Chapter 4

Jarrod left Springer in his cell and stopped to talk to Sheriff Madden before he left. "I'll tell you, Jarrod, I am not looking forward to this," was the first thing the sheriff said.

"I can't say I am either," Jarrod said. "Fill me in some more, Fred. Who found the girl's body?"

"Her visitor who came in after Springer," the sheriff said. "Found her dead in her room with that knife sticking in her."

"What time was that?"

"A bit past nine-thirty. I got over there just before ten. I was out on rounds and they had to find me."

"Who came to get you?"

"Angelina, one of Annie's other girls. Archer came in right after me, just after Doc Merar got there."

"Archer came?" Jarrod was surprised. "Who sent for him?"

"I sent for Davison but Dan found Archer first."

Dan was the deputy. "What made you go after Springer?"

"Annie said he was Mandy's last john. I went on over to the hotel, found him trying to get cleaned up but when I saw the blood on his sleeves, I knew I had to arrest him."

"He says he cut himself shaving."

"Yeah, that's what he said to me and he was shaving when I got there. Says he has a heavy beard and always shaves twice a day."

"Yeah, he has since I've known him. He's a fastidious man. I'm surprised he was shaving with his shirt on, though."

"So was I but he told me he was just in a hurry to clean up, considering who he had been with."

Jarrod sat down on the edge of the desk. "I just get the feeling that something isn't adding up."

"It adds up pretty well to me, Jarrod," the sheriff said.

"But why would he stab the girl? There was nothing personal. He didn't even know her."

"It could have been a robbery."

"Why would a rich man like Nat rob a prostitute?" Jarrod shook his head. "He wouldn't. Did you find any money on her?"

"Twenty dollars."

What Springer said he gave her. Jarrod shook his head. "No robbery. Fred, this is a flimsy case."

"Not rock solid, I grant you," Sheriff Madden said, "but the blood on Springer's shirt and the fact that he was the last man seen with her – I gotta tell you, it's looking bad for him. And as for lack of a motive, you know that doesn't mean much when the evidence is doing the talking. I don't care much why a man kills someone when the evidence says he did the killing, and neither will a jury."

Jarrod nodded. "I know. That was always the opening of my closing argument when I was a prosecutor. It almost always worked."

"The preliminary hearing is at two."

Jarrod nodded. "I'll be entering my appearance. Nat is an old friend, and I don't believe he did this, but even if it turns out he did, I'll fight for his life."

"Yeah, that's what I figured."

"I'm gonna try to get him bail, too."

"Go ahead and try, but if you do and he takes off, you're gonna face a lot of 'the Barkleys are helping their rich friends get away with it.'"

"From you too?" Jarrod asked.

"I know better than to make that argument, but I am gonna be one mad sheriff if I have to go chasing Springer down again."

"If I get him bail, he's coming out to the ranch whether he likes it or not."

"Fine with me, but if he crosses you and takes off, it's gonna hurt you in this town and you know it."

"If I thought he'd take off, I wouldn't ask for bail."

Sheriff Madden sighed. "I hope you're right, Jarrod."

XXXXXXX

Arraignment came and Jarrod pleaded Springer not guilty. When he asked for bail, the judge resisted, but granted it so long as Springer went to the Barkley ranch and stayed there. Jarrod knew his family was now essentially Springer's jailers, and he knew that wasn't going to go over very well at the house.

And he was right. When he got Springer home, Victoria and Audra were in the living room, finishing up some hand sewing repair work on the men's work clothes. They smiled to hear Jarrod come in – and frowned to see Springer with him.

Jarrod noticed Daisy lying in her duty spot. She opened her eyes and looked at him and Springer, but then just closed her eyes again. She apparently didn't worry about Springer as much as she disliked Archer.

"Mother, Audra, I think you remember my old friend Nat Springer," Jarrod said and quickly added, "He's out on bail in my custody so he'll be our guest for a while."

"Ladies," Springer said, tipping his hat. He was carrying his suitcase and looking for all the world like a little kid lost alone at a train station.

"Mr. Springer," Victoria said. "Jarrod, I suppose you'll fill us in on the details after your brothers get home."

Boy, that isn't going to go well, Jarrod thought. Springer was beginning to think he'd have been better off staying in jail, given the frostiness in the room. Jarrod said, "We'll talk about this later. Nat, let me take you up to your room so you can get cleaned up."

Jarrod took Springer to one of the guest rooms and showed him the wc. When Jarrod came back down, his brothers were there. He could tell from the looks on all the faces that they knew Springer was going to be staying with them for a while.

"Are you out of your mind?" Nick said straight away. "After what he did with Heath's trial last year – "

"I know what he did, Nick," Jarrod interrupted, "but we parted on friendly terms and he needs my help now."

"That doesn't mean you had to bring him here."

"It was the only way I could get him out of jail. The trial starts in a week and it'll be over in a day or two."

"Do you really think he's innocent, Jarrod, or did he kill that girl?" Heath asked.

"I think it doesn't add up," Jarrod said. "The evidence is against him but it's not strong. I need a lot of time with him and I'm going to have to spend a lot of time nosing around town. I know I'm putting a lot on you, but I need to be sure he stays here, and that might be the toughest chore of all. Please, help me out."

They hesitated, but Nick ultimately said, "Can he herd cattle?"

"I doubt it," Jarrod said. "It might not hurt him to try."

"The question is, will his being here hurt any of us?" Victoria asked.

Heath tried a reassuring smile. "You know, I might just enjoy the heck out of getting Springer out there smelling like beef on the hoof. It might give me a little sense of justice I still need from that trial he 'defended' me in."

Now Nick smiled. "It might at that. All right, Jarrod. You do the legal work. We'll get Springer earning his keep on the back of a horse."

Even Jarrod smiled. "I get to tell him, though."

Now Audra was smirking. "You are all wicked, you know that?"

They all nodded. Jarrod said, "Yeah, we know it."