Chapter Thirty-Five

Jarrod was furious as he paced the floor in the study. After hearing everything John had to say, Jarrod had left Heath with their brother while he returned to the house. He'd told his mother to get Wally and Jenny and bring the couple to the study. Jarrod had then hurried to the study to avoid any questions that might be raised if any of their remaining guests saw just how angry he was. Jarrod stopped pacing and quickly sat in the chair behind the desk when the study door began to open. He had too for one mere fact; if he didn't, he was going to put his fist across Wally's jaw.

"What is this all about, Jarrod?" Victoria, who knew Jarrod well enough to know when he was angry, but controlling it, could see that type of emotion in her son's ice cold eyes as he looked upon Wally. Jenny must have felt it also; she took a small step backwards.

For the first time in his life, Jarrod didn't answer his mother. Instead, he kept an icy glare on Wally and said, "When you stopped by my office last week, you said there was a ranch you and Jenny were interested in, one in Montana. You said the two of you couldn't buy it and run this one as well. You said you'd sell your ranch here without a second thought if you had a decent offer. Does that still stand?"

Victoria, who had been elated to have the friendship between the Barkleys and Miles patched up, now had the most uncomfortable feeling come over her. While she could not prove it right that second, she just knew the friendship was over for good. "Jarrod?" she asked in a bit more forceful manner.

Jarrod again shocked Victoria by not answering her. Instead, he kept his eyes on the Miles' and repeated his question.

Wally recognized the name John Summers the moment he'd heard it, and known exactly who it was the minute he heard that John was from Carson City, Nevada. He had avoided coming to the Barkley's home because of it. However, without telling Jenny everything, he had had no choice but to attend the party. When John had not approached him, Wally had hoped that it meant nothing would come of the visit. However, when John had stormed out of the house he'd feared something like this was coming. While a portion of him wanted to demand why Jarrod was asking, he didn't, as he feared he already knew the answer. "I meant it." He answered after an awkward second, more out of fear than anything else.

"Fine," Jarrod stood up and headed for his wall safe that he had had installed in the study a few months before. "I have a buyer for your ranch. His offer is three times what your ranch is worth, but there are a few conditions that are attached to it." By the time he was finished speaking, Jarrod had opened his safe, pulled out a large stack of bill. Putting the money into an envelope, Jarrod turned to face the Miles. He wasn't surprised to see his mother and Jenny staring at him while Wally Miles stood rigidly lay by.

"Why…." Victoria again started to once again speak only to have surprise come over her yet again as he raised his hand and stopped her.

"With all due respect Mother, I cannot answer any questions right now." He turned his attention to Wally, who was feeling more and more uncomfortable. "The conditions are these; one, you don't ask who the buyer is; two, you take your wife and go home, get anything you absolutely need and leave town tonight." Both Victoria and Jenny let out a gasp, though it did not stop Jarrod from continuing. "The amount the buyer is paying you will enable you to find a place to live in Montana until the sale on the other land goes through."

"You said a few; what else?" Wally asked, not daring to look at his wife.

"Yes, one more." Jarrod sat on the edge of his desk and held up the envelope. He paused on purpose, wanting to send the message just as serious he was about the last one condition. Just as Jenny was about to speak, Jarrod said, "You never set foot in California again; stay away from Nevada as well."

That statement was too much for Victoria, and she took a step towards her son. "JARROD! WHAT…."

"No, Victoria," Wally stopped her this time as he looked into Jarrod's eyes which had only grown colder with each spoken word. "I'm sorry, Jenny." He looked at his wife, who he could tell was in a state of disbelief. "We'll take the offer." Wally held out his hand for the money only to have Jarrod hand him a piece of paper and pen.

"Make out a bill of sale; along with your promise never step foot in either state, and then you'll get the money." Jarrod's voice was flat and without feeling.

Wally sighed, took the paper and, putting it on the top of Jarrod's desk, quickly wrote a bill of sale and the required promise, and then took the envelope. He then took his wife's hand and led the very confused and upset woman out of the study. The moment the couple was out of the room, Victoria let loose.

"Jarrod Thomas Barkley! WHAT was that all about? WHY did YOU buy their ranch, and why are you exiling them from this house, this state and Nevada? And don't tell me the buyer isn't you. The portion of the safe you took that money from is for your own personal items, not to hold business transactions in!" There was fire in Victoria's eyes as she spoke, though Jarrod quickly extinguished the fire and replaced it with more confusion and shock.

"Would you rather watch John pack his bags and leave us forever?" Jarrod replied as he walked around his desk and sat down in his chair once more.

Victoria couldn't speak for a moment. When she did finally find her voice, she asked, "Why did John leave the party? Why all of this? What don't I know?"

Jarrod leaned on the edge of his desk and did his best to relax enough to talk. "When it comes to the party, I'm not exactly sure. John wouldn't say, said that now since he knew Evans was dead and not just living elsewhere it didn't matter. When it comes to what took place in this room?" Jarrod shook his head. "The night Evan was killed I told Wally 'I just hope I have found enough', remember?"

Victoria stiffened as she felt a cold chill run down her back; she sat down in a nearby chair. "I remember."

Jarrod took a deep breath. "I wish I had kept digging." His shoulders slumped slightly forward. "During one of his 'vacations' Evans was in Carson City for a spell. One night he…." Jarrod paused, feeling more than sick to his stomach. "He came across John and his late wife, Eliza. He knocked John out and assaulted Eliza." He paused as he heard his mother gasp. "No, John didn't see who knocked him out, but Evan's wallet dropped to the ground without him noticing it. Later, when John came to, Eliza was still unconscious. He got her home as soon as he could and sent for the doctor. She regained consciousness, but never spoke a word or left the bed again. She birthed their baby a couple of weeks later and died. It was too soon though, and the baby died because of it."

"If they had Evan's wallet, why didn't they arrest him?" Victoria asked, though she knew the answer as soon as the words were out of her mouth.

Jarrod let out a disgusted 'harrumph' and told her the law did just that only Wally had shown up in town and talked to the sheriff. "While he was in town the wallet mysteriously disappeared. The sheriff suspected Wally had a hand in it, but couldn't prove it. Wally was never seen near the sheriff's office…he actually talked to the lawman while the two of them ate in the café." Jarrod sighed, "John said he'd have gone after Evan himself only one…Wally had his son out of the town before Eliza died, and two…when he went to the sheriff's office to look at the records, they weren't there." Jarrod went on to say that his hot tempered brother had no clue as to which state Evan or Wally were from. "Apparently, the 'good sheriff' forgot to record that one and claimed he couldn't remember. And, before you ask why someone didn't make the sheriff talk, they couldn't…the man up and died from a heart attack before John could get a hold of the local judge. He says he would have 'drunk Nevada dry' only Mrs. Davies and William really came through when it came to giving him the support he needed. As it is, he still managed to get downright drunk on more than one night." Jarrod looked apologetically at his mother as the bitter tone that had been in his voice vanished. "I'm sorry. I know how much you hoped to have a lifelong friendship with Jenny."

"Not at the cost of this family losing your brother over the likes of her husband." Victoria stood up, "Where is John?"

"With Heath, I'm sure the two will be back once they see Wally and Jenny drive away. And, no, John doesn't know what I just did. All I told him was that I had an idea and, if it worked, it would be the Miles leaving not him." He nodded towards the door. "Let's get back to the party, Audra's probably going crazy trying to play hostess by herself."

Victoria took a deep breath, in order to get her composure back in place, and followed Jarrod out of the study.