Chapter Six
Previously:
Jarrod felt as if he and Nick were back in grade school and Nick was throwing in a bunch of off the wall comments after coming to Jarrod for help with a problem he had in one of his classes. Back then, Jarrod had had to get Nick to slow down, stop throwing out unnecessary statements-or confusing ones- in order to get to the point.
"I think, dear brother," Jarrod walked over to the side of the room and moved a chair over to the side of Nick's bed. "You best tell me everything…and start at the beginning and sticks with the facts."
Jarrod, his mother, Audra and Theresa stood in front of the train station waiting for the train to pull in. Their conversation from the night before had changed Nick's original suggestion.
"I can't believe we forgot your Aunt Clara is arriving tomorrow morning." Victoria had lifted her spoon only to put it back down when she made the statement. "We can't go take off and just leave her here."
"If someone reimburses her the money she spent to get here, I'm sure the four of you could go on this trip together." Jarrod did not hesitate to add the suggestion that they talk to Clara about the possibility of traveling back to Colorado with her. "You have just as much fun at her place, if not more. Maybe even stay up to a month. After all, we know we're looking at a good six-week delay on the wedding." He looked at Audra and their mother. "I'm sure Theresa would love the new scenery as well."
When the train rolled in and Victoria's sister descended the stairs, the Barkley matriarch hurried over to talk to her.
"Do you think your aunt will be upset with us?" Theresa looked from Jarrod to Audra. "It's not like Colorado is only a few miles from Stockton."
"I don't think you have to worry." Jarrod smiled and pointed towards his mother and aunt. Both women were laughing and talking as they walked back to the group.
"I wanted you to visit me in my home, only I never thought Nick would have to break a leg to get you to do it!" Clara laughed as she and her sister walked up to Jarrod and the others. "It looks like you're already to go too!"
"We figured one way or the other we were going on a trip." Audra giggled. The women continued visiting while Jarrod went to get their tickets. Thirty minutes later he was watching his aunt, mother, Audra and Nick's fiancée boarding another train…one that was bound for Denver, Colorado. As soon as the train was out of sight, Jarrod hurried to his horse and headed for the livery stable. He would have to keep the animal there while he sent off a few telegrams and talked to Fred. However, he never made it to the stable before the good sheriff waving him down.
"Something wrong Fred?" Jarrod sure hoped not. After what Nick had told him the night before, he didn't want to waste time on any side issues.
"Judge Parker just arrived back in town, and he wants to see you. I told him I'd keep an eye out for you." Fred apologized if it was bad timing. "I can see you're in a hurry to get someplace."
Judge Parker. Jarrod silently groaned. He was sure the man had something he wanted Jarrod to do, and he just didn't have the time at the moment. Still, he smiled at Fred. "I'll go see him first thing, thanks." He then bid the sheriff good day, wasted no time in going to the livery stable and then hurried to the courthouse where he found the good judge in his chambers.
"Jarrod! Glad Fred you so fast…or did he?" Judge Parker stood up and shook Jarrod's hand.
"He did." Then, due to the fact that everyone knew the judge had visited friends who lived in a mining town in Nevada, Jarrod asked, "How were things in Carson City?" He sat down in the chair closest to the judge's desk.
"Fine only…" the Judge hesitated, and then plowed on ahead. "I hear Nick's wedding has been postponed. Does that mean you're available?"
"Not for a few weeks, I have a new client and need to do some leg work in a short amount of time. I will even be doing a bit of traveling. I don't plan on being gone very long though. Why?" Jarrod did his best to relax.
Judge Parker apologized and asked how imperative the work for the new client was only to be bluntly told it was extremely important. "Also," Jarrod said as he shook his head, "I need to have it done before Nick's wedding. So, what did you need? Maybe someone else could help you."
"No," Judge Parker leaned back in his chair. "You remember my godson, Richard Larson?"
"Sure, I do. He's the one you went to visit in Carson City." Even as he spoke, Jarrod felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand up again; he sat straight up. "Didn't he have a step-brother, Michael Page? Also, did the young man perish in a fire that broke out in the boarding house he was staying at?"
The judge was startled to hear those words come out of Jarrod's mouth. He had not expected it. "Yes, he did. Only, how did you know how he was killed?"
"I'll answer that in a moment if I can only; first, I don't suppose his death is what you wanted to talk about?"
"As a matter of fact, yes, it was." The judge stood up and walked over to the window off the right of the desk and looked out. "At the time everyone felt bad about the incident, about the young widow left behind. No one blamed her when she moved away after only a few months, saying she need to start over somewhere else."
"And now your godson has reason to believe the fire was more than a mere accident." Jarrod said, not surprised when the judge nodded.
"Jarrod." The judge sat back down. "How come I get the funniest feeling you already intend to look into the very matter I wanted to pull you into?"
"Because I am, along with another incident." Jarrod began telling the good judge everything Nick had told him the night before; that is, after securing the good man's word to remain quiet. By the time he was finished, the judge told him to focus on the second incident. "I'll send for Richard…even if I have to go fetch him myself."