Chapter Twelve
Previously:
Jarrod had agreed because, so far, he had only learned what Bill had…the fire was suspicious because of the two things that were bothering the sheriff only there was no way to prove it.
Once inside, Jarrod looked around for a gentleman standing six feet seven inches, sporting brown hair pulled back in a ponytail and broad shoulders. It didn't take long for Jarrod to spot the man; he was sitting in the far -left hand corner of the huge tent. 'I hope this visit will prove fruitful.' Jarrod thought as he headed for the table.
The giant of a man had heard the talk going around town. He'd even seen Jarrod talking to more than one man. Even though he didn't know he'd been seen by anyone that night, he wasn't concerned about this stranger approaching him-as he had nothing to do with the fire.
"May I sit down?" Jarrod gestured towards the only other chair at the table.
"Suit yourself." Lynn said as he turned his attention to a nearby black-haired waitress who appeared to be in her late twenties and asked her for another drink. "I'll save you some time." He turned his face back towards Jarrod. "I'm not well liked by the law, but I've never done anything that would warrant sending me off to any prison...never." A playful grin spread across his face and a twinkle appeared in the man's eyes as he added, "Maybe a small amount of time in jail if I was ever caught."
'You have a knack of knowing whether or not you're being lied to, Jarrod.' Bill's words rang in Jarrod's ears as Lynn Marlow spoke. "I won't ask what you've gotten away with." Jarrod gave the man a smile of his own and then grew serious. "However, you were seen a few blocks away from the mercantile the night it burned." Jarrod quickly assured the man across the table that Jarrod didn't suspect him of setting any fire. The thought 'I did until a second ago' was something Jarrod left unsaid. "I was hoping you had seen something, anything, that might have been out of place…maybe, even something you know the law should know only you've been afraid they'd think you were involved."
Lynn didn't answer at first…he was too busy taking the beer from the waitress who had returned with the requested drink. Only after she had walked away did the gentleman turn his attention back to Jarrod. "People have been saying you're a lawyer and a friend of the sheriff. Is that right?"
Jarrod nodded slightly. "That is correct."
"You're right when you say I said nothing for the exact reason you just stated. Only, if I talk now, are you going to hold it against me?" He said narrowing his eye, giving Jarrod a hard stare.
Jarrod didn't have to think twice when it came to how he should answer that question. Somehow, he knew the gentleman had been straight with him so far. There was no way he was going to risk losing the man's cooperation. "I promise you, no matter what, there will be no charges coming your way. Now," Jarrod leaned forward. "What, if anything, did you see?"
"Nothing at first. I mean, I walked by the mercantile. I saw the window open. Like the sheriff I wondered why it was open due to the colder weather only it wasn't like I could shut it. I mean, I'd have had to go inside to do that." Lynn, who had been talking low, paused when some patrons appeared as if they were heading his and Jarrod's way only to resume talking when the men turned and headed for another empty table. "Now, the thing is, after I'd passed the building- I heard a bit of a ruckus coming from the basement. I couldn't tell what was being said only…" he paused and shook his head. "I heard Jerusha, her brother and someone else arguing. Jerusha and her brother's voices were loud enough to identify who was talking. I knew them right off the bat. The other one?" He let out an angry growl. "They weren't yelling." He growled low. "I have had the funniest feeling ever since that I would know who that third person was if I had only been closer to the building." He let out a sigh. "Maybe, I should have gone back only I saw no reason too. It's not like I knew there was going to be fire." He stretched his leg under the table and shrugged his shoulders, "No, the only thing I could swear by is that there was a third person in that basement." He paused, and then surprised-but not shocked-Jarrod when he spoke again. "There was no lantern near that window when I passed by it. The only thing I can come up with is whoever was in that building knocked Jerusha and her brother out and then started the fire…. leaving the lantern there as something for the law to latch onto." He sighed. "I guess I should have spoke up only how was it going to help the sheriff or anyone else? It's all …. whatever that word is that means it's a pretty good theory, but nothing solid. Also, I didn't even have a suspect to give the law."
"Circumstantial.' Jarrod straightened up. "I do want you to tell Bill what you told me. I promise, there's nothing in what you've told me that would threaten you with any amount of time behind bars. Still, the sheriff needs to know. Who knows; maybe, sometime in the future it will help."
"All right." Lynn stood up.
'I thought my brothers and I were tall.' Jarrod couldn't help but think as he also rose. "Did you have much to do with the Williams?" Jarrod didn't know why only he found himself asking the question as he and Lynn walked away from the table and out of the tent. The sun was just starting to set.
Lynn started laughing hard. "I…I'm sorry." He took a deep breath and continued walking. "Jerusha was too much of a lady to ask her to hang around the likes of me. Don't get me wrong, she was always polite and cordial to me, and I don't mean anything feigned. It's just that…no," he chuckled again. "I didn't hang around her or her brother. He was just as likeable as she was only…once again… out of my class."
Jarrod quickly noticed the man had said nothing about Mary Ann. Stopping in his tracks, he turned and faced Lynn. "I'm not going to ask if you how well you did, or didn't, know Mrs. Williams only would you be willing to come with me to Stockton?" He started explaining all that had happened over the past year and what had brought him to Bodie in the first place. Somehow, he wasn't surprised as Lynn's eyes grew dark.
"I'll not only go to Stockton with you-I'll tell you all about the dear, sweet, Mary Ann." Lynn snarled as he threw out each word.