Chapter Ninety Three
Nick and Anna headed back through the cottonwoods to not eavesdrop on Jarrod, Nate and Macklin. The men lit their cigars and stood on the banks of the San Joaquin River. They looked around and made sure no one was around.
"Jarrod, it's a good thing your friend Macklin here is on our side. He could take down a whole government if he tried."
Macklin and Jarrod laughed.
Nate continued, "He found a receipt in the Modesto books of a mark that Buck owed Paul. It wasn't signed and the casino dealer is long gone to confirm if it was paid out or not. It may be used as a debt to claim from Buck's estate. The probate judge owes Macklin here a favor or two since his marks may have disappeared in the audit—-but that's supposition on my part."
Macklin just grinned and Jarrod shook his head at the audacity of his friends, willing to help him.
"You two are a pair," Jarrod finally chuckled.
"The letter will go out that a substantial amount of money, who is to say what substantial is—-and he should travel to Modesto for the probate hearing."
"Think he will go for it?" Jarrod took a drag on his cigar.
"Money is important to him."
"We need your go-ahead. Didn't want to involve Lisette until we had to. She has been through too much lately." Macklin lowered his voice.
"Yes she has." Jarrod softly agreed.
"Worst case scenario he doesn't show. No skin lost in the game. But if he does—we have him to "negotiate" on our terms. Not chasing him around the east coast."
"Do it." Jarrod replied.
"We have a regular little welcoming party planned for the bastard."
The three quit talking as they heard someone coming down the path. Lisette and Amelia came out into the moonlight.
"Just who we were looking for—-" Lisette spoke up with undisguised love in her eyes for Jarrod. He reciprocated feeling safe with his friends and Amelia on her arm.
"Jarrod, Nate Springer, Tobias Macklin, this is Anna's sister Amelia Devereaux Rodgers. We have been friends for years."
The men took her hand and greeted her.
"Lissy asked me to tell you some information I found out before leaving home. I assure you I am not a gossip by any sense of the word but I would do anything, anything to get Paul Franklin out of my friend and Henry's life."
Nate smiled, "Join our club."
"Penelope Vanlandingham." She carefully spoke, enunciating each syllable.
"Of the New York banking family?" Nate asked.
"Yes, one and the same. She is in her early twenties and our family friend, Winifred VanderPool was a witness to her infidelity with Paul. She is married to the infirm old man, the heir and patriarch of the Vanlandingham family. "
"Related to Prudy and Bax?"
"Yes. Second cousins. He delivered a new yacht to the Astors from a shipbuilder in Maine. It was built in Liverpool and taken to Bath, Maine for engine outfitting. Winnie's company took it down the coast. He and his family traveled to Newport for a week of vacation. He went onto what he thought was an uninhabited yacht during a party. He found Paul and Penelope in a let us say compromising situation. Absinthe and such. When they uh, clothed, they both offered Winnie money to forget. You know him, he would never do such. He only told me and Andrew, worried about you, Lissy. I told him I would tell you myself. He is willing to testify if you need him too."
"Thank him again, Amelia." Lisette whispered.
Jarrod and Lissy shared a look. They both knew they were guilty too.
"I can add this to the dossier." Nate shook his head, reading Jarrod's look.
Lissy squeezed Amelia's arm, "Thank you friend for delivering such an unsavory message.
"We love you Lissy."
"And I love you, friend. Now let's head back to Anna and Nick's party, not to mention my husband again."
"Deal,"
Lisette took Amelia's arm and they walked back as the men watched.
"Nate, you know we may open a conversation that will hurt Lissy in the long run."
He nodded to Jarrod, "Yes. No adultery charge for obvious reasons but bribery? I can work with that."
Macklin laughed, "You two are the best."
"How's reading for the law going?"
Macklin got serious, "Two months I suspect. And I plan on this being my last case. I have put twenty years in the marshals and I am due my pension. When we get you a wife—and you two can dance in the open at my wedding."
"Your wedding?" Jarrod asked with surprise.
"Yep counselor, your Esther is soon to be Mrs Tobias Macklin, esquire."
Nat and Jarrod's faces looked incredulous.
"Well, let me congratulate you friend. On the retirement, the law and on sweet Esther. I know I will hire you." Nate stuck out his hand.
Jarrod patted Macklin on the back, "I could use some help in Stockton too."
Macklin grinned ear to ear, "Not even legal yet and I have two partners."
The men visited for a few more minutes, finished their cigars and headed back to the party.
Victoria discreetly bumped into Nate a few minutes later, "May we talk privately?"
"Of course, Mrs Barkley. My curiosity is peeked by your tone. May I dare ask who this concerns?"
"Lisette," and she took his arm firmly. She led him to the fountain and they sat down on the tiles.
"Nate, this is completely between us. Completely. I need to know if this is legal and it will not hurt anyone."
His eyes grew wide, "I will do my best to discern that."
She smiled and began to share her ideas.
—-&—
The party continued into the night. Lisette danced with Anna's brothers, brother-in-law, Fred, Nick, Eugene, Nate, Macklin, Heath, Dr. Merar, Harry and even the Mayor. She and Jarrod kept their respective distance but never left each other's field of sight. Finally close to midnight, the party broke up.
Heath grinned looking at Grete; she could barely keep her head up. She had fallen asleep twice sitting on the bench under the trees.
"Going to get the little mama home. Mother? You want a ride back? Do you need any help?"
"No, I am staying with Silas and Rosa. We will make it home in a little bit. I want to make sure we get all the tablecloths bundled for the Chinese laundry and all the dishes back to the house. We have already crated everything so far. There are only a few more left around. Hands will take down the floor and tables in the morning. The chairs go to storage too. It's just the platters and such."
Grete kissed Victoria on the cheek and stifled a yawn, "This was so beautiful—what a wonderful night, Anna looked so beautiful and Nick so adoring."
"They did, didn't they?" Victoria clasped her hand.
Nick and Anna made their excuses with quite a bit of love in their eyes and they headed out in the two seater rig. Macklin and Esther left holding hands to walk to the road back into town.
"Want a ride?"
"Nope Heath. I got the moon, my lady and my future ahead of me." Macklin winked. Esther blushed and they shared a private smile..
The brothers shared a look in amazement.
"You just never know, do ya?"
"Nope ya shore don't. Someone for everyone,"
Jarrod and Lisette along with Eugene helped with the final cleanup. Gene helped his Mother and the servants load up.
"All done."
Jarrod looked at his Mother, "We have one more rig here. Lissy and I will take it into town."
Victoria looked at them knowingly and smiled, "See you later."
The acceptance in her eyes relieved his mind. The little boy who never wanted to disappoint his mother was always just under the surface. And he saw no judgment in her eyes, just understanding.
Gene was oblivious at the inference and they headed out towards the ranch.
Jarrod whispered huskily in Lisette's ear as he helped her into the rig, "Can I take you for that private dance I wanted all night?"
"Absolutely, only your name is on my dance card."
—-&—-
Jarrod and Lisette arrived back to the ranch at dawn—-before Henry awoke of course. They had spent four hours in each other's arms in complete abandon at the office apartment. Several times, Jarrod thought he found the words to ask Lissy about her time of the moon—-but each time, he lost his nerve. He knew every inch of Lissy intimately but asking about menses debilitated him.
"Surely, she will tell me—" he convinced himself as he took her into his arms again, pushing the nagging suspicions from his mind.