Chapter 9

The first thing the next morning, Jarrod went to the estate agent's office and asked if Shane's property had sold yet. It had not. Jarrod asked what the asking price was and when he heard it, he thought it was too high.

"I think it's too high too," the estate agent said. "I'm gonna talk to Shane today about lowering it."

"How much do you think it should be lowered?" Jarrod asked.

"A good ten percent."

"Did Joe Mason find a clean title?"

"Except for a pittance in taxes, too little for the county to even go after Shane for. You can probably pay them out of what you have in your pocket."

Jarrod said, "I'll make you an offer, seven percent reduction from the current asking price."

The agent's eyes went wide, but then eased a bit, and Jarrod could read what he was thinking. He'd heard Shane's accusations about Jarrod trying to get him jailed so he could have Sandra, and now he was wondering.

"Allen," Jarrod said, "you've known me all your life. You've seen me and talked to me and you know what I've been doing and NOT doing for the past ten years. Buster Shane is wrong. I did not lose his case so he'd go to prison and I could have his wife. I've had nothing to do with his wife, and everyone who's even looked at it casually over the last ten years knows that."

It did the trick. The agent slumped a little. "I'm sorry, Jarrod. You're right."

"It's not guilt driving my offer," Jarrod said. "It's just a desire to get Buster Shane out of town."

"What if he won't leave?"

"Him leaving is gonna be part of the deal," Jarrod said. "And so is giving Sandra a divorce if that's what she wants. I don't want either of those in the contract or the deed. I'll take care them myself."

"How are you gonna enforce that? Do you think a court would go for it?"

"The court won't be involved," Jarrod said.

"What if he won't leave town or get the divorce?"

"Allen, will you take my offer to him or not?"

The agent realized that the discussion was closed, and he realized the offer was a decent one. He nodded.

From there, Jarrod went to the bank and withdrew the necessary money, then went to his office and waited. He had plenty of work to do, and he did it. It took his mind off things. Now that he actually had a plan and started to put it into effect, he could let the issue of Buster and Sandra Shane go, and he did. He did his work. He had lunch at the Empire Saloon and then went back to work in his office. He waited.

The estate agent came to him at about two thirty in the afternoon. "Shane is making a counter offer – five percent off the asking price."

"It's a deal," Jarrod said. "Draw up the papers. I'll get the money out of the bank and we can settle tonight. Joe Mason did clear the title, didn't he?"

"Except for the taxes, it's as clean as a whistle," the agent said.

When the agent left, Jarrod called his secretary in. "I want you to run to the telegraph office and have them send a runner out to my home with this message for my brothers. Then you can go on home. I'll see you tomorrow." He handed her a note in a sealed envelope.

Esther knew never to read notes he handed her that way. She took it and left.

Jarrod relaxed for a moment and checked his watch. It was just after four now, too soon for Sandra to be singing. Maybe A.K. would let him see her though. He headed over to A.K.'s Court. Jarrod wanted Sandra to know he was buying the property, and with any luck, he'd run into Buster somewhere around there, too. If not, he'd have to go looking for him if he was going to make his plan work out.

Surprisingly, Sandra was working, waiting tables because A.K.'s was already getting crowded. All eyes checked Jarrod out when he came in, but the patrons mostly went back to what they were doing. Sandra was at the bar, fetching a few drinks for some men at a table. She gave Jarrod a glance, then took the drinks to her customers.

Jarrod went over to the bar. A.K. was right there with him in a moment. "I just need to tell Sandra something," Jarrod said.

"Stay as long as you like but don't cause any trouble," A.K. said.

"Don't worry," Jarrod said. "I don't want another fat lip."

Sandra came back to the bar and reluctantly stood beside Jarrod. "Hello, Jarrod."

"I just wanted to let you know that I made a deal to buy Buster's property," Jarrod said. "We'll close the deal tonight, and I plan to make it part of the deal that he leave town and give you a divorce if you want one."

Sandra looked shocked. "You'd do that? Buy that property just to get Buster out of my hair?"

"Our hair," Jarrod said.

"People will talk."

"They're going to be talking anyway. If Buster is gone, the talk will die out."

"Do you think he'll do it – leave and give me a divorce?"

"I don't know. We'll see."

Sandra just nodded and went on to another table. Jarrod nodded to A.K. and left.

Once outside, he looked around the street, hoping to see Shane, but he wasn't there. Across the street was a barber shop. Maybe a trim, Jarrod decided. It's a good place for waiting.

There was already a man in the chair and another waiting at the barber shop, so Jarrod took a seat near the window to wait his turn, and to watch.

He didn't have to wait for long. Before the barber was ready to take him, Jarrod spotted Buster Shane going into A.K.'s Court. He got up and hurried over there without a word.

A.K. was confronting Shane at the bar, and Jarrod could tell it was not friendly. That was fine with him. He walked up behind Shane. A.K. stopped and looked up at him, and Shane turned. Across the room, Sandra was waiting on a table, but was looking up even as Jarrod came in.

"Outside," Jarrod said quietly but very firmly.

Shane just looked at him.

"If you want your cash tonight, it's outside right now," Jarrod said.

Jarrod stepped aside. Shane glanced at A.K. The owner's look told him to get out, just as his words had told him before Jarrod came in.

Shane gave in and headed for the door. Jarrod followed him. Shane stopped as soon as they were out on the street, turning. Jarrod stopped with him and looked right at him.

"Tonight you and I will sign papers and I'll hand you money for your property," Jarrod said, "and as soon as that's done, you will leave Stockton and never come back, and if Sandra wants a divorce, you will give it to her."

Shane's eyes flashed, and then he gave a sick grin. "You're buying my wife. I was right about the two of you."

"You were wrong," Jarrod said. "What I'm buying is Sandra's freedom from you, if she wants it, and I'll be reselling that property as soon as I can."

"No deal," Shane said.

"It's cash and your freedom too, Buster. Are you gonna turn that down?"

"I'm not taking your terms."

Jarrod played his hole card. "I know the truth about Roman Taliaferro."

Now Shane looked disbelieving, then nervous.

Jarrod laid it out for him. "You can't be tried for killing him again. You've been found guilty and served your time. But you lied to the jury about your relationship with him. You said all you did was sell him some tools, but he stole your wife from you, and you didn't tell them that. You perjured yourself, Buster, and it might be the reason you went to prison instead of hanging. You can still be charged with perjury. And do more time."

Shane's face turned into an ugly, dead piece of meat. "I'll kill you, Barkley."

"You want to try?" Jarrod said. "That'll hang you for sure."

Shane turned and started to walk away.

Jarrod called after him, "Take it or leave it, Buster. I have you, but you can get off the hook and get some money to boot."

Shane stopped. He didn't turn around, but he stopped.

Jarrod said, "Come to my office at eight o'clock tonight. We'll close the deal. I'll be waiting for you."

Shane started up again and kept going.