Chapter Two

Previously:

Adam sipped on his coffee and then sent shock waves through Nick and Heath when he looked at Nick and said, "When I went with a friend to a church social in Carson City and mentioned I would betraveling to Modesto on business, your wife approached me. She asked me to stop here in Stockton andtell you she was in Carson City.Don't ask me why she didn't just wire you or allow me to; it would have been a lot faster." The shocked looks on the two brothers' faces didn't surprise Adam only hearing "His what?" from Heath and "My what!" from Nick did. Actually, Nick's words had every head in the cafe turning in their direction.

Nick quickly lowered his voice and asked his question again.

"You're not married?" Adam looked concerned. The brown-haired woman had seemed sincere in her request, now he wondered.

"Not that I know of, tell me everything-from the beginning." Nick leaned forward slightly.

"You can't be serious!" Heath, who was walking down the boardwalk with Nick, kept one eye on where he was going and one eye on his brother. "You can't just run off to Carson City!"

"I can, and I am!" Nick snapped as he and Heath had to hurry and move to the side-as a couple of boys ran past them.

"Stop and think, Nick! You don't even have any extra clothing with you! Shouldn't you at least go to the ranch and pack a bag?" Heath tried reasoning with his hot-tempered brother.

"I have some money in my wallet and can wire for some more once I get to Carson City. I'll just buy an extra set of clothing. It will be faster." Nick kept walking.

"What about the ranch? What am I going to tell the family?" Heath wanted to reach out and slap his brother.

"McColl and you can run the ranch. When it comes to the family-tell them the truth. I'm going to Carson City to meet my wife!" Nick stopped at the edge of town and turned to face Heath. He took a deep breath and then confessed he didn't think he was going to meet a stranger.

"Why do you say that?" Heath was puzzled and it could be seen in his eyes and heard in his voice.

"It's a long story, one I don't feel I have time to tell. Only short version is, there was a young girl who saved my life more than once during the war between the states. The last time, she really put herself out on a limb to save me. Afterwards, I told her that if there was ever a major problem and she needed help, she could send me word-even if it meant claiming to be my wife." Nick took a deep breath, not surprised by the shock he saw on Heath's face. "No, I can't swear the 'Mrs. Nick Barkley' that Adam met is the same woman only he said she had dark brown hair and Hazel eyes. Chelsie did too. It could very well be her. You can tell the family everything; I won't ask you to promise not to." He turned and headed for the train station once more.

"They're not going to like this." Heath said as the train station came into view. There was a train that had just pulled in and passengers were climbing off as Nick and Heath climbed the stairs that led up to the front door of the ticket office. "You know," Heath paused a split second and then continued, "we could send word back to the ranch that we've had unexpected business come up in Carson City-and to have McColl help Mother and Audra run the ranch when Jarrod is in town. That way you're not running down there alone into what very well could be major trouble."

Nick knew Heath had a point and yet he hated the idea of not having at least one of the brothers on the ranch full time. On top of that, he didn't like the idea of an outsider being told anything-even if they weren't given exact details. Finally, he shook his head. "For now, let me leave by myself. You tell the family exactly what's going on. The moment I arrive in Carson City I'll wire you. I'll wire you again when I find out if it's Chelsie or not. I promise."

Heath didn't like it only he knew Nick was a man of his word, and it wasn't like he was asking Heath to keep quiet. "Alright, but don't waste any time sending those telegrams. Mother is going to be extremely upset, and you know it. Jarrod will probably react the same." He then added that he still might hurry to Carson City himself.

"When it comes to the family, I don't doubt it. When it comes to you hightailing it to Nevada, I won't fight you on that either. I just need to get out of here." Nick opened the door to the ticket office. Minutes he was hurrying to get Coco-as he'd arranged to transport his horse as well. Naturally, Heath wasted no time in getting Charger as well. The sooner he got back to the ranch, the sooner he could get to the unpleasant chore of telling the family what was going on.

Unbeknownst to either Heath or Nick, Jarrod had stepped out of his office and-after heading towards the cafe, seen his brothers hurrying into the livery stable. He might have called out to them only they were too far away to hear him. Though, with as fast as they were hurrying, Jarrod stayed where he and watched. He was shocked beyond measure when- not moments later—Nick came barreling out of the livery stable and headed in one direction while Heath was wasting no time riding down the middle of the street. Though, he wasn't pushing his horse to a gallop either. As Heath drew closer, Jarrod stepped off the boardwalk.

Heath was so intent on leaving Stockton he almost missed seeing Jarrod. As it was, he pulled on the reins and stopped his horse-just as the Stockton attorney thought for sure he was going to have to yell at his blonde-haired brother in order to get his attention.

"What's going on, Heath? Where's the fire?" Jarrod asked as he glanced towards the end of town and then back to Heath.

"You saw us?" Heath didn't know why he asked the question. It was obvious Jarrod had done just that.

"Yes, now what's up?" Jarrod stepped back towards the boardwalk when Heath dismounted his horse and moved to the side of the road.

Heath started talking. By the time he was through, Jarrod was shaking his head-and insisting Heath hurry to the train station. "There's no way he should go down there by himself!"

"I know, but he was downright insistent….and he is a full-grown adult-even if he doesn't act like it sometimes." Heath remounted his horse. "However, I can hurry to the train station and put my foot down when it comes to going down with him right now. I mean, you haven't been told the news by a stranger." He looked at Jarrod, waiting to see what his eldest brother would say.

"He is going to wire you the moment he gets down there? The minute he knows anything?" Jarrod looked at Heath in earnest.

"He promised. He may be a lot of things, Jarrod, only, he keeps his promises." He then took a deep breath and added, "At least he didn't ask me for my silence."

Jarrod let out a breath full of frustration and thankfulness. "Thank goodness for that only, yes, get to the train station and see if you can get on the same train. If you can't, just come home. I know for a fact that the train to Carson City only runs three times a week-and the next one won't leave for two days. No matter what, I'm telling the telegraph office that any wires from Nick are to be delivered as soon as possible-even if we have to pay extra for the faster delivery. Actually, if you go with him- before you come home send me a wire. If the two of you get everything settled before you head home, just wire something along the line that the land deal is good, and the buyer is satisfied. If you have other news-news that needs to be discussed privately, simply saying something along the lines about a deal going bad or not quite right, along with something about the buyer. We don't need all of Stockton knowing about this 'wife' of Nick's."

"Fine with me." Heath remounted his horse and rode away from Jarrod who wished there was a way to give Nick a slap upside the back of his head from where he- Jarrod -stood. As it was, he made a beeline to the telegraph office.