Chapter Forty-Seven

Jarrod arrived in Stockton in the early afternoon after an uneventful train ride. The passenger car on the train was rather plain, and crowded, but no one had brought livestock with them. He'd had train rides in the past where chickens clucked the entire time, as their feathers scattered around the car. Soo had told him that he'd purchased the last seat available, on the earliest train.

He went to the office first, to say hello to Darcy and see how things were going. It had come to him, on the train ride down, that he needed some kind of reason he could state publically, for coming to town on short notice. Jarrod was taking Madeline's words to heart, about having an open mind, and a calm approach to the situation. He remembered hearing that retired circuit judge Michael Miller was in ill-health. The man had been a mentor to Jarrod in the early days of his career, so no one would question him wanting to visit the sick man.

Darcy greeted him happily, but with surprise, until Jarrod explained his reason for coming into town. He went on to say that he was going to spend a couple of days here, and might use the law books in the office for some research. The men spent half an hour exchanging notes about the cases they were working on, and catching up on family news.

When he arrived at the house he found it quiet, but had already heard from Darcy that Victoria had gone to visit an old friend in Modesto. Jarrod had been glad to hear that, because he wanted to talk to Nick and Edwina before they made Victoria aware of what was going on. There was also the matter that Victoria would take Edwina's side, as Jarrod knew all too well.

Silas told him that Mr. Nick was out at the vineyard, and Mrs. Edwina was resting upstairs. Jarrod let Silas know his plans for the next couple of days, and then went to his room, which was always kept ready for him. He unpacked and changed his clothes, as he looked around the room with new eyes. Jarrod was trying to imagine sharing the space with Madeline, but it wasn't going well. This room was rather like his apartment in the city; set up for a bachelor.

Madeline would come with him at times, to Stockton, and it wouldn't just be her, but also Alexandra, plus any children he and Madeline had. Jarrod knew the nursery was big enough, but it still left him and Madeline in his small room. He started to ponder the idea of a town home here in Stockton, and then wondered at his thinking.

Yes, a house here would be nice, but he still had to get the house in San Francisco settled. The thought of Madeline's response to his reaction of the house that she'd found was heavy in his mind. Jarrod could tell that she was running out of patience with his scruples about buying a house behind closed doors. Madeline was very pragmatic about the housing market, and he was sure it was because of the influence of her French-Canadian mother. Everyone knew that the French could bend rules but not break them, having invented diplomacy. He put it all out of his mind, as he stretched out for a quick nap before dinner.

That evening, as he came into the front parlor he had his plan all worked out for the evening. Jarrod had decided that he would wait until after dinner, when they were in the study, to tell Nick and Edwina about the Secret Service investigation. His plan was to approach it with a you need to be aware and can I help attitude. He hoped that it would allow Edwina to open up to him, and tell all that she knew about the Knights and the gold.

His family's schedule helped his plan along, since it would just Nick, Edwina, and him for dinner. Audra and Darcy already had plans, while Melissa wasn't feeling well, so she and Heath would stay home. Jarrod had set up dinner with Michael Miller for tomorrow night, Saturday, so the plan was for the family to be together Sunday, after church.

Jarrod entered the front parlor and was warmly greeted by Nick and Edwina, who hugged him, letting him catch a faint whiff of a floral scent. He accepted his brother's offer of a drink, while he discretely studied his sister-in-law. In a way he felt like he was looking at her with two different sets of eyes, as he took in her beauty.

Edwina had always been lovely, even in the somber clothes she'd worn when working for him. Now though, lavishly dressed in a lavender and white silk gown ornamented with sparkling gold trim that echoed her brilliant gold hair she was stunning. Her condition had caused both her figure, and her complexion to bloom. Jarrod took note of the higher waist of her dress and inwardly envied his brother his upcoming fatherhood.

The other set of eyes though peered at her through the frame of the Knights of the Golden Circle. The ugliness of the activities of the group was at odds with Edwina's angelic beauty. Jarrod forced himself to remember what Madeline had written in the note, which had been delivered to him before he left for Stockton that morning.

In then note Madeline talked about what her life had been like, after her husband's death with Custer. Jarrod was especially struck by her comment of guilt by association, and how people had viewed her. He was surprised to read that the army's Inspector General had wanted to question her, about her relations with her husband. The intrusiveness of it appalled him, and he could only imagine what it must have been like for her, mourning her husband, and being in the family way.

He understood her motives, for writing the note, and was glad on a certain level that she was able to share the pain with him. However, Jarrod didn't want Madeline's emotions to get in the way of what he needed to talk to Edwina about. Madeline had not had the kind of involvement in her husband's career that Edwina had had in her father's. Jarrod knew that it was a fine line he was going to be walking, and he hoped he could do it successfully.

After taking his drink from Nick, Jarrod made conversation with the couple, with Jarrod telling them about Michael Miller, and then his problems in finding a house in San Francisco. It felt good to his frustration off his chest, and Jarrod stared to feel slightly more relaxed. Nick and Edwina listened to his tale, and nodded with sympathy. This caused him to congratulate himself on how well things were working out. Just as he had that thought though, the door bell rang, and Jarrod suddenly had a sense of foreboding, as he watched Silas head to the door.

Everyone in the drawing room had turned to face the door, and watched as Silas opened it and greeted two men in black suits. One of the men was slightly taller, with brown hair starting to turn grey at the temples, while the other one was slight of height and build, with light hair and pale eyes. Jarrod sucked his breath in hard when he saw both men show badges carried by government authorities.

"I am Senior Agent Thomas Fornell, and this is Junior Agent Eric Cannon." The older man spoke in a firm voice, as he showed his badge. "We are with the United States Secret Service, and would like to talk to Mr. and Mrs. Nicholas Barkley." Agent Fornell watched as the colored butler scanned their credentials, and then looked up as a solidly built man with dark hair and brilliant blue eyes came into the hallway.

"I'm Jarrod Barkley, Agent Fornell." He announced, holding out his hand, trying to appear calm and cordial. In truth he was very afraid of why the two men had come down to Stockton, and what they could do to Nick and Edwina. "How can we help you?"

"It would be best if we spoke to Mr. & Mrs. Nicholas Barkley, directly. Will that be a problem?" Agent Fornell inquired stiffly, not having anticipated the lawyer being in residence. He had decided that it would be better to come to Stockton, to question the couple casually, then to drag them back to San Francisco. Agent Fornell had been doing some research on the couple, especially the wife, and what he'd found made him doubt if she was still involved with the Knights. Eric Cannon had been against the plan, wanting strike while the iron was hot.

"Agent Fornell, I handle all legal matters for our family; if there is a problem, I need to know about it." Jarrod could see a standoff coming, which would do no one any good. "Why don't you come into the front parlor; would you both like a drink?" He gestured with his left hand, to the room where Nick and Edwina were standing. Thomas Fornell was very interested to see in person the couple he'd spent the last day gathering information about; however boundaries had to be maintained.

"Thank you, Mr. Barkley, but we are not on a social call." In truth Thomas would have been glad to take the proffered scotch, but knew he had to set an example for the young agent. If he'd had his way, Eric Cannon would have stayed in San Francisco studying his files, rather than coming down to Stockton. "We really need to talk to your brother and his wife, about the visit they paid to Lanier Harrison." He delivered the reply in a staccato voice, wanting to see the reaction from the couple in the front room.

"I don't understand why our personal lives are of interest to a government agency." Nick Barkley took measure of the two men standing there, and wasn't impressed. There was also the matter of his wife, who didn't need the upset these men would cause. Jarrod watched as his brother crossed the space into the front hall in barely four strides. His voice boomed around the open hall, causing the junior agent to flinch at the loud tones.

Agent Fornell took all of it in, and realized that he was in danger of losing control of the situation. He had envisioned in his mind a quiet talk with the couple. Nick Barkley's reputation – and temper – was well known in the state, and Agent Fornell had hoped to keep the man calm. The presence of the family lawyer had not been in the cards, which was raising the stakes heavily. It had though been enjoyable to see Eric Cannon jump, and then quiver like a rabbit, in response to Nick's reply to their question.

Nick remembered everything Teddy had told him about Lanier Harrison, and for some reason was not surprised at the Secret Service investigating the man. Their job was control of the currency, and revenue gathering, usually going over illegal distillers. The Knights had been in possession of a great deal of gold, which they had used for various personal reasons. He was pretty sure that once Ned Rutledge was out of the picture, the group had botched it badly. Nick had known Ned Rutledge, and had seen firsthand his razor sharp mind; it was why the Knights had needed him as badly as they did. Without him the group was upstream without a paddle.

"Nick, Jarrod, please I think we need to hear about why the agents are here." Edwina came into the hall, and placed a slim white hand on Nick's arm. "Uncle Lanier is an old family friend of mine, and my husband escorted me to lunch with the man, before he left to go home to Louisiana." She didn't like how Jarrod was looking at her, and now regretted not telling him of the visit. It would have been the opening for them to talk, she now saw. After gently squeezing Nick's arm, she smiled fondly at the agents, as she recalled her last talk with the man who had done so much for her.

"What do you mean Uncle Lanier? Do you not know what the man is? And what he's done?" Eric Cannon had not been happy about the trip to Stockton, seeing it as his boss pandering to rich people. "The man was head of an organization that worked against the United States of America, and your father, a traitor, helped him!" He forgot about his fear of the tall, dark haired man who towered head and shoulders over him.

His resentment had been intensified when he'd seen the large house that looked like something from a slave owning plantation. The ornate furnishings and spaciousness of the front hall, along with the colored butler only reinforced the image of the family. When he heard the southern accent of Edwina, and took in her fancy clothes he could only see his mother, in her simple cotton dress crying over the death of her son. It was too much for Eric and he lost all the composure he was supposed to have as a Secret Service agent.

"Edwina, you are under no obligation to say anything to these men." Jarrod intoned, knowing it really wasn't true. They could get subpoenas and compel her to testify in front of the grand jury; he just wanted to buy some time before that could happen. He hadn't planned on the agents coming to Stockton, which was off putting.

Jarrod was totally discombulated at this turn of events, all happening his family's front parlor. The Secret Service agents showing up in Stockton was very odd; they were a government agency who reveled in the almost unlimited power. In his mind, it would have been more up their alley to get the subpoenas, and have the couple travel to San Francisco.

He did see how this turn of events could work to his advantage; Edwina seemed very willing to talk about the lunch. Jarrod thought about Madeline's admonishment, that it might have been an innocent lunch. So far Edwina was giving every indication that it was all it had been; however, he'd seen that she had flinched about the accusations about Lanier Harrison. It came to him that the Secret Service agents could do his dirty work, so to speak, while he stayed on the side lines.

"Edwina, Nick, I am bothered at a government agency investigating your private life. Is there anything I can do?" Jarrod turned his aquamarine gaze on the couple, as he turned up his hands to them. He wanted them to know that he was totally in their corner, because at the end of the day, Edwina was a Barkley now.

"Jarrod, thank you for that! We need to apologize for not letting you know that we were in San Francisco that day." Edwina was beyond relieved that Jarrod was taking the approach that he was. She had been very aware of his suspicions about her, but was glad that he was on her side for now. Wanting to smooth things over, and help him out she fell back on a familiar female issue.

"Uncle Lanier came into the city at the last minute, and our plan was to have lunch with him. After that we were going to visit with you and have dinner, but then I was very worn out." Edwina put her hand on her high waist, to indicate her condition. Jarrod remembered what Madeline had said, about the woman being enceinte, and saw the complication.

"May I reiterate my suggestion of a drink in the front parlor? We have lemonade, as well as coffee." Jarrod didn't see any reason for them to standing around the front hall, with Silas in the background, looking like a bad British drawing room farce. He was relieved to see Agent Fornell smile slightly at the suggestion, so Jarrod indicated for Edwina to escort them into the front room.