Chapter 7: Beating

Ulani rolled over to find a man in her bed.

Vincent’s hand had been on her hip as if making sure she was beside him during the night. She watched him as he slept. She had a feeling the not too many women had experienced Vincent as she had last night or got to watch him sleep. They all said he never stayed, he always insisted on protection, and once he came, he left.

He had done none of those things last night. She wasn’t even sure how many times he made love to her. He had spent a lot of time making sure she was satisfied before coming himself. He never once mentioned either of them using protection, and he certainly made no effort to leave either.

“Bugger,” she said aloud. She had used the contraception herbs for the first year after she had Victor, but had stopped using them. Her cycle had settled down, and it wasn’t as if she was getting any sex. She did a quick count and realised Vincent may have gotten her pregnant again.

‘Damn the man,’ she thought. It seemed that he was potent were she was concerned. No, wonder he insisted on protection with other women, or he would have kids all over the damn place.

“What’s wrong, dearest of my heart?” he said sleepily, as he rolled over and snuggled up to her. He nuzzled her neck, wrapped his arm around her waist and placed his leg over hers. He pushed his morning woody into her thigh.

Ulani had to smile. For a guy who didn’t cuddle, he was doing a very good impression at the moment. She sighed, well he had insisted that she was going to have to marry him and he didn’t use protection, so he deserved everything he was going to get.

“You had better want more kids,” she said. Vincent’s eyes shot open, and he looked at her.

“Seriously?” he said in surprise but not in anger, she noted.

“Mister, after last night, I don’t think you could have missed. I have that funny feeling I got the next day after the last time we made love,” she said, not sure if she was happy or not.

He sat up and looked at her. He said, “You knew you were pregnant before you left that morning?”

Ulani pulled herself up against the pillows beside him, “Well not exactly, I didn’t know what it was I felt when I left. I know I was very mad and very upset with you, but I had this funny feeling in my tummy, I just put it down to how upset I was feeling. Plus, I’d just gotten the bad news about my mother.”

He looked at her tummy and then reached out and placed his hand on her. “But you feel that feeling again?” he questioned.

She placed her hand on his. The certainty that she was indeed pregnant solidified in her mind. “Oh dear,” she said in surprise.

“What?” Vincent asked in concern. Sitting up to look at her better.

“Are twins prevalent in your family?” she asked.

Vincent looked at her hard. “Yes, I think they are, Prue’s mother was a twin but the twin died in infancy. And as you know, both Prue and Willow have managed a set each. I also remember reading that my grandfather was actually the second son. His twin brother died young as well. Why?” He had to ask despite having guessed the answer to his own question.

“Crap,” said Ulani. “Damn it, you are not good for my health if you’re going to get me pregnant every damn time you touch me,” she said grumpily.

Vincent bent down and gently kissed her tummy. “Well at least your safe for the next nine months,” he commented.

“Bastard! Did you deliberately try to get me pregnant again?” she asked heatedly.

Vincent gently caressed her face, amused the shoe was on the other foot. “No, dearest of my heart, I didn’t know your cycle, but I should have guessed. The only other time you have given into me, was when you were in the fertile state.”

He rubbed her tummy again. “But if any woman was to have my children, I’m more than happy it is you. You have done a marvellous job with the first one. He is a boy any father would be proud to have. Thank you, Ulani.”

He leaned forward and kissed her gently. “Did I tell you, I am very sorry for accusing you of trying to force me to marry you?”

She shook her head and couldn’t stop the tears from coursing down her face. Vincent lay back beside her and gathered her in his arms where she belonged. He laid soft kisses over her face as he hugged her.

“We have made a hash of things up to now, my love. I’ll try to do better. You affect me as no other woman ever has Ulani. Gods, woman, just having you in my arms makes me as horny as hell. I don’t think I’ll ever get enough of you. You are the one I hold dearest to my heart.”

Ulani soon found herself beneath him as he made gentle love to her.

They finally surfaced.

They found Paul had left a note saying he had gone scouting. They could make the decision about arresting Albert and Frankie when he found them. Vincent was worried about him. By lunchtime, Ulani agreed to take him to town to see if they could locate him.

They went from stable to stable and finally found his horse. The stable-master said he hadn’t seen the man since he dropped the horse off early that morning. He did say that he had expected him to be back by about now. Vincent told him to send a message to the Constables if he turned up or even better send Paul.

They headed to the Constables Office, and they spoke to Chief Investigator Tyrone. Vincent described Frankie and Ulani gave a good description of what Albert now looked like. The inspector wasn’t pleased, as he knew the men they were describing. He had hoped that they had left town.

He said unhappily, “We have had complaints and accusations about this man Allan Dale and his friend Frankie Yates. We suspect that they both like the younger girls. It is alleged that after their visits to three different Leisure Houses, three of the youngest working girls, have since gone missing.”

He shuffled through some paperwork on his desk and read something, “We have also had other complaints about Frankie Yates and we have been looking for him in particular. Your description matches the one we have from a family on the south side of town. They alleged that he stole their twelve-year-old daughter.”

Vincent told him about the twelve-year-old that went missing near the border and what the prisoner had said Frankie did to them. He mentioned that Frankie liked to torture them to make them scream. Vincent mentioned the snort and that Paul believed both men were addicted to it since they found it in their possessions.

“Damn, that will make them doubly dangerous. I’ve seen people go berserk from that stuff. You can put a dozen bullets in them, and they still come at you. I hope Paul knew what he was doing looking for them without a team.”

Investigator Tyrone only made Vincent more worried, not less. He wanted to go walk around the wharf to see if he could find him. But Tyrone said he had already sent out four teams. They all knew who Paul was as he had helped them before. If he were on the street, they would find him.

Vincent felt useless. His arm was still in a sling, and he had found the trip to town had been more taxing than he would have believed. The jolting of his body had set off a dull throbbing pain in his shoulder. Ulani and Tyrone both noticed the whiteness and strain in his face.

Ulani was going to suggest a hotel for the night when one of Tyrone’s teams came back carrying Paul between them. Paul had been badly beaten and had bark off him everywhere, but he was alive. Ulani told them to get their First-Aid kit. She proceeded to bathe and bandage him up, while Tyrone and Vincent got his story.

Paul had gone to the shipping company and started sniffing around. But Albert wasn’t there. He went in and asked to see the manager. He informed the man that he had been told to contact Allan about a shipment he wanted to organise.

The manager wasn’t impressed and told him Allan’s sort of business was no longer his business. When he had asked where he could find Allan the man had suggested anywhere but there, as he and Sir Dale had parted company.

So, he went to Gropers Tavern and asked around if anyone knew where he could find his old mate Allan Dale as he had business for him. One of the old sots said he had heard Allan hung around with Yates over at Marcie’s Leisure House. Paul had heard that Marcie’s catered to those who had unusual pleasures.

Tyrone said in disgust, “Damn woman, her real name is Anne Yates. We have closed her down several times, but she keeps opening up a new location with a new name. We think she has bought someone off in the local Constabulary, as she never has any of her special girls or boys in the house when we raid her.”

“Boys and girls?” Ulani asked horrified.

“Yeah, she has an agent in Jahyundi, and he buys the kids from the slave auctions. I hate the bloody slavers. The only time we have managed to rescue any of the kids was when Paul here helped us. He found out about a shipment, and he only told us the ship had illegal merchandise.”

“However, when we went to the wharf he told us he had mistaken the ships name and had us raid a different ship. It had four boys and eight girls all under fourteen. Bringing slaves into Nordland is illegal and a hanging offence. We arrested the ship’s crew, but the Captain never gave up Anne as the buyer, so she is still free.”

Paul grinned without humour. “I don’t generally like to see people swing, but that was one hanging I did go to.”

Vincent and Ulani could see the other officers had also been just as pleased for the ship’s crew to hang for their offences.

“Was Albert or Frankie at the Leisure House?” Vincent asked Paul.

“No. Two nights ago, the dumb-arses killed one of Anne’s biggest breadwinners, while high. Annie got pretty mad and had her boys eject them, permanently. Apparently, even Anne has her limits,” Paul said grimly.

“So how did you get beaten up?” Ulani asked as she dabbed at his abrasions with antiseptic.

“Anne’s bully-boys found me talking to the pot-boy. They beat the crap out of both of us. Where is the boy?” Paul asked concerned.

“The other team took him to Doc’s, he’s hurt pretty bad,” one of the Constables said grimly. Ulani turned to the Constable, opening her bag and gave him a wad of money.

“Please give this to the Doctor for the boys care. When he is well enough, have the boy transported to my estate. Check to see if he has any family that wishes to go with him. He will not be safe in town anymore.” The constable nodded and disappeared to do as she asked.

Ulani looked at Paul and scowled, “As for you, you will be coming home with me as well. I believe that you have a fracture in one of the bones in your forearm. I’ve stabilised it, but I’ll have to plaster it when we get home. Investigator Tyrone can you have a message sent to his family, that he will be my guest for a week.”

Tyrone nodded. “So, we are no closer to finding them. I’ve put the port authorities on alert, so no ship is allowed to leave without us inspecting it first. They must be getting low on funds. They have expensive habits to maintain.”