Chapter 7

Jarrod pocketed his pad and pencil and went on the hunt, to Big Annie's place and nearby. He spoke to Big Annie and all of her girls, got as much information about Mandy as he could, and got Annie to let him search Mandy's room. From there, he scoured the neighborhood, talking to every bartender, shopkeeper, and streetwalker he could buttonhole. Respectable people didn't frequent this part of town, but when he spotted one, he talked to that man, too. He talked to so many people that by the end of the day his memo pad was full and his voice was almost gone.

But he did find out a couple things that looked useful, things he would bring up with Archer at his deposition. Jarrod had to admit to himself, he was salivating at the thought of actually deposing Phil Archer. Archer had been difficult over the years, and while he always acted professionally toward him, Jarrod secretly wanted some payback. It looked like now he was going to get it – so he had to be sure to rein himself in and behave like an ethical attorney should behave. He didn't want to let his personal feelings toward the man carry him away.

But he really didn't want to think what he was beginning to think. He didn't want to go where things seemed to be taking him.

It was well past dinner when Jarrod got home. Victoria and Audra were reading in the living room, but Nick, Heath and Springer – and Daisy – were nowhere around. "Where is everybody?" Jarrod asked as he put his briefcase and hat down on the table in the foyer.

"Playing pool," Audra said. "Daisy followed Nick to the door, so Mother said it was all right for her to be with the men this evening."

Jarrod chuckled. "Maybe she felt the need to protect Nick and Heath from Nat. He is an excellent pool player. Some money might be changing hands in there."

"Undoubtedly," Victoria said. "We heard a big groan out of Nick a while ago." Victoria put her book down and eyed her oldest as he went for a drink at the refreshment table. "You've had a very long day."

"Yes," Jarrod admitted and brought his drink to this thinking chair. "Fruitful, though. I think I'm getting somewhere on Nat's case."

Victoria still eyed him. "Then why don't you look happier?"

Jarrod didn't realize he had been scowling. "I don't necessarily like where I'm going." He perked up. "Anyway, it's nothing I can talk about yet, and I could use a sandwich or something. Pardon me, ladies."

Jarrod got up and went to the kitchen. Silas was finishing up cleaning the kitchen for the night, but he was used to Barkleys coming in at the last minute, especially Jarrod who was often coming home at a late hour. "Good evening, Mr. Jarrod," Silas said. "What can I get for you?"

"Is there anything I can make a sandwich out of, Silas?"

Silas opened the ice box door and pulled out a plateful of small sandwiches. "Ham. I was going to take them into the men in the library because they've been playing some serious pool in there."

Jarrod chuckled and took the plate from him. "Allow me. If I don't keep my hands on these, I may never get to eat one once I get them to the library."

Jarrod carried the plate and his scotch into the library, where his brothers and Springer were finishing up a game of pool. At least, Nick and Heath were handing money over to Springer, who was smiling.

"Jarrod, why didn't you tell us this man could play this game?" Nick asked unhappily.

"You didn't ask," Jarrod said, set the plate of sandwiches on the desk and grabbed one for himself. He noticed Daisy lying quietly in front of the desk. He half considered giving her a sandwich, but knew it was not a good idea. She was on duty, and she didn't seem interested in the sandwiches anyway.

Nick and Heath put their pool cues away and grabbed sandwiches. Springer held onto his cue, asking, "Did you find out anything today, Jarrod?"

"Yes, and you and I need to talk," Jarrod said. He looked at Nick and Heath. "Would you boys mind giving us the room?"

Nick and Heath headed for the door, Heath saying, "Not at all. It'll save us some money."

Jarrod gave a chuckle as Daisy followed them out the door. He closed the door behind them. "How much did you take them for?" he asked Springer.

"Oh, about five dollars a piece," Springer said and put his pool cue on the table. Then he leveled a hard look at his attorney. "What did you find out today?"

"Well," Jarrod said and finished off his sandwich. "For one thing, Sam Davison is taking over the case."

Springer looked surprised. "Archer's out?"

"As prosecutor, yes," Jarrod said, leaned against the edge of the desk and grabbed another sandwich. "Davison and I are both a little concerned that when they found Phil the other night to bring him to Big Annie's, they found him awfully close to her place already. He doesn't have a very good excuse for that."

Springer's mouth fell open. "Are you telling me you're thinking he's involved in this somehow?"

Jarrod shrugged a little. "It's just odd. I spent the day checking it out, and I'm going to depose him the day after tomorrow."

"You can't be serious," Springer said. "I'd believe I did it myself before I'd believe Archer killed that girl."

"Nat, if there's one thing I've learned in the past few years, it's that any man can murder someone if the conditions are right," Jarrod said. "Even Phil Archer."

Springer kept shaking his head. "No, no. Come on, Jarrod. We've both known Phil for a long time, and for one thing 'ladies of the trade' don't interest him."

"How do we know that, Nat?" Jarrod asked. "A lot of years have gone by since we were in school. Men change. Think about it. He goes to see Mandy to see if he can do the job, and he can't, and she laughs at him – you don't think a man, even Archer, wouldn't react badly to that?"

Springer looked like he was thinking about it, but he still shook his head. "What do you have that amounts to evidence, Jarrod?"

"Archer being where he wasn't supposed to be. An unlocked back door. Three different people seeing him closer to Big Annie's before he was found after the murder. A witness who saw him washing his hands at a horse trough just before the sheriff's deputy found him and took him to Mandy's room. Phil giving an excuse to Davison for where he was that doesn't add up to Davison."

Springer looked like he was going to fall over. "Even if all I had was that much, I could make it work. And that scares the hell out of me, Jarrod. Phil Archer?"

Jarrod nodded and finished his second sandwich. "I know, Nat. I don't like the man much myself, but to think he'd turn into a murderer is something that practically breaks my heart. I might be able to nail this down at his deposition – but I'm not going to like it very much."

"Are you going to try to get him to confess?"

Jarrod nodded slowly. "If Sam Davison doesn't do it first." Then he shook his head. "The thought of hanging Phil Archer turns my stomach."

"The thought of hanging me turns my stomach more," Springer said.

XXXXXXX

After Nick, Heath and Nat left to go out into the field the next morning, Jarrod gathered his paperwork together to head into town. He put his gunbelt and hat on, but before he could move toward the door, he heard a knock. Coming down the stairs, Silas began to head for the door, but Jarrod said, "I've got it, Silas," and went to it. When he opened the door, he was surprised to see Phil Archer standing there.

On duty by the table in the foyer, Daisy raised her head, stared at Archer and growled.

Archer took his hat off and began to tremble, looking at Daisy. "Can't you get that dog to be still, Jarrod?"

Jarrod gave Daisy a look. Maybe Daisy had been trying to tell him something the last time Archer was here. "Daisy has her own way of looking at people, Phil," Jarrod said. "Come on in. She won't hurt you."

Archer came in cautiously. He didn't move any further in while Jarrod closed the door. He just kept staring at Daisy, who kept staring back with her low growl.

"Stay, Daisy," Jarrod said.

Daisy lowered her head back to the floor where she was lying and stopped growling, but she continued to stare at Archer.

Jarrod led Archer into the living room. "What can I do for you, Phil? Sam told me he was taking over the Peale case."

"Yes, he is," Archer said, still eyeing Daisy but giving it up as he and Jarrod entered the parlor. "That's not exactly why I'm here."

"What can I do for you?"

Archer finally looked at Jarrod and sighed. "I think I need a lawyer."