"Nicholas, if I recall correctly this family does not begin eating until grace has been said."

Glancing toward his right, Nick grimaced slightly as he looked at the white-haired, slim figure of his mother at the foot of the table. He opened his mouth as if to speak, closed it, then returned his fork to its proper place.

Nick Barkley was a tall, well-built man in his late twenties. He was lean and well-muscled with the look and aura of an athletic man who spent much of his life in the outdoors. His hair was dark brown and usually unruly. Set in a handsome, rugged face, Nick's brown eyes could glow with anger one minute and shine with laughter the next. Victoria and Thomas Barkley's second child had been a wild, mischievous boy who had grown into a strong-willed man with a quick temper who liked a good fight. Nevertheless, he was a good man who eventually would always try to do what was right.

Giving a sigh, Nick bowed his head and said, "Bless this food, O Lord. Amen."

Victoria Barkley rolled her eyes at the quick blessing, but a slight smile tugged at the corner of her mouth. She repeated "Amen" and then said, "Nick, I believe you'd be much less tired in the morning if you came home at a reasonable hour."

Blue eyes twinkling, Nick's blonde-haired brother Heath chimed in, "Now, mother, you can't expect that from Romeo here when he's with the beautiful Bella."

"Beautiful Bella? That's redundant isn't it?" asked the eldest Barkley son Jarrod as he handed a bowl of eggs to his youngest sibling Audra.

"Yes, it is Jarrod, but I don't expect Nick here knows what it means anyway," Heath returned with a mischievous grin on his face.

Nick Barkley snorted. "Oh, you two are a real pair of characters aren't you? Heath and Jarrod, a couple of clowns. But then that would be redundant wouldn't it?"

Victoria shook her head in mock despair at the friendly banter, "Boys, boys. Whatever is a mother to do?"

Flashing a quick smile in her direction, Nick exclaimed, "Well, I don't know about you mother, but I say we send them off to the circus where they belong."

"Ha, ha, very funny little brother. For that I say no steak for Nick."

"I'll second that, big brother." Heath grabbed the plate of steaks and playfully held them out of Nick's reach. Starting to get mad, Nick caught hold of Heath's arm, but was overtaken by a long, loud yawn. Letting go of his brother's arm, Nick grinned sheepishly and settled back into his chair. Laughing, Heath returned the plate to the table.

"I guess I am a bit tired," Nick admitted. "But if the truth be known I did come home last night at a "reasonable hour". At least I started home. Then about halfway across Spring Meadow someone took a shot at me."

"What?" As the question reverberated around the table, the joking camaraderie turned to concern.

His handsome face now serious, Jarrod questioned his brother. "What happened, Nick? Were you hurt? Did you see who it was?"

"I'm fine, fine. The bullet missed me by a mile. It sure spooked ‘ole Cocoa though, and I'm ashamed to say he threw me. I ended up walking the rest of the way, and believe me it wasn't any picnic."

Shaking his head in disgust, Nick reached for his glass, drinking the juice in one gulp. Setting the glass down with a noisy thud, Nick became aware of his family's silence. Glancing around the table with a puzzled air, Nick protested.

"Hey, I'm all right. Nothing happened. What's the matter with you all?"

Victoria looked down the table at him, staring into his eyes. "That's the third time, Nick, the third in as many weeks."

"Oh, come on, Mother." Nick rose to his feet, pacing up and down, arms waving in his usual habit when upset or angry. He repeated, "Come on, Mother, you can't be serious. Those were accidents, nothing but accidents. A few rocks fell down a cliff and a burr got stuck on a saddle blanket. Do you seriously think someone is trying to kill me?"

Nick stopped next to his mother's chair, staring silently down at the slight figure sitting motionless before him. Victoria smiled rather grimly at her son and said, "Accidents, Nick? Maybe. Coincidence, possible. But it seems to me to be too many accidents, too many coincidences. Perhaps some animal loosened a stone just when you happened by. Perhaps a burr did just happen to stick to a saddle blanket; no matter how careful we are to check equipment, we're not perfect, it could happen, but..."

Jarrod interrupted, "And it just happened that particular blanket was put on a wild, unbroken stallion that everyone knew you were going to ride."

Heath took over, "And the aforesaid stallion went berserk, throwing you into a fence. And by some miracle you came out of it with only a few bruises and a cracked rib."

Nick was fuming now, tapping one foot. He turned and stared at Audra. "Well? It's your turn now."

Tossing her long blonde hair over one shoulder, Audra exclaimed, "Nick, I'm sorry but I have to agree. One thing by itself isn't much, but three..?" Nick stared into the pleading blue eyes of his sister as she continued. "Nick, a hunter or farmer or some other innocent person wouldn't have been shooting at that time of night. It had to be deliberate."

"So you all think somebody's trying to kill me? Who? Why?"

Staring around the table, Nick looked into the anxious face of each member of his family. "Well? I don't hear any of you talking now."

"Oh, Nick. It's not like we can pull a name out of a hat." Victoria said.

Jarrod spoke up. "Accusing someone of attempted murder is a pretty serious thing. And maybe we are jumping to conclusions. This could all be a series of coincidences. But there is a chance that this is a deliberate, calculated campaign against you, Nick. Is it so much to ask that you just be a little more careful..."

Nick interrupted. "What. Have you and Heath babysit me like a two-year old? For crying out loud Jarrod, I'm a grown man. I can take care of myself."

Lifting one eyebrow, Jarrod replied, "Even grown men aren't immune to bullets, Nick. Especially if someone is lying in wait. Do you really want to go around looking over your shoulder all the time?"

Heath's quiet voice added, "Come on, big brother. Who am I going to beat at poker if you get yourself killed? For that matter, who am I going to beat at target shooting, calf-ropin', checkers..."

"All right, all right." Nick interrupted Heath's litany. "I can see none of you are going to leave this alone. I'll be careful and watch my back. But I'm not going to let any back-stabbing killer- if he exists- make me live in fear."

Victoria smiled at him. "All we ask is that you be careful and don't get yourself into a situation where someone can ‘stab you in the back.'"

Bending over, Nick gave her a kiss and said, "Mother, I will be the very epitome of discretion."

"Huh, that will be the day." Jarrod laughed, rising to his feet and tossing his napkin onto the table.

Ignoring his older brother, Nick turned to Heath, tapping him on the shoulder. "Let's go, boy. We've got work to do."

Gulping down the last of his juice, Heath jumped to his feet, gave Victoria a quick kiss and joined Nick as they left the room. Nick's voice came back to Jarrod as he followed behind the other two.

"And just what was that remark about beating me at poker and calf roping?"

"Don't forget checkers and shootin'," Heath said.

Nick's laugh rang out in the large, high-ceilinged entry way. "Oh, is that right? Maybe you'd like to put your money where your mouth is boy. How about we..."

The sound of knocking interrupted Nick's proposal. Reaching the front door in a couple of steps, Nick pulled it open and greeted the tall, stocky figure standing there.

"Hello, Sheriff. Come on in."

"Good morning, Nick." Removing his hat, Sheriff Fred Madden stepped into the hall. Glancing around he nodded. "Morning, Heath, Jarrod."

Jarrod replied, "Fred. What brings you out here so early in the morning?"

"There was a little trouble in town last night and I'm following up on it. Nothing serious, but I had to come out this way on another matter and thought I'd stop."

"Why good morning, Fred. You're out early." Victoria Barkley's clear tones greeted the sheriff as she and Audra entered the room.

"Good morning, Victoria, Audra. As I was telling the boys here, there was some mischief done in town last night and, well." Stopping for a moment, Fred turned to look at Jarrod. "Well, it really concerns you, Jarrod."

"Oh?" Jarrod looked puzzled. "Mischief? Did someone break a window at the office or something, Fred?"

At the age of thirty-four, Jarrod Barkley was already an accomplished and successful lawyer with offices in both his hometown of Stockton and the bustling metropolis of San Francisco. His sky blue eyes were a vivid contrast to the brown hair which was a shade or two darker than Nick's. Well-educated and cultured, Jarrod was a man with a strong sense of justice and duty. The eldest of the four Barkley children, Jarrod had been forced into shouldering great responsibility at an early age at the death of Tom Barkley over eight years before.

Looking apologetic, the sheriff continued. "No. Actually there was some vandalism done in the cemetery. Some headstones were knocked over, flowers thrown around, that kind of thing. I'm afraid your wife's tombstone was damaged."

Jarrod stiffened at the news. His eyes had a faraway look in them as the sheriff's words penetrated into his mind. "...your wife's tombstone was damaged." Beth. It had been eight months since his lovely wife had been killed by Cass Hyatt; their future together shattered by a single gunshot. He had met Elizabeth Randall on a train from Washington, D.C. Beth had been on her way to Denver where she planned to teach. The very moment he had seen her, Jarrod had felt that this tall, blonde-haired woman with the laughing eyes was someone special. Four days later when they reached Denver, he was sure of it. Putting aside his own plans to continue on to Stockton, he followed Beth off the train in Denver. The next morning they were married.

They had only a day and a half together in Denver, but for the two lovers the time spent together was a lifetime of love. Then it was on the train again and onward to Stockton and a new life as husband and wife. His family was surprised by the news, but had accepted Beth immediately. While Victoria welcomed her with open arms, Nick and Heath toasted this new sister of theirs with champagne, comfortable in the knowledge of their older brother's happiness.

The next morning they had gone into town where Jarrod showed off his place of business to his new bride. It had been there that they had first run into Cass Hyatt. Jarrod had prosecuted Hyatt seven years before and Hyatt had sworn that he would make Jarrod pay. Now with a governor's pardon in his back pocket, Hyatt had returned to the town of Stockton, claiming he just wanted to get his life back. The next day, as Jarrod showed Beth the lovely "Isla del Cielo" where he intended to build their home, a shot rang out and Beth Randall Barkley fell dead. A bridegroom for only five days, Jarrod Thomas Barkley was now a widower forever.

Enraged at his wife's senseless death, Jarrod had put the blame on Cass Hyatt. Unable to prove his complicity, Jarrod pursued Hyatt in a mindless, grief-stricken rage, determined to kill the man who had left him so empty; determined to kill him at any cost, even if it meant the loss of his own life, his liberty or even his soul. Finally tracking him down in the small town of Rimfire, Jarrod lost all control when Hyatt admitted to Beth's murder; merely a ‘mistake' as he had tried to kill Jarrod instead. The arrival of his brothers on the scene and Nick's refusal to stand aside and let Jarrod kill Hyatt had chased away the monster that seemingly had taken him over. Days later he had only felt shame for what he had been so close to doing- taking the life of another human being. The blind, uncontrollable rage he had felt was something that he never knew he was capable of experiencing. He only hoped that such a monster would never be loosed in him again.

It took Jarrod only a few seconds to relive these past events at the sheriff's words. There had been much healing taking place within him over the last eight months, although the wound was still there and would be for a long time to come. Now as he heard of the desecration of his wife's last resting place, he felt more a sense of sadness than anger. Taking a deep breath, he addressed the sheriff, "Any ideas who might have done it, Fred?"

Shaking his head, Sheriff Madden replied, "I don't really know for certain, Jarrod. I sure didn't see anyone and as far as I know, no one else did either. However, the MacKenzie brothers were in town last night. They got themselves real liquored up as usual. You know how they can be. Anyway I'm planning to go out to their place later this afternoon and ask some questions. I probably won't be able to prove anything, but I'm sure going to try."

"Let us know if you find out anything, will you, Fred? I'll take a look at the damage when I get into town and see about having it fixed. Thanks for letting me know, Fred." Shaking hands with the sheriff, Jarrod and the rest of the family said their goodbyes, closing the door after him.

There was silence for a moment and then Audra said, "Jarrod, I'm sorry about what's happened. I'm sure the damage can be fixed up and you'll never be able to tell the difference."

Jarrod smiled at her, "Thanks, Audra. I'm sure it's nothing serious. I guess it's just one of those things we have to put up with when you have the likes of the MacKenzie brothers in the world."

"Yeah, I'd like to introduce those MacKenzies to my fist."

"Nicholas, nothing has been proven yet." His mother admonished him.

"I know, I know. I can think about it though, can't I?" Nick laughed.

"You think about it all you like, Nick. I'm going into town." Jarrod clapped his brother on the shoulder, gave Victoria a kiss and started out the door.

"Hold up a minute, Jarrod. I'm going with you." Nick exclaimed as he raced back into the gun room for his gun belt.

"Me too." Heath put in as he followed Nick.

Jarrod gave his head a slight shake but a smile came to his lips. At any rate, this way Nick wouldn't be going off anywhere alone. A few minutes later the sound of horses hooves broke the still morning air as the three Barkley brothers rode off for Stockton.

Walking through the peaceful grounds, Jarrod found it difficult to believe that some drunken crazy had rampaged there the night before. Yet as he made his way to the site, he could see signs of damage. It looked as if someone had weaved his way through the various plots, haphazardly choosing a headstone here, another one there to push over. The petals, leaves and stems of sad flowers were strewn about.

Finally arriving at Beth's grave, Jarrod stopped in front of the large and heavy tombstone.

Beloved Wife Elizabeth Randall Barkley 1852-1878 The sky shall never be shut out

It appeared as if someone had taken a heavy object and beat at the stone in an attempt to knock it over. Whether they had been startled at that point or the stone was too heavy, the attempt had not succeeded. It had resulted in a large crack through the middle and the near obliteration of the name Barkley.

Jarrod reflected for a moment on the gentle woman who lay forever beneath the ground. They had had such a short time together. He had only known her for ten days, five of those as his wife. In some ways it didn't seem possible that she could have become such a part of his life, so important to him in such a short time. And yet she had been. Beth had been a moment of exquisite happiness and now was a bittersweet memory forever. A sigh escaped him. Eight months had gone by and sometimes she was no more than that; a memory. Other times there was a great ache-- a longing for the future, the children that would never be theirs. That ache was easing now, coming less often. Reaching his hand out, he touched the engraved letters of her name with his fingertips. Softly, he whispered, "I'm sorry, Beth." Sorry for your death, sorry for this damage, sorry that I don't think about you or feel you as often as I did.

Jarrod recalled what he had told his mother after the first time he had stood in this place. "All the life I had went into that grave this morning."

"That's not true. You think it. You believe it, but it is not true."

Mother was right. Life did go on, it had to. Or else you ended up like Cass Hyatt, or as he himself had come so close to being, or here in a graveyard under a tombstone or... He stopped. A shiver ran through him. What was that? Looking around him, he saw no one else but Nick and Heath across the way. But for just a moment there had been something else, a feeling?, a presence?

As Nick and Heath walked up to him, Jarrod shook off the dark mood. Acknowledging his brothers, he gestured at the marker and said, "Well, its not as bad as I thought, but I think with that crack running through it, I'd rather have a whole new headstone."

"You should have the MacKenzies pay for it." Nick put in, looking around in disgust. "Just look at this mess."

"Now, Nick. You don't know for sure..."

"I know. I know. We have no proof they did it. But who else around here would do something like this?"

Heath spoke up, "It could have been some hands in from one of the ranches. Or it could have been some kids out on a lark."

"Kids on a lark doing this kind of damage? I don't think so." Nick retorted.

Jarrod spoke up. "Well, I guess that's not important. The sheriff will take care of it. There's nothing we can do about it anyway right now. I'm going over to the funeral parlor and see Mr. Beckett about having a new tombstone engraved. I'll see you boys later."

The two younger men watched as he walked away, then Nick turned to Heath and said, "Let's head over to the gun shop and look at that new rifle I saw the other day." Together they walked away, once again leaving the cemetery a quiet place.

It was a full hour and a half later when Jarrod was finally able to escape from the funeral parlor. The interview with Hiram Beckett, a short, fussy little man, had taken longer than Jarrod had intended. After many clucks of concern and words of condolence-- one would have thought someone had died-- Jarrod was finally able to convince Beckett of his wishes and get away. Out on the street and in the fresh air again, Jarrod gave a sigh of relief. "Whew!" He said to himself. "For awhile there I was afraid I was going to have to order a whole funeral arrangement." A bemused smile came to his lips as he realized his own ability to see amusement in the situation. Giving his head a slight shake, he began to walk down the street toward his office. It was Saturday, but as long as he was in town there was always paperwork to catch up on. Later on he'd see the sheriff and talk to him about Nick's situation. Fred might have some ideas on a possible suspect.

As he continued toward his office, he saw the boarding house for women across the street. Struck with a sudden idea, Jarrod headed across the street and entered the building. The boarding house was run by a widow, Mrs. Jacob Strong, who only allowed gentlemen callers to see her guests in the front parlor. After inquiring for Miss Bella Stanton, Jarrod was shown into the stark and formal room. A couple of minutes later he heard the sound of swishing skirts and Stockton's newest school teacher entered the room.

Bella Stanton was a short, slightly built woman of twenty-two years of age. Her long hair was a light auburn and her eyes were a deep brown. She had a slightly up-turned nose that wrinkled when she smiled. Her manner was quiet and matter-of-fact; a sharp contrast to Nick. Jarrod had noticed that she was rather shy, especially around him; a characteristic that disappeared when she was with Nick.

As Jarrod rose to his feet he saw a startled look come into Bella's eyes and then quickly disappear. "Hello, Jarrod. What a pleasant surprise." Her voice was low and clear with the accent of someone who lived in the East.

"Good morning, Miss Stanton. Do I detect a note of disappointment in that greeting?" he asked with a small, teasing chuckle.

Blushing, Bella laughed, "I'm sorry, Jarrod. Mrs. Strong said that Mr. Barkley was here and I thought... I presumed... well, I was expecting Nick."

Bowing slightly, Jarrod said, "Your apology is accepted. That Nick is a lucky fellow."

"Thank you." Gesturing toward the sofa she added, "Please sit down, Jarrod." Seating herself in a straight-backed chair opposite, she continued. "What was it you wished to speak to me about, Jarrod?"

Becoming serious, Jarrod said, "I don't know if Nick has mentioned anything to you, knowing Nick he hasn't. But several events have occurred which have us rather concerned. The first one happened about three weeks ago. A rock slide almost buried him; he was lucky to get out of the way in time. There was absolutely no one around and no reason for those rocks to fall like that. Next was the wild stallion that threw him."

"I remember that." Bella put in. "He couldn't hide it with that bruise on his forehead. I could see his side was hurting as well and he told me about the horse and the cracked rib and everything. But that was just an accident, wasn't it?"

"It could have been. But did Nick mention that we found a large burr attached to the saddle blanket?" Jarrod went on. "We're pretty careful about checking equipment on the ranch, especially when someone is going to be up on a wild, unbroken animal like that stallion. On the other hand, we're certainly not perfect. Mistakes happen. But then there was last night."

As Jarrod paused, Bella's eyes widened with concern. "What happened last night?"

Choosing his words, Jarrod said, "While riding across Spring Meadow, Nick's horse Cocoa was spooked by a gunshot."

"A gunshot?!" Bella was shocked. "You mean someone was shooting at Nick? They tried to kill him? Was he hurt? Is he all right? I haven't seen him at all today."

Jarrod spoke up reassuringly, "He's fine. Nick is fine. The horse threw him and he had to walk the rest of the way to the ranch, but he wasn't hurt at all. And that's why I'm here, Bella. To be sure that Nick stays unhurt and I need your help to do that."

Nodding her head, Bella said, "I think I know where you're going with this Jarrod, but continue, please."

"You know how stubborn Nick can be. He's not convinced anyone is after him. To him these are nothing but accidents. He says we're all being overprotective." Jarrod hesitated for a moment. He wanted to be sure to convey just the right amount of concern without scaring her. After all, he had his own doubts about whether they were accidents or not. The gunshot had all but convinced him, however. Looking Bella straight in the eyes, he said, "This may all just be a string of coincidences and nothing more may happen. On the other hand if someone does have a grudge against Nick it's best to be prepared. All I'm really asking, Bella, is that you be on the lookout when you're with Nick. Don't go to out-of-the-way places or be away from town late at night. And perhaps most of all, talk to Nick. Try to convince him to be more careful. He might listen to you more readily than to his family."

Giving a quick, little laugh Bella said, "Goodness, Jarrod. You're giving me goose bumps, talking about all of this. It seems hard to believe that anyone would want to hurt Nick. But I do agree with you. He is stubborn and he should be careful. I promise I will talk to him, Jarrod and I'll be on guard whenever I'm with him."

Rising to her feet, she indicated that the interview was over. Jarrod followed her to the door and said, "Thank you for listening, Bella. I feel better now that you know about this. I'm sure nothing will happen, but it's good to know that Nick is well looked after."

Bella laughed. "Oh, you have no idea how right you are about that, Jarrod. Believe me I'm going to be like a mother hen." She grimaced slightly. "On the other hand I'd better not be too noticeable about it or Nick might not like it. I don't think he cares too much for the overprotective type. Thank you for coming, Jarrod. Goodbye."

"Goodbye, Bella. Take care." Jarrod started down the street and Bella closed the door.

It was almost one in the afternoon when Nick and Heath exited from the Stockton House after a hearty lunch. Nick stopped on the walkway in front of the hotel and with a look of annoyance said, "Blast it all, Heath. Are you planning on trailing me everywhere I go like some kind of lost puppy?"

Heath responded, "Now, Nick, I just wanted to..."

"You just wanted to be sure nobody slipped up behind me with a knife or shoved his gun in my back. Look, Heath, I appreciate your concern, but I really don't think anyone's going to try anything here in Stockton. The other attacks-- and I'm not convinced they were attacks-- but they were all done, secretly, in hiding. Not out in the open and certainly not in the middle of town."

Realizing that Heath was no longer paying attention, he added. "Now what's the matter?"

"Across the street."

"Across the street, what?" Nick asked in confusion.

Heath pointed. "There, across the street by the bank. Isn't that Lenny Hamer?"

Following Heath's finger, Nick stared across the street at the tall, stick-thin man with mousy hair who had just stopped to light a cigarette. "Yep, that's him." Nick agreed.

Heath gave him a startled look, "Isn't he supposed to be in prison?"

"He's out."

"I can see he's out. Why?"

Impatient, Nick replied, "He's out because they let him out. He served his time. Eighteen months."

"Eighteen months? Its been eighteen months already?" Heath was incredulous, staring back at the man who once again had begun to walk down the street. Giving his brother a suspicious stare, he added. "You don't seem to be surprised."

Nick shook his head, "I'm not. I saw him a few days ago."

"And you didn't tell us?"

"No, I didn't tell you. You should have seen your faces at the breakfast table this morning when I mentioned the gunshot. You would have overreacted just like you are now."

Heath said, "He did threaten he'd ‘get you' after you were the main witness at his trial. Remember?"

Nick laughed with scorn, "That weasely coward? Why he wouldn't stand up to Audra, let alone me. He's nothing but words."

"Now, Nick you just said that the attacks against you were done in secret. Isn't that the way Hamer would do it?"

Nick started to speak, hesitated for a moment and then said, "No, I don't believe it. Lenny's way would be to get three or four others and beat me up in a dark alley. Besides, you tell me how he could have gotten anywhere near the ranch and put a burr on one of our saddle blankets?"

Shrugging his shoulders, Heath replied, "He could have paid someone to do that. Or maybe that one was just an accident."

"You just have answers for everything, don't you, boy? I'm not going to worry about Lenny Hamer. It's Saturday, which means Bella isn't teaching today, so I'm going to pay her a visit and if you think you're following me over there you've got another think coming."

"O.K., Nick. I'll let you go on one condition. You be careful, you hear?" Heath gave his brother an anxious look.

Laughing, Nick said, "Careful is my middle name. Now are you satisfied?" With another shout of laughter and a swat on his brother's shoulder, Nick strolled up the street, whistling lightly under his breath.

Watching as Nick walked away from him, Heath spoke softly, "Just don't go gettin' yourself killed, big brother. I'd kind of like to have you around awhile longer." As the figure of Nick moved out of his line of sight, Heath finally became aware that he was still standing motionless in the middle of the sidewalk and starting to get dirty looks from some of the passersby. Lifting his hat in apology, he decided to head over to the sheriff's office and see what Fred knew about Lenny Hamer. At any rate he would still be in town if Nick needed him.

Interlude

Marshall Dan Bradley pulled his dusty, tired and hungry body off his grey mare Sky and walked her slowly into Stockbridge's one and only livery stable. Dan Bradley was a tall, thin man who had become even thinner over the last two years since the death of his wife, Lillian. Under normal conditions, the forty-eight year old Marshall looked ten years older. But now, after nearly a month out on the trail covering the large, but vastly unpopulated territory under his command, he seemed closer to a man in his late sixties.

As he entered the stable, he was greeted by the friendly stable hand Dirk Jones. "Howdy, Marshall. We was beginnin' to think you weren't never gonna make it back to Stockbridge. I guess those cattle rustlers been keeping ya pretty busy, eh?"

Smiling wearily, Marshall Bradley replied, "I was beginning to think the same thing, Dirk. Things been quiet around here?"

"Oh, ya know Stockbridge, Marshall, always purty quiet. That kid deputy of yurs, Michaelson, ain't had a whole lot to do." Jones nodded solemnly as if giving an address of great magnitude.

The Marshall nodded his own head saying, "That's just what I wanted to hear, Dirk. I can use some quiet right now and about a week's worth of sleep." Handing his horse's reins to Dirk he added, "Clean Sky up good and give her some extra food, will you, Dirk? She's put in a hard few weeks and deserves a good long rest."

Taking the reins and patting the mare on the nose, he said, "Will do, Marshall. I'll take real good care of the lil' lady. Good ta see ya back, Marshall."

Saying goodbye, Marshall Bradley exited the stable and walked across the street to his office. He needed to check in with Michaelson before he headed for home, a wash, food and sleep; not necessarily in that order. Entering the office, he pulled off his hat and gave a great yawn. The place looked just the same, nothing out of order, the desk neat and clean; Michaelson tended to be almost obsessively neat. At least it gives him something to do, Bradley thought. His deputy wasn't in evidence and Bradley figured he was making his rounds around the small, quiet town.

Going over to the desk, he sat down and took a quick look through the neatly stacked papers. There wasn't a whole lot, and nothing unusual, until nearly the bottom of the pile. The letter was from the warden at San Quentin, and at first Bradley couldn't make head nor tails out of it. He didn't recognize the name of the prisoner Cass Hyatt mentioned in the letter.

What was this about? Scratching his head in perplexity, Bradley reread the letter under his breath. "Writing to inform you.. Blah, blah, blah .... Cass Hyatt, prisoner here at San Quentin, .. Blah, blah... interest of... Barkley,... blah." Rubbing his hands over his eyes, Dan Bradley gave a sigh; he was too tired to deal with this! He'd find Michaelson wherever he was, let him know he was back and then go home and get some sleep. The letter could wait until tomorrow.

Laying the letter back down on the desk, he rose to his feet, grabbed his hat from where he'd left it on the rack and started to open the door. Then he stopped. Barkley. The letter had mentioned the name Barkley. The only Barkleys he knew of was the wealthy ranch family from Stockton. Stockton. That was it. Turning around, he walked back over to the desk and grabbed up the letter once again. This time he looked at the date; two days after he had left Stockbridge, nearly a month ago. Then he picked up the envelope it had come in, which he had tossed aside. It was addressed to the Sheriff of Stockton, California. That was it then. Some post office clerk had misread Stockbridge for Stockton and since it was addressed only to the Sheriff, it had come to the only law in town, Marshall Dan Bradley. Many people didn't know the difference between sheriff and Marshall anyway; they probably figured it was all one in the same thing. Apparently Michaelson hadn't caught the Stockton slip either.

At that moment the door opened and the lanky figure of twenty year old Deputy Marshall Steve Michaelson entered the room. "Marshall! Welcome back. When did you get in?" he asked.

Turning toward him, Marshall Bradley replied, "Hello, Steve. I just rode in a few minutes ago. I was just about to go looking for you. How have things been?"

The deputy laughed. "Oh, you know Stockbridge, Marshall. As quiet as a tomb. The only action I had around here was old Mr. Murray wandering around town looking for his wife." Michaelson added eagerly. "What about you, Marshall? I bet it was real exciting going after those rustlers!"

Bradley laughed. "One of these days, Steve, you're going to realize that being Marshall isn't some kind of romantic game, it's mostly just a lot of hard work." Seeing the look of disappointment in his deputy's eyes, Bradley added, "I did have some excitement, but right now I'm so tired I can't even think straight. I'm going home and catch up on some sleep. Tomorrow I'll tell you all about it."

Giving a big grin, Steve nodded. "Yes, sir, Marshall. You go home and rest up. I'll take care of things around here. I'll be looking forward to hearing about everything tomorrow."

Saying goodbye, Marshall Bradley started toward the door, then stopped as he realized he still held the letter from San Quentin in his hand. Holding it out to his deputy, he said, "Oh, by the way, Steve, this letter was delivered here by mistake. It's supposed to go to the sheriff in Stockton. His name is Fred Madden. Take care of that as soon as you can, will you?"

Looking at the letter, Steve exclaimed, "Stockton! Well, what do you know? I never even realized it said Stockton. I took a quick look at it and since I didn't know what it was about, I just left it for when you got back. I'll take care of it right away, sir."

"Good job, son. I'll see you later." As he stepped out the door, he noticed Mr. Murray down the street. Poking his head back in the door he said to Steve. "You'd better come take care of Mr. Murray first, I'm afraid he's pestering the Donovan sisters."

"Yes, sir. I'm right there." Turning around, Michaelson threw the letter onto the desk and headed out the door. The last thing the Marshall heard as he headed for his well-deserved rest was the high, quavering voice of the crazy old widower Mr. Murray.

"Young man, I'm just trying to get my wife here to come home with me. This is between me and her and has nothing to do with you...."

"Blast." He thought to himself. " If I keep thinking like this, I'll drive myself crazy." His mind strayed to thoughts of Bella, whom he would see in just a few minutes. Had it only been five weeks since he first met her? A grin came to his lips as he thought about their first meeting. That was the day he'd had the fight with the MacKenzie brothers. That had been a good day.

It was eight p.m. on a Saturday night, and Nick Barkley had just arrived at the saloon, looking for a drink and a poker game. Jarrod was still in San Francisco, and Heath had opted to stay at home and babysit the new calf which was having problems. Walking over to the counter, Nick greeted the bartender. "Evening, Harry. Can I get a bottle of whiskey?"

"Sure thing, Nick."

As Harry turned to pick up a bottle, Nick took a quick look around the saloon. The smoky room was filled with people; cowhands, dance hall girls, ranchers, gamblers, and more. The sounds of loud voices, clinking glasses and shouts of laughter permeated the air. Grinning, Nick turned back and asked, "Any excitement tonight, Harry?"

Giving him a suspicious stare, Harry replied, "There haven't been any fights if that's what you mean." Harry liked the wild, young man, but had lost too many chairs, tables and glasses at the hands of Nick Barkley. "So let's keep it that way, all right, Nick?"

Raising his hands in protest, Nick responded, "Me, Harry? Now you know I don't go out of my way to mess up this place. Can I help it if I have to stand up for honor, decency and little old ladies?"

Harry snorted, "Little old ladies. Right, Nick, whatever you say. Just try not to be too honorable and decent tonight, O.K.?" Placing the bottle of whiskey and a glass on the counter, he gave Nick an imploring look.

Nick gave a shout of laughter and said, "You've got a deal, Harry. I see some of the boys from the ranch over there. I plan to do nothing but drink and play cards all night. If that's all right with you?" Grabbing up the whiskey and glass, Nick headed over to the table.

Not at all convinced, Harry gave a sigh and took another look around the room. So far so good, but he intended to keep a sharp lookout for trouble. Somehow, having a Barkley in the room, especially Nick, tended to cost him.

As Nick approached the poker game, his ranch hands looked up in greeting. "Howdy, boss. Planning to get in a little action tonight?" Hap Carson asked.

"Move over, boys. I am ready to play." Nick responded, setting down his glass and bottle with a clink.

"The more money, the better, I say," put in Clint Danvers, who was running a lucky streak.

In a few minutes the betting was going fast and furious. An hour later the room was even louder and smokier and the game was still on. Two of the hands had good-naturedly dropped out after losing their money and were now looking on with interest as Nick, Clint, Hap and Stu Lake battled on.

"Five dollars." Clint opened. He was looking at only a couple of jacks, but luck had been with him all night. He expected he'd get something good when he turned in his other three cards, or if need be bluff the other three.

"I see your five and raise you ten." Nick responded, throwing in his money. He hadn't been doing too badly at all. Hap and Stu stayed in the game and the betting went on.

At that moment the swinging doors of the saloon opened once again, and three large figures lumbered into the room. Ted, Lloyd and Davy MacKenzie farmed 500 acres just north of Stockton. They were hard workers and well-respected as farmers and businessmen in the valley. However, they all liked a "night on the town", and tended to drink to excess, becoming wild and belligerent. The brothers had already been to two other saloons that night, and as they entered his saloon, Harry could see signs of trouble brewing. Sure enough, they headed over to Nick Barkley's table and with a sigh, he started moving glasses and bottles off the shelves and counters.

"Well, well, if it isn't our old pal, Nicky," Lloyd sneered, looking down at Nick. Lloyd was the middle brother, like Nick, and he had a mean streak in him that became downright nasty when he was drunk.

Without moving his head, Nick paused for a moment staring at his cards then said, "Evening, Lloyd."

"Evening, Lloyd." Lloyd repeated in a high, mocking tone. Turning to grin at his brothers, he said, "Ain't he just the p'lite gentleman now. Evening, Ted. Evening, Davy."

"Evening, Lloyd." Ted and Davy returned in the same irritating manner.

Leaning down, Lloyd put his elbow on the table, his face inches away from Nick's. The smell of liquor on his breath nearly gagged Nick, but he didn't pull back. Nick had noted Harry's reaction a moment before, and had been pretty sure who had just walked in. He was determined to remain calm and not be baited but...

"Now, Nicky, where'd you learn those p'lite manners from? Oh, that's right. You got that high and mighty Mama. I bet she taught you to say please and thank you and all..."

Lloyd got no farther. With one swift movement, Nick gave him a quick jab with his left fist, kicked back his chair, ducked a swing from Davy and launched himself at Ted. Hap, Clint and the other Barkley hands joined the fight.

Across the room, Harry gave a groan, "Thirty seconds, all of thirty seconds."

The three MacKenzie brothers were all big men, used to hard labor on the farm. They had an advantage in weight and strength, but the others were more agile. Nick's attack on Ted had carried both of them to the floor. Quicker on his feet, Nick was up in a moment, grabbing a chair and breaking it across his opponent's broad back. Looking around with a wild grin on his face, Nick saw Hap being held in a bear hug by Davy. Racing over, he grabbed one of the huge arms, swinging Davy around and then gave him a hard punch with his right. Roaring in anger, the youngest MacKenzie dropped his hold on Hap and lowering his head, charged at Nick. The two of them ended up across the room, nearly on top of the bar counter.

"Nick, you promised me, only drinking and poker." Harry yelled at him from his refuge behind the counter.

Trying desperately to keep Davy's hands from around his throat, Nick gasped out. "Sorry, Harry. But they insulted my mother. No way I'm standing by for that." Raising both hands he chopped Davy on both sides of the neck, causing him to let go his hold, and allowing Nick to regain his feet. The whole saloon was one big melee now as complete strangers had been drawn into the fight, most of them not even sure who or why they were fighting.

As Nick prepared to defend himself against Davy once more, someone else grabbed Davy from behind. At that moment, Lloyd came into Nick's line of sight standing in front of the saloon doors. He was out of the fighting for the moment, taking a breather and Nick saw his chance to pay back the instigator of the whole affair. Gathering himself, Nick made a great rush toward the big man. At the last moment, not even seeing Nick coming at him, Lloyd turned to his right and took a step toward a pair of fighters. Unable to stop his mad dash, Nick was carried by his own momentum right through the swinging doors and into the street.

Landing on his back, Nick felt the air run out of him with a whoosh. Unable to move, he stared up at the star-laden sky above. He became aware of someone standing next to him, and then a soft, cultured voice said, "I came over to see if you were dead, or just planning to spend the night here."

Turning his head slightly, Nick could barely make out a small figure standing above him. Regaining his breath, he answered, "No, ma'am. I just figured as long as I was down here I might as well catch up on my star counting."

A peal of laughter rang out and Nick grinned at the sound. Whoever she was, she had a sense of humor. Groaning slightly, he pulled himself to his feet and found that he towered above the slight figure in front of him. It was dark in the street, the only light spilling out of the noisy saloon. Not enough to get a clear look at the face of the woman before him. The laugh had been a nice sound though.

"I'm Nick Barkley," he said reaching to take off the hat that wasn't there.

She smiled. "I know who you are, Mr. Barkley. I'm Bella Stanton. I've just started as the new school teacher at the Mission School."

"I heard that Miss Keleher had to leave. Something about her mother taken ill?" Nick queried.

"That's right. I guess it was rather sudden. She had to go back East to take care of her. So until she returns, I'll be the teacher here."

At that moment the doors of the saloon opened once again and the figures of Lloyd and Hap locked together, came staggering out. Just then the tall figure of Sheriff Fred Madden, closely followed by his young deputy Billy Norris, appeared on the scene.

Grabbing the two fighting men, the sheriff yelled, "All right, break it up, break it up." The two men were already exhausted and didn't need much persuading. Turning to his deputy, Fred said, "Take care of these two will you, Billy." Then he walked into the saloon. Less than a minute later, a gunshot rang out and stillness reigned within the saloon.

Out on the street, Billy spoke up. "Let's go, boys. Over to the jail."

Lloyd protested. "Oh, come on, deputy. We was just having a little bit of fun."

Hap added. "Lloyd and his brothers started it. We was just defending ourselves."

"Yep. I know. I've heard it all before." Pulling out his gun, Billy gestured with it. "Come on now. Let's not make this any more difficult than it has to be." Hap started to move, but Lloyd, catching sight of Nick became more obstinate.

"Barkley." He snarled, making a sudden move toward Nick. Just then Sheriff Madden appeared with Ted, Davy and the other Barkley hands in tow.

"Lloyd!" the Sheriff shouted. "Hold it right there!"

Frustrated, Lloyd stopped, but spoke up. "If you're arresting us, Sheriff, you've got to arrest Barkley here too. He was in there fighting with the rest of us."

Sheriff Madden looked at Nick. It was probably true, but Nick had been outside when he had arrived. "Is that true, Nick?"

Nick started to speak, but Bella was quicker. "Why, Sheriff, Mr. Barkley has been out here talking with me. We've just been enjoying this lovely evening." She smiled.

"Miss Stanton, isn't it?" the Sheriff asked. "Well, ma'am if you say so, I guess I'll have to take your word for it. All right everybody, let's get going." He waved his arms at the rest of them, and with Billy prodding them along they began to move.

Lloyd tossed back over his shoulder. "You got out of this one, Barkley. Just wait. I'll pay you back for this."

Laughing, Nick said, "Whatever you say, Lloyd. Evening now, you hear."

Lloyd made another grab at him, but Fred blocked his way. Slowly the group disappeared down the street and Nick turned to Bella. "I have to say, Miss Stanton, you sure got me out of that one."

Bella smiled back at him. "It's Bella. And I sure hope I don't get in trouble for lying to a sheriff, Mr. Barkley!"

"It's Nick. And I won't tell if you don't."

"That's a deal, Mr....Nick. Now its late and I should be getting back home. Mrs. Strong is going to get some wrong ideas about her newest boarder if I don't arrive soon." She laughed again.

Nick nodded his head. "I know the irreproachable Mrs. Strong well. But she can't object to me seeing you home through the dark streets of Stockton?"

"You may see me home, Nick."

Coming back to the present Nick found himself standing outside Mrs. Strong's Boarding House for Young Women. Yes, that had been a good day. He had asked Bella on a picnic and had been seeing her ever since. She had turned out to be as lovely looking as her laugh had sounded and the two of them made a good pair. He noticed that she tended to be more withdrawn around others, but with him she was lively and spirited, able to hold her own with his exuberant personality.

As for the MacKenzies, he'd had a couple of minor run-ins with them the week after that Saturday evening. But the last few weeks had been relatively quiet. Perhaps they were too busy with farming to be bothering him. Or perhaps... Nick paused for a moment. Could the MacKenzies be behind these attacks? Surely they wouldn't go to this extreme. Then again? Shaking his head, Nick put aside the thought. This was driving him crazy again.

Knocking on the door, he waited for Mrs. Strong to admit him.

Arriving at the jail, Jarrod pushed open the door and walked in. Fred was seated at the desk looking over some new wanted posters. Looking up, he said, "Afternoon, Jarrod. What can I do for you?"

"Hello, Fred. Any luck talking with the MacKenzies this morning?"

"They denied having anything to do with the vandalism in the cemetery." Tossing the posters onto the desk, he stood up saying, "Jarrod, I have absolutely no proof as to who did it. It might have been the MacKenzies, but I don't have any witnesses. I talked to each one of them separately, and all their stories agreed. Quite frankly they could have done it and still have been telling the truth. As drunk as they get they might not have remembered a thing!"

Jarrod laughed ruefully. "I know exactly what you mean, Fred. I guess this is one we're just going to have to forget about."

"Yeah. I don't know what I else I can do at this point. I am going to keep a close eye on the three of them though." Changing the subject, he said. "What about you, Jarrod? I hope you came out all right with the tombstone."

"I spoke with Mr. Beckett this morning. He's going to take care of it. I decided to replace the whole thing."

Fred shook his head. "Its too bad when something like this happens. I don't like to see vandalism anywhere, but when someone does it in a place like a cemetery, well its almost as bad as desecrating a church."

"You'll get no argument from me." Jarrod agreed. "By the way, Fred, there's something else I wanted to talk to you about." Speaking as if before a judge and jury, Jarrod laid out the facts surrounding the attacks on Nick. Finishing with the gunshot, Jarrod said, "So, Fred, do you have any ideas about who might be behind this?"

"I can name a few who might like to beat him up, but as for trying to kill him? I don't know, Jarrod..."

At that moment the door opened once again and Heath walked in. "Afternoon, Sheriff. Hello, Jarrod. I guess we both had the same idea, eh?"

"It looks like it, Heath." Jarrod smiled. "I was just telling Fred here about the attacks on Nick."

Looking from his brother to the sheriff and back, Heath said, "Did you know Lenny Hamer was out of prison?"

"What?" Jarrod exclaimed.

"Nick and I just saw him by the bank a few minutes ago, as free as a bird. Nick said he'd seen him last week."

"Sure Hamer's out of jail," Fred put in. "He served his time. He rode into town a few weeks ago. What's so blamed special about that?"

"Nick was the main witness at Hamer's trial, remember, Sheriff?" Jarrod went on. "He also threatened Nick when they carted him off to prison."

Sheriff Madden sighed. "Jarrod, Lenny Hamer threatened just about anybody who looked cross- eyed at him. I never took any of those things seriously. That's why I never told Nick that he was back in town. He's nothing but a penny ante thief and troublemaker. I don't think he'd ever have the guts to actually stand up to someone like Nick."

Heath spoke up. "He showed up right about the time these attacks started, Sheriff. And whoever's doing it they're being pretty secretive about it. Just like you said, Fred. They're not standing up to Nick, just trying to ambush him in hiding."

"You've got a point there, Heath. I think I'll have to go and have a talk with Lenny. When you come right down to it, he's pretty stupid. If he's got anything to do with this I can probably trick him into revealing something." Fred paused for a moment and then continued. "You know, boys, I just had a thought."

"What's that, Fred?" Jarrod asked.

"What about the MacKenzie brothers? They've had a bone to pick with Nick for a long time now. And they did have that big blowout about five weeks ago." Despite Bella's words for Nick, Fred had learned the truth about that fight.

"The MacKenzies?" Both Jarrod and Heath were incredulous.

Jarrod added. "It seems to me the MacKenzies would be just the opposite of Lenny Hamer. They wouldn't go sneaking around shooting people in the back. They'd come right out in the middle of the street and have it out in a huge brawl. I just don't see it."

"Maybe not, Jarrod. But I know Lloyd was pretty angry. He's got a mean streak in him that might just cause him to do something like this, possibly without Ted or Davy knowing anything about it."

"Maybe, Fred. So what do we do now?" Jarrod asked.

"I guess after I talk to Hamer, I'll head out to the MacKenzies again and have another talk. In the meantime, if I were you, I'd try to keep Nick close to home where no one can get at him."

Heath laughed. "Good joke, Sheriff. I'd sooner fight a grizzly and a cougar at the same time then try to keep Nick caged up at home. He just about bit my head off earlier for following him around."

"Like it or not Nick's going to have to deal with it for awhile." Jarrod said. Holding out his hand to the sheriff, he added. "Fred, thanks for your help. Let us know how things go, will you?"

Shaking Jarrod's hand, Fred said, "Sure thing, Jarrod, Heath. You keep an eye on that brother of yours now, you hear?"

"We'll do our best, Fred."

"See ya', Sheriff." Together the two brothers exited the jail.

Looking around as he came out the door, Jarrod turned to Heath and said. "What about some lunch, Heath? I'm starved."

Pointing his thumb in the general direction of the Stockton House, Heath started to say, "Nick and I had lunch at...." He stopped. "Sure, Jarrod. I could eat a sandwich."

As Nick stood outside waiting for Mrs. Strong to open the door, he heard a voice from behind him.

"Barkley!"

Turning around, Nick saw Lenny Hamer with three of his old drinking buddies. "Just like I thought." Nick said to himself. "Hamer can't face me without an army." Out loud, Nick said, "What do you want, Lenny!"

At that moment the door behind Nick opened and Mrs. Strong appeared. Taking in the scene before her, she snapped out, "Lenny Hamer, you get away from this boarding house right now or I'll have the law on you. Don't you dare come around here again if you know what's good for you." Addressing Nick she added. "You come inside here, Nick Barkley." Both men looked sheepish and, with a few muttered comments under his breath from Lenny, they obeyed.

Holding the door open for Nick, she watched to make sure that Lenny was really going. Satisfied, she followed Nick inside and closed the door. "You boys never really grow up, do you?" she scolded. "I remember both of you when you were little. Always getting into fights and arguing. I don't know what it is with you men."

"Sorry, Mrs. Strong," Nick began.

"Now, that's all right, Nicholas. You've grown up into a real fine young man, for the most part. As for that Lenny, I expect he'll be back in prison before long. You go into the parlor there and I'll get Bella for you."

"Yes, Ma'am." He made a quick exit to the other room, a large grin on his face. "Whew!" He'd hate to be on the bad side of Martha Strong!

His hat in hand, rocking back and forth on his feet, he eyed her with annoyance and repeated, "Is everything all right? Heath was with me earlier, so that leaves Jarrod. He was here wasn't he?"

"Don't give me that look, Nick Barkley. Yes, he was here. Your family is concerned about you, Nick. And so am I. It really sounds as if someone is trying to kill you." Bella's brown eyes pleaded with him.

Stepping forward, Nick put his hand under her chin pulling her face up to him and said, "Bella, I'm not going to do anything stupid, all right? I really think these things are just accidents, but if someone is doing it they're just some kind of coward. If someone has a grudge against me, why not come right out and stand up to me like a man?"

"I don't know, Nick. But I don't want anything to happen to you."

She tried to pull her head away, but he held her, then bent forward to give her a kiss. "Nick!" she whispered fiercely. "Mrs. Strong!"

"Oh, hang Mrs. Strong," he said giving her a quick, expert kiss. Lifting his head, he caught an odd look in her eyes as she turned away from him. "What's wrong, Bella? Does it really matter that much to you?"

She didn't speak at first, staring out the side window as if seeking an answer in the garden beyond. Then as if coming to a decision, she swallowed hard and faced him once again, a slight smile on her face. "It's nothing, Nick. Nothing at all. Why don't we go for a walk, all right?"

He smiled back at her. "Don't be surprised if we have a little company."

She looked at him, startled. "Oh really, Nick. I hardly thing Mrs. Strong is going to follow us around Stockton!"

Nick shook his head. "I'm not talking about Mrs. Strong. I mean my brothers. First Jarrod over here today and Heath trailing me around earlier. I'll bet you its Heath. He'll just happen to conveniently be where we are."

Bella laughed. "Is that such a terrible thing, Nick? After all if this was happening to one of them, you'd do the same thing, wouldn't you?"

"Who, me? Absolutely not!" He gave a big grin, then quickly changing the subject, he gestured toward the door and said, "Shall we?"

"Yes, we shall." she replied. Together they exited the boarding house.

After lunch at the Stockton House, Jarrod had said goodbye to Heath, who, as Nick predicted, was determined to stick close to his brother. Jarrod had been in agreement, but was glad Heath was there to fulfill the duty. He wanted to be alone for awhile and think through the happenings of the day. As he rode along on Seneca, he soon realized he was headed toward Isla del Cielo.

This lovely spot had been his place of refuge ever since he'd been old enough to scramble up into a saddle. As a young boy, he had run here when he needed to cry at the hurts and disappointments of life. Later, as a young man, it was his place to dream dreams and reflect on his future. As a husband he had come with his bride to make those dreams a reality. Then, a gunshot, Beth dead at his feet, his refuge shattered. And yet, with a troubled mind and heart, he had naturally turned to Isla del Cielo for solace and strength.

Arriving on the hill above, Jarrod gazed at the beautiful, clear lake which mirrored the surrounding hills and trees. It was so beautiful here; beautiful and peaceful. Dismounting, Jarrod walked to what had always been his favorite spot to sit. He stood there for a moment, remembering. He couldn't sit there again, it was too painful. Walking on, he followed the edge of the lake, reflecting on the events of the day.

First, was the situation with Nick. Were they making too much of it? Could they just be accidents? His mind strayed to thoughts of Nick himself. One of his earliest memories was of his mother holding the new baby in her arms. She had beckoned to him, urging him to come closer.

"Jarrod, this is your new baby brother, Nicholas Jonathan."

He had looked into the face of the tiny creature, who stared back at him without blinking. He had heard others speak about a new brother, but hadn't expected him to be so small. Somewhere in his four-year-old mind, he had figured a brother would be just about his own size, someone he could play and talk with. Somehow he knew this little fellow couldn't talk or even walk, let alone play. Instinctively, he had reached out a hand toward the baby. Behind him, he heard his father's voice.

"Little Nick here is going to look up to you, Jarrod. You're the big brother, his guide and protector."

At that moment he felt a warm tug on his finger. Nick's tiny fist had grabbed a hold and now he held on with a strong grip. A look of wonder and delight spread across Jarrod's face. His brother knew him! He didn't see the smiles his parents exchanged as he bent over closer and whispered, "I'll take care of you, Nick. I won't ever let anyone hurt you!"

A very special bond had been formed that day, a bond that might have been cracked and scarred through the years of brotherly arguments, disagreements and fights, but never completely broken.

Jarrod smiled at the memory. That little brother had turned into a hard-headed, quick-tempered, hard-working, stubborn man. Of course that last was something of a Barkley trait! As children, they had always been good buddies, playing and fighting together and always defending each other. But, as they became older and Jarrod went on to law school and Nick gained more and more responsibility on the ranch, they had grown apart. Nevertheless, there was still a brotherly friendship between the two which had withstood many a storm. As for Jarrod, he would always have that sense of protectiveness toward his younger brother. He might never admit to it; Nick would simply laugh at such an idea, but both of them knew it was there.

Thinking on the danger that presently confronted his brother, Jarrod recalled how often in the past he had always been aware when Nick was in danger or needed help. There had been that time Nick was just sixteen and had been trapped in a mine cave-in. Jarrod had been at school in San Francisco, when he had been hit with a premonition that his little brother was in trouble and needed him. Jumping on his horse, he had ridden all night to Stockton, to find that his fears were justified. Luckily, with the help of the whole town, Nick and the other men trapped had been rescued in time with only a few injuries.

More recently, Nick had been bitten by a rabid wolf. Believing he had only a short time to live, he had hid his ailment from all but Heath in an effort to spare his family the agonies accompanying such a death. Jarrod, however, had been well aware that something was terribly wrong, but had been forced to suffer in ignorance. Once again, Nick had beaten the odds and survived. Jarrod laughed to himself. He had read where only a handful of people who had contracted rabies had ever survived. Not even rabies had a chance against that hot-headed, stubborn Barkley!

It was odd that in the three weeks since the attacks had started, he had felt no premonition, had been aware of no danger in Nick's regard. Were they just accidents then? The only out-of-the- ordinary feeling he had, had been that cold, strangeness that came over him this morning in the cemetery. Even now he felt a small shiver go through him at the memory of it. He still had no idea what that had been about. Surely the vandalism had been a random act committed by someone like the MacKenzies? It couldn't have anything to do with the attacks on Nick, could it?

Of course the MacKenzies had a grudge against Nick, but they knew who Beth had been. They surely wouldn't have chosen that way to pay Nick back. Unless, as the sheriff suspected, they had done it in a drunken rage. There was Lenny Hamer. He had been in prison for the last eighteen months and wouldn't have known anything about Beth. Possibly seeing the name Barkley and the age of the woman buried there he might have assumed she was connected to Nick. That was a thought. He'd have to mention it to Fred.

Realizing it was getting late, Jarrod decided it was time to go. In spite of the sad memory associated with Isla del Cielo, he felt refreshed being here. However, he still had a lingering feeling that he had missed something. He couldn't put his finger on it, but something was wrong, out of place. It had to do with that strange feeling in the cemetery, and he wasn't so sure that it had anything to do with Nick at all.

Slowly walking over to where Seneca was greedily eating the grass, Jarrod was about to mount when he became aware of hoof beats. Whoever it was, they were riding fast, with a sense of urgency. Jarrod felt his stomach tighten and the feeling only increased as Heath and Charger came into view, Heath frantically calling his name.

"Mother, you seemed very concerned about Nick this morning. Do you really think someone is deliberately trying to kill him?"

Victoria hesitated, then said, "I don't know, Audra. Your brother is very impetuous and tends to get into scrapes. But, one thing he is not, is careless around horses or the ranch. Then there was the gunshot last night. As you suggested, a hunter or someone wouldn't have been out that late. On the other hand, it was quite dark, perhaps they were after someone else. Although, given the circumstances, it seems unlikely."

"But who? Why would someone want to do this to Nick?" Audra questioned, her blue eyes puzzled.

"That's the odd thing, Audra. There are certainly people who would like to have it out with your brother, like the MacKenzies for instance. But, I can't really think of anyone around here who would want him dead." She stopped for a moment, then added, "Unless its someone from the past, someone we don't know about yet."

Audra shivered. "That's a frightening thought, Mother. Some old enemy lying in wait for Nick. Although they haven't been very successful so far."

Victoria laughed rather grimly. "And for that I'm grateful." Thoughtfully, she added. "It is possible that this person is just trying to scare Nick, hurt him a little without trying to kill him. In that case we can't rule out someone like the MacKenzies."

"Maybe they're not trying to kill him, but he could have broken his neck being thrown from that stallion. On the other hand I do remember Nick saying that the rocks fell behind him. Whoever did it could have waited until he walked by and then pushed them down the hill. That way it would look like a close call, but the person already knew Nick was out of the way." Audra smiled. "I don't know about Nick, but that certainly would have been enough to give me a fright!"

"And me! Although as a mother, I find it more frightening that it happened to my son."

The two were silent for awhile, the clopping of horse's hooves mingled with bird calls the only sounds to break the quiet of the lovely day. Finally, Audra sighed. "It's hard to believe anything bad on a day like today. But there's this situation with Nick, and what about the vandalism at the cemetery? What do you suppose that's about, Mother?"

Victoria seemed lost in thought, reins in hand, staring between the uplifted ears of the horse in front of her. Audra was about to repeat her question, when she spoke. "I thought at first that it was some random act done by the MacKenzies or just some childish mischief. But now I think it's possible that the vandalism could be connected to the attacks on Nick."

Audra stared at her mother. "That almost seems more frightening than someone trying to kill Nick. I mean a cemetery is sort of a sacred place. To deliberately damage a tombstone out of hatred for someone else. You'd have to be a little mad to do something like that wouldn't you?"

"Yes. Yes, I think you would. And that's why this concerns me so, Audra. Oh, the two may be entirely unconnected. But, I have this feeling, a mother's instinct, call it what you will, I think the two are related. And that there is more behind this than some threat posed by the MacKenzie brothers." With this cryptic remark, Victoria turned the horse into the lane beside the orphanage and pulled back on the reins, bringing the buggy to a halt near the front door.

Jumping out of the buggy, Victoria and Audra gathered up the packages of food and clothing they had brought; donations from not only the Barkley family, but members of the Stockton Community Church as well. After depositing the many items inside, Victoria turned to Audra and said, "I'll be back here at 4 o'clock to pick you up." Reaching a hand up to her lovely daughter's face, she held it next to her cheek and, smiling affectionately, added, "Try not to worry about anything today, Darling. Just enjoy this beautiful day and have fun with the children. All right?"

Audra smiled. "All right, Mother. I promise." Giving her mother a kiss, she waved goodbye and watched her mother drive away. Then with a toss of her blonde head, she reentered the building, determined to have fun if it killed her.

It was three-thirty in the afternoon when Nick and Heath returned to the ranch. It had been a long ride back for Heath who was the object of Nick's wrath. "I can't believe you two!" Nick said for the hundredth time, dismounting from Cocoa and turning toward his brother. Sticking his finger in Heath's face, he added. "Do you realize I had less than two hours with Bella today? Do you?"

"Nick, I'm sorry, but..."

Heath got no farther as Nick's tirade continued. "Oh, I'd like to take you and stick you right down Jarrod's throat!... CIEGO!... There we are walking down the street and guess who's walking down the other side?... CIEGO!... Where the devil is he at?"

Trying to calm his brother Heath said, "Now, Nick, Jarrod and I just wanted to be sure that you were safe. That there were no more attacks on you. Bella understands that."

"Oh, Bella understands that does she? I don't think she was too happy every time I pointed you out. Why do you think I left so early? ... CIEGO!..." Bumping into Ciego who had quietly come up behind him, Nick slapped the reins into his hands and bawled at him, "What took you so long? Take care of him, will ya?"

Ciego rolled his eyes, but only replied, "Si, Senor Nick."

Heath handed him Charger's reins and smiled, "Never mind him, Ciego. Big Brother's on a rampage again." Ciego smiled knowingly and led the two horses away.

The two brothers headed for the house and Heath quickly put in. "I didn't follow you to the boarding house now did I?"

"No, you didn't follow me to the boarding house. You were too busy popping up all over Stockton. I thought we agreed I'd be safe in Stockton, Heath. That whoever was doing this was being secretive and would never try anything in the open."

"I didn't agree to anything, Nick. You're the one who mentioned that you'd be safe in town. I just thought you'd be even safer if you had someone watching your back."

"Oh, watching my back, eh? And my front and side and..." With Nick still complaining, the two gained the house and shut the door.

After an eventful day for both, Victoria and Audra met as planned at four o'clock and were soon on their way home. The lazy afternoon was as quiet as the early morning had been, with just the clop of hoof beats and the young girl's chatter to break the still air. Victoria listened quietly as Audra happily recounted the events of the day. She was glad that the darker thoughts of the morning had been replaced with children's jokes and laughter.

They were just coming up to the Old Mill, when Victoria caught sight of something shiny, hanging on a bush by the side of the road. "Whoa!" she shouted to Barney, pulling back on the reins and bringing the buggy to a halt.

"What is it, Mother?" Audra asked in surprise.

Handing the reins to Audra, she jumped from the buggy and ran toward the object saying, "I don't know for sure, but it looks like it might..." The rest of her words were unintelligible as she bent down to retrieve the object. Standing up straight, she turned toward Audra who could now clearly see the object Victoria held in her hands.

"Why that's Nick's special belt buckle!" Audra exclaimed. "What on earth is it doing all the way out here?"

Victoria shook her head thoughtfully, looking around the area with a puzzled look on her face. "There's something very strange about this, Audra. I wonder." She stopped, then turned to stare at the Old Mill which stood about thirty yards away. Climbing down from the buggy, Audra came to stand beside her mother. She too stared at the Old Mill.

"Audra, your father gave this to Nick when he was eighteen years old. He treasures it very much. He wouldn't part with it willingly or just leave it lying here by the side of the road like this. Unless someone took it from him by force or he left it himself..."

As her words trailed off, Audra looked at her with concern, then turned her gaze back to the Old Mill. She whispered, "Or if he left it himself as a sign of some kind? Is that what you were going to say? Mother, you don't think that Nick's in there, in the Old Mill, do you?"

"I don't know. But with all these strange things going on, its possible that our attacker has struck again. Nick may be in there. He may be hurt and need us."

As Victoria started to move toward the mill, Audra grabbed her arm, frantically whispering. "Mother! He may be in there. The attacker! We don't have any weapons! What are we going to do?"

Grabbing her daughter by the shoulders, Victoria gave her a little shake, and in a fierce whisper ordered, "Stop it, Audra! Get a hold of yourself! If Nick is in there, I am going to find out. Now this is what we're going to do. We get in the buggy and drive down the road a little ways past the curve. Then we leave it there and we come around through the meadow from the south side. There are no windows on that side of the mill and if someone's watching they won't be able to see us unless they come outside. Now be as natural as possible and let's go."

The two women proceeded to put the plan into action and fifteen minutes later they were standing, out of breath, on the south side of the mill. They had neither seen nor heard anyone and there was no sign of a horse or any other conveyance. Catching her breath, Victoria spoke in a low voice. "It's very quiet around here. I don't think anyone is around, but try not to make any noise."

Nodding her head, Audra followed as her mother tiptoed her way around the side of the building. Staying down low, Victoria stopped beneath a window, and then lifted her head up high enough to see in. After nearly two minutes of peering through the dirty window, she finally dropped back down to the ground next to Audra.

"Well? What did you see?"

"Nothing." Victoria returned. "It's mostly open space in there and some light is coming through the roof. And I didn't see a thing, but some broken old boards; no movement, no person, not a thing. Unless someone took the trouble to climb down to where the water wheel is and is very patiently sitting in the dark, I don't think there's anyone here."

"Unless Nick is in there tied up or, or worse." Audra said in a shaky tone.

"And that's what I have to find out." Victoria said, rising determinedly to her feet. Without further delay, she marched openly around to the front of the mill looking for a way to get in. The Old Mill had been abandoned over fifteen years before. A few years before, there had been problems with children from the orphanage who would come over to play in the old building. Afraid that someone would be hurt in the decaying building, men from Stockton had boarded up the doors and nailed the windows shut.

Now as Victoria and Audra reached what had once been the main entrance, they found that someone had already pried a couple of the boards loose. Victoria eased her hand forward and tried the handle of the door which could be seen between the loosely hanging boards. It turned and with a slight push, opened with a creak. Taking a deep breath, Victoria squeezed her slight body between the boards and stepped into the room beyond. She felt her foot hit something on the floor below and before she could react, there was a loud whooshing sound. Something came at her in the murky room, but there was no time to move.

Outside, peering into the dark room beyond, Audra too heard the strange sound just before her mother's sharp cry. Then a loud thud, and Victoria was thrown heavily back against the boards, falling half out of the Old Mill. Audra screamed, a loud, shrill sound of fear and horror. Dropping to her knees beside her mother's unconscious body, she stared with frozen expectancy into the blackness beyond. Her heart beating furiously, she waited for whatever monster within to appear and claim her.

After what seemed years, but in reality was no more than a couple of minutes, Audra realized that there was no one there, no monster, no bogieman; only dark emptiness and the silent figure of her mother cradled in her arms.

"Mother?! Mother?! Are you all right? Can you hear me?"

There was no response. A dark, ugly bruise was visible on the left side of her face. Looking around her, Audra realized that no one from the road could hear her even if she did call for help. Besides it might be hours before anyone passed by on the little-used road. "Mother, I've got to go and get the buggy. I'll be right back, I promise." Giving the still figure a kiss, she ran.

Audra hardly remembered the next half hour. Somehow she made it back to where they had left Barney and the buggy. Barney was calmly chewing on the grass beside the road. Driving the buggy recklessly across the bumpy meadow the same refrain kept a steady beat in her head. "Don't die, mother. Please, please, please don't die. I'm coming. I'm coming." Over and over again. Throwing herself out of the buggy, she pushed and pulled frantically to get the deadweight of her mother's body into the buggy. Audra was afraid of injuring her more through her strenuous efforts, but was even more afraid to leave her while she went for help. Finally, with her mother safely beside her, she whipped up the horse and sent him at a dead run toward home.

"You don't rush greatness," Nick retorted as he lined up the shot and then hit the white ball sending his own ball into the side pocket. "Ha! Didn't I tell you! You lose. Pay up, boy!" He grinned at Heath, holding out his hand.

"Lucked out again. Here." Heath paid him the five dollars they'd bet. Then continued before Nick could remark on his comment about luck. "How about another game?"

"If you want to lose more money, it's all right with me."

"I don't intend to lose this time, Nick. Rack up those balls."

Nick started to comply when Heath held up his hand and said, "Quiet. What is that?"

Lifting up his head, Nick listened. They could both hear it now. "It sounds like a horse and buggy. They're moving awfully fast." Walking over to the french doors, Nick opened them and looked out. The noise became louder and now they could hear Audra's voice. "Jarrod, Nick, Heath! Help. Help. Help us."

Dropping their cue sticks, Nick and Heath ran. The horse and buggy came into sight and together they all pulled up in front of the stable. For a moment, confusion reigned as they all talked at once.

"What happened?"

"Mother!"

"Nick, Heath. Mother's been hurt. She won't wake up. Help her."

"Somebody get a doctor!"

Nick reached into the buggy and with great care picked up the small, still figure. Turning toward Ciego who had come running from the stable at all the commotion, he said, "Ciego. Send one of the men for Dr. Merar. Tell them to move it."

"Si, Senor." Ciego took off at a fast trot.

Heath helped his white-faced sister to the ground and, as they followed Nick to the house, asked, "What happened, Audra? Are you hurt?"

"No, no. I'm fine. Oh, Heath, it was horrible, horrible. We thought Nick was in the Old Mill and Mother went in and there was this terrible sound and then she came slamming back out through the door and fell to the ground and I thought somebody was coming out after us but they didn't...." Audra paused for breath, gave a shudder and began to cry. Heath put an arm around her shoulder in comfort as he led her through the front door.

Nick, closely followed by Heath and Audra, carried his mother up the stairs, down the hall and into her large, airy bedroom. With uncharacteristic gentleness, he placed her on the bed, the light blue headboard matching the gold and blue scheme of the room. He stared down at her anxiously for a moment before turning a grim face toward his brother and sister. "What do we do now?" His voice was hoarse.

"Just keep her as comfortable as possible until Dr. Merar gets here. Maybe get some water and a wash cloth or something. I'll get it."

Heath started to leave the room, but Audra stopped him. Her face was tear-stained but she was quiet now. "I'll get it, Heath."

"Don't you think you'd better sit down and rest, Sis?" He looked at her with concern.

Audra shook her head. "No. It'll give me something to do. I need something to do, Heath." She started out the door, then paused and asked. "Where's Jarrod? I thought he'd be home by this time."

"Jarrod's probably still in town. He should be coming though." Nick brushed a hand through his hair, blowing out his breath in nervousness. "Where the devil is that doctor? Why isn't he here?"

"Easy, Nick." Heath laid a solid hand on his brother's shoulder. "It hasn't been that long yet. Whoever rode into town probably hasn't even gotten there yet. As for Jarrod, he left town before we did. But I think I know where he's at. I'd better ride out and see if I can get him. He'll want to be here when Dr. Merar arrives. Will you be all right?"

Nick gave him a weak smile. "Yeah. We'll be all right. You go get Jarrod." Heath headed out the door. Taking one last look behind him, he saw his brother sit down on the edge of the bed, take his mother's hand and bow his head.

Forty minutes later, Jarrod and Heath arrived home just in time to see Dr. Howard Merar enter through the front door. Both men were off their horses and running in seconds, bursting through the door and into the house. They arrived at the bottom of the sweeping stairway, in time to meet Nick on his way down.

"How is she? What's going on." Jarrod and Heath spoke in unison.

"The doctor just went in to examine her. He said he'd let us know." Nick sat down on the third step, then was up again instantly, restlessly beating his hand on the banister.

"What the devil happened?" Jarrod's face was bewildered, anxiety in his eyes.

"I'm not sure, exactly. Audra's story was pretty garbled..."

Jarrod broke in. "Audra! Where is Audra? Is she all right?"

"She's all right, Jarrod. She's upstairs with mother and the doctor." Nick answered him, his eyes staring up the stairs.

Blowing out his breath, Jarrod sat down on the vacated step and rubbed his hands over his eyes. Lowering them, he rested both hands on his knees and stared unseeingly across the entry way, then said in an unbelieving voice, "What on earth is going on around here? Who is doing this and why?" Neither brother gave him an answer, and he expected none.

They waited in silence for a few more minutes, Nick walking up and down restlessly, Heath unknowingly twirling his hat around and around, Jarrod sitting like a statue. Finally they heard a door open and the sound of footsteps in the hall. In a flash, the three men were up the stairs, meeting the doctor on the landing.

Nick spoke first. "Well, Doc? How is she? Is she all right? Is she awake?"

Dr. Merar raised one hand. "Easy, Nick. Your mother has a concussion and a broken arm, plus a few other cuts and bruises. She came to for a couple of minutes, but she wasn't terribly lucid."

"Can we see her?" Heath questioned.

"In a few minutes. I set her arm and Audra is getting her more comfortable now. She is unconscious again and with that concussion I think it a good idea that I spend the night. With a head injury like that, a person sometimes slips into a coma and, well, they can die."

"Die! Is she going to..."

"Now that isn't what I mean. I've seen worse concussions, its just that with head injuries you never know. I've learned that even with the most minor ones its better to be overly cautious than otherwise. I'll sit up with her through the night and keep an eye on her. If anyone else needs me, my wife will get a message to me."

"Thank you, Doctor. Are you sure we can't relieve you through the night?" Jarrod asked.

"No, no, that's all right, Jarrod. I think it would be better if you all got a good night's sleep." The doctor smiled. "Besides, I'm used to this kind of thing. Why don't we go see her now, all right?"

The four men walked down the hall and into the room. Jarrod, Nick and Heath stopped by the side of the bed and stared down at their mother lying there. Victoria's right arm was in a sling and a white bandage had been wrapped around her head. Her breathing came slow and deep. After a minute, Dr. Merar gestured to the three brothers and whispered, "Why don't you take Audra and the four of you get something to eat and relax." Before any of them could protest, he added. "And that's doctor's orders. Go on now. I'll let you know if anything changes or if she wakes up."

Reluctantly the four left the room and walked downstairs to the study. The beauty of the wood paneled walls and gold tones of the color scheme, made this a pleasant room for reading and relaxation. Jarrod walked over to the small table in the corner and began to pour from the delicate glass decanter. He didn't bother asking; he figured they all could use a drink about now. Passing out the glasses to his brothers and sister, he picked up his own and sank into one of the plush chairs. The four drank in silence; it had been a long, hard day. Heath spoke first. "What actually happened out there, Audra?"

Staring into her glass, Audra composed her thoughts. She had run a gamut of emotions in a few hours; from contentment to nervousness to fear to terror to dread to desperation to numbness. She was drained. Speaking without emotion, she filled in the details for her brothers. No one interrupted her.

"My belt buckle." Nick was stunned, fingering the buckle which Audra had shoved into her pocket after finding it in her mother's clothes and handed to him a minute before. "How'd it get out there? How did they get it in the first place? If I'm not wearing it, its up in my room."

"I think we need to go through everything that's happened and try to find any clue, any word, any idea that will tell us who is behind this." Jarrod spoke in his most judicial manner. "I take it we're all agreed that this attack on Mother was no accident."

Heath and Audra nodded and Nick said, "There can't be any doubt now. Someone deliberately planted this buckle hoping Mother and Audra would see it and go to the Old Mill. You know, Jarrod, they couldn't have been certain that they would investigate the mill. They might have just picked up the buckle and driven right on by. For that matter, they might not have seen the buckle at all."

"That's true. The person was taking somewhat of a gamble, a gamble that paid off, but it wasn't an out and out attack like the ones on you, Nick. The other aspect about this that frightens me, is that this person had to know that Mother and Audra were at the orphanage and were due to come along the road at that time."

"So what does that mean, Jarrod?" Heath inquired. "And who are we dealing with? Is there one attacker or two? I mean all the other attacks were directed at Nick. Now out of the blue they go after Mother and Audra?"

Jarrod shook his head. "I'm not sure of anything, Heath. But I think we're dealing with the same attacker, or attackers if it's the MacKenzie brothers, but not two separate reasons for attacking. For one thing, they used the buckle as bait, so there's still the connection with Nick. On the other hand..." Jarrod's voice trailed off.

Audra put in. "On the other hand what, Jarrod?"

"I was just thinking. Heath and I had Nick sewed up pretty tight today."

Nick interrupted with a snort. "Oh, you can sure say that again. Where are you going with this, Jarrod?"

"All right. What if this person, we'll call him the Suspect. What if the Suspect has for some reason decided to cause trouble for Nick, scare you a little, make you think your life is in danger. Then today he has something all planned out, but everywhere he goes he's thwarted. The three of us ride into town together, you stay in town with Bella, Heath is following you wherever you go."

"I think I follow you, Big Brother." Heath jumped in. "The Suspect gets mad because he can't get at Nick, but he figures he can still cause trouble for Nick if he goes after someone else in the family. He hears Mother and Audra are going to be out at the orphanage- Stockton's pretty small, you know how word gets around here- and he rides out to the Old Mill and sets the trap. Nobody much comes along that old road anyway, he probably figured he'd be safe."

"The only thing this whole incident has proved is that there is a real attacker out there, this Suspect." Nick rose to his feet and added. "But we still don't know who!"

Jarrod spoke up again. "All right. Let's start with our logical suspects. First there are the MacKenzie brothers; either all three together or more probably just Lloyd."

"That Lloyd can be pretty mean. Remember how he used to torture cats?" Audra looked wide- eyed at her brothers.

Nick smiled down at her. "I figured you'd remember that. I can see him coming after me, but setting up this elaborate scheme to get you and Mother? I don't know."

"Well, we'll check with the sheriff and see if he can find out where Lloyd and his brothers were today..."

Nick interrupted. "Check with the sheriff? I say we go over there and beat it out of them!" The initial shock over his mother's attack was wearing off and anger was starting to build.

"Stay with me, Nick. Its not going to do us any good if we go off half-cocked." Jarrod stated. "We have the sheriff check on the MacKenzies, and he can do the same with Lenny Hamer. That way we may be able to eliminate some or all of them." Jarrod stood up and went over to the desk in the corner. "I'm going to write everything down and see what we come up with."

Nick waved a hand at him. "Are you a lawyer or a detective?"

"In my business you have to be both, Brother Nick."

Heath smiled. "O.K., detective. What about Lenny Hamer? Nick here says Hamer's nothin' but a weasely coward? Could he be behind this?"

Jarrod sat down on the chair by the desk, drew paper and ink toward him and said, "Hamer is a coward. The person behind this has been hiding in the shadows, being secretive, so, yes, I think its possible that Hamer would use this kind of tactic. I think he's much more likely to be doing this than any of the MacKenzies."

"Good. Then we go over and beat Hamer up instead. I can get the truth out of him!" Nick was getting antsy, looking for action.

"Nick." Jarrod started to remonstrate with his brother once again, when there came a knock at the door. "I wonder who that is?" Jarrod put his pen down, rose to his feet and headed for the entry-way of the large house. His three siblings were close behind. Opening the front door, they saw Sheriff Madden standing there.

"Evening, Jarrod. I heard what happened to your mother. How is she?"

"Evening, Fred, come on in." Jarrod returned. Standing aside, he allowed the tall man to pass through the door, where he greeted the others.

Shutting the door behind him, Jarrod added. "She's unconscious right now, Fred. She has a concussion and a broken arm."

Audra said, "Dr. Merar seems to think she'll make it all right, but he's going to sit with her through the night."

"Your mother is one tough lady, Audra. I'm sure she'll be fine in a few days."

Heath laughed. "They don't make ‘em any tougher, Sheriff, that's for sure."

"Have you been out to the Old Mill yet?" Fred questioned. "No, not yet. We really haven't had the time yet and its going to be dark pretty soon, so I guess we'll have to wait ‘til the morning." Nick fingered the buckle he still held in his hand and then said. "Right now we've just been going over everything that's happened and trying to figure out who could be behind this. Right now I think the money's on Lenny Hamer."

Sheriff Madden pursed his lips, then said. "I think I can give you another front runner." Turning to Jarrod he asked, "Jarrod, did you know that Cass Hyatt escaped from San Quentin six weeks ago?"