Parts 8-12
by Page
Disclaimer: The characters and situations of the TV program
"Big Valley" are the creations of Four Star/Republic Pictures and
have been used without permission. No
copyright infringement is intended by the author. The ideas expressed in this story are copyrighted to the author.
Part 8
The court room was wall to wall with spectators at the
beginning of Heath’s trial for the murder of Nino Ruttono. Jarrod had just finished his opening
statement to the jury. The district attorney called his first witness, Louise
Talbot to the stand. Louise Talbot laid her hand on the Bible, swearing to tell
the truth. Nick leaned over Jarrod’s
shoulder’s, whispering, “That would be something if she could ever tell the
truth.” Jarrod nodded.
“Mrs. Talbot, tell the court what you saw on the day Nino
Ruttono was killed.”
“Well…Nino came over to see my daughter Catherine.”
“Go on.”
“Heath rode up and Catherine left.”
“Then what happened?”
“Heath and Nino got into an argument. Heath grabbed a
two-by-four from the wagon and struck Nino.
Not once but several times.”
Heath glared at her.
“I have no further questions.”
“Your witness, Mr. Barkley,” said Judge Parker. Jarrod rose, slipped his thumbs into his
vest pockets, waiting to ask his first question. A ploy he liked to use to
shake cunning witnesses. This sent a
signal to the witness that he would not be grilling them lightly.
“That’s a very dramatic statement you made to this court.
Where were you when all this was going on?”
“Looking out the window.”
“According to your daughter, Catherine’s statement, Heath
and Nino had a friendly exchange before she left for town. What happened?”
“I don’t know.”
“How could you tell they were arguing? Did you have the window open?”
“No.”
“Then how do you know they were arguing?”
“I could tell by the looks on their faces.”
“Mrs. Talbot, Catherine also stated that you called Nino into
the house.”
“Oh, yes, I forgot.”
“Why?”
“Why what?”
“Why did you call Nino Ruttono into the house?” Louise’s evasiveness was annoying.
“That’s my business.”
“Mrs. Talbot, in Heath’s statement he corroborates what
Catherine said and further stated that Nino was angry after talking with you in
the house. Now what did you talk about?”
“Business.”
“What kind of business did you have with Nino? Wasn’t it
his father you were trying to do business with?”
“I wanted Nino to give him a message for me.” Jarrod decided to try another tactic.
“Did you like Nino Ruttuno?”
“No.”
“Then you didn’t like him seeing Catherine.”
“I didn’t approve of him.”
“Is that what you were discussing? Is that what made Nino so angry when he left
the house after speaking with you?”
Jarrod leaned on the witness box, staring straight at Louise who looked
past him.
“What we were discussing had nothing to do with the
altercation between Nino and Heath.” Jarrod returned to the defense table,
checking his notes and weighing his next move.
“Now, you stated that after the heated exchange between Nino and Heath, Heath then picked up
the two-by-four from the wagon and hit Nino with it.”
“That’s correct.”
“Where was Nino standing?” Louise thought for a moment.
“He was standing with his back to the wagon.”
“So, Heath would have had to reach past Nino for the
two-by-four in the wagon.”
“I don’t know.”
“What was Nino doing while Heath grabbed the two-by-four?”
“I don’t remember.”
“Did Nino just stand there?”
“I told you I don’t remember.”
“Can you explain to me how two men engaged in an argument,
one stands calmly while the other reaches past him for a two-by-four and then
begins to batter him with it?”
“That’s what happened.”
“Did Nino try to block the first blow?”
“It happened so fast.”
“Heath stated that Nino grabbed him first and that Nino
lost his balance when Heath shoved him away.”
“He killed him.”
“This is what I think happened…you saw Heath and the
deceased Nino Ruttuno arguing and Nino
grabbed Heath. Heath then shoved him
away. Nino lost his balance, falling
backwards and hitting the back of his head on the wagon and fell unconscious.
Heath then rode out to get Dr. Merrar.”
Louise shook her head. “Watching
out the window, you went outside, noticing that Nino was not dead, you saw the
two-by-four, grabbed it and proceeded
to bash his head in.”
“It’s not true.”
“I object, Mr. Barkley is going out on a limb, making the
jury believe that someone other than Heath Barkley killed Nino Ruttono.”
“I would like to state your honor that according to Dr.
Merrar, Nino Ruttuno did have a severe bruise and bump on the back of his head
consistent with what Heath said in his statement.”
“Your honor, Mr. Barkley is speculating.”
“No further questions.”
The judge banged his gavel.
“We’ll adjourn
until 2:00 this afternoon.”
Louise was rattled by Jarrod’s revelation in the court room. Louise
scanned the faces of the jurors and the court room spectators who looked like
vultures ready to pounce on a dead corpse.
While looking over the crowd, she noticed a young Mexican woman, glaring
at her from the corner of the room. She
recognized her as Luke Haskell’s girl, Maria Sanchez. The woman pulled her shawl tight around her head and shoulders,
leaving the court room. Louise calmly
panicked. She knew just by looking at Maria that she knew something. Had Luke confided in Maria about what he’d
done? Louise hurried through the crowd
and out the door of the court house, following Maria. While stuffing his brief case with legal briefs and notes, Jarrod
watched the silent interaction between the two women.
Louise kept her distance behind Maria. When Maria arrived
at her door, Louise watched from around the corner of the building. Maria entered as Louise scurried up behind
her, shoving her inside. Slamming the door behind her, Louise stood straight as
a board, barring the door.
“What do you want?” asked Maria.
“The question should be what do you want?”
“Nothing from you, gringo.” Maria spat on the floor.
Louise glanced up at the ceiling, ignoring Maria’s vulgar gesture.
“What did Luke tell you?”
“About what?”
“Did he mention Jake Wilder?”
“I don’t remember.”
“Tell me.”
“Get out.” Louise stepped
toward Maria when Maria picked up vase, hurling it toward Louise’s head. Louise ducked out of the way as the vase hit
the wall, exploding into pieces.
“So be it.” Louise left as Maria clenched her fists and
stomped her foot on the floor.
“Ooh, that woman.”
A curtain hid a little closet in the corner of the room where Lila
Hauser emerged.
“Take it easy honey.”
“What are we going to do? I don’t want to end up like
Luke.” Lila draped an arm around Maria.
“Honey, don’t worry, you know how much trouble Luke was in
and how careless he was. It was only a
matter of time before some law man shot him down. It just happened to be Sheriff Madden.”
“He told me what she did and that he was going to get some
money from her and that we’d go to Mexico.”
“Luke was full of all kinds of ideas and pretty talk.”
“But you believe me, don’t you, what he said about Mrs.
Talbot.”
“Of course that is why I’ll see Louise about the money but
if anything should happen to me…”
“Like what?”
“Like an accident, I want you to go straight to Jarrod
Barkley and tell him everything you know.
Understand?” Lila cupped Maria’s hands between hers, holding them tight,
to keep Maria from shaking.
“Be careful.” Lila
nodded, patting Maria’s arm.
When Louise returned home, her sister was reading in the
library.
“You’re late. Martha is keeping your lunch warm.”
“Wasn’t that kind of you.”
“No need for sarcasm Louise.”
“I have a raging headache and your irritating comments are
not helping.”
“Since I arrived you have been avoiding me.”
“It’s not intentional.
I have been busy running the ranch and the household.”
“Why doesn’t Jonathon help you run the ranch? That should be his duty.”
“You’ve seen Jonathon, do you really expect him to take
any responsibility?”
“Shocking.”
“I suppose you blame me for Jonathon’s lack of decency.”
“Jonathon’s conduct is another issue. You really believe that I’m cold hearted
don’t you?” Louise took a deep breath, having more on her mind than her
sister’s petty pride. Sometimes Louise
despised the Millwood women’s legacy of accepting the duty of their positions
without question. Millwood women were
always emotionally restrained with ice water pulsing through their veins. And
the only thing that ever mattered was to keep up appearances, maintain respect
of the family name and suppress any scandal. Like many old Bostonians they had
granite for souls. Realizing her sister would not respond to her, Elizabeth
continued reading.
“Ma’am?”
“What is it Martha?”
Martha cowered in the door. “Out
with it.”
“Miss Hauser is here to see you.” Elizabeth glanced up from her reading. Louise shoved Martha out the door.
“Tell her I will be with her in a minute.”
“Yes ma’am.”
Louise removed her hat pin and hat and stabbed the hat with the pin,
tossing the hat onto a nearby chair.
Lila meandered around the room, swinging her purse. She smiled as she tapped the crystals on one
of the kerosene lamps, watching them swing.
“You’re back, how unfortunate.”
“I knew you would be thrilled to see me again.”
“What do you want? More money?”
“Of course.”
“I should have known and I was hoping you might latch onto
some rich elderly widower.”
“I wish.”
“How much is it this time?”
“$25, 000 and you’ll never hear from me again.”
“That’s what you said the last time. Your word means nothing.”
“This time I mean it, cross my heart and hope to die.”
Lila makes a criss-cross gesture.
“Oh, I wish that were true.”
“That’s nasty Louise.”
“There is no guarantee that this will be the end of your
blackmail.”
“If you don’t believe me, I’ll go to Jarrod Barkley and
tell him all about the family and the editor at the Stockton Eagle, that would
be quite a juicy item for the newspapers, don’t you think?.” Louise remained
silent. “Do you want me to tell Jarrod and the newspapers that Jonathon is
really Flo McGarrity’s son and your fine, upstanding womanizing husband was
cheating on you and that you manipulated the prosecuting attorney to get her
into prison and away from your husband.
Then crept up in the middle of
the night and took the baby after she delivered in prison. Luckily for Flo she never knew what went on
but I think she did have an idea you were behind it.”
“She died of influenza in prison.”
“Lucky for you or she would have been out by now and
likely make trouble for you.”
“This is absurd.”
“You think no one will believe this story. Most people thought there was something
fishy going on at the trial and Jarrod has been asking questions. Or how about Alice? There is no statute on limitations on
murder.”
“That’s enough…when do you want your money?”
“You have until tomorrow.
Leave a note with Burt at the bar for me stating where and when you want
to meet.” Lila brushed past Elizabeth
as Elizabeth entered the room.
“What do you want?”
“What does she know about the family?”
“Were you listening?”
“What if I was?”
“Don’t you have anything better to do? Why don’t you take Angela into town and go
shopping.”
“Where and what
for? There is nothing here that
appeals to me.”
“Then both of you go to San Francisco.”
“Why are you so anxious to get rid of me?”
“It’s none of your business.” Elizabeth took Louise by the
shoulders.
“Louise, you’re my sister and your welfare concerns me.
Does she know about mother and father?”
“No…no…it’s not that.”
“That’s a relief.”
“I just want her out of Jonathon’s life.’
“I agree she is most unsuitable.”
“I have an idea of how I can convince her to leave and
never return.” Louise stared at the
portrait of her husband, above the fireplace mantle. “If you don’t mind I have things to do.”
“Very well.”
Elizabeth left the room as Louise sat down at her desk, pulling out a
crisp ivory sheet of stationary.
Grinning, Louise dipped her pen in the inkwell and began writing a note.
Part 9
Jarrod felt a chill as the sun began to fade. The horse drawn carriage continued down the
road at a steady pace but Jarrod drifted along the road, enjoying the spring
evening and watching the sun begin sink behind the rocky foothills. Someone on horseback appeared farther down
the road. As Jarrod approached he
noticed it was Dominick Ruttono. Jarrod
yanked on the reigns, pulling the horse to a stop. Dominick sat motionless on his horse, glaring at Jarrod.
“Dominick, what are you doing?” Dominick did not respond which Jarrod thought was unusual
considering he go off on a tirade about anything. Dominick then pulled out a rifle, aiming it at Jarrod. Jarrod stared at the end of the barrel.
“I’m going to kill you.”
“Dominick, think about what you’re doing.”
“I already have.”
“I’m unarmed and if you kill me, they’ll hang you. Think about what that would do to your
family.” Dominick, being family
oriented, Jarrod hoped he would respond to his reasoning.
“You are defending that killer.”
“That killer Dominick is my brother. The same person that lent you a hand fixing
up your farm when you and your family moved here.”
“Quiet, I don’t want to hear anymore of your talk.”
“Killing me is not going to bring Nino back.” Dominick kept his eye fixed on Jarrod, never
blinking once as his finger lay steady on the trigger. Hearing a click, Jarrod tried one more time to reason with
Dominick. “Dominick, listen to me,
don’t you want to know the truth?”
“I know the truth.”
“I believe Louise Talbot had something to do with Nino’s
death.” Jarrod’s eyes were rooted to
Dominick’s finger pressing on the trigger.
Dominick began to squeeze. The
rifle fired as Jarrod ducked and jumped out of the carriage. Jarrod’s horse took off running past
Dominick who pulled his horse out of the way while Jarrod hit the ground then
tried to get up and run into the woods.
But before he could rise to his feet, another bullet went whizzing by,
grazing his head as he rolled out of the way.
Dominick took aim and fired again as Jarrod scrambled to his feet.
“Drop it.”
Dominick saw Nick in the distance, gun drawn. “Don’t make me shoot
Dominick.” Jarrod stood, shaking,
trying to catch his breath as Dominick lowered the rifle. “You better get home to your wife and
daughter.”
“Someone will be punished for killing my son.”
“Well, it’s not going to be Jarrod so get on your
way.” Dominick jerked the horse around
and galloped up the road, kicking up gravel and dust behind him. “You ok?”
Nick asked while slipping his gun into his holster.
“Yeah, I’m alright.”
“And you always say I have a hair trigger.” Jarrod smiled. “What?”
“Nothing.” After slapping the dust off his hat, Jarrod
popped it back on his head.
Jonathon sat on the edge of his bed, running his fingers
through his hair, panicked, fearful and broke.
Jonathon still owed money to many of his friends and knew they would not
remain friends for long. Gambling and drinking was Jonathon’s only existence. Louise left him feeling empty, cynical and a
broken man. Liquor deadened whatever
emotion was left and trying to forget Louise’s hate and neglect was not
easy. He never understood her hatred.
Jonathon was too jumpy, he had to get some money
somewhere. He bolted from the
room. Seeing Louise disappear down the
stairs, he kept watching her as he inched his way down the hall to her
room. Once inside, he closed the door,
hearing it click. Looking around, he
spotted Louise’s purse on the bureau.
His clammy hand slid off the glass doorknob. Grabbing the bag, he rifled through it, finding some cash but not
enough. He then noticed the antique
carved mahogany box. Opening it, he
picked through the jewelry. He stopped
and noticed a gold and sapphire ring.
Dropping the jewelry he held in his hand, he picked up the ring, bringing
it closer to look at it. He tossed the
jewelry back in the box, slammed the lid down and slipped the ring and the cash
into his pocket.
“What are you doing in here?”
“Mother.”
“What are you doing?”
“I needed to talk with you.”
“About what?”
“I need some money.”
“You always need money.”
Jonathon walked over to Louise who was blocking the door.
“I shouldn’t have asked.”
Jonathon tried to inch past Louise who refuse to move out of his
way. Jonathon gazed at her. Louise stepped aside as Jonathon left the
room. She noticed the open bag on her
bureau, looked inside noticing the missing money. Her eyes drifted to the jewelry box. Lifting the lid, she glimpsed inside, noticing her mother’s
sapphire and diamond ring was missing as well.
“Damn.” Louise
slammed the lid shut.
Armed with a court order from Judge Lansbury, Jarrod asked
Luther at the bank if he could see Louise Talbot’s accounts. To Jarrod’s surprise their were no payments
made to Lynette Harper. Tapping his
finger to his chin, Jarrod thought for a moment. He then asked to see Leland Mason’s bank accounts. Luther balked at the request but Jarrod used
some fancy legalese that left Luther wide eyed and speechless. Jarrod found what he had been looking for.
As Leland patted a client on the back, assuring him that
everything would work out in his favor. Jarrod walked in as Leland ushered his client out the door.
“Leland we need to talk.”
“Come into my office.”
Once the door was shut, the voices grew louder as Leland’s secretary
peered over her spectacles, watching the door and listening.
“You lied.”
“About what?”
“I have proof you knew about Laura Talbot posing as
Lynette Harper.”
“That’s absurd.”
“Oh, stop it Leland.
You were sending $500 a month to
Lynette Harper. Why?”
“You know that is privileged information.”
“Don’t wave your legal ethics at me. The law is only useful to you when it serves
to shield your illegal
transactions. You’re protecting Louise
Talbot.”
“I think you better leave.”
“So, be it.”
Part 10
It didn’t take Leland long to grab his coat and hat and
ride out to Louise’s ranch where he saw her arrive on horseback at the
barn. Leland rode up to her.
“Leland, what are you doing here?” Leland took out a crisp, neatly folded
handkerchief and dabbed his forehead.
He could feel the dampness of his shirt against his skin.
“ I need to talk with you.”
“That’s obvious.”
“It’s important.”
Leland dismounted.
“Someday I’ll have a lawyer that doesn’t come running to
me every time he falls down and scrapes his knee.”
“Jarrod Barkley is the best there is but I doubt he’d work
with you knowing your reputation.”
Louise glared at Leland.
“I do not appreciate your flippancy, Leland.”
“This is serious, Louise.”
“Alright what is it?”
“Oh, no, not him again.”
“He knows I sent checks to Lynette Harper, $500 once a
month and wanted to know why? He
guessed it had to do with you.”
“He guessed, it doesn’t mean he knows anything.”
“He will.”
“Stop worrying, you crow to much like a fussy old woman,
Leland and it bores me.”
“I wish that were all it was but what if Jarrod finds out
you gave me that money for Laura and I deposited in my account, sending her the
checks?”
“Did I hear my name mentioned?” Both Louise and Leland spun around, seeing Jarrod, arms folded
and leaning against the doorway to the barn.
“What are you doing here?” asked Louise.
“I picked up something from Judge Lansbury for you and I
noticed that Leland was hightailing it out here so I followed.” Jarrod stepped forward, reaching into his
pockets and pulling out two sheets of folded paper. Jarrod handed each a
paper.
“Summonses to appear at a coroner’s inquest.”
“Coroner’s inquest?”
Leland stared at the paper.
“Laura Talbot.”
Jarrod tipped his hat and left.
“I told you.”
“Shut up, you want him to hear you?”
“Well, this fussy old woman would like to know what you
plan to do about him?” Louise pushed Leland toward his horse.
“I’ll think of something…” Louise stopped mid-sentence,
thinking. “Leland…suppose I pay you an
extra $25, 000 and you and Sarah take a little holiday somewhere and miss the
inquest?”
“I guess that would work.”
“Meet me tonight at the old Cassidy farm, 8:00 and I’ll
pay you then.”
“Why the Cassidy farm?”
“Never mind, just do as I say.”
“How can you explain a large cash withdrawal paid out to
me.”
“I’ll give you
cash and tell Luther it’s ranch business.
Then nothing connects us.”
“I see.”
“See you tonight.”
Louise watched as Leland galloped down the road then hurried into the
barn, pulling the horse from his stall, grabbing the harness and hitching him
to the carriage. Usually, this was a
task beneath her and left to the groom but Louise was in a rush and didn’t want
anyone to know where she was headed.
Jonathon’s head was laying on the bar while he mumbled in
a sing-song voice, banging his whiskey
glass on the bar. Fiona Lundee walked
in and walked up to the bar. Jonathon opened one eye, noticing Fiona, standing
beside him. Raising his head a few
inches off the bar, he gazed at her.
“Hey, Fiona, what’ll you have?” asked Burt, wiping down
the bar.
“Whiskey.”
Jonathon’s head wobbled as he tried to focus. Fiona kept her back to him
but could feel his breath whisking across the back of her neck.
“Hey…how about having a drink with me?”
“I don’t think so.”
Fiona did not look his way.
“Why not?” Fiona
did not answer. “I haven’t got the
plague.”
“Forget it.” Fiona sipped her drink.
“I like women with fire.”
“So, I hear.”
“Really…whose been spreading rumors about me.”
“Jonathon, stop annoying people and that is the last drink
you’re having,” said Burt.
“Yeah?”
“Bottle,” said Fiona.
Burt handed Fiona a bottle, which she swung backwards over her right
shoulder, smashing it into Jonathon’s face.
Jonathon fell to floor, out cold.
“I’ll take him off your hands.”
Burt leaned over the edge of the bar.
“It wouldn’t have taken much to have him laid out like
that.”
“I don’t doubt it,” said Fiona. Fiona picked up Jonathon’s arm and began lifting him. Burt came around to assist her.
“You know where he lives?”
“Doesn’t everyone?”
Louise waited after knocking on Sarah Mason’s door for
what seemed an eternity, thinking Sarah was not at home. Louise heard footsteps and then the door
opened.
“Louise, what brings you here? If you’re looking for
Leland, he’s at the office.”
“I wanted to see you Sarah.”
“Me? What for?”
“Can we talk inside?”
“Of course, come in.”
Louise gazed at Sarah, who had let herself go over the years. She remained a solid God fearing woman with
salt and pepper hair. Her waistline
was wider and she seemed more ordinary and unadorned than Louise
remembered. Though Sarah was a frugal
woman, she gave Leland all he ever wanted just to keep him tied to her. But Sarah knew about his affairs outside the
marriage and was often prone to jealous rages and during her tantrums she would
threaten to kill him. But Leland was
all she had. The grim realization that after her father died and left her a
fortune and a prosperous farm was the only reason Leland married her and all
these years she hated herself for being foolish enough to believe his lies.
“How can I tell you…”
“Tell me what?”
Louise remained silent. “What is
it?…tell me.”
“I saw Leland with…Lila Hauser.”
“Where?”
“At the old Cassidy farm.” Sarah began twisting her hands.
“Why are you telling me this?”
“Lila Hauser is a little gold digger. It’s no secret how much I despise her. I was elated when she left town but I hate
to see her ruin your marriage.” Sarah
hoped Louise would choke on her phoniness.
Sarah grabbed Louise by the arm and escorted her out the door. Slamming the door in her face, Louise stood
for a moment, rubbing her arm. She
climbed into her carriage and urged the horse forward about thirty feet and
stopped. Looking over her shoulder, she saw Sarah emerge from the house,
carrying a shotgun and hurrying toward
the barn. Louise stepped out of the
carriage and scooted over to the side of the house. She stood near the front porch, hidden by a trellis full of large
pink cabbage roses. Peering around the
corner, toward the barn, Louise could barely make out Sarah in the dim light of
the lantern’s glow. Once Sarah had the
horse harnessed, Louise hurried back to her carriage, jumped in and left.
Louise’s heart was thumping as if she thought it would
burst through her chest at any moment.
She leaned over the hall table,
taking a deep breath and closing her eyes. She then began removing her gloves when she heard a knock at the
door. Louise hesitated answering the
door, hoping whoever it was would go away. But the knocking was persistent and
frantic. Louise opened the door,
disgusted by the sight of her son being held up by Fiona.
“Do you mind helping me get him inside.”
“Martha…would you come here, please.” Fiona tried holding Jonathon up, who was
nothing but dead weight. “Excuse me, I
have an engagement.” Louise left them
hanging in the doorway as she glided up the stairs. Fiona managed to drag Jonathon inside and sit him down in a
nearby chair. She held him against the
wall by his shoulders so that he wouldn’t fall forward. Looking at him, she felt sorry for him and
knew his reason for drinking was obvious.
She took out a bandana and began wiping the blood off his face.
“Good lord, what happened to him?”
“I’m afraid it’s my fault, he got a little too forward for
my liking.”
“It’s not the first time he’s had splinters of glass in
him.” Martha began to also wipe some of the blood off his face with her apron
and picked some glass out of his forehead.
“Would you help me get him upstairs?”
“Why not, I got him this far what’s a little
further.” Both wrapped an arm around their
shoulders, hoisting Jonathon up off the chair and dragging him upstairs.
Leland kept checking his watch after he arrived at the
Cassidy farm, Snapping it shut, he stuffed back into his vest pocket. Looking up, he could see the full moon
dangling in the flat coal black sky like an oyster white orb. The air was not as cold as it had been but
it was crisp. Leland proceeded to pull
on his deer skin gloves. He glanced up
again at the long, black claw shaped branches, silhouetted against the moon’s
white light, looking like a misshapen fringe on the night. Everything was still and eerie. Then Leland heard the sounds of an
approaching buggy and the clip-clop of horse’s hooves. Looking in the direction of the buggy, he
expected to see Louise but was surprised to see Lila Hauser coming out of the
darkness. Leland unhooked the lantern
from his carriage, holding it up as he approached her buggy.
“What are you doing here?”
“I was supposed to meet Louise. What about you?”
“I was supposed to meet her here at eight.” Both heard some crackling of brush at the
bottom of a nearby hillside. Gunfire exploded
as Leland fell to his knees. Startled,
Lila glanced in the direction of the gunfire then down at Leland, who was
clutching his stomach, trying to keep the blood from seeping from his
abdomen. He then fell forward onto the
ground, moaning. Another blast of
gunfire sent Lila reeling backwards against the buggy seat. Her limp body rolled forward and down to the
ground. As the smoky mist cleared, the smell of gun powder lingered. Leland’s hand clawed at the dusty gravel on
the ground. The shotgun fired once more
into the back of Leland’s head. He
stopped clawing the ground, tensed up one last time and went flat and
motionless.
Part 11
When Jarrod walked into Fred’s office the next morning, he
noticed Sarah sitting by Fred’s desk, twisting
a wet lace edged handkerchief in her hands and occasionally dabbing her
eyes.
“Fred, MaryAnn said you wanted to see me?” Fred lowered his voice.
“Sarah shot and killed Leland and Lila Hauser last night.”
“What?”
“She said Louise Talbot came by playing good Samaritan,
telling her she saw them together out at the Cassidy farm.” Jarrod shook his head.
“I’ll talk with her.”
“I wish you would.”
“Sarah.” Jarrod removed
his hat and pulled up a chair beside her.
“Jarrod, help me.”
She grabbed his forearm, holding it tight.
“Tell me what happened.”
“Will you help me?”
“Yes, now tell me what happened.”
After telling Jarrod about the events of the previous evening,
Sarah broke down, sobbing. Jarrod
glanced up at Fred.
“Nat Green was riding by the Cassidy farm when he
discovered the bodies. Nat put them in
his wagon and brought them into town. I
went out to tell Sarah about Leland when I found her sitting in a dark living
room with the shotgun in her lap.”
Jarrod took a deep breath and exhaled before rising to his feet.
“Don’t worry Sarah, I’ll defend you, if it comes to that.”
Sarah grabbed his hand.
“What have I done?”
Jarrod clasped her hand between his hands.
“Don’t worry.”
Jarrod managed a small, reassuring smile.
Meanwhile, Catherine was visiting Heath in his cell.
“I can believe mother is capable of almost anything…but
murder? I can’t believe she killed
Nino.”
“You think I did?” Heath shot back.
“I’ve never seen you like this. What has gotten into
you? You were always so kind and
gentle.”
“Murder changes a man’s thinking.” Heath continued to gaze
out between the bars of the tiny window.
“I’m sorry Heath, I didn’t mean to upset you.”
“Are you that naïve, Catherine? Can’t you see what your mother has done to your family, this
town?”
“You’re talking about someone completely evil.”
“Well?” Catherine rose from the bunk. Heath remained silent, staring out the
window.
“The jury is back,” said Jarrod.
“I know you will be found innocent, that I do
believe.” Fred unlocked the cell door
as Catherine went out ahead of Heath.
Louise had been up most of the night. Leaving her room, she rubbed her temples as
she walked down the hall. Taking a deep
breath she then proceeded to button her sleeves. Jonathon appeared in the hall, leaning in the doorway. Louise looked disgusted with his disheveled
appearance.
“Something wrong mother dearest?”
“Why would anything be wrong. This is your normal appearance.
I’m surprised you were able to get up this early considering how much
alcohol you consumed last night.”
“I have you to thank for what you see.”
“Don’t blame me for your weaknesses, that is very
tiresome.”
“Why is it that you hate me so?”
“Jonathon, I have better things to do today than waste my
time talking nonsense with you.”
“That’s all I am to you, a waste of your time. I was always as long as I can remember a
waste of your time. Time well spent
conniving and swindling the people and landowners of this town.”
“Stop it, I don’t want to hear anymore.”
“You know everything I say is the truth.” Louise continued down the hall when Jonathon
grabbed her by the wrist and spun her around to face him. “You never treat Robert
the way you treat me.”
“Robert is my son.”
“What does that mean?”
“You’re my husband’s bastard son. You are the product of his disgusting affair
with Flo McGarrity.” Jonathon let go of
her wrist, stunned and staring at her.
Louise turned her back on him and
continued down the hall to the top of the stairs.
“Why did you kill
Alice?” Jonathon leaned on the
banister.
“What are you babbling about now?”
“I know what you did and I’ve had to live with it all
these years.”
“Don’t be so dramatic, you must still be drunk.”
“You were poisoning Alice, I saw you put the poison in her food.”
“What poison?”
“I kept wondering why you would take Alice her meals in
her room, what you kept sprinkling on her food. Then I found it, it was arsenic.”
“This is fantastic,
you are truly wasting your imagination.
You should make yourself useful and write penny dreadfuls.”
“And when she didn’t die quick enough to suit you, you
went into her room one night and smothered her…I saw you…that night…I’ll never
forget, it was horrifying.” Louise
began to go down the stairs when Jonathon seized her by the arm. “Alice wasn’t the only one.”
“For heavens sake, what are you talking about now?”
“Laura.”
“What about her?”
“You killed her too, didn’t you?” Louise yanked her arm away and continued
down the staircase when Jonathon jumped in front of her, flashing his
grandmother’s sapphire ring. “Then what
are you doing with this?”
“You stole that from my jewelry box.”
“No, no, you took it off Laura’s hand after you killed
her. I remember you ranting and raving
because Laura died in the fire and you never got your mother’s ring back. But Laura was alive and was wearing the ring,
how else could you have gotten it?”
“Don’t be ridiculous, I did no such thing.”
“I never saw the ring until after she turned up dead. Robert had given it to her as her wedding
ring. I know that had to have bothered
you, your mother’s ring on Laura’s hand.”
Louise’s mouth tightened into a straight line.
“Get out of my way, you’re drunk.”
“Not this time.
Today is the first day of my sobriety for the rest of my life. Knowing you’re not my mother, a burden has
been lifted. Now I realize why you hate
me so.”
“These accusations are absurd.”
“We’ll find out how absurd when I take this ring to Jarrod
Barkley and the sheriff. I know they
will be fascinated by my ridiculous ravings.”
“You’ll do nothing of the kind.” Louise reached for the ring, trying to pluck it from Jonathon’s
grasp as Jonathon pulled it away. “Give
it to me.” Louise then grabbed
Jonathon’s wrist, trying to pry open his hand. They grappled for the ring,
Jonathon clutching it as Louise shoved him down the stairs. Jonathan twisted and somersaulted as he
fell, landing at the bottom of the stairs in a heap. His hand opened and the ring rolled out onto the floor. Louise stood frozen, staring at
Jonathon. Just as Louise was stepping
down Catherine walked in, looking miserable.
She saw Jonathon then glanced up at Louise.
“What happened?”
“He was drunk, lost his balance and fell down the stairs.”
Catherine knelt beside him, feeling for
a pulse as Louise watched, clutching the banister, looking beyond Jonathon, her
eyes fixed on the ring.
“He’s still alive.
I’ll get Dr.Merrar.” All Louise could see was her mother’s ring,
gleaming in a sliver of sunlight, streaming from the narrow windows on either
side of the door. Louise hurried down
the stairs, scooping up the ring in her hand and clutching it to her chest. Nothing mattered but that she had her
mother’s ring in her hands.
Part 12
Heath was found not guilty but this did not satisfy
Dominick Ruttuno, who wanted vengeance for his son’s death more than he wanted
justice. But now a different thought festered
in the corner of Dominick’s mind and Jarrod put it there during the trial and
that it was Louise who was responsible for his son’s death.
“Mr. Barkley.”
Dominick approached Jarrod who was slipping papers into his brief case.
“Yes, Dominick?”
“I want to apologize, perhaps I was hasty in my
judgement.”
“Apology accepted.”
“You could have reported me to the sheriff, but you
didn’t.”
“You have suffered enough.”
“The Barkleys have always been kind to me and my
family. Louise Talbot has caused nothing
but trouble…trying to buy my vineyard…she knows nothing about wine.” Jarrod
considered what Dominick was saying, knowing he was prone to irrational, quick
bursts of temper. “You think she killed
my son?”
“I would strongly suggest the sheriff look into it
further.” Dominick nodded.
Later in the day, the inquest regarding Laura Talbot’s death, was about to
begin. Louise stayed with Jonathon,
making sure that he would never regain consciousness. She looked at the pillow beside Jonathon, so white and tidy just
like the one Alice had on her bed that night…the night she put Alice out of her
misery. Louise grabbed the pillow and
held it close to her, the washed smell and laundry soap remained. She stroked it for a few seconds, staring
down at Jonathon. The breeze lifted the
curtains at the window behind her. They
flapped then became still. “Indulging
in the futile hope that he will take his last breath only impairs my
usefulness,” Louise thought to herself.
“I’ll stay with him while you go to the inquest.” Louise
jumped as Catherine walked over to the bed, pulled up a chair and sat down.
“Where is Elizabeth?”
“She got Dr. Merrar some coffee.”
“Always the perfect hostess.” Louise lay the pillow down on the bed and left the room.
Catherine held Jonathon’s hand but after a moment he began to awaken.
“Jonathon?” He
became still. “Jonathon?…Jonathon.”
“What’s wrong?” asked Dr. Merrar.
“He just moaned and tried to move.” Dr. Merrar noticed his eyelids fluttering.
“I think he’s coming out of it.” Jonathon’s eyes opened as
Dr. Merrar took out his stethoscope and was listening to his heart.
“He’s still weak.”
“Where am I?”
“You had a bad fall,” said Dr. Merrar. Dr. Merrar flipped open his pocket watch and
checked his pulse.
“The ring…where’s the ring?”
“What ring?” asked Catherine.
“The ring…Laura’s ring.”
“His pulse is racing.”
“Laura’s ring, what are you talking about?”
“Mother had it.” Catherine thought for a moment.
“What happened?”
“We fought over the ring…she pushed me down the
stairs.” Catherine and Dr. Merrar
exchanged glances.
“Tell me everything.”
Jonathon described the events as best as he could remember prior to his
fall.
Before the inquest began, Maria pulled Jarrod aside.
“I need to talk with you, it is very important.”
“Can’t this wait, Maria?”
“No, it can’t, I must speak with you now.” As Louise sat
down, she noticed Jarrod and Maria talking.
As dignified and unruffled as she looked, every nerve inside Louise were
as tight as sailor’s knots. Louise watched as they left the room together and
there was nothing she could do. “I feel as though everything is crumbling
around me,” Louise thought to herself.
“Now what is so urgent it couldn’t wait until after the
inquest?”
“I’m frightened.”
“Frightened of what?”
“She will kill me too.”
“Who?”
“Louise Talbot.”
“Why?”
“Luke and I were close, there were things he told me.”
“He confided in you?”
“He told me that Louise told him to kill Jake Wilder.”
“Louise will just say it’s her word against a dead
man’s. I have no proof.”
“No, she paid him, I have the money in a box under my
bed.”
“How much?”
“$1,000.” Jarrod shook his head.
“She’d just deny it.”
“He tried to shoot you.”
“How do you know?”
“I heard him talking with Hannah about it.”
“Hannah and Luke are dead, it would be hearsay.” Maria remembered something and fished
through her bag, pulling out a note written by Louise to Lila, telling her to
meet her at the Cassidy farm. Jarrod read the note then looked at Maria.
“Jarrod.”
Catherine leaned against the wall, trying to catch her breath.
“Catherine, what is it?”
Jarrod held her steady by the shoulders.
“It’s Jonathon…”
“I heard he had an accident.”
“He’s dead.” Catherine
went on to explain about the ring.
As the inquest began, Toby Seymour and George Baylock
testified to seeing woman named Lynette Harper, otherwise known as Laura
Talbot. Billy testified to finding the
shawl in the bushes moments before his grizzly discovery. Then came Louise’s turn to fabricate her
story. Jarrod picked up the shawl,
glancing over at Catherine, who nodded.
Robert watched the exchange between Jarrod and his sister and recognized
the shawl.
“Mrs. Talbot, do you recognize this shawl?”
“No, should I?”
Robert was stunned.
“You heard Billy Hoyt testify that this shawl was found in
the area where Laura Talbot’s body was also found.”
“So?”
“This shawl belongs to you.”
“I told you it’s not mine.”
“Your daughter Catherine has identified as a Christmas
gift to you from your son Robert.”
Louise remained silent. Jarrod then noticed the diamond and sapphire
ring on Louise’s finger. “Does that
ring belong to your mother?” Louise was
surprised by Jarrod’s question,
glancing down at her hand.
“Yes, why?”
“May I see it?”
Louise hesitated, looking up at the judge, he motioned her to remove the
ring. Jarrod held out his hand as
Louise slid the ring off her finger.
Putting the ring in the palm of his hand, Jarrod looked at it for a moment. Robert rose as Jarrod approached him. Robert took the ring, looked it over then
handed it back to Jarrod.
“Mrs. Talbot where did you get this ring?”
“I’ve always had it.”
“That’s not what your son Robert states. He just identified this ring as belonging to
his wife, Laura Talbot.”
“Laura returned it to me.”
“Why?”
“I guess she decided to leave Robert when we all thought
she died in the fire. She gave it to me
the night of the fire.”
“How farsighted of her.”
“What are you implying?”
“Mrs. Talbot I will also produce bank records with dates for the amount of $500 a month
which you paid into the account of your lawyer, Leland Mason to be paid to
Lynette Harper. That was money you were
paying to Laura Talbot. Why?”
“I have no idea what you are talking about. I paid Leland for his legal advice.” Jarrod noticed George motioning to him. “Excuse me.” Jarrod walked over to George.
“What is it George?”
“May I see the ring?”
Jarrod showed him the ring.
“Yes, yes, I remember seeing it when Miss Harper signed the guest
register. I remembered it because it was so large and striking.”
“If you weren’t a man George, I’d kiss you.” Jarrod approached Louise. Mrs. Talbot, George Baylock just stated to
me and can testify to the fact that Lynette Harper was wearing this ring when
she signed in at the hotel and that she was wearing it two days before she was
shot and killed at Munson’s Creek.”
Louise twisted the silk cords of her purse between her perspiring
fingers.
“He’s mistaken.”
“Three people cannot be mistaken, Mrs. Talbot. The shawl…the ring… and your daughter
Catherine is willing to testify that your son Jonathon argued about the ring
before you pushed him down the stairs.”
“He must be delirious.”
“Both Dr. Merrar and Catherine heard Jonathon’s statement
before he died.”
“Jonathon’s dead?”
“I’m sorry, he died an hour ago.”
“You killed him and Alice too,” Catherine jumped to her
feet, hissing at Louise.
“No, no I didn’t do it.”
“You poisoned my sister, Jonathon told me…then when the
poison didn’t work, you killed her…you suffocated her…Jonathon saw you.” Both Robert and Jarrod stood stunned as the
judge banged his gavel.
“Order…order…sit down young lady.” Robert tugged on Catherine’s arm until she
sat down.
“They’re lying, I didn’t do anything.” Jarrod drove at
her.
“You are responsible for the deaths of Jonathon Talbot,
Laura Talbot, and Alice Talbot. You are also responsible death of Nino Ruttuno
and for coercing an unstable woman into committing murder. Sarah Mason
confessed to killing her husband and Lila Hauser last night. And if the sheriff
investigates further, he may find out that Luke Haskell was not an accidental
shooting.” Jarrod turned his back on
her.
“They were nothing…they didn’t matter…nothing mattered but
the Talbot name. Laura…Lila…Nino…Heath…all of them unworthy…cheap.”
“What about Alice?”
“She was weak…imperfect…I had to put her out of her
misery. It was the only thing to
do. I would have had to institutionalize
her. Think of the scandal…all those
eyes…all that prattling and wagging tongues.
Don’t you see that’s why I had to make sure Emma Wilkerson was accused
of Alice’s murder. People took pity on
me…the grieving mother.” Catherine left
the court room. “Jonathon didn’t matter
he was Flo McGarrity’s son…I loathed him.” Jarrod closed his eyes, looking
away. Robert bowed his head.
Gunfire exploded in the court room and everyone ducked.
Louise clutched her shoulder and fell back on the chair. Spectators looked around the room and saw
Dominick Ruttuno holding on to a smoking gun.
“You killed my son.”
Tears streamed down his face as he began to squeeze the trigger. Nick
jumped on him as Fred pulled the gun out of his hand but not before it fired
again at the ceiling. Dominick fell
into a chair and wept.
Heath saw Catherine coming out of the sheriff’s office.
“Catherine,” he called across the street. Catherine looked and saw Heath walking
toward her. “I haven’t seen you since the inquest.”
“I think you know why.”
“Catherine…I still care about you.”
“I’m sure you do but I feel so ashamed for what my mother
has done to you and to everyone else.”
“What does that have to do with us?”
“I’ll be leaving and going to Boston to live with my aunt Elizabeth. Maybe there I can make a new start without
anyone knowing what kind of a monster my mother is. You have been hurt enough, I can’t hurt you anymore. What we had was meant for another time and
place.” Heath slid his hands into his
pockets, looking away. “Robert is
selling the ranch and giving up his senate seat. He’ll move to San Francisco and resume his law practice.”
“What about your mother?”
“What about her? I
want nothing more to do with her. Aunt
Elizabeth will be taking care of her during the trial. She seems to understand mother better than we do.
She’s asking Jarrod to defend mother.”
“Don’t hold your breath.”
“I told her it would be a waste of time asking him but she
insisted on trying since he is the best defense attorney.” Catherine stood on her tip-toes, giving Heath
one last gentle kiss on the cheek and walked away. Heath turned, watching Catherine get smaller and smaller in the
distance as she walked away.
That same morning, Elizabeth VanOak came to see Jarrod.
“I would like to ask you a favor.” Jarrod motioned to a
chair as Elizabeth sat, removing her gray kid gloves.
“What is it?”
“Would you represent Louise at her trial?”
“I don’t have to consider your request, the answer is no.”
“Perhaps if I explained to you why Louise did the things
she did you might understand and reconsider.”
“I doubt it but go ahead.” Jarrod leaned back in his
chair, rolling a pencil between his fingers.
Elizabeth rose and went to the window, gazing out as she began her
story.
“It happened when we were children. I was nine and Louise
was only seven.” Elizabeth paused.
“Go on.”
“One night, mother went to her sister’s for dinner and
then to the opera. Father didn’t care
for the opera and said he had work to do.
After we went to bed…we heard talking and giggling. We looked out into the hall and saw father
with a cheap, gaudy looking woman. They
disappeared into his bedroom. It wasn’t
the first time, he had been cheating on mother. Mother was so fragile.
Louise in many ways is like her.”
Jarrod rolled his eyes heavenward finding it hard to imagine Louise as
fragile. “Father was forced into
marrying mother because it was good for the families, a merger between the
Millwoods and the Harrisons. He never
loved her…she wasn’t very pretty…just plain and wealthy. After mother returned home that evening, she
discovered them in bed together and went insane. She got a hold of father’s
pistol and shot them both. As we reached father’s room, mother was babbling to
herself, then took the gun and shot herself in the head. We watched and all these years I never
realized how much it affected Louise.”
Jarrod said nothing. “I’ve heard you are a fair man and an excellent
lawyer.”
“I can only give you advice. The only way your sister
would receive any mercy would be if she declared in insane and that would be
difficult since she knew exactly what she was doing and that these murders were
premeditated. Her motivation for
killing is linked to her deception and self-preservation not as a result of
some childhood trauma.”
“But I’ve just told you.”
“I know what you told me and the answer is still no.
I can give you the names of some excellent lawyers in San Francisco, Nat
Springer would be perfect.” Before Elizabeth could protest, MaryAnne poked her
head in the door. “Yes, MaryAnne?”
“Sheriff Madden needs to see you, he says it’s important.”
“We’ve finished our business, send him in.” Fred walked in, removing his hat as
Elizabeth gathered her gloves and purse.
“Jarrod…I needed to see you…oh, and Mrs. VanOak would you
stay, this concerns you as well.”
“What is it Fred?”
“I don’t know how to tell you this…”
“What is it?”
“I found Louise Talbot…”
“What?”
“Dead…in her cell this morning.”
“What are you saying?”
Elizabeth asked.
“I’m sorry ma’am.”
“Sorry… how did this happen?”
“Doc thinks she was poisoned.”
“Any idea who it was?” asked Jarrod.
“Take your pick.”
Elizabeth turned her back on them and left the office, slamming the door
behind her. “Catherine…Dominick…Robert…the list goes on.”
“Her reign of terror has finally ended…and so has the
precious Talbot dynasty she tried so hard to protect all these years for
posterity.” Fred shook his head.