Chapter 8

Jarrod spent several days working with Nick and Heath in the field, but as Wednesday rolled around, his thoughts were turning more and more to the meeting with the Board of Conduct on Friday. It was tough to get those thoughts together, since he had no files to consult and he didn't know exactly what the Board was going to be asking about, but he mentally went over all the security measures he had in his office and he was ready to answer any questions about them. He felt as confident as he could get that he could deal with that issue – if that, in fact, was one of the issues. He still hadn't heard what specifics Dysart was to have filed on Tuesday.

Something else cropped up at the end of the day on Wednesday. Nick was stiff and uncomfortable when he dismounted at the house at the end of the day – news to both Jarrod and Heath, who looked at each other.

Nick noticed. "I'm all right."

"Yeah, you look just fine," Jarrod said. "What's wrong? Is your back bothering you?"

"Just a little stiff is all," Nick said.

They left him alone about it, but even Victoria noticed when they got into the house. Nick headed straight upstairs, saying he wanted to clean up. Victoria gave both Jarrod and Heath a hard look when Nick had disappeared upstairs.

"Did something happen to Nick?" she asked.

"Not that I noticed," Jarrod said.

Heath said, "I think he's just spent too many days in the saddle without spending some time out of it."

Audra came in the door then. She had been to town and was arriving with the mail. She promptly gave a telegram to Jarrod, saying, "Jarrod, I think this might be what you've been waiting for."

"Thanks, honey," Jarrod said, took the telegram, and opened it. He got a quizzical look on his face as he read.

"What's it say?" Heath asked.

"Not a lot," Jarrod said. "Dysart is complaining mainly about my office security, and there's that claim I violated an attorney client privilege, dating from when I represented him six years ago, but this wire doesn't say what or how." Jarrod looked up at the grandfather clock by the stairs. It was after five. "I'm inclined to get back to town and ask for more about this, but I'm afraid an answer wouldn't come before I have to leave tomorrow. I think I'll leave earlier than I planned and see if I can get more information straight out of the Board offices."

"Shouldn't Dysart have sent you a copy of what he filed yesterday?" Victoria asked.

"Yes, but knowing him and how he likes to comply with the law but throw as much delay in there as possible, he probably sent it to my San Francisco office," Jarrod said.

"Jarrod," Heath asked carefully, "is this guy the kind to get ornery about things?"

"If you're asking if he'll beat me up or have me beaten up, I don't know for sure, but I doubt it."

"You did represent him on an assault charge six years ago," Audra said.

"He wasn't convicted," Jarrod said, "and he hasn't been in that kind of trouble since. Well, I'll get to Sacramento in time to go to the Board of Conduct offices, and they'll let me see what he filed. I'll know more by tomorrow afternoon."

"Do you want someone to go with you?" Victoria asked.

Jarrod detected something in her voice – an ulterior motive for asking? "I don't need anyone," Jarrod said. "But of course, if you'd feel better about it."

Victoria could tell he was reading her mind. He never added on any "if you'd feel better about it" before when he didn't think he needed help. "I was wondering if we could cut off two potential problems at once." She sent a glance upstairs, to where Nick had gone.

Heath got it too. "Well, you know, it might do Nick some good to stay out of a saddle for a couple days, and it might be handy for you to show a little muscle beside you."

Jarrod smiled a little. "The problem may be talking Nick out of the saddle for a couple days."

"No, I'm not gonna dress up in a suit and play assistant lawyer again," Nick said right away when the subject of him going to Sacramento came up during drinks before dinner.

"You'd be doing me a favor," Jarrod said.

"I'm not your nanny!"

"Listen a minute, Nick," Jarrod said. "Yes, you'd put on a suit but all you'd have to do is go with me where I go and look unhappy. That's about as natural as it could be for you."

"What would be the point?" Nick asked.

"Muscle," Jarrod said.

"You can take care of yourself."

"I know I can, but two is always better than one," Jarrod said.

"You'd be doing yourself a favor too, Nick," Heath said.

"Stay outta this," Nick said.

Heath shrugged. "If you want to be back limping around with a cane, all right, but don't ask me to haul you around when you can't move well enough to get down off a horse."

Nick glared at him.

"Nick, it's obvious to everyone that your back needs a rest," Jarrod said. "I'm offering you a way to get a rest and help me out too."

"Riding on a train is no picnic for my back either," Nick said.

"It's better than riding a horse," Heath said.

"All right," Victoria said, finally ready to butt in. "You've made your arguments and the decision is yours, Nick, but I have one argument of my own. I would feel a lot better if Jarrod wasn't going up to Sacramento alone."

"He goes all over the place alone!" Nick protested.

"Nick," Jarrod said calmly, "my career is on the line this time and it's a political hack that's threatening it. I need some moral support as much as I need muscle. I'd just appreciate your company to provide both, and it would give you a rest you could stand to have too. How about it? Help me out, huh?"

Nick moaned quietly. "Not fair. You make a profession out of arguing."

"I'd like to keep doing it, too," Jarrod said. "Do I have to say 'please'? There it is. Please, Nick. Go up to Sacramento with me tomorrow."

Victoria shared a soft smile with Audra. Nick slumped – and frowned and straightened when his back smarted doing it.

XXXXX

At noon the next day, Jarrod and Nick got off the train in Sacramento and headed for the hotel Jarrod always used when he was here. He got a suite with two bedrooms and a sitting room, and he and Nick unpacked their things before Jarrod said, "Let's get over to the Board of Conduct offices. I want to see what Dysart filed on Tuesday as fast as I can."

They went out of the room together and down to the lobby – where Jarrod stopped short at the bottom of the stairs. He stood staring at someone across the lobby.

"What?" Nick asked.

Jarrod nodded toward that someone. "That's Jed Dysart."

Nick looked. The man was not a big man, but he had two bigger men with him. They were discussing something. One of the bigger men looked up and saw Jarrod and Nick. Jarrod and Nick stared back.

"That's what muscle looks like around here," Jarrod said quietly to Nick. "Dysart is the smaller man – the other two are his bodyguards."

"We can take them," Nick said.

"I'd rather not have to," Jarrod said. "Come on. Let's get over to the Board offices."

Jarrod led the way out of the hotel without giving Dysart and his men even another glance. It was Nick who stared for just a few steps before he followed his brother outside. He made sure he remembered exactly what all three men looked like.