Chapter 14

Jarrod rode into the stable yard and found his brothers there.

"Glad you made it home all right," Nick said as Jarrod dismounted.

Jarrod helped Jason down, saying, "This is Jason Linklater. His father is sheriff of Done In, and Jason just got away from the Wright ranch. Ciego!"

The stable man came running.

Jarrod handed the reins of his horse off to him. "He's had a big run of it, Ciego. Give him some cooling down and a real good drink and food and grooming, will you?"

"Si, senor," Ciego said and took Jarrod's horse off.

"Jason," Jarrod said, "these are my brothers, Nick and Heath. I think Jason and I could both stand to get something to eat."

"Sure thing," Heath said and began to guide Jason toward the house. "We got some good fried chicken left over from lunch, Jason."

As soon as they were out of the stable yard, Jarrod spoke quietly to Nick. "Three of Wright's men came after us. I left one of them in the Stockton road, maybe dead, I don't know. I don't know if the other two are still around, but they didn't follow us here."

Nick said, "I'll have somebody go take a look. Go get yourself something to eat." He slapped Jarrod on the back.

When Jarrod got into the house, he saw Heath and Jason disappearing upstairs toward the wc. Audra was in the foyer, waiting for him. "Are you all right?" she asked, took him by the arm and steered him toward the living room.

Where Victoria was sitting on the settee, her leg propped up on a pillow on the coffee table. Jarrod looked at her in surprise. "What are you doing out of bed?"

"Dr. Merar came this morning and said it was all right," Victoria said. "Nick carried me down. Answer Audra's question – are you all right?"

"Fine," Jarrod said. "Just missing my hat. Jason and I were chased by some men from Wright's place, but they're gone now. I think I might have killed one of them. Nick's having a couple men go look, but I suspect if I did, his two buddies have retrieved the body before we can get to it."

"But Jason has escaped," Victoria said. "You have a witness now."

Jarrod nodded. "And I plan to take him to Merced if I have to. The DA there wouldn't give me any help unless I found someone who escaped from Wright. Now I have."

"You can't take him back there alone," Audra said. "They might be waiting for you."

"I know," Jarrod said. "But what I also know is that his parents may be paying a price for his running away. We need to get back to Wright's place first, as soon as we can."

"You must take men with you," Victoria said.

"I plan to," Jarrod said.

Nick came in the door and joined them in the living room. "What do you want to do now, Jarrod?" he asked.

"We were just talking about that," Jarrod said. "I'll need some more men."

"It's gonna take more than we took to Wright's place, you know," Nick said. "If I was Wright, I'd have more men than you saw today ready to meet you on the road and stop whatever it is you're up to."

"Can you spare me twenty men?"

Nick rolled his eyes and took a deep breath. "Counting me and Heath, all right," Nick said. "But it'll take a while to round up the men, and we'll leave so late we'll have to stop for the night, probably near Millertown."

Jarrod nodded. "I understand that means a risk, but we need to get to Wright's place first anyway. Jason's family could be in trouble, especially when Wright's men come back with one of them dead. I'll clean up a bit before we eat."

Jarrod turned and headed upstairs to clean up. Nick looked after him, and both Victoria and Audra noticed a definite worry in Nick's eyes.

"You can't think this effort isn't worth it, Nick," Victoria said.

Nick shook his head. "No, I wasn't thinking that. I was just being grateful Big Brother made it home in one piece, and hoping this character Wright isn't taking Jason's disappearance out on his parents."

"Jason must be terrified," Audra said.

Nick nodded. "I know I am."

XXXXXXX

After a good lunch, Jarrod and Jason met Nick, Heath and a lot of their men in the stableyard. Ciego had fresh mounts ready for Jarrod and Jason. Jarrod lifted the boy up into the saddle.

"Thanks," Jason said. "I mean for everything, thanks."

Jarrod smiled. "No need to thank me, Jason. You and I, we're doing the right thing, and we're doing it together."

"If you hadn't found me, Mr. Wright's men would have."

"Maybe," Jarrod said. "But let's not think about that right now. Let's go do the work we have to do."

Jason began to tremble.

"What's the matter? Are you scared?" Jarrod asked.

"What if he's done something to my parents?"

Jarrod had wondered how he was going to answer that question when it came. "We're going to believe he hasn't, Jason, because he probably hasn't. We're going to get them free and get you home again. Believe that."

Jason tried a smile, but Jarrod knew his heart was only partly in it. He gave the boy a slap on the back.

That made Jason smile.

Jarrod mounted up and found Nick looking hard at him. "What are we going to be doing today?"

"Getting to Wright's place as fast as we can," Jarrod said.

"You're the one who warned me they could shoot us for trespassing."

"I know," Jarrod said, and left it at that.

Nick turned his horse and took himself to the head of the crowd, ready to lead the way.

"You know, this could turn into another Sample's farm, don't you, Jarrod," Heath said. It was a statement, not a question.

Jarrod nodded. "I know, but this is just as important."

Heath said, "We better not go underestimating Wright."

"I'm not," Jarrod said. "That's why I want so many men going with us. They need to know what we're up against, Heath."

Heath nodded. "We already told them and got volunteers. Lots of our men worry more about missing a fight than they do about getting killed in one."

"We're gonna do everything we can to keep anybody from being killed," Jarrod said. "But listen, Heath. I plan to help the Linklaters out, help them get resettled after they get free. If anything should happen to me – "

Heath nodded fast. "I'll see it gets taken care of, Jarrod. Just you don't let anything happen to you."

"Nor you, Brother Heath," Jarrod said.

XXXXXXX

It was late afternoon when Wright's men who had gone after Jason came stumbling in, carrying the body of one of them. Wright came out of the house and glared up at them when he saw Jason was not with them. "Sorry, Boss," one of the men said. "He got to the Barkleys."

Wright didn't respond to him. Instead, he spoke to his foreman standing next to him. "Those Barkleys will be coming anytime. I want every man ready to stop them."