Chapter 30

S eemed like old times. Aaron and his brothers were chasing Bellingham again. And his good friend, Blade, was home at last. The reunion had been brief, since Blade was not one for sentiment. Besides, he'd been ready to get his own payback.

"We feared you were dead."

"Too ornery to die. Sides, I have a score to settle with Seadog."

"I never gave up on you, old friend."

"I'm glad for that. Had a rough go for a few days. Could'a bled out. Lucky a mate was in the crow's nest and spotted me. Not sure how long I'd been a sea a'for they found me."

Aaron slapped Blade on the back. "You're here now. What news do you have for us?" Blade glanced to Pauly. "Pauly had the bastard in his clutches, and Seadog showed up with men."

"An unsavory lot. No loyalty among them," Pauly said. "Seadog got Bellingham, but the men with him had no interest in us. We got away. Rode here as fast as we could."

Thank God Aaron had been home to receive them.

"Two of our men found Bellingham's trail." Blade stated. "The men he hired don't care about covering their tracks."

"They be for coin only." Basil filled in the rest. "The higher bidder gets their services. Only a few men went with Seadog. If they don't get paid, they'll leave soon enough."

Aaron spoke up. "The plan is to find Bellingham and Seadog before he gets back with his band."

Blade introduced the man standing beside him. "This here is Kitsune, another name for Moon Fox. He got his name for his unique hunting method. Some believe he is a spirit, cause he finds things and most time people can't see him.

The man gave a nod. "He is holed up in a cabin."

Aaron had heard the name Kitsune in relation to Japanese folklore. He didn't care if the man was a ghost, as long as he found Bellingham.

Bellingham had become an obsession. Closer to a sore that wouldn't go away. Kept festering up. Aaron and his brothers were determined to get rid of the man permanently.

"He's too dangerous. If he's back in the area, he's out for blood." Nathaniel looked to Edmund and then Aaron. "He's here for us."

Edmund's mouth turned up in a wrathful sneer. "He's targeted each of us in one way or another. Are we in agreement we will do whatever it takes to protect our family?"

The question was a momentous one. Nathaniel had Serena. Edmund had Joyanna. Thank the saints, he'd found Rebekah. And they all had Aunt Penelope. Nothing was more important than their family.

Aaron spoke up quickly. "Agreed."

So did Nathaniel.

"You know Serena is going to kill me if I get shot a second time."

"If you're already dead, how is she going to kill you? That's an unnecessary fear, brother," Edmund goaded. "If you're truly worried, blame Aaron."

Aaron paused to look over his shoulder. "Why me?"

"Because, you're the one who told us the bastard was back."

Edmund had an answer for everything.

"Wait a minute, Bellingham came after the manor, and you are the earl," Aaron told Nathaniel. "He originally came after you."

Nathaniel didn't miss a step. He continued through the thick brushwood. "That's right. But he left."

"We blew him up," Edmund corrected.

"He wasn't on the ship," Nathaniel shot back.

Edmund shrugged. "Didn't know that now, did we?"

Aaron scowled. He didn't even know Bellingham existed until the gossip reached him—the man was living at the manor. "We should blame Edmund. He's the one who introduced the man to Greystoke Manor."

"Are you two going to play footsies, or get on with this carnival." Edmund may have felt guilty, but he wanted Bellingham out of their lives just as badly.

Nathaniel came to a halt. "Still got that dagger in your boot?"

Edmund's dagger was more a machete than a knife. It was a wonder he didn't cut his bloody foot off with a blade that big.

"I got it. But if my aim is true with this pistol, I won't be needing it."

Blade motioned them forward. He said little, but his steps were determined.

After hours of tramping through heavy overgrowth, Kitsune brought them to a sudden halt. "Just beyond those trees is his shelter. That's where we'll find him, if he's still there."

Kitsune turned out to be as skilled as Blade had said.

"I don't know how you found him, Blade, but I'm glad he's on our side," Aaron told Blade.

"Last count, he has four men with him," Kitsune said.

"To our seven, hopefully this won't take long."

Blade signaled to the men to circle the small dwelling. Aaron took a quick glance at his brothers to see if they were ready. Each one gave a nod.

Blade crept through the grass to the open clearing. No one stood guard. Most likely, Bellingham wasn't expecting anyone to find him.

Kitsune scurried across the open space and made it to the corner of the little house. When nothing happened, he signaled for the others to follow. Blade took one step, and a shot was fired.

Aaron cursed. Thank God it missed.

Nathaniel strode to the front. "You're surrounded, Bellingham. You won't get away this time. Come on out."

"You're crazy, Greystoke. There's no way I'm coming out. I've got plenty of men in here with me."

"There's more out here. Like I said, you're surrounded."

Several minutes passed.

"How about a truce? Look." The door opened a little and a white cloth waved through the doorway. "I'm waving a flag. I'm not surrendering. I want to talk."

"All right, talk," Nathaniel yelled back.

"You gonna shoot me?"

"I should," Nathaniel said where only Aaron could hear.

"He's not going to give up, Nathaniel. He'll always be a threat to us."

"I know that." He shouted to Bellingham, "No, I won't shoot."

"In that case, I'm coming out." Bellingham stepped through the doorway, onto the blocked porch.

"You have a lot of bollocks, Bellingham."

"You said you wouldn't shoot. You're a man of your word, Greystoke."

Nathaniel took a step and Edmund grabbed his arm. "No."

"He wants to talk."

"So he says. You shouldn't expose yourself."

"He trusted me."

Edmund gave a grunt. "You cannot trust him."

Nathaniel shook his head.

"No brother," Aaron said, agreeing with Edmund.

Nathaniel ignored them both and walked into the clearing. "Here I am Bellingham. What do you propose?"

"Well now. All I ever wanted was access to the caves on the coast. I wouldn't be hurting your property."

"I don't want you on my property."

A shot rang out. Nathaniel hit the ground.

Aaron felt a pain tear through his chest and wanted to scream. Shoot the devil, or see if his brother was still alive.

Several shots were fired.

He couldn't keep still. He ran to Nathaniel's side.

"Get down, you fool." Nathaniel grabbed Aaron's shirt and face planted him into the dirt.

Thank Christ, his brother was alive.

"You playing faux?"

"You will too, if you want to stay alive."

Silence.

"We got ‘em." Blade called.

Edmund came stomping up to them. "You two want to get up now?"

Aaron raised his head and saw several bodies on the ground. Bellingham on the stone porch. Aaron jumped to his feet. "Is he dead?"

"He's dead," Pauly said. "He was keeping yer brother busy talking, while his friend here, pointed his pistol right at his heart. I got him. One of the others got yer man."

"I did," Edmund admitted. "I owed the bastard. He had a pistol hid behind his back. When the first shot went off, he brought up his gun. Didn't know if you were alive, brother, but I knew the bastard responsible was going to hell."

Nathaniel clasped Edmund on the back. "Thanks, Edmund." Then he looked at Aaron. "Good thing, or Aaron might have been shot too. Idiot came to me. His gun still in his hand."

"So, I checked on our brother instead of killing a man. Big deal. I knew the dumbass was faking."

"No, you didn't."

Aaron tuned his brothers out as they continued to taunt him. Was it really over? He strode to the stones where Bellingham lie, to see for himself. He had two bullet holes in him, so one of the other men had shot him, too. Good. Edmund didn't need that encumbrance solely on him.

Two men lay dead on the floor inside.

"We got two more over here," another man called out. "Wouldn't surrender. Rather have a bullet, I guess."

Basil came walking around the side. Blood covered his clothes and hands.

"Are you all right?"

"Seadog. Had a lot of fight left in ‘em. I got ‘em." Basil pointed. "Over there."

Good God.

Aaron shook his head.

"I wasn't expecting this." Nathaniel sighed.

"What were you expecting, brother?" Edmund asked.

"I don't know, but not death. Not like this. All of them."

"You go on, Lord Greystoke," Blade said. "I'll take care of this."

Aaron stepped next to Blade. "I'll stay with Blade. I'll be here if any legal questions need answering."

Someone would have to answer to this mess. Nathaniel might be the earl, and he could speak to authorities later, if need be. Blade was Aaron's friend. He would stay and make sure his friend was all right.