Chapter Twelve

Jarrod stood in the San Francisco telegraph office, counting silently to ten. He'd walked into the office to send a wire to a business associate, only to find a telegram from a good friend who worked for the Pinkerton agency. The friend, a red, but graying, headed gentleman by the name of Mark Peters, had visited the Barkley home the week before Jarrod headed to San Francisco yet again. Mark had been traveling northward on yet another job. He said it was his last job and he was going to give up 'this line of work'. The man had lived outside Granite City at one time and, while Michelle had not recognized him, he had recognized Michelle. That is, once he had heard her voice he had. Jarrod had known that by the look in the man's eyes. Fortunately, Mr. Peters was not one to ask questions when it was not his business, though he did let Jarrod know he knew who their guest was. To Jarrod's relief, the man had simply said a woman like Michelle was of more value than she probably knew. When the man had left, Jarrod had not expected to hear from him for a few months at least. Though, it wasn't simply hearing from his friend that had him fighting to control his temper. It was the words in the telegram that did that. He read the message once more.

Jarrod STOP Thought you should know STOP Met young detective STOP Searching for valued item STOP None of my business STOP Still, you should be aware STOP chance headed towards Stockton STOP Mark Peters

Jarrod took a deep breath knowing just how much trust his friend was really putting in the Barkley family. If he wasn't, the man would have betrayed Michelle's whereabouts without hesitation. Jarrod's mind then went to that 'valued item'. Nick was still pursuing Michelle, though the courtship wasn't progressing as fast as his impatient brother would have liked. When it came to Michelle, Jarrod remembered the most recent conversation he'd had with the woman.

Jarrod once again sat behind his desk in his study looking at Michelle, who was standing with her back to the bookshelf. She'd surprised everyone when she'd gone outside to help Heath and Nick with one of the calves, said she wanted to try something new. However, she'd come to the study and asked Jarrod if he had some time to spare. She'd said she needed someone to talk and, with Victoria busy with Silas in the kitchen, she was hoping he had some time. The way Nick had been talking, Jarrod figured he knew, basically, what was on her mind, but he said nothing as he waited for her to speak.

Michelle, who had remained silent for what seem an eternity, finally spoke. "Nick wants me to consider letting him court me more seriously." The dark haired rancher had taken her out to dinner the night before and brought up the subject. As he'd pointed out, he had been seeing her for a number of months now, and they were getting along better than she'd expected. He'd pointed the last bit out due to a comment she'd made the day before.

The part of Jarrod that yearned to court Michelle wanted nothing more than to discourage any serious courtship. However, he'd seen how well Michelle had adjusted to ranch when she wasn't working in his office. She also seemed to actually enjoy her time on the ranch. When it came to Nick, she appeared to be happy when she was around him, and yet… "Have your feelings towards him changed?" Jarrod asked…the majority of him wanting only what was best for both his brother and Michelle.

"That's just it." Michelle, who didn't even attempt to hide the war going on inside herself, said, "I do like him… a lot. I just…" she walked across the room and leaned her right arm against the window, glancing out her eye as she did so. Taking a deep breath she asked, "Have you ever found yourself wanting something so badly you could almost taste it and yet feel as if someone was trying to tell you that it wasn't right, and then ask yourself if that's simply because of the way you were raised?"

"Every time you walk in the room, wish Nick wasn't courting you," Jarrod thought; however, he kept that thought to himself as he asked, "Are you asking me for my advice?"

Michelle again looked out the window at Nick, who had had his back to her, turned around while he continued talking Heath. After a moment she slowly nodded. "I guess I am."

Jarrod stood up and walked over joined her at the window. He too could see Nick and Heath, who had returned home from the cattle drive only to be kept so busy that he was seldom in the house, talking with McColl, who had just walked up to the two men. "If you have come to love my brother," Jarrod looked away from the scene outside the window to Michelle, "I mean really love him enough to consider marrying him then tell him yes. However," he took a deep breath and continued, "If you don't, if the idea is, as much as you denied it before, simply," he paused and then said, "to have insurance against your father as it were, then don't. It's not fair to either one of you."

Jarrod, who had begun spending more and more time in San Francisco, only checking in with the Stockton office when he had to, sighed after he'd finished counting. He knew he could simply send a wire to his family and leave it to his brothers to keep an eye out for Michelle only there were two problems. One, since Jarrod was the only one Mr. Peters had told that he knew who "Shelly" was he would have to be specific…which led to the second problem. The telegram operator had, just after giving him the telegram, mentioned to his coworker that 'he was going to meet his brother and head to Granite City to talk with one Marque de Lecaise about a business deal'. The fact that Mark had not called Michelle by name, thus enabling someone who knew the Marque, or knew of him, to tell the man where Michelle was, was a miracle. And Jarrod didn't see any reason to hand the man the information now. No, he knew he had no choice but to go back to Stockton. He told himself that at least he had work waiting for him at his Stockton office. He could simply give Michelle time off from work while he was in Stockton. At least, that's what he planned on.

"See you later, Mr. Barkley." Ned, the middle aged operated, smiled as Jarrod turned to leave. "I hope everything is all right." His eyes looked as if he was hoping Jarrod would explain the message Ned was extremely curious about.

Jarrod returned the smile thinking that the gentleman best not hold his breath waiting for any sort of explanation. "Everything's fine." Jarrod replied as he opened the telegram office door and stepped outside. He headed straight for his apartment. If he was to catch the next train going to Stockton, he didn't have time to stop and do anything else.