RDR2: Faithless

30: A Social Call

I followed the laughing men towards the river, regretting not telling Arthur to come with me. This was never going to end well.

"What are we going to say to him, that needs to be said?" I asked, still unsure of what the meaning of this was.

"He has been hunting us since Valentine," Dutch explained, leading the way, "He is the reason that Hosea got killed. His sugar business is destroying the people of Guarma. This town, is his town. He bought it just to destroy these folks. His sugar, his oil, his law."

"These are wrongs that you can't right, Dutch," I tried to reason with him, "We're wanted."

"So, why did you and Arthur go for John against my wishes?" he asked, and I swallowed.

"I didn't want to see him hanged," I reasoned.

"Neither did I," Dutch's voice was quiet.

"We're gonna cut a deal, Ann," Micah intervened.

"What are you talking about?" I asked, this was getting crazier by the second.

"We want out, and Cornwall wants us to stop robbing him, and we all know his money is what's keeping the Pinkertons on our tail," Dutch sounded exasperated, "He's America, Ann. And I want out. And he... he won't let us go."

"This ain't making a lot of sense, Dutch," I said quietly.

"It will, my girl," he told me, "A deal. Some noise. And then we're gone. Cornwall's boat is arriving at dawn. We'll wait it out here, behind these crates so no one sees us."

I stared across the water with a frown before doing as I was told. There was no way Cornwall would agree to a deal, Dutch was even crazier than I first thought. This was going to go badly, and without a doubt we would be shooting our way out.

Dawn came with indecent haste, Micah kicked me awake and I stared past the crates to where the boat was about to dock. Sure enough, Cornwall was stood on the deck, but there was another face I recognised.

"I wanna thank you for your hospitality, Mr Cornwall," it was Agent Milton. I shared a look with Dutch.

"This was a business meeting, Mr Milton," Cornwall replied, "We are not friends. I have spent a considerable fortune on your agency and still, nothing. This Van der Linde robs me, and laughs at me. I asked for the best, I paid for the best."

"We are very close, Mr Cornwall, I know you've heard this before..." Milton was cut off.

"Janson," Cornwall said to the man who approached.

"Sir," Janson replied, going to his side.

"Send a telegram to Goldberg in New York, tell him I won't borrow at more than three point two per cent," Cornwall was obviously done with his conversation with Milton, "Sorry, no, I have heard it before."

"We are doing all we can within the confines of the law," Milton argued.

"The law? I think we both know what you can do with your laws," Cornwall replied, his voice rising, "Find me Dutch van der Linde! Bring him here, and leave the laws to them as need them! Good day, sir."

Milton and Ross stalked off at that, Dutch signalled for Micah to follow him as we remained to 'talk' to Cornwall.

"Mr Didsbury, what's all this about strikes?" Cornwall was speaking to another man by the time my focus returned, "I bought into this mine because of mismanagement, and I intend to make it a success, no matter the cost."

"It's the wages, folk feel..." Didsbury's voice was shaking.

"Folk feel?" Cornwall yelled, "Business doesn't give two figs about feelings, sir, not two figs! It's a nonsense that will bring a plague on both our houses..."