A/N As far as I know, the diamonds and the museum mentioned in this chapter are purely fictional. If, by chance, they really do exist it's news to me. Also, I realize there are questions to be answered. All I can say is, please bear with me. They will be answered eventually.
Chapter Six
Sheriff Barrett pushed the swinging doors of Rimfire's saloon open and stepped inside. The noise in the establishment was rather high, due to all the patrons standing by the bar or sitting at the tables. Looking around, he soon spotted the gentleman he was looking for. Dave started walked towards the far left hand corner of the room where a gentleman sat dressed in dark pants and a plaid shirt. The man bore what looked to be a fresh cut on his right cheek, his hair was pitch black, sported a beard that looked to be a couple weeks old, and he was wearing Indian jewelry. Folks around town speculated that, in spite of the fact that the black hair was the only physical traits that could possibly link him to the Indians, the beaded jewelry was proof that he did indeed have some in him. However, truth was no one really very little about him. All they knew for sure was that he said his name was Karl Miller, and that he was working at the nearby mines.
"Hello, Karl." Dave said as he pulled a chair out from the table and sat down, keeping his back towards the wall as he did so. He couldn't afford to have someone come up behind him and overhear the conversation he and Karl Miller would be having. Not that he had to worry about that too much, Karl had his back facing the wall also…as he sat diagonally from the good sheriff. "What did you need?"
"I snuck in and saw Frank." The man wasn't shocked by the surprised look that came upon the sheriff's face.
"He didn't see who attacked the posse and shot him, did he?" Dave asked hoping the man had since no one else in the posse had been able to identify the attacker, or attackers.
"No," Karl answered and continued speaking. "All he remembers hearing is 'heavy footsteps running away' after he'd fallen and rolled behind a boulder. And, yes, those were his exact words. He restated the fact that the law is being pressured to find the King's Diamonds stolen from the Hansen Museum in New York City before they arrest anyone besides Jensen. They seem to think if any other arrests are made beforehand then the diamonds will be lost for good. I think that part is stupid. Of course, if he finds definite proof that Mr. Glover is indeed guilty of…." He paused, deciding it was best not to talk about 'that' topic at the moment; he might get too worked up if he did. Instead he gave Dave a long hard look, making the good sheriff wonder what was coming. Finally, Karl said, "I know Jarrod and Nick Barkley are in town. They didn't waste any time in coming."
"Did anyone think they would?" Dave Barrett said as his eyebrows rose in surprise. "They're in my office reading the file I have on Jensen; about all the banks he's robbed and the men he's killed, along with all that's written concerning the circumstantial evidence we have on Muriel and Glover when it comes to helping transport all the stolen jewelry Mr. Jensen needed help moving...and any other suspicions the law has on the men. Though," Dave leaned forward and lowered his voice just in case, "is Frank absolutely sure the diamonds from that heist are really among the expensive the stolen goods, are they really somewhere here in Rimfire? I don't know about the rest of the jewelry, but the King Diamond's are supposed to be worth over ten thousand dollars! And," Dave, feeling for the Barkleys, "I wish it wasn't necessary to make everyone believe that the man they knew as Heath Barkley is dead. Jarrod and Nick, understandably, want to know why they were lied to."
"First," Kyle leaned forward, his eyes betraying how he felt, "Frank said he has evidence that suggests that Jensen and another man are the ones who stole them only nothing concrete. As I just said, those diamonds have to be found before any arrests can be made and, yes, if Glover is indeed involved, they would be in this area. Frank also said that all the evidence suggests that Muriel and Jensen have been communicating for some time. Due to some other evidence, he suspects that Glover stepped in a few months ago and actually helped in the robbery and is now hiding at least those diamonds, if not all of the stolen jewelry-along with the few paintings that were taken. Second, due to that run in that took place before the posse left town and what Mr. Glover let slip out, yes, it's very imperative that Glover believe Heath Barkley to be dead. And, if the law is right and Muriel is the man leaking information, then sending for Nick and Jarrod in such a manner was very much necessary." Karl paused and then said, "I'm surprised those two, meaning Jarrod and Nick, didn't insist on you telling them everything before you came to see me."
Dave turned the palms of his hands up. "After finding the rattle that was left for them and Bill giving them the bible, I'm sort of surprised they consented to wait too. As it is, I got as far as to say 'he's alive, but please trust me and keep your mouths shut', but that's basically it as we were interrupted. Having them read that file gives them something to do while we're talking and will save me from having to do more talking than necessary when I get back with them. Do you want me to send them to you instead?" Dave liked that idea even if he did already know what the answer would be.
"No," Kyle shook his head as he pushed back his chair and stood up. "As far as anyone knows, Karl Miller barely tolerates the law. Meeting in a saloon is one thing; meeting in your office is another. It would get my employer's attention. We don't need that, do we? However, it might help for you to have someone to back you up on anything you discuss, including the fact that it's better if they deal with Frank on this. After all, it is a federal matter. Bill can go with you. I'll go get him." He then headed for a side door.
Dave couldn't help but groan softly, as Karl disappeared through a side door. Talking to Bill meant making sure there was a sharpened pencil and paper handy, and Dave was running low on both. However, since Mr. Glover's manager was Karl's boss, they didn't need to attract undue attention. Guess he would need to stop at the general store before heading to his office. Before too long, the same red headed gentleman who had given Jarrod the bible appeared. Since he had no paper or pencil with him, Dave simply stood up, nodded and headed for the saloon's swinging doors.
~oOo~
Nick and Jarrod, who had finally finished reading the file, sat back in their chairs. They said nothing at first. Finally Nick spoke up. "I understand the law wanting Jensen for all the robberies and for the murders, or attempted murders, he's committed, and for wanting Muriel and Glover if they have indeed been helping him. I can definitely understand the law and the museum wanting those diamonds back only what I can't understand is why send us a telegram telling us Heath has been killed? Why ask us to continue to keep the rest of the family in the dark? It's downright cruel."
Jarrod didn't answer his brother as he, Jarrod, held up the rattlesnake rattle again. He agreed with Nick; however, he couldn't answer Nick's question because he didn't know. Then again, running all the facts through his head including the fact that the telegraph officer was one of the suspects in this case, maybe he did.
"Jarrod?" Nick asked, more than irritated that his elder brother hadn't answered him right away. However, when Jarrod started to answer him only to put down the rattle and stand up. Nick was even more perturbed. "Jarrod! What is going on?"
"Dave has our friend with him." Jarrod pointed out the window, directing Nick's attention. "I think we're about to get some of our answers. In fact, I'll demand we get them, though to answer your question. I think they needed to get us down here without tipping Mr. Muriel and Mr. Glover off…which means they must have been desperate. Heath would never have consented to put us through the hell we've been through for no good reason."
Nick could see where Jarrod was coming from when it came to the telegram operator and agreed whole heartedly with the statement about Heath, but he swore someone better start talking soon, or he'd started getting some answers with his fists.