Chapter Ten

Jarrod was sitting in his chair behind his desk in the study when Audra knocked on the slightly opened door and poked her head in. Jarrod wasn't surprised by the sad look in her eyes. Ever since she'd calmed down after learning the truth about Nick, that sadness had been her companion to a small degree. It probably didn't help that she wasn't free to talk to just anyone about the situation. When the family had agreed to simply say that Nick was on a business trip that would keep him away from the ranch for a couple of months, how could she?

"May I help you?" He pushed the papers that he'd been doing his best to concentrate on aside and leaned back in his chair. He wasn't surprised when Audra said nothing as she made her way to the chair that sat off to his right. Only after sitting down did she look at her elder brother and ask softly, "Have they found anything yet?"

Jarrod didn't have to ask who she meant when she said 'they'; he already knew. He felt for everyone in the family, including the wayward Nick. How he wished his gut feelings had been proven wrong when he and Heath traveled the extra miles. Only he hadn't, and there was nothing he could do about it. He glanced at one of the papers lying on his desk; it was from the Pinkertons. "They're working on it sis. You need to remember we only contacted them after Heath and I returned home. They need more than two weeks to search the state of California." He wasn't about to tell her that he'd replied back and asked them to begin searching Oregon, Nevada and Arizona as well. He had begun to feel strongly that, since all three states bordered California, there was a chance his brother had gotten it into his head to travel to one of them. That information would only serve to upset her more; he just knew it.

Audra automatically grew defensive. "I know that! I was just asking if they've found anything, not condemning them for not looking faster. I just want to ask him why he couldn't trust us to help him! Anything wrong with that?"

"Calm down, sis." Jarrod stood up and walked around the corner of his desk. He laid his hands upon Audra's shoulders. "I never said there was anything wrong in asking, did I?" He kept his eyes on hers until she lowered her head ever so slightly.

"No," she answered and then cried out as she lifted her head back up, "What if they don't find him, Jarrod? What if he…" she choked up as she found it impossible to finish her train of thought.

Jarrod gave her a comforting hug. Silently he cursed and asked Nick how he could have gone and done such a thing. "We'll find him, honey. One way or the other we'll find him." He released his hold on her and stepped back, wiping the tears from her face as he did so. "You just have to believe that."

Audra wanted to believe him. More than anything, she wanted to both slap and hug Nick, slap him for leaving and hug him to let him know she still loved him. "I'm doing my best to. It's just so hard every time another day passes by, not knowing where he is."

She wasn't saying anything he didn't already know. "Mother's going to town soon. Why don't you go with her?" He made the suggestion hoping that the distraction would help take his sister's mind off Nick even for a few minutes.

"But who will help Silas fix lunch for you and Heath?" Audra replied, concern for her two brothers' welfare pushed the fear she had for Nick temporally aside.

"Don't worry. We'll manage." Jarrod refrained from making any negative comment concerning her cooking as he assured her all would be well. He then walked her to the study door. "Just go, relax and have some fun."

No sooner had Audra left the room than Heath stepped into the study. "Is Audra all right?" He asked, as he glanced back towards the door he'd just closed. Like Jarrod, he'd seen how hard of a time Audra was having.

Jarrod let out a long drawn out sigh as he walked back around his desk, sat down and picked up the Pinkerton report once more. The words '…nothing found yet' jumped up at him with the same amount of force as it had the first time he read it. "As well as the rest of us, I suppose." He handed the report to Heath.

Heath took the papers, sat down in the chair that Audra had been using and then began reading. Once he was done Heath set the papers back on Jarrod's desk. "Any chance he's left the state?" Heath asked.

Jarrod couldn't help but start chuckling as he confessed what he, Jarrod, had asked the detectives to do. He then grew serious. "Tomorrow is the last day I have to be in court for a few weeks. What are you doing?"

Heath gave him a crooked smile. "Nothing that I can't hand over to McColl, I'll be ready to leave when you get home from town tomorrow."

Jarrod shook his head. "Most likely I won't be home until late tomorrow night. Let's plan on getting a good night sleep afterwards and then head out first thing in the morning."

Heath nodded. He could see where his brother was coming from. Besides, even if they tried to leave the moment Jarrod got home from court Victoria would have a fit due to the lateness of the hour; she'd say it wouldn't do any good to start a search if they were dead on their feet. "Sounds like a plan to me," he answered as he stood up and excused himself, saying that he needed to go talk to McColl.

After Heath had walked out of the room, Jarrod leaned back in his chair and cupped his hand over his chin and, due to Audra's comment about trust, let his mind turn back in time.

"Son," Tom stood in the study looking up at Jarrod, who was upset with Nick for not telling him how badly some boys in school were harassing him. That is, not until he had no choice but to confess it. Jarrod had complained about the lack of trust Nick was showing him. "I don't think it has anything to do with his not trusting you. I think it's more of wanting to protect you."

"We've always protected each other, Nick! We could have done it again!" Jarrod growled only to himself, and then did what he could to get his mind back on his work.