Chapter Sixteen
Stockton, California

The lawyer, Jarrod Barkley, flipped through the file for the third time. There wasn't enough information on the man to satisfy the diligent attorney. Jarrod knew the information he needed wasn't important to the prosecuting attorney. On the other hand, Jarrod thought the only chance for the man was to get some personal information on him.

Only the facts to help hang the man resided in the cream colored envelope. The past only consisted of the man's army record. He figured the prosecutor had retrieved that information due to it would help convict the man. He was a sharpshooter. He was a prisoner of war. That was all the record showed letting a possible jury know the man was able to kill another human. As far as the prisoner of war, they could use that to make the man look beaten down, angry, and perhaps slightly insane. Maybe he was.

Jarrod rubbed his neck as he turned down the lamp. He needed to speak to this man before he could get a clear view of what to do in this case. After all, it was his first criminal case. He was looking forward to it more than anyone realized. His father and mother were very supportive. His siblings had their own lives to deal with. Nick was too interested in the ranch to bother worrying of Jarrod's dreams. Audra was only fourteen and beginning to be curious of boys. Big brother's aspirations weren't a concern. This was about what he wanted and how his life was going to go after this case.

He knew how to win a case as far as business dealings or legalities. He was well sought after by many in those scenarios. That didn't give Jarrod Barkley the satisfaction of why he became a lawyer. Sure helping a farmer, who was being cheated, or a widow keep her land were noble cases. He enjoyed seeing that justice was done in many cases like that. However, Jarrod Barkley wanted more to his career of being a lawyer. Now, he had to prove he had what it took for criminal law. Of all the cases to prove that on, Jarrod was thrown an almost impossible case.

The man was accused of killing at least three people in cold blood. Then two were killed in self defense. Two more people were killed by the man but not sure what took place there. The law had no proof either way on those two. It could be self defense or it could be a robbery by the man.

Jarrod would have the prosecuting attorney declare that two were clearly self defense. His aunt was after him with a butcher knife. The other man, a gambler, was drunk and pulled a gun. He would take care of those cases first thing. Therefore, Jarrod had to concentrate on the other three murders.

Grace or Red was the most difficult to wrap his head around. She was a prostitute. She was shot in the back. Jarrod hated that he would use her lifestyle to shed favor on Heath Thomson. But he had to use his only resources to work this case. Fred Garland was killed but that could've been self defense even if the man had no weapon. He was huge. Jarrod would have to get a look at the man named Heath Thomson. If he were smaller in build than Mr. Garland, that could help Mr. Thomson's case. Then there was the man's uncle. According to some, the man had been an abusive uncle. At least that was in the file.

Jarrod rubbed his neck again. Life in prison for the man would have to be his goal. Hanging is what the prosecutor wanted. Jarrod knew the case didn't look good. The man had killed two women. That was a huge blot against any man no less one like Heath Thomson. Which was another problem Jarrod faced. Prejudice of Heath Thomson being an illegitimate born. Most saw people like that unworthy of life already. That was also a note in the file. Obviously the prosecutor was going to use that fact. Jarrod never did understand and never would how a person's birth had anything to do with the person himself.

Tomorrow morning Jarrod Barkley would begin his first case. He had a new suit already hanging in the corner of his office ready to put on. He'd meet this man, Heath Thomson. Jarrod would find out information not in the file such as the man's age and place of birth. That wasn't there because it was of no use to the prosecution. However, Jarrod knew that some times interviewing people from a man's past could help shed light onto a situation. Therefore, Jarrod would listen to this man's story and find out more information to help in the man's case.

Jarrod stood up and stretched. He already informed his father he would be staying at his office for the night. He didn't want to be tainted by Nick's view of the man. After all, Nick had been on the posse that caught Heath Thomson. For months, Nick had ridden on and off with Fred Madden and Frank Sawyer in search of the man. The trail would be hot than cold. The man was good at hiding and not being tailed. Nick would sometimes take off with a posse after the man as he was determined to help catch him. Then he'd come back to the ranch when the trail ran cold. A lucky break came by one of the man's friends turning him in for the reward money. Jarrod wondered what type of man could be easily traded for a $500.00 bounty.

_

Nick Barkley paced back and forth in front of the large fireplace in the Barkley mansion. His fist repeatedly slammed into the palm of his hand.

"Nicholas Jonathan Barkley, would you please settle down?" Victoria looked up from her mending. "What has gotten into you?"

"Mother is right, Nick. You've been wound tight since you came home from riding with the posse." Audra stated as she jerked her finger back after sticking it with a needle. "Ouch."

"Be careful, dear. I told you when you darn socks to pay closer attention." Victoria admonished her fourteen year old daughter before readdressing Nick. "You caught that man, didn't you?"

"Yeah. We got him." Nick stopped pacing long enough to pour himself a whiskey. "Where's Jarrod?"

"Judge McCoy set him up with a criminal case. He was biting at the bit for one. He is staying in town for the night." Thomas Barkley spoke as he walked into the parlor. "Pour me one too, son. I'm beat. Getting those cattle to water was a might tiring."

"Did you get them all there?" Nick handed his father the drink he had poured before filling another glass for himself.

"Yep." Tom said as he leaned to kiss his wife before plopping down into his favorite chair. "Didn't lose a one of them. Could have used your help though." The graying blonde pulled off his boots as he stretched out his legs. "Smells like Silas is cooking up a roast beef."

"Well, Fred Madden needed men for his posse or I'd been to ride with a famous lawman like Frank Sawyer sealed the deal with me going along." Nick threw back the whiskey allowing it to burn its way down his throat. "We wouldn't have caught up to Heath Thomson if it wasn't for his own turning against him."

Victoria nodded as she smiled at her husband. "Silas is indeed making roast beef. Nick was getting ready to tell us why he's acting in such a manner, Darling. Isn't that right, Nick?"

Tom arched an eyebrow as he waited for his son to inform the family why he was so agitated. Nick rubbed his hand across his scruffy chin before he leaned against the fireplace. He stared at the cold unburned wood before sighing.

"Nothing really. It's the fact the boy was so young. They say Heath Thomson has killed around nine or ten men. Doesn't seem possible being that young." Nick squeezed one hand into a fist. He'd not mention that the boy had him shook up due to his familiarity. Nick was trying to figure out where he saw him before.

"How old was he, Nick?" Audra placed her mending aside as she asked.

"Perhaps, this isn't a conversation for young ladies." Victoria warned her daughter, who seemed too interested in things of such nature.

"Oh, Mother. I merely asked his age." Audra proclaimed. "It isn't like I want the details of the capturing him or this Heath Thomson's crime spree."

"Very well, dear." Victoria patted Audra's knee. "Nick?"

"The boy was only a couple of years older than Audra the way I figure it." Nick watched as his mother and sister gasped. He never noticed Tom's sudden look of shock displayed on his face. "Sad how a kid could turn out like that. Wonder what made his life that way?"

"It is hard tellin'. Some aren't as blessed as you have it here, Nick." Tom stood up as he watched Silas enter the room. He needed a distraction from the information about Heath Thomson. Could it be possible? "Looks like it is time to eat. I'm starved."

Victoria latched onto Tom's arm. She smiled up at him as he crookedly smiled down at her.

Nick's breath hitched in his lungs when he saw his father's smile. It was the same smile on his father he had seen on the boy. He stood motionless until Audra placed her hand in the crook of Nick's arm.

"You get to lead me to dinner, Nick." Audra joked. "Jarrod isn't going to be home tonight."

Nick smiled down at his little sister. Again, his breath was caught momentarily. He wanted to deny the reality of his little sister having the same features as the blonde gunslinger. It was coincidental. That's all it was. Nick had to deny the facts staring him in the face.

After all, if the facts were anything but coincidence that Heath Thomson looked like his father and little sister, Nick would have to face that it may be his father's fault of why a young man could be caught up in the life Heath Thomson was.