Chapter 14

Epilogue

There were problems along the track, and it was very late when the train carrying Jarrod and Nick home pulled into Stockton. They detrained but it was after one o'clock in the morning, far too late to get a rig to go home in. They decided to check into the hotel.

"I've had Candace check the mail and take it to the office while I was gone," Jarrod said. "I'd like to check it in the morning before we head home."

There was only one room left in the Stockton House, a room with two single beds, and they took it. It was almost too exhausting to carry their bags up the stairs, and Nick's back was unhappy again from the long train ride. He gave a push to each bed and claimed the one his back would feel better on. They didn't bother to unpack.

"Do you want to go down and get a drink at the bar?" Nick asked.

"Do you?"

Nick thought about it. "No. I want to sleep."

"So do I," Jarrod said.

They got out of their clothes, put out the lights and went to bed, but it wasn't long before Jarrod started thinking.

"Nick, are you awake?"

"Yeah," Nick said.

"I wanted to thank you," Jarrod said. "I know you don't feel like you did much up in Sacramento, but just having you there helped a lot. If I hadn't had you as my muscle, I'm not sure what would have happened with me and Dysart and his muscle."

Nick chuckled a little. "Are you admitting you might have gotten yourself into a brawl if I hadn't been there?"

"Maybe I am," Jarrod said. "And that wouldn't have looked very good to the Board of Conduct – which is why I think Dysart's muscle might have forced me into one."

"With everything that was going on behind our backs, I'm not surprised you think some kind of planning like that was going on too," Nick said with a sigh. "And I'm glad I was there for you. But right now, I'm just looking forward to going back out with the cows."

Now Jarrod chuckled. "After a short stop by the office in the morning, I may just go with you."

Things were quiet for a few moments, but before long, Nick said, "Jarrod?"

"Yeah?" Jarrod asked.

"Do you think Candace will be coming by the office in the morning?"

Jarrod started to laugh out loud. "No, Nick, it's Saturday. She won't be coming in."

"Darn," Nick said.

Jarrod laughed more. "Go to sleep."

They slept a bit late, had breakfast, and checked out. They went to Jarrod's office, planning to rent a buggy to drive home in together. Jarrod unlocked the door, and they put their bags down on the floor inside the office.

"I'm just gonna see what mail might be here," Jarrod said and went to his secretary's desk. Candace would have left it there.

There were three letters. Jarrod looked the envelopes over before putting them inside the breast pocket of his suit jacket.

"I can take care of these at home," he said, "but right now I'm looking forward to herding a few cows with you."

They started to leave again, but there was someone at the door. Tall, timid Shad from the railroad station. "Oh, I'm sorry," he said. He always seemed to be apologizing before he said anything else. This time, he lifted up a briefcase. "You left this at the station when you came in last night. I saw you head over here and thought I'd bring it over."

Jarrod looked curiously at it. Just a briefcase, with his name on a tag on it. "Thanks, Shad," Jarrod said.

Shad left.

Nick frowned. "You didn't have any briefcase with you last night."

"I sure didn't," Jarrod said. "And this isn't mine, even if it does have my name on it."

They looked at each other. Jarrod lifted the briefcase up onto the secretary's desk and opened it up. With a sigh, he pulled out the contents.

Files. All the files stolen from him, all under names beginning with D. Jarrod looked. Dysart's file was there.

"Well, now," Nick said. "Where do you suppose that came from?"

"Maybe you can go catch up with Shad and find out," Jarrod said. "I need to go through these right away to be sure nothing's missing – or nothing was added."

Nick headed back out quickly while Jarrod sat down and went straight to Dysart's file first. Nick spotted Shad heading back to the train depot, but Shad was even taller than he was and his long legs were moving him fast. Nick picked up his pace but still didn't reach Shad until they were at the depot.

"Shad!" Nick called.

Shad turned around at the door to the depot. "Yes, Mr. Barkley?" he asked.

"Shad, where did that briefcase come from?" Nick asked.

"Mr. Jarrod left it when you came in last night, didn't he?"

"No, it's not his," Nick said.

"But it's his name on it."

"Yeah, it is, and it looks like somebody left it for him. Did you see who it was?"

"No, sir," Shad said. "I just found it on the platform this morning. I just assumed he left it there by mistake."

"Were you on duty last night?"

"Only until after your train came in. I didn't find that briefcase until this morning, I'm sorry."

Nick sighed, "Well, don't worry about it. What was in it belongs to him anyway. Thanks, Shad."

Nick hurried back to Jarrod's office and found his brother completing his look through on Dysart's file. "Did Shad know anything?" Jarrod asked.

"No," Nick said. "He just assumed you left it last night and he didn't find it until this morning. He didn't see who left it."

Jarrod packed the files back into the briefcase. "At first glance, they look okay, but I only went through Dysart's. I'm gonna take these home and go through them page by page, all of them. Then I'm gonna lock them up good and tight and write a letter to the Board of Conduct. But before we leave, I'm gonna wire Jason Emerson and let him know we got this."

"You figure Dysart sent it, don't you?"

"I'm sure he sent it," Jarrod said.

They went by the telegraph office, and Jarrod sent the wire to the police sergeant in Sacramento. "Maybe you better wire the Board of Conduct too," Nick suggested.

"I'll do that on Monday," Jarrod said. "There's nobody there to get it until then, but I'll write a letter too. This deserves something in writing."

"Do you think it'll mean anything on that complaint to disbar you?"

"I don't know for sure, but it makes me feel more like that complaint is gonna be dismissed and I'll be in the clear. But."

"You don't need to finish the 'but,'" Nick said. "You don't think this is the end of Dysart's crusade on you."

"I don't know the answer to that either," Jarrod said, "but I'm gonna keep a close eye out for whatever comes next, if anything does. I might end up needing your muscle again, Nick."

"If it's Dysart you need my help with, I'll be glad to give it," Nick said.

Jarrod checked the files carefully over the weekend. Everything was there, to the best of his memory, and nothing had been added. On Monday he sent the wire and the letter to the Board of Conduct, telling them how his files had reappeared. He wasn't really surprised when he got a letter on Wednesday afternoon, brought to him in his office, special delivery by Candace McElroy. "I picked up the mail for Mr. Kramer and the clerk gave me this for you. We both figured you should have it right away."

Jarrod took the envelope from the Board of Conduct. Something coming that fast told him what was in it. He opened it up and read the letter. It was a copy of a letter from the Board to the court. It was short and sweet.

There is no evidence of unethical behavior on the part of Jarrod Barkley. The Board recommends immediate dismissal of the complaint.

"Good news, Candace," Jarrod said, smiling, putting the letter back in the envelope. "Thank you."

"My pleasure," Candace said.

When he got home that evening, the family had already gathered for drinks before dinner. Jarrod took the envelope out of his inner jacket pocket and waved it in the air. "Celebration time. The complaint with the Board of Conduct is dismissed. I'm in the clear."

"Oh, Jarrod, that's wonderful!" Audra said, got up off the settee and kissed him.

"I'm glad that's over," Victoria said.

"If it really is over," Nick said.

"What do you mean?" Audra asked.

"Nick's wondering if Jarrod's problem client is really finished with him," Heath said. He and Nick had talked a lot about that out in the field since Nick got home.

"Nick's not the only one wondering," Jarrod said. Then he looked at Heath. "I might need two muscle men next time."

"I'll be there," Heath said.

"And so will I," Nick said.

"But let's hope it never becomes necessary," Victoria said.

Jarrod nodded and put the letter back into his inner jacket pocket. "Let's hope."

The End