Chapter Nine

Jonathan Nicholas got off of the train at the Jack County Depot. The last station, the end of the line; the town, Jacksboro owned by the Magness family, Sonny Wheeler had been the last original settler of this cattle country and now he was out for good.

Nick was not sure what awaited him in this small one-family town.

He wore his best black suit and western tie. He had checked his sidearm, his six-shooter, and gun belt. He hid the small derringer in his vest pocket and a knife in his boot. He flashed around some gold at the saloon and the hotel desk.

He walked over to the telegram office with his spurs jingling. He sent some spurious emails about land deals and a coded one to McColl to pass on to Jarrod.

"Now I wait" and he took a seat in a poker game.

It was less than an hour when Big Daddy Magness walked into the saloon with two bodyguards.

"Come with us, sir. We have your attorney waiting for you. Your attorney for Wheeler."

Nick raised his eyebrow, "That sounds like kidnapping and that's illegal. I am a law and order man. Let's find the sheriff and let him take care of our little switch."

"The sheriff's my first cousin. He sees things the family way."

Nick as Jonathan Nicholas stood up and stared the man down. The older man took one step back and his two men stepped forward.

The other men at the poker table scattered and the bartender went into the back room. The saloon girls hid behind the bar peeking out to see the confrontation.

Nick opened the button of his jacket and touched his gun; he kept full eye contact with Big Daddy.

"When I am hunting wolf packs back home, I take out the leader first. I find then the rest of them scatter."

The two bodyguards put their hands on their sidearms looking at their boss to give them a sign. They weren't used to men challenging Big Daddy.

"Either this man is a fool or he has something on the boss."

Nick chose to diffuse the situation; he knew he could win this battle with his fists but he still wouldn't know where Ben was, "Back home we call this a Mexican standoff (first seen in print in 1876). Why don't we have a drink and talk this through like gentlemen? I have a deed; you have the land. You have my attorney. I want him back."

Three men walked in quickly. A swinging barroom door came off its hinge from the force of the men.

"Big Daddy, let's talk about this. I have checked into this man and he holds the deed from a poker game—-doesn't have anything to do with the Wheelers."

The younger brother, JT caught his older brother's eye.

Nick looked from older brother to younger. There were at least ten years between the men but there was a familial resemblance as well as a hint of affection.

"Go home JT, to your wife and six young'ns. I got this taken care of."

"Emily Anne wouldn't want this."

It was the wrong thing to say. He lunged for his brother. A scuffle broke out and the four bodyguards only watched with caution. The young brother did not take an offensive stance, only a defensive one.

The older man grew short of breath and panted. JT reached into his brother's inside pocket and took out some pills. He put two in his mouth and let them dissolve. (Nitroglycerin tablets were first used in 1878 for angina)

He gently cradled his brother's head in his lap. "Come on bro, deep breaths. We gotta let this go. I don't want you joining Emily Anne out on boot hill."

Nick walked backward a few feet slowly observing the brothers. The younger Magness has the older in his best interest.

The bodyguards eyed Nick. Nick sensed that they weren't too keen on this confrontation either but were the kind of men that followed orders.

Nick decided to take a chance, "I am heading over to the courthouse about my land. You can walk with me or find me at the hotel or back here later. I ain't leaving town until I get my business settled. Jonathan Nicholas don't walk away when he is owed sumthin' fair and square."

JT looked relieved and realized Nick was trying to save his brother from embarrassment.

The older man's eyes were still closed but he bellowed, "Billy, go with him."

"Fine with me as long as he pays his own bar tab."

The tallest lankiest cowboy followed Nick out, "Got it, boss, take care of him."

Nick decided to use this to his advantage, "You must be Billy. Since no'body got a gun pointed at me, I will formally introduce myself. I am Jonathan Nicholas from San Joaquin, California."

"Yea, I am Billy." was his simplistic answer.

"Well, I was just joshin' about the beer. I will be glad to buy ya one later-iff'n you don't decide to shoot me before then."

They walked to the courthouse and he asked for a plat of the county and the Wheeler land specifically. The clerk's eyes grew big but he complied with the request since Big Daddy's hired man, Billy, was with him.

Billy sat down in a chair and pulled out a wood filing he used to pick his teeth, "I be stayin' right over here. I don't even know what in the hell a plat is. Boss didn't say anything about that."

The clerk nervously handed over the legal description of the Wheeler Ranch. Nick jotted down all of the particulars. He asked for the tax bills, lien, and legal notice of sale just as Jarrod told him.

He had written the legal details down, memorized them, and destroyed the notes on the train.

The clerk shook his head, "Don't have any of that?"

Nick politely asked, "Direct me to the circuit judge who ordered the sale."

The clerk quietly spoke, "Only one judge in town, Judge Smith."

Nick motioned to Billy, "Let's go. Show me where the judge is."

They passed the office of the Wheeler's attorney that Ben was supposed to check in with, "Let's stop here."

The mail was still overflowing the slot and the office was dark. "Where has he gone?"

Billy knew that answer, "Retired to his daughter in Tucson. Not coming back-for health."

They walked on to the courthouse, "Judge Smith please, Jonathan Nicholas, to see him-and uh, Billy?"

The clerk came out and said, "He is busy."

Nick put a foot in the door and pushed the door wide open, "C'mon Billy. The Judge is busy and we don't want to take any longer than we need."

The judge's eyes grew wide and he reached for the gun in his drawer.

"No need for the gun, your honor. Just need some facts and legalities. You being a man of the law know that I can't break the law getting my land back. Besides Billy, here is my attestation that Big Daddy and JT know I am here."

He cut his eyes at Billy, who was trying to figure out what an attestation even was. He finally answered, "Yeah they knows he is here."

The judge hedged his answer, "Yes the land belongs to the Magness family for back taxes on Sonny Wheeler."

"Can I see the judgment, the lien, and the 30-day public notice of sale per Texas law? I believe it's T.S. 183 of the state legal code. I think that is the one. I know you did all that cause you don't seem to be a man who wants an ethics charge and to lose that nice velvet chair you are settin' in."

Thanks, Jarrod for that one too!

The judge's eyes grew wide. "I will have to get those to you."

Nick grinned, "Good. I thought we would see eye-to-eye after a man-to-man talk. My lawyer already sent those papers to Austin with my copy of the signed deed."

Cursing in his head, "Sounds good, Mr. Nicholas. I am sure we can resolve this without the state capital getting involved."

"Let's go get a beer, Billy while the Judge gets me taken care of."

Billy grinned as they walked out of the courthouse.

After four beers, Billy began to let a few details spill out. "Mr. JT thinks his brother, Big Daddy aint' right in the head since Emily Anne died. He's been having a lot of those spells like you seen up in there today and he gets real confused about dates and details."

Two more beers later, "That city lawyer is up in JT's fancy house. They took him out of Big Daddy's shed. The old man just wants to kill Wheeler and bring his grandchild back home. She's all he had left. He ain't been right for a while since she died."

Nick went to the desk clerk, "Can you give me directions to JT Magness house? Ole Billy here ain't feeling so good and we were supposed to go there tonight to meet Big Daddy. I don't want him in trouble since he can't handle his liquor. He's too drunk to show me the way now."

The desk clerk decided Nick was telling the truth since Billy was nodding and smiling. He gave him directions. Nick took Billy to the sheriff to dry out after he handed him a pint of whiskey and took off for JT's home.

Darkness was the perfect cover and Nick rode up to the well-lighted home. Children's toys were in the yard and a wooden scooter was on the verandah. He tethered his horse around back with the rest of the Magness animals so as not to draw attention to the livery horse.

He peered into the dining room window on the side as he quietly walked up.

"There is Ben sitting at the table with all those kids, JT and probably his wife."

He was confused so he waited until the meal was close to ending. He opened the unlocked verandah door and walked in. He had his hand on his gun but didn't want to draw with all of the children around.

His wife gasped and JT immediately stood up, "Mr. Nicholas, my guests usually come in from the front door but feel free to pull up a chair. You know your attorney, I presume."

JT introduced him to his startled wife and all six of his children. He asked Nick be brought a warm plate of roast beef and corn and rolls. "We are just ready to start on pie if you don't mind."

Nick took a bite of the delicious meal and devoured it. He hadn't eaten since he arrived in Jack County.

Ben played his part well, "Well Mr. Nicholas. I have been a guest of the Magness family one way or another since I arrived."

JT flashed him a look and nodded toward his wife. He understood that she had no idea her houseguest was a prisoner.

Nick finished his beef and his pie. They started to clear the table and the men stood up, "Let's go outside for a smoke. I am a pipe man myself and I think I have introduced Ben here to a pipe since he has been my guest."

They walked outside and Nick lit his cigar.

"Well, Mr. Nicholas, I figured you would make your way to us sooner than later. I have already heard from a very nervous judge and county clerk about your visit. Where did you lose dear ole Billy?", JT laughed.

"He is sleeping it off with your cousin, the sheriff. He was quite helpful eh hmmmm…showing me around town."

Ben was still biding his time to talk to Nick.

"Well, let's get to business. How much will you take for the deed? The copy that my brother's men found in Ben's pocket."

"And let me add, I have apologized to my 'house guest' for his rough treatment when he arrived. My brother doesn't have the manners I do."

"My agent in Fort Worth has informed me that it is a very valuable property on a deep water well."

JT acknowledged him, "Whoa, you have done your research. And my sources tell me your friends have contacted a Texas Ranger through the Pinkertons to make sure you leave our lovely town alive."

"I don't sit down at a table unless I cover all my bets."

"Well gentlemen, it is my desire that you leave healthy and hale. There are a few, let's say complications that we can work through. I suggest you stay here tonight. I believe my brother has recovered enough to have men going through your hotel, probably as we speak."

"Mr. Nicholas, as your attorney, I concur."

"We can talk about money in the morning." as he escorted the men upstairs to the third floor.

—&—

Jarrod sat beside Liesel as she slept. He had several scotches as he grieved over the loss of a child he had only suspected a few hours before. The depth of his emotion surprised him.

"Yes it was early but it was his child, his and Liesel's, created in love and passion. He wanted this child, his child, a Barkley. Would it have his and Victoria's and Nick's dark hair? Blue eyes or Liesel's green? A boy or a girl?"

He found he could care less about its gender. He wanted a child. Their child.

He stared at his sleeping wife. "She had a miscarriage between Jack and Rose. But what caused this? Isabella's attack? No—-it had to be her fears of Charles and that Ghislaine—it had to be. She will not come near my wife again if I have my way. I shall pay her a visit when we return to San Francisco to make sure."

Liesel stirred and he retreated from his morose thoughts.

"Jarrod?"

"I am right here my love."

"Water?"

He helped her sip a few drinks of water. "Thank you. I am so sorry I lost your baby."

"You didn't lose our child. The babe is safe in heaven." reminding him what Reverend Stacy told him when his mother lost a child—-right before Strawberry and the mine.

"Oh Jarrod, that helps me so much."

"How's Bella?"

"Wanting to see you. I told her I would get her when you awoke."

She shook her head no and reached out for Jarrod, "Would you lie beside me for a while?"

"Of course, Liesel."

"I love you, Jarrod" with light in her eyes.

He smiled relieved. "I know she meant it this time."

"I love you, Liesel."