Chapter Fifty Seven
"Mother Barkley? Can we stop at the bakery on the way out of town?"
"Are you sure?"
"Yes. Will you go in with me?"
"Yes."
They walked up on the bakery porch and the CLOSED sign was firmly in place. Someone had drawn a pentangle on the post and the remnants of burnt sage had been stamped out on the scorched floor board.
Grete took a deep breath and wiped away her tears. She knocked on the front door and no one answered. They went around to the alley and rang the bell for the private apartment. No one came.
"Maybe another day?"
"Give him time, Grete. Adolf is a proud man."
"Yes Mother."
They looked at the second floor window and the curtain quickly closed.
"Let's get back to the ranch."
—-&—-—
Heath waited until a deputy checked on Brother Jehu. He was awake at Doc Merar's Someone had tacked up a cluster of sage on the doorpost and down the block at the doctor's office.
The preacher declined to press charges on Heath,"I think Barkley was under a spell and I preached forgiveness so I would show it to a sinner." The ladies from his church at his bedside thought him magnanimous.
He sent a message to "repent before it was too late—put the whore aside". The deputy declined to pass on that last message.
"He will kill the fool with his bare hands," he told Fred later.
The women surrounding him were fawning over him and telling him what a prophet he was.
"No, just a simple man of God."
He got from the office and one of the ladies paid his bill.
"He despises worldly things. Barely has a place to lay his head. Unless you, Howard, want to make a donation of your services."
"Nope. I do plenty of charity. This one brought this on himself. I think Heath Barkley had all the right in the world to defend his wife's name."
The ladies shook their heads, "Tsk, ."
"Did you know you can make potions out of kitchen herbs?"
"Enough—-I am a man of science and of God. Take him."
"Howard, I went to Reverend Stacy's church my whole life. I have learned so much from Brother Jehu."
"Good for you. Good day to you."
And he turned and walked away while she was still talking.
—-&—-
Jarrod left Lisette sleeping in his office suite. She had cried and cried; he just held her and got a glass of wine down her. She began to hiccup and finally the tears stopped. He walked her gently to "their room" as he had begun to call it.
"I am locking the door, my love. I am going to check with the sheriff about Heath."
"Thank you Jarrod."
"Sweetheart, you needed to cry. Have you let yourself grieve your father once—or your mother—-and what has happened since has been despicable."
She fluffed the pillow and he put an afghan across her.
"Sweet dreams."
—&—-
Lisette woke with a start—she could have sworn she heard someone trying to open the door
"I was dreaming, I guess," as she awoke disoriented. She turned the wick up for light in the darkened room.
She was wide awake now and poured herself another glass of wine. She noticed her ear bob on the nightstand. She instinctively reached up and felt her ear. She had both of her pearl drops in from today. It confused her.
She finished the second glass quickly and poured a third. Her eyes were swollen and her face blotchy in the mirror.
"I look a fright. Poor Jarrod. I must have looked like a mad, shrieking woman. He probably ran for the hills."
She was overwhelmed again and finished the third glass. She checked her watch pin, "He should be home soon. Hope Heath isn't in jail." aloud with a bit of slurred speech.
She thought she heard the door rattle again but the wine was having its effect.
"Must be the wind."
She dozed again on top of the duvet.
She didn't awaken at the sound of a single pane of glass breaking.
The night watchman yelled "Hey you!" from down the alley and the man ran off into the shadows.
—-&—-
Jarrod had been on his way back to the office at dusk but the Mayor and two town councilmen, cornered him.
"Gentlemen, I am not quite ready to divulge my plans. Have some more studies in the wings."
"But Jarrod—we don't need more river traffic until the state comes up with the money for dredging."
He couldn't help himself remembering the smug and callous way they dealt with Lisette.
"Well, who is to say more river traffic won't spur the state on to take care of the problem?"
"Jarrod, you know better. Bureaucracy and the legal and pet projects."
"Maybe I can speak to them in Sacramento."
"Jarrod you know damn well, the city is not prepared for more river traffic."
"Progress is often measured by the history books."
"What the hell does that mean?"
He laughed and rambled on about city planning and taxation and the legislature. The men argued and Jarrod dragged them around in circular reasoning.
Finally, he checked his pocket watch, "I am late, gentleman. I will let you know when I am ready to proceed on my new project."
They followed him grumbling and complaining all the way to his office. He unlocked it and bid the men goodnight, shutting the door firmly in place.
He quickly checked on Lisette. She was snoring a bit and he noticed that three-fourths of the new bottle of wine were gone.
"Oh honey, I should have been here. You won't be waking any time soon. Too much has been placed on your beautiful shoulders."
She moaned and rolled over.
He took his jacket off and lay down beside her with his book. He poured the rest of the wine into her glass and drank it.
"Sweet dreams my love." repeating his earlier words.