Chapter Twenty

"Oh—oh," Nick tried to sit up under the hay. He spit out the straw and dirt in his mouth and groaned.

His vision was blurred as he pushed up his weight against the hay.

A hotel busboy taking some trash out heard his moan.

He cleared the hay off him and told him, "Lay still. Let me get Doctor Merar. Your eyes don't look so good."

"My head." as he felt for his gun. It was gone. His money clip, too.

"What happened?" another boy came over.

"No idea," and he leaned himself slowly back into the hay. His head was swirling and he threw up over the side of the wagon.

"Drunk?" the boy asked.

Nick shook his head, "My friend died in the hotel."

"The army man?"

"Yes," Nick said, rubbing his eyes.

"You don't look so good."

"I know."

He looked over and saw the busted wheel, a discarded hammer, anvil and pitchfork. They looked to be brand new.

It registered in his mind as unusual but the throb in his head took over and he wretched again.

—-&—-

Jarrod and Heath were in the study going over a mining contract—when one of the hands was brought in by Silas.

"Mr. Barkley's—-both of ya. Is Nick here?"

Jarrod furrowed his brow at the young man, "No. he's in town with a sick friend. What is going on?"

"McColl is up at —-, " he stuttered under Jarrod's glare and the implication of his words, "Iiiiisla del Ciego. Found the Kyles up there dead. Shot up. Duke was with little James."

Jarrod's eyes grew icy cold, "Is anyone else hurt? And why did you ask about Nick?"

"Cause they were killed with his gun."

Heath grabbed two guns out of the cabinet, "Let's go Jarrod"

"Go get Sheriff Madden," Heath said as they were walking out.

"Don't say anything to the ladies until we know what's going on." He added.

Victoria appeared in the doorway, "What are we not telling the ladies?"

Heath looked sheepishly like a small boy caught in a lie.

"Didn't want to worry you."

"About?"

Jarrod still had not said a word.

Heath answered, "Found the Kyles dead on our land, Isla del Ciego."

"Oh, my goodness."

"How?"

"Shot." and he left out the part about Nick's gun.

"Send word when you know something,"

"Yes, mother. We will."

And the silent Jarrod led the way out of the house.

Eugene ran up after them, "I am coming with ya."

—-&—-

Dr. Merar got Nick into his wagon and to his office.

"I sent for the sheriff. We were together all night and I know you weren't drunk."

"Went to check on Jock's wagon—-return it to the livery. Can't remember anything after that."

"Your gun and money are missing. Picked up the medals in the dirt. Probably where he took you down from behind."

Nick was wobbly and disoriented, "There's something important. I just know it but I can't remember,"

Howard checked him out, stitched up his head, and diagnosed him with a concussion.

"I will take you home myself. Wonder where Fred is? Sent for him over an hour ago."

Nick pulled his hat down and stretched his legs as far as he could.

"Sun getting you, Nick?"

"Yep. And my gut."

"Let me know if you need to stop. Part of a concussion."

A few minutes later, a grumbled "Stop," came from Nick. The rest of his stomach bile came up.

—-&—-

"Who would dare rob Nick Barkley—-unless it was for the gold?"

The clerk watched from the upstairs window, "Damn all the gold is gone out of the wagon. When they leave, I will check my whiskey barrel. Gotta get out of here with my gold. I will get rid of it in Denver."

He called for the bellhops to help him load the coffin and take it to the train early. The whisky barrel was still in place and he was glad it reinforced. He rolled it with help into the wagon. He labeled it private possessions for Colonel Jock McClain in care of his name.

In case of an emergency, he loaded several bars in his pack, "Just in case."

—-&—

Jarrod, Eugene and Heath waited on Sheriff Madden to get to the site. Two more hands were keeping watch for the James stood close to his uncles while McColl covered the bodies with blankets.

"Uncle Heath? Why do you think my Pa's gun was up here?"

"I don't know, son."

"He's supposed to be in town with his sick army friend."

"Hope'in to figure it out myself real soon."

McColl came back down the ridge and shook his head.

"Don't make no sense. I left everything like we found it and covered them both up. Sheriff is gonna want to see it like we did."

Heath nodded as Jarrod stared straight ahead.

McColl looked at James's face, "Let's go skip some rocks until Sheriff gets here."

Heath waited until they were out of earshot at the small lake, "Jarrod, what are ya thinking?"

"Two, maybe three horses up here, two rigs. I am anxious to talk to Nick. His gun? Why here? I don't believe in coincidence. This is personal toward me and the family."

"Agreed,"

Their discussion was interrupted by the sheriff and a deputy.

They walked straight toward them.

"What the hell? Kyles killed, both of them? Your land?"

"Yes and Nick's gun on the ground empty."

Fred's eyes grew wide, "He was at the hotel last I heard. The lieutenant died before dawn."

They started to walk the area for clues.

Heath and the deputy confirmed three horses and two rigs. One likely a passenger rig and another a buckboard by the size of the wheels.

Eugene and the other deputy rolled the bodies gingerly over and looked at the wounds.

"Look at these powder marks. Short range and middle. Would it be possible two guns?"

"Care if I take out the bullet?" Gene asked.

"Naw, use my knife."

"This is a Benet—-Nick's. Orders them himself. This is a short cartridge. Different bullets." Gene pronounced after taking several bullets out of the bodies.

"No way to tell which one killed them?"

"No,"

"Yep, they did bleed out."

Jarrod and Fred watched the event silently.

"Gene is a smart kid, "

"Yes he is."

"Two guns? What in the blazes?"

"Let's look around some more. None of this makes sense except it's personal. On our land with Nick's gun."

He glanced a look down at the lake, a pond—-McColl had his hand on James's shoulder skimming rocks. He thought of Beth for a moment.

"Thank God the yellow flowers are bloomed out—-,"Crossed his mind, "How different my life would be—-JT and Rosie and Tessa. I am sorry Beth, I got you killed."

"Jarrod, I got my house with no ceiling, take care of your family. They are lovely. " her voice clearly spoke in his head. He had almost forgotten what it sounded like.

It unnerved and startled him—and yet gave a small measure of peace.

He watched for a few more minutes; James skipped the rock almost to the middle of the water.

Jarrod smiled in spite of the circumstances, "I am glad James and JT and all the boys get to grow up around good men like Duke. The grandfather their children would never have. Almost a father to him and Nick."

"Me too," answered Beth in his mind.

Fred called him over to the rock outcropping.

"Jarrod, this don't look good."

Hastily nailed on whiskey barrel crates—hidden quickly under the brush.

Fred pried one off with his bare hand, "Gold bars,"

Jarrod's eyes flew open and he rushed over.

"Fifty-pound civil war bars. We have the serial numbers at my office. "

"Hey guys—-over here."

Heath, the hands and the two deputies came quickly. Eugene was securing the bodies in the buckboard.

"Any ideas, Jarrod?"

"The only thing that is obvious is someone wants to make our family look guilty."

"Fred, I will leave you and your men to secure the gold and the bodies. I will leave my hands with you to help. I want to get James and McColl back to the house. And find Nick—-" Jarrod said ominously.

Heath concurred, "I got the same bad feeling big brother."

—-&—