Chapter 2

Bromley got up the next morning – a Saturday - with an awful hangover and didn't leave the house, eat any food or even take another drink until afternoon came around. Still reeling from the liquor and the shame but starting to feel like he had to get himself together somehow, and starting to feel hungry, he left the house and went to the Empire Saloon.

But he didn't order any liquor. "Harry, just let me have some coffee and a sandwich."

Harry eyed him and nodded to the girl beside him at the bar, to go fetch what Bromley ordered. The place wasn't full but there were several men there, talking. Bromley wasn't listening, until Harry said, "I guess you haven't heard."

"Heard what?" Bromley asked.

"Jarrod Barkley killed Joshua Cunningham last night."

Bromley instantly snapped awake, alert, and certain he'd heard wrong. "What?"

"I don't know the whole story," Harry said. "Everybody's talking about it though. They brought Cunningham's body in last night – Nick and Heath Barkley and the sheriff – and the word is he'd come to the Barkley ranch to kill Jarrod and Jarrod killed him instead."

Bromley couldn't believe it. "But Jarrod's blind! How could he – "

Harry shook his head. "I don't know the details. I just know Jarrod's alive and Cunningham is dead."

Stunned, and suddenly not hungry or even hung over, Bromley thought hard, let it register, and said, "Forget the food, Harry. I gotta go see my boss."

"Glad to hear it," Harry said to himself as Bromley hurried out the door.

Not an hour later, Bromley was knocking on the door to the Barkley house. He hadn't even thought about whether he'd be welcome or not, until their butler Silas opened the door. Bromley hesitated only a moment, until he heard Victoria Barkley's voice from further inside. "Who is it, Silas?"

"Mr. Bromley," Silas said over his shoulder.

Victoria appeared with Silas. She didn't look either welcoming or unwelcoming, just a little tired. She didn't smile, but she did say, "Please come in, Mark. I think Jarrod wants to talk to you."

Bromley removed his hat and went in, wondering why Jarrod would want to talk to him, but he said, "I just heard about what happened last night. Is Jarrod all right?"

Victoria reached for Bromley's hand and drew him in, nodding. "He hurt his back a bit when he took a fall down the stairs, but yes, he's all right. He's in the library. Come with me."

Bromley followed Victoria into the library – and was amazed to hear laughter coming from that room. A man and a woman's laughter. He followed Victoria in and saw Jarrod sitting in the armchair by the fireplace, and Audra on the sofa with a book. She'd been reading to him.

"Jarrod, Mark Bromley is here to see you," Victoria said.

Jarrod started to stand, but Bromley said, "Don't get up. I just heard about everything that happened last night."

Jarrod nodded and said, "Mother, Audra, would you give me a few minutes with Mark?"

Audra put the book down on the coffee table and got up. Victoria said, "Of course," and she and Audra went out.

Jarrod still stared blankly at nothing. He heard the door close and said, "Sit down, Mark. I'd like to talk to you."

Bromley sat down on the sofa. Nervous, he asked, "I heard what happened last night. Are you all right?"

"Except for an aching back, I'm fine," Jarrod said. "At least I've finally stopped shaking this morning. Before you have to ask, Cunningham and his two henchmen, Corell and Mason, were here last night. They sent some other guy ahead who said Heath had been hurt and the doctor wanted my mother in town, but I knew something else was up. I made my sister and Silas go with her, to get them out of harm's way. I was alone here at the house, but I managed to fight them off and I had to kill Cunningham to do it."

"How in God's name did you manage to do that?" Bromley asked.

Jarrod smiled a little. "I got the upper hand. I put all the lights out."

"Oh, Jarrod, I'm so sorry – "

"No, stop. The past is the past. Cunningham is dead, but there's still work to be done. I had to let Mason and Corell get away. I had to make them go away if I was to save myself. But in any event, they're on the run and Sheriff Madden is spearheading the effort to find them and get them back here to stand trial for trying to kill me. That's where I need you."

"Me?" Bromley almost choked on the word.

"You," Jarrod said. "I can't prosecute such a case. Even if I were fit, I'm the victim. I'll be a witness. Mark, you have to handle this case."

Bromley was glad Jarrod couldn't see how red he was turning, how badly he was slumping. "Jarrod, you don't know what happened."

"I think I do know, Mark," Jarrod said. "You were scared. Cunningham got to you. What I need to know – did you take any money from him?"

"No," Bromley said quickly. "I met with him and his lawyer at Sanders's hotel. They wanted to talk about a deal – they said. But then Sanders left the room and Cunningham threatened me straight out. He knew – " Bromley choked again. "He could see I was afraid of him and he didn't have to offer me any money. But he said – he ordered me – to throw the case. I didn't agree to it – but he knew I would do it."

"And you would have done it," Jarrod said.

Bromley looked away. "I don't know. I probably would have."

"Mark – " Jarrod said, so gently that Bromley had to look up at him again. "Mark," Jarrod repeated, "you didn't get the chance to find out, and I know how that has to sting. But you also didn't do anything illegal. You have another chance, and I still need you. I still need Mark Bromley the lawyer, because you're all I have on my staff, and we still have to get Mason and Corell."

Bromley shook his head. "Jarrod, I don't know how I can help you."

"Look at me," Jarrod said.

Bromley looked at him, and ached. Jarrod couldn't look back at him.

Jarrod said, "I'm still blind, and after last night, I know that even if I'm not helpless, I'm still vulnerable. And I'm scared."

Jarrod's voice cracked a little. Bromley felt another wave of guilt wash over him.

Jarrod went on quickly. "I'm as scared as you were with Cunningham. Maybe not as scared as I was when this all first happened, but scared. I need help, and it's your help I need."

"I don't know how I can help you, Jarrod," Bromley said again. "I let you down. I betrayed you and that's why you're – " It stuck in his throat. "That's why you've been blinded," he finally managed to say.

"Cunningham is why I've been blinded," Jarrod said. "Cunningham, and Corell and Mason. Cunningham is dead, but Corell and Mason are still alive, and I'm still scared. And mad."

That last word made Bromley perk up a little, because it made Jarrod perk up to say it.

Jarrod said, "I intend to get them into a courtroom as soon as the sheriff can bring them in, and I intend to put them in prison, because I don't intend to spend my life in fear even if I have to spend it in the dark. I can't put them away without you. I know you're scared. I know you're ashamed of the way you acted. I'm scared and I'm ashamed of the way I acted at first, too. We can help each other. We have to help each other."

For the first time, Bromley felt like maybe he did have an ounce of courage left in him. Jarrod was right. If anyone was going to prosecute Corell and Mason, it was going to have to be him, Mark Bromley. Maybe still scared and maybe still ashamed, but there was no one else who could do it. Bromley decided right then and there he was not going to let Jarrod Barkley down again. "All right. How do we start?"