Chapter 2

A disruption started when Jarrod was about halfway through dinner. People suddenly started coming in, speaking to others, and before long people were getting up and going out. Something was going on outside.

Jarrod stayed where he was, finishing his meal, but soon he was almost alone. When the waiter brought him the check – marked "complimentary" thanks to Springer – Jarrod left a tip and then headed out to see what was going on.

It was finishing up by the time Jarrod got there and people were starting to disperse. There was enough street light to see that two people had been arguing loudly in the street, a man and woman – Nat and Emily Springer. The sheriff and deputy were taking them both away.

Now Jarrod faced a dilemma. Should he follow and see if there was something he could do about this as a lawyer? Seeing Nat locked up wasn't something that Jarrod was particularly worried about, but Emily was another matter. There was always the chance in a "he said – she said" argument that it was the woman who would bear the blame, not the man, just because men always had the privilege of being presumed truthful. Jarrod only gave it a moment before he followed the Springers and the law to the jail.

The sheriff hadn't moved to lock the couple up before Jarrod came in, and the Springers were not yelling at each other anymore, but the sheriff looked like he wanted do some screaming. He glared at Jarrod. "What do you want?"

Jarrod handed over one of his business cards, then tried a disarming smile toward everyone. "I'm a friend of the family, Sheriff," he said. "I came to see if I could help the Springers sort this out a little more peacefully. Are you going to arrest anyone?"

"Not if they start acting like reasonable people," the sheriff said.

"Is there someplace the three of us can talk?" Jarrod asked as the Springers refused to look at each other.

"The hotel, but I sold it today," Springer said.

"Settled yet?"

"We'll sign the contract and settle tomorrow," Springer said.

"Then why don't we go on over there?" Jarrod suggested. "Do you have any kind of gathering room there?"

"No, just the restaurant and it'll be busy."

"I guess we'll have to use my room," Jarrod said, leveling a firm gaze at Springer, knowing they'd be using the room Springer and his lady friend used and that's what this was all about, but maybe Emily didn't know about 2B.

Springer said, "We can find an empty room, I'm sure." He did not want to use 2B.

Jarrod gave a nod. "Sheriff, with your permission – "

"Get out of here," the sheriff said, "but the minute I hear about any ruckus, I'm hauling you all right back here."

"No ruckus, Sheriff," Jarrod said. "I'm sure the Springers will act civilly toward one another once we get to the hotel."

Jarrod eyed Springer again, sending a not too subtle message that he could spill the beans about Springer's activities in 2B and Springer had better behave himself.

Emily wasn't looking at them and was too livid to be getting any messages anyway. Jarrod escorted the warring couple over to the hotel, drawing all kinds of attention as he herded them up to the desk.

Springer said to the clerk, "I need an empty room to have a discussion with my wife and my lawyer."

The desk clerk came up with a key. "3B is empty, Mr. Springer."

Springer took the key, and Jarrod herded his "clients" up the stairs. As they passed 2B, Springer gave it a look, gave Jarrod a look. Jarrod gave him a warning smile.

Springer unlocked the door to 3B, and they went in. Springer tossed the key onto the dresser, then sat down in one of the chairs before his wife sat down. She glared at him. Jarrod pulled up a chair for her, saying, "All right. You two have something to work out and you'd better do it peacefully or you're going to be back over in jail. Now, I'm not a priest, but I am a lawyer with a lot of experience mediating issues between spouses who are not getting along, so I suggest you just follow my lead. Emily, why don't you go first? What is this about?"

"Sarah Essen," was all Emily said, glaring at her husband.

Jarrod waited. No more was coming. "Who is Sarah Essen?" And he looked at Springer. Jarrod had a feeling he already knew who Sarah Essen was.

Springer said, "No one as important as Emily thinks she is."

"Then why do you come here so often to check on your hotel?" Emily asked. "Once a month at least, and do you think I don't know you've been meeting this Sarah Essen here every time?"

"What makes you think that, Emily?" Jarrod asked.

"I got a wire from someone," Emily said.

"Who?" Jarrod asked.

"It wasn't signed," Emily said. "So I came to see for myself, and I asked one of the clerks and he told me what's been going on."

The clerk who had been fired, no doubt, Jarrod thought. Payback. "What about it, Nat?" Jarrod asked. "Do you have anything to say?"

Springer said, "You're going to listen to a clerk?"

"In this case, yes, I am," Emily said.

Jarrod struggled with whether to say anything about what he personally knew. He looked hard at Springer, who looked back at him. Jarrod was just about to say, Maybe you should tell Emily everything, when Springer got the message from those blue eyes that could speak volumes without saying a word.

"All right," Springer said. "I admit it. I've been seeing a woman here named Sarah Essen."

Emily deflated, as if she didn't really want to hear it was true.

But Springer fessed up. "We've been meeting in room 2B. Even Jarrod walked in on us last night, although he didn't see it was us."

"Why?" Emily pleaded. "Haven't I been good for you? Haven't I supported your career and been faithful to you and gone with you to all the functions you've needed me to and DAMMIT, NAT!"

"You're right!" Springer said. "I'm a heel. I met Sarah here and I started being with her while I was here." But then he perked up. "And one of the reasons I've sold this hotel was so that I wouldn't come back here and be tempted anymore!"

Emily rolled her eyes and slumped back in her chair.

Jarrod was having trouble swallowing that line, too. It sounded like Springer had just grabbed it out of thin air. But he said, "So you won't be coming back here anymore, and you won't be seeing this Sarah Essen anymore."

"No," Springer said.

"And how many other Sarah Essens have there been, Nat?" Emily asked. "How many other regular business stops do you make for this kind of business?"

Springer said, "None."

"I don't believe you," Emily said. Then she looked straight at Jarrod. "Jarrod, I want a divorce and I want you to represent me."

"Emily, under the circumstances, I can't do that but I can help you find a good attorney to represent you in that's if you want. But let's just calm down first," Jarrod said. "That's a very big decision, and you might just want to consult a priest or a minister back home before you decide to break your marriage up."

"I haven't broken it up!" Emily said. "He has!"

"Nevertheless," Jarrod said. "It's a big decision. Nat, were you going to head home soon?"

"Tomorrow, after we settle on the hotel," Springer said.

"Under the circumstances, I don't recommend you travel together," Jarrod said.

"If I leave tonight, he'll be back in Sarah Essen's arms before I'm on the train," Emily said.

"If you're going to divorce me, it won't make much difference, will it?" Springer said.

Emily started to come up out of her chair to throttle him.

Jarrod saw it coming and grabbed her. "Emily, come on, calm down or the sheriff will be back over here and you don't want to get locked up for assault. Come on, sit down."

Jarrod got Emily to sit back down again, but she was fuming.

Jarrod heaved a sigh and said, "I've known the both of you for years. I'd hate to see you throw yourselves into this kind of dispute without at least trying to salvage your life together. Marriage isn't just a sacred relationship – it's the most sacred relationship two people can have. You didn't enter into it lightly, and you shouldn't throw it away lightly." He heaved another sigh.

"I really recommend you go home tonight, Emily, and talk to your priest or minister or whoever your spiritual advisor is tomorrow. Pave the way for Nat coming home tomorrow and talk this out with someone and be very, very sure you can't salvage some happiness out of your life together before you end it. Please."

Emily considered it, and Jarrod could tell by the way she looked at him and at Nat that she felt like they had both deserted her. She looked like she believed there were no friends for her in this room. She stood up, said, "I'm leaving," and walked out.

Springer sighed after the door closed. "Thanks, Jarrod."

"Don't you thank me," Jarrod growled, his eyes turning black and angry.