Once patched up Nick was asked to kindly wait in the outer room while the doctor examined his brother. Instead of wearing a hole in the floor Nick went down to the telegraph office to wire his family about the incident. As he walked back to the doctor’s office his mind roamed over a list of possible suspects, one of which jumped out at him as he recalled seeing the face in town just before he and Heath left. ‘Granger’ he thought to himself. He could feel his blood simmering beneath the surface and his nostril flaring at the name. Problem was he couldn’t pin the blame on the man without tangible proof.

Nick had finally taken a seat when the doctor exited the examination room, which made him leapt out of his chair. With a heavy-laden sigh the old man removed his gold-rimmed glasses and pinched the bridge of his nose to massage the sore spot.

“Doctor? How’s my brother?” Nick asked with every nerve and quiver, scrutinizing the silver-haired physician’s expression for a glimmer of encouragement.

“I did everything I could for him,” the doctor said rather bluntly.

“What does that mean?”

The doctor glanced at his young assistant who took the hint to continue. “When Doctor Taylor and I pulled the splinter out, your brother started bleeding out. We removed the damaged spleen but already some of its toxins had already spread in the abdominal cavity. He’s burning up with fever as a result of it. In his weak condition we have reason to believe he won’t survive the next ten to twelve hours.”

Numb with terror, Nick flumped down on the chair and buried his head in his hands. Feeling a comforting hand on his shoulder, he abruptly shrugged off. “Don’t say you’re sorry. Please. Just do something. There has to be. You just can’t let him die.”

The doctor stepped up to the flustered man to grab a hold of his shoulder. “We’re not giving up on him. We only wanted you to know the truth so you could be prepared for what is likely to come.”

“What about other injuries?”

“Thankfully his back’s not broken. The lungs are intact, though the left one was nicked by a fractured rib, hence the reason why he has difficulty breathing. And the fact that he’s extremely weak is tremendously reducing his chances to fight off the infection.”

Nick closed his eyes in despair and heaved a silent shuddering breath before he asked to see his brother. The doctor nodded to his young assistant to take Nick out back in the recovery room. The young intern placed a comforting hand on his shoulder as he sat by the bed.

“Talk to him. He needs to feel you’re fighting alongside him. He desperately needs your strength. By the way my name is Tim. Tim Holland.”

“Could I ask ya to do me a favour?”

“Sure.”

“My family will be arriving in town late tomorrow morning. I’d appreciate if ya could send someone out the JaNiHeVicAu Ranch to ask the butler to have Mike pick them up at the train station.”

“I will ride out there myself and deliver the message.”

“Thanks.”

“No problem. If you should feel light-headed I would advise you to lie down in the next bed. Dr. Taylor will be in his office if you need him.”

“Thanks again.” Tim smiled responsively before leaving the brothers alone in the room. Nick drew in a shuddering breath and exhaled through teeth clenched in suppressed fury. “I’m gonna get him, Heath. And I want you with me when I sent Granger to hell. I’m not gonna kill him. That’d be too good for him. No I’m gonna prove that he and Stoker tried to kill us so they can rot in jail. You and me, kid. Ya hear me?” He waited for an answer that never came. He swallowed hard and leaned closer to the ashen patient. “Sometimes I wish I’d talked ya out of accepting this heritage. It’s been nothing but trouble since ya signed the papers. Come on Heath, gimme a sign here. Please.” Nick winced at the dizzy spell that suddenly washed over him. He closed his eyes and breathed in and out to dispel the malaise. Instead of lying in the next bed, he stood from his chair and walked out of the room.

“Everything all right Mister Barkley?” Dr. Taylor asked.

“Yeah, yeah,” Nick lied, striving to maintain a composed demeanour. “I’m just gonna go out for some air. I won’t stay far.”

“You don’t look too good. Maybe you should lie down instead.”

“Nah!” Nick waved the advice off. “I’m okay. Just need a change of scenery.” The doctor nodded his understanding, though his instincts urged him to keep a watchful eye on the man. Lost in his thoughts, Nick wandered aimlessly down the street until the sound of merriment brought him out of his reverie. He allowed a flicker of a smile cross his lips at the sight of the children frolicking in the orphanage backyard. He inexplicably felt drawn to the establishment. He stopped at the gate and observed the guardian round up the children for supper. She waved them inside where another intendant took charge of the bunch while she gathered the toys in the yard to put away in a chest. In a sidelong glance she noticed the handsome dark-haired man watching her abstractedly.

“Can I help you, sir?”

“Are you Erin?”

“That’s right,” she replied quizzically, frowning in confusion as to why this stranger with a bandaged head would know her name. “And who might you be?”

“My name’s Nick Barkley. I believe my brother Heath visited the orphanage earlier today?”

“That’s right. A very charming man, your brother. He offered to cover the cost of the repairs.”

“I know. He told me. That’s the kind of man he is. Generous to a fault,” Nick mused with pained eyes.

“Are you feeling okay?”

“No,” he breathed out in a whisper. “My brother’s fighting for his life.”

Erin’s hand went to her mouth to stifle a gasp of horror. “But…but he was just here. He was fine.”

“Explosion. Our wagon was blown to smithereens and Heath got dealt the bad hand.”

“I’m so sorry,” she quavered. She barely knew Heath but already she felt a deep connection to him. “This may sound too forward seeing how I barely know your brother but I was wondering it you would let me see him?”

Nick smiled obligingly. “ I was hoping you’d ask. It can’t hurt.” He extended his arm to clasp her hand. She opened the tiny white gate and followed the grieving man up to the doctor’s office.

Once inside horror struck them. “Doctor, what’s happening?” Nick asked frantically at the sight of Heath struggling to breathe.

“In his delirium he started calling out to you and began thrashing about. I’m afraid he might have punctured a lung. I’m trying to calm him down but having little success at it as you can see. He has to remain still to avoid aggravating his injury,” The doctor explained while leaning over his thrashing patient with both hands on his shoulders.

“Let me try.” Nick took over for Dr. Taylor and sat on the bed to grab a firm hold of both wrists. “Heath!” he barked. “Heath! Listen to me! LISTEN TO ME! Stop this thrashing, ya hear me, boy? STOP THAT! I’m here. I’m here, Heath.” Nick could feel the tense muscle slacken in his grip. “That’s it. Calm down.” He released one wrist to rub Heath’s shoulder. “That’s it. Good boy.” Erin stood amazed at Nick’s prowess. She took a step forward to gaze at the angelic face that had set her heart aflutter at first sight.

“I don’t know how you did that, but you might just have saved your brother’s life,” the doctor stated as he checked Heath’s lungs with his stethoscope. “The lung sounds intact.”

“Then why is he having trouble breathing?”

“Most likely a panic attack. He started mumbling your name over and over after you left. I was about to get you when he began thrashing about.”

“Well I won’t be leaving his side again until he comes to. I expect I can use the next bed for the night?”

“Of course,” the doctor nodded affirmatively. “In fact I insist upon it so I can have you both under watch. How’s the head?”

“Still pounding but it’s bearable.”

“You tell me if you need anything. I’ll be in my office.”

“Thanks doc.” The doctor smiled and patted Nick’s shoulder before making his way out of the room.

Erin’s adoring gaze shifted from the flushed patient to his careworn brother. “I can tell you two are very close. He stopped thrashing at the mere sound of your voice.”

“Yeah. That kid brother of mine’s my hero,” Nick mused while gently rubbing Heath’s arm. “He knows better than to turn a deaf ear to my orders,” Nick said with a hint of tease that elicited a titter out of Erin.

“You do have powerful voice.”

“People say my bark is worse than my bite.”

“I believe it.”

Nick glanced up at her standing near the bed and with a knowing grin, asked, “You like him, don’t ya?”

“He seemed very nice. I like men who love children.”

“I can tell ya made quite an impression on him.”

“Oh?”

“He couldn’t stop jabbering about ya on our way back and that’s highly usual if ya consider he’s the quiet type; keeps pretty much to himself.”

She lowered her head shyly to hide her blush at the compliment. Nick cocked his head to read her expression.

“Why don’t ya sit with him for a spell. I’m gonna get something for my head. It’s acting up again.” He vacated his seat and with a hand on the small of her back, he beckoned her to take his place on the bed. “Be right back.”

Once Nick was out of the room Erin instinctively reached for Heath’s hand but quickly retreated hers, realizing the forwardness of her gesture with a man she barely knew.

Nick stole into the room and stood in the doorway to gaze at the pretty picture. He could sense Erin wanting to reach out to Heath. “Go ahead.” Erin jerked her head back, startled by Nick’s voice. “Sorry, didn’t mean to scare ya. Talk to him. Hold his hand if ya want. He needs all the warmth he can get.”

“Are you sure?” she asked shyly.

“Yeah I’m sure,” Nick smiled. He was hopeful Erin could succeed where he failed.

Mike was on schedule to meet with the Barkleys at the train station. He made his way to the private car to welcome the family. “Mrs. Barkley?”

“Yes. I’m Victoria Barkley.”

“Howdy Ma’am,” he greeted with a tip of his hat, “my name’s Mike Friedman. I work on the JaNiHeVicAu Ranch. Your son Nick asked me to drive you out to the house.”

“Thank you Mr. Friedman.”

“Please, call me Mike.”

“Mike if you wouldn’t mind taking us to the doctor’s office first so I can see my sons.”

“No problem, Ma’am.” He relieved Jarrod of his suitcases and beckoned the three to follow him to the awaiting carriage. Jarrod assisted Victoria in the back seat while Mike gallantly did the same with Audra.

“Thank you, Mike.”

“You’re welcomed Miss Barkley,” Mike answered obligingly with a twinkle in his eye, one that wasn’t lost on Victoria and Jarrod who exchanged a knowing smile.

Mike drove the buggy down the street and halted the horse in front of the doctor’s office. Barely had he helped Audra alight from the carriage that she and Victoria hurried inside the office with Jarrod in tow.

The nurse welcomed the three at the door and after briefing them on Heath’s condition, she led the way to the recovery room where they found Nick napping on the next bed.

“It appears Nick had dozed off and it’s a good thing,” the nurse observed in a hushed voice as she made her way to Heath’s bed to check his pulse.

“No I’m not sleeping,” Nick mumbled, opening his eyes a slit to peer at the nurse. His expression registered a mix of pain and relief upon seeing his mother with teary eyes. The distraught son rose from his bed and fell heavily into his mother’s arms, his body shivering.

“Nick are you okay?” Victoria asked worriedly.

“I was the lucky one. Got off with minor injuries but Heath,” he glanced over at his lethargic brother, “well, the doctor’s optimistic he’s gonna pull through. He didn’t think he was at first but Heath showed him just how stubborn Barkleys are,” he ended with a half-hearted chuckle.

“Nick, any idea what happened?” the lawyer in Jarrod questioned.

“Me and Heath were driving back to the ranch when our wagon was blown to smithereens. No doubt in my mind it was nitro.”

“Nitro?” Jarrod exclaimed in shock.

“Must have been a vial in the load of supplies that was set off when the wheel caught a pot hole in the road.”

“What would you both be needing with nitro?”

“We didn’t. Someone must have deliberately put it there.

“Any suspect?”

“Yeah,” Nick seethed. “Pete Granger, our foreman’s assistant. Just before we left town we saw him.”

“Now come on Nick. That’s not substantial evidence and you know it. You can’t go around accusing people without solid proof,” Jarrod ridiculed. “Besides what would that man gain by killing you?”

“He’s Stoker’s right-hand man. Stoker stands to inherit the ranch if Heath dies before the crucial date,” Nick blustered, his booming voice bouncing off walls and startled Heath who groaned his complaint.

They all drew closer to Heath’s bed with eager expectation. Victoria took his hand and sandwiched it between hers, rubbing it gently in hopes to elicit a stronger response.

“Heath?” Nick coaxed with a light tap on his brother’s shoulder. “Heath, can you hear me?”

Heath groaned his answer; his hand gripping Victoria as if to cling on to dear life.

“We’re all here, Heath,” Victoria reassured softly. “Open your eyes, son.”

“Mot...Mother,” he rasped out weakly.

“Yes. I’m here. And so are your brothers and sister.”

Heath strived to pry apart his leaden eyelids to establish focus on the grateful smiles beaming down on him.

“How are ya feeling?” Nick asked.

“Rotten,” Heath gulped. He licked his parched lips before continuing, “What…what happened?”

“Explosion,” Nick informed boldly. “Someone must have planted a vial of nitro in the wagon.”

“All…all I remember is driving down the road and then…nothing.” Heath’s flushed face twisted in pain at the agony he recalls seconds before passing out.

“Heath, son, are you in pain?” Victoria asked worriedly, then turned to Audra. “Audra go get the doctor.”

“Right away, Mother.”

“I’m…I’m okay,” Heath assured unconvincingly. “I’m just remembering bits of it, mostly the pain,” he said with tears clouding up his eyes, prompting Victoria to lean closer and run a soothing hand through his damp hair. “There…there was somebody in…,” Heath frowned as the image of a man concealed in the bushes came into view.

“Who? Where?” Nick egged on.

“B’fore the blast,” Heath heaved out with difficulty, his strength waning fast. “I recall seeing a man in the bushes.” He squinted to jog the memory of that split second; the image of the stranger still blurry.

“D’ya know who it was?”

“I can’t see his face. It’s still a blur.”

“Was it Granger?” Nick continued to probe, eager to confirm his suspicion about the man.

“No.”

“Are you sure?”

Heath gave a feeble nod of the head. Noticing how her son was wagging a losing battle with his heavy eyelids Victoria therefore suggested postponing the questioning until later.

“Mother, it’s important we know now or we might lose the guy,” Nick stated emphatically.

“Nick, your brother’s health is more important,” she chided.

“She’s right,” the doctor agreed as he made his way to his patient. “Hello Heath. I’m Dr. Taylor. Can you tell me if it hurts anywhere?”

“My belly aches something fierce, like it was on fire.”

“That’s to be expected after pulling that splinter out of your abdomen. We had to remove your punctured spleen, which is the cause of your fever. But the fact that you’re conscious is definitely a good sign.” He then turned to the family and asked politely, “I must insist you leave Heath alone now so he can get some rest.”

Each nodded their head in agreement, though Nick was reluctant to leave his little brother for fear he might cry out for him in his sleep if he’s not there. The doctor picked up on Nick’s concern and eased his qualms by requesting that he remained in the next bed in the event of another panic episode.

Mike drove the family to the ranch to get settled. Barely his grand tour of the house over that Jarrod left for town to wire Benson in Sacramento with a specific question regarding Heath’s inheritance. He was curious as to a possible third heir in the event of Heath’s death and Stoker’s arrest.

Meanwhile smitten Mike offered the lovely blonde vision a tour of the property. He watched her as she marvelled over the many breeds of horses. She had mixed feelings about her brother’s good fortune. True she was grateful for Old Man Washburn for thinking so highly of Heath that he’d want to bequeath him his entire estate, but conversely she loathed him for making her brother the recipient of a load of trouble that nearly cost him his life.

“I cannot understand why anyone would be so desperate as to kill to get his hands on this property. Is it worth it?” she asked while she petted the neck of a beautiful sorrel.

“I guess you have to see it from that person’s perspective.” Mike ambled up to her to join her in patting the horse. “Everyone seems to point the finger at the foreman who’s next in line to inherit the spread should your brother die. But I don’t think he’d be foolish enough to go to extreme knowing he’d be the first one we accuse. And yet it hasn’t been proven that someone tried to kill your brother.”

“Heath said he saw a man hiding in the bushes seconds before the explosion.”

“Did he? She nodded. “Did he see who it was?”

“No. He couldn’t remember.” She sighed heavily and closed her eyes in despair. “I hate to see him like this; ashen and weak when he’s usually so lively.”

“What did the doctor say about his condition?”

“He was encouraging. Heath’s awake and talking, which is a good sign.”

“I’m glad to hear. Heath’s a great boss. Easy to get along with.” He allowed a short beat in the conversation to steal a glance at the pretty blonde. When she felt him stare at her, she turned to him, only to be mesmerizing by his deep blue eyes. She smiled shyly and bowed her head. “We’d better get back to the house. Mother will want to get back into town to see Heath.”

“You really ought to get something to eat first. Get some nourishment before you go back there. The cook in this house makes the best meal you’d ever tasted. I’ve had the pleasure of eating there a couple of times when Mister Washburn was running this place.”

“I am pretty hungry and I’m sure Mother is too. But given the circumstances I think we’ll opt for grabbing a quick bite in town.”

“As you wish.” He presented Audra his arm and gallantly escorted her back to the house.

Victoria conceded to Mike’s power of persuasion and agreed to sample the cuisine before leaving for town. Mike assured he would let word to Nick that they would be there a little later in the evening. He left for town and dropped by the doctor’s office to give the message.

“Nick?”

“Mike? What are ya doing here?”

“I came to tell you that your family settled in okay and that they’ll be here a little later tonight. I convinced them to eat dinner before they came.”

“You? Convincing my Mother? How d’ya managed that?”

“It took some fire power but I finally broke her, so to speak. Say it looks like you could use a bit of nourishment yourself. I can sit with Heath if you want?”

Nick pondered the idea of moseying on down to the restaurant to grab a bite to eat but after glancing at a sleeping Heath, he changed his mind.

“Thanks for the offer but I’d rather stay here, just in case he should need me.”

“You could do with a bit of fresh air. Stretch your legs a bit. Get yourself some grubs to go. I’ll stay here with him. Can’t take you more than fifteen minutes.”

“Yeah, maybe you’re right. Thanks kid.”

“No problem Nick.”

“The doctor’s in his office if ya should need him.”

“Okay.” Mike’s smile followed Nick to the door until the darkhaired man disappeared out of sight. He then fashioned a leer as he looked down at his helpless prey. Gently he slid the pillow from underneath the patient’s head, grabbed both ends with tight fists and pressed it against Heath’s face.

When Heath suddenly realized he was suffocating, he sluggishly lifted his arms to claw at the source of his discomfort but his waning strength made it impossible for him to get the upper hand.

“My God!” Erin gasped upon witnessing the scene before her. “Doctor, come quick!” she shouted as she lunged at Mike like a hawk pouncing on its prey. She grabbed him by the neck and sank her fingernails into his flesh, making him cry out in pain. He violently shoved her aside and returned to his task.

Soon Doctor Hammond irrupted in the room, quickly followed by Nick who had retraced his steps to the office after changing his mind about dinner. The enraged brother leapt at Mike with the ease of a cougar on its victim to deliver a solid right hook to his jaw that knocked him out cold. He made sure the man was unconscious before turning to the doctor taking Heath’s pulse.

“Doctor?”

“He’s breathing. His respiration may is shallow but I have a strong heartbeat. He should be fine.”

Nick exhaled a shuddering breath and clapped his brother’s shoulder in gratitude. “You hang in there, Little Brother.” He then turned to the unconscious man on the floor with a scorching look. “Why would Mike try to kill Heath?” Nick pondered aloud.

“All I know is that little lady here was heaven sent,” Dr. Hammond said, motioning to Erin. “If she hadn’t come in when she did…” He needed not finish his sentence as it was self-explanatory.

A faint moan coming from the patient drew their attention to the bed. Nick glanced at the doctor who nodded his permission to wake Heath. “Heath!” getting no answer, Nick toned up the volume, “Heath!” his answer came in the form of an annoyed groan. “Come on, get back here.”

In the background, Mike slowly came to his senses and took advantage of the situation to sneak away. Unfortunately for him Nick caught his escape in a sidelong glance and grabbed him by the shoulders to pin him against a wall. “Ya son-of-a-bitch!” He blustered, his eyes shooting daggers at the young frightened man. “Ya tried to kill my brother. Why? WHY?” He shook him violently, prompting the doctor to intervene.

“Mister Barkley, please.”

Nick gradually lessened his hold on Mike but kept his fists tightly wrapped around his jacket lapels to drag him to the bed. “Heath, is this the man ya saw before the explosion?”

Heath squinted as he jogged his memory of that exact moment. Shame-faced Mike averted his gaze from the scrutinizing stare. “Yeah. Yeah that’s him.”

“Ya sure?” Nick insisted, his grip tightening at the back of Mike’s neck.

“Yeah,” Heath breathed out with heavy eyelids.

“Alright kid, why d’ya do it? What’s in it for ya?”

Mike’s silence heated Nick’s blood to the point where he couldn’t help but deliver another knocking blow to the man’s jaw, sending him crashing to the floor. “Get up!” He yanked him to his feet and shoved him towards the door. “Me and ya are gonna make a trip down to the sheriff’s office.” He turned to Erin standing rooted to the spot at what she had just witnessed. “Erin can I ask ya to keep my brother company while I handle this?”

Erin smiled obligingly. “It’ll be my pleasure, Nick.” She gave Heath a shy glance. He in turn smiled his gratitude. Once both Nick and the doctor were out the door, he turned to his pretty nurse who poured him a glass of water.

“What happened?”

“I surprised the one you call Mike with a pillow over your face. He was trying to asphyxiate you. I tried my best to stop him but he was too strong.”

“Mike tried to kill me? I don’t understand why he’d do such a thing?”

Erin shrugged. “I wouldn’t know.” She sat on the bed and assisted him in taking a few sips of water. When he nodded he had enough she eased his head onto the pillow and brushed back a loose lock of hair on his forehead.

Heath reached for her hand and flashed a lopsided grin. “Thanks. I hear ya saved my life.”

“I guess I was at the right time at the right place.” One look at those fetching blue eyes and Erin was smitten.

The sheriff called on his deputy to help him restrained the possessed Nick from choking the life out of the insolent prisoner.

“Mister Barkley, get your hands off him, NOW!” The sheriff ordered. “If you don’t simmer down I’m gonna have you cool off in the next cell. Now I know you’re upset…”

“UPSET?” Nick blared peevishly. “That’s an understatement. That scum tried to kill my brother, TWICE!”

“I realize that but you won’t get anywhere by killing him.”

“Oh, I don’t know,” Nick mumbled peevishly underneath his breath.

“The sheriff’s right, Nick,” Jarrod agreed as he walked into the office. “I dropped by the doctor’s office and Heath told me what happened.”

Although he kept a defiant stance in front of Nick Mike couldn’t help but wilt under the dark glare. Nick strode up to stand inches from his face and through clenched teeth, he spat, “ You’re going to hell, boy. And I can tell by that fake smirk of yours that you’re shaking in your boots.”

“I’m not,” Mike retorted with a chin sticking out defiantly.

Nick flung his hand in the air. Thinking the irate Barkley was going to strike him, Mike quickly cowered in a corner of his cell. “Sure ya are,” Nick quipped with a look of disdain. “Spill the beans, kid. Who hired ya to do the job?”

“What makes you think I’m working for anyone?” Mike sassed back.

“Okay, suppose ya tell me what ya stand to gain by killing us? Unless it’s a personal vengeance?”

“I don’t have any quarrel with you. It’s just that…” he cut in mid sentence as it dawned on him he was about to reveal the scheme.

“It’s just what?” Nick hissed, taking a step up to Mike who looked away to avoid making eye contact for fear the dark glare would wring the truth out of him.

“I was told you were caught trying to kill Heath,” Jarrod chimed in, stepping in front of Nick to block Mike’s view. “This is pretty serious offence, one that will keep you in jail until the trial for attempted murder.”

“If…if I do, will you let me go?” Mike ventured to ask, his eyes shifting between Jarrod and the sheriff.

“That all depends on what you’re gonna tell us,” the sheriff replied.

“Alright,” Mike exhaled heavily, feeling a burden about to be lifted off his shoulders. “But I need your promise you’ll protect me from him.”

“Who?”

Mike paused to ponder his options once last time, dithering whether he should snitch on the man who hired him to do the job.

“Who?” Nick reiterated emphatically with his lips pursed in a straight line.

“Roy Stoker,” Mike rasped out. “He…he hired me to kill your brother.”

In a fit of fury Nick slammed his fist into the wall, gouging a hole in the plaster.

“Who’s Roy Stoker?” the sheriff asked, puzzled.

“He’s the foreman at the JaNiHeVicAu Ranch,” Jarrod informed grimly, shaking his head in disbelief at what he just heard.

“I knew it,” Nick barked as he yanked his fist from the hole. Stepping closer to Mike he shot him a crushing look of disgust that burned a hole right through him. “Ya planted that nitro in the wagon, didn’t ya?”

“No. I just waited for your wagon down the road and threw the bottle at you.”

“So Heath did see ya in the bushes.”

“Your sister Audra told me about it and that it was just a matter of time before Heath recalled my face. I couldn’t take a chance on him recognizing me so I tried to silence him.”

“By why Mike?” Why?”

“He promised I’d be the foreman once he got the property.”

“And you believed him?” Mike’s answer was to hang his head in shame. “Why didn’t ya come to us? We could have worked something out.”

“Kid, are you willing to sign a deposition attesting to those facts?” The sheriff asked.

“Only in exchange for your promise to keep me safe from Stoker and his partner.”

“Partner?” Nick reacted with an eyebrow raised in suspicion. “Would that be Pete Granger by any chance?”

“Yeah.”

Without warning, Nick kicked a chair clear across the room, startling everyone in the room. The deputy bolted to him but before he could grab his arm, Nick raised it in the air. “I’m alright. Just blowing out some steam before I hurt somebody real bad.”

“What do you want me to do with him?”

“Let him spend the night in jail. That’ll teach him to get tangled with scum.” He turned to Jarrod for approval. “What d’ya say?”

“It’s your move, Nick.”

Nick nodded to the sheriff his final decision and walked out of the office with spurs jingling. Outside he paused to lean heavily against a beam and drew in a deep breath to quell the wave of emotion evading him.

“You okay Brother Nick?” asked a concerned Jarrod with a comforting hand on Nick’s shoulder.

“Yeah, yeah. I’m alright. Just a bit shaken up by what’s happened.” As he felt the tears threatening to his eyes and heaved out a loud sigh. “God Jarrod, d’ya realize if that girl hadn’t come in when she did, Heath could…” Nick choked on his sentence, the emotions now too overwhelming to hold back.

Jarrod tightened his hold on Nick’s shoulders. “I know. But that’s not the case. The doctor told me Heath was going to be okay.”

“This is too much, Jarrod. We ought to simply sell that spread, business and all and head back to Stockton. It isn’t worth it.”

“After what’s happened I’m inclined to agree with you. We just need to convince Brother Heath.”

Brother Heath offered no resistance to his brother’s suggestion to sell the JaNiHeVicAu Ranch. However upon their return to Stockton a week later Heath thought of an alternative. Instead of putting the property on the market he toyed with the idea of turning the estate over to Duke’s assistant, Jim Farnsworth. The middle-aged rancher dreamed of owning his own spread and Heath’s offer was the golden opportunity he had been praying for. With Roy Stoker and Pete Granger serving time in jail for plotting to commit murder, the threat was gone. Jim would be free to run the ranch as he pleased.

The man was most grateful for the Barkleys’ generosity but nonetheless posed one condition: that the family retain a large percentage of the profits made from the land. They agreed and the deal with sealed with a hearty handshake. Jarrod had the papers drawn and within a month Jim and his family moved to Virginia City to settle on their new property.

Much to his surprise, young Mike was hired to work on the ranch as foreman. It paid to come clean with the Barkleys.

Heath kept his word on helping the Virginia City orphanage. Instead of repairing the old building he donated a bigger one. Once the children were transferred to their new home, Erin bid farewell and moved to Stockton to fill in for the departing schoolteacher. Heath wasted no time in courting her and within six months the couple were married in a double ceremony with Nick and Patricia.