Paint Me a Picture

Chapter Twenty-One

"Thank you, Silas." Victoria watched as Silas put the remainder of the food up on the table. The food he'd prepared always looked, smelled and tasted delicious. She had to smile as, if on cue, one by one her sons and daughter, along with their guest made their way to the table. Ester, who had moved into the boarding house in town when her brother had gone back to Redwood City, had been invited to stay a few days. The boarding house was being renovated and her room was one of the rooms being redone.

After Victoria had blessed the food, Nick looked at Jarrod and asked him what he'd been dying to ask him all day. "Is it true what I hear about Phil Archer?" He barked; his disgust evident in his voice. If he had taken time to notice the displeased look upon his mother's face, Nick might have apologized. As it was, he simply looked at Jarrod and waited for an answer.

Jarrod stiffened slightly. The conversation that had taken place in the jail in between Phil, Brigham and himself; Brigham playing translator the entire time, still played on his mind. Slowly, Jarrod nodded as he signed, "True."

"I don't believe it! How can that man ask such a thing! After all he's done!" Nick's bellowing didn't get far before Victoria turned on him.

"Nicholas Jonathon Barkley! You will lower your voice." Victoria's voice was firm and the look she gave her second oldest son severe.

Nick knew better than to argue with his mother, so he lowered his voice. However, the bark in his voice did not leave. "He does everything he can to get rid of Jarrod and now he wants help from Brigham and him?" Nick stared in disbelief and added sarcastically, "The two of you should let someone else worry about our, dear prosecuting attorney."

While Audra did not raise her voice like Nick, she did side with him. "Amen to that! Mr. Archer has a lot of nerve asking for Brigham and you to help, especially with Thanksgiving just around the corner and your wedding next month, along with Christmas!"

Heath might have felt like someone pulled the rug out from under him when he heard the news, and he might have said something, but he could tell how uncomfortable Jarrod was. That being the case, he simply ate his food in silence.

Ester looked at Jarrod. She felt downright horrible for him. She could see how torn up inside he really was. She'd often heard how Jarrod would always go after the truth, no matter what the cost. But now, with the trouble Phil Archer had made in the past, had Jarrod been pushed past his limits?

His wedding…Jarrod looked at Ester. He could see the sympathy she had for him in her eyes. "I'll only take the case, if you're going to be working with me." Brigham's words rang in Jarrod's ears. If they took the case, it would take time to investigate various things, check out a few people, Sean Archer being on the top of his list due his association with Chris Hall and how the man hadn't wanted Phil watching him the day Jarrod looked out his office window. Would all of this interfere with the wedding?

"Jarrod?" Victoria looked at her oldest son with concern in her eyes. "No one is," she said as she sent Nick and Audra both stern glares, "telling you what to do." When it came to her oldest, she had stopped trying to do that years ago. He'd proven early on that he wasn't one that she needed to worry about. Well, the only time he'd ever done that was when *Cass Hyatt had tried killing him and killed Beth instead. "We are just concerned."

While none of the Barkleys were shocked, they were a bit surprised when Jarrod pushed back his chair, threw down his utensils and stormed out of the room. The room was eerily quiet as Ester stood up quietly, excused herself and hurried out after Jarrod. After a solid two or three minutes of silence, Audra spoke up. "I guess we shouldn't have said anything."

"And why not?" Nick bellowed again as he threw his hand up into the air. "Phil Archer has done nothing but cause Jarrod trouble since the day Jarrod got well enough to start going to the office and start doing paperwork again. Besides…" he lowered his voice slightly when his mother sent him another piercing glare, "I understand they found papers in *his filing cabinet, ones that state the selling price of each painting and prospective buyers for each one. I think the man's guilty and just wants off the hook!"

Ester could hear Nick continuing his rampage as she opened the living room door, but shut the loud rancher out when she shut the door. Walking at a fast pace, Ester soon found Jarrod. He was leaning against the corral. Funny; When Jarrod disappeared in the house, he went straight to the study, but if he went outside, he went to the corral first. Ester guessed it was because, since losing his natural voice, Jarrod had been splitting his time in between the legal office and the ranch.

Jarrod turned his head when he heard the light footsteps and swish of a skirt. His face lit up when he saw Ester walking up beside him. When she simply put her hand over his and looked straight ahead, Jarrod wasn't surprised. Ester never vocally pushed him to open up and talk to her; she simply waited. He'd found out early on, this woman had the patience of Job. He knew she'd stay right beside him until he talked…even it meant staying up late.

"He try destroy my work." Jarrod sighed as he turned to face her and signed the words.

How Ester wanted to just hold Jarrod and make all the confusion she saw in his eyes and in his words go away, but she couldn't. Nodding, she answered, "Yes, he did." It was a fact she didn't see any reason to argue with.

"He think person can't talk means he become stupid. Not true. Now he wants Brigham, me help him? Need take care wedding not court case!" Jarrod practically pounded out the last few signs. That, and his facial expressions, told Ester just how upset and torn he really us. Though, she'd not stand by and let the wedding be used as an excuse not to defend what might very well be an innocent man.

"Jarrod." Ester took a hold of his hands and looked into his face. "I'll be your wife no matter what. This is not going to stop us, unless you let it." She took a deep breath and then asked the one question she knew would most help to him. "Do you still believe in fighting for justice no matter what?" she then let go of his hands and started to go back into the house only to find Jarrod pulling her back to him.

Holding her with one hand, he signed with his free one, "Still believe. Afraid something happen." Then, with a bit of laughter in his eyes, he signed, "Choose between you, Phil Archer. You win every time." He pulled her to him and started kissing her, gently first and then with more passion. If he'd taken time to look, he'd have seen Nick and Heath looking out the window watching him and Ester. Both brothers smiling from ear to ear. Ester Mandrel was the best thing to happen to their brother since Beth had died.

000

*In chapter 16, there was originally a secret comparement int Phil's desk and papers put inside it. Since the story took twists I didnt' expect, I went back and edited that part out.

*Reference to the episode "Days of Wrath" again.