Chameleon

Chapter Two

Nathaniel Burton, Dave's deputy, stood just outside his office; he could see Mr. Glover standing outside the bank and, down the road a piece, he could see Mr. Muriel looking out the window. Most of the time that might not mean much to him, only he could see two men who had just ridden into town coming his way. The fact that both Muriel and Glover were watching the men made Mr. Burton guess it was the Barkley brothers, and cemented in the fact that they were involved with Mr. Jensen's schemes. Only when Jarrod and Nick stopped their horses in front of his office did the deputy come out of his thoughts.

For a moment no one spoke, an uncomfortable feeling enveloped them all. At last Jarrod broke the uneasy silence. "Hello, I'm Jarrod Barkley. This is my brother, Nick."

"Hello, Mr. Barkley, Dave said he was expecting you." Mr. Burton replied back. "Do you want to come inside?" He felt stupid asking such a question only he didn't want to assume anything.

"Yes, thanks." Jarrod answered as he and Nick dismounted their horses.

"What happened? Where's Heath buried? Where's Frank?" Nick started throwing out one question after another only to have the lawmanl nod towards the sheriff's office and interrupt him.

"We can talk inside." He then called out to a young boy who was standing nearby, one who looked to be around fourteen. "Matthew! Come and take the Barkleys' horses down to the livery stable. Tell Mr. Kayden the sheriff will pay the bill later." Mr. Burton dare say that because Dave had already instructed him to do so.

"We'll pay it later." Jarrod spoke up and then followed the deputy inside, as did Nick. Once inside, Nathanial sat down behind his desk, Jarrod sat on a chair at the side of the desk while Nick chose to remain standing. Once again he started shooting off one question after another.

"Mr. Barkley," Nathanial held up his hands and looked at Nick. "I can only answer one question at a time. Better yet, I can tell you everything I am able to, and then you two can ask me questions."

"Name's Nick," Nick backed off and then apologized. "I've just been wantin' answers ever since we got that telegram." He said in an uncharacteristically low tone of voice and then pulled a chair away from the wall and sat down.

The deputy sighed as he leaned back, wishing Dave was here to deal with this…especially since Nathanial knew he wasn't being told everything. Rubbing his forehead, the deputy replied, "As you know Marshall Sawyer, your brother and the rest of the men who rode with them were after Hannibal Jensen, the man who is now sitting in the cell behind that door." He gestured towards a door that set off to his right.

"He shoot Heath?" Jarrod asked, keeping his eyes on his friend.

"I don't think so," Nathanial said as he shook his head. "From what I understand, they had the man in their custody when the shooting broke out. You'd have to ask Frank or Dave to know for sure. Though, as far as I know talking to Dave might not help much as he hasn't had a chance to really sit down and talk to Frank."

"Hold it," Nick leaned forward confused. "We were told the man works alone. Are you saying he doesn't?"

Nathanial slowly shook his head. "From what I hear, Dave and Frank are pretty sure the man picked up at least two partners since entering California, even figured he knew who they were, but he had no solid proof. Dave and Frank, they'd hoped that when they caught this fellow we could get him to talk and tell us. But, before you ask," Nathanial looked at both brothers, "the man's not saying a word except to say Frank's wrong, says he's working alone."

"Where's Heath buried, and where's Frank and Dave now?" Jarrod asked, knowing neither Dave nor Frank the type of men who would not ride away if there were any loose ends hanging around.

Nathanial stood up and walked to the window; Jarrod and Nick didn't hesitate to join him. Pulling back the curtain, the deputy pointed down the street. "Two miles out of town there's a Catholic church, not half mile from it is their graveyard."

Instant confusion filled both Nick and Jarrod's eyes as they looked at each other. "Why would they bury him there?" Jarrod asked as he turned his eyes to Dave. "He wasn't Catholic."

The deputy shrugged his shoulders as he turned around and went back to his desk. "I have no clue. When he was buried there, I just figured he was. As far as Dave goes, he was called out to one of the nearby farms just before you got here, and the Marshall," the deputy shook his head as he said, "that man's laid up at the hotel."

Laid up? Jarrod and Nick whirled around and stared at Nathanial. "Frank was shot too?" Nick asked as he made his way back to the chair he'd been using. Jarrod too made his way back to where he'd been sitting. "I guess we know why he didn't keep his promise to mother." He looked at Jarrod, who had told him about the broken promise.

"Yep, took a bullet to the left shoulder and one to his right leg. Doctor says the man will be fine. Though, I doubt he'll be up to visitors until around one. He's still sleeping a lot, main reason I haven't been able to talk to him yet. Doctor says it's normal." The deputy answered, keeping his eyes on both brothers.

Jarrod started to stand and then sat back down. "Who does Frank and Dave think is helping Mr. Jensen and what makes them think it?"

Nathanial Burton tapped the pencil in his hand on his desk and then slowly gave Jarrod and Nick the names of the suspects. He wasn't surprised by the shocked look that appeared on Jarrod's face. After what had his boss had said happened last time he was in town, the good deputy figured Jarrod hadn't expected Glover's name to be connected to anything illegal.

"We need to go see Heath's grave before we go see Frank." Jarrod stood up, still feeling as if he was walking around in shock when it came to his blonde haired brother.

"Sure thing," Nathanial stood up and shook their hands before they headed for the door. Just as they got to the door, the deputy spoke up again and said, "I'm sorry about your brother." Nick and Jarrod only nodded as they walked out of the office.

~oOo~

Jarrod and Nick, who had retrieved their horses and ridden out of town, now stood in the graveyard they'd been directed too. It hadn't been hard to find the marker with Heath's name on it as there were no other fresh graves in the place surrounded by a white picket fence and a wooden gate. Standing in front of the headstone with their hats in their hand, Nick and Jarrod read HEATH M BARKLEY SEPTEMBER 3 1852-August 5 1875.

Nick felt his heart being ripped out of him once more. It wasn't right! It wasn't fair! How could HE take his brother back after Heath had fought so hard to become a part of the family? Nick didn't fight the tears that started to swell up in his eyes.

However, when it came to Jarrod, before any tears could find their way to the surface, he found his heart pounding slightly as he looked at ground immediately in front of the cross. He quickly knelt down. Nick, who thought his elder brother was simply overcome with emotion, went to put his hand on Jarrod's shoulder when Jarrod reached out and picked up something that sat at the bottom of the cross.

Nick sucked in his breath as Jarrod stood back up and held the object out for Nick to see. It was Heath's rattlesnake rattle! He could see the wheels turning in Jarrod's eyes. "What's that doing here?" Nick asked, confused as why the rattle had not been put some place safe until they got there.

Jarrod didn't answer at first. An uncomfortable feeling began swimming around in his gut as he thought on his blonde haired brother. Like Nick, his heart had broken all over again when he saw the cross and his brother's name on it. However, with Heath's rattlesnake rattle in his hand, Jarrod's gut was screaming something just wasn't right. He looked at Nick. "I think we need to go see Frank now." Jarrod said as slid his brother's rattle into his pocket. Nick didn't argue as he followed Jarrod out of the graveyard.