Chapter Twenty Three
Lisette and Jarrod came out of their respective rooms for dinner. Neither addressed the earlier conversation but it was all either of them thought about all afternoon.
She was wearing a high necked brocade dress with a bolero jacket and lace under sleeves. The greens and browns brought out the auburn of her hair and green eyes.
"You look lovely my dear,"
"Thank you my barrister friend. Are we ready? Still betting on fifty cents?"
"Maybe sixty?"
"We will see. The bus boy slid a note under my door saying "the private dining room."
"Hmmm, a consortium of investors."
"We have this partner, don't we?"
"Absolutely," and he kissed her gloved hand, "Let's go and listen to the offer for Modesto."
Jarrod led her down the staircase and they still got looks from residents and the few employees they saw. A waiter was waiting on them to escort them into a room of seven men. The bank president, his two vice presidents, the mayor, and three other men.
Jarrod whispered to Lisette, "Beware the one in the leather vest and jacket. I know him."
"Well Jarrod Barkley, a familiar face. How's the family? Give my regards to your lovely Mother." with an obvious distaste for the eldest Barkley.
"Buck Turner, my client Mrs. Lisette Taylor."
"Nice to meet ya little lady. Old Jarrod and my family go way back—seems my little brother and Jarrod tangled over the railroad in Sacramento. Ole Nick and I have fought over some cattle prices and that boy—-the Modesto mines."
Lisette bristled at the rude reference to Heath.
"That is how the crossroads ended up in Modesto rather than Knight's Ferry." Jarrod said with sarcasm.
"Iffn you need another attorney with a winning case in Modesto, I volunteer my brother in Sacramento."
Lisette narrowed her eyes, "No thank you. I am well represented in Stockton and—-San Francisco. I am headed there next."
The investors frowned at her veiled threat. They wanted control of the casino and hotel in their hands and not outsiders.
Buck tried a new tact to unnerve her, "I met your Pa. Fine man but that husband of yours and his lackey did the talking. Why ain't ya using his last name? Where did you say they went off to? They were planning on selling to us. We had their word."
Lisette frowned only a moment but the soft pressure of Jarrod's arm on hers gave her resolve.
"I am the sole heir and my attorney has the paperwork. If it is a fair deal, I will accept it. I will listen. If I cannot absorb the loss, I will head to San Francisco. No hard feelings gentlemen, it's just business."
Buck frowned and realized his friends were right. "Taylor's daughter won't be railroaded, especially with that arrogant Barkley beside her. Heard Miller's men all had a turn at her the other night. Doesn't look too rough for the ride. Either liked it or it was gossip. Keeping that information in my back pocket for now—"
Jarrod pulled out her chair and she sat down. The men all sat down at the long banquet style table.
"Drinks?"
The men gave their orders to the waiter and Jarrod ordered a wine for Lisette.
The waiter brought out their drinks and first course of soup. Lisette was very quiet and allowed Jarrod to carry on small talk with the other men except Buck. He didn't engage him whatsoever in conversation. She only ate small spoonfuls of the soup as she listened.
Buck kept his hawkish eyes on Lisette as she tried her soup trying to unnerve her. She refused to make eye contact.
The awkward meal finished after the third course and Jarrod waived the waiter away, "No dessert tonight. We have business."
"What are you asking Barkley?"
"What are you offering Turner?"
The men stared each other down.
The bank president finally spoke up with a hitch in his voice, "We made an offer of forty cents to your father and he accepted."
Lisette arched the eyebrow again. Jarrod was learning to read her body language and knew she was ready to duel.
"I am sorry. Not acceptable. If that is your best offer, I shall retire to my room for the night. Thank you," and she began to fold her napkin.
"Forty five," the vice president offered.
She simply said "No thank you," and lined up her silverware to leave.
"We can go fifty cents on the dollar," the mayor added, "And keep the town and the casino benefiting each other. Your father cared about the community when he approached me years ago about the idea."
"He approached you? Hmmmm That is true that he cared about the town. He was always concerned about his workers. Fifty cents is an offer I can consider."
Buck erupted, "Consider? That's a damn good offer for a casino that is going to the county sale in two months for taxes and forfeiture."
Jarrod raised his eyebrow this time, "And how would you know that?"
The other men looked nervous remembering Jarrod's threat of banking laws.
"Common sense tells me that," he lied.
Jarrod gave him a knowing smile, "Of course. I will write that down in my notes."
"Good night gentlemen. I will let you know my decision within two weeks."
They all stood up with her.
"That's if?" The mayor asked.
"Is there another offer? I am inclined to listen."
Buck snarled, "No. That's as high as we go."
Jarrod took her arm and they exited.
"I got men who can go to Stockton and Frisco. I want Mr High and Mighty knocked off his horse with his girlfriend in the dirt. We already know they are sharing rooms. A little more dirt may make them wallow with us for fifty cents on the dollar."
"Are you sure? We can go even to sixty."
"Nope. Barkley won't win this one."
—-&-
Jarrod and Lisette made it upstairs still with the occasional stare.
"Well you won, Jarrod. You bet fifty."
"I think we both won, dear. Those bids were all over the place in desperation."
"Jarrod, that Buck man scares me."
"He's full of bluster and hot wind. He bribes and lies and bluffs. His brother too. Nick has bested him in cattle and Heath on mine deals. I lost to his brother representing Knight's Ferry because of my father's fight with the railroad. That case was stacked against me with bribes and not an ace was left in the desk."
"He seems to be that kind of man. He scares me."
Jarrod immediately put his arm around her, "I am here and I will see you through this."
"I know," and she his embrace. The tatters of her purple dress crossed her mind and she felt nauseous.
She pulled away reluctantly from Jarrod, "They did a good job cleaning up I just noticed. The lamp is replaced and the broken chair. My dress is gone."
"Yes, while we were at the bank. I wanted to spare you—-"
Tears started again and she walked to her door separating the rooms.
"Good night. I will put a chair under the front door again just to make myself feel better. And Jarrod if you don't mind, leave the door between us unlocked."
"Of course my dear. Good night. We need to leave by six in the morning."
"I will be ready. Thank you for everything."
He heard her go into the water closet and her tears flowed. He heard her sobs through the wall.
"Damn." and he lit a cigar.
The door closed again and he heard her get into bed. He checked the locks again and pushed a chair up as she asked. He undressed down to his Union suit and trimmed the lights. He checked his gun on the nightstand and his pistol under the pillow.
"I need to get her out of Modesto."
He was dozing around midnight. A scream pierced the room and he jumped out of bed with his gun.
Lisette was sitting up in bed, "Jarrod, they are back." in a terror-filled daze.
He checked the room, "It's a nightmare honey." He poured her a drink and lay down beside her as before.
She nuzzled into his arms and finally fell asleep a few hours before dawn. He dozed beside her, holding her tightly.