Chapter Fourteen

Previously:

With his mouth on her neck and his hands now exploring places he'd only dreamed about in his sleep, Jarrod did not see the evil grin that spread across Esmeralda's face as they continued falling into the fire until it had consumed them both.

1950…

"And everyone said she was a lady!" Nick roared his eyes full of fury. How dare 'that woman' use his oldest brother the way she had! How dare she make him think he was the guilty party! "She was simply a dance hall girl in disguise! She used you to get information on Gene!" Nick let out some more cuss words only to be silenced by Natasha's silent reprimand.

Jarrod sat up straight and started to object, to point out that it had been him that had seduced Esmeralda only to have Natasha speak up and she placed her hand over his. "No, Jarrod. Listen to what you just told us, what she did from the moment you walked in that door. Everything she said or did."

Jarrod opened his mouth and then shut it again as he felt as if cold water had hit him straight in the face. The realization of what Natasha said sunk in, and sunk in deep. His eyes widened as he went over everything that had been said before, while and after he and Esmeralda given themselves to each other. A furious, angry look appeared in his eyes as he realized that Esmeralda had indeed geared everything that took place, the seduction and the conversation, to the point that she'd have all the information she need to get rid of the only opponent she was aware of without a problem. He let out scream and hit the ground with his fist as he started cursing her name and the loss she'd caused him and his family.

"Let it out, Jarrod." Nick was holding him before Jarrod knew it while Natasha place her hand on his back, even if she all she felt was air pressure. "It's like I've been telling you all these years. SHE killed him; you had absolutely nothing to do with it!"

While Jarrod now knew how Esmeralda had purposely used him, he still felt extreme guilt that she'd succeeded in getting the information from him. He cried out, "But I let my physical needs overtake my common sense! I told her! I told her Gene…" He started shaking uncontrollably and tried to continue talk, but failed.

"Jarrod," Nick growled in an uncharacteristically low volume, "it wasn't just your physical needs that let Esmeralda do what she did! Think about it. You were at the lowest point you'd ever been at. The only other woman besides Beth, the only one that had the ability to hold your attention in all aspects of life, including having an in-depth intellectual conversation, had rejected you. While you tried to bury yourself in your work as a way to fill all those needs, it just wasn't working. That's not your fault; you were only flesh and blood!" Nick again growled as he said, "You were flat out lonely in every aspect of a man's life. Esmeralda could see that and used it against you! Jarrod," Nick said as his voice softened and he squeezed Jarrod's shoulder, "you were only part of her plan. How were you to know her intentions? She used you; used you her own personal pleasure and to get information that would enable her to kill our brother and finish robbing the businesses in Stockton. You have to stop blaming yourself; she could have easily chosen anyone of us to spin her web of lies and deception if we had been in the same spot as you were at that time."

Nick and Natasha were both relieved when Nick's words had the desired effect and Jarrod began bawling like a newborn baby, crying out Gene's name more than once…something he had not done since the day they had found their baby brother dead on his bedroom floor. Nick held onto his oldest brother with all his might as Jarrod's sobs continued, but his tears were now tinted with resignation and a load of release.

By the time Jarrod's sobbing had slowed down, Natasha could see Gene standing next to his grave. "Look, Jarrod, Nick," she said, though it came out in more of a whisper than anything. "We have company."

Nick and Jarrod looked up. It was all Natasha could do not to break out in happy giggles as Nick's eyes widened and Jarrod jumped to his feet, his face full of both joy and disbelief; he let out a scream, "GENE!" He ran towards his younger brother who too moved towards his brother.

Before Natasha could count to ten Jarrod and Gene were embracing each other for all they were worth, while Nick stood not two feet from them. Then, to her surprise, Natasha saw the rest of the family join the happy group. Each took their turn embracing both Jarrod and Nick.

Natasha expected them to simply leave only, to her surprise; Victoria and Tom left the group and closed the space between them though it was Victoria who did the speaking. "Thanks for helping our two oldest sons."

Natasha blushed a little; she didn't feel like she'd really done anything. Still, to be polite, she said, "You're welcome." Then, out of curiosity, she asked, "What happened to Miss Mitchell?"

Victoria stiffened slightly, and then she relaxed. It was only natural for Miss Ballard to ask such a thing. "It appears she found out quite by accident that a couple of the businessmen had caught on to her activities and had definite proof as to what she'd been up to, so she left town in a hurry. The law started looking for her because of the evidence the business gave Fred." Victoria put her hands on her hips.

"When was it discovered that it was she who killed Eugene?" Natasha asked wanting to know all the details.

Victoria sighed. "Nick and Heath seemed to know the moment we found him dead on his bedroom floor only they had no proof. Audra and myself could only agree she was a prime suspect, but we had no way of proving it either." She sighed again, and said, "Naturally, Jarrod needed to believe it was someone else. Only, after we learned she fled town to avoid prosecution for attempting to swindle the businessmen, he had to admit she might be guilty. Knowing didn't come until a few years later. One of our former ranch hands who Nick had fired had been fighting his conscience and finally stepped forward. He told Fred that as he had come back to the ranch with the intention of trying to get Nick to rehire him. He said he saw Esmeralda slip into the house via the French doors in the Billiard room. Eugene's window was open making it so he could hear the two yelling and then," Victoria's voice took on a hard edge, "He said he heard a gunshot and saw Esmeralda running out the front door not minutes later." Victoria shook her head, "He told Fred he didn't come forward at the time because he feared he'd be blamed since he and Eugene had words before he, the ranch hand, left the ranch. Needless to say the law really started trying to find her after that." Victoria glanced towards all her children who were once again laughing and talking as they had in the past. "When we learned a few months later that she'd fled only to be captured, used, and then ruthlessly tortured and killed by a few renegade Indians, I wasn't exactly shedding any tears. I mean, by that time Jarrod was just going through the motions of living and I put full blame on that woman. As far as I was concerned life had caught up with her and gave her what she had sowed. Now," Victoria smiled as she and Tom started to turn towards their family, "I think we best leave. Goodbye,"

Natasha felt her stomach churn. When she said she loved history, she wasn't lying, but she knew full well how cruel some of the Indians could be to one they considered they're enemy. "Goodbye." Natasha smiled as Victoria and Tom rejoined their sons and daughter and then watched as the family all disappeared. As they did so, a smile spread across Natasha's face. It was about time they were all together again.

Epilogue to Follow