Chapter Fourteen
Excerpt from Ch 13: "Your friend left here not three; maybe four, minutes ago. He was heading to the saloon." Mr. Barns said and then went back to work.
"Must be thirsty," Eugene thought as he walked out of the livery stable and headed for the saloon.
~oOo~
Eugene was sure every free space in the saloon was filled with smoke and the smell of alcohol. All right, not that bad, but it was close. He looked around. It didn't take too long to spot Macklin. He and another man, who had just sat down at the table Macklin was at, were drinking beers. That part surprised Eugene as he thought Macklin would have preferred something that was "higher class". Though, the youngest Barkley didn't dwell on that as he made his way to a nearby table and sat with his back to Macklin and the stranger with him. Eugene was pleasantly surprised, and grateful, that in spite of the crowd in the saloon, he could still make out the majority of what Macklin and the stranger who had joined him were saying. It was all Eugene could do to not gasp or let out any sort of reaction that Macklin and his friend could see when he heard what the two had to say.
"Are they onto you yet? Have you found her yet?" The stranger asked as he learned towards Macklin."
"Of course not!" Macklin hissed. "If I had, would I be here? I was hoping you'd seen her; I heard she'd been sighted up here."
The stranger let out a disgusted snort. "I heard the same thing; however, I haven't been able to find her." He paused then stressed, "We've got to find her! The remaining witnesses are damaging enough. Her testimony will not only lock the door, but throw the key away!"
"Don't you think I know that!" Macklin hissed again. "My word, I even went as far as trying to get Jarrod Barkley to come up here with me, thought he could persuade her to stop hiding!"
"Jarrod Barkley? The famous Stockton attorney? Are you crazy? Even if he'd consented to come up, he'd never have helped us. From what I hear that man can smell trouble a mile away! He'd have found out, sooner or later, you're one of Crown's 'good men'." The chuckle that came from the other man sent chills down Eugene's back, "You need to be more careful. You sure he wasn't onto you?"
"Yes, I'm sure!" Macklin snapped and then let out an eerie laugh, "He, like everyone else, still thinks I'm on the side of the Federal Government. Now, we need to find that woman and silence her once and for all!"
"What about the boy?" The man asked only to have Macklin give a disgusted snort.
"That boy is a mere two years old. He can do nothing that will hurt Crown; I don't even know why Crown wants to do him harm!" Macklin shook his head.
"Doesn't matter if we understand or not, we've been paid to make sure they are both buried six feet under!" The man barked back.
Eugene was stunned to say the least, but he did nothing until the men finished talking and began drinking more. When he was absolutely sure his departure would not raise any eyebrows, he stood up and left the saloon. The first place he headed was the telegraph office. Soon he'd sent off a coded message to Jarrod, afterwards he headed to the livery stable.
~oOo~
"You're not going to help the situation if the two of you come back to the main house right now." Heath, who had traveled to the lodge to check on things, found Nick in the exact frame of mind Victoria had said he would be in.
Nick growled and paced back and forth across the desk. "I feel like I'm hiding and leaving the family to take the heat. I don't like that!"
Heath sighed. He didn't blame Nick for the frustration, but Jarrod was right. If the idea was to protect Nick's wife, it would make things just a bit easier if he stayed hidden with her for the moment. "I would gladly change places with you, but I don't think Hannah would want that. Besides, even if she didn't fight the idea, what will it look like to others? I mean, you're supposed to be on a late honeymoon. Besides, we're all sharing the heat now, no one person is bearing it by themselves."
Nick stopped pacing as he glanced towards the kitchen where Hannah was preparing lunch, and then looked back at his blonde haired brother. "So, anything new? I mean, Macklin hasn't showed back up or someone else inquiring after her or Chad." He nodded towards Hannah while thinking of Chad in Texas with Audra.
"Jarrod got a telegram from Eugene, but I don't know what's in yet. Silas was just bringing it in as I was leaving to come here. I would have stayed and asked him about it, but Mother insisted I come here first. Though, as far as I know Macklin is still in Wyoming." Heath answered. "And, no, so far the only ones to make any comments connected to Hannah are either women upset that their daughters have lost out on a chance to marry into one of the wealthiest families in Stockton, or women relieved they don't have to worry about their daughters looking at you anymore." Heath chuckled trying to divert Nick's tension.
"Oh brother," Nick said as he rolled his eyes. He could very well imagine some of the things being said in that area. "I won't deny I've been enjoying the honeymoon," Nick paused as he couldn't resist smiling, though the smile quickly faded as he grew serious once more and said, "Promise me you'll hightail it up here, or have Duke come, if trouble breaks out. It's one thing to stay here to guard my wife, but if a full blown fight is going to erupt, I need to be fighting with all of you…not hiding up here."
"Don't worry, if I even get an inkling that we might need your help, you'll be sent for." Heath answered just as Hannah appeared in the living room and told the men lunch was ready. "You can join us, Heath."
Heath thanked her but declined, "I'll eat once I get home. I need to get going. Thanks anyway." He then walked out the door, remounted and then rode away.
Hannah, who knew full well how Nick felt, turned to her husband and said, "Come and eat."
"Yes, dear," Nick threw a smile at her as he followed her into the kitchen.