Chapter 07

"This may be it," Alexis said. "If they arrived last night they'll probably be at breakfast."

"Let's go," replied Alex.

That must be them.

Two men were sitting at a table near the door. Both appeared to be in their late forties or early fifties. One was a handsome man with a refined look, the other not so much. They looked at Alexis and Alex as they entered and Mrs. Quincy approached.

"Mr. Lukas would like for you to join him," she said.

The refined man rose and pulled out chairs for them and they sat.

"Lukas Maxwell," he said. "This is my associate Reuben Black."

A waitress approached as they sat down.

"I'll have coffee here shortly," she said. "Is there anything else I can get for you?"

"Coffee is fine," Alex said. Alexis nodded when the waitress looked at her.

"Alex and Alexis," Lukas said. "We're familiar with your situation. Depending on your intentions we may be able to help. What are they?"

"To find the men who did it and bring them to justice," replied Alexis.

"We will certainly try," said Lukas. "But at the moment your aunt wants you back home. You can't go with us and she most likely won't want you out here alone."

"We won't be alone," Alex said. "We'll be safe with you."

"You won't be with us," said Lukas. "You seem to be two of the more mature teenagers I've met but you're legally children if nothing else and I won't be responsible for taking care of you while trying to do my job."

"We can ride and shoot as well as most adults," Alexis said. "And we're accustomed to living on the trail. We'd like to go with you until you locate them."

"I don't like it either," Reuben said as Lukas looked at him.

"We're prepared to pay you five hundred dollars and another three hundred for expenses in advance," said Alexis. "We can work out payment for the ones you capture or kill. The leader should go for a thousand, any of his men a hundred each. And there are almost certainly rewards on some of them for other crimes."

"Money isn't something I think about much," Lukas said. "You must know of the Maxwell family. I'm more interested in justice and the future of this nation."

Why did he say 'this nation' instead of 'our nation'? Alex wondered. Subtle but....

"I didn't know you were one of those Maxwells," said Alexis. "If you're interested in justice and can pursue it and be paid well at the same time why not?"

Lukas grinned.

"You're a pretty sharp pair," he said. "Legally children but you're already wise beyond your years."

"Then you'll do it?"

"Not so fast. Maybe we can work something out. And probably your aunt Rebecca is still your legal guardian. She'll have to agree."

"Every day that passes those men are further away and harder to find," Alexis said.

"Perhaps," Lukas said. "Or not. The criminal mind doesn't always or even often work the way of normal people. Having not detected any pursuit they may be enjoying spending the spoils and will soon have forgotten about it. Like the predators they are they finish eating one kill and then go looking for another."

"Some of the suspects aren't that simple," Alexis said.

"I know," replied Lukas. "And it may well be that the ones you want are like that."

The waitress had returned.

"Is the today's special suitable?" Lukas asked. "Or do you require something else?"

"That's fine," Alex said. Alexis nodded.

"If your guardian is agreeable," Lukas said, "we might make some arrangements. You stay here in the territory and we will keep you informed of our progress."

"Depending on where you have to go," Alex said. "It's over two hundred miles to the border. It's not practical."

"We can't have you on the trail with us," said Lukas. "I don't doubt you're capable but it's dangerous. Out attention has to be on our mission at all times."

"There are towns all over the territory," Alexis said. "We can stay in the ones closest to where you're working. Unless they have fled the territory they'll be close to one or more of those towns. We can stay in town and whenver you're in town you can update us."