Chapter 12
Tim Boniface was back in Stockton.
It was absolutely the wrong time for this to happen. Just getting off the train, just getting his bearings back from the heartbreaking trip to San Francisco, just getting used to the reality that Olivia was gone and her child was off onto another life with another family – and now here was Tim Boniface, right in front of him on the street in Stockton.
Tim Boniface, who had gotten Olivia pregnant and deserted her. Who had bailed on his responsibility for his actions, just as he had always done. Until this moment, Jarrod had been able to keep his anger in check all day because his grief was overwhelming it, but now, with Tim Boniface in front of him, the black rage was screaming up inside of him. It showed. Even Boniface flinched back a slight step.
It was Sheriff Madden who intervened and saved him. "Jarrod, you best be on your way now. You're about to get into big trouble if you don't."
Boniface abruptly and quickly turned and got out of there, moving fast down the street and into the saloon.
Jarrod glared after him. Sheriff Madden said, "He came looking for Olivia. Heath told me what happened after he dropped you off at the train station last night. I told Boniface she was gone."
"I hope you didn't tell him that the baby was still alive," Jarrod snarled, watching Boniface disappear into the saloon.
"I didn't, but I don't think he'd care anyway," Sheriff Madden said. "Do you know where the baby is?"
"Adopted by a couple in San Francisco," Jarrod said. Now that Boniface was out of sight, he was able to take a deep breath and to try to let the rage go. "I don't know who. I thought it best not to know and the agency doesn't reveal that information anyway."
"That was probably wise," the sheriff said. "Look, I don't think the family knew when you'd be back so there's nobody here to pick you up. Why don't you just get a mount at the stable and go home? You don't need to be here just yet. You don't need Boniface in front of you, by choice or by accident. You're likely to kill the man – by choice or by accident. You're one helluva lot bigger than he is now."
"You're right," Jarrod admitted. "I'll head home. But I work in this town, Fred. I'll have to come back."
"And you'll have to get a grip on your anger, or your whole life could explode in your face," Sheriff Madden warned. "I know how you felt about Olivia, but she's gone, and her child has a new home and family. I know how hard it is for you to swallow, but you have to swallow it. You have to curb that rage of yours and swallow it."
Jarrod knew the sheriff was right, and he knew this time – unlike the time the sheriff tried to get him under control before he took off after Beth's killer – he had to listen and follow the man's advice. Jarrod nodded, and without another word he headed for the livery stable.
By the time he got home and went into the house, it was after dinner. The family were all sharing coffee in the living room, and everyone went quiet and looked up at him when he came in. He wasn't aware of how serious the scowl on his face was, how dark his eyes had become, but they could all see it. They had seen it before. They knew what it meant.
"What happened, Jarrod?" Victoria asked.
Nick poured his older brother a glass of scotch as Jarrod came into the living room. Jarrod couldn't look up at them. He didn't even realize Nick was handing him a drink – Nick had to put it into his hand. Jarrod tried to organize his thinking before he put it into words.
"Olivia died in childbirth," Jarrod said. "The baby is fine and has already been adopted into a good family. It's all done. There's nothing to worry about."
"Then what has you looking like a loaded shotgun?" Nick asked.
Jarrod looked at him. "Tim Boniface is back in town. Tim Boniface is the baby's father."
Everyone deflated at once.
"Does he know about the baby?" Heath asked.
"Fred Madden said he told him about Olivia, but not about the baby," Jarrod said.
"You haven't hurt the man – " Victoria said, worried and hoping Jarrod hadn't gone haywire on Boniface.
Jarrod said, "I wanted to, but no, I didn't hurt him. I'll do my best not to hurt him but right now – it's a tough battle."
Nick and Heath looked at each other, not looking forward to reining their older brother in, particularly now that he was physically more powerful than he had been the last time he lost himself in rage. Audra said, "Jarrod – would Olivia want you to take this any farther? Would she want you to go after Boniface?"
Jarrod looked at his little sister's worried eyes – and what he saw was the baby he had held in his arms so long ago, just as he had held Olivia's child this morning. He suddenly saw Olivia's daughter grown up, just as Audra had grown up. He saw the years rushing by, and he lost his anger and all of himself in them, both the years lost for Olivia's child and the years gained from helping to raise Audra. "No," he answered Audra's question, gently and sincerely because she was the one who had asked it. Then he gulped down his drink and put the glass down on the refreshment table. "If you'll excuse me, I need to clean up. Have Silas put together a sandwich for me, if you would."
He hauled himself to the stairs and climbed wearily. They watched him.
"He's going to have to go into town tomorrow, to his office," Victoria said.
"I'll go with him," Nick said.
"He won't like it, and you can't go with him every day," Victoria said.
"No," Nick agreed. "But I'm hoping I won't have to."
XXXXXX
Jarrod was quiet after he came down, joining the family in the library now and taking his sandwich there, growing more tired after he ate. He retired early, and his family was glad of it. A good night's sleep would help him through the next day.
At breakfast, he was still quiet but rested now. He ate well and got up as soon as he finished, saying, "I have to get to town and get back to work I put off."
Nick popped up at the same time. "I have banking to do. I'll go with you."
"I can do it for you, Nick," Jarrod said.
Nick could tell that Jarrod knew exactly what he was doing – going with him to see he didn't get into trouble right away. He said, "No, I have to do the paperwork with the bank. And you might need me."
Being that blunt made Jarrod angry, but it didn't last. He knew his brother was only trying to have his back. But - "You can't stay all day, Nick."
"I won't need to," Nick said. "Once you get back to work, you'll be all right on your own."
Jarrod actually had to smile a little at his younger brother's candidness. He gave Nick and clap on the arm, saying, "I'll see everyone at dinner," kissing his mother, and heading out.
Nick gave his mother a "don't worry" grin as he followed Jarrod out.
They saddled their horses themselves, Nick asking, "Have you got a lot of work lined up today?"
"Some," Jarrod said. "I'll have to – " and then he stopped, before he said, more quietly, "I'll have to get started probating Olivia's will. Oh – " He suddenly remembered. "The will's in San Francisco. I'll have to probate it there. I'll have to get back there later in the week."
"Better slow down and see what you have to do here first," Nick said. "Is there anything I can do to help?"
"No," Jarrod said as they led their horses out of the stable and mounted up. "I'll get it all organized in a few hours."
Nick said, "I can stay in town as long as you want."
Jarrod smiled a little. "I know what you're thinking, Brother Nick, but don't feel like you have to ride herd on me. I'll just stay away from the saloon and probably never even see Boniface."
"You can't keep that up forever."
"And you can't keep dogging me forever. I'll get through this, Nick. And if I punch Boniface out, it'll be because he started it, not me."
Nick gave a grin. "Just remember, you got a lot of heft behind you now. I don't want to have to bail my big brother out of jail."
"Yeah, you do," Jarrod teased.
They rode into town, both of them feeling more like themselves and not like the world was about to blow up in their faces. Jarrod went off to his office and Nick went off to the bank. It didn't take long for Nick to finish his business there, and after he did he went back to Jarrod's office – but he saw something on the way.
Harry was just opening up his saloon, and Tim Boniface was already going in. Nick had an ugly feeling Boniface was going to be drinking in there all day, and that could make for trouble. Nick paused for a minute, thought about going over there and confronting the man himself, just to let him know he was being watched.
But then Nick looked up at Jarrod's office window and saw his older brother standing there, looking out with his face in a frown. Jarrod had seen Boniface go into the saloon too. He said he's stay away from the saloon, but now Nick had his doubts.
