Chapter Three

Jarrod thought for another moment and then asked Fred to go talk to Heath at the saloon. "Tell him I've gone to the livery stable. If he was leaving town, that's the first place he'd head."

"Sure thing, and I'll keep my eyes and ears open as well." Fred, who didn't like the idea that something might be seriously wrong, agreed. "But, for everyone's sake, no matter what you learn at the stable, promise me you'll get back to that saloon and talk to Heath. The last thing I need is him coming to me all worried about both his brothers."

Jarrod smiled, agreed…and then hurried down the street.

Eighteen-year-old Juan Gonzales, one of the livery stable employees, heard the door to the stable open. He stopped raking the hay in the stall he'd been working in and stood up straight, looking at the entryway as he did so. "Hello, Senor Barkley!" He smiled from ear to ear as he stepped out of the stall. He loved the Barkleys, as they had always been kind and friendly to his family. "May I help you?"

"I hope so." Jarrod smiled back and told the young man what brought him to the livery stable. "I was hoping Nick has been here, and that you've talked with him."

"Si, he was here." Juan scratched his chin as he chewed a bit on his lip as he continued talking.

"I thought you were staying in town a few more hours." Juan watched as Nick headed straight for Coco's stall. "Is something wrong?" He only asked the question due to the unsettled look in Nick's eyes.

"Don't know," Nick, who wasn't about to take time and explain about his visitor in the alley way, replied. "I'm sorry too. I don't have time to chat. I have something to do."

"He didn't say anything else, except for muttering that 'it had better be worth it, as he was going to 'catch it from his brothers and ranch hands' when he got home tonight for skipping the party." Juan couldn't help look at Jarrod with an amused look, one that asked, "Is he trouble with you?"

While Jarrod was relieved to hear that Nick had left Stockton of his own accord, it troubled him that he hadn't sent word to the saloon…and there was still the lingering feeling that something wasn't right. However, since Nick had stated in front of a witness that he did indeed plan on being home for supper, there was nothing else for him to do but go back to the saloon and tell Heath, along with their friends, what he'd found out.

"Thanks, Juan. Have a good day." Jarrod smiled, exited the stable and headed straight for the saloon. Not surprisingly, everyone in the party had something to say…anything from a simple "What?" to "He's getting cold feet, bet you he's gone tomorrow as well!" The last one got more than one laugh.

Heath, who was sitting at a corner table with Jarrod and McColl, looked at his brother after the other men had either left or engaged in card games. "You don't think it's a case of cold feet, do you?"

Jarrod took a deep breath and leaned forward ever so slightly. Keeping his voice low-not wanting to cause any excitement among their friends. "No, I don't. Only, there's nothing for us to do but wait. Well, that's all we can do for now. After all, Juan did hear Nick saying he'd be home before dark-or shortly afterwards. Well, I am assuming that's the time frame our dear brother is thinking of after what he said as he left the livery stable."

"If he's not home by then, I and the boys can start searching if you want." McColl offered.

Jarrod shook his head and stood up. "Unless he isn't back by morning, there's nothing anyone can do. It would be too dark to look anywhere. Since the party isn't happening, I am going to my office and get some work done. I'll see both you at the ranch tonight."

While Jarrod was talking with Fred, Juan and then the men at the saloon, Nick was riding as fast as he could without putting too much stress on Coco. With seven miles to cover, he had to hurry. That is, if he was going to talk his unseen visitor and still have time to be back on the ranch at a reasonable hour. The whole time he was wondering how on earth his life could be in danger.

'We haven't had any trouble with anyone lately.' Nick thought. More than once he thought about turning his horse around-even did it once-only to have the strongest impression he'd ever had to go to the worn-down house and talk to the woman who had taken such risks to enter Stockton to get his attention. It made him wonder even more where the danger to him was coming from. "Guess I'm going to get my answers, huh, boy?" Nick slowed his horse down when the old home-which he'd had no problem finding as he'd known exactly where the woman had been talking about the moment he'd heard the description.

Within a matter of minutes, he and Coco were in front of the house; Nick started dismounting only to hear the woman speaking through the slightly open window. Due to the fact that she was standing to the side of the window, he could see a tiny part of her shoulder. "Put your horse in the barn. I have a stall waiting for him."

Nick frowned. It's not like he was planning on staying very long. He started to open his mouth to argue only to hear the woman plead for him to listen. "Please, Mr. Barkley, put your horse in the barn."

It didn't take a genius to figure out the woman didn't want anyone who happened to travel by to have any inkling anyone was in the home. Though, with the time of the year it was, he would think the smoke…his thoughts stopped abruptly as he realized he could smell nothing. He looked up at the chimney and was astounded to see no smoke. 'I must be crazy.' Nick thought as he led Coco to the barn…which was also showing its age rather well.