Kate the Kid Ch. 15

In their own room, Izzy and Jerome made their escape. Below Dan and Finn would see to everything and soon enough the police would be wanting Jerome, so they took advantage.

As soon as he closed the door of his magnificent master bedroom they were kissing, stumbling, yanking their clothes free. When they made it to the bed he still had his pants on, open, and her dress was peeled from her chest but the skirt and heavy bustle were on.

Laughing they gave up and Jerome fell to the bed, Izzy jumping and landing on top. He drew her hair free from its pinnings and the dark silken curls flowed over his hands as they kissed.

"Sweetheart," he groaned and pulled her small weight up. She gasped as he settled her over his face and began to lick. She was hot and wet, and soon when his long licks became teasingly fast swipes, Izzy was grinding into him, gasping and begging. He began to suckle at her clit and she was screaming, shivering sweetly on him.

After long moments, she pulled back and scrambled to plant herself onto him, so hot and tight and ready to take his entire hard length. They groaned but did not keep still once he speared her, becoming a fast moving tangle of hands and lips. He raised himself onto his elbows to kiss her breasts and she began to grind her body, riding him like a horse.

Izzy's face was twisted in pleasure, her gasps hard and fast pants that matched his own and his heart swelled. Jerome knew he needed this freedom with his sweet wife and in that instant he made a decision to end the violence and struggled.

He grabbed her hips and dragged her across him, sucking the sweet rosy tips of her breasts with great force. Her breath broke and he felt her tighten just as he did.

The pleasure swirled and claimed them both with harsh shouts. She instinctively thrust and his seed spilled deep into her, both of them clutching the other with bruising grips.

When it ended they collapsed into bliss, rolling to their sides awkwardly with her bustle still attached. He laughed. "It figures that once you became my wife I would take you like an animalistic youth."

"It matters not. We have a lifetime to take each other however we wish, whenever we wish. Finally, you are my husband and it is almost over."

He raised himself on an elbow and kissed her softly. "Almost. I just need to have a word with Whittaker and he'll leave us alone."

"Why would he do that when he tried to kill you?"

"I have a plan, the fastest way to peace for us all, though it might mean a change in the plans we discussed."

"When did you decide this?" she stretched.

"When I realized I was making love to my wife for the first time and I wanted the whole world to disappear. When I realized I had to make swift action so our peaceful future could begins, just as it will for Kate and Rafe when McMasters hangs."

"So what is your plan, my love?" She kissed his shoulder.

"I think it's time to restart. No more guns, killing, any of it. I will simply show Whittaker the evidence from today and tell him I will turn it over to the police unless he leaves us alone."

"Will that work?"

"If not, between your money, mine, and Kate's we can buy him out five times over."

She laughed and there came a knock at the door. "Who is it?" Izzy called with a sigh, already drawing up to fix her dress.

"It's Finn. The police need Jerome. I'm sorry."

Jerome stood and helped her up. "You stay here and hold this," he handed her the lira and paystub. "A few more loose ends and we'll all be ready to leave."

She kissed him. "I hope so."

***

Whitaker's office was dark. It sat at the top of a large building that was a warehouse for the shipping company, much smaller than the New York office it was close to Beacon Hill.

Jerome had let the police cart off the men with no ID and none of the evidence Kate had pulled from them. Robert Finnegan intervened to hush things up but leave it open that if Whittaker didn't agree he would be arrested.

Spotted Horse and Dan Forth were off finding Jane Whittaker just in case as well, and it was Robert Finnegan who rode over with Jerome.

It was end of business three days past the wedding. They had seen Kate and Rafe off early that morning, heading for Chicago to catch the end of McMasters' trial and close that chapter in their lives.

Jerome had made an appointment and signed in as Robert briefed the two uniformed cops at the corner. He'd follow.

Jerome was shown into a dark-paneled office much like his own. Whittaker, a man of average height and spreading middle-aged girth that spoke of a lifetime of idleness of body was drawn, his skin as pale as his white hair, his blue eyes bloodshot.

"What is it you want, Williams?"

Jerome glanced at his pocket watch. He had two minutes before Robert would be in place outside the door, and he had to stall.

"I was wired this afternoon by a friend. Your daughter is safe and married, living in Washington D.C. now."

Whittaker grumbled. "You're only saying that."

Jerome sat in a chair and pulled Dan's cable out, laying it on the desk. "I'm sure you know I am married as well. There is no hope for a merger between us but there may be peace."

Whittaker read the missive and crumpled it into a ball. "Lies. My daughter would never do that. This is all an excuse so you could marry that Italian whore and take control of her company."

Jerome stood, towering over the other man. "If you call my wife a name like that again, there is no force on earth that will stop me from dismantling your company one brick and plank at a time until you are a broken insect I crush beneath my boot heel, is that understood?"

"It's the truth! She is a whore, trying to seduce her brother in law then running from him to you."

It was time; Robert was in place.

"Is that what you think? She escaped her brother in law's advances, kept her company going, and opened her own business in San Francisco. That woman is more brave and courageous and strong than any you've ever dreamed of. She still has control of her company, I had papers drawn up that I would never control it without her consent."

Whittaker turned red. "Lies!"

"Did you think it was me? That if you killed me perhaps you could woo my widow? Is that why you sent those two assassins to my wedding?"

"I did no such thing!"

Jerome pulled out the lira and paystub. "You were working with Franco Vercelli, weren't you? You sent them after us but we took passage to Europe. They followed us but didn't catch up until the wedding. Admit it!"

Whittaker narrowed his bloodshot eyes. "Vercelli wanted you dead but I paid them off. They were to kill your wife. You will marry Jane and follow through on our deal one way or another."

"You hired them to kill my wife!?!"

"Of course I did!" Whittaker shouted. "We had a deal! We had a deal and when you chose that Italian whore over my pure daughter you turned your back on it. It's only fair you should suffer!"

Jerome saw red and decided the offer was off the table. "Robert!" he yelled and the doors burst open.

"What is this!?!" Whittaker yelled even as Robert pulled irons out and clapped them on his wrists.

"You're under arrest," Robert said and hauled Whittaker to the window. He pulled out a whistle and blew it. When he finished searching the man's pockets the uniformed officers arrived.

"I'm going to summon Jane here. In one week you'll be facing the hangman for your crimes, and I will have the board turn over control of your company to Jane. She and her husband are broke, and I'll give her a fair price for control."

"No! You can't do this!" Whittaker struggled.

"On the desk is evidence," Jerome said coolly to Robert who nodded and pointed out the lira and stub sitting next to a wallet marked with initials on the desk.

Jerome strode out as a police wagon pulled up to take Whittaker away. To his shock Izzy stood there, watching it all.

"It's done?"

He hugged her tight. "I have to cable an offer to Jane Whittaker and schedule a meeting with the board of Whittaker shipping. We'll have this settled and can meet with Kate and Rafe in one week. It's almost over."

She stretched on her tiptoes and he bent down, kissing her deeply.

"I hope so, my love. We've all had quite an adventure and deserve some peace. Particularly Kate."

"She'll have her own demons to slay, one last one. I want to wait until tomorrow when things are certain and I'll cable the depot in Chicago."

"I love you."

"And I love you, Isabella Williams."

They climbed into his coach and made furious love as they were driven to a cable office, the promise of the future bright on their tongues.

***

Kate and Rafe stepped off the train and headed immediately to the nearest cable office with Finn in tow. It had stuck in their craws both to leave Izzy and Jerome with only Dan, Spotted horse, and Robert as backup but they had faith his plan would work.

If Whittaker listened to reason they could all go forth with the plan as decided. If he didn't, Jerome would have him arrested and they'd all together buy out Whittaker.

Making such large decisions still seemed like a fantasy to her, and she knew Rafe felt the same way. They had grown up poor, been cut into adulthood on the trails, a man and woman most comfortable on the back of a horse with a gun at their side.

Still Kate knew watching the end of the trial of McMasters would be difficult, as would be watching him hang. Having Finn and her husband was a boon, but she still wished she had Izzy with her for the ordeal.

They hit the office and Finn was as anxious as them to read the results. The cable told them they were going to be the new proud co-owners of Whittaker shipping, and they were to remain in Chicago until Jerome and Izzy joined them.

"We need a drink," Kate said with a shaky laugh, half her worries evaporated.

"We need to find out about McMasters," Rafe said with a sigh, gripping her hand and smiling wanly knowing the hardest part was still ahead for his sweet wife.

"Why don't I get us a hotel and cable Jerome?" Finn asked. He smiled at Kate. "I'll be sure to get some whiskey too."

"At this rate I'd try laudanum," Kate muttered, shivering.

"Sounds good, Finn. Now sweetie should we get your horse first or hail a carriage to the court house?" He knew she wouldn't want to wait much longer and truthfully neither did he.

They stepped outside the office onto the bustling street and Kate sighed, pulling the brim of her hat down. "I wish McMasters would just disappear. I wish he was gone and our path was cleared."

A man dressed in the practical-yet-fine clothes of a teacher stopped in front of them, chewing on his pipe. "McMasters? You folks just arrive?"

"Yes we did," Rafe said, putting his arm around Kate and ignoring the man's quizzical stare at his wife in a blouse and jeans.

"You didn't hear then. Someone smuggled a pistol into the jail and the man shot himself before the end of the trial. Happened a week ago. Guess he knew he was destined for the hangman."

Kate was so shocked she swayed against Rafe and he caught her. Finn thanked the man and helped her stand upright, whistling. "Well, ain't that a shock to the system."

"It's done," Kate whispered. "It's truly done. I'm free, Rafe, free of it all!" She hugged him tight.

He didn't say anything, just held her as it sank in there were no more demons, no more shooters lined up. They were in fact all free.

Suddenly he whooped and swung Kate around, almost hitting Finn. "Sweetheart, this means we can have a real honeymoon. It'll take at least a week for them to get here."

Finn sighed laboriously. "I'll find a way to keep busy."

A woman in a bright yellow dress with long brown hair walked past with the sure confident smile of an older woman and he returned her grin. "In fact, I'll catch y'all later."

That week passed for Kate and Rafe in bed, and as much as he hated to say it, her money was a nice thing to have when he discovered room service.

One week turned into two when Izzy and Jerome came and sequestered themselves in their own for a week. Left to their own devices, Finn found himself courting the widow Mrs. Chesterfield and Dan found himself learning to read ledgers. Spotted Horse and his own wife joined them for dinners and Mrs. Emily chesterfield became part of the circle.

When they all emerged Jerome helped Kate settle her father's assets as well as the last of her mother's. All three shipping companies would become Williams-MacNeil shipping with offices in Italy, England, Boston, New York and San Francisco.

Dan, under the tutelage of Jerome, learned the ropes and decided to head up the British office, with Izzy's CEO in Rome, and a member of the former Whittaker organization that Jerome trusted in New York. Finn's new woman it turned out had a wonderful head for business, and they decided to marry and settle in Chicago.

Kate and Izzy decided to share the Rockport, but in practicality she too had to learn to master her new business. When she did, she and Jerome would share responsibilities, spending six months in Frisco and six in Boston alternating, with their spouses.

Spotted Horse and his wife opened an office in Portland and helped Williams-MacNeil grow into a land shipping empire in the states. There in a wild but civilized territory they started a family and though their years were spent in bliss their children did have to use their new family money to fight the racism directed half breeds, but their line flourished and grew in love.

Finn married Emily Chesterfield and learned he had almost as good a head for numbers as he had for trouble. Their children were plentiful and they settled to the far south of the city with other Irish immigrants. The Finnegan line was long, and in every generation there was a tall, dark haired man with blue eyes, a penchant for trouble, and the moniker Finn.

Izzy and Jerome never had children but with their busy lives they never felt a hole. They had plenty of Godchildren to help raise at the Rockport Inn and their love remained strong for the rest of their lives.

Kate and Rafe never fully adjusted to civilized life, nor did they have to. For a few years they spent much of their time at the Rockport sneaking away to the trails even as the west was swallowed up by civilization. In Boston they befriended Robert Finnegan who eventually became the head of security for the company.

Robert married a young woman with red hair that reminded him of another firebrand both he and his brother loved, and he too had a brood of children with good looks and appetites for adventure.

Quiet Dan Forth became a legendary bachelor in London, much sought after, settling down only in his later years with the widow of a Viscount, marrying twenty years after he had taken his post.

At the wedding he was reunited with his friends, their spouses, and even some of their children. In twenty years all had remained healthy, wealthy, and loved, still the best of friends. Everyone fell in love with Kate's youngest, a quiet ten year old girl with red hair, violet eyes, and her mother's sense of freedom.

Kate and Rafe did have that whole passel of kids, and loved them fiercely. Kate surprised herself, adjusting to the life, but thankfully was able to always keep a sense of freedom with Jerome and Izzy parenting the children as much as she and Rafe did.

Everyday was an adventure for them all. None of them felt it was easy, nor would any of them have wanted it that way.

As the century closed and the states spread, their fortunes grew, but it was the happiness in freedom, friendship, and family that made every day a happy one.

One day when Kate's youngest, named Katherine for her grandmother, was still a dreamy adolescent her father took her for a ride outside of town and told her the impossible story of her mother, when she was known as Kate the Kid.

******

Author's Note:

This is the end of this particular story, but not the last about these friends. Many of you will note this tells the tale of the ancestor of Michael Finnegan from my Marly Jackson stories. (if you look carefully you will see that no matter what the setting of my stories there is always one link to another. Happy hunting!)

Some day the unpublished (currently unfinished) tale of Spotted Horse and his wife will be shared here, which shows the beginnings of the gang and tells the tale of how Izzy met and began to tame Kate.

Some distant day, the story of the next Katherine, a strong-willed woman at the head of an empire will be written.

I hope you enjoyed this gang as much much as I enjoy writing about them.