A/N First off, I want to thank Kippling Croft for telling me they did not have a problem with my using the same title as one of their stories.

A/N This is what I call a "high risk" story...meaning, I guarantee NOTHING when it comes to death...there may be one, there may not. Read at your own risk, seeing I can't guarantee that one.

Chapter One

The streets of Stockton were full of people walking up and down the boardwalk, or crossing the street when it was safe to do so. Very few were taking the time to really look around them…which is why most of them missed the tall, dark haired gentleman riding into town. Though, the few who did notice looked only for a second before moving on. Their reactions did not surprise the gentleman, as he'd never been one to turn anyone's head.

"Maybe that's for the best." He said only to the horse he was riding, as he stopped in front of the livery stable and dismounted. He hoped the livery stable would have an empty stall, as he had no other place to keep his animal at the moment. Opening the livery stable door, he stepped inside-leading his horse in as he did so. He was taken aback when he saw two men in the middle of the livery stable arguing with each other. Both men quickly quit their heated discussion the moment they saw the stranger who had entered the building.

"May I help you, sir?" Thad Bean, the red headed livery stable owner who appeared to be in his early thirties, turned away from Heath and looked at the visitor.

"I need a place to keep my horse for a few hours." He paused a split second and added, "Maybe longer."

Heath, who had been studying the stranger, felt uneasy. He couldn't explain why, as there was nothing that screamed 'here is a man to keep an eye on'. Still, it bothered him to get such feelings. However, the last thing he needed to do was drive any of Thad's potential customers away. That being the case, he simply kept an eye on the man while Thad told him where to put the horse and collected the money owed him for stabling the horse.

Thad, who noticed the troubled look on Heath's face after the stranger had thanked him and then exited the building, pushed the disagreement he'd had with Heath aside and asked if he knew him. "I mean, do you think he's going to cause any trouble?"

"I don't know." Heath answered as he took out his wallet and handed Thad the thirty dollars the man claimed the blonde haired Barkley owed him. He wouldn't have done it only he was more interested in seeing where the stranger had gone than he was in getting Thad to admit the bill they'd been arguing about had already been paid. "Don't tell me I owe you this money again, or I'll knock you into next month." He called over his shoulder as he hurried out the door.

Once outside, Heath could see the stranger heading towards Jarrod's office. The uneasy feeling that continued to gnaw at his gut, propelled Heath towards his brother's law office. As he hurried down the boardwalk, he tried to figure out if he'd ever seen the man. By the time he stepped into Jarrod's office he had accepted that, if by some wild chance he'd met the man, he could not connect any incident with the gentleman. He could see Jarrod's personal office with its door wide open; he could hear his brother and the man talking. In no time at all, he was standing in the office doorway and looking at Jarrod who was surprised to see him. He might have been tempted to press for answers only Jarrod was already talking.

"Heath meet Shaun Callahan." Jarrod looked from Heath to Mr. Callahan and proceeded to introduce Heath to the visitor.

"Callahan, any relation to Jimmy Callahan?" After the friendship he'd formed with the stubborn Irishman, he hated the idea that this gentleman was indeed trouble.

"Not that I know of, could be," Shaun answered, and then shrugged his shoulders. "The thing is my father was Irish, but he died when I was five years old. I was raised in Ohio, Oregon and then Montana."

"Heath," Jarrod nodded towards the door while giving Heath a smile. "Unless your business is urgent, could you please wait out there for a few minutes?"

"He doesn't need to leave." Shaun Callahan spoke up. "I didn't stop in here for any legal matter. In fact, the only reason I stopped by was I saw your name on the outside door. I'm looking for Jo…I mean Nick Barkley and was hoping you could steer me his way."

Surprise and concern filled Jarrod's eyes while the uneasy feeling Heath had inside him grew. The man had started to call their hot tempered brother Jonathon; they just knew it. That meant he knew Nick from the period he and Maria were running from her father. Heath didn't like it. "What do you want with our brother?" Try as he might, Heath failed to keep the protective tone out of his voice. His question-a question repeated in Jarrod's eyes-did not faze the man; he'd have been shocked if the two brothers hadn't made such an inquiry.

"We met while he and his wife were traveling to Montana. We also knew each other while he was living there; I worked on a small ranch in that area." Shaun chuckled as he rubbed his chin. "Your brother has a hard right hook and; before you ask, I did ask for it." He went on to say he'd left Martinsdale for a few short weeks and had been shocked to return to find his friend had sold the ranch and moved back to California, under his real name. "I've thought about coming and paying them a visit before now, but one thing after another kept me busy instead."

Jarrod smiled while Heath allowed a small crooked smile to appear. Nick was Nick no matter what name he'd used. However, he did not feel totally relaxed. How could he when he still had an uneasy feeling in his stomach. "I have some business to finish up." Heath hooked his thumbs onto the top of the openings of his pant pockets. "I'll be less than fifteen minutes. Why don't you wait here, and then I'll come and get you."

Shaun Callahan looked at Jarrod who nodded towards the open door. "You can rest on the sofa in the lobby. Both are small, but you'll be comfortable enough."

Shaun smiled and headed for the sofa.

"You're going to send someone ahead of you, aren't you?" Jarrod spoke soft enough that only Heath could hear his words.

"You weren't born yesterday." Heath grinned as he too walked out of the room.