Posting an extra Saturday chapter since I will be traveling Monday to Wednesday with the grands!
Chapter Forty Six
Buck and four ranch hands surrounded the prospectors' shack over the county line in Merced. Buck had taken them to four other sites looking for the kidnapped lady.
He reasoned to his men, "Gotta clear my name. Barkley blamed me all over town when I been with my sick mama."
His men accepted his reasoning as they searched the abandoned mines in the area.
"Let me check it out. Look at the horse and wagon. Hopefully they are asleep. Stay at all four corners. I will give you a sign to rush in."
Buck tiptoed to the windows and looked in. Lisette was tied to the cot and the guard was dozing by the potbelly stove. His gun was beside him.
"Bud, you made this real easy."
He motioned for the men to stay back and he pushed the door open. He shot the guard through the heart and quickly grabbed his gun and fired it. He dropped it by the body to make it look like self defense.
His ranch hands were through the door just as he backed up. Lisette moaned from the bed.
"Untie the lady, boys. Careful now. She looks pretty beat up."
They took the blindfold off and Lisette struggled to focus.
Buck lifted her up and covered her torn dress, "We are here to save ya honey. Just relax. Will get you back to a doctor safe and sound. Then to your man, the lawyer Barkley."
"Jarrod?"
"He's in Stockton. Been looking for ya all over the state. Gonna be real glad and appreciative to have ya back. Grateful, I suspect. I would be,a fine lady like yourself."
"You wanted to buy the hotel?"
"No ma'am not anymore. My partners couldn't make it work. I am just doing a good deed."
She looked so confused and the four hands got her to the wagon.
Buck put the blanket over the dead guard, "Sorry can't leave any witnesses. You know too much. Got a casino to buy and outsmart them durn Barkley. Old Nick is out of commission thanks to you and now the lawyer is gonna be surprised by old Buck. He underestimated me."
—&—-
Buck got Lisette to the sheriff and doctor in Modesto.
The sheriff was suspicious after what the mayor and bank president told him. They refused to implicate Buck but the deal concerned them. But their faces could not hide their own concerns.
They had backed out of the casino deal after the kidnapping and bad publicity. The sheriff told the federals all he knew and his suspicions, "That's all I can do at this point."
The doctor was concerned about the amount of Chinese herbs she was given and the welts from the riding crop. Her wrists were raw and bleeding from the ropes. But he cleared her for the train to Stockton.
"I want someone to get her safely to the Barkley family. She is in no state to travel by herself." the doctor told them.
Buck volunteered but the sheriff one upped him, "I will take her. Get her statement and all to sew up this case. Buck, leave your statement along with your ranch hands with my deputy."
The sheriff brokered no opposition from Buck to his chagrin.
"I will send a telegram to Barkley to meet us at 8 and I will meet with the sheriff in Stockton in the morning. Close the case."
Buck grumbled; he had wanted to see the look on Barkley's face when he returned with his mistress.
"Well, I will have to wait until I sign the deed for the casino."
—-&—
Jarrod was dozing in a chair beside Nick's bed. It was only 5 pm but the week had taken a toll on him. Nick was still weak and was asleep. They had all decided not to tell him about the kidnapping and the abuse of the ladies. And that Lisette was still missing.
Heath hurried up the stairs and came into the room.
"Jarrod, you got a telegram from the Modesto sheriff."
Jarrod immediately grabbed the paper, "I got a train to meet." he smiled with relief.
Heath handed him a message from Sheriff Madden, "This came too."
Jarrod scanned it and frowned, "Federal marshals have shown up. Want to see me and Lisette—. May have to stay in town."
Nick woke up, "What's going on?"
"The hotel business is a big headache." Jarrod answered.
"I will stick to ranching."
"And a wedding in your future?"
Nick gave a wide grin, "Yep. Soon as I can get out of this bed and stand up straight."
"You will do it big brother. Probably sooner than any of us think."
He stopped by to tell Henry his mother was safe and he would see her sometime tomorrow.
"I knew you would bring her home, Pappy."
—-&—-
Jarrod was there early to meet the Modesto train. The sheriff got off with a weak Lisette on his arm.
She was wearing a misshapen calico dress, several sizes too big and dowdy boots. He chuckled; he had never seen her without a stylish couture dress. Her style was impeccable. But tonight, he thought she was the most beautiful woman in the world. She was alive and that was all that mattered to him.
"Lissy."
"Jarrod," and she leaned heavily into his arms.
"Let's go to my office. So we can talk."
The Modesto sheriff spoke up, "I am heading to the sheriff's office and then to get a room. Would like to talk to you both in the morning."
"Federal marshals are here too. Want to talk to us in the morning too."
Fred frowned, "Any idea why?"
"I am assuming finances or the kidnapping. Will see them but I want to get this little lady home. And resting."
"Take care of her. She's a sweetie."
Lissette smiled at him, "Sheriff, thank you for your kindness. I wasn't comfortable with Buck bringing me home."
Jarrod immediately frowned.
Lissette patted his arm, "It's a long story. Let's get somewhere where we can talk and I can collect my thoughts. I need your wisdom."
"You have my full attention Lissy. I am so glad you are home. Henry is ecstatic. I told him it would be tomorrow."
They walked through the shadows of the alley slowly. She leaned her head on his shoulder in exhaustion. He pulled her closer and they walked silently to his office.