Chapter 5

"He woke up," Alice said to her husband when he came in. "But he was coughing and weak. I gave him a little whiskey to help him sleep."

"Did he say how he ended up washed up on the beach?" her husband asked.

"He said he was on a boat and fell overboard." Alice put her arms around her husband. "I think you're going to have to go into Vallejo and get the doctor out here, maybe the sheriff too."

"I'd rather leave the sheriff out of it if we can," he said.

"We might not be able to," Alice said. "I felt a little queasy about things when he woke up, so I asked him his name. He told me it was John Maloney."

His eyebrows went up. He walked toward the bedroom and looked in on the man in the bed, and he knew exactly who that was. It was not John Maloney. "That's Jarrod Barkley," he said to Alice beside him. "I'd know him anywhere, and he's got that mark on his arm to prove it. If he gave you a phony name, it's because he didn't trust you enough to say what really happened. He didn't just fall off a boat. We both know that."

"Then you'll have to get the sheriff out here."

He went back into the living room area, frowning.

Alice said, "I could go instead. You can stay out of sight."

"No," he said. "I can go. I don't like it, but I'm no good with him if he turns bad while you're gone. You stay with him. I'll go."

"Just see the doctor and the sheriff, and I doubt anyone will bother you."

"Probably not," he said, resigned.

"If you're so sure of who he is, should you wire his family and tell them he's here? They're probably worried."

"If they even know anything's happened. Let's wait and see what the doctor and the sheriff have to say, and then the sheriff can wire them. The doc might even want to take him back to town."

"Not while he's in this shape."

He went back to the bedroom door and looked in on their sleeping guest again. "I wonder what Jarrod Barkley is going to say when he wakes up and realizes it's Bob Marty's house he's in. He's gonna be surprised, that's for sure."

"Good surprised or bad surprised?" Alice asked.

Her husband, Bob Marty, said, "I really don't know."

XXXXX

"Whoa, Nick Barkley! Wait a minute!"

Nick and Heath were headed for the train station from the livery stable when they heard the runner for the telegraph office call them. They stopped and the boy ran up to them, holding out an envelope. "Did this just come in?" Nick asked as he took it.

"Not three minutes ago," the boy said. "Is there a response?"

Heath read over Nick's shoulder and knew what his older brother was going to say. Nick said, "Yeah. Tell Mr. Stone to stay in Vallejo. Heath and I will be there tomorrow morning. And get out to our ranch and give this to our mother. Tell her we're going to Vallejo."

The boy nodded and ran off. Nick and Heath stood looking at each other. "At least we know Stone survived," Heath said.

"But he doesn't know if Jarrod did," Nick said.

"By the time we get there, they oughtta know more. And if they don't, at least we know where to start looking."

Victoria and Audra felt the same way when the runner got to the ranch and gave them the same message. The runner said, "Your sons said to tell you they're going to Vallejo. Do you have any response?"

"Not to this," Victoria said, "but earlier today you got a message from Napa about my son Jarrod not arriving there. Please have a telegram sent to that sender and tell them Jarrod may have been in an accident and may be in Vallejo."

The runner nodded and took off.

"At least we have some idea about where Jarrod might be now," Audra said. "That's more than we had before."

"And at least Nick and Heath know where Jarrod might be, too."

"I know he's all right, Mother," Audra said. "Nick and Heath will find him by tomorrow."

Victoria nodded vacantly. She was still very worried, but she said, "We'll keep praying."

XXXXX

The doctor knew Marty and knew where he lived, so he went straight out there without waiting for Marty and the sheriff. When Marty finally found the sheriff and told him what was happening, the sheriff breathed a big sigh of relief. "We best go round up his friend Stone," the sheriff said, "and tell him what's what."

"Stone?" Marty said. "Not Jack Stone."

"Yeah. I guess I shouldn't be surprised you know him."

"I'm kind of surprised he told you his right name," Marty said. "Jarrod gave my wife a false name - John Maloney."

The sheriff straightened. "That's interesting. I take it Mr. Barkley hasn't seen you yet."

"No," Marty said. "He was unconscious when we found him and brought him in, and only Alice was with him when he woke up. He was feeling poorly when he woke up. She gave him some whiskey and he went back out again. I just sent the doc out to the house."

"I better go out there with you after we go get Stone." The sheriff leveled a sympathetic look Marty's way. "You know, people are probably already talking once they saw you come in here. They'll really be at it when they see you and me leave town with this stranger Stone."

"Let 'em talk," Marty said. "I can't go playing the hermit when Jarrod Barkley's life is at stake. I owe him too much."

"I'm surprised to hear you say that, seeing as he didn't keep you out of prison."

Marty smiled just a little, but his brown eyes were serious. "I deserved what I got, and it wasn't his fault I got it. I suppose it's time I started facing everybody I run into with it. When they have at me, I just better deal with it better than I have been."

"Well, then, let's go get Stone and get you to your place, and hope this Barkley fella doesn't die."