Part Three
The next morning, the brothers gathered in the dining room, their breakfast interrupted by Heath's sudden announcement. “I’ve been thinking about that map I saw in Stokes’s office yesterday. It didn’t look like something that belonged in a banker’s ledger. There were notations on it—something marked, but I couldn’t get a good look before he moved it out of sight.”
Nick raised an eyebrow, his coffee cup halfway to his lips. “A map? That’s not the kind of thing you expect to see lying around in a bank. You sure it wasn’t just business-related?”
Heath shook his head. “It didn’t look like ranch property or anything official. It was old, like it had been used a lot. And he was quick to move it when he noticed I was looking.”
Jarrod leaned back in his chair, his sharp mind already racing. “If Stokes is involved, that map could be a lead. He may use it to coordinate something out of town—maybe even to meet his buyers or move his victims.”
“Whatever you do, be careful,” Victoria said as she entered the room. “If Edward Stokes is the man behind this, he won’t take kindly to you interfering in his plans.”
“We’ll tread lightly, Mother,” Jarrod assured her. Turning to Heath and Nick, he continued, “Heath, you’re the one who saw the map. Can you find an excuse to return to the bank and get a better look?”
Heath nodded. “I’ll figure something out. Maybe ask about a loan or something that gives me a reason to be in his office again.”
Nick smirked. “And while Heath’s playing nice, I’ll do what I do best—keep an eye on him from a distance. If Stokes tries to slip away, I’ll be ready to follow.”
Jarrod smiled faintly at Nick’s eagerness. “Good. I’ll start looking into Stokes’s financial dealings. If he’s using the bank to cover his tracks, there might be something in the records I can piece together.”
With their plan set, the brothers dispersed, each with a task to move the investigation forward. Heath made his way into town by midmorning, his boots clicking against the wooden sidewalk as he approached the bank. The air inside was cool and still, a sharp contrast to the bustling streets outside.
Edward Stokes greeted him with the same measured politeness as before. “Back so soon, Heath? What can I do for you?”
“I’ve been thinking about expanding the ranch,” Heath said smoothly, leaning on the counter. “Might need a loan to cover some of the costs. Thought I’d stop by and talk about options.”
Stokes’s eyes flickered with interest, though he kept his tone neutral. “A smart move, Heath. Let’s step into my office, and we can discuss the details.”
Heath followed Stokes into the office, noting the desk and shelves lined with ledgers and papers. The map was gone, but Heath kept his expression casual, sitting across from the banker as they began to talk.
Meanwhile, outside, Nick had positioned himself near the alley beside the bank, keeping a sharp eye on the entrance. His horse was tied nearby, ready to follow if Stokes made any sudden moves. He tipped his hat low against the sun, blending in with the usual town activity while he waited.
Back inside, Heath subtly steered the conversation, asking about recent property values and other topics to keep Stokes engaged. As he did, his eyes scanned the room, searching for any sign of the map. His patience paid off when Stokes reached for a folder on the shelf, briefly revealing a corner of the map tucked beneath it.
Heath filed the detail away, knowing it might be the key they needed. As the meeting wrapped up, he shook Stokes’s hand, his polite smile masking the determination brewing beneath. “Thanks for your time, Mr. Stokes. I’ll think it over and get back to you.”
“Of course,” Stokes replied smoothly. “Let me know if you have any questions.”
As Heath stepped outside, he caught Nick’s eye and gave a subtle nod. The brothers regrouped in the alley, Heath quickly relaying what he’d seen. “The map’s still there, hidden under some papers,” Heath said quietly. “It’s old and marked up, like it’s been used for something important.”
Nick frowned. “You think it’s a map to where he’s taking the stolen goods?”
“Could be,” Heath replied. “Whatever it is, we need to find out.”
Nick’s expression hardened. “Then let’s figure out our next move.”
Jarrod settled deeper into his chair, poring over the financial records he had obtained earlier in the day. While the irregularities in Stokes’s records were troubling, he needed to ensure they weren’t tied to any of the other suspects on his list. One such name, Samuel Hargrove, nagged at the back of his mind. Hargrove’s financial dealings appeared clean on the surface, but a closer look revealed he had recently sold a parcel of land near the outskirts of Stockton—a sale recorded just days before the suspicious bank transactions began. At first glance, this seemed damning, but as Jarrod dug further, the buyer turned out to be a neighboring rancher looking to expand his grazing pastures.
This neighbor, a man by the name of Ellis Harper, had been a trusted acquaintance of the Barkley family for years. Jarrod decided to pay him a visit to confirm the nature of the transaction. Later that afternoon, Jarrod arrived at Harper’s ranch and was greeted warmly.
"Jarrod! Been a while," Harper said, shaking his hand. "What brings you out here?"
"Ellis, good to see you," Jarrod replied, his tone casual. "I’ve been going over some recent land transactions and noticed you purchased some property from Samuel Hargrove. Just wanted to check in on that."
Ellis laughed. "Oh, that! Yeah, I bought that stretch of land from him a few months ago. He was looking to offload it quickly and said he didn’t need it anymore. I got a good deal, too. Why? Something wrong with it?"
Jarrod shook his head. "Not at all. Just doing my due diligence. Have you seen anything unusual on the land since you bought it?"
Ellis frowned thoughtfully but shook his head. "Nope. Just grazing cattle and the usual. Can’t say I’ve noticed anything strange."
Reassured, Jarrod thanked Harper and headed back to the Barkley ranch. Hargrove, it seemed, had no connection to the suspicious transactions after all. Whatever else the rancher might be hiding, it wasn’t tied to Edward Stokes’s schemes. This left the banker squarely in the center of Jarrod’s suspicions.
One particular name kept appearing in the records: William Timmons. Timmons wasn’t wealthy, and yet substantial sums of money had been funneled to him recently. Jarrod frowned, making a note of the transactions. If Timmons was connected to Stokes’s operation, this could be the link they needed.
His work was interrupted by a knock on the door. Nick stepped in, a curious look on his face. “How’s it going?”
Jarrod held up the paper he’d been studying. “I might’ve found something. Look here.” He pointed to the transactions. “These payments to William Timmons are large amounts, consistent over the last few months. They’re coming from accounts tied to Stokes’s bank, but there’s no legitimate explanation for why someone like Timmons would be receiving this kind of money.”
Nick leaned over the desk, studying the documents. “You think he’s part of it?”
“It’s possible,” Jarrod said. “He owns property on the outskirts of town—secluded enough to be used for... other purposes. If Stokes needed a place to hide people or conduct business, Timmons’s land could be it.”
Nick’s expression darkened. “You want me to pay Timmons a visit? See what he’s up to?”
Jarrod shook his head. “Not yet. We need more before we make a move. Let me cross-check these records with the land deeds and see if there’s anything unusual about Timmons’s property.”
Nick nodded but remained restless. “I don’t like sitting around, Jarrod. If he’s involved, we need to act fast.”
“We will,” Jarrod assured him. “But we have to be smart about it. If we rush in without proof, Stokes will cover his tracks before we have a chance to stop him.”
Nick sighed but relented. “All right. You keep digging. Let me know as soon as you find something.”
After Nick left, Jarrod returned to the papers. The pieces were starting to come together, and with every page he reviewed, he felt one step closer to uncovering the truth.