hapter 13      

It took the Barkleys a long time to thread their way through the pressing throng of well-wishers and it also took all the self-control and courage Jarrod possessed to maintain a suitable demeanour through this further ordeal. The stark contrast between the isolated gloom of his prison and the jostling mass of people in the streets taxed his endurance to the limit and by the time they had at last reached the privacy of his law office he was on the point of collapse. The indomitable spirit that had borne him up throughout his suffering was all but gone, he was at the end of his tether.

Sarah was quick to recognize the signs and she was glad that Nick and Heath both sensed it too, for they inexorably excluded from the room all other persons and firmly shut the door of the office against the rest of the world. She looked into Nick's alert hazel eyes and didn't have to say a word, "I'll get the Doc," he assured her and was gone on the instant. Heath gently pressed the exhausted lawyer into a chair and poured him a small brandy, putting the glass in Jarrod's hand and softly advising him "sip it real slow now Jarrod!"

Jarrod's hand shook, he fought for control, achieved it and raised his now steady hand again, drinking the fiery spirit slowly as Heath had suggested.

Sarah was thinking fast, so far so good, Jarrod had risen magnificently to the occasion, his speech had done all that was possible to repair the damage done to public confidence by his abduction. As far as the case went that was all in hand too. She knew Sheriff Madden's men would vigilantly guard Peter Barton, likely to be a star witness for the prosecution, if he had any sense! She racked her brain, was there anything else they could do, anything at all? A slow confident smile illuminated her face, she was a journalist wasn't she? Of course there was something else she could do!

Dropping to her knees in front of her husband's chair Sarah smiled into his wonderful eyes, "Jarrod Darling, how would you like to help me put out the paper?"

He understood her at once and she thrilled to see the spark of excitement that lit his face, re-kindling his almost vanquished spirit. He smiled, "how wise I was to marry a girl as clever as she is beautiful!"

They had to out-argue Doc Merar who was for insisting on his patient's going home and to bed but eventually he settled for giving Jarrod some medication to sustain him and Jarrod was allowed to accompany his wife to the newspaper office.

They worked through the night, the newspaper office was a buzzing hive of activity. Sarah composing a stirring article on the abduction and the rescue, her editor writing a crisp editorial to the effect that the days of criminal warlords in Stockton's fair city were well and truly over! Jarrod contributed, amplifying the themes of his rousing speech and drawing the stamina to go on from his satisfaction in what they were doing. Tomorrow any of Stockton's citizens who had managed to miss the events of the afternoon were going to be able to read all about it and read Counselor Barkley's stirring speech, Jarrod knew that his victory would be complete.

Nick and Heath stayed on too, fetching, carrying, doing whatever was needed and it was they who brought back to the newspaper office the stunning news that Sheriff Madden had just broken to them. Jarrod could see that they had something to say and cocked an enquiring eyebrow, "well? What is it?"

Nick and Heath exchanged glances and it was Nick who spoke in a deep quiet tone, "we just heard from the Sheriff Jarrod, they found Marsh Lonsdale's body in his office at the Pleasure Palace a while ago. He'd been garotted, that henchman of his..." Nick broke off casting an enquiring look at Heath.

"Roscoe, Mark Roscoe," supplied Heath. "He's disappeared, the Sheriff has a posse out after him, but I reckon he has a pretty good head start."

It seemed at first as though the lawyer had not heard, he stood unmoving for long seconds as his tired brain absorbed the fact of his enemy's death and he was a prey to the bitterest feelings of rage and hatred. Then in a sudden explosion of movement Jarrod seized the water carafe from an adjacent table and hurled it violently against the wall. It shattered, sending shards of glass flying and spraying water over the surrounding area. His wife and his brothers stood rooted to the spot for a moment, it was so rare to see Jarrod lose control, then Sarah came forward and laid a gentle hand on his arm, murmuring his name. He sighed audibly and it was as though all the fight drained out of him, "what's the use?"

His weary, defeated question hung in the air and none of the other Barkleys tried to answer him. Sarah pressed him into a chair and in answer to the summons in her anxious eyes the Doctor came forward and spoke to the lawyer.

"Jarrod, I'm putting my foot down now! You've been through a terrible ordeal and you've been driving yourself like a demon, it's time you went home and got some rest."

Jarrod looked at him with dull glazed eyes and tried to protest but Merar was having none of it, "I insist Jarrod, Doctor's orders!"

Sarah endorsed him, "the Doctor is right Jarrod, there's nothing more you can do here, let the boys take you home now, your mother will be waiting and longing to see you"

Her husband looked into her determined face, "what about you?"

She shook her head, "I want to finish up here."

Jarrod shook his head, "what does it matter now?"

Sarah held a hand to his lean cheek, "it matters Jarrod, Lonsdale wasn't the only defendant in the trial, the message you delivered to the people of this town today is still important and I intend to see that not one citizen of Stockton misses it!"

She caught and held his gaze with her own, "you'll see things differently in the morning Darling, believe me you will."

Her use of one of his own favourite expressions drew a reluctant smile from the exhausted lawyer and he leaned forward kissing her gently, "maybe you're right Sarah, I'll go home."

Heath headed for the door, I'll have a buggy outside in five minutes Jarrod."

The lawyer looked across the room at Nick, he didn't have to say a word, the rancher understood him at once and made haste to re-assure him, "I won't leave her Big Brother and on my life, no-one will harm a hair of her head, count on it!"

The lawyer nodded satisfied and soon he was driving home with Heath, and a group of vigilant Barkley hands rode alongside them, for the rancher brothers had agreed that they would not relax their vigilance one iota. These were dangerous days and the Barkleys were not about to drop their guard again!

Jarrod was silent during the journey home and Heath left him in peace, realizing that the lawyer needed a breathing space, to come to terms with the tumultuous events of this memorable day. As the buggy pulled up outside Jarrod's house, Heath looked sideways at his brother, trying to assess his mood. The lawyer caught him doing it and managed a grin, "I'm alright Heath, I guess I just felt cheated by Lonsdale's death. I wanted my day in court with that man, I guess I wanted revenge in a way."

"I'd say you'd earned it Jarrod!"

The lawyer shrugged, "maybe but that smart little lady I married is right! There are other criminals to bring to justice and it does still matter!"

Heath felt a glow of satisfaction, Jarrod already sounded more philosophical about Lonsdale's death, by the time he had rested he would have regained the fire in his belly and be ready to continue his crusade.

As they came through the front door into the hall, Victoria appeared from the passage which led to the kitchen and gasped with the sudden shock of seeing Jarrod standing there. She knew the full story of his ordeal, for Danny had told it to her. Yet here Jarrod was and he looked just as he always did, clean, tidy and immaculate, impossibly normal when one considered what he had been through. Shaking herself free of the shock that had held her frozen Victoria came to him at the run and her son swept her off her feet holding her close tenderly as he murmured "Mother," in a voice of deep satisfaction.

"Jarrod! Oh Jarrod Darling, are you alright?"

"I'll be fine Mother, all I need is rest."

Laughing and crying all at the same time, Victoria drew her son into the living room, Heath followed them and smiled at the waiting Danny, "everything alright here Danny?"

"Yes Sir! Everything's quiet and the men are on guard. Where are Sarah and Nick?"

Heath grinned, "putting out the paper!"

Nick had been sitting with his long legs propped up on a desk, but he came to his feet as Sarah came through from the printing shop, she had the front page of the paper in her hand and held it out to Nick, "what do you think?"

He took it from her and read the banner headline,

THE TRUE NATURE OF COURAGE

under which was a photograph of a determined looking Counselor Barkley. The front page was devoted to Jarrod's stirring speech of the afternoon and his contention that the valour of ordinary people taking a stand against the corruption and evil around them was indeed the true nature of courage. Also in the paper was Sarah's accout of Jarrod's ordeal and the editor's clarion call for decency and justice in Stockton. Nick's face split into a delighted grin, "Sassy you've excelled yourself!"

She sighed wearily, "well we've done our best, let's go home Nick!"

Softly opening the door of her bedroom Sarah smiled at the sight that met her eyes, Jarrod was asleep, laying on his back and curled in his arms was six year old Jack. The little boy had discovered that his Papa was home at last and had lost no time in being re-united with him. Noiselessly Sarah undressed and slipped into bed beside them both. She had feared that she would be unable to sleep after the excitement and the mixed emotions of the day but almost as soon as her head touched the pillow she could feel herself slipping into her rest. She managed to stay awake just long enough to offer a grateful prayer for her husband's safe deliverance before sliding into a deep and dreamless sleep.

hapter 14      

The nightmare days of Jarrod's disappearance were over, but the repercussions of the whole affair and of Marsh Lonsdale's death would rumble on for some time to come. The day after his rescue, Jarrod sent a lengthy report off to Sacramento, receiving in due course a congratulatory wire from Governor Walter Anderson and a promise from that gentleman that he would visit Jarrod in person very soon. Jarrod himself spent a quiet couple of days recuperating at home and playing with his children. Jack's loving if boisterous company was therapy enough smiled Doc Merar and Sarah was inclined to agree.

However, she was not surprised on the third morning after his deliverance, when Jarrod came down to breakfast dressed for a visit to town. She poured his coffee and forebore to comment, causing him to smile apologetically at her, "no protests about me going to Stockton?"

She returned the smile, "you're going to see Peter Barton aren't you?"

The lawyer nodded, "I have to talk to him Sarah, I have to try to understand what could have made him throw in his lot with Lonsdale and the rest, there can be no...no closure of this affair for me without that."

I understand Darling, I hope he has the answers you want," said Sarah, admirably concealing her own deeply felt bitterness towards the treachorous young lawyer who had betrayed her husband.

Barton was under the strongest of guards and Jarrod felt sure that no assassin could penetrate the security that Fred Madden had established around the jail. The Sheriff raised no objection to Jarrod's visit and soon he was alone with Barton in his cell. Peter sat dejectedly on his bunk, unable to look his former mentor in the face, he kept his eyes fixed on the floor and asked quietly, "why have you come here Jarrod?"

"I want to help you Peter, if I can," came the gentle reply.

Barton's head came up at that and his tortured eyes searched Jarrod's face, "help me! Why in Hades would you want to help me?"

The older man smiled faintly and sat beside his erstwhile protege "you remind me of an idealistic young lawyer I used to know...well used to be in fact! I was going to change the world, at least I believed so then, I've always thought I could sense the same goals in you."

Barton sprang up moving restlessly to his cell bars and staring out before wheeling around to face his mentor again.

"Maybe you did sense the same ideals in me, but you've lived up to yours, your whole life has been a tribute to the truths you believe in! Mine? Mine has been a betrayal of everything that I ever held sacred, I've betrayed myself as well as you! Damn you Jarrod you ought to hate my guts!"

"Well I'm sorry Peter but I don't, I want to know what happened to you, how you got embroiled in this business and I want you to tell me. Tell me everything and I promise to do whatever lies in my power to help you through."

There could be no doubting his sincerity and Barton came and sat down again, thinking hard for a minute or two. At length he turned his head and looked deep into the vivid eyes of the man he admired, "alright Counselor, I'll tell you everything, chapter and verse, I owe you that at least. But as to helping me, forget it! It's like I told you the other day, I'm a dead man already, there are powerful men involved in this and I expect to pay the price!"

One of those powerful men, Senator Lowell Longman, was at that moment, on his way to a secret meeting with the man he had tasked to ensure Marsh Lonsdale's discretion. He had arranged to rendezvous with Mark Roscoe at a small hotel outside Sacramento and he went un-noticed up to Roscoe's room. He was admitted by a jumpy Roscoe who at once demanded the payment he had been promised for disposing of Lonsdale.

"Gently Mr. Roscoe, gently does it, you shall have your promised fee. If I may say so you appear to have handled matters very smoothly, a pity Lonsdale's plans for Counselor Barkley went awry, but all will yet be well."

"Glad you think so! I should have taken care of Barton too, that young man knows a great deal too much about things"

Longman smiled without humour, "oh I don't think so Mark, I had a fair hold over Peter Barton, as a consequence of which he told us many things but he isn't privy to much of our affairs you know."

"If you say so Senator," Roscoe was regaining his coolness, Longman's calm demeanour was giving him renewed confidence.

"I do say so Mark, after today, I think we will have very little to fear!"

Minutes later, having given Roscoe the agreed fee the Senator left as inconspicuously as he had arrived. He drove his own carriage today, there would be no groom to testify to his whereabouts this afternoon, he had wanted no witness to his meeting with Roscoe, or to his next meeting, in a clearing a few miles down the road.

In the clearing a man sat his horse, patiently waiting for his boss to join him. He was a man of much the same stamp as Mark Roscoe, he too worked for Senator Longman, he too was a heartless killer. His name was Sam Spearman and he knew why he had been summoned to this secluded spot. Lowell Longman's buggy drove into the clearing and the two men exchanged curt greetings.

"Everything alright?" Spearman's laconic question brought a grim smile to Longman's mouth.

"Just fine, he doesn't suspect a thing, I've told him to disappear for a while, I advised him on where to go. He should be riding this way in an hour or two. See to it Sam!"

A cruel grin split Spearman's face, he didn't like Mark Roscoe, "this is as far as he goes Senator, count on me!"

"Oh I do Sam, I do."

Jarrod had a certain amount of trouble persuading Fred Madden that it was a good idea to let him take Peter Barton over to his law office so they could talk in comfort. The Sheriff was aware of the importance of Barton, now the only means by which those who had profited from Marsh Lonsdale's criminal empire might ever be brought to justice. He was therefore reluctant to let his valuable prisoner out of his sight. On the other hand, it had been three days now and Barton hadn't said a damn word, not one! So if Jarrod Barkley could open him up a little then why not try it?

Reluctantly, Madden agreed and beyond insisting on having two deputies stationed in Jarrod's outer office, he put no further obstacles in the lawyer's way. Jarrod led the subdued Peter into his private office and sat him down on the big leather chesterfield. He poured drinks for them both and sat beside the younger man. He felt no bitterness now toward Barton, he was convinced that his assistant had been coerced in some way. His only desire now was to hear Peter's side of things and to help his young friend if he possibly could. Peter was about the same age as Jarrod's youngest brother Eugene and Jarrod had stood in a father's place to that young man for many years now. Gene's college career had been somewhat checquered and Jarrod was adept at worming Gene's troubles and misdemeanours out of him. He hoped he might have equal success with Peter so he smiled, laid a gentle hand on Barton's shoulder and in the kindest of voices bade him tell him everything.

Peter stared straight ahead, unwilling to meet his mentor's eyes but he was conscious of a desire to unburden himself to this sympathetic listener and began to talk in a low humble voice.

"It began when I was still at the University, I...had money troubles, my mother is a widow and there's my sister as well as me. I ought never to have gone to school really, she couldn't afford it and even thoughI worked it was tough on us all. I...well...I guess I got in with the wrong crowd, they were a lively bunch, I liked them, didn't see any harm in them, no harm at all...not until it was too late. I...started to gamble, I won a bit at first, it seemed like the answer to my troubles," he broke off burying his head in his hands before recovering himself and continuing, "it wasn't the answer, it just...made it all ten times worse!"

Jarrod inwardly reflected that something very similar had happened to Eugene when he was at Berkeley, but Gene was lucky. Unlike Peter Barton he had a rich family to bail him out of his gambling debts and a brother who was also his guardian to protect him from the consequences of his folly. Jarrod had been deeply angry with Eugene and had given him the lecture of his life to boot. But he had also helped his much-loved younger sibling and as a result Gene had been able to put his mistakes behind him and make something of his life. He was now a promising young Doctor and Jarrod was justly proud both of Gene and his own part in raising the boy. He felt his sympathy with Peter growing, that young man had not had Gene's advantages, his mistakes were less easy to escape from.

"So you borrowed money, to pay your gambling debts?"

"Yes, fool that I was! I couldn't repay it of course, not even the interest, so when...someone...approached me and offered to help me finish my studies, well it seemed like a gift from God!"

He looked into his mentor's warmly understanding eyes, "it wasn't a gift from God though, it was a gift from the devil!"

Jarrod's vivid blue gaze held Peter's sorrowful brown eyes in a compelling look, "what is this particular devil's name Peter?"

After a short pause, Peter sighed and said, "Senator Lowell Longman!"

hapter 15      

Mark Roscoe had led a violent and ruthless life, if he had not had the instincts of a survivor he would have perished young. He could smell trouble a mile away and he could smell fear just as plainly. Fear was what he had smelled on Senator Longman, a powerful man, but a man with secrets and secrets were hard to keep hidden. Roscoe was above all things a pragmatist, he had given many years of loyal service to Longman, just as he had to Marsh Lonsdale. Loyalty had not prevented him from killing Lonsdale, he doubted very much that loyalty would prevent Longman in turn from killing him. So he would indeed take the route suggested by his boss, but maybe he would be a little careful, a little cautious too!

He paid his bill at the hotel and saddled up his horse, carefully checking his rifle and side-arm before swinging himself into the saddle and riding out. He followed the road for a short time and then swung away from the main track, approaching his intended direction obliquely, skirting soundlessly through a helpful screen of trees until he came to the far edge of a quiet clearing. He chuckled mirthlessly when he saw the waiting figure of Sam Spearman. There could be no doubt that Spearman was laying in wait for him, even less doubt that Sam had orders to kill Roscoe. Mark Roscoe had no illusions about the source of Sam's orders. He didn't waste time in feeling aggrieved, Longman had done no more than Roscoe had anticipated, he wanted to silence anyone who could connect him to the murdered racketeer Lonsdale. Roscoe could understand this, he was himself a survivor and a pragmatic one. So, he must first take care of Sam, then it was time to seek protection, real protection, from Senator Lowell Longman.

The sun was low in the sky when Jarrod escorted Peter back to his jail cell. The young man had talked freely, and for several hours too. He had told Jarrod all he knew about the political figures in Sacramento and the lawyer had made careful notes for the report he would send to Governor Anderson in due course. He had let Peter talk, rarely interrupting him and had behaved with such sympathy and tact that Barton had completely unburdened himself, clearly feeling all the better for it. Jarrod had even managed to persuade the younger man into eating something and it was pleasant to see the weight of trouble lift from his face a little. Jarrod took his leave of Peter, promising to see him again in a day or two and pledging to be his attorney in any future legal proceeding. This had brought tears to Peter's sad brown eyes, "I don't deserve that Jarrod!"

"Peter, try not to torture yourself, you let a crafty politician take advantage of you when you were young and vulnerable, since then he's kept his hold over you by threatening your family, any young man in your situation might have acted as you did."

For the first time,Peter's eyes met his fearlessly, "you wouldn't have done it," he said simply.

The Governor had promised a speedy visit to Stockton and he kept his word, he too addressed the local population, dragging the unwilling Jarrod onto the dais with him and speaking in glowing terms of Counselor Barkley's personal courage, legal skills and determination to see justice done. They were fine words and were hailed with rapturous cheers by the assembled crowd. Later he asked Jarrod if they could drive out to the lawyer's home as he wanted to talk privately with him. Jarrod agreed and before long the Governor was bowing over Sarah's hand and complimenting her on her fine family and lovely home. Sarah lost no time in removing herself and her offspring from her husband's quiet library, it was plain to her that Governor Walter Anderson was here for rather more than a social visit! Jarrod had been quiet and obviously brooding in the days since his rescue, Sarah hoped the Governor would tell her husband something to lighten the trouble she saw lurking in his sombre blue eyes.

Walter Anderson was a good Governor, Jarrod had voted for him and trusted him, insofar as he trusted any politician but he was disturbed by the older man's air of tension and with a feeling of dread he wondered what Anderson was about to tell him. He had to wait a while to find out.

The two men sat in leather chairs opposite each other and Anderson sipped the coffee Sarah had provided him with before leaving the two men alone.

"Excellent coffee Jarrod," he said with relish. "Let me see, she's beautiful, she has a brain, she's given you lovely children and her coffee is first-rate too! You are a VERY lucky guy Counselor."

Jarrod's smile and thanks were somewhat perfunctory, he wanted to know what was coming and he had an inkling he wasn't going to like it too much.

Anderson took the hint, "alright Jarrod, I can see you want to know what's on my mind, so I'll cut the small talk short! I gather you and Peter Barton have been doing a lot of talking in the last few days?"

"We have Sir."

"So you know pretty much the extent of his involvement and how far up the political ladder some of this corruption goes?"

"I believe so, yes."

"You know of course that my officers will be taking Barton into their custody today and he will be sequestered until he is brought to trial himself."

Jarrod nodded but a frown carved a deep groove in his brow, "and until he is required as a witness in other trials surely?"

The Governor's answer was unequivocal, "no Jarrod."

The lawyer shook his head in bewildered disbelief, "Sir I don't understand this, Peter TOLD me, he has told me everything, named names, Governor, I KNOW about Senator Longman!"

Walter Anderson drank more coffee, "ex-Senator Longman Counselor, I have Lowell Longman's resignation on health grounds in my pocket as we speak, it will be made public as soon as I return to Sacramento."

Jarrod coudn't sit still a moment longer, he sprang up and moved restlessly around the room, coming to stand in his familiar pose, hands dug into vest pockets, facing the seated Governor, his eyes were hard as sapphires, his stance combative. He spoke in an icy and decidely undeferential tone, "a whitewash, is that what you're asking me to accept Governor? Because I think you know me well enough to know I won't stand for it!"

Anderson smiled grimly, "indeed I do young man! That is why I'm here in person to explain matters to you and it's why you're going to stop standing there glaring at me! I want you to sit down Jarrod and I want you to shut up and listen!"

Such was the respect that Jarrod Barkley had for the most reform-minded Governor that California had had in recent years, that he did sit and he did listen. Which is not to say that he liked what he heard one little bit.

"The crux of the matter is this Jarrod, I have two clear choices before me, I can use the testimony of your young friend Barton and bring Lowell Longman to trial or I can play the pragmatist, look at the larger picture and follow the trail of corruption upward to the national figures it involves."

Jarrod's head came up at that, and the governor smiled grimly, "yes Counselor, you heard me correctly, we are talking about political and criminal conspiracy at the national level here!"

The Governor watched, not without sympathy whilst one of the most moral men he knew wrestled with his conscience. "Alright Governor," Jarrod said after a long pause for thought, "I can see that Longman can lead you to other corrupt men, some of them perhaps more important than he is, but in Heaven's name, is he to go gracefully into retirement and reap no consequences of his actions whatsoever?"

Anderson nodded sympathetically, "I know Jarrod, I know, you think it hardly fair that Longman should enjoy an honourable retirement..."

"Honourable!" Jarrod's interruption was raw with bitterness.

"Alright Counselor, climb down off your shining white high horse for a moment while I accquaint you with a few of the political facts of life!"

Walter Anderson had a considerable presence and his personal dignity was impressive, so Jarrod did as he was told, re-seating himself and listening intently to the Governor's next words.

"I hope I don't need to tell you that I loathe the Lowell Longmans of this world as much as you do and I hope I don't need to remind you how much I have done personally to root out corruption in State Government affairs."

"No Sir, but..."

"Shut up and listen Jarrod! I knew, had known in fact about Peter Barton's involvement with Longman for some time. I think you knew I had a hidden agenda in sending him to be your assistant didn't you?"

Jarrod smiled slightly, "I suspected as much Sir."

"Well, I know that I put you in considerable danger by my actions and I can't tell you what a relief it is to have you back safe and sound. It seemed to me that if any man could shake Marsh Lonsdale's grip on crime in this State, that man was Jarrod Barkley! I believed that somehow we would get to Lonsdale sufficiently to..." The Governor paused for a moment, searching for the right words, "to provoke a response of some sort."

Jarrod was slightly startled, "were you anticipating Lonsdale's murder?"

"Not as such, but it was always a distinct possibility, at the very least, I felt it would smoke out Longman and I wanted him badly. Peter Barton was likely to prove a reliable witness against both Lonsdale and Longman and I was prepared to settle for that."

Jarrod shook his head, "then I don't understand, what changed your mind?"

Governor Anderson grinned wolfishly, "Senator Longman ordered Mark Roscoe to kill Marsh Lonsdale, I'm sure you realised that?"

"Yes Sir."

"Well after Roscoe carried out Longman's orders, he met with the Senator to get his payment and Longman told him a place where he could lay low. It was not Longman's intention that Roscoe should ever reach this place of safety, he had another of his men, Sam Spearman, laying in wait to silence Roscoe."

"What happened Governor?"

"A man's body was found murdered in a quiet clearing on Roscoe's intended route."

"Was it Roscoe?"

There was quiet triumph in the Governor's reply, "no, the body was Spearman's, at this moment Mark Roscoe is in the custody of my Marshals, he is in a place of safety and he is singing like a bird Jarrod! He's giving us everything, the details on Lonsdale's operations, on Longman's dealings too and a great deal more besides. Longman therefore has no choice but to co-operate with the investigation, he knows a lot about a deal of national corruption and in return for being allowed to retire without disgrace, he's giving it all to us!"

Jarrod was prowling restlessly around the library again, he stood with his back to his distinguished guest, absently tidying papers on his desk whilst he thought, then he turned back to Anderson, "Alright Governor, I can understand how important this is and how much you want to follow this trail as high as it reaches, but I don't like this one little bit and I cannot condone Longman's getting off scot free!"

"Of course you can't Jarrod. I can, because I'm a politician and a realist, you my friend are neither of those things!"

A faint smile lit the gravity of Jarrod's eyes, "what am I Governor?"

"An idealist, and a dreamer!" He added with quiet sincerity, "you are also a fine attorney and one of the best men I know."

"Thank you Sir."

"Can you forgive me for sending you into the lion's den?"

The lawyer grinned, "I wanted to go!"

The Governor got up to take his leave, "all of this is out of our hands now Jarrod, let others pursue this cause from here on in , your work and mine is done."

Jarrod's expression wasn't hard to read, he was unconvinced and it showed, "I find that difficult to accept Governor, if there had been a trial..."

"Yes, yes Counselor, I know it's an unsatisfying end to your quest, not the full closure you'd hoped for but try to reflect on what you have achieved. Marsh Lonsdale's criminal empire is in total disarray after all and if he isn't to be punished as you would like him to be, at least Lowell Longman's days of influence are over.."

Jarrod refused to be comforted, "there are other men ready and willing to step into Lonsdale's shoes!"

"Maybe so Counselor but they'll be starting from scratch, the power and the influence Lonsdale spent decades building up has been wrecked beyond salvage. His high-powered connections to Sacramento and beyond are broken and broken for good."

The lawyer smiled, "I know you're right Sir, I just need a little time that's all."

As the Governor reached the library door, followed by his host he stopped with his hand on the doorknob. "There will be one trial of course Jarrod, Peter Barton's."

Jarrod's face was stern and his eyes were icy cold, when he spoke his voice was taut with suppressed anger, "ironic isn't it Sir, he's probably the least blame-worthy yet he's the one set to go to trial!"

Anderson tried for a hearty note, "well his trial need not concern you Counselor, put it out of your mind."

A grim little smile twisted Jarrod's mouth, "on the contrary Sir, as Peter's defending counsel his trial is very much my concern!"

Walter Anderson's brow contracted in a frown, "I strongly urge you to re-consider that decision Counselor, allow me to say I think it unwise for you to associate yourself with that young man at all!"

"I thank you for your advice Governor but my mind is made up," said Jarrod flatly.

Anderson looked at the younger man with a mixture of exasperation and admiration before saying in a resigned tone, "very well Jarrod, I may as well save my breath I suppose."

It was Sarah Barkley herself, not a servant who assisted the Governor into his coat and she escorted him to his carriage. She had been a smiling and gracious hostess and had not betrayed any hint of her feelings about everything that had happened to her husband. Anderson stole a sideways look at her as they exited the house together, "Sarah I think you are a remarkable woman I really do!"

"Me Governor? Why on earth should you think that?"

"Haven't you got a single word of reproach for me, after all that your husband has been through on my account?"

Sarah smiled and faced him as they stood beside his carriage, "Jarrod knew what you were getting him into from the start Sir, he did what he wanted to do. I have always tried not to let the presence in his life of the children and I inhibit his actions. I have never wanted Jarrod to be less than the man he is because of us."

Walter Anderson raised her hand to his lips, "as I said to Jarrod earlier, in my opinion he is a VERY lucky man, good-bye Dear."

She stood and waved until the carriage bowled out of the drive and returned to the house, wondering what on earth Anderson had said to her husband to bring the heavy frown to his face. He was swift to tell her and she shared his indignation about Senator Longman's retirement, but Sarah was a journalist and very much a realist. She took a pragmatic view of events and echoed the departed Governor by expressing the view that however it had happened, Lonsdale was defeated and a chain of corruption well on the way to being eradicated.

The lawyer had refused to be comforted by Governor Anderson, his wife was more successful though and she soon had the pleasure of seeing his frown lighten.

Sarah made fresh coffee and husband and wife sat together in companionable silence for a while. Then Sarah realized that Jarrod was watching her through narrowed appraising eyes. "What is it Jarrod?"

He was looking slightly sheepish, "I have something to tell you and I'm not sure how you're going to take it," he admitted ruefully.

Sarah looked shrewdly at him, her smoky blue eyes wary, "I can probably guess but tell me anyway," she ordered.

His vivid blue eyes scrutinised her intently, "I've promised young Peter that I'll defend him in court," he said quietly.

Sarah greeted the news calmly, in truth she wasn't greatly surprised and had thought it almost inevitable that Jarrod would take on Peter's defence.

"Naturally I don't have much compassion to waste on Peter Barton but I won't try to stop you defending him if that's what concerns you Jarrod."

He leaned forward to take her hands, "you are my concern Darling, you've suffered a great deal through this affair and I truly don't want to hurt you further."

"If I can't share your sympathy for Peter, it's hardly surprising, he sat in this very room with me and cried whilst you were missing. I thought then that it was concern for you, now I know that it was guilt! But I do understand how you can feel differently to me and if you want to defend him then you must do so."

Sarah had her hand kissed for the second time that afternoon, "thank you Sarah."

With the departure of the Governor and his marshals, taking with them their prisoner Peter Barton, Sarah had hoped that her family could begin to put the recent traumatic events behind them. At least until Jarrod had to defend Peter in court, which would be some months from now. As the days wore on though, she realized with deepening anxiety that Jarrod was far from recovered as yet. At first Sarah thought he was just a little depressed. He was finding it hard to accept the outcome of his efforts and his wife felt that time would help him to come to terms with events. Gradually, she came to realize that it was more than his dissatisfaction that ailed Jarrod. He was irritable and moody, short-tempered with both her and the children and his sleep was troubled and fitful. Desperate to help her husband, Sarah knew that she was not the person to do so. She decided to lay her worries before Jarrod's best friend, his brother Nick.

She rode over to Nick's home and sat in privacy with him on the terrace overlooking the garden that Nick's wife had transformed into a paradise of colour and scent. She told Nick all about Jarrod's recent behaviour and he listened to her in frowning silence as she told her tale. When she was done he nodded, "I'm glad you came to me Sassy, I was gonna come see you if you hadn't! Heath and I have been getting a pretty rough ride from Big Brother too, it's obvious he needs help."

She leaned forward and spoke urgently, "then help him Nick, please!"

He patted her hand, "relax Sass, I'm gonna help him, by letting someone else help him, someone better qualified to do it than me!"

Sarah shook her head, "he won't accept help from anyone outside the family Nick, I know he won't!"

Nick smiled at her, "he won't have to Sassy Fair, leave it to me."

hapter 16      

The next day, Jarrod left for the Barkley's hunting lodge with his younger brother Heath. As they rode out, Heath touched his hat to Sarah and said softly, "I'll take good care of him Sarah, try not to worry."

Jarrod had spoken with Nick the night before and somewhat to Sarah's surprise, had agreed to go with Heath without argument of any kind. She couldn't help wondering why and sought enlightenment of Nick the next day when he called to take her riding.

Nick pulled his horse's ear and grinned at her, "you're wondering why I think Heath's the right man for the job instead of me?"

"I'm not asking you to break any confidences Nick."

"No, that's alright, Heath said I should tell you if you asked. You know he was a prisoner during the war?"

Sarah slowed her horse to a walk beside Nick's horse and nodded, "wasn't he in Carterson?"

"Yeah, he was badly hurt and when he came to live with us, he had...well...he had a problem. He'd needed a lot of medication for his pain and he'd learned to depend on it."

(See Keesha's wonderful story A Soldier's Disease)

Sarah smiled slightly, "and Jarrod helped Heath?"

"Yep, took him off to the lodge and didn't bring him on home until the boy was healed but good! Heath understands what it's like to be a prisoner, he also knows what it's like to be eaten alive inside by something."

Nick looked into Sarah's worried eyes, his own hazel eyes warm and understanding, "Heath can help Jarrod Sass, you can depend on it."

She blinked back a tear or two, "I believe you Nick, Governor Anderson told me recently that Jarrod was lucky in his wife, I'd say he was lucky in his brothers as well!"

Jarrod and Heath Barkley were not away long, but the peaceful seclusion of the lodge and the quiet days spent hunting, fishing and resting were balm to the lawyer's bruised spirit. Heath was a good listener and gradually he encouraged his brother to unburden himself in this place of tranquil privacy. Heath knew from bitter personal experience, that it is the time after a period of danger or suffering when the reaction sets in. So he was prepared for the things that befell Jarrod during their sojourn at the lodge. The shrieking nightmares, from which the lawyer awoke sweating and fearful. The moments of weakness when he would weep for no apparent reason. The long morose silences when it was clear to Heath that Jarrod was inwardly wrestling with some personal demon.

Heath had told Jarrod not to worry, that he would soon begin to recover from his experience and heal completely. Jarrod had his doubts about that but he soon realized that Heath was absolutely right. He could not pinpoint a moment when the healing process began, but gently and inexorably he began to feel better and a couple of weeks later, he smilingly told Heath he wanted to go home. Heath's twisted smile dawned, "well, you seem a whole lot better Jarrod and I guess we should get back. As it is I'm going to have Nick down my ear for twice as long as we've been away telling me how he does all the work in this family!"

When her husband returned it was clear to Sarah that there was a great change in him. He was even-tempered and tranquil, his dark mood seemed to have been effectively banished by the brief vacation with his brother. She tried to act normally but eventually he caught her watching him anxiously and laughed at her, catching her to him and holding her close. He spoke into her bright hair, "I'm fine Sweetheart, Heath is an excellent nurse and it did me good being away from home, so I could work it all out of my system."

Sarah nestled in his arms, happy to have him home for now, although later she would wonder exactly what had transpired at the hunting lodge. For the present, he said nothing further about his time at the lodge with Heath and Sarah respected his reticence, content to wait, knowing that he would eventually confide in her. It would be a long time before he did so perhaps, but she would be patient and wait. As things stood she was satisfied, for he seemed very much like his old self again and Sarah hoped that the coming trial of Peter Barton would not re-awaken bad memories for her husband.

The night before his trial was scheduled to start, Peter was visited by his lawyer in the secluded house where he was being kept confined. He warmly thanked Jarrod for taking care of his widowed mother and younger sister. "I know how good you've been Jarrod, Mother told me, she hasn't had a single thing to worry about except me!"

Jarrod smiled, "I told you I'd take good care of them Peter, young Sally can continue her education as she wishes to and I'll see to it that your mother is alright financially."

Barton grimaced, "I have no idea how or when I can ever repay you Jarrod!"

Jarrod slipped a kindly arm around the younger man, "Peter, you talk as if your life was over! Believe me I'm going to do everything in my power to keep you out of prison, life still has a lot to offer you, try to hold onto that."

Peter nodded, "not as a lawyer though, right Counselor?"

"Yes," agreed Jarrod gently, "your law career is finished."

In court Jarrod was at his sparkling best and anyone who had wondered whether his recent ordeal had dimmed his adversarial skills soon had their answer. He spoke with moving eloquence in his client's defence and as a consequence what could have been a lengthy jail term was in fact a sentence of just one year. Jarrod spoke hearteningly to Peter as he was led away to serve his time and promised him every support and assistance when he was released. He also made good his pledges to his young friend and saw to it that Mrs. Barton and her daughter were well looked after.

hapter 17      

So, it appeared that the Lonsdale case was all but over and life for the Barkleys returned to something approaching normal, Jarrod turning his attention to his other neglected legal business and Nick and Heath returning with deep if unspoken joy to running the ranch they both loved. Sarah was optimistic now about the future, the recent episode had been one of the darkest periods in Barkley family history, but now as Autumn deepened into the beginnings of Winter, life looked set fair to be untroubled and tranquil. There were however to be three further twists to the Lonsdale case, one would be very sad, one dramatically violent and one would take all those involved in these matters entirely by surprise. These events would have a deep impact on Counselor Jarrod Barkley and test again his strength of mind and purpose.

Mark Roscoe's decision to give himself up and turn State's evidence had surprised the authorities, for he was known to be a very dangerous man. A deadly assassin, as unfeeling as he was clever, not at all the type of man to yield his liberty lightly.His explanation for this course of action was simple, he was safer in sequestered and well-guarded custody than he had been when at large. It was an unconvincing reason but he stuck to it and reluctantly his captors accepted it as fact.

Jarrod Barkley thought he had quite different reasons and said so to his wife, "Roscoe's motivation isn't fear, it's spite! In my opinion Roscoe knows the game is well and truly up and he's determined to take down with him as many of the important and ostensibly respectable people who have profited from his evil as he can!"

Sarah was puzzled, "but what can the prosecutors have offered him Jarrod? They have so little to trade, he has to stand trial for Lonsdale's murder, so what can they use as an inducement?"

Jarrod's smile was grim, "the biggest inducement of them all Sarah, his life! They'll try him for the murder of Lonsdale but they will have guaranteed Roscoe that he'll not hang."

Sarah nodded thoughtfully, "I think I agree with you Jarrod, but...he is such a ruthless man, I find it hard to believe that the prospect of spending the rest of his life in jail holds much attraction for him!"

Her husband nodded, "I find it hard to believe either Darling."

Jarrod and Sarah Barkley were right, a life sentence in San Quentin without the prospect of parole was not at all attractive to Mark Roscoe but as he had no intention whatsoever of allowing such a fate to befall him, he didn't waste any time worrying about it. He had known from the moment that he surrendered his liberty that it was unlikely he would be sent to any sort of jail. His life was at too much risk for that, secret custody in some private place under guard was much more likely and so it had proved. For many weeks now, he had been kept in secluded confinement at a quiet house outside Sacramento. His guards had initially been both vigilant and wary, warned no doubt that he was a formidable prisoner and would need careful watching. Roscoe was untroubled by this, to his satisfaction, the same team of guards remained with him as the weeks wore on, thus it was easy to get to know them. So he bided his time, co-operating with the high-powered investigators sent from Washington DC to de-brief him and generally being a model prisoner.

Inevitably as the weeks slipped by, Roscoe's guards came to know their prisoner better. He played cards with them, shared jokes with them and gave so little trouble that the intensity of their vigilance relaxed just a little. A little was all a man as resourceful as Roscoe needed and he escaped from his confinement one stormy evening in early October, killing two guards by means of his favourite weapon, the garotte. He killed in his usual fashion, without compunction or remorse of any kind and set off on his quest. A quest to seek vengeance on the man he held responsible for all the ills that had befallen him.

An urgent wire brought the news of Roscoe's escape to the Barkley ranch and at once the whole clan snapped back into the state of readiness for trouble that they had maintained throughout the period of Jarrod's disappearance. Nick and Heath drove the lawyer practically to madness by the intensity of their surveillance, where he went, both his brothers went and no protest of Jarrod's, of which there were many, would induce the ranchers to relax their efforts in the least. In vain Jarrod argued that he was not Roscoe's intended target, Nick and Heath didn't want to know, they had no intention of letting anything happen to their eldest brother a second time.

Sarah gently told Jarrod that he must bear with their concern, "you have to understand how deeply they felt it when you were abducted by Lonsdale's men. They both took it so hard! I think they felt they had let you down, let us all down and if we hadn't found you alive Jarrod...well, I doubt either Nick or Heath would ever have gotten over it."

So Counselor Barkley tolerated his two shadows and tried not to let his irritation with his brothers show. He was conscious of the debt he owed to both men for their unremitting care of his family during his imprisonment at Lonsdale's hands and tried to understand their present anxiety. He meant what he said though, he didn't for a moment believe that Roscoe was planning on returning to Stockton to kill him. Instead he thought he knew who Roscoe's real target would be, if Jarrod was right, ex-Senator Lowell Longman was the man with everything to fear from the escaped killer.

hapter 18      

Seated on the terrace of his garden, enjoying a fine if chilly Autumn evening, Lowell Longman sat smoking a cigar before going indoors for dinner. He had no fears of the escaped Roscoe whatever, he knew himself to be a valuable Federal witness and as such was confident that he would be well protected. In any event, it seemed to him unlikely that Roscoe would stop to exact revenge from anyone, he would be intent on leaving the country if he had a grain of intelligence! There were many foreign ships leaving San Francisco every day, Roscoe was a plain fool if he wasn't heading there as fast as he could.

So certain of this was the ex-Senator that when Roscoe emerged from the gloom of the garden to stand directly in front of Longman, his quarry could scarcely take in the fact of the assassin's presence. For long seconds the two men stared silently at each other, then shaking off the shock of Roscoe's sudden appearance, Longman smiled at him.

"My compliments Mark, I would have imagined that no-one could get near me, you really are an accomplished man in your field." He sounded calm and confident and with each moment that passed he was indeed growing in confidence, he might no longer be a Senator wielding power and influence but he still had a great deal of wealth and was sure that he could offer the fugitive

enough largesse to buy his life. He didn't even panic when he saw the garotte which had appeared in Roscoe's hand as if by magic.

"Now Mark, what good is killing me going to do you? You need help and money to make good your escape, I can help you!"

The smug confident look on his face didn't waver as Roscoe came to stand behind him. This was a ploy, Roscoe was determined to frighten him, that was all there was to it. All his adult life, Lowell Longman had been able to talk or buy his way out of trouble and he believed he could do so now.

Roscoe spoke at last in the soft icy voice he habitually used, "you're absolutely right Senator, I am an accomplished man in my field, mainly because I never ever deviate from the rules I set for myself a long time ago. One of those rules says you never trust a man who has betrayed you, no second chances, not ever!"

The first flicker of fear cast a shadow over Longman's face and he started to move, opening his mouth to try and convince Roscoe to spare him. Too late! The garotte was already snaking over his head and his bubbling scream of terror died in his throat. Two minutes later he was dead.

Roscoe glided back into the darkness of the garden and made his way through it and into the woods, he had entered Longman's estate in invisible silence and intended to leave the same way. He would have made it but for the unhappy chance of stepping into a trap, left by a nocturnal poacher who intended to snare some of Lowell Longman's plentiful game. With a cry of pain Roscoe fell heavily to the ground, his leg securely caught by the savage metal teeth of the trap. His fall had made a considerable noise besides the yelp of pain and at once the woods around him were alive with men and guard-dogs crashing through the undergrowth toward him. With desperate strength he prised the trap apart and freed himself, jerking himself upright, shutting his mind off from the throbbing pain in his damaged ankle. He appraised his situation in a flash, no hope! He was surrounded on all sides and incapacitated as he now was, he couldn't even try to flee. His decision was easily made, no hope of escape, so...no hope at all! He would NOT go to prison, better to end it here. Drawing the guns he had stolen from the two murdered guards, he stood at bay, the hunted, ready to confront the hunters. He betrayed no fear, indeed he felt none, It was over in seconds, he used his guns with deadly skill, bringing down at least three men, before perishing himself in a hail of answering gun-fire

hapter 19      

Jarrod was in his office working, his two human watchdogs in attendance, when Sarah came to find him to tell him that the news of Longman's murder and Roscoe's subsequent death would be in the next edition of the paper. The lawyer showed not the slightest sign of surprise, he had been convinced that Longman was the intended target not himself. He watched with a hint of amusement as Nick and Heath both shuffled uncomfortably and looked a little sheepish and he smiled when Nick said gruffly, "well? Aren't you going to say I told you so?"

Jarrod's voice was warmly affectionate, "not to you and Heath Nick, not for the world! Now for the love of Heaven would the pair of you please go and run your precious ranch and leave me to get on with my work...please!"

The two ranchers departed leaving husband and wife to share a pot of coffee and talk over the news of murder and violent death that had shattered their peace. Sarah raged inwardly at this latest turn of events which had once again brought to the forefront of her husband's mind, the whole Lonsdale affair.

Sarah looked appraisingly at Jarrod, "you said you wouldn't say I told you so to Nick and Heath, would you say it to Governor Anderson?"

His eyes snapped angry blue fire, "damned right I would!" He rarely swore and that he did so now only demonstrated the intensity of his feelings of anger and frustration. He got up and prowled around the office, hands dug into his vest pockets, and went on, "I knew that this, or something like this would happen! The Administration should have refused to cut a deal with Longman, brought him to trial. They could have had Peter's evidence, they would have had Roscoe's too! Always supposing they had held onto him of course!" He couldn't keep the savage irony out of his voice.

"Now, the whole investigation will falter and run slowly out of steam, the most guilty, those in high office in Washington will barely notice the commotion!"

The enraged lawyer picked up the silver letter opener from his desk and dropped it again with unnecessary force to crash onto the polished surface.

Sarah felt enormous sympathy for her husband, he had foretold these events and she shared his disappointment and frustration in some measure. She sought now for words that would comfort him, "I know how angry you are Jarrod and I don't blame you, not a bit, but it seems to me we have to look at this whole situation dispassionately and focus on what positive aspects there are in this."

He turned to face her, "are there any positive aspects?"

Sarah stood and came to him, laying her hands on his arms, her smoky blue eyes looking directly into his more vivid blue ones.

"You know that there are," she said flatly. "Marsh Lonsdale is dead and it isn't going to be easy for anyone else to step into his shoes. The powerful connections that allowed him to operate with impunity are destroyed. Now, Lowell Longman is dead as well and if his death allows some bigger fish to wriggle free of this particular net, so be it. Their identities are known and they will be watched, they WILL be brought down in the end Jarrod. Try to hold onto that. Roscoe's death has rid the world of a heartless killer, that's another positive aspect."

Sarah's earnest gaze had not left her husband's face whilst she talked and he was watching her just as keenly, listening intently to what she said.

She smiled a little, "there is one other thing Darling, to me the best thing of all, by your personal example you showed the folks of this town the true nature of courage not so long ago."

Jarrod shook his head impatiently, "I wasn't speaking of myself when I said that in my speech, I was talking about them, the ordinary people who somehow found the guts to testify."

Sarah's hand came up to cup his cheek tenderly, " I know you weren't speaking of yourself, but there isn't a person in this town who doesn't think it applies to you and who hasn't been inspired by what you did. Your family is proud of you and I love and admire you more than words can say."

Jarrod held her close, tilting up her face to kiss her then releasing her he said lightly, "well, if that little speech was intended to make me feel better, I have to tell you that it worked like a charm!"

His face grew more serious again, "I know that there's much in what you say Sarah and I promise I'll try to put all this behind me, I don't intend to let my loathing of political expediency ruin my peace of mind."

Sarah was satisfied, he would always feel that things should have been handled differently but he recognized the dangers of brooding over events he had no power to change, and she was content with that.

Again, the Barkley family resumed normal life, thinking that now at last, the ramifications of the Lonsdale case could no longer reach them. For a time it seemed over indeed, Sarah seeing her husband fully restored to his urbane and smiling self, hoped earnestly that there would be no further ripples from the case to disturb his serenity. She was doomed to disappointment, the next twist in this tangled skein of events would bring a dark shadow to Jarrod Barkley's eyes and the veil of sorrow and doubt that took possession of his mind would be hard to lift.

hapter 20      

It was a frosty January Sunday, there was a raw wind blowing and the threat of a storm to come later. The Barkley family were gathered for Sunday lunch at the Barkley mansion, at Victoria's invitation. Heath and his wife and family still lived in this house with Victoria. Nick and his wife and Jarrod and Sarah were all present. As were Eugene and Audra, newly arrived home from their trip back East. All the next generation of Barkley children, and there were beginning to be quite a few of them, had been fed and were being amused elsewhere. This left the adults free to enjoy their meal in comparative peace. Audra and Eugene, talked a little about their trip but both badly wanted to talk of the Lonsdale affair. It was only natural that they should be concerned for their eldest brother's sufferings reflected Sarah, for Jarrod had largely taken the place of their father and both the youngest Barkleys adored him. Nevertheless she wished that both of them would leave their brother in peace, although Jarrod was fending off their exclamations and questions calmly and with commendable patience.

Eugene became quite heated on the subject of Peter Barton, roundly condemning the jailed lawyer's duplicitous conduct and failing to notice that Jarrod fell profoundly silent as soon as Peter's name was mentioned. The family were gathered in the living room enjoying a pre-lunch Sherry and as soon as there was an opportunity to do so unobserved, Nick Barkley seized his youngest brother by the scruff of the neck and hauled him away, out of earshot of the rest of the family.

"Nick! What the devil..."

"Shut up and listen" commanded Nick. "Drop the subject of Barton, Jarrod has done everything he can to help him and he doesn't want to hear a word against him alright?"

"No, it's not alright, it's no thanks to him Jarrod didn't lose his life! Why the deuce should Jarrod want to help him?"

Nick looked sternly into Gene's pale blue eyes, "maybe because Barton first got into bad company through desperation to pay off the gambling debts he ran up at college!"

Gene flushed scarlet, "oh!"

Nick eyed him grimly, "I reckon Jarrod felt sorry for Peter, after all there was no rich family and no kind big brother to save HIS neck."

Gene grimaced, "alright Nick, don't rub it in, I won't mention his name again, I swear."

Lunch was pleasant, smiling around the table Victoria revelled in having all her children around her and reflected, not for the first time, that the marriages of her three eldest sons were all turning out extremely well. She felt happier and more relaxed than she had for many months past, it seemed that the dark shadows over her family were lifted, life tasted sweet indeed. She looked up as one of her servants brought in a telegram, handing it to Jarrod with a deferential bow, "This was delivered at your house an hour ago Sir, the servants sent it over in case it was unduly urgent."

The Lawyer ripped the wire open at once and read it through, his face seemed to set in a hard mask of controlled grief and Sarah, seated opposite him, broke the tense silence, "is it bad news Darling?"

He looked at her and her heart went out to him as she saw the distress in his eyes, when he answered her his voice was rigidly calm, "I'm afraid so. Peter Barton died yesterday in prison of typhoid fever. I knew he was ill, but there was no indication that his life was in danger..." He broke off, staring into space for a few seconds, then he stood, and with a murmured "excuse me Mother," he left the dining room.

Sarah too rose and quietly followed her husband out of the room. She had no idea what she could possibly say to console Jarrod and help him to face this fresh blow but she would try. He had gone outside into his mother's rose-garden and was standing rather rigidly, leaning against the back of the wooden bench seat. He didn't turn as he heard the hush of Sarah's skirts behind him, but spoke in a low sad voice, "in three days it would have been Peter's twenty fifth birthday."

"I'm sorry Darling, I don't know what to say to comfort you, it's...just a tragic waste I suppose."

Jarrod turned, stretching out his hand and she came to him, wrapping her arms around him, laying her head on his breast.

"There's nothing anyone can say Sarah, and you're right, it is a tragic waste," Jarrod's arms enfolded her and she could tell he was drawing some measure of consolation from her closeness. They stayed in their tender embrace for a long time and then sat together on the bench.

At length Jarrod broke the silence, "I'm going to have to visit Peter's mother, she'll need my support through the funeral and beyond it come to that. Will you come with me"

"If you wish, but I think it might be better if you took Victoria, she can probably be of more help to Mrs. Barton than me"

Jarrod smiled at her, "I think that's a good idea, I'll ask her to go with me."

Victoria readily agreed to go with Jarrod and she was of enormous help to her son on his painful mission. Peter's bereft mother also found the Barkley matriarch a great comfort and talked freely to her about many things. Rachel Barton had been widowed when still a young woman and she had been left nearly destitute. She had two children, ten year old Peter and his two year old baby sister Sally. Rachel had worked like a beast of burden to support her little family and had, with almost superhuman effort, succeeded in putting her clever son through college. Sally was equally clever and eager to continue her own studies, an idea Rachel considered rather modern, for girls didn't need such a level of learning! She worried about Sally and what the future held for herself and her daughter in the wake of Peter's death. Also, she found it hard not to brood over her dead son and the whole sad chain of events that had brought Peter to his doom. All of these things, she found it comforting to discuss with her sympathetic visitor, unburdening herself of a great weight of doubt and distress.

Yet somehow in the midst of this wealth of information, Victoria could not shake the feeling that Rachel was keeping something back, something that concerned the Barkleys. She said as much to Jarrod and wasn't surprised when her perceptive son agreed with her.

"I know Mother, I have the same impression, there's something on Rachel's mind, a matter she finds too painful to confide perhaps? I don't know for sure but I get the feeling it concerns me in some way." He paused, and added quietly, "I find myself wondering if Peter said something to his mother about me...or maybe left a message for me...I don't know, but whatever it is, Rachel shows no signs of disclosing it."

Victoria put a hand on her son's arm, "I'll talk to her again, she may be able to bring herself to say it, whatever it is. We must give her time Jarrod."

They did give Rachel Barton time but as they spent the next few days helping the widow arrange her son's funeral and taking care of various legal details, she continued to hold her peace and no further revelation was forthcoming from her.

The funeral was a small and private affair and after Peter Barton's coffin had been finally laid to rest Jarrod and his mother escorted Rachel and Sally Barton back to their tidy, compact little home, a pleasant house in a quiet part of Sacramento. Victoria persuaded the exhausted Rachel to lie down on her bed to rest and stayed with her, giving her tea as well as a sympathetic ear. It was the chance young Sally had been waiting and hoping for and as soon as she was alone with Jarrod Barkley she told him she needed to talk to him very urgently and definitely in private! Jarrod had a younger sister of his own and besides that he was guardian to more than one other young lady, he had a way with girls and an easy comfortable manner with them. He smiled at the tense young woman now, glancing out at the bright afternoon, "how about some fresh air Sally? I don't think your mother would mind if I took you for a walk in the park and we can find some tea whilst we're out."

Sally assented to a walk with enthusiasm and ran upstairs to put on her hat. She was seventeen, slender and closely resembled her dead brother, with her dark hair and clear blue eyes. Like Peter, she was considered to be gifted academically, but Jarrod knew her mother disapproved of higher education for women. He could see why Rachel didn't think Sally needed to go to college, she was a pretty child and doubless her mother foresaw a marriage and children for the girl before too many more years had passed. Jarrod was soon to learn that Miss Sally herself had very different ideas!

hapter 21      

They strolled in the Winter sunshine until they were thoroughly chilled and then Jarrod guided his young charge into a conveniently situated coffee house. He treated himself and Sally to a delicious cake and some piping hot chocolate and took pleasure in the girl's obvious enjoyment of the repast. Sally had been close to her brother, the two had exchanged regular letters whilst he had been in Stockton and Jarrod had the impression that she was very much her brother's confidante, despite her tender age. First Peter's disgrace and now his death had hit this young girl hard, she was pale and drawn in her black mourning clothes and had barely smiled in the days leading up to the funeral. It was nice to see her regain a little of her youthful sparkle and Jarrod encouraged her to join him in a second cup of chocolate. She did so, peeping guiltily up at him, "M...Mr. Barkley?"

"Call me Jarrod, please Sally."

She smiled gratefully at him, "thank you...Jarrod, m...may I ask you something?"

"He smiled paternally at her, "of course you may."

"Do...do you think it's alright for me to...well to sit here enjoying myself on...on the day we buried Peter?" Her eyes sparkled with tears as she mentioned her dead brother.

Jarrod's voice was warmly re-assuring, "I think it would please Peter very much to know that you were being brave enough to get on with your life Sally."

She smiled tremulously at him, "do you think so...Jarrod?" She was still a little bashful about calling the lawyer by his first name.

Jarrod nodded, "I'm sure of it Sally," he patted her hand and continued, "I'm sure of something else too, your brother Peter was my friend." He smiled at the girl's surprised expression, "despite everything that has happened in the past Peter was still my friend, and I know he would want you to confide in me and let me help you. Will you do that Sally, for his sake?"

"Oh I will Jarrod I will! I have to, because...because you are the only person who can help me and...and I want you to!"

Encouraged by her kindly listener,Sally told Jarrod all about Peter Barton's last few months in prison. "He had a very hard time, some of the other prisoners treated him very roughly, because...because he wasn't like them I suppose. He made a friend though, Doctor Sangster, the prison doctor, he liked Peter and he got him a job working in the prison hospital. They talked a lot, he was a good friend to Peter I think."

Jarrod made a mental note to thank Doctor Philip Sangster at a convenient time in the future. He had often wondered how great Peter Barton's sufferings in prison had been. As an ex-lawyer, Jarrod knew Peter could expect a rough ride, apparently he had got it. If the doctor had lightened that dark time for his young friend in any way, he could be sure of Jarrod Barkley's friendship from now on.

Sally continued in a low sad voice, "when we were notified of Peter's death, Mother was terribly shocked, we had been told of the illness but not that his life was in danger."

"It was a shock to me too, believe me Sally if I had realized how bad he was I would have forced the prison authorities to move him to a proper hospital."

Sally's clear blue eyes met Jarrod's gaze frankly, "he wasn't that ill Jarrod, Doctor Sangster told Mama so when she spoke with him, he said a man has to want to live and...and Peter didn't. Before he died, Peter told the doctor a lot of things and Doctor Sangster told it all to Mama and me."

The girl broke off, tears sparkling on the ends of her eyelashes and Jarrod took her hand in a consoling clasp."Tell me the rest Sally, tell me everything."

She looked at him doubtfully, "my mother is going to be very angry with me, she didn't want you to know any of this, but I think you have a right to know! Because it concerns you Jarrod...and...and it concerns me too in a way. I guess I have selfish motives for telling you and Mama's reasons for not telling you are very unselfish, but I still think she's wrong and...and I'm right!"

Jarrod had to smile at the determination in her young voice, he squeezed the hand he still held, "Sally, When Peter was alive, I worried about him day and night, now he's dead and I'm still torturing myself wondering what was in his mind in his last hours, if you can help me with that, you'll be doing me a great service."

She needed no further encouragement and it all came tumbling out so fast that Jarrod had to struggle to take it all in. He managed it though, he had been Audra Barkley's big brother long enough to be an expert at picking the bones out of a tangled female explanation!

It seemed Peter had told Doctor Sangster all about his feelings for Jarrod Barkley. He had explained to the kindly Doctor how much he admired and respected his legal mentor, how he had earnestly tried to emulate his role-model and how abjectly he had failed to do so. Peter had been unable to accept his own failings, all he had ever wanted to be was a lawyer, a lawyer like Jarrod Barkley. Now, such an ambition was hopeless and life held nothing for him any more. The doctor had tried to encourage his patient to accept the consequences of his actions, to come to terms with the events of his life and to move past them, to begin anew. It sounded as though no-one could have tried harder to help the despairing Peter, but Doctor Sangster's efforts had been in vain. Peter Barton had allowed his illness to over-whelm him and ultimately to kill him.

"You see he didn't just want to be like you Jarrod, he wanted to BE you and nothing short of that ideal would do." Sally looked anxiously at her new friend's stricken expression, " I don't tell you this to hurt you, even though I know it must. I tell you because I believe you have been blaming yourself. Wondering if you could have done anything differently or better, maybe even kept him out of jail. You couldn't Jarrod, Peter was responsible not you."

The lawyer's rueful expression told her she had read his feelings aright, he had indeed been thinking precisely those thoughts.

She dashed a hand across her eyes to wipe away tears, "I loved my brother, but he wasn't strong enough to face his failures and...and that is his fault alone, no-one else's. Doctor Sangster told Mother and me all this but she forebade me to tell you."

"Why Sally?"

"She says you have been injured enough after all you went through, she didn't think it was fair on you and...and she didn't want to tell you what else Peter said."

"Which was?"

Sally looked him in the eye, "he wanted you to take care of Mother and me and he knew what I wanted most in the whole world was the chance to go to college. Mother says we have no right to be beholden to you any further, she says we can manage but she's older now Jarrod and so tired, I don't want her to have to work hard any more."

Jarrod nodded understandingly, "she won't have to Sally, I promise you that. I take it your mother disapproves of your educational ambitions?"

"Yes! She thinks too much education is bad for women, but I want it Jarrod! I want to go to college more than anything in the world. I want it so much, I'm prepared to beg you to help me event hough I have no claim on you at all."

The lawyer smiled at the intense young girl opposite him, "well as to that Sally, we're friends now you and I and friends should help each other."

She looked at him appraisingly, "Mother said you would disapprove too, but I knew you wouldn't, Peter told me your wife was clever and your brother's wife, isn't she clever too?"

"My brother Nick's wife? Yes, she has a university degree and my wife has a career also, she's a journalist, a very good one."

Sally nodded eagerly, "so you don't disapprove do you?"

"No, no not at all."

Sally was emboldened to confide further, "Mother thinks college is bad for women, she said your brother's wife..." She broke off in confusion, blushing scarlet.

Jarrod rescued her from her embarrassment, "Nick's wife led a life unconventional enough to shock society before her marriage, no doubt your mother has made a link between that and her level of education."

Sally was grateful for his smooth intervention, "yes Sir," she said cautiously, not sure if she had given offence or not.

Jarrod rose, "I think we had better be getting back now Dear," he smiled down at the tense young girl and held out a hand to help her up, "I promise to help your mother Sally and if I can persuade her, I promise you shall go to college too."

His reward was a strangling hug, "I hope you can persuade her Jarrod!"

He grinned at her, "well if I'm half as good an advocate as Peter thought I was, I should be able to shouldn't I?"

At the first available opportunity, Jarrod turned his legendary charm on the Widow Barton full-bore. He spoke eloquently and with persuasive logic but he was honest enough to admit later that it was the intervention of his mother that had carried the day! Rachel had been more sorrowful than angry about her daughter's indiscretion but she was a principled woman and she was more than uncomfortable about accepting help from the Barkleys. Her views on higher education for rebellious young girls were equally forthright and unequivocal. She had heard Jarrod out but was unconvinced about the future until Victoria laid a gentle hand on her knee and said, "Rachel, be honest, your health has suffered a great deal in recent times, you need rest and peace now, otherwise your life is likely to end prematurely and then where would little Sally be?"

Rachel reluctantly admitted that she wasn't as robust as she could wish but repeated that she didn't see that it was in any way the responsibility of the Barkleys to provide for her and Sally. With gentle tact Victoria assured Rachel that she would be doing Jarrod a favour by letting him assist the Bartons. Explaining that the lawyer was uncomfortably aware that Peter had hero-worshipped him and tried to live up to an idealized view of Jarrod.

Rachel had responded vehemently, "but Victoria, none of that is Jarrod's fault! He has no need to reproach himself in any way."

The Barkley matriarch smiled, "I know my son Rachel, telling him he need not reproach himself doesn't mean he won't! Let him help you and I guarantee he'll feel better."

Rachel wrestled with herself briefly before smiling and nodding, "alright Victoria, if you think I should then I will, thankyou. But as to Sally's going to college, well I just don't know."

Victoria nodded her understanding, "I know you have serious reservations about Sally's ambitions Rachel, but consider this, you've already lost your poor son, you don't want your only daughter to resent or hate you do you?"

That it seemed was that, Rachel reluctantly consented to allow Sally to pursue her studies and Jarrod could only watch and admire his mother's strategy.

Sally was ecstatic and Jarrod found himself being hugged again, "what are you going to study Sally? Is it to be the law like Peter?"

She shook her head vehemently, "no, I want to study medicine Jarrod. I hope to be a doctor one day."

The lawyer smiled at her, "when you and your mother come to visit us you can meet my youngest brother Eugene, he's a doctor, newly-qualified, you two should have lots to talk about."

"Oh yes please, I'd love to meet him, that will be wonderful. Thank you Jarrod, thank you for everything!"

hapter 22      

As the rest of the Barkley clan welcomed Jarrod and Victoria home after Peter Barton's funeral, they were not to know that Fate had still not finished with them or with the Lonsdale case! To the family it seemed as though, at last, they could finally put the case and all it's ensuing events behind them. Life resumed a more or less normal pattern, but Sarah Barkley was nevertheless concerned about her husband. Wisely, she kept her anxiety to herself, covertly watching Jarrod and doing all in her power to help him heal his bruised and battered psyche.

On the surface he appeared fine, but the wife who adored him knew him well enough to see the lawyer's inner turmoil. He had endured a great deal, firstly, the physical and mental torture of his kidnap and imprisonment in a near tomb, then the disappointment of the investigation's failure and latterly, Peter Barton's sad and unnecessary death. Such blows took a toll on even the strongest personality and Sarah's loving heart ached for her husband as he struggled inwardly to accept that things were as they were.

Sarah knew that Jarrod had faced up to his captivity with exemplary courage and thanks to his brother Heath, he appeared to have shaken off the after-effects of his incarceration pretty well. The failure of the investigation into government corruption was less easy for Jarrod to accept, he felt frustrated and thwarted, he could not take a pragmatic view of what had been accomplished, for he had hoped to do so much more. Peter Barton's death had hit Jarrod harder than anything else. The lawyer knew how deeply Peter had respected and admired him and despite the fact that Peter's hero-worship had been excessive, responsibility for being it's cause weighed heavily on Jarrod Barkley's mind. Over the next few days, Jarrod fought his solitary inward battle and at length, achieved a measure of inner peace. It would take time for him to completely shake off the negative feelings he had, but he was optimistic that he would do so and felt able to resume his legal work again. He said as much to Sarah, after dinner one evening, declaring his intention to go into Stockton to his office the next day to begin clearing what had become a formidable backlog of work.

Jarrod was hard at this task next day in the early afternoon, when he heard voices in the outer office and looked up in annoyance as his office door opened, for he had instructed his secretary to deny him to visitors. To his surprise his brothers Nick and Heath walked in accompanied by a young man whom Jarrod had never seen before.

"I thought you two were going to the horse sales at Sonora, what brings you here?"

Even as he asked the question, Jarrod could see that his two younger siblings had something important to say. There was an aura of excitement about both the ranchers and their faces wore broad grins, evidently the news they brought was not bad!

Nick turned to the young man beside him and smiled, "Tyler, I want to introduce you to the man you came all the way from Sacramento to see! This is my brother Counselor Jarrod Barkley. Jarrod, I want you to meet Tyler Moss."

Jarrod was mystified but rose and came around his desk to shake hands with the rather bashful young stranger. He was a young fellow, not more than twenty two or three. He had brown hair and a fresh pleasant face.

Nick's manner was cheerful and hearty, "why don't we all sit down over here," he suggested, leading the way to the leather chesterfield and chairs set before the bright fire.

Heath headed for the drinks tray, "I'll get us all a glass of something."

Jarrod's eyes twinkled at the high-handed way his brothers were acting, clearly this was not a social call, they would not have disturbed him for nothing. So he cordially joined the others and they sat down, Tyler Moss sitting nervously on the edge of a chair, facing Jarrod. Heath brought four glasses of Jarrod's best scotch and the two ranchers sat beside each other on the chesterfield. The men all sipped at their drinks and then Jarrod said pleasantly, "well nice as it is to see you boys, I'm afraid I'm rather busy this morning..."

"You're not too busy to hear this," interrupted Nick grinning.

Heath took up the tale, "Nick and I ran into Tyler out on the range this morning, he was on his way to see you. Well, things being as they have been lately, we inquired what his business might be and when he told us, well! We just had to come along and see your face when he told you!"

Jarrod realized that his two pesky brothers were enjoying their teasing and he turned from them to his uncomfortable young visitor. "Mr. Moss, since it seems unlikely that we're going to get any sense out of this pair, why don't you tell me how I can help you?"

The younger man smiled nervously and cleared his throat, "er...well, you see Sir, I was one of the Federal officers that was detailed to guard Mark Roscoe."

The friendly smile died on Jarrod's face and his eyes were as icy as his voice, "oh?"

The youngster nodded ruefully, "I understand that you don't have too high an opinion of us guards Mr. Barkley and I don't blame you I guess."

It was impossible not to like this straightforward and clearly honest young man, there was an air of candour about him, his eyes were hazel and looked frankly at the lawyer.

Jarrod smiled, "I apologize Mr. Moss, Roscoe's escape was quite a disappointment to me, but I realize that not all the guards were to blame."

The honesty shone out of Tyler Moss, "oh yes we were! We were all warned about Roscoe, told he was ruthless and on no account under-estimate him, but we did!"

Jarrod was liking this boy more each second, "thank you for your honesty. I gather you have a story to tell me?"

"Yes Sir, I sure do! After Roscoe murdered my two buddies and escaped, I was detailed to pack up his stuff and go through it. I found some papers, I took a look at them, it seems Roscoe kept records."

Tyler Moss had Jarrod Barkley's full attention now and he wasn't surprised that Jarrod sat bolt upright repeating, "records?"

Tyler grinned, he was about to make Counselor Barkley's day, "yes Sir records, I'd say Mark Roscoe kept a detailed account of every dirty thing he ever did and who he did them for."

Nick and Heath Barkley sat together on the couch, drinking their scotch and both were enormously content. Jarrod's reaction was all they had hoped for, he was like a coiled spring, taut with excitement and anticipation, his vivid eyes blazing with the force of his enthusiasm.

He looked at his brothers, "you know what this could mean?"

The ranchers nodded, grinning.

Jarrod's instincts surfaced and he began his cross-examination, "what did you do with the records Tyler?"

"I gave them to my supervisor and he handed them to the investigators of course."

Jarrod frowned, "I've not been apprised of this as yet, what happened to them?"

Tyler's fearless eyes met his with the frankness Jarrod was rapidly learning to trust, "they gave em back Sir!"

"What!"

"You heard me right Counselor, I was told to burn all Roscoe's possessions, including the papers."

The full beam of Jarrod's intense eyes bored into Tyler, "and did you?"

"No Sir, I kept them," said the young man simply.

Jarrod sighed with relief, then asked, "where are they now?"

It was Nick who answered him, "relax Counselor, the whole dossier is in the safe over at the bank."

Jarrod nodded satisfied, of course he could rely on his brothers to put the dossier in a place of safety! He looked shrewdly at Tyler, "what made you decide to bring the dossier to me young man?"

Again an unequivocally honest answer, "Oh I didn't Sir, I took them to the Governor."

Jarrod was startled, "to Governor Anderson?"

"Yes Sir."

"How the devil did you get access to him?"

Tyler blushed scarlet, "my girl Phoebe, she makes the Governor's coffee and she told him, he let me see him then and tell him all about it."

"Did you give the dossier to the Governor?"

"Yes Sir, only he gave it back to me too!"

Jarrod was beginning to see the light, "what did he say to you Tyler?"

Well Sir, he said there were circumstances which would make it hard for him to act on the dossier and that it would be better if he didn't officially know of it's existence. He suggested you were the man to deal with it."

A grim smile tugged at Jarrod's mouth, "I bet he did!"

Heath frowned, "Jarrod, is Anderson dirty too?"

"No Heath, I'm sure he's not! He is however a wily political animal and he thinks he's better off out of this! To be fair, he's probably right. There are too many eyes on him to let him act freely."

The lawyer thought rapidly, in some ways this was undoubtedly a poisoned chalice, but God what an opportunity! He turned to Tyler Moss, "does anyone know you didn't carry out your orders Tyler?"

The younger man was emboldened to grin at him, "no Sir, I burned up the rest of Roscoe's gear and as far as anyone knows, the records went the same way."

Jarrod was too euphoric to sit still, he paced around his office thinking hard, stopping now and then to address further questions to his young visitor. It seemed that Tyler had lost his job, a scapegoat along with the other surviving guards for allowing Roscoe to get away. He had been able to slip out of Sacramento quietly, ostensibly searching for new employment and no-one that mattered had the least idea he was in Stockton. For all the powerful men who had ordered the burning of the dossier knew, their orders had been obeyed and thus they were safe. Jarrod Barkley swore to Peter Barton's memory that they would learn their mistake!

hapter 23      

Jarrod had been languid and unenthusiastic about life ever since Peter Barton's death but now he was a frenzy of galvanised activity, he warmly thanked Tyler Moss for having the courage to do the right thing and sent the grateful boy off with Heath to get a meal and some much needed rest. Keeping Nick with him for extra protection, Jarrod retrieved Roscoe's bulky file of iniquity from the bank and with a vigilant Nick walking protectively beside him, Jarrod took the file to the office of someone he could trust, Judge Aaron Schiffer.

The elderly judge glanced up as Jarrod and Nick entered his office, smiling a welcome at both men. "What have you there Jarrod," he said gesturing to the bulky documents in Jarrod's hands.

For answer Jarrod dropped the heavy pile of papers on his old friends desk and grinned at him, "what you and I have here Aaron is the collected works of one Mark Roscoe! This dossier is a detailed record of his life and nefarious times. It's a disavowed gift from Walter Anderson, I rather think he hopes we might make use of it!"

Schiffer's wise old eyes twinkled, "did you say we Counselor?"

Jarrod looked earnestly at him, "I did. Are you with me?"

"Pull up a chair Jarrod, we'd better unwrap our gift from the Governor don't you think?"

For the next hour, the two men leafed cursorily through the amazing wealth of material which had come so miraculously into their possession.

At length Judge Schiffer sat back, and exhaled a long slow breath, "Jarrod, this is pure dynamite," he said simply.

"I agree with you Aaron, the question is what do we do with it?"

Schiffer considered, "at this point no-one who matters knows that we have this, is that right?"

Jarrod nodded, "right Judge."

"Then I say we exploit that advantage and move with stealth. I do the digging and you do the prosecuting. We don't go for headlines or huge victories, we cut down a connection here, a corrupt official there, we lop off single branches until the tree is half bare. Then if we have to break cover, we at least have a chance of defeating a badly weakened enemy."

Jarrod grinned, "as usual Judge, your logic is faultless, as of now, we are an investigative team of two!"

Tyler Moss had joined the party in the Judge's office with Heath, he looked longingly at Schiffer and the judge smiled slightly. "Mr. Moss, do I take it you are in need of a job?"

The young man's eagerness was almost ludicrous, "yes Sir Judge I surely am!"

The judge turned to Jarrod, "then I think we are a team of three Counselor."

Heath and Nick Barkley exchanged glances, "make that five Judge," said Nick Barkley's deep voice.

"Good Nick! Glad to have you and Heath aboard, but listen to me Gentlemen, this must stay a secret between us," he paused looking sternly round at them all, then he grinned, "otherwise you'll spoil mine and Jarrod's fun!"

Nick and Heath seemed both to have taken a great liking to young Tyler and Heath took him off home with him, promising him a comfortable bed for the boy was weary to the bone. Before they left Stockton, Jarrod took Tyler aside and spoke to him, quietly thanking him for his integrity and his courageous behaviour. "It would have been the easiest thing in the world for you to carry out your orders Tyler, I can't tell you how grateful I am that you didn't."

The young man's ready blush suffused his face, "it's like you said in the paper Sir! There are times when the ordinary decent people have to make a stand and that's the true nature of courage!"

Jarrod was a trifle staggered, "you read my speech in the Stockton newspaper?"

"Yes Sir, I sure did! At least it was the Sacramento paper, I thought it was wonderful, I thought what you did was...fantastic!"

Jarrod was realistic enough to know that his kidnap and dramatic re-appearance were newsworthy, but he was still surprised that his impromptu speech had made the papers in the State Capital!

"When I made that speech Tyler, I was talking about the sort of thing you've just done, I honour you for your actions Young Man."

Just then Heath called out, "c'mon Tyler, let's head home, I'm good and hungry!"

The intervention was timely as Jarrod's praise had left Tyler hot with embarrassment and totally lost for words.

At a glittering reception in San Francisco two weeks later, Sarah Barkley found herself dancing with Governor Anderson.

"Sarah Dear, I wouldn't have thought it possible but I declare you look lovelier than ever!"

"Thank you kind Sir," chuckled Sarah.

Walter Anderson glanced swiftly round to check for eavesdroppers, "tell me oh respected lady-journalist, are you in your husband's confidence?"

"Totally Sir."

"Yes, I rather thought you might be," remarked the politician drily, "tell me, did Jarrod like his gift?"

Sarah flashed a glinting smile, "oh yes indeed," she agreed smoothly. If they were overheard, the "gift" would be assumed to be something innocuous not the hot potato that the Governor had so skillfully unloaded onto Counselor Barkley.

Later Anderson snatched a few private words with Jarrod and the two men came to a quiet understanding. Jarrod's investigative team had the Governor's tacit blessing and would have all the assistance he could render them, albeit covertly. Jarrod was cynical enough to know that if he and Schiffer failed, Anderson would distance himself from them fast! By the same token, if they notched up any notable successes, he would be right beside them, taking a share of the credit. Jarrod didn't care, the road ahead might be tortuous but there was every prospect of bringing to justice a multitude of wrong-doers, some of them very important people. That prospect was more than enough to satisfy the lawyer, after all it was infinitely more than he had had before the appearance on the scene of young Tyler Moss.

"Governor Anderson spoke to Jarrod once more that evening, as they stood together drinking champagne, "incidentally Jarrod, don't you have a brother who's a medical man? I don't mean the two ranchers, the noisy one and the quiet one, isn't there another one?"

"Yes Sir, my youngest brother Eugene is a doctor," answered Jarrod in some surprise.

"Well see here Jarrod I'm putting together a task force to look at hospital conditions in our prisons, might young Eugene be a good candidate for a place on that team?"

"It's very kind of you to think of him Governor, but I'm afraid Gene is only just qualified and he's most anxious to expand his experience in other areas. I think you probably need a more seasoned medical man than him, thanks all the same."

A sudden thought occurred to Jarrod and he seized the moment, continuing smoothly "however Sir, it so happens I know a first class young doctor who would be well-qualified for the role you have in mind."

"Really? Do tell."

"He's a doctor up at San Quentin, name of Philip Sangster, I haven't yet met him, although I intend doing so very soon. His reputation is excellent, he's done some ground breaking work at the prison I understand."

"That sounds most promising Jarrod, much obliged, I'll consider Doctor Sangster. How did he come to your attention?"

Jarrod told the truth, "he showed great kindness to young Peter Barton during his fatal illness," he said quietly.

"I see, yes I heard of Peter's death, a sad business, very sad. I believe he left a widowed mother and a young sister."

"That's right, they've been taken care of."

Anderson smiled warmly, "you don't say by whom, but I can guess! Well, I must circulate but I shall consider Doctor Sangster, never fear and thank you for the recommendation Counselor!"

hapter 24      

Jarrod let Sarah return to Stockton without him, he wanted to clear his San Francisco desk as far as he could do so, in order to have more time to help his old friend Judge Schiffer wade through the Roscoe dossier. He spent several days seeing various of his clients and then two more days clearing a formidable pile of paperwork. On the second of these days he worked very late and to his satisfaction completely finished his task, which meant he could head home first thing in the morning. Yawning massively, Jarrod took himself home to his San Francisco pied a terre and got a good night's sleep.

Next morning he had intended to go straight to the train, but realized with annoyance that he had left an important document on his desk, necessitating a detour to his office to collect it. He collected the offending paperwork from his otherwise deserted office and was standing locking his office door when he became aware of a young man standing behind him. Jarrod turned sharply, after his recent experiences, his reactions were still tuned to any hint of danger. His visitor apologized for startling him, smiling pleasantly and holding out his hand, "allow me to introduce myself, my name is Philip Sangster, I came in the hope of having a word with you, but if you're in a hurry..."

Jarrod willingly shook hands, "I was on my way to catch the train for home but I can delay my journey. It's a pleasure to meet you Doctor, I've heard a lot about you."

"Likewise Counselor, I hope you don't mind my calling unannounced?"

"Not at all, as a matter of fact I was going to call on you, so you've saved me a trip to San Quentin!"

Jarrod unlocked the door to his office again and then changed his mind, "tell you what, why don't we go and find some hot coffee and talk in comfort?"

Doctor Sangster readily agreed and the two men went to a nearby restaurant where Jarrod was well-known. It was still early and there were hardly any other customers so they could talk in peace.

Philip Sangster was a solidly built fair-haired man aged thirty. He had a serious face and a quiet manner, Jarrod liked him immediately.

The Doctor sipped his coffee and cleared his throat, "I guess you know why I'm here Counselor, I saw Governor Anderson in Sacramento, the day before yesterday, He gave me the advisor's job on the new task force. I gather you brought my name to his attention, I can't thank you enough, it's a great opportunity."

"It was my pleasure Doctor, I'm glad you're pleased."

Sangster looked searchingly at Jarrod, "may I ask you something?"

"Of course."

"Did you recommend me because you know I tried to show kindness to Peter Barton in prison?"

"No Doctor I didn't," answered Jarrod gently, "I'm grateful of course for all you did for Peter and when young Sally Barton told me your name I made it my business to find out a little about you and about your work. When I recommended you, it was because I thought you were the right man for the job."

The Doctor's face cleared and he smiled with relief, "well thank you Sir, I'm thrilled to have been given the chance, I know I can do good work."

"I'm sure of that Doctor."

Both men took a liking to each other and very soon the formal Doctor and Counselor had given way to Philip and Jarrod. They talked for some time and inevitably the conversation came around to Peter Barton.

Philip looked at his new friend and said shrewdly, "I think perhaps Peter's death has haunted you somewhat Jarrod."

The lawyer considered for a while before he answered quietly, "If I'm honest, yes I suppose it has. Peter evidentally had me on a mighty big pedestal, I can't help asking myself if his desire to emulate me and then not being able to do so because he couldn't practice law any more was...the reason he lost the will to live."

Philip nodded, "in some ways I suppose it was, but you can believe me when I tell you that Peter was a very bitter and rather inadequate young man. I got to know him very well, especially in his last illness, I learned that he was completely unable to accept the consequences of his own actions. He couldn't cope with his own failings, they all had to be attributable elsewhere. He was a moral coward really and repining over his lost law career and his excessive admiration of you, were his excuses for lacking the courage to fight on."

Jarrod was listening attentively and the doctor reached into his inside jacket pocket and laid a folded sheet of newsprint on the desk in front of the lawyer. "He used to read and re-read this, I think it summed things up for him."

Jarrod picked up the paper and unfolded it, he sighed as he looked at Sarah's bold headline,

THE TRUE NATURE OF COURAGE

The lawyer looked at Philip, "you know I'm beginning to hate this thing! Where the devil did he get it?"

"I asked him that, he said the Stockton sheriff gave it to him when he was jailed there."

Jarrod smiled slightly, "yes I can imagine Fred Madden throwing that in at him."

Philip leaned forward speaking earnestly, "I showed it to you deliberately Jarrod, to explain to you that Peter gave up on life because he believed that he didn't possess the true nature of courage. I have to say I think he was right, he didn't, if he had, he would have faced up to his own mistakes and started over, many people have done just that."

Jarrod was unconvinced, "perhaps, but I still feel responsible somehow."

"Please believe me Jarrod, like I said I got to know Peter very well, he was a decent young man, with a good heart, but he was a flawed human being too. He didn't have the moral strength to start over, that's what killed him, not you."

Jarrod's eyes looked into Philip's and read the truth there, "thank you Philip, I think maybe you're right."

Over a leisurely lunch the two men got to know one another better and Jarrod learned that Sangster was very much alone in the world. He had few relatives and his dedication to his work precluded him from making many friends. Jarrod invited the doctor to visit Stockton and spend the next Christmas with the Barkley family.

Sangster was delighted, "thank you very much Jarrod, I can't tell you how many years it is since I spent Christmas in a family home! I'll look forward to it very much."

Jarrod grinned, "I should warn you that my youngest brother Eugene has just qualified as a doctor, he's likely to talk your ears off!"

hapter 25      

Jarrod arrived home next day just as the sun was sinking into the dusk of evening. As he walked to his front door something compelled him to look up and he saw six year old Jack looking gravely down at him from his bedroom window. Jarrod smiled and waved, wondering what his little son had done this time! Sarah was in the hall to greet him and Jarrod kissed her at length, happy to be home again. They shared a pot of coffee in the living room and Jarrod told his wife all about his conversation with Philip Sangster. She listened to him attentively and silently rejoiced when he said, "I thought about what Philip said all the way home and I think he was right, it's more than time I stopped beating myself up over Peter Barton's death."

Sarah cupped a hand to his cheek for a moment, saying simply, "I'm glad you feel that way Jarrod," but inwardly she blessed the absent doctor for helping her husband come to terms with a matter that had tormented him for a long time now. She resolved to make the forthcoming Christmas visitor very welcome indeed.

Sarah told Jarrod that during his absence Aaron Schiffer had not been idle. He had officially taken early retirement from his duties presiding over the Stockton courts and as far as anyone knew was now away from the area on an extended vacation back East. In fact he was comfortably installed in a small ranch house adjoining the main Barkley lands and owned by Heath Barkley, to whom it had been left by an old friend. With Tyler Moss on guard and ready to undertake any investigative duties, the judge was now engaged in a careful perusal of the Roscoe papers. He intended to continue living in his self-imposed isolation, safe from threats or interference as he began to weave the net that would in time, ensnare some very inportant miscreants indeed.

Jarrod smiled, "Good old Aaron, we're going to make a good team! There's Nick and Heath and young Tyler too," the lawyer looked speculatively at hs wife, "I'm also going to need the assistance of a darn good journalist you know."

Sarah chuckled, "try leaving me out...if you dare!"

Husband and wife talked for a while about the forthcoming investigation, and both acknowledged that they were undoubtedly in for a long gruelling uphill struggle. Jarrod told Sarah that he was mentally prepared for the possibility of a degree of failure, for it was impossible to predict how far up the corrupt tree they would be able to reach.

"I intend to do all I can and when I've done that I do NOT intend to repine about any villains we may have missed!"

Sarah was pleased and said so, "I think that's wise Jarrod."

The lawyer smiled at her, "enough of legal matters, I spotted Jarrod Junior at his bedroom window, is he by any chance in disgrace?"

Sarah nodded, "he most certainly is in disgrace! He sneaked away from this house at the crack of dawn this morning, rode his pony over to Uncle Nick's house and managed to put his saddle on the biggest, meanest and least broken of the horses Nick had in the corral! He then mounted this brute and jumped it over a fence that's twice as tall as he is!"

Jarrod burst out laughing but Sarah shook her head at him, "Jarrod this isn't funny, even Nick was horrified, Jack is lucky to be alive!"

The lawyer knew she was right, but it was so pleasant to be at home, dealing with purely domestic matters that he couldn't help but laugh a little.

Sarah put her foot down, "I want you to have a talk with him and I want you in the guise of stern father!"

Jarrod stood up, "I'll attend to the matter right now Dear, there's time before dinner?"

"Yes, half an hour or so."

Jarrod went upstairs to Jack's room and opened the door. As soon as he saw his father Jack gave a joyous shout of "Papa!" Running straight to Jarrod to be lifted. Jarrod scooped him up and was rapturously hugged, "Oh Papa I'm so glad you're home, I've missed you!"

Jarrod sat down on the chair beside Jack's bed, with his little son curled up contentedly in his lap.

Anything less like a stern father would have been difficult to imagine. Jarrod spoke in the gentlest of voices, "well now what have you been up to young man?"

"I rode Uncle Nick's half-broke horse," said Jack proudly, " the BIG one and I made him jump too! You should have seen me Papa!"

"You gave Uncle Nick a fright you know."

Jack chuckled with glee, the idea of Uncle Nick being scared of anything was absurd.

"Now Jack, I'm very angry with you, you know the rules about horses, you shouldn't have done it."

Jack wriggled round in Jarrod's lap to face him, "I KNOW, but you went away again and you only just got hime from the LAST time!"

Jarrod cuddled the indignant little figure, "I know, I'm sorry, but I promise I'll be home for a long time now."

"Really?"

Jack nestled contentedly into Jarrod's warm embrace.

"I knew you weren't really mad at me," said the smug little voice.

"Don't push your luck Junior!"

"No Sir," said Jack, burrowing closer still, "I am glad you're home."

"Me too Jack, me too."

When Sarah glanced in five minutes later, she was unsurprised to see Jack in Jarrod's lap, father and son were both sleeping peacefully. She decided to let them doze for a while, dinner could wait for a bit. She lingered in the doorway, enjoying the sight of her husband and son's togetherness. The coming months, perhaps years would be a great challenge as they tried to attack the insidious mixture of crime and corruption that was rife in California. Sarah contemplated the future without fear, it was as Jarrod had said, they would do their best, do all they could.Then? Why then they would move on, turn away toward their own destiny, grateful for what they had accomplished and refusing to repine over what they had been unable to do. Sarah believed that her husband meant what he said, he would give this enterprise of his best but he would not let any failure affect him. As she glided silently away from the sleeping pair, Sarah reflected that Jarrod's philosophical attitude was very much a measure of the man, of his intellect and wisdom and perhaps of his courage too. It took a very special kind of man to undertake a hugely difficult task, knowing that his efforts might perhaps yield very little reward or satisfaction. Sarah thought that might very well be the true nature of courage.

The End