From Rockville to Stockton Chapter 11

After nearly three days of emotional testimony the jury finally reached a verdict in the case against Tyson McMillan.

"Gentlemen, have you reached a verdict?" Judge Clement asked the Jury of twelve men.

"We have your Honor, we find the Defendant not guilty,"

There were smiles and cheers all around the courtroom, and even Jarrod had to wipe sweat from his brow. Then they all stood up to leave, Tyson shook hands with Jarrod and Danny as well.

"I'm very happy with the way things turned out, Tyson," Jarrod told him.

"Thank you, Mr. Barkley for all you've done for me," Tyson said

That's when they went their separate ways. Danny couldn't help but look in the direction that Tyson was going joining his parents. Tyson's mother wept with relief as she held her son in her arms, while the look on his father's face was one of satisfaction.

Still Danny couldn't shake the feeling that was deep down inside of him, but only time would tell anyone what the future would hold for Tyson and his family. For his part, Danny would just keep watching and listening for anything unusual about the McMillan family.

A few weeks passed, and Danny was settling into his internship with Jarrod. For his part, Jarrod enjoyed the time they worked together, finding Danny a quick learner. But it still bothered him that neither he nor Danny had ever talked about the past, when they had met before. Jarrod didn't bring it up, thinking maybe it wasn't important to the younger man. Danny stayed quiet, thinking the same thing about Jarrod, that it just wasn't important.

One day, a little while after leaving the courtroom, both Jarrod and Danny went back to the law office, and when they arrived, Robyn handed Jarrod a telegram.

Quickly, Jarrod read the telegram in his hands and a great big smile was showing on his face.

Then he looked at the calendar that was hanging on the wall in the front entrance of the office.

"Well, I can't believe I have lost track of time, Danny would you take a look at this, "Jarrod said.

Puzzled and wondering why Jarrod would want him to read a telegram that was not addressed to him, Danny took the paper and proceeded to read the telegram that Jarrod handed to him. The message simply read: "Jarrod, have you forgotten the July fourth celebration here in S.F.?" And it was signed, Christopher Dorton.

Still puzzled by the telegram and why Jarrod wanted him to read it, Danny handed the telegram back to Jarrod. At that very moment Jarrod had the feeling that Danny had forgotten that he had a law office in San Francisco.

"So, are you excited to experience all the hustle and bustle of big city life?"

"Huh, what?" Danny said, looking very confused.

Neither Jarrod nor Robyn help but laugh at the bewildered look on Danny's face.

"Well, what I am getting at young man is that I have an office in San Francisco and since you are my intern you get to go with me when I'm there."

When reality hit him, Danny just did not know what to say, however his first thought was of his momma. He then thought that he would wait until he and Jarrod arrived there before he mentioned going to visit his momma.

"Wow, this is great, I have been to San Francisco a few times in my life, but never during a celebration," Danny was now excited.

"Well, you will get to experience it all not only the usual busy city life, but also what I call pandemonium when a festival comes to the big city," Jarrod laughed.

Jarrod then looked at the calendar once more: "Well July fourth is one week from today. So how about if we leave on Sunday afternoon, that way it will give us plenty of time to get you settled in the home I have there, or if you would rather, we can get you a hotel room. I will leave that up to you. How does that sound young man?" Jarrod then smiled.

"That sounds great, I'm looking forward to it," Danny replied eagerly.

"Alright then, let's close early today, and what do you say we take the next few days off. And Robyn you can come back to the office on Monday after we are in San Francisco."

Later that evening Danny was thinking of the excitement he was just now starting to feel about the upcoming trip to San Francisco and hoping to get the chance to see his Momma for the first time since he arrived in Stockton after starting his internship. He had so much to tell her and well he figured he had better get his journal out so he would not forget to tell her one single thing about what he had experienced so far.

As he opened his journal and retrieved his pen, he began to write as much as he could think of, when suddenly the thought hit him that finally, after so many years, his mother would get to be reunited with the man that they had only known for a few weeks, the man Danny himself had nicknamed him "Dakota".

But then, another thought had come to him. He had not let Jarrod know that he knew who he really was! Of course, he wondered if Jarrod truly remembered the young ten-year-old boy on a small ranch in Rockville so many years before. That's when he closed his journal, put it in his dresser drawer and headed back out the door hoping Jarrod was still at the office.

The closer he swiftly walked to Jarrod's office, the more he started to remember the day he stepped off the train and bumped right into Jarrod, how nervous he was then. He started telling himself not to be nervous, that they were friends now, he had nothing to be nervous about. Just as he walked to the front of the office, he noticed a light was on.

"Thank goodness," Danny said aloud, then breathed a small sigh, took a deep breath and walked into the law office.

Jarrod heard the front door open, he almost reached into the top right drawer at his desk to retrieve his pistol, but something stopped him and told him "NO."

So slowly Jarrod came out of his office and there stood a very nervous Danny.

"Danny, is something wrong?" Seeing Danny Jarrod was very alarmed, he was so worried that something had happened.

"No, nothing is wrong Jarrod, but I do need to talk to you about something that I should have mentioned to you before now," Danny then looked at the clock on the wall.

"Don't worry about that Danny what's on your mind?" Jarrod said to him as they both sat down.

"Well," Danny said, trying to stay calm.

"After I went to the boardinghouse, I began to write some things down in a journal, so I don't forget anything to tell my momma in case I do get to see her,"

Jarrod couldn't help but smile at the excitement he was now seeing in Danny's eyes. His smile faded when Danny became quiet once again.

"Jarrod, do you remember a young boy giving you a nickname?"

Jarrod was in such shock he didn't really know how to react, he started to remember the feeling he had when he received the letter from Harvard and then a letter from Danny himself how he couldn't figure out why the name and where he lived was familiar.

"Danny, are you referring to Dakota?"