When it All Goes Wrong
Chapter 1
As soon as he came through the front door, Jarrod dropped his briefcase and valise on the floor near the stairs, left his hat on the table, and headed straight for his "thinking chair." He collapsed in a heap, stretching his legs out and leaning his head back and closing his eyes. He reveled in the total silence around him, until –
"Jarrod! I thought I heard somebody come in!"
Nick came in from the kitchen, eating an apple. The loud voice, the crunching sound, the spurs jingling – "Nick, please, can you be quiet for just a minute or so? My head is clanging like a fire bell."
"Oh," Nick said, more quietly. "Want a drink?"
"In a minute or two," Jarrod said, without opening his eyes. "What are you doing here in the middle of the day anyway?"
"Had to go to town. If I knew you'd be coming in, I'd have waited for you. Why do you have a headache?"
"Because life is a headache. Trouble on the train from San Francisco to Sacramento yesterday. Trouble on the train down here. Everything took twice as long as it should have, and it was hot and noisy and right now I just need a minute or two of peace."
Nick said, "All right," and clumped and jangled away back to the kitchen.
Jarrod sighed when the silence returned. He stretched his neck every which way to try to relieve the headache. Then the front door opened.
"Jarrod!"
His sister's voice, usually a welcome sound but not today. Jarrod groaned.
"What's the matter?" Audra asked as she removed her riding gloves and came into the parlor.
"Headache," Jarrod said. "I just need a little quiet. Forgive me if I don't get up just yet."
Audra smiled, even though his eyes were still closed and he didn't see the smile. She leaned over and kissed him on the cheek. That made him smile.
"Best headache cure ever," Jarrod said, opened his eyes and sat up. He took hold of Audra's hand and held onto it.
"Not really, I'm sure, but we have some headache powders in the kitchen," Audra said. "Would you like me to get them?"
"No," Jarrod said and kissed her hand. "I'm getting better already."
"Is Nick around?" Audra asked.
Jarrod let her go. "He's in the kitchen, I think. Keep him there for a while so my headache doesn't come back."
Audra laughed a little and headed for the kitchen.
Jarrod finally got up and fetched himself a scotch at the refreshment table. Just one, he told himself, thinking it might help him relax. Two or more would just make his headache worse later.
He looked around the room as he drank his scotch slowly, enjoying it. He could hear Nick's voice from the kitchen but couldn't make out the words. The dull drone of his brother's baritone became almost as irritating as his full voice could be, so Jarrod took his scotch into the library.
He found his mother there reading. "Afternoon, Mother," he said and kissed her.
"I didn't know you were coming in today," Victoria said, put her book aside and drew him down beside her.
Jarrod sat down, glanced at the title of the book, and sipped his scotch. "I shouldn't have. The trip was dreadful."
"Don't take this the wrong way, but why are you here?"
"I needed a break from San Francisco," Jarrod said.
"Difficult cases?"
"You might say that. How are things around here? Peaceful?"
"As peaceful as they can get with your middle brother around." She looked at him closely then. "What's the matter?"
"Just a headache," Jarrod said and sipped more of his scotch.
"Working too hard."
"That and such a rotten trip home. Delays everywhere, noise everywhere. Don't worry about me, Mother. A few days of not working too hard, and I'll be fine."
"So, what are your plans? Nick and Heath are a bit shorthanded. Maybe you should help them out."
"I may do that, but I think tomorrow I'll just sleep in late, take a good long walk, and read a good book."
Victoria chuckled. "I have to admit, I'm glad to see you do that. You don't do it enough."
Jarrod leaned over and kissed her. "You are probably right, Lovely Lady. I think I will go upstairs, clean up and bit and change into some fresh clothes." He got up, finished off his scotch and put the glass down on the desk in the corner.
"You have time for a bath if you'd like," Victoria said. "Might help you get rid of that headache."
"I'll do that, if my little sister hasn't already claimed the tub," Jarrod said and left the room.
He went upstairs and learned pretty quickly that Audra had, in fact, claimed the entire wc. He went to his room but discovered there was no fresh water there – not unusual, since no one was expecting him home. With a big sigh, he got out of his traveling clothes and into more casual shirt and pants.
Then he lay down on the bed and draped his arm over his eyes, hoping to blot out the light and ease the pounding. It wasn't working very well, though, and he wasn't so tired that he could fall asleep. He sighed heavily. Maybe leaving San Francisco wasn't going to be the relief he wanted, not with the troubles he was bringing with him. He sat up on the edge of his bed, keeping his eyes closed, and he stayed that way for several minutes. It didn't help.
There was a knock at his door. He opened his eyes. "Come in."
Audra came in the door, looking bathed and refreshed. "Mother said you wanted the tub but I had it occupied," she said. "I thought I'd let you know it's free again."
Jarrod smiled. "Not a problem, honey. I will get some fresh water for my room here, though." He got up.
Audra said, "Mother also said you're planning to sleep in tomorrow. I'll leave the bathroom all to you after nine o'clock."
Jarrod fetched the pitcher from his dresser. "Don't change your routine on my account, Audra."
"That's no change," Audra said. "I'm supposed to go into the church in the morning anyway, to help with dusting and cleaning for Sunday services."
"Oh, well, I guess it is Friday, isn't it? I lost track of what day it is."
"You have been working too hard, Jarrod. It's a good thing you'll be taking it easy for a while."
Jarrod gave her a smile. "I'm looking forward to it."
XXXXXXX
Jarrod was coming down the stairs as the front door opened and Heath came in. Heath looked startled to see him. As he took his hat off and left it on the table in the foyer, Heath held out a piece of paper to his older brother. Jarrod stopped in the foyer with him and took the paper.
"I didn't know you were here, Jarrod," Heath said. "Rider just brought this telegram in. I nearly sent him back to town with it."
"I wasn't planning to be here, but I changed my mind," Jarrod said, opened the paper and read it.
"Something important from San Francisco?"
Jarrod read it, then slumped just a little involuntarily. Heath noticed. Jarrod said, "From Sacramento. Not urgent," and folded and pocketed the wire. He gave Heath a slap on the back. "How you been, little brother?"
They went into the parlor together, where Heath helped himself to a glass of whiskey. "Not bad," Heath said. "Nick's been behaving himself, so my work's cut in half."
Jarrod chuckled, sitting down in his "thinking chair" but passing on the liquor. "I don't know where he's gotten to. He was here when I came in about an hour ago."
"Oh, he's out in the barn chewing out one of the hands," Heath said, brought his glass over and stood at the fireplace, facing Jarrod. "How've you been?"
"Too busy," Jarrod said, "and tired."
"Want a drink?"
Jarrod shook his head and closed his eyes again, pinching the bridge of his nose.
"That's a headache pose," Heath said.
"That's because I have a headache," Jarrod said and dropped his hand. "Dreadful trip home. I'd have been better off staying in San Francisco."
"Whatcha been working on so hard there?"
Jarrod heaved a sigh. "Just too much," he said. "Too much of everything."
"Something particularly hard?"
Jarrod tried a smile. "Not really, Heath. I just need a break from everything, that's all."
"Well, we can work that headache right out of you if you want us to," Heath said.
Jarrod chuckled. "No doubt, but I'm gonna give tomorrow over to sleeping late and reading a good book, maybe the same on Sunday. We'll see about Monday."
Heath nodded. "The work will still be there."
"The work is always there, isn't it?" Jarrod said, and he closed his eyes again.