Accounts Received the Adventures of Timothy Stone Part 2

Gather around the hearth, Hunters, and warm your hands on the fire, while we tell you a tale about Timothy Stone… Trevors' large, scarred hands were wrapped so tightly around my throat that I had no time to protest before I found myself on my knees on the floor of his shop. I reached for my knife, calculating what part of his body I would sink the blade into first, when I heard someone at the back of the room clear their throat. “That's enough Mr. Trevors. Let him stand up at least." A cold, delicate, voice said the words. Trevors did as he was told, and I turned as I jumped to my feet, eager to discover what new threat was waiting. Then I saw the face. Her face. “Miss Nora?" I hadn't even recognized her voice. “Yes, Mr. Stone. I don't wonder at your surprise. Seeing as the circumstances of our last meeting were particularly...unpleasant." “I thought you were dead." “You're not that good a shot." She said it as if I hadn't sat beside her and watched her die. I could think of nothing to say. “Don't look so glum, Mr. Stone. You're not the only one in this town with a business of this nature. But you're a tough nut to crack." She laughed at that and nodded to Trevors, who moved quickly behind me, securing my hands with a length of coarse rope. He hardly needed to bother. I was still, frozen as I was with surprise and confusion. I – the man who had single-handedly bested so many others. How was this woman standing before me when I had shot her myself? “Nora, I--" She cut me off. “Mr. Stone, you're a scoundrel, a murderer, a thief, and even more unfortunately, my Father's friend. Or were. Now that my Father is dead, I intend to take over his business. Things have calmed down in New York - at least for the time being. My partner there has established herself and doesn't need strict guidance. It's time I settled the family accounts, and I'm fairly certain that you had something to do with my Father's untimely death." I ignored the accusation. “Your Father? Your name isn't Nora Evans." "Don't be stupid, Mr. Stone. Of course it's not. I haven't been Nora Evans since before my first marriage." My face grew hot, glad that she had turned away. I had, it appeared, overlooked a few rather important details when I'd selected Nora as a target. “But your papers had said that you..." She smiled and interrupted me again, “And how long did it take the poor fool who bought them from you to figure out they were forgeries?" I grimaced, and Trevors barked a cruel laugh. “Your buyer doesn't know does she?" He shook his head. “Well no hard feelings about me tying you up then, I'm sure." He smiled, mouth parting like a gutted corpse before moving to release my hands. “Because if your buyer doesn't know, then we're the least of your worries."