Chapter Thirteen
"Glad everyone got lunch. Time got away from us. Thanks for waiting," Jarrod kissed Davina on the cheek along with his mother. He sensed her annoyance at him.
The last two chairs were empty but it put Lisette and Jarrod together, at the opposite end of Davina. Anna immediately noticed.
"Let me switch seats, Mr. Barkley so I can visit with Miz Lisette,"
Jarrod agreed in appreciation. He was over an hour late for lunch with Davina and was going to accompany Lisette to the mayor's office for her appointment soon.
He patted her arm as he settled into the seat beside her. She glanced down at Lisette. She was beautiful but her eyes were red and so was the end of her nose.
Somehow it still annoys me that she cried on Jarrod's shoulder but I will not let him know no matter what.
Davina handed Jarrod a menu and ran her hand over his, staking her claim in front of Lisette. She glanced again but Lisette was deep in thought not noticing Jarrod at all. Davina relaxed.
"I will have the special. Lisette?"
"Oh I will have the —" quite distracted.
Anna answered for her, "The soup was delicious,"
Victoria agreed. She had worried on how long the meeting lasted that the young woman had a "plate full of trouble". She was relieved when Jarrod brought her to the table and mentioned they had a second appointment. She could sense Jarrod had taken her case and was already calculating how to help the young woman.
"I would like the soup, please. And tea."
Henry couldn't wait to talk to her, "Mother, I saw so many horses that have been in my books. Mista Nick will bring me back to the real bids if you don't mind. He has some of those horses in another pasture if you don't mind and he will take me on a ride one day and let me ride a pony if you don't mind and—"
Davina and Jarrod watched Lisette from the end of the table. Her beauty tripled and glowed as she listened in love to her son. Davina felt less threatened and Jarrod felt even more compassion after the documents and stories she brought him, safe in his safe for now.
"Slow down buddy, I will talk to Mr. Nick. We don't want to be a burden." Lisette responded.
"Lisette, he wasn't a burden at all. Enjoyed the morning quite a bit. I just told the boy we would ask your permission." Nick answered, "Kinda liked the company."
"You have it. Did you eat?"
Anna answered, "More than I have ever seen. Pie too."
"California is good for my boy, it seems."
The waitress brought the new food and they began conversations among themselves. Nick was closer to Anna which pleased him and they quietly talked. Victoria and Lisette listened to the animated stories of Henry. Davina and Jarrod moved a bit closer together.
"I am sorry. The morning was unexpected and we took longer than expected with Lisette's case"
"I understand, Jarrod. Your care of your clients is known through the state. It's one of the things I admire about you."
He ate a few more bites of his stew and lowered his voice , "Davina, Lisette will need a friend soon. Her family's business is tied to the new hotel among many other complications."
"The people who killed poor Widow Jones?"
"Shhhhh, she didn't have anything to do with it. I have to help her sort out the circumstances."
Davina looked stricken, "Why isn't her husband helping her? Working with you?"
"Enough, she is my client and I cannot discuss it anymore. I am asking you to be a friend to her if you can." He was trying to keep the peeved tone out of his voice.
"I am sorry Jarrod. Of course I will."
He finished his stew quietly and Davina added Jarrod's choice of clients, especially questionable beautiful women to her mental list to work out of his life once they married.
After lunch, Jarrod told her he would see her tomorrow, Nick and Anna would take Henry back to the ranch and Victoria would accompany him to the Mayor and the tailor shop to support Lisette. Davina was relieved that his Mother would be with them the whole time.
"See you tomorrow, my dear," upon his kiss to her cheek.
—-&—-
The meeting with the Mayor went poorly as Jarrod assumed. He was kind to her and listened to her apology over any role her family had in the tragedy—that she would fully cooperate with the legal authorities in the investigation—that she would drop the casino portion of the development if the council wanted.
"I hear your sincerity and appreciate you meeting with me. The Council will not approve the hotel or complete the land sale to you. Too much bad blood in town."
Jarrod intervened, "Mark, the town needs another hotel. Mrs. Taylor has a great deal of money invested in this project. Raw materials: marble, lumber, ironworks, chandeliers all ordered and paid for."
"I am sorry for the financial loss your company will take but you have three other casinos and hotels. Redistribute your losses."
Lisette stiffened, "Thank you for your time."
Victoria interjected, "Mark, is there any way—-with my support to complete the land purchase?"
"No, I am sorry Victoria."
Jarrod used a sterner voice, "I will file a breach of contract order with the judge in the morning."
"Wouldn't do that Jarrod. You would be fighting the whole town at this point."
"Will I receive my down payment? It is held in escrow, I assume." Lisette asked with resignation.
He sheepishly looked down, "I am sorry ma'am. It is non-refundable based on your father's bid. He signed that in the contract."
"And you won't complete the deal for the land and keep her money?" Jarrod asked with anger.
"It was contingent on council approval. The murder of widow Jones changed the mood in the town."
"Changed the mood? I agree but that doesn't change the law, Mark."
Victoria added, "And it certainly doesn't change doing the right thing."
"See you in court, Mark."
—-&—-
Lisette shivered in the warm sun, "I had no idea Father signed the down payment as nonrefundable. Is that legal?"
"If it was a bid, possibly. I will get my hands on those papers in the morning at the courthouse."
"Jarrod, we tallied the invoices. Most are paid and custom orders. The San Francisco hotel ones are the same." with a hitch in her voice.
Jarrod felt like he already could read her thoughts after only two hours together.
"We will figure this out. I promise."
She wiped the single tear pooling in her eye.
Victoria put her hand on her arm, "We can wait if you like on going to the tailor shop."
"No please, let's get this over with. I need to say I am sorry."
—-&—
Jarrod and Victoria escorted Lisette into the shop. Thankfully only one customer was checking out with the clerk.
"Jarrod, Victoria welcome. Come back for some coffee."
They walked past the curtains with Lisette to their workroom. Sewing machines, dress forms, mirrors, fitting rooms, cutting tables with bolts of fabric and notions lining the walls.
The older couple was dressed in black with black armbands.
"Mr. and Mrs. Jones, this is Mrs. Lisette Taylor Franklin."
"Good to meet any friend of the Barkley's."
"I came to express my condolences over the loss of your mother."
"She is in a better place. She never quit missing my father and our siblings. But thank you, did you know her?"
Lisette shook her head, "No but I feel I do by the gracious stories I have heard."
"Oh she was a dandy."
"I feel there is something else about my mother, " Her son commented.
"Yes. My family is building the new hotel in town."
"You need to leave. We don't want your sympathy,"
"Wait, hear her out, please." Victoria asked.
"For you, Miz Barkley. Only."
"I did not know of the incident, your loss until last week. I arrived from the East Coast to find my father had died in his office. His clerk said he was severely distressed about what happened in Stockton."
The tailor sneered, "So were we. I ain't sorry he died. I won't be sharing condolences with the man that killed my mother."
"I understand. I want to share my regret and his for your loss. I have asked our employees to cooperate with law enforcement to get to the bottom of this and prosecute them to the full extent of the law."
"Thank you for that." His wife muttered.
"I would like to offer a financial recompense if you would allow. For your family, your grandchildren? A trust?"
"Hell no. You rich people ain't assuaging your guilt with money. We do well enough. That satin trim on your mourning dress would feed a whole family for a month at the mission. You think throwing money at us will make you feel better. I wouldn't give you the luxury of that. It's time to leave."
"I knew your mother and your father. Do you think they treated people this way? I am thankful they were my friends and reunited. I am going to chalk up your words as grief and take Mrs. Taylor home with me. I brought her here as a goodwill gesture for our town and your family. I am sorry I did" Victoria hissed.
Jarrod turned with Lisette and they marched out the door. She burst into tears as soon as they got out of town. No one spoke all the way to the ranch.
Lisette worked inch by inch pulling the trim off her mourning dress with her fingers. Jarrod and Victoria pretended not to notice. She had most of it in her hand, draped on her arm when they arrived at the ranch.