Chapter 8

Church on Sunday morning was awkward, not because anyone in town had anything derogatory to say to Jarrod, but because people grew silent even with each other when the Barkleys came into the church and took their seats. The Barkleys all tried to nod and be polite to others. They'd at least get a smile back, except that Jarrod didn't. This wasn't the first time such a reception had happened, and Jarrod knew it wouldn't be the last. It was the price he paid by defending the unpopular. He hated it when the family had to pay the price, but he knew even they would put up with it.

Only Heath noticed that Polly Pierce was in the back of the church, alone. When he saw her, she looked away. It was clear to Heath that she did not want to talk to him today, and she didn't.

Even Rev. Johnson seemed to wish he could look away and avoid everything. His sermon was just about how children should obey their parents and try to do their best in school. When the service was over and the Reverend said good-bye to all the people who passed out of the church, he said good-bye to the Barkleys as well, but they didn't say anything to him about the sermon, and he didn't say anything to them other than, "It's good to see you," or "Thank you for coming."

Heath noticed that Polly was nowhere to be seen when the Barkleys came out to the surrey that everyone but Jarrod had come in on. "I hope we'll see you at home sometime today," Victoria said as Jarrod helped her into the back seat with Heath.

Jarrod said, "I'm not sure when."

Victoria squeezed his hand. "Get yourself some lunch before you go over to the jail."

Jarrod nodded. "I will."

He saw them off, then headed for the café at the Stockton House. There were people in there, but the place was not full. Jarrod took a seat, a waitress brought him the menu, and he ordered the special, chicken with rice and vegetables. No one spoke to him at all otherwise, and he left after finishing in less than half an hour.

He went to the jail and found Sheriff Madden there. "Fred," Jarrod said in greeting.

"Jarrod," the sheriff said back. "She's been awful quiet in there, like she was when I first brought her in."

"May I see her?"

The sheriff unlocked the cell block door, then took him and unlocked Linda's cell. She was standing, looking out the window. Jarrod went to her.

"I could see you and your family come in on your way to church," Linda said. "I hope people weren't too horrible to you."

"They've been worse," Jarrod assured her. "How are you?"

Linda sighed. "I've been worse, too, believe it or not. Is there anything you want to go over?"

"Nothing I want," Jarrod said. "What do you want to review?"

"Nothing," Linda said. "I always felt like overpreparing was a dangerous thing to do."

"You want to just sit down and talk?" Jarrod asked and sat down on the bunk.

Linda sat down beside him. "What shall we talk about?"

Jarrod shrugged. "Anything you want. Questions you might want to ask me."

She looked at him, not smiling, not frowning. "I might have a few when this is over. Right now – " She sighed and looked away. "Right now I just wish I could have the last six months back, and Adam was with me and well and the future looked so bright."

Jarrod took her hand and squeezed it. "I can understand that."

For a moment she looked like she was going to ask him something deep and serious, and personal, and it scared him. He really didn't want to go into anything personal today. Later, after she was acquitted, he'd tell her anything she wanted to know, but that was for later.

Something personal was going to happen later. He felt sure about that.

Linda took a deep breath. "Tell me about your ranch. When I'm acquitted, will you take me there and show it to me?"

Jarrod smiled. "I'd love to. There are places there I'd like you to see."

"Tell me a little bit now – just describe it to me – as it is when the sun comes up in the morning."

XXXXX

Jarrod was very late getting home. The family had already had dinner. Jarrod could hear their voices coming from the library when he came in the front door. He had been with Linda almost all day, just talking, just trying to get her to relax. At dinner time, he insisted on bringing her something other than the standard jailhouse meal, so he went to Cattlemen's and brought a good filet with roasted vegetables to her. She picked at it at first, but he kept talking to her, and it eased things up for her. She ate everything, and when he left her for the night, she gave him a kiss on the cheek.

"However it goes tomorrow, Jarrod," she said, "thank you for being my lawyer."

"Just get a good night's sleep," Jarrod said. "And I'll see you in the morning."

Now he was home, tired, and he went into the library to find Nick and Heath playing pool, Victoria and Audra watching and laughing at them. "Oh, Jarrod, we didn't know if you had eaten or not, so I had Silas save something for you," Victoria said.

"No, I did eat," Jarrod said.

"Do you want the next game?" Heath asked.

"No," Jarrod said, and he went behind the desk. He had already packed up everything he needed for court in the morning. He did a final check to be comfortable it was all there.

"We've talked about it," Nick said. "We'd all like to come to the trial tomorrow, unless you'd rather not have us there."

"That'll be fine," Jarrod said. The family often came to support him in a trial, and he appreciated it. "But right now, I'm going to get to bed and get a good night's sleep. I'll head out early in the morning. Court starts at ten, so I'll see you there. Good night."

With that, Jarrod left the room and headed to bed.

"I know he'll be glad to have somebody in the courtroom on his side," Audra said. "It was pretty touchy in church this morning."

Heath had not let on one bit that he had seen Polly there, or that she had essentially snubbed him, but he knew Victoria had noticed. That was a problem for later, they had decided independently. Tomorrow was to support Jarrod and his client.

In his room, Jarrod lit a lamp, then sat down on the bed to take his boots off. But he waited a moment, and he thought about two people who weren't here anymore. He thought about Adam Cain, a man he had never met, but a man Linda had dearly loved, enough to take the consequences of helping him end his struggle. And he thought about Beth, his own wife, who had only known seconds of a struggle as all her happiness, and his, was snuffed out in an instant.

Quietly, Jarrod prayed to God. He asked God to allow Adam to watch over Linda tomorrow, and to allow Beth to watch over him. He allowed himself to think that God, and Adam and Beth, had heard his prayer. He allowed himself to believe that all three of them would be there in the courthouse tomorrow, and that justice – true justice – would be done.