Chapter 16

Heath headed home before long, with Jarrod's thanks, but Jarrod remained in his office to continue working. He kept turning and looking out his window, though, so curious as to what was going on in the sheriff's office that he could hardly stand it, but he knew, as Nick's defense attorney, he had no part in this phase of the investigation. He could only watch and hope he could see something that would let him draw some happy conclusions.

He did see some things. He saw Sam Davidson leaving the jail and heading back to the courthouse. He saw Sheriff Madden escorting a man Jarrod didn't know, but figured was Bob Chambers, off to another street, probably to the hotel in town that Ellen was not staying in, a relatively new place on Hunter Street. Not seeing anything else for a while, Jarrod went back to work, but he turned in his chair with the papers he was reviewing, so he could glance up and out the window regularly. On one of those glances, he saw Fred Madden coming from the direction of the courthouse and to the hotel where Ellen was staying.

Jarrod stood up, moving closer to the window, watching. It wasn't long before he saw the sheriff and his deputy, Henry, escorting Ellen out of the hotel and off to the jail as the reporter who had been waiting on the street followed, asking questions. Jarrod grinned from ear to ear. The sheriff had gotten the arrest warrant.

But then Jarrod's grin faded, as he watched Ellen being taken into the sheriff's office, as he thought about Nick. Nick was going to be relieved, of that he was sure, but Nick was going to be hurt, too. Now it was clear. Now it was official. Ellen had only used him, and even if she had been caught trying to frame him for killing her husband, that might not be enough to burn all of Nick's feelings for her out of him.

Jarrod knew his brother almost as well as he knew himself. He had watched over Nick when they were growing up, until he himself had gone away to school, then to the war, then back again to law school. That time apart might have given them some needed distance to firmly root themselves as adults, but it did not break the bond they had formed when they were children, and becoming young men. The last few years, since Jarrod had come home and established himself as a lawyer, and as the family's lawyer, he and Nick had formed a new bond, as men. That bond became even stronger when their father was killed. Despite all the time Jarrod spent at his practice in San Francisco these days, he and Nick were still close, still devoted brothers, still having each other's backs.

Jarrod knew when he got home, he'd be able to tell Nick Ellen had been arrested and he, Nick, was in the clear. But he also knew Nick would be taking that in with very mixed feelings.

Jarrod gave it some time before he headed out, because he planned to go the sheriff's office and confirm what had happened before he went home. Once he went into the office, he confirmed it very quickly. The door to the cell block was closed, but Sheriff Madden was smiling.

"We got her," he said. "I had Sanders over here as soon as I arrested her, and even he knew she had to start telling some truths once I laid out to him everything we had."

"She's confessed what happened?"

The sheriff nodded. "She and her husband had been arguing before Nick came in. The marriage was falling apart and she was planning an out through Nick. She wanted this guy from Modesto anyway, so when Nick showed up last night and there was only the three of them in the room, she took advantage of the situation on impulse. Sanders has gone to talk to Davidson now. He wants a prison sentence, not a hanging. Davidson told me he'd go for something like that and recommend it to the judge, if she confessed and saved the county a trial. Nick is completely off the hook."

Jarrod extended a hand to his friend. "Thank you, Fred."

"You could look happier," the sheriff said.

Jarrod realized he was frowning, not smiling. He tried a slight smile, but said, "Nick really loved her, you know?"

"I know," the sheriff said, "but she doesn't deserve a man as fine as he is. She deserves that prison cell she's going to get."

Jarrod nodded. "I'll head over to Harry's and get a little something to eat. When you get final word that the deal is set, would you let me know?"

"It shouldn't be long."

Jarrod nodded. "I hope you're right, and I hope this is the end of it all."

XXXXXXX

Jarrod was late getting home, not an unusual event but the family, minus Nick, had already sat down to dinner. After Heath had come home and told them the latest of what he knew, they were particularly anxious to hear what was going on in town. When Jarrod came into the dining room, they were having desert, but each one was just picking at it. They were doing more talking than eating.

"I wish Jarrod would just get here and tell us what's happening," was what Jarrod was hearing Audra say as he came in.

Victoria said, "If he doesn't, we're going into town and having a long talk with everyone involved."

"I'm here," he said, and he kissed his mother and his sister. "Nick's still in bed?"

"The doctor's orders," Victoria said. "We'll let him up tomorrow. What's happening, Jarrod?"

Jarrod did not sit down. "I need to go talk to Nick, but yes, it's over. The sheriff gathered enough evidence to make Ellen confess. She shot her husband with Nick's gun and tried to frame him for it."

"So Nick is cleared," Heath said.

"Nick is cleared," Jarrod said.

"Thank heaven," Victoria said, as if she were finally breathing again after a long time.

"Ellen and her attorney have already cut a deal," Jarrod went on. "She'll plead guilty tomorrow and be sentenced to thirty years in San Quentin on the murder charge, with three years for attacking Nick, running concurrently."

"You're frowning," Audra said.

Jarrod didn't realize he was doing it again. He said, "I'm just sorry it turned out this way. Nick is still gonna hurt, you know. Hester Converse and now this."

"Nick is still a young man in many ways," Victoria said.

"A young man who's been so busy running a big ranch since he was 22 that he hasn't had time to learn all his lessons in love yet," Jarrod said. Then he looked at Heath, and both of them grinned a little more. "To the extent we men ever learn all our lessons about women."

"We keep trying to teach you," Audra said, with a gleam in her eye.

"Is Nick awake?" Jarrod asked.

"He's having his dinner," Victoria said.

Jarrod left them and headed upstairs to Nick's room. He knocked. Nick invited him in, and Jarrod entered to see him sitting in a chair at his desk, the tray in front of him. Jarrod looked over his shoulder. "I see you got your solid food." Chicken and dumplings.

"I'm doing a lot better," Nick said. "I should be up and around in the morning. What's the word from town?"

Jarrod said, "You're in the clear. The sheriff got enough information that Ellen confessed. She shot her husband and tried to frame you."

Nick took that in solemnly, looking down. "Is she gonna hang?"

"No," Jarrod said. "Since she's sparing the state a trial, the judge has authorized a plea deal. She'll plead guilty in open court tomorrow morning and be sentenced to thirty years in San Quentin."

Nick moaned, despite himself, and put his fork down on his plate.

Jarrod rubbed his brother's shoulder. "I'm sorry about all this, Nick. I really am. I never wanted it to turn out this way, and I sure didn't expect it to when I contacted Pinkerton about her."

"I know that," Nick said, "but God alone knows what would have happened if you hadn't recognized her and that husband of hers. She had me sized up for the frame all along, didn't she?"

"Yes, I'm afraid so," Jarrod said. "It was this Bob Chambers fella in Modesto she really wanted to be with, but thank heaven, he balked at the notion of murder. He wanted out of the mess he'd gotten himself into with her, and he talked like crazy."

"Do you think there ever was a dead husband in Chicago, or was that a lie too?"

Jarrod shrugged. "I don't know, Nick."

Nick sighed and rested his head in his hand.

"Head hurt?" Jarrod asked.

"Everything hurts," Nick said.

Jarrod gave Nick's shoulder another rub.

"Thanks, Jarrod," Nick said quietly. For the shoulder rub. For the consolation. For the legal help in getting out of this mess. Nick didn't have to say any of those things.

They were brothers. It was all understood.

XXXXXXX

Epilogue

Nick was in no shape to go to court to see Ellen sentenced, and in fact he never did see her again at all. But Jarrod went the next morning, watched as the judge sentenced her and they took her away, and felt bad again for his brother. He was glad Nick was not here, and glad this whole thing was over. If Nick had proven anything over the last year, it was that he could move on. It might take a bit, but he would recover from this, just as he had recovered from Hester Converse.

"Jarrod!"

Jarrod heard Marvin Sanders call him, just as he was about to leave the courtroom. He waited for Sanders to come to him, and he saw Sanders handing him an envelope. "Ellen asked me to see Nick gets this. I don't know what it says."

Jarrod took it, uneasy. He wished Ellen had just gone away and let this all end, but now, in his hand, she was having the last word with Nick. Jarrod nodded. His desire to protect Nick, instilled all these years, would not extend to keeping this note from him.

So, Jarrod took it home. Nick was downstairs now but still moving around carefully. Riding horses and working the ranch were still a good week off. For now, Nick was just nursing coffee in the library and taking a few shots at the pool table. Jarrod was glad he found him alone.

"So, she's off to prison?" Nick asked, looking only half interested even if he was deeply interested.

Jarrod held the envelope out to him, saying, "She's off to prison, but she left this with her attorney for you."

Nick eyed it, then eyed Jarrod who looked steadily at him, then put the cue stick down and took the envelope. He tore it open. He read it.

Nick – maybe in another life…

And that was all it said. Nick wasn't sure what it was supposed to mean. Was it an apology? If it was, why didn't she just say she was sorry? Nick thought maybe "sorry" was a word she was just incapable of, or maybe she wasn't sorry at all for what she'd done but regretted something about getting him involved. Nick really didn't know what the point of this note was.

To Jarrod's surprise, Nick handed him the note, saying, "What do you make of this?"

Jarrod read it, and shook his head. "I don't know, Nick. I think the best thing for you to do is feel sorry for her, if she can't say she's sorry to you."

"Do you think she is sorry for what she did?"

Jarrod thought about it. "No. I think she might be sorry you're the one she dragged into it. I think she liked you, even if she didn't love you. But sorry for the plot? No, she's just sorry it didn't work, and she wanted to say something without knowing what."

Nick could accept that as a likely explanation. He nodded. He crumpled the note and the envelope in his hand and took it to the trash can beside the desk. Then he went back to shooting pool.

The End