"You think they might?"

Esau stopped at the door to put on his jacket and hat. "People may wonder why John Sabbath and his daughter both died in the same year. And if I don't get to that body first then they will compare the bruises."

Ishmael swallowed. "But they won't come after us."

Esau paused. "The sheriff is getting harder to pacify and I don't know what else to give him. I've been pouring in money to that gang to keep them away from Jude."

"What about the blood gold?"

"Only in desperate situations. There isn't much left," Esau said. "Now I have to go. Stay here." He folded down the collar of his jacket and walked out the door. Saddling his own horse he galloped in the direction of Wild Wood Lake.

/

"It started appearing on the market about twenty-four years ago," the pawn store clerk said as he laid the coin on the counter. "This was brought in by a woman in rags. I think she may have stolen it. Most people who stop by marvel at it but no one is ever interested in buying."