Chapter 11

Jarrod took a hack to the Palace, his head still full of planning – keeping the plan going over in his mind calmed him and kept him from being anxious about what was going to happen now. As soon as he got there and went into the lobby, he looked around. He saw Phil Davis sitting in a chair not far from the front window. He was reading a newspaper. Davis glanced at him long enough for Jarrod to see that Davis had seen him. Then Davis gave a little nod in the direction of a chair at the foot of the stairs, where a man Jarrod didn't know also sat reading. Another Pinkerton man. Jarrod memorized what he looked like and what he was wearing, and then Jarrod headed for the lift to take him up to Alana's room.

There was no one in the hall to see him go to her room. He knocked – and his knock opened the door. There was no person opening it. It just hadn't been closed properly. Jarrod's heart started beating faster. He wasn't armed, not even with a derringer. He pushed the door softly and went in slowly.

He suddenly pushed the door open all the way to catch anyone who might be behind it, but there was no one there. There was no one anywhere in sight. The bedroom door was wide open.

Cautiously, Jarrod went to the bedroom – and found her. Alana, fully clothed, lying on the bed. There was no one else in the room. Jarrod hurried to her – and saw it right away. Blood on her left wrist.

"Alana – " Jarrod said, touching her. When she moaned, he quickly looked her over. Next to her right hand lay a sharp knife. Jarrod moved it away to the night table. "Alana!" he said and shook her a little.

She opened her eyes, blank at first, but then recognition. And then distress. "Jarrod!" She tried to sit up but moaned like it was painful and lay back down.

"Lie still," he said and examined her wrist. It was bloody, but not enough to do what she had intended it to do. He pulled his clean handkerchief out of his pocket and quickly bandaged her wrist. "Alana, what happened? Was Alistaire here?"

Her eyes cleared in surprise. "Alistaire? You know about Alistaire – "

Jarrod nodded. "I know everything. Everything. Now, listen to me. I want you to sit up slowly on the side of the bed. Your wrist isn't bleeding anymore – "

She moaned out loud, full of disappointment as well as pain.

"Listen to me!" Jarrod repeated. "I'm going to get you some water and get you on your feet, and I'm taking you out of here to someplace safe. Listen to me! I'm going to get you safe!"

She moaned again but she nodded. He helped her sit up, then helped her put her legs over the side of the bed. She groaned and stiffened and he knew she was injured where it didn't show, too. He piled her pillows behind her and beside her, to keep her stable. He looked and saw a glass lying on the floor, wetness beside it.

"Stay right here and don't move," Jarrod said.

He picked up the glass, quickly got some water from the bathroom, and brought the glass back to her. He helped her drink some.

"You're gonna be all right," Jarrod said. "I have people down in the lobby who will watch out for us, and I'm going to take you to a safe place."

"Jarrod, I'm sorry – " she muttered.

"Where's your coat?"

"Closet."

Jarrod fetched her coat and helped her into it. "Do you think you can walk down to a hack?" Jarrod asked.

"Where are we going?" Alana asked. "Not a hospital – "

"A medical facility but one where Alistaire would never look for you. My people downstairs will cover us. Come on. Let's give it a try."

Jarrod helped her stand. She was slightly doubled over and still wearing shoes with a three-inch heel, so he had to steady her, but he helped her out of the room and to the lift. As long as he supported her, she was stable.

When they left the lift, Jarrod kept his arm around her but tried not to look like anything was wrong. Davis's friend by the stairs noticed them and perked up. Davis looked up from the newspaper. Jarrod gave him a nod.

They had prearranged signals. Alana actually being injured threw a new urgency into the situation but did not change the plan – to get Alana to safety whether she liked it or not - or the signals. Jarrod was saying he was taking her to the medical house associated with the unwed mother's home, as he planned, and he wanted Davis and his man to follow and cover them in case Alistaire was around. As Jarrod took Alana outside, Davis and his man followed.

Jarrod took the first hack waiting in front of the Palace and helped Alana inside. He gave the driver the address and then said, "Tell no one where we've gone except the police if they ask," Jarrod told him and slipped him five dollars right away.

The hack driver nodded, and as soon as Jarrod and Alana were comfortably seated, he drove them away. Davis and his man remained a few moments, looking around, not seeing Alistaire Martin anywhere. Then they took a hack and followed Jarrod and Alana.

Jarrod kept his arm around Alana as they drove and she was silent, except to say, "Jarrod, I'm sorry. Alistaire forced me – he always forced me – "

"I know, Alana, I know," Jarrod said. "Just relax, be still. I'll look after you now."

XXXXXX

It went smoothly. In a little while, Jarrod was helping Alana out of the hack in front of the unwed mother's little hospital. Jarrod paid the man extra, then helped Alana inside the house.

Sister Emily was in charge of this facility, but Sister Margaret happened to be there as well. Jarrod felt immense relief. "Ladies, we need your help," he said. "Mrs. Roman is injured and needs to be cared for."

Both nuns came to them right away. Sister Margaret said, "You just relax, dear. We'll take care of you. Jarrod – "

Jarrod said, "She's – well, she might have been beaten, too. Just get her comfortable and keep her here at least overnight, if you can."

"Wait here," Sister Margaret told him, nodding.

Jarrod did as he was told, but positioned himself by the front window, looking for Alistaire Martin in case he had followed them. He didn't see him, or anyone else lurking within sight, and in a few moments the hack carrying Davis and his man went by slowly. The arrangement was that they would get out two blocks down, take a good look to make sure Alistaire Martin was not around, then walk slowly over here, making sure they weren't followed.

Jarrod stayed watching carefully, and thinking now too. Reality of it all settled in. He hadn't expected Alistaire to get to Alana before he did this morning, but by the way she seemed to hurt in the middle, he now thought maybe he should have expected it. Seeing him the night before at Riley's would have made Alistaire go to Alana – Jarrod thought he should have known that. He should have known Alistaire might have roughed her up.

But he never dreamed she'd try to kill herself. Thank goodness slitting your wrist was not an effective way to commit suicide, not across the wrist like Alana had. Jarrod was pretty sure she would be all right, at least physically. The question was would she bring charges against her brother for assaulting her, or would she stay under his thumb even after this?

Alistaire didn't turn up outside, but Davis and his man did. They walked right by, slowly and carefully, as planned. Jarrod went to the back door, as planned, and opened it to Davis's planned knock.

Jarrod let them in and quickly closed the door.

"What happened?" Davis asked quickly.

"It looks like someone may have attacked her, Alistaire I assume," Jarrod said. "And she cut her wrist."

"Bad?"

"No, not too bad. But the sisters have taken her up to a room. They'll look after her at least overnight. They know what they're doing. A lot of the women who come to them come beaten up – and damaged."

Davis motioned toward his companion. "This is Don Tenley. He'll stay here if the sisters will let him."

"They'll let him," Jarrod said. "We got in without being seen, but we don't need to take any chances. I'll stay until I'm sure Alana is settled and then I need to go see Nat Springer and bring him up to date."

"How much do you want me to shadow you?" Davis asked.

"Just stick around here with me until I leave, and leave a minute after me if it's clear. We'll leave by the back door, and we can walk separately to Springer's from here. Just keep an eye out for Alistaire."

Sister Margaret came into the room. "Sister Emily is taking care of Mrs. Roman and getting her comfortable upstairs. She'll be fine, I think, but you ought to know. She has quite a bit of bruising in her abdomen, old and new bruising."

Jarrod nodded. "I'm not surprised. He beat her where it couldn't be seen, probably even before she came to Stockton to see me."

Sister Margaret asked, "Will you be seeing the police?"

Jarrod nodded and then introduced Davis and Tenley, saying, "I'm going to leave now and I'll be at Nat Springer's office before I go to the police. Mr. Davis will follow me and Mr. Tenley will stay here with you, in case you need him."

Sister Margaret nodded, and as Jarrod headed for the back door, she said, "Be very careful, Mr. Barkley."

Jarrod gave her a smile and said, "I'll be back in touch later today." Then he gave a nod to Davis and went out the back door.