Chapter 11

"What do you mean he didn't break! Are you losing your touch, Hendricks?" Elliot Thatcher asked menacingly.

Hendricks narrowed his eyes. He had a reputation of getting information from unwilling people and this was the first time he hadn't been successful. It was eating away at him just as much as his boss.

"No. Just because Monroe didn't break doesn't mean I didn't get information."

Elliot and Hendricks were meeting in his office. He'd signed the papers that morning securing his immunity from prosecution for the counterfeit charges. It would cause a significant blow to his holdings, but he had enough resources he could start the operation again in a few months and no one would be the wiser. If it hadn't been for his coward of a son and the woman he'd married, no one would know now. The thought of Rebecca Thatcher caused Elliot to become angry all over again. He still had a potential murder charge hanging over his head thanks to her.

"I need that find that woman and find her soon. She needs to pay for betraying this family."

"I was able to find out from another source that she and the child might be in Stockton."

Elliot shood his head.

"I already had a source in Stockton looking for Monroe. He didn't give any indication that Becca or the child were there."

"Still going to follow the lead. What do you want me to do if I find them?"

Elliot took a deep breath. He still had his lawyers working on getting custody of the child. Elliot didn't really want her, but he needed some type of leverage.

"Get the child but don't harm her. Last thing I need is a noose around my neck."

Hendricks nodded and left.

Elliot sat down heavily and put his head in his hands. He thought of his son and shook his head. The boy had always been weak. Elliot hated having him put down but knew he had to do it. He would have thought that would have scared his daughter in law into keeping her mouth shut but apparently, she was more stubborn than he knew.

He intended on fixing that soon.

Vi settled into the family well. Emma loved spending time with her baby sister and Becca was happy to be allowed to be up and about again. Jarrod was completely enamored with his new family.

Becca asked Jarrod if he'd thought of a way of contacting her mother. She wanted to let her know about Vi and their marriage. He decided he'd contact John and ask him to help get a message to her that way.

Jarrod had been at the office for a few hours when he remembered he needed to send the telegram to John about Becca's mother. He walked to the telegram office and saw Fred standing just outside the door, talking to Al Perkins.

"Hello, Fred. Al, I was hoping to send a telegram," Jarrod said.

"Of course…" Al said distractedly. He walked inside the office and Jarrod looked to Fred.

"Is something wrong, Fred?"

"One of the telegram operators – a friend of Perkins – was killed last week. He's real shook up about it."

Jarrod looked into the office, concern on his face.

"Sorry to hear that Fred. Any idea how it happened?"

"Murdered. And it was quite violent. I got news about it earlier in the week from a marshal passing through but didn't put two and two together that it was the telegram operator until Al just mentioned it."

Jarrod shook his head.

"That's a shame."

Fred and Jarrod parted ways and Jarrod went into the office to write his telegram. He handed the paper to Al.

"I'm sorry to hear about your friend," Jarrod said.

"Thank you, Mr. Barkley. Walt was a good friend. Hadn't been in Fresno for long."

The hairs on the back of Jarrod's neck stood up.

"Fresno…Tell me, Al. Do you know any details?"

Al shook his head.

"Got a message from one of the Western Union officials this morning. Said Walt was killed in Fresno. It went out to all the operators, asking if anyone could help cover. It's a shame. Walt was such a nice man…"

Al went on to talk for a minute, but Jarrod wasn't listening. Fresno was where Becca's mother lived and where Monroe had said to send him a telegram to let him know where they were. It was too much of a coincidence for Jarrod's liking.

"If you don't mind, Al. I'd like to rewrite my message."

"Sure thing."

Jarrod wadded up his original message which asked John to send a report soon on Elliot Thatcher's whereabouts and to also plan to stop in Stockton within the next week. The original plan was going to be asking the other man to get a message to Becca's mother. Instead, Jarrod wrote that he needed to see John right away.

After finishing the message, Jarrod spoke with Al for a few moments then made his way to Fred's office. He told the other man his suspicions and about Fresno being the home of Becca's mother. Fred didn't like the coincidence anymore than Jarrod. After speaking with his friend for a few more minutes, Jarrod headed back to his office. He couldn't help but feel a sense of dread.

Jarrod arrived home just before dinner. He placed his hat on the coat rack and his briefcase on the table in the foyer. He wasn't going to say anything to Becca about the telegram operator being killed in Fresno. He had no confirmation that it had anything to do with Becca's mother or Monroe.

Emma ran to greet him as soon as she saw him and Jarrod scooped her up in his arms, listening as she excitedly told him about her day. Becca followed, Vi in her arms. Jarrod leaned into kiss Becca and placed a kiss on Vi's dark haired head.

"And Mama said I can go with Aunt Audra to meet new kids. It'll be so much fun!"

Jarrod smiled. He put his arm around Becca while carrying Emma and the four walked into the parlor together.

Before dinner drinks, dinner, and the time spent after with all his family was just what Jarrod needed. He felt complete contentment.

After their usual tradition of reading to Emma before bed, Becca and Jarrod retired to their room. Vi was fed and burped. Jarrod held her for quite a while. She would turn her head whenever she heard his voice.

"She's just perfect," Jarrod said as he placed his daughter in her small crib. Becca smiled.

"I think so too. She seems to be very smitten with her pappy," Becca said with a small laugh.

Jarrod and Becca talked for several hours after about their future and eventually fell asleep in one another's arms, thankful for their little family.

"Got here as soon as I could, Jarrod. I've been keeping an eye on Thatcher, but he's been laying low. Only going between his office and home."

John Hampton had caught the last train from San Francisco to Stockton the night before and was in Jarrod's office first thing the next morning.

"I heard that the telegram operator in Fresno was killed a few weeks back. Normally, I wouldn't think much of that except Fresno is where Becca's mother lives. And where Frank Monroe had me send a telegram to let him know where Becca and Emma were."

John's eyes widened.

"That's too much of a coincidence, Jarrod," John said.

"I know."

"I'll head to Fresno today, see what I can find out. In the meantime, I think you need to tighten up your security around the ranch even more."

Jarrod agreed. "Everyone is pretty much staying at the ranch. I'll probably hunker down there myself after today until I hear from you."

He thanked John for his help and the other man left to catch the stage to Fresno. Jarrod worked for a few hours. At one point, he sat back and rubbed his tired eyes. He stood and rolled his shoulders. He hadn't had much pain in his shoulder in a while but today it ached. He looked over at the scotch decanter. Other than a glass of sherry before dinner from time to time, Jarrod hadn't had anything else to drink. He knew his drinking had gotten out of control. He thought of Becca, Emma, and Vi and the possible danger they were all in. As much as he wanted a glass of scotch to help dull the ache, he wasn't going to give in to the desire. Instead, he smiled as he thought of having Becca rub his shoulders later.

At the thought of home, Jarrod decided he'd call it a day. He wanted to check in with Nick and Heath about security at the ranch. Jarrod had just put on his hat when he remembered something Emma had told him. She and Audra were going to "meet new kids". Was that going to be today or at some other time? He couldn't remember.

Jarrod mounted Jingo and pointed his faithful friend toward home at a faster speed than normal.