Chapter 11

It was about ten the next morning when Jarrod rode into town and put his horse up at the livery. He half wondered if Burton was going to turn up there again, but he didn't. Jarrod left the livery and headed for his office – and bam, Burton turned a corner and bumped into him.

"Sorry, Mr. Barkley, I didn't see you," Burton said loudly. The news he had was not something he had to keep secret. "I'm headed to meet with Luther at the Stockton House. He got the money this morning, and we'll be getting the first installment on that roof from him."

"That's good news," Jarrod said. "Tell Mr. Madison I'll check in with him later today."

They parted company. Jarrod was a little wary that Madison had chosen to meet with Burton and Millington at the same place Taylor had chosen to bump into him, but maybe Madison's meeting would break up before he and Taylor met. Jarrod went into his office, wished his secretary a good morning, then went into the private office and checked his watch. It was five after ten.

Jarrod reviewed a will he was finalizing for a local woman, but kept an eye on his watch. Reading made the time fly. At ten twenty-five, Jarrod got up and left, telling his secretary he was going to the Stockton House café. When he got there, he saw Taylor alone, reading a newspaper at a table near the kitchen. Happily, Madison, Millington and Burton were nowhere to be seen. The waitress showed Jarrod to his usual table by the window. He sat down, ordered coffee, and soon was leaving money for the bill and tip. He did it slowly, until he saw Taylor leave the café before him.

As promised, Taylor stopped just inside the lobby, getting in Jarrod's way, and Jarrod bumped into him. "Oh, sorry," Taylor said. "I dropped a match. I didn't mean to get in your way."

Jarrod quietly said, "Madison got the money and Burton said they'd have half of it by now."

"I know," Taylor said. "They made the transfer here."

"They should be on the noon train for a connection in Sacramento going east, at about four this afternoon," Jarrod said. "I have business at the depot today, so I'll make it at about noon to see they get on the train."

"Fine," Taylor said. "I'll touch base later."

"One more thing," Jarrod said. "Madison visited my home yesterday, to see my sister. I don't really know what that was all about, but if he has caught wind of you, I'm concerned for my family."

"Understood. We'll keep them in mind, but plan on seeing this wrapped up within the next twenty-four hours."

They parted company with polite tips of the hat. Jarrod saw Taylor head for the telegraph office and figured he was about to wire ahead to Carson City that Millington and Burton were coming. The train would get there during the night, so there wouldn't be any word about whether the two men were arrested until morning. For now, Jarrod knew his work was done, so he went back to his office.

He found Madison waiting for him there. He had been sitting in the outer office and stood up when Jarrod came in. "Mr. Barkley," Madison said, holding his hat in his left hand and extending his right.

Jarrod glanced at his secretary, who looked like she was asking if she had done the right thing by having Madison wait here. Jarrod smiled at her, took his hat off and shook Madison's hand. "Good morning, Mr. Madison. Do you have some news for me?"

"Indeed I do," Madison said.

"Come on into my office," Jarrod said and ushered Madison in, closing the door behind him.

"The bank has come through with the money, and I've paid the roofers the first half," Madison said as Jarrod motioned him to sit down. "That means they will be able to pay for the materials when they arrive and we can proceed with hiring a crew starting tomorrow."

"That's excellent," Jarrod said, sitting down.

"I was wondering how your sister was feeling today," Madison said.

"Yes, I hear you paid her a visit yesterday," Jarrod said. "I hope she hasn't given you her cold."

Madison laughed. "I doubt it. You'll probably catch it first."

Jarrod decided to do a little distraction of his own. "I might as well be direct. Do you intend to see my sister socially once she's recovered?"

"Well, I have to admit," Madison said, "that was one of the reasons I wanted to see you today. Audra sounded like she was well on the mend yesterday, and I was wondering how you would feel if I did ask to see her socially."

Leaning back, Jarrod took his time answering. "You and I still have some unresolved issues that might prove difficult for Audra to handle."

"My thoughts exactly," Madison said. "I know you and I can never put the past out of the way completely, but maybe for Audra's sake we should try not to let it affect the present."

Jarrod said, "I have nothing to regret about what happened during the war. I was doing a job and protecting my men."

"Fair enough," Madison said. "I suppose I have no right to expect any contrition from you. But it would go a long way if you would simply say you were sorry things had to be the way they were."

"I am sorry," Jarrod admitted. "I'm sorry about the entire war having to even occur. But it happened, and I had my duty to perform, and while I may be sorry that had to occur, too, I'm not sorry I did my duty. I'm sure you're not sorry you did yours."

"No, I am not," Madison said. He heaved a sigh. "Audra is a woman, well of age. Can I trust you will let her make her own decisions about me, and about you?"

"Audra may see whomever she wants to see socially," Jarrod said, "and I won't interfere with her decisions in that regard. But I trust you won't bring up the war and our involvement while you're seeing her. That wouldn't do anyone any good."

"You are right about that," Madison said, standing up. "Do you have any objection if I call on her this afternoon?"

"I'd wait a couple days," Jarrod said, getting up as well. "I'd like her to be well rested from her illness before she goes out again."

"All right," Madison nodded, and turned and said, "I can show myself out."

As he left and closed the door, Jarrod wondered if the man really would wait, and for that matter if the man would even be around for a couple more days. He had no indication that Madison would be leaving town today, but it seemed logical to believe he wouldn't be far behind Millington and Burton, especially since that shipment of roofing materials would not be arriving in three days as they said. By then the jig would be up. But Jarrod believed it was logical to assume that Madison just came by to lay another distraction at Jarrod's feet. He didn't like Audra being used that way. He'd have to be very wary if Madison was going to keep using her.

But, of course, if Millington and Burton were in jail in Carson City in the morning, Madison would be in jail in Stockton by early afternoon.

Jarrod gave a look out the window, wondering if Sheriff Madden knew to expect an arrest here tomorrow. He was pretty sure Taylor was keeping in touch with him, but maybe it would be a good idea if he went by to check. There would be nothing to suspect if he went to the sheriff's office – he went there often enough that even Madison would not be curious if he saw him go in. But Jarrod saw Madison heading into Harry's saloon, perhaps to meet with Millington and Burton one last time. Thinking this would be a good time to slip into the sheriff's office, Jarrod left and headed that way.

As he started to go in, he ran into Taylor coming out. Taylor tipped his hat politely, and Jarrod responded, but they didn't say anything to one another. Jarrod went inside and found the sheriff there alone.

"Did you two talk to one another at the door?" the sheriff asked.

"No," Jarrod said, "but we talked earlier. Do I take it Taylor has filled you in?"

Sheriff Madden nodded. "I expect I'll be arresting Mr. Madison sometime late tomorrow morning before he gets the chance to leave on the noon train. Do you want to be in on the arrest?"

Jarrod shook his head. "There's no need to alert him that I've been in on this. Just let me know when you have him, all right? He just came to me saying he wanted to see my sister socially."

"Well, that wouldn't be happening anyway," Sheriff Madden said. "He'd be pulling out right behind Millington and Burton, maybe not on tomorrow's noon train but surely the day after."

"I figure, too," Jarrod said, "before the phony roofing materials don't come in. I'm guessing he asked me about Audra because he's trying to distract me further."

"You don't think he knows that you know what he's doing?"

"No. I think he just wants to be sure I don't find out, and maybe get some more revenge on me for the war. Whichever it is, I don't want Audra to be hurt any more than she has to be, so I told him to hold off before he goes to see her again."

"Again?"

"He was out at the house yesterday."

"Bold," the sheriff said. "Well, I guess we'll see what happens today and tomorrow."

"I have some business at the depot," Jarrod said. "I told Taylor I would schedule it for about the time the train leaves so I can see Millington and Burton get on board and verify it for him."

"Look out Madison doesn't see you there watching. That's gonna blow the whole game if he does."

Jarrod nodded. "I've thought about that. If Madison is smart, he won't be anywhere near the train station. He can always claim he didn't know his boys were leaving with the money if he doesn't see them go."

"You don't think he suspects one of them is an agent, do you?"

"He's not acting like he suspects anything," Jarrod said. "We'll find out for sure over the next 24 hours though, won't we?"

"Will you be in town tomorrow?"

"Not unless Taylor asks me to be. I'd rather not be anywhere around here when you pull Madison in."

"All right," the sheriff said. "I'll let you know out at the house when we've got him."

Jarrod nodded. "Thanks, Fred."