The Last Love Of Arthur Morgan

Rage

By that evening, Dutch had inevitably fled the scene, leaving behind the people he once took pride in, without an explanation.

Arthur instructed everyone to pack their belongings and as they did, he took a walk to clear his head. Abigail rushed up beside him, her deep blue eyes filled with anger. He put a hand on her arm to calm her, but it did little to help.

"I know where the money is!" She blurted.

His brows furrowed."What money?"

"The money from Cherry Hill and Blackwater. Dutch's been hidin' it from us!"

"Where?"

She nodded her head toward the cave."Down there - had to find Jack one day and found him lookin' in the chest. All the money is there, Arthur."

"Son of a..." Arthur turned away, holding his head."That motherfucker!"

"My thoughts exactly."

Arthur was reeling as he processed what was said. The money was here the entire time, he lied to them all. But the more he thought about it and replayed Abigail's voice in his head, the angrier he got.

He turned toward the cave, his heart thudding against his chest. He felt Abigail come up beside him.

"I say, we take the money and run. He won't even know we got it, till he's ready to leave himself."

Arthur snorted."If money is involved, he'll know whether it's there or not."

"You gonna take it?"

"I'm thinkin' about it." He turned to Abigail."Tell John to meet me in the cave."

She nodded and turned away.

Arthur headed into the cave with a lantern and his satchel. He walked down the dark damp corridors, feeling utterly betrayed by the one person he thought he could trust. He realized that was a false sense of security - he'd realized it a while ago, but denied it, hoping things would change. Then Hosea died and he realized nothing would ever change.

He got to the bottom of the cave and some torches illuminated the area. It wasn't hard to spot the chest, which he thought was left there by the Murfree's.

He stomped over and busted the lock with the butt of his gun, then slowly pushed it open. He felt his heart jump into his throat. Abigail didn't lie.

There was stacks of money, fine jewelry they'd swiped from rich folk and some legal papers. Arthur frowned and looked down at his feet, feeling tears blur his vision. He pinched the bridge of his nose, stomping his foot on the ground, as if a way to stop his emotions from surfacing.

"Fuck." He breathed.

He slowly shut the chest and leaned against it. Footsteps descended the cave and Arthur glanced over his shoulder, thankful that it was only John standing there. Arthur stood up and beckoned him over.

"The money...it's here, has been for a while. Dutch lied to us." Arthur explained solemnly."...This was all for nothin."

John heaved a shaky sigh, as he closed the chest."Why? Why would he lie and get everybody killed!?"

"I guess he wanted to be King." Arthur shrugged."I don't know how we didn't see it before - I guess we didn't want to."

"What do we do now?" John asked.

"Take the money."

... 

Dutch,

Out of all the people in my life, I never expected you, OF ALL PEOPLE, to break my heart. I gave you all that I had and you stabbed me in the back. You knew I needed you - a father, you knew and you preyed on my weakness... my vulnerability!