Chapter Three

Nick, who had gone straight to the boardinghouse, now stood in front of the café-as the matron of the boarding house told him that's where the man Jeremiah and his wife were eating. Since the boarding house offered breakfast, Nick had been surprised until he'd looked through the café window and saw the couple. 'Ten to one they're paying too much for the room and that the 'good matron' wanted to charge them extra for the food as well. They're eating out because they want to eat without to breaking their pocketbook, and this place is good and cheaper.' Nick-who knew how hypocritical the boarding house matron could be-thought as he opened the door to the café and stepped in.

The moment Nick entered the café and started walking towards the couple, La'akea looked at her husband; her eyes saying 'I told you he'd come find you.' However, Jeremiah said nothing; he simply waited.

"I'm sorry for interrupting your breakfast." Nick smiled politely at the woman and then turned his attention to Jeremiah. "I wanted to speak to you before I left town, wanted to extend that job offer again and," he paused, hoping he was remembering right, "to thank you for those apples and jerky you gave me in Charleston, and the few other times you helped me, Mister Shaw."

Jeremiah swore silently. He had hoped that Nick would not recognize his voice. As it was, even though he'd come to realize Nick shouldn't be kept in the dark as it were, he could not afford to acknowledge Nick was right…not with the man sitting at another table, on near enough to enable him to hear what was being said. "I am sorry, Mr. Barkley. My name is Jeremiah Stone. When it comes to the war, I never wore a uniform in any man's army. Though, I don't think my wife would object if you joined us for breakfast."

"You are more than welcome." La'akea smiled, though her eyes screamed she was more than nervous.

Nick frowned slightly due to the fact that, while he heard every word the man said, he also saw the unspoken message that was in the gentleman's eyes. A message that said, if Nick would play along, Jeremiah would explain later. That, along with the man's wife's nervousness, Nick pulled a chair out and sat down. "Thanks, I am hungry."

"Is that job offer still good, even though I'm not this Shaw person you thought I was? I really could use it."

Nick, who had also seen the man at the other table-and noticed how his eyes had went from looking excited when he heard him call Jeremiah Mister Shaw to having a look of disappointment when he heard Jeremiah give Nick a different name and say he'd never worn uniform. "It's still open." Nick said after a few minutes of silence. He had to find out what was going on and giving the man a job was the only way he could see accomplishing that. However, his eyes sent a message to Jeremiah as well. One that screamed 'you best start talking the first chance you get.'

Nick then ordered breakfast and visited with Jeremiah and his wife-though the talk was kept light until his food was brought to him. After that, the three ate quietly before exiting the building. Once outside Nick turned to Jeremiah. "Do you mind telling me why you den…" He started to ask only to have Jeremiah cut him off.

"Not here, Mr. Barkley." Jeremiah quickly scanned the area. He was relieved when the few people who were out walking around were far enough away that hearing either Nick or himself would be impossible. Still, he wasn't going to explain anything in the middle of town. "My wife will go get our few belongings and meet you outside of town, on the south end."

Nick might have argued and asked why the gentleman couldn't explain things right then and there only the man who had been sitting in the café stepped out. That being the case, Nick simply thanked 'Mr. Stone' and then watched the couple walk away.

"Funny how we meet folks who remind us of other people." The man behind him spoke up.

Nick turned around and found himself with the feeling that this man needed to be thoroughly convinced that Nick had been mistaken about who Jeremiah was. "Yeah, once we started visiting I was more than embarrassed to realize he really wasn't who I thought he was."

"You thought think he might have changed his name, to start over?" The man asked the question as if he too had thought about the possibility.

"Yeah, but after talking with him and his wife, I realized just how wrong I was. Now, if you don't mind, I need to go." Nick turned and walked away.

When it came to the stranger, he went across the street to the telegraph office and sent a telegram to Stockton. It was sent to James Barrett and simply read "You were told wrong STOP Leaving California STOP No need for me here STOP. Afterwards, he saddled his horse and headed north.

"You sure he's not going to follow us?", La'akea stood next to the window of the room she and her husband had used.

"Yes," Jeremiah let out a sigh of relief. "If he was, he wouldn't have gone to the telegraph office and left town. Whatever Nick Barkley said to him must have convinced the man he was wasting his time."

"So," La'akea turned away from the window, walked over to the brass bed and sat down. "You will tell Nick Barkley everything when we meet up?"

Jeremiah also turned away from the window. When he did, he saw the questioning look in his wife's eyes and read between the lines. "I'll tell him about Barrett, what I've been asked to do ask and why. I'll explain everything. I'll also ask for his and his family's help. Yes, I'm informing them of what is going on." He held up his hand when she stiffened, thinking she was going to object. "I never agreed to leaving them clueless as to what I was going to Stockton for. I never promised anything when it came to the Barkleys. I realized that last night."

La'akea folded her arms and gave him somewhat of nonverbal chastisement. "You will tell them everything about the mission, but say nothing about the secret handed to you by Mama Shaw on her deathbed?

Jeremiah threw his hands up in the air and turned back to the window. "I told you before, I have no solid proof to hand them. All I really have is Amanda Shaw's dying confession, nothing more!"

"What about the obituary in the Bible, and the letter your aunt gave you?" La'akea stood up and walked back to her husband, laying her hand on her husband's arm.

"There's nothing in the obituary that verifies what Amanda said Matthew confessed to her on his deathbed. That is nothing that would be considered solid proof of anything I might say. I don't even know why the item was kept. It makes no sense to and, since Matthew and Amanda are on the other side, I can't ask them, can I? When it comes to the letter my 'dear' aunt says she found in the trunk in our living room, she probably forged it. I wouldn't put it past her." He wrapped his arms around his wife and held her close. "Just consider the subject closed, okay? I have a job to do and, if we're blessed, we'll have the Barkleys' help."

La'akea still didn't agree with her husband only he had a point when it came to his aunt….she wasn't trustworthy. So, for her husband's sake, she agreed to do as they asked. After what seemed like an eternity, her husband let go of her…saying they needed to get their things and leave. 'We don't need to keep Nick Barkley waiting' were his exact words.