Chapter 12

There wasn't any luck. The next day, Jarrod took Springer to the train station and saw him off, but nothing else of note happened. Jarrod spotted Davison while he was in the courthouse filing paper on another case and asked if anything was new, but Davison just shook his head. "Still investigating," he said. "It might take another week or so."

Jarrod gave a weary nod. "I sent Springer home this morning. I'm not sure he was happy to go. He has to face his wife now."

"I wouldn't be in his shoes, but then again, I don't frequent Big Annie's."

Jarrod didn't respond to that. He didn't want to get into a discussion about frequenting Big Annie's. He just gave Davison a wave and left the courthouse.

The next morning at breakfast, Jarrod was reminded that Nick was taking Daisy back to the orphanage. "That's a pretty quick second visit, isn't it?" Jarrod asked.

"It's little Mary's birthday," Audra said. "She said she wanted Daisy to come back as her birthday present."

"You might lose that dog, Nick," Heath said. "She might get to liking all the attention from all those little kids."

"Well, it's not my decision," Nick said. "She's Jarrod's dog, remember? His fee."

"No, she's yours now, Nick," Jarrod said. "She adopted you. And if she dumps you for the orphans – "

"If she dumps me for the orphans, I'll understand," Nick said. "They could actually use a guard dog around there."

"They don't have anyone guarding the place except for the sisters," Audra said.

"Well, then, maybe we ought to talk about it with the sisters," Nick said.

"Are you serious?" Victoria asked. "I thought you adored that dog."

"I do," Nick said, "but the sisters really need her more than we do. Shall I open negotiations, Jarrod?"

"Up to you, Nick," Jarrod said. "I know we'd miss her, but it's not like she's being shipped off to Sacramento. Audra would be seeing her all the time."

"Nick, if you would offer Daisy to the orphanage, you'd make me a very happy little sister," Audra said.

"Then we'll talk about it today," Nick said. "That is – " He turned and looked toward Daisy, lying in her duty spot. She looked up at him. "Daisy, how do you like the orphans?"

Daisy wagged her tail and sat up, and darned if it didn't look to all of them like she was smiling.

XXXXXXX

Jarrod rode his horse into town, following along with Nick, Audra and Daisy in the wagon. Daisy lay down comfortably in the back of the wagon, but now and then she opened her eyes to make sure Jarrod was still back there. Jarrod couldn't help but smile at that. Sure, they had other dogs, but Daisy had won everyone's heart, and since she was a house dog, she had become a more sentimental part of the household. Still, Jarrod could understand Nick and Audra wanting to offer her to the orphanage. Jarrod had been concerned about the lack of security there on more than one occasion. When Jeff Bowden escaped and took over the schoolhouse came to mind. With a big, furry, footstool of a guard dog at the orphanage, the kids would be happy and the Jeff Bowdens of the world – and the wandering town drunks – would probably stay away.

Once they entered town, they went to livery stable, where Jarrod left his horse and Nick left the wagon. Nick put the leash on Daisy before he had her jump down. Daisy shook all over, then sat right down beside Nick, looking up at him for instructions.

Jarrod saw that look in Nick's eyes. He was starting to waffle on his decision to give Daisy up. "Changing your mind, Nick?" Jarrod asked.

Nick smiled, embarrassed, and shook his head. "No," he said, giving Daisy's head a rub. "I was thinking on the way here. She'll be a good guard dog, and the kids will get some practice taking care of an animal this size. And Daisy will get all the affection she could want."

Jarrod gave Nick a slap on the back, and the four of them left the livery.

Jarrod pealed off and headed for his office, but he'd hardly gone half a block before he heard a familiar growl and then vigorous barking. He turned and looked – and there was Nick, trying to keep Audra behind him and Daisy's leash hard in his grasp. Daisy was barking wildly at someone, a man in grubby work clothes. Jarrod headed toward them and was astonished to find as he drew close that the seedy looking man Daisy was barking at was Phil Archer.

"Phil!" Jarrod yelled at him as he drew close. "Phil, what the devil – "

Archer was terrified, frozen to the spot, but suddenly he turned on Jarrod with a gun in his hand. Jarrod stopped dead where he was, about fifteen feet away. Archer yelled, "Just stay right there! Right there!"

Daisy kept barking, and Archer turned on her. Terrified that Archer was going to shoot her right there in the street, Jarrod started forward again, slowly, to draw his attention. "Phil, what are you doing? Put the gun down." Jarrod tried talking calmly but Daisy's barking was making Archer more nervous by the minute.

Nick pulled on Daisy's leash. "Daisy! Stay!"

Daisy sat down beside Nick and grew more quiet, but she still growled a low growl and never took her eyes off Archer. Nick kept his eyes on the man, too, but he slipped his hand to his sidearm, ready to draw it if he had to. Behind Nick and Daisy, Audra stood shivering, looking back and forth from Archer to Jarrod.

"Phil, what's this about?" Jarrod asked, calmly and quietly, stepping closer slowly.

Archer kept turning nervously from Jarrod to Daisy. Breathing hard, almost afraid to speak, he finally said, "I want out of here, Jarrod. Just let me get out of here."

"And go where?" Jarrod asked.

"I'm not under arrest," Archer said. "I can go wherever I want to go."

"Why this get-up you're wearing?" Jarrod asked, now maybe eight feet away. "You're right, you're not under arrest but you agreed not to leave town. Why this disguise? This isn't you."

"What's me?" Archer cried. "How do you know what's me?! How did any of you ever know what's me?!"

"Phil, come on," Jarrod said. "Put the gun down. Let's go over to my office and talk."

"No, Jarrod, I'm done here and I'm leaving. Now get this dog out of here!"

"Phil," Jarrod said, "just give me the gun and Nick will take Daisy and Audra away. You and I can go talk."

"Talk?! What is there to talk about?! I'm leaving this town right now and you're not going to stop me!"

Apparently startled because Archer was beginning to yell, Daisy suddenly started up again. Nick ordered her to stay, but it was too late. Archer was turning on her.

Nick didn't get a chance to draw before Archer fired.

But Jarrod did. He hit Archer and Archer's shot went wild as he went down in the street. Jarrod ran to him and kicked the gun away from him. He bent beside him, checked and hoped he hadn't hit the man bad, but he had.

Archer lay there on his side, crying finally. Jarrod saw a bad gut wound. He knew this was going to be the end of Phil Archer, and Jarrod felt tears sting his eyes. He put his gun away. "Phil," Jarrod moaned. "What were you trying to do?"

"Get away," Archer breathed. "I just wanted to get away. I was coming to get – " He coughed. "I wanted to get a wagon and just move - just move out of – here – while I could – but the dog – knew me and Nick – stopped me - "

Jarrod ran his hand over Archer's hair, like he was a child. "Phil, did you kill Mandy Peale?"

Archer looked at Jarrod. All the defenses were down now. "She laughed at me. I couldn't – and she laughed at me. I went in through the back – I'd never been there before but I wanted – and she laughed at me. Jarrod – "

Archer grabbed Jarrod's hand. Nick had taken his hand from his own sidearm and loosened his grip on Daisy's leash. Daisy sat attentively, watching Archer and Jarrod. She was relaxed now, the danger passed.

Archer's grip on Jarrod's hand started to loosen, but Jarrod held on tight. Archer said, "I didn't want to shoot the dog - just fire over her. I wouldn't have – really – "

"Phil, I'm sorry," Jarrod said.

"No, I am," Archer said. "For everything. For Nat. For Mandy Peale. For you. I'm sorry. I'm sorry."

Archer dissolved into tears. Before Nick knew it was happening, before Jarrod saw her coming, Daisy had pulled away from Nick and was right there with Archer, licking his face, licking his hands, wagging her tail.

Archer fell completely apart. He reached up to pet the dog. Now that he had confessed, now that he had repented, Daisy had forgiven him completely, unconditionally. Daisy licked his face again. It was only a moment later that Archer was gone.

Jarrod ran a hand over Daisy's head, whispering his thanks. Nick came and took her by the leash again. Behind them, Audra drew close and buried her head in Nick's back.

Jarrod made no attempt at all to hide his tears.