Chapter Twenty Six
"Are you sure?" Audra, who was in the kitchen talking to Michelle, who had offered to cook supper for the family since Silas was feeling ill, asked. The two women had been discussing Jarrod and Nick, and the fact that Michelle was no longer debating who she was in love with.
"Yes, I am." Michelle's eyes were dancing as she told Audra of the play she and Jarrod had gone to the night before. "I can't explain it only," she said as she put the chicken into the oven, "While Nick will always have a place in my heart, Jarrod holds it in his hands."
Audra started smiling even wider as the two girls continued to talk about the fact that they both hoped things would actually work out for Jarrod and Michelle. After all, as Audra put it, she had always wanted a sister in law. Only when they heard the front door open and Nick hollering for his mother and the two of them, in what sounded to be a rather urgent tone of voice, did the two women stop visiting and step out of the kitchen.
"What's up Nick?" Audra asked as she and Michelle stepped out into the foyer.
"It's Jarrod," Nick answered, "He's been seriously injured. Where's mother?" He wasn't surprised when Michelle went more than a bit pale. He quickly grabbed a hold of her arm and led her to a chair while Audra answered his question.
"She went over to the Wheelers to help Carl's mother with a quilt. She should be home any minute."
"What happened to Jarrod?" Michelle managed to ask as the color started back into her face. "Where is he?"
"Doc's tending to him at his office." He then, hesitantly, told the girls all that had happened, but said nothing about Jarrod's previous plans as they were now irrelevant. "We just know your father is behind this. I'm going to ask around and see if I can get more than Lynn's statement."
Panicking at the thought of what her father was capable of, Michelle started to panic. "Mr. Lecaise will kill Mr. Painter as well…"
"No," Nick interrupted her in an attempt to calm her down. "He doesn't know he was even in the building." He went on to explain. "I…" whatever he was going to say was interrupted as Victoria entered the home.
One look at her son, daughter and Michelle and Victoria knew something was wrong. "What's going on?" She demanded only to have the color drain from her face as well when Nick told her all that had happened.
"Doc won't let us move Jarrod yet, says he's still in critical condition." Nick told them. "So, I came to take all of you to him."
None of the women argued as they grabbed their coats and hurried out the door.
~oOo~
"That won't be necessary." Fred stood inside the doctor's office talking to the Barkleys while Michelle sat in the examining room next to a still unconscious Jarrod. Heath and Nick had just stated they were going to get more that Mr. Painter's witness that the Marquee had the dynamite.
"Why not?" Nick stood with his hands on hips and leaned slightly forward. "Jarrod is lying in there with a broken leg, three busted ribs, more scrapes and bruises than I care count and who knows if there's going to be more for him to deal with when he comes to. I mean, the doctor said Jarrod a pretty good sized bump on the back of the head!"
"Because many times; well, most of the time, a sheriff has to hope and pray he can find enough evidence to prove what his gut knows." Fred answered slowly and deliberately, "Still, there are times where we are blessed, lucky or however you wish to put it, to have all the evidence fall into our lap!" He wasn't surprised by the gasps and shocked looks he saw appear on all the Barkley's faces.
"What do you mean?" Nick asked in a much quieter tone of voice, though it still held the same firmness in it that the sheriff had heard before.
"My deputy and I were out walking and," Fred started grinning from ear to ear, "when we started to pass the livery stable we heard the Mr. Lee, you remember him, the balding man who got the gurney for you?" The sheriff looked at Nick and Heath, who stiffened and waited for Fred to continue. "Anyway, we heard him talking, and he was talking to the Marquee."
The Barkley's gasps were even louder now, and Heath and Nick shot each other looks that said 'what if we had talked about the dynamite in front of that man!' "So, I take it they were talking about Jarrod."
Fred nodded. "Yea and they'll have plenty more time to talk about it. They're both sitting in the jail right now. The Marquee for hiring Mr. Lee to murder Jarrod, and Mr. Lee for actually taking the dynamite the Marquee bought and attempting to 'do the job right'." He then turned to leave. "Anyway, I thought you should know. I mean, it's one less thing for you all to worry about."
"Thank you," Victoria spoke up, relieved that for the first time in a long while her sons would not have to go out and hunt down the needed evidence. It was a blessing she was truly grateful for.
~oOo~
Michelle, who sat next to the bed Jarrod lay in, held in his left hand in hers and covered it with her right hand. Though a part of her felt like crying, no more tears would come. "Oh Jarrod, please," she spoke quietly as she gazed upon his face. "Please wake up. It won't matter if there are consequences to this horrible deed that I can't see right now. I'll love you no matter what. Please," she leaned over and laid her head upon his chest, needing to feel the assurance of his chest rising up and down brought to her and said, "just live! Yes, a part of me will always love Nick, but only as I would as a very dear and cherished friend. It's like I told Audra, it is you that holds my heart in your hands." She closed her eyes and whispered, "I love you." She then let her mind wander back to the last dance he'd taken her to, this time it was held in one the building where his colleague, Nate Springer, worked.
Jarrod and Michelle whirled around in circles when the band hired by Nate Springer played their instrument, and then visited others in the room that was more than large enough to hold the one hundred guests. The chandeliers that hung in the room were more beautiful that anything Michelle had seen, and that included the ones at the first dance she'd been to with Jarrod.
"Are you having a good time, my lady?" Jarrod asked as he and Michelle again found themselves slipping outside, only this time there were very few people around. Jarrod gazed upon Michelle, who was dressed in a silk, turquoise dress that spread out and swayed back and forth when she danced or walked as he asked the question.
"More than I can ever say," Michelle answered as they stopped under a tall Evergreen tree that stood in front of a fountain that had a statue of an angel in the middle of it. "The socials Mr. Lacaise insisted I go to?" she said as she stepped backwards into Jarrod's arms as he wrapped them around her waist. "They were nothing like this. Yes, they had the same beautiful features when it came to chandeliers, curtains and such, but" she shook her head and then tilted it backwards in order to see Jarrod better. "The atmosphere here is so different. It's warm and friendly, and I can breathe without feeling like I'm suffocating, or being put under a microscope. And," she closed her eyes before opening them up and saying, "My 'chaperone' is the best."
Jarrod chuckled at being called her chaperone and then turned her around, lifting his right hand as he did so. The moment his fingers touched the side of her face Michelle, without thinking, turned her face into his palm and closed her eyes. Only when she felt Jarrod stepping closer did Michelle open her eyes.
"I'll take this chaperone job any day of the week." Jarrod whispered as he began lowering his head.
Remembering how it had felt to have him kiss her at the lodge, Michelle's heart skipped a beat as their lips met once more. Again she slid her arms up his back as she made her way to his shoulders. For a split second she could have sworn she heard bells going off in her ears.
Whether it was Michelle's words, the feel of her side of her face upon his chest, or whether he simply had perfect timing Jarrod would never know. All he knew for sure was he did hear her speaking and then, as he was struggling to open his eyes, he felt her lay her head upon him. She loved him! She loved him to the point of begging him to live and promising to love him no matter what. It was quite humbling to know such a woman loved him so.
Even though he found it difficult to talk, Jarrod managed to say slowly, "I love you too."
"Jarrod!" Michelle shot up and screamed his name; joy was in her voice and eyes as she did so. Naturally, her scream brought the rest of the family running in.
"Jarrod!" Victoria cried out in happiness and leaned over, once Michelle had moved away. "You're alive!" One by one his siblings said the same thing. However, when Dr. Merar stepped in and chased everyone out so he could examine Jarrod. Though, he did not succeed in doing that until after Jarrod reached up and took a hold of Michelle's hand.
"Marry me, Shelly,"
Any talking among his family and the doctor stopped abruptly and all eyes turned to Michelle. The young woman was beaming with happiness, though she did take a quick look at Nick just to see if the question had just caused a rift between brothers. She was elated when Nick simply smiled and nodded slightly, letting her know there was no hard feelings.
"Yes! Oh yes! I'll marry you!" Michelle leaned over Jarrod and kissed him on the forehead, only then did the doctor succeed in getting everyone to leave the room.