Liars And Thieves

Chapter 52

Where is she?
The same question kept bugging Arthur for the past few days now. It's almost been a week since he last saw Grace. She never returned when she left camp without a word. Surely she didn't decide she was going to leave just like that, without a word. It was too sudden, that wasn't something Grace would do. 
The past few days had been tense within the camp. Dutch was only just listening to Arthur, he listened more to Micah now. The camp is slowly becoming divided as arguments erupt but not one word has been said about Grace. Did no one care? Did no one notice?

Arthur got up from his cot, finally finding the courage to talk to Dutch about Grace's disappearance. He approached the gang leader who stood outside of his tent, Micah sitting by his side as usual. Dutch gave Arthur a nod as soon as he noticed his friend approaching.

"Yes, Arthur?" Dutch already sounded annoyed with his company and he hadn't even gotten near them yet. Arthur ignored the tension of the leader, his thumbs resting on his belt as he lowered his voice to not alert anyone else of Grace's disappearance. 

"Grace has been missing for almost a whole week now. This ain't normal for her, Dutch," Arthur explained. Dutch sighed, raising a hand to silence him.

"Arthur, I...I have bigger problems right now than to worry about Grace. She might be off hunting," Dutch informed. Arthur shook his head in disagreement.

"Hunting for a full week? She's probably been mauled or eaten by something if that's the case. I-" Arthur calmed himself down as his anger and worry took over him. "-I think we should look around for her. She could've been captured by any of the enemies you have made these past few months."

"You think?" Dutch repeated, inching closer to Arthur. Arthur nodded, confident with his proposal. "Arthur, I make the calls around here and you know that. Grace can take care of herself," Dutch reminded. Micah nodded from beside him, his knife resting on his knee as he looked up to join the conversation instead of sharpening his knife.

"She's a big girl, Arthur," Micah taunted. Arthur hated the fact that Micah had to butt in on everything now. "She said she wanted to leave the gang. After helping Ms. High-and-mighty that probably inspired her to leave."

"She wouldn't just leave, not like that," Arthur hissed at the blonde man. The man smirked, his moustache moving with his lip as it upturned. 

"Woman are difficult, Mr. Morgan," Micah reminded. Arthur shook his head at Micah before turning his attention back to Dutch. Dutch nodded with Micah causing Arthur to scoff with frustration.

"Micah's right, Arthur. She'll come home when she needs to. I agree with you on one thing though that she wouldn't just leave," Dutch added. Arthur gave Dutch a short nod, still not pleased with the outcome of the discussion. For the past few days Arthur was trying to add things up, why she would leave suddenly. He questioned the thought of Micah being the reason since she left soon after him which he had found strange. Maybe Micah had something to do with it, the man had been irritating her for a while now. Maybe there was something Arthur didn't know about. "Look, son," Dutch began, placing a hand on Arthur's shoulder. Arthur looked back at Dutch, breaking his train of thought. "We will go searching for her, I promise you. Just not now, I have to do something about John first," Dutch pointed out. Arthur had to keep his mouth shut, ready to declare that him and Sadie were already on it. Grace was meant to be too but she never showed up at Doyle's Tavern. 

"Yeah, okay," Arthur said coldly before leaving the two new best friends together. What changed over the past few months for Dutch to see Micah differently? Dutch didn't really trust Micah back at HorseShoe because he hadn't been in the gang for long but he knew there was nothing to worry about, Micah was loyal. Right now, Arthur is questioning Mr. Bell's loyalty.