Chapter Four

Previously:

Nick let out a long sigh and set his empty glass down to a small round table that set next to the couch. "How long do you have?" His eyes added 'I hope that is a stupid question."

"As long as you need," Jarrod leaned back and waited for Nick to explain.

~oOo~

Nick, who had arrived in Modesto, stabled his horse at the livery stable and then headed for the boardwalk that ran in front of the buildings on the east side of the street. In doing so, he had to step in front of, and around, a few boxes their various owners had set outside. He needed to get a room and then head to the auction where he hoped to find at least a couple of fine horses. As he passed the general mercantile, he was surprised to find himself bumping into a woman who had run around the corner and straight into him. He was even more shocked to realize just who it was.

"What are you doing here? What's wrong?" He couldn't stop from staring; this was the last person he'd expected to see in Modesto. In fact, she wasn't even on his list of prospective visitors.

"Please, help me find a place to hide!" She was looking around the whole time she was talking; he could hear the desperation in her voice.

Hide her? What on earth was going on? Only, when she said please again-in an even more urgent tone, Nick snapped out of it. He took a hold of her arm and turned around. In less than a minute, they were heading down an alley.

"I know a place you can stay only I want to know what's going on. Who are you running from and why?" Nick was confused, and he didn't like it.

"Later, please, someone could see us any minute and interrupt." She begged with the same urgent tone he'd heard before.

Something major had to be going. That being the case, Nick didn't argue as he turned left and then knocked on the back door of the saloon. "I'm sorry, but I know the matron here. She'll hide you for my sake." He heard no complaint as the door opened.

Charlotte O'Haron, the blonde haired saloon matron, stared as she saw who was knocking on the back door. Not that she minded seeing Nick Barkley only the woman next to him was dressed like a real lady, not a saloon girl.

"We need to hide her and," Nick looked to each side of him-just in case someone appear. "I have a funny feeling we may not have much time to do it."

Charlotte stepped aside and let her visitors in. Soon they were going up 'the back stairs', as the saloon matron called them. Once they'd arrived at the first door to her left, Charlotte opened the door. "She can stay in here, but if the idea is to hide her, leave the curtains shut. And," she looked at the woman who Nick was still holding onto. "She's going to stick out like a sore thumb in that fancy outfit if she has to leave the room for anything." She then started to say she'd see what she could find only to have Nick say he'd go buy another dress for her.

"I'll tell the storekeeper I'm shopping for a friend." He then waited until Charlotte had shut the door before turning his attention to his unexpected companion. "Now, before I go get you some different clothes, tell me what's going on, Maria. This is not even close to where I expected cross paths with any member of the Alfedo family-if we crossed paths at all."

Maria, who could feel herself starting to shake, sat down on a brown, wooden chair that sat next to as simple, darker brown dresser. "I left my father's home only he had Mel Coombs follow me. You remember him?"

"Yeah, I remember. Your father used Mr. Coombs' rifle to shoot the bull." Nick replied when Maria paused, as if waiting for an answer.

"He finally caught up with me, only I gave the 'gentleman' the slip once we arrived in town. If he finds me, he'll force me to go back like he was in the process of doing." Maria fell silent.

Nick was more confused than ever. Maria had left Stockton, telling Heath that Don Alfredo was her father, and that she couldn't destroy him even if she loved Heath. Why would she be running from the man now? He sat on the bottom of the bed and faced Maria. "What has your father done now?" The moment he said the word 'now', Nick wished he could take that one word back-as he saw a flash of pain cross Maria's eyes.

"Nothing…yet." Maria took a deep breath only to find the tears she'd been fighting back escape. She started sobbing which; naturally, had Nick hurrying to her side and laying his hand on her shoulder.

"WHAT is going on? Tell me, and I'll help any way I can. In fact, we can go back to Stockton; my whole family will help." Nick kept his eyes on Maria, who had finally stopped crying only to be shocked yet again when pure fear filled her eyes.

Jumping to her feet, Maria shook her head vigorously. "I'm not going there; I can't! That's the first place Mister Coombs will look if he doesn't find me before reaching Stockton. He and my father, they caused enough trouble for your family last time. I won't go to Stockton." She started shaking again. Nick quickly stood up and, taking a hold of her, insisted on her sitting back down.

"Just where do you plan on going from here then? You have to have some place to stay." Nick knelt down beside her.

"I…" Maria hesitated, not wishing to pull Nick into the everything. Then again, she realized he'd already been pulled in. "I'm going to go to Montana. I had a friend in school who lived there, invited me to visit. I just hope she's still living there. I…", she hesitated again and then admitted she didn't plan on taking any main roads. "I am hoping to get a hold of a few maps and travel on the less traveled paths."

Nick's jaw hit the floor. A lady raised as Maria Alfredo was thinking to attempt a trip to Montana -on unfamiliar, less traveled, roads by herself? That was insane. He fought to keep his patience in check as he said, "When I get back with another dress for you, tell me what's going. Be honest with me, and I'll help you get to Montana."

When Nick fell silent for a moment, Jarrod leaned forward. "While I want to know what the problem was, I have to ask you right now. Why didn't you wire us? At least send a coded message?" That part infuriated Jarrod only he made himself not to raise his voice.

"I tried," Nick snapped as he stood up and walked across the room before turning to face Jarrod. He apologized for the snapping and then explained. "The telegraph office was closed for lunch when I went to get Maria the new dress; only, after I came out of the store with the clothing in a bag, I saw Coombs heading for the saloon. I thought he had found out where Maria was. I hurried back to the saloon and went in the back. Maria was still in her room only-with Coombs so close-I didn't dare have her tell me everything right then. I told her to hurry and change her clothes. She did, and then we slipped out the back and hightailed it down the alley that ran behind all the buildings. Then, somehow, we managed to get to the livery stable without anyone stopping us. After that, we both mounted Coco and rode as fast as we could out of there. It wasn't until we stopped and made camp for the night that she told me everything."

"And, I pray tell, just what is 'everything'?" Jarrod demanded in a very firm tone of voice. He had to be told, he wasn't going to listen to anything else before he was given that information.

Nick walked back over to the couch, sat down and started talking about the past once more.

A/N I've had a reader on another site send me something that shows the last name was Montero. Only thing is, when I looked it up on The Big Valley Imdb, and brought up the episode on You tube..to check the credits..it said Alfredo. So...it's Alfredo here even if they said Montero on the actual episode? Hope that doesn't upset anyone too much.