Outlaw Vices (third in The Crane Gang Series)manxman

Chapter Twenty-Four

Chapter Twenty-Four

"Well she is pregnant, or at least Maria says she's pretty damn sure she is," Gill stated as he joined Jeb and Craig on the porch of Jeb and Gill's cabin.

"You took her to your mother's?" Jeb asked as he held out his arm and slid it around Gill's legs as the man came to stand beside him.

Craig felt pain fill him at the sight. If Susannah hadn't showed up, if Craig hadn't gotten so damn drunk that night he couldn't remember, then Ezekiel would be here with him now and they'd finally be able to openly show their affection.

"I wanted to get an experts opinion on whether or not there was a babe in her belly."

Jeb raised a brow. "What do you make of her?"

Gill chuckled. "Wonderful woman, really. Riding to town with her was almost as pleasant as riding to town with a bur in my saddle."

Gill met and held Craig's gaze. "I also believe that she's lying."

"I don't understand," Jeb muttered. "What is she getting out of this? Craig is a good man but he doesn't care about her. He's not rich. I just don't understand..."

"It's not that difficult to understand," Craig spoke up. "The madame promised a virgin whore to a rich man. Maybe he's a dangerous man. Maybe he's violent. I don't know. But, Susannah wasn't truly a virgin and then she wound up pregnant. I honestly do think she was scared to stay there and she needed a scapegoat. Who better than the drunkard who can't remember if he bedded her or not?"

"But why keep it going?" Gill inquired.

Craig shrugged. "A free ride. I've promised to keep her up and marry her after the babe's born if it's mine." His shoulders sagged as his gaze dropped to the worn out toes of his dusty boots. "And we all know there just ain't a way to prove it ain't mine."

"It ain't right," Jeb growled. "That bitch is taking advantage of you. You're going to sacrifice your whole life because of her lies. I don't want my brother suffering his life away married to that."

Craig sighed as he stood up slowly. "Don't worry about me, big brother. I made my bed and now I'll have to spend the rest of my life laying in it."

***

Ezekiel rapped his knuckles sharply against Edison's office door. He didn't appreciate having his work interrupted by a house maid informing him Edison wanted to have a word.

"Come on in, Ezekiel."

Ezekiel pulled his hat from his head and rubbed at his wiry hair as he stepped inside. "You wanted to see me?"

Edison pointed to the chair in front of the desk. "Please, sit down."

Ezekiel's muddy boots left tracks on the polished floor as he strode to the chair and flopped down. "I'm a bit busy today, Edison. We need to make this quick."

Edison nodded, folded his hands on the desk and met Ezekiel's gaze. "Fair enough. You've become a rather big asshole lately."

Ezekiel blinked several times as Edison simply continued to look at him politely. "Is that right?" Ezekiel asked.

Edison nodded. "Yes. I've received more than a few complaints. You've been physically abusive to several hands....."

"I haven't...."