Chapter 18
Cedric shoved Meredith toward Jarrod, ordering Adeline to stand with them. He then told Jarrod to move away.
"I'm waiting, Barkley. Who will die? You have...one minute to decide."
Jarrod looked at his daughter whose eyes were wide with fright. Then to his wife, who subtly pointed to herself. It was clear she was asking him to choose her to die. He couldn't comprehend living his life without either of them. Jarrod's mind raced for a plan, begging with God to show him what to do. There had to be a way to get them all out of this.
"Twenty seconds, Barkley."
Cedric's voice irritated Jarrod. He was about to pull his gun when Adeline pushed Meredith out of the way and ran toward Cedric. Cedric had been staring at his watch, counting down the seconds and was caught off guard. He couldn't get his gun up in time to fire, but he struck Adeline with it and she fell to the floor. It was all the distraction Jarrod needed. He stepped in front of Meredith, pulled his gun and fired. Cedric stared at him in shock and fell dead to the floor, a bullet between his eyes.
Meredith grabbed a hold of Jarrod's waist and began crying. Jarrod and Meredith then went to Adeline who had not moved since she had fallen. Blood was coming from the large gash on the side of her head. Jarrod put his hand on her chest, trying to feel for a heartbeat. He sighed with relief when he felt it.
"Meredith," he said to his daughter, who was still crying. "Meredith, you need to listen to me. I need you to grab as many blankets and pillows as you can. We need to get your mother to a doctor. I'm going to go get the wagon ready. When you get all the blankets, come and sit next to your mother and wait for me."
Meredith nodded and pulled away from her father. She went up to the loft and got the blankets and pillows from her bed and went to her parent's room to get the blankets from there as well. She then went and sat next to her mother and waited for her father to return.
Jarrod dragged Cedric's body into the kitchen and shoved it out of the way. He didn't want Meredith to have to sit next to it while she waited for him. Thankfully, they would have at least another hour of light for traveling. He hoped that moonlight would guide them the rest of the way. They would have to travel slower because of the darkness, but he knew he had to get Adeline to a doctor.
He got the wagon and pulled it around to the front of the house. He had put hay in the back and then got the blankets that Meredith had gathered and spread them over the hay. He came back in and gently lifted his wife.
"Has she awakened any?" Jarrod asked.
"No sir," Meredith said, and Jarrod could hear the fear in her voice. He placed Adeline in the wagon and covered her. He then picked up his daughter. He held her close to himself for just a moment and Meredith wrapped her arms tightly around his neck.
"Let's get going," he said. He sat her next to her mother and told her to lie down and try to sleep. They had several hours of traveling to do. He didn't even want to face the possibility that she could die. That was inconceivable to him.
Hours later they made it into town. Jarrod saw a sign in front of a house for the town's doctor. He jumped down and ran up to the front door to knock. It was after midnight, but the doctor didn't take long in opening the door.
"Yes?" an older man asked.
"My name is Jarrod Barkley and my wife needs a doctor."
The doctor followed Jarrod to the wagon and the two men got Adeline inside. Meredith followed behind them and watched as the doctor began examining her mother. He asked questions which Jarrod answered. A woman walked in the room, and Jarrod stepped back to allow her to help the doctor. The doctor looked up and then spoke.
"Mr. Barkley, why don't you and your daughter step out and allow us to finish examining your wife. I'll come to you as soon as I can."
Jarrod hated leaving Adeline's side and nothing would have kept him from her had he not looked at his daughter. She was taking everything in and looked as though she were about to fall apart. He took her hand and they went out to sit in the area designated for those waiting.
They sat down and Meredith climbed into her father's lap. He held her close.
"Papa?" Meredith asked.
"Yes, sweetie."
"Who was that man? Why did he want to hurt us?"
Jarrod sighed and explained to Meredith who Cedric was. She listened intently, taking in everything he was saying. She understood now that her anger toward her mother had been wrong. Her mother had really wanted her. She had been told that over and over, but didn't believe it until now. She snuggled up next to her father, loving the feel of his protective arms around her.
Over an hour later, the doctor came out to find Meredith asleep in Jarrod's lap. Jarrod himself sat with his eyes closed, but he was far from being able to go to sleep. At the doctor's arrival, Jarrod gently lay his daughter on the settee. The two men walked back to Adeline's room. She still had not stirred.
"Your wife has a severe concussion, Mr. Barkley. I'll admit I don't like it that she's not regained consciousness. How far along is she in her pregnancy?"
"Six months."
The doctor nodded. "I've done a thorough examination and other than the head wound, she's fine. The baby was moving quite a bit and I could hear a strong heartbeat."
"But Adeline?"
"When a woman is expecting, all of her energy goes to taking care of that child. Your wife's body needs to heal, but it is putting the baby first. Basically, this is just going to be a waiting game, Mr. Barkley. I wish I had better news for you."
Jarrod nodded and thanked the doctor. "I'd like to sit with her for a while, but my daughter..."
"Why don't you allow me to take her up to one of our spare rooms, Mr. Barkley," the doctor's wife asked. "I'll sit with her and if she awakens I'll let you know."
"Thank you," he said and then turned to the doctor. "I need to send a telegram to my family in Stockton."
The doctor walked over to his desk and pulled out a piece of paper. "Write down the message you wish to send and I'll see to it."
Jarrod paused, trying to think of the words to say. He finally settled on something concise.
Adeline injured. STOP Please come to Lodi STOP Hurry STOP
He handed the note to the doctor and then went to sit with his wife. He took Adeline's hand in his own and kissed it gently.
"Please Addy, don't leave me. Please..." he whispered. "Remember, 'There can be miracles, when you believe.' We've had so many miracles, Addy. We need another one." He lay his head down and fell into a restless sleep.
The afternoon of the next day there was still no change in Adeline's condition. They had managed to get some broth and water down her throat, but she showed no signs of waking. Jarrod had not moved from her bedside except to check on Meredith. She had awakened and eaten some breakfast, but was now sleeping again. The doctor had checked her over but other than being exhausted from the ordeal, Meredith was unharmed.
The Barkleys arrived by stagecoach and went directly to the doctor's office after receiving directions. The doctor explained Adeline's condition and the family went to where Jarrod was keeping a silent vigil next to her.
"Jarrod?" At his mother's voice, Jarrod looked up. Victoria noticed immediately the look in his eyes, the same look he had when Beth had been murdered. She hated seeing the sadness, the utter hopelessness there. He stood and walked over to her and allowed her to hold him.
"The doctor explained about Adeline's condition," Victoria said. At the same time Nick asked, "What happened?"
Jarrod told them about Cedric and how he had faked his death. He wanted to get all three of them together so that he could make Jarrod choose who he would kill. It was his ultimate revenge. Jarrod told how Adeline had pushed Meredith out of the way and it was enough of a distraction for Jarrod to kill him. Audra and Victoria both paled as he told them what had happened. Nick and Heath stared at Jarrod in unbelief.
"Where's Meredith now?" Victoria asked, her eyes filled with unshed tears.
"Upstairs. Mrs. Patterson is watching over her. Could you check on her mother? I haven't been up in a while, but I don't want to leave Adeline right now."
"Of course."
Victoria and Audra exited from the room, leaving the brothers. Jarrod ran a hand over his face, feeling the stubble that had grown from not having shaved. Nick didn't know what to say, but put his hand on Jarrod's shoulder and squeezed it. Heath stood on the other side of his oldest brother and watched his sister-in-law. They stood side by side in silence until Jarrod spoke.
"I can't lose her. It would be too much."
"You won't lose her, Jarrod," Nick said, his voice sounding more confident than he felt.
"She won't wake up. I've tried everything. She won't respond. What will I do if she dies? She's the one who's filled that void in my life. I've never loved anyone as much as I've loved her," Jarrod began to weep and Nick brought his arms around him. Nick knew that the words Jarrod spoke were true. He had never seen his brother so happy as when he was with Adeline.
Heath hated seeing his brother in so much pain. He looked to Adeline and in his heart whispered, "Fight Addy. Fight to come back to my brother. He needs you."
Victoria and Audra were shown to the room where Meredith was sleeping. Doc Patterson introduced them to his wife and the couple left the ladies alone with Meredith. The young girl woke not long after Victoria and Audra had been sitting with her. Immediately upon seeing her grandmother, Meredith began to weep. Victoria held her, wishing she could give her the good news that her mother would be fine. But they just didn't know.
"Grandmother, I have to see my mother. I have to tell her something," Meredith cried. She was quite adamant about it and Victoria agreed, but only after Meredith promised to eat some lunch once she saw her mother. Victoria brushed Meredith's hair and braided it in one long braid down her back. They then made their way down the stairs.
Nick and Jarrod sat side by side next to Adeline. Heath had gone to wire Duke McCall to ask him to send some hands to the lodge to clean up and gather the things left behind. Both men looked up when they saw the ladies enter. Jarrod walked over to his daughter and knelt down before her.
"Papa, I have to tell her something," Meredith whispered to him. He nodded and Nick moved to stand between his mother and sister, putting an arm around them both.
Jarrod sat down and pulled his daughter into his lap. Meredith took her mother's hand in her own and began to speak softly. Heath came in just as she began to speak.
"I know I've not been very nice to you. I've been so mad at you for giving me away. Papa explained that the bad man at the cabin was the one who made you give me up. I just wanted you to know that I love you. And I'm sorry for causing you so much pain. I love you Mama." There. She'd finally said it out loud, but what if her mother never heard her? That possibility was almost too much for her. Jarrod held onto her tightly. Meredith turned to him and wrapped her arms around his neck and cried.
