Chapter 11

By the time Jarrod and Davison got down the street, Daisy had calmed down and was sitting quietly beside Nick. Archer and Chandler were still frozen in place, Chandler beginning to breathe again but Archer was unmoving, staring at the dog.

"Get the dog out of here," Chandler said.

Jarrod put himself between Daisy and the men she was eyeing. "Steve, why don't you and Phil just move off quietly and go back to your office? Daisy won't bother you anymore."

"She better not, or I'll have her shot!" Archer said as Chandler took hold of his arm and the two of them backed away. In a moment they had crossed the street and disappeared down an intersecting street.

Jarrod turned toward Nick and Daisy, but Nick was just shrugging. Daisy looked perfectly calm, sitting attentively, wagging her tail. Jarrod reached down to her, and Daisy put her muzzle into his hand so he could pet her. She seemed perfectly all right. "She doesn't like Phil much," Jarrod said.

"Good judge of character," Nick said.

"Maybe more than we know," Jarrod said.

Davison didn't hear what they had said to each other. He just stepped up beside Jarrod and said, "I'll be back at my office. I'll talk to you later today, Jarrod."

"All right," Jarrod said, nodding. Then, as Davison walked away, Jarrod turned toward Nick. "I think you'd better get Daisy on home."

"That's where I was about to go," Nick said. "We left the wagon at the livery. I was headed there, and Daisy just started growling and barking when she saw Archer. I just stayed here and finally calmed her down."

Jarrod nodded. "Did Archer do anything that set Daisy off?"

Nick shook his head. "Not that I saw. Daisy just got one look at him and started barking. How'd that deposition go?"

"About like I expected," Jarrod said, but he would not go into details. "Was Daisy all right at the orphanage?"

"A princess. The kids climbed all over her and she ate it up. We're going to come back again in a few days. What Daisy has against Archer, I don't know, other than he's a worm."

Jarrod had been giving it some thought, about what in Archer was angering Daisy every single time she was near him. He wondered if it could be what he thought it was – that somehow she could sense, probably with that incredible nose, that the man was a liar. Men tended to sweat more when they lied. Maybe that or something else was giving off a scent that Daisy knew she didn't like. Jarrod just shrugged to Nick. "Dogs smell what we can't. There's something she doesn't like about the way Archer smells."

Nick said, "Daisy's not the only one. Will you pick Audra up at the orphanage when you can and bring her home?"

Jarrod nodded, and Nick went on his way, Daisy ambling obediently at his side.

Jarrod gave himself a moment to figure out where he wanted to go and what he wanted to do. It was still too early in the day for lunch or a drink, but he needed to be out of his office for a while. He took a walk.

XXXXXXX

Three o'clock rolled around, and back at his office Jarrod decided to pack up his notes from the deposition and take them home to go over. He was tired, and Audra needed a ride home. He was just about to head out the door when his secretary knocked on the door and poked her head in. "Mr. Barkley, Mr. Davison is here."

"Send him in," Jarrod said.

Jarrod was standing at the table where they had held the deposition. Sam Davison came over to him, saying, "Well, I had a long talk with Chandler and Archer."

"And?" Jarrod asked.

"I suspended Archer pending further investigation into some of the allegations you made in your questions in the deposition."

"How'd Archer take that?"

"Not well," Davison said with a sigh, "and it leaves me without an Assistant DA."

"I'd offer my services, but it's still my client you have on the hook for this murder," Jarrod said.

"I've moved to postpone the trial and set another date later, if necessary," Davison said. "I assume you won't object."

"I'd rather you dismiss the charges, but I understand. Is Nat free to go home to San Francisco?"

"The judge isn't too keen on that, but I submitted an order on that with my motion and he said he'd sign it if you file agreeing to the indefinite postponement."

"I'll do that right away. Do you have a copy of the motion for me?"

Davison took the paper out of his breast pocket and handed it over. Jarrod read it. It was short and sweet. He nodded. "I'll have Angie type up an agreement to your motion and file it before I leave for the day. Sam, I am really sorry about all this. I have no love for Phil Archer, but he was a friend once, and I don't like this any better than you do."

"I know that," Davison said and headed for the door.

"Is Phil under arrest yet?"

"No, but he's agreed not to leave town. I guess he'll be getting a lot of practice on that saxhorn of his."

Jarrod chuckled a little as Davison left, but only a little. He found himself unexplainably sad over what was happening to Phil Archer. He never dreamed Archer would ever have gotten himself into a mess like this, or that he'd be the one to catch Archer at it. Jarrod left his briefcase, but went into the outer office and asked his secretary type up an agreement to the trial postponement. "I need to run to the orphanage to fetch my sister," he said. "Do you think you can have that ready for me in about fifteen minutes?"

"Certainly, Mr. Barkley," Angie said.

"I'll be right back," Jarrod said and headed out the door.

XXXXXXX

Dinner was a happy occasion at the Barkley house. Nat Springer was sprung from further duty at the chuck wagon and was more than ready to go home to San Francisco, and even though Nick and Heath were happy to get rid of him as a field hand, they weren't as happy as they thought they would have been.

"There's a job here for you when you need it, Nat," Heath even said

Springer gave him a doubtful eye. "I think I'll try to stay out of trouble and stick to the law."

After dinner, Jarrod met with Springer in the library and explained to him in more detail what was going on. "Of course, if you are called back here to Stockton, I and the court will be expecting you to return without any objection," Jarrod said.

Springer nodded. "After I talk to my wife about all this, I may be back here before you know it. I see a divorce in my future."

"Aw, Nat, maybe not," Jarrod said. "Not if you change your ways and beg forgiveness."

"Can I leave on the morning train?" Springer asked.

Jarrod nodded. "The order is signed and you're free to go on the midnight train if you want."

"No, I think I better be well rested before I face my wife." Springer extended his hand. "Jarrod – I don't know how to repay you."

"Pay your bill when you get it," Jarrod said, shaking Springer's hand, "but take heart. The wages Nick owes you will be deducted from the bill."

"How much is that? Three dollars?"

"Something like that," Jarrod said with a chuckle. "Come on, now, let's join the family for a nightcap brandy to close out your little vacation with us."

"You'll let me know how things go with Phil, won't you?" Springer said as the two of them left the library. "I detest the little weasel even more after he framed me, but I hate to see what's happening to an old school chum."

"I'll stay in touch," Jarrod said. "With any luck, he'll confess before the train even arrives in San Francisco."