Shattered Silence

Part 6

by Lily B.

 

 

 

 

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.

 

 

 

 

Sunrise had come and gone, he had waited out on the front porch for her but she hadn’t joined him.   He walked back into the house with his shoulders drooping, feeling more sadness and defeat inside than he ever thought possible.  He loved her with all his heart and soul, why couldn’t he break through the wall she had rebuilt.  But no matter how much he coaxed or pleaded, the wall stood and he couldn’t get past it.

 

He walked back upstairs and peeked in the doorway to where Rachel was.  There on the bed was Laura, curled up next to her sister with her hand around Rachel’s waist.  Both of them looked to be sleeping soundly.  When Heath left the doorway,  Rachel lifted her head up and a tear fell down her cheek.

 

A part of her wanted to reach out to him and tell him all that she was feeling, the hopelessness, the anger, the fear.  But the other part of her, the part of her that won out from years of experience, was shutting down.  Blocking out all the feelings and making herself numb.  She didn’t know how much more she could take.  She wanted to run again.  How much longer could she allow other people to be hurt because of her and Laura?  Maybe it was better that they didn’t get close to anyone, then no one would get hurt.  Back in Stockton, Heath and been thrown in jail and Nick had been shot.  Now, the one person that was kind enough to take them in was missing.  And Nick, a man with a heart as big as his voice, was hurting over Megan.  Hadn’t the Barkleys suffered enough?

 

After a quick cup of Heath’s coffee, Jarrod was gone and headed into the city for a meeting with David.  There was so much to do before the trial, testimony to go over and another review of the Mary Ellen case in New York.  He still shouldered the blame for everything that had happened and the attack on Rachel had brought his guilt to the forefront of his mind again.

 

Jarrod had told David about the attack from the officer and that he was no longer sure that they would be able to count on Rachel’s testimony.

 

“There’s not much hope if she doesn’t testify Jarrod.”  David said.  “Surely, you must realize this.  You have to find a way to bring her back around or Heath does.  We don’t stand much of a chance without her.”

 

“I know that, but right now, she won’t even really speak to Heath.”  Jarrod tossed his pen down on the desk.  “Things were looking up for awhile there, but now I don’t know anymore.  Rachel’s withdrawn into a shell, Heath’s so frustrated that he just doesn’t know how to reach her and Nick, well I think heartbroken over Megan is the best way to describe it.”

 

Both men stopped conversing when someone knocked on David’s door.  He called them inside and his secretary appeared, apologizing for the intrusion.  She handed David a note and smiled at Jarrod before she left the room.  It was the first time that Jarrod had noticed that she had a lovely smile.

 

David opened up the folded piece of paper and read it, he then crumpled it up into a ball.  “Simpson’s made bail.”

 

“He’s out already?”  Jarrod said shocked, he hadn’t expected it to happen this soon.

 

“You should think about getting back to the house and let them know.  I’m sure Heath and Nick will want to increase their level of watch on the girls.”

 

“Why don’t you come back to the house and we’ll continue our work there.”  Jarrod suggested.  “We’ll go separately and hopefully not attract any attention, although from what happened, I’d say Simpson is already well aware of our location.”

 

“Are you going to stay there or look for a new place to hideout?”

 

“We’re staying, there are three officers now posted around the house and there’s never a time when my brothers and I are all sleeping, someone’s on watch at all times.”

 

“That’s about all you can do I suppose.  Very well, I’ll come back to the house with you and work there.  Don’t forget we have that meeting with Mrs. Taylor tomorrow morning.  We have a lot to go over with her.”

 

Heath greeted them at the door when Jarrod and David Travers pulled up in separate carriages.  He grinned just slightly and held the door open for both men to come inside. 

 

“How is she Heath?”  Jarrod asked.

 

“No change, she hasn’t left her bed all day and she didn’t touch the breakfast or lunch that Mrs. Ling brought to her.”

 

“She’ll come back around, Rachel’s a strong woman, she’s made it this far.”  Jarrod told him with a reassuring smile.  “So where’s Nick?”

 

“Believe it or not, he’s up in the attic with the children, they’re pretending they’re on a treasure hunt!  Sprite and Laura came down here earlier, you should’ve seen the old clothes they found up there, quite the sight!”

 

“Nick’s playing dress-up?!  This I’ve got to see!”  Jarrod tossed his hat onto the table.  “I’ll be right back.”  He told David. 

 

Jarrod went up the stairs, first stopping by Rachel’s room.  He tapped on the door and cracked it open slightly.  She was still lying in bed, facing towards the wall.  “I’m so sorry Rachel.”  His hands went inside his pants pockets and he turned away.  The letter weighed heavily on his mind, if he hadn’t allowed his curiosity to get the better of him, none of this would be happening.  Rachel and Heath would probably married by now and he thought of how happy they would be together.  He couldn’t stop blaming himself for everything that had occurred, guilt and remorse were his constant companions. 

 

He wasn’t allowed to wallow in his feelings for very long for Nick came running down the attic stairs with the children in hot pursuit.  The two girls were dragging long skirts behind them that they had found in a trunk and Nick had a hat on that looked to be about fifty years old.  Nick stopped, slightly embarrassed when he saw his eldest brother standing there.

 

“Oh howdy Jarrod.”

 

Jarrod snickered, “Having a good time?”

 

“We were..uh..just checking out the attic.”

 

“I can see that.”  Jarrod laughed and looked down to see Hannah looking up at him.  “Well hello Hannah, might I say how lovely you look this afternoon!”  He bowed before the little girl in the dress she had found.

 

“Thank you.”  Hannah curtsied and held up the skirts that were made for a grown woman.

 

“Listen why don’t the three of you go downstairs and see what Mrs. Ling’s making for dinner.  I’m starving.”  Jarrod tweaked Hannah’s nose and smiled widely at her giggles.  He watched the three children bound down the stairs and call for Mrs. Ling.  “They are really something you know, the whole world could be crashing down around us and they would still find a way to make a grown person smile.”

 

“Yeah, you’re right about that.”  Nick lowered his voice a little, “What’s the news today?  Anything about Megan?”

 

“Nothing Nick, I hate to say it, but after what Simpson told Heath; I don’t think you should hold out much hope to find her.  Alive that is.”

 

“I know,  I know.”  Nick rubbed his hand across his face.  “Ya know, can’t believe I fell for her so fast and now she’s gone.”

 

“I am really sorry Nick, believe me I am.”

 

“What about Simpson?”

 

“That’s one of the reasons David and I decided to spend most of our time here.  Simpson made bail first thing this morning.”

 

“Dammit!  He’s out walking the streets after what he’s done!”  Nick’s voice raised considerably.  “After everything he’s done to Rachel and Laura?!  How can they let him go free?!”

 

“Now Nick, he’s only free until we prove him guilty in court and we are going to do that!”

 

“What about Megan, are you going to try him for that too?”  Nick demanded angrily.

 

“We need proof for that first Nick.”  He saw Nick’s stance become more hostile and tried to reassure him.  “We are going to get him for that Nick, it’s just going to take some time, that’s all.”

 

“Just see that you do Pappy, ‘cause Heath and I might just find our way to taking care of things on our own if you can’t do it nice and legal.”  Nick left Jarrod standing in the hall and went downstairs.

 

“You might get my help as well little brother, if I can’t do it all nice and legal like.”  Jarrod said under his breath.

 

After Jarrod went downstairs, Rachel rolled over and faced the door.  She had heard every word spoken.  Her step-father had killed Megan in cold blood and all because Megan had helped them.  Quietly she cried for the young woman that she didn’t know very well.  As her tears dried her head cleared and the fog lifted, how could she let her step-father get away with what he had done to her, to Laura and to Megan.  She couldn’t give up, she had to fight, she owed that much to the other women that Simpson had hurt.

 

Downstairs, the dinner dishes were cleared and Mrs. Ling saw the three children off to bed.  The three brothers again were left sitting at the kitchen table, this time with David Travers joining them.

 

“Listen Heath,”  Nick began, “Why don’t you catch some shut eye for awhile.  We’ll keep watch for now.”

 

“Not a bad idea,”  Heath replied.  “Wake me in a few hours and I’ll take over watch.”

 

“Ya got it.”  Nick nodded.

 

Heath walked upstairs to the bedroom he was sharing with his brothers and closed the door.  He unbuttoned his shirt and laid it over the bedpost.   His boots and belt came off next and he put them neatly next to the bed.  Laying down, he turned down the lamp and put his hands  behind his head.  He didn’t think he would get much sleep, if any, but still it felt good to close his eyes.  His eyes opened when he heard the light tap on the door.

 

“Yeah?”  He called out.  He sat up in bed when the door opened and Rachel came inside.  “Rachel.”

 

She looked about the room for a moment, still standing near the doorway.

 

“Come here.  Please Rachel.”  He held out his hand to her.  It felt like forever before she finally took small steps towards him and then reached out to touch his hand.  He folded his large hand around hers.

 

She sat down on the edge of the bed and tried to speak again, it took her several tries before the words came out intelligibly.  “Mmmeee..ggg.gan dddead.dd?”

 

His bare arms wrapped around her and held her.  “You heard.  Simpson as much as said she was dead to me in court.”

 

“Hhee t.t.told.d you?”

 

“Yeah, he actually seemed rather pleased with himself over it.”  With his cheek pressed against hers, he felt the warm tears coming from her eyes.  He gently guided her down onto the bed so they were both lying on their sides facing each other.  He wiped away the tears from her eyes with his fingertips.  “We’re gonna get him Rachel, I swear if it’s the last thing I do, he’ll pay for what he’s done.”

 

She nodded to him.

 

“I’m glad ya didn’t stay away for too long Rachel, I missed you.”

 

“Mmissed yo.ou!”  Her hand found the soft brown hair on his chest and entwined her fingers in it.  “I..ll.oveee..you.”

 

Heath leaned in close and kissed her briefly.  His desire for her swelled and he pulled her closer on the bed and kissed her again, parting her lips with his tongue.

 

Rachel stopped mid-kiss and pulled back.  Her eyes were wide open.  “Aass m.much as s.s.saidd?”

 

“What?”

 

“Hhee as m..much as ss.aid?”

 

“As much as said?  Simpson, yes, he as much as said as he killed her.”

 

“W.what d.dd.idd he s.say?”

 

“He said that Megan had joined your mother now.  I am sorry Rachel, I know it must hurt.”

 

“Nnic.k.k?”

 

“Yeah, he’s hurting too.  And so are Daniel and Hannah.  Nick wants to take them back to Stockton with us when this is all over.”

 

“Yes..s g.g.ood.  Wee.ee. Tak..ke care of th.them.”

 

“See?”  Heath smiled, “We’re not even married yet and we’ve already got a houseful!”

 

“Ooour o.w..n..too..ss.some..d.day.”

 

“Oh you bet we’ll have our own too and lots of them!”  He reached out again and let his fingers glide through her silken hair.

 

They laid together, holding on tight, for more than an hour.  Without warning, Rachel suddenly sat up and nearly jumped off the bed.

 

“Rachel, what is it?  What’s wrong?”  Heath reached out to her.

 

“Mmmegg.ggan..thhinnk.k I knnowww.wh.where she is!”

 

“You what?”  He began to get off the bed, but she was already out of the room and heading down the stairs.

 

She went right to the kitchen.

 

“Rachel!”  Jarrod said surprised.

 

Rachel grabbed Nick’s arm and pulled hard on it, forcing him to stand up.

 

“Rachel, what the devil’s gotten into you?”  He asked.

 

“Me.g.ggan..”

 

“What about her?”

 

Heath came into the kitchen with his boots in one hand and his shirt in the other.

 

“Knn..ow..wh..where she is.”

 

“Are ya sure?”  Heath asked.

 

“Think so.”

 

“Tell us and we’ll go find her.”

 

“Nnoo, y.y.you’d nevv.vver find it.  I sh.show you.”  She was becoming increasingly agitated with them.  “Goo noowww.  N.not.t. much t.tim.ee c..cold.”

 

“Okay Rachel, but you stay close to Nick and I, you hear?”  Heath put on his shirt and boots.

 

“Jarrod, you and David stay here and watch the children.  You’ve got the rifles.”  Nick grabbed both his brother’s and his own hat and coat.  “Alright, you lead the way Rachel.”

 

“Be careful.”  Jarrod told them.

 

“We will and God willing, we’ll be bringing Megan back with us.”

 

Under the cover of darkness, Heath drove the carriage hard down the streets of Chicago.  After an hour of following Rachel’s directions, he pulled the carriage to a halt.

 

“What’s wrong Heath?”  Nick asked from the back seat.

 

“Look where we are!”  Heath said.

 

Nick surveyed their surroundings and struggled to get his bearings in the dim moonlight.  He finally realized their location.  “Rachel, did you mean to take us here?”  He asked warily.

 

“Yye.ss.s.  I kknoww.w.w wha.t.t Imm..doing.”

 

“Rachel two more blocks north and we’re going to be at your house.  Your stepfather made bail today, he could very well be at the house.”

 

“I kknnoww, f.fiv.e ac..cres, g.goo to b.b.ack..”

 

“You want us to go around to the back end of the property?  I don’t understand honey, what do you think we’ll find there?”

 

“M.m.eggan.”  She grasped Heath’s hand.  “T.trus.tt..m.m.ee.”

 

“I do Rachel, you know that.  Alright, we’ll go around to the back.  But remember, you don’t leave my side.”  Heath turned the carriage and began driving it on the street that bordered the rear perimeter of the property.  He grew increasingly uneasy the more time they spent close to where the monster lived.

 

“S.tt.to..ppp!”  Rachel said loudly.

 

Heath pulled the carriage to a stop and Rachel jumped down from it and went to the wrought iron fence that completely surrounded the property.  Heath and Nick glanced at each other while she walked along the fence line.  They both got down and began to follow her. 

“What are you looking for?”  Heath whispered.

 

“G.g.a..pp, hhere s.s.somewhere.”  Rachel continued to walk the fence looking for a mistake that the builders had made many years before and her step-father didn’t know about.  Another several minutes were spent walking the tall fence before she found it.   She squeezed through and motioned for Heath and Nick to follow.

 

“Better than trying to climb the thing.”  Heath said as he barely fit through the small gap.  “One of us was bound to get caught on those spikes up there.”

 

“Yep, that’s a fact.  Where to now Rachel?” 

 

She was already three steps ahead of them and began to quicken her pace.  Nick and Heath caught up to her, still not sure where they were going.  The trees stole most of the moonlight from them and they were having a difficult time making it through.  But still she kept going, she knew she would find Megan, she had to.

 

A small clearing appeared just ahead and the moon light returned and they began to see the outline of a small structure.  A gray structure that appeared to be in the middle of nowhere and sat by itself. 

 

As they drew closer to it, two brothers realized where Rachel was taking them.

 

“Rachel?”  Heath said quietly.  “Is this where your mother is buried?”

 

Rachel nodded in reply to him.

 

“Oh good Lord!”  Nick exclaimed, louder than he should have.  “She’s with the girl’s mother now.”  He took in his breath sharply.  “C’mon Heath!”  He ran the rest of the way towards the gray mausoleum and stopped just in front of it.  “Megan.”  Nick tried the heavy door and found it to be immovable on his own. 

 

Heath and Rachel threw their weight into it and the three began to pull on the door together.  It slowly began to give. 

 

“C’mon, all together, we can get this thing open!” 

 

With all their might they pulled again and the door creaked open enough for a person to squeeze through.  Nick squeezed himself inside.  The air was thick with dust and he couldn’t see a thing.   He pulled a match from his pocket and struck it against the cold wall.  The fire danced to life and he tried to take a look around.  He first saw two coffins, presumably Rachel’s mother and father.  Then, only a few steps in front of him, a figure lay motionless on the ground.

 

“Megan?”  He said.  The matchstick burned down to his fingertips and he blew it out.  Nick pulled another from his pocket and lit it as he knelt down for a better look. 

 

Meagan wasn’t moving, her eyes were shut and when he pulled off his glove and touched her skin he thought her to be dead.  She was so cold!  He bent his head down to her chest and heard the faint, slow heartbeat.  “Hang on honey!  I’m getting you out of here.”

 

Outside, the voices of two men carried to where Heath and Rachel stood.   Heath grabbed her arm and pushed her down low to the ground.  He put a finger to his lips.  Both their hearts were pounding as the two men drew closer.  She held her breath waiting and wondering, if it was on e of the men that worked for Simpson and they found them there…she was becoming panicky.  She could never allow herself to be in his grasp again. 

 

Heath felt her begin to shake and saw how wide her eyes had become, her fear was palpable.    He wrapped both of his arms around her and held her tightly.  She still shook, but just being in his arms did much to calm her emotions down and keep control.  Rachel leaned her head back against his chest as they waited and prayed for the men to pass them by.

 

Both their prayers were answered and the men passed by them at a fair distance.  But Heath was left with a feeling that he knew one of the voices he had heard.  It wasn’t Simpson, of that he was positive, but he knew that voice.

 

When they felt safe, Heath and Rachel slipped through the mausoleum door and went inside.  There was just enough room for them to stand.  Rachel knelt down next to Nick and felt for Megan’s pulse.  He pulled out a small pocketknife and began to cut through the bindings on Megan’s hands and feet.  Once they were cut, Nick removed his thick jacket and wrapped it around her then picked her up.

 

“Heath, take her.  I’ll go out the door and then you pass her to me.”  He gently laid Megan in Heath’s arms.  For just a moment, he stared at her face then put a kiss on her cool forehead.

 

Nick eased himself through the opening and Heath carefully began to ease Megan’s still frame through. 

 

“I got her.”  Nick said with a sigh of relief.

 

Heath started to exit as well but he found Rachel with her hands on top of both coffins.

 

“This is your mother and father, isn’t it?”  He asked.

 

“C’mon!”  Nick called out.

 

“Just one minute Nick, be right there.”  Heath replied.

 

“M.m.other a..an.d.d f.father.”  She spoke with tears in her eyes.

 

Heath put his hands on her shoulders and stood close behind her.  “I would’ve liked to have known them.”

 

“They’d love you.”  She whispered.

 

Heath pulled her close and kissed her hair.  “We should get going, Megan’s got to get out of the cold and by a warm fire.”

 

“Yes.”  She touched the coffins of her parents one last time before she turned and they went outside together.

 

“You okay Rachel?”  Nick asked, he understood that being in that place wouldn’t be an easy thing for her.

 

Rachel nodded to him and then took Megan’s hand in hers.  She felt the coolness of her skin and put her other hand around hers as well.  “Let’s go.”  She said.

 

Nick shot a look over to his brother and Heath shook his head.  Both of them had noticed that Rachel’s last few sentences had gone without a single stutter or pause.  But Heath didn’t want to bring notice to it just yet, he was afraid that if he made her self-conscious of her speech that the stuttering would start again.

 

They walked carefully and quietly back to the gap in the tall fence and then to the carriage.  Heath held Megan again for a moment and then handed Megan back up to Nick once he was seated.   Nick cradled her close, he rubbed her bare arms and calves briskly, trying to bring some warmth back to her skin.

 

Jarrod and David stood on the front porch, both smoking thick cigars.  At the sound of an approaching carriage, Jarrod cautiously lifted the leather safety from his gun and kept his hand on the handle.  David picked up the rifle in both hands and nervously touched his index finger to the trigger.

 

“Thank God.”  David said aloud when they could make out Heath driving the carriage.  He’d never before fired a weapon and he had been hoping that he wouldn’t have to do it that night.

 

They rushed down the steps to the street to help.  Jarrod was handed Megan while Nick got down and then he quickly took her from his brother and rushed inside the house with everyone following behind him.

 

“Mrs. Ling!”  Rachel called when she got inside.  “Mrs. Ling, please get lots of blankets.”

 

Mrs. Ling went up the stairs to gather blankets while Heath and Jarrod pulled a long sofa closer to the fireplace.  Nick knelt down and laid Megan out on the sofa.  He touched her cheek and stroked back her hair.

 

“You’re gonna be okay now Megan.”  He said gently.

 

Mrs. Ling returned with several blankets in her arms and handed them to Rachel.  She folded most of them and put them close to the fireplace to warm them and gave two to Nick to wrap around Megan.

 

“Where did you find her?”  Jarrod asked.

 

“Not us,”  Heath replied.  “Rachel.  Megan was bound up in a tomb, Rachel’s mother and father’s tomb.

 

Jarrod thought for a moment, “With their Mother, my God why didn’t I think of that?!”

 

“None of us did Jarrod, only Rachel.”

 

Rachel went beside Nick and felt Megan’s skin.  “Mrs. Ling, why don’t you see if there’s anything in the kitchen that can be made into a nice warm broth for her.  She’ll need something warm to drink when she wakes up and maybe some tea too.”

 

“Good idea Miss Rachel, I go do now.” 

 

“Why don’t you all go get some sleep, I’ll look after Megan for awhile.”  Rachel suggested.

 

“I’m staying right here.”  Nick replied.  “The rest of you, Rachel’s right, ya need some rest.  Only two more days till that trial and by God, you have got to put Simpson away!”

 

“There’s another sofa in the back, I’ll go prop myself in there.”  David said, “Is there always this much going on in your family?”  He asked Jarrod.

 

Jarrod smiled, “No, most times things are much more interesting!”  He patted David heartily on the back and headed upstairs, he was completely exhausted.

 

Rachel followed Heath out of the room for a moment.

 

Heath took her hands, “If you hadn’t thought of the tomb, we might never have found Megan.”

 

“I’m just glad I thought of it.  I can’t believe he locked her in there Heath.  She was surrounded by death, I don’t even think I want to know what it was like.”

 

Heath hugged her tightly, the pain was etched into her face and he wanted so much to take it all away.

 

“Heath, all those times I was locked in that basement, I was alone and so frightened.  But this last time, when you came and rescued me. Heath, I didn’t feel like I was alone.  Somehow, deep inside, I knew you’d come and find me.  I knew you wouldn’t give up.”

 

“I’ll never give up on you Rachel, don’t you know that by now?”

 

“I do now.”

 

 

 

Nick took the warm blanket that Rachel handed to him and they changed Megan’s coverings again for the third time that night.  He hadn’t left Megan’s side all night and now the sun was beginning to come up.  Her skin felt warmer to his touch and to make sure he wasn’t just imagining things, he had asked Rachel about it.  She had concurred with him, Megan’s skin was indeed getting warmer and she didn’t look nearly as pale as when they had brought her back to the house.  Megan’s soft hand was held in his large calloused hands and he brought it to his lips, putting a kiss on the center of her palm.

 

They heard a snort from across the room and Rachel and Nick shared a much needed chuckle. 

 

“Mrs. Ling does tend to snore a bit!”  Rachel smiled.

 

“She’s worse than brother Jarrod!”

 

“Really, he snores?  What of Heath, I don’t think I’ve ever heard him snore when I was staying at the ranch.”  Rachel’s curiosity was getting the better of her.  She was very comfortable around him, if she had a big brother she imagined she’d want him to be just like Nick.

 

“Nah, not really.  If he’s got a cold or something than he snores something fierce.  Heath’s more apt to talk in his sleep than anything else.  He once kept a conversation going with me for ten minutes, ‘fore I realized he was sound asleep!”

 

Rachel laughed, “I can just imagine that!”

 

A lion sized yawn came from Nick and he tried to rub the sleepiness from his eyes.

 

“Why don’t I go make us a pot of coffee Nick, we could both use it.”  Rachel looked out the window and saw first light, “Everyone’s going to be getting up soon, I best make a large pot!”  Standing up, she smoothed out her skirts before starting out of the room and towards the kitchen.

 

“Hey Rachel.”  Nick called to her.

 

“Yes?”

 

“Thanks..for everything.”

 

“I’m the one that’s grateful Nick to you and your whole family.”

 

Heath surprised himself by how late he had slept in.  The sun was already making it’s appearance when he first began to stir in the narrow bed.  He opened one eye to see the sun coming in the window and sat up abruptly.  He silently chastised himself for sleeping in so late, never mind the fact that it had been nearly three in the morning before they had gotten back to the house with Megan, he didn’t much care for sleeping in.  He pulled on his slacks and slipped his shirt over his shoulders, leaving it unbuttoned and went downstairs barefoot. 

 

As he went down the stairs, he could smell a pot of coffee brewing and the scent alone helped to waken him up fully.  That and the thought of who was most likely in the kitchen making the coffee, Rachel.  Heath opted to head for the kitchen first before checking on Megan’s condition.  He was rewarded with finding Rachel, her back turned towards him, in the kitchen setting out some coffee cups.  He stole up behind her and slid his arms around her waist.

 

“Morning,”  Heath pulled her dark long hair back off her shoulder and kissed the curve of her neck.   “How’s Megan?  Any change?”  He asked.

 

Rachel leaned back against him.  “She hasn’t regained consciousness yet, but her skin’s warmer now and I do believe the color is returning to her skin.  I do really believe she‘s going to be okay.”

 

“And how are you doing?”  He asked, then turned her around to face him directly.

 

She draped her arms over his broad shoulders.  “Much better now that you’re awake.”  Rachel boldly leaned in and kissed his thin lips. 

 

Heath smacked his lips, “Now that’s the way to wake up, better even than coffee!”  Pulling her close, he spoke to her softly.  “I’m sorry I missed the sunrise with you this morning.”

 

“It’s okay Heath, I’ve been pretty busy.  We’ll have lots more sunrises to spend together.”

 

“Yep, a lifetime’s worth of ‘em.”

 

Heath kissed her this time and drew her close till her body was pressed up tightly against his.  Desires grew and his large hands took to gently wandering across the fabric of her dress.  Still kissing her, with their lips parted, his hand touched a sensitive spot and she gasped his name.  Rachel felt herself melting into him as though they were becoming one person.  Never had being touched caused such sensations, she’d grown used to the idea that being touched would never feel good and she was almost shocked to find out what Heath’s gentle hands did to her senses.

 

“Rachel!”  Nick bellowed anxiously from the next room.

 

Heath’s cheek pressed up against hers.  “Well if that ain’t a sure way to ruin a moment!”

 

“I know.”  She replied, still trying to catch her breath and calm her rapid heartbeat.  “But I should go, he might really need my help with Megan.”

 

“Yep, I reckon so.”  Heath didn’t release her hand, instead he held onto it and followed her to where they found Nick standing next to the sofa.

 

“She’s starting to stir, thought ya wanna know.”  Nick told her.

 

“Yes I definitely do Nick.”  She knelt down on the floor next to Megan and touched her cheek.  When she did, Megan mumbled something incoherent.  “Come on Megan,”  Rachel coaxed, “open your eyes.”

 

Nick leaned over and kissed Megan’s forehead.  “C’mon Megan you can do it.  Wake up honey.”

 

Several apprehensive moments passed while the three of them waited and pleaded for Megan to wake up.  Abruptly, Megan sat straight up and began to scream, terrified.  Nick took hold of her and despite her fighting against him, he put his arms around her and held her close, whispering to her softly that she was safe and going to be okay.

 

“Nick?”  She said, still a bit confused.

 

“Yeah it’s me and you’re safe now.  Everything’s gonna be okay.”

 

She put her head back on his chest and wept tears of relief and sadness for what had happened.  “How did you find me?”

 

“It actually was Rachel, she’s the one that thought of you being in the tomb.  I’m just glad we found you.”  He held her for a while longer, with Heath and Rachel looking on and then laid her back down onto the pillow.  “You take it easy now, you’ve been through a lot.”  Nick brushed her hair back and took her hand in his.  “How about some broth or tea?  It’ll help you feel better.”  Megan nodded at him and he kissed her cheek.

 

“I’ll go heat it up Nick, be right back.”

 

Heath grasped his brother’s shoulder, he knew exactly what he was feeling.  “The children will be up soon.  I’ll make sure they try to stay pretty quiet today.  ‘Course Daniel and Hannah will wanna see their sister.”

 

“Yep.”  Nick replied, not taking his eyes off of Megan.

 

Once the room was cleared and she was alone with Nick, she spoke to him in a weak voice.  “Nick, I’m sorry.”

 

“Aww, nothing for ya to be sorry for Megan!  I’m the one that’s sorry, sorry it took me so long to find ya and sorry for the stupid things I said.  Can ya forgive me?”

 

“Nick, you’ve gotta know what happened to me.”

 

His fists clenched involuntarily.  “Megan, no matter what, it ain’t gonna change things between you and me.  Ain’t gonna change how I feel about ya.”

 

“But Nick..”  She started to protest.

 

He stopped her by putting his hand on her lips.  “It don’t change how I feel about ya, it don’t matter!”  Pulling her close, he kissed away the warm salty tears that fell on her cheeks.

 

Soon the children could be heard coming down the stairs, Daniel and Hannah went right to their sister.

 

“You’re back!”  Daniel said happily and threw his arms around her.

 

“Did ya miss us?”  Hannah asked.

 

“Oh so very much, I missed both of you so very much!”

 

Nick smiled and stood up, he gave Daniel a pat on the head and Hannah a kiss on her cheek before he turned and left the room to give the siblings some time together.  He headed towards the kitchen for a cup of coffee and when he entered the kitchen, he found Heath and Rachel locked in an embrace.  Nick turned back around with a wide grin on his face, but the smile quickly faded.  How long would this happiness last?

 

 

 

Under Nick’s tender loving care and with some help from Rachel; Megan was soon recovering from her injuries.  On the evening before the trial was to begin, she attempted to assist Mrs. Ling and Rachel with dinner and was promptly shooed out of the kitchen.

 

Rachel didn’t take her eyes off of Mrs. Ling.  She stared at her intently, trying to commit to memory, everything that the woman did in the kitchen to prepare their dinner.  Rachel was soon going to be a wife, Heath’s wife and she very much wanted and needed to learn how to cook a good meal.  However, she’d not been allowed in a kitchen since her mother had died and she had no idea how to make anything but coffee.  But Mrs. Ling proved to be quite territorial in the kitchen and despite Rachel’s constant looking over her shoulder, she wouldn’t allow the young woman to lift a finger.  So Rachel was left to stand out of the way and watch, trying to pick up whatever information that she could.

 

In the front parlor, Nick and Heath were kept busy by three children with bad cases of cabin fever and one injured young woman who swore up and down that she could do whatever she wanted.

 

Nick and Megan were well into their third argument of the day and like before, it was all over Megan’s health.  She felt ready to take on the world and Nick wanted her to stay on the sofa for another day.

 

The arguing sounded all to familiar to Heath, but slightly different.  “Changed roles.”  He said to no one in particular.

 

Nick and Megan stopped their arguing and turned to look down at Heath, sitting on the floor with the children.

 

“What?” Nick asked, putting his hands on his hips.

 

“Huh?”  Heath looked up at them, not realizing that his comment had been set out loud.   “Oh, I was just thinking that you two sound like you and Mother, Nick.  All ‘cepting the fact that the roles are reversed.”

 

Nick scowled at Heath, “Ya trying at tell me that I sound like Mother?”

 

“Yep, guess I am.”  Heath chuckled.

 

The angry scowl was taken over by a roar of laughter that could be heard from one corner of the house to the other and went on for several minutes.  When it had subsided, he grinned charmingly at Megan and threw his arm around her shoulder.  “C’mon my lady, why don’t we go check out the backyard, it’s small but mighty nice.”

 

She laughed at his change in attitude and put an arm around his trim waist.  “I’m all yours sir!”

 

Jarrod and David were at the dining room table, getting ready for the trial the next morning.  They had papers spread all over the table.

 

“I think we’ve got this case nailed Jarrod.”    David leaned back in his chair and locked his hands behind his head, a satisfied look on his face.

 

Jarrod looked across the table at him, “Don’t count your chickens before they’ve hatched David.  Nothing’s nailed until the jury reads the verdict.”

 

“Normally I would agree with you Jarrod.  But even the prosecutor, who’s the biggest pessimist I know, thinks this is locked.”

 

“I know, I know.  Maybe it just feels too good to me.”

 

“Too good?”

 

“Too neat and tidy, too perfect.”

 

“But it’s that good because of all the work on our end.  Mrs. Taylor is going to testify on the Cruelty to Animals end, we’ve got Rachel’s testimony, Megan’s and even Laura if we need it.  What more can we ask for?”

 

“I don’t know David.”

 

“Look Jarrod, I know we were concerned with Simpson claiming that Rachel was his willing partner; but now that we’ve got Megan, we can’t go wrong!”

 

“I know..I know, but..”

 

She came into the dining room and found the scattered papers and the two men discussing the case.  “Alright you two, I need to set the table for dinner.  Go play in another room”  Rachel told them.

 

“We’re going!”  Jarrod smiled at her.  “Something good is cooking in the kitchen and I’m starving!”  Jarrod, along with David, gathered their papers together and cleared out of the dining room. 

 

Dinner proved to be a quiet affair.  The adults at the table were weighed down heavily by thoughts of the trial and yet, they didn’t want to discuss it in front of the children.  That talk would be saved for after all the children were tucked in and sleeping soundly.  They paid half attention to what the children were talking about and Heath promised to tell them all a story before they went to bed.

 

Megan and Rachel locked eyes across the table and smiled.  Both of them feeling quite blessed to have the brothers in their lives.  But there was a shadow on both of their faces though, soon they would both have to testify against Alexander Simpson.  Though they knew it was something that they had to do; it wasn’t something that they were looking forward to.

 

Later that night, Heath kept his promise and while Rachel sat with Laura on her bed and Megan, along with Nick, stood by the bedroom door; Heath told them a thrilling story.  A real story of Heath and his brother Nick out on a cattle drive; something that seemed almost everyday to him but to the children the story was a thrill a minute.

 

The children were fast asleep by the story’s end and the two couples wanted a little time before they would sit down with Jarrod and David to further discuss the case.  Nick and Megan headed out the rear door into the backyard, while Heath and Rachel went onto the front porch and their favorite porch swing.

 

“Little chilly tonight.”  Heath put his arms around Rachel.

 

“Not too bad, a little refreshing if you ask me.”  Laying her head on his shoulder, she whispered to him.  “Do you really think they’ll get him put away for a long time?”

 

“Yeah, I think they will.  Having Megan’s testimony is going to be a big help to us.  He’s going away for a very long time honey.  You won’t have to worry about him anymore.”

 

“And what about Laura?  Are we going to win that too?”

 

“Jarrod seems to have a pretty good case going.  I think we will get custody of her, for good.  We won’t have to worry about your step-father ever again!”

 

“Oh I hope so Heath!  It’s got to be over, it has to.”

 

Kissing her soft forehead, he whispered, “It will be over and soon.”

 

A single gunshot shattered the window pane just behind their heads.

 

“Get down!”  Heath grabbed her and pulled her to the floor.  He shielded her body with his own and reached for the sidearm that he was never without anymore.    He raised his head slightly to peer over the porch wall.  He couldn’t see anything in the darkness.

 

Jarrod was soon out the front door, crouched down low.  “Where’d it come from?”

 

“I don’t know, I can’t see anything.  Jarrod, get Rachel inside!” 

 

“Be careful.”  She whispered and crawled behind Jarrod into the house.  Nick soon passed by her and joined his brothers out on the porch.  David, as requested by Jarrod, went to the back door of the house to make sure no attack would come from there.

 

As Nick moved next to Heath, several more shots were fired in quick succession and narrowly missed Jarrod as he came outside again.  Heath took aim at a rustle in the bushes across the street and fired.  They saw one man’s head appear above the hedges and all three brothers fired.

 

Silence.

 

“I think we got him.”  Nick whispered.

 

Heath held up his hand, he heard a sound.  “Someone’s running away!”  Heath raced down the steps and out into the street, he saw a man round the corner and he took off after him.  But as soon as Heath had made it around the corner, the man was gone.  He returned to the house and found Nick and Jarrod standing by the bushes across the street.

 

The brothers looked down at the man lying face down on the ground.  Nick used his boot to turn the man over.

 

“I’ll be damned.”  Nick uttered.

 

“What is it?”

 

“Jarrod, that’s one of the men from Stockton, the one that shot me.”

 

“Are ya sure?”  Heath asked.

 

“Very sure, not likely to forget someone that puts a hole in your side.”

 

Jarrod sighed and crossed his arms.  “And those men were Federal Marshals out looking for Rachel.”

 

 

 

“I’m glad that I decided to come by and give you an escort to the courthouse.  I can’t believe you came under attack again!”  The chief sighed and looked down at the dead body in front of him. 

 

“So what happens now?”  Heath asked warily.

 

“We try and find out who he was working for.”

 

“But,”  Jarrod started, “he’s a Federal Marshall, we already know that.”

 

“WAS, Jarrod, was a Federal Marshall.  He handed in his badge a couple of weeks ago I think.  Word has it that now he’s working as a Bounty Hunter for whomever is the highest bidder.”

 

“He decided on the new job round about the time we arrived.”  Nick observed. 

 

“And you say he shot you back in Stockton?”  The chief asked.

 

“Yep, I’m sure it was him.”

 

Jarrod thought for a moment before speaking.  “It sounds to me like Simpson was the highest bidder then.” 

 

“Got any proof of that?”

 

“No Chief, not yet, but I will.”

 

“I’ll have my men take care of the body.  Who’s going to court today?”

 

“Just myself and David.”  Jarrod answered.  “Jury selection and hopefully opening statements, if we get that far.  Just let me get changed and I‘ll be ready to go.”

 

 

Two hours later, Jarrod and David pulled up to the courthouse for the start of jury selection.  The prosecutor, Dan Whiting, was waiting on the front steps for them when they arrived.

 

“Heard you had a bit of excitement last night.”  Dan said.

 

“Oh if you can call someone trying to kill you a bit of excitement, than that’s what we had last night.”  Jarrod replied, his voice tinged with anger. 

 

The three lawyers climbed the steps to the courthouse together and into the courtroom on the first floor.  The rear of the gallery was already filled with reporters.  Jarrod and David sat down in the first row of the gallery, directly behind Dan.  As neither of them were officially prosecutors in the case, they were not allowed into the actual court area or as Jarrod often called it, the lion’s den.

 

Soon, the three lawyers representing Simpson came in and sat down at the opposite table, all three of them taking the time to cast a look of disdain in Jarrod’s and David’s direction.

 

Just before the judge was due to arrive and officially begin the process of jury selection; Alexander Simpson came strolling into the courtroom.  Jarrod’s blood boiled at the sight of Simpson appearing to be taking all of this far too casually.  Simpson stopped, chatted and chuckled with several people in the gallery before he made his way up front and sat down with his lawyers.

 

After four hours, it was quite clear that no opening statements were going to be made on the first day.  By the time of their lunch break, less than half of the jurors had been seated.  If they weren’t current customers of First Bank, where Simpson was president, they were past customers and Simpson’s lawyers were relentless in proving that they would not be impartial and carried some grudge against their client.

 

After lunch, it appeared that Dan was growing quite impatient with the entire process.  David voiced his displeasure with two of the jury members, in fact he was very passionate about it.  But the prosecutor had insisted that they were solid choices and refused to give in to David. 

 

By lunch break the following day, the entire jury had been seated and the afternoon would begin with opening statements.  Jarrod longed to be the lawyer standing up there giving his opening statement.  He knew how good he was with a jury and wondered at Dan’s capabilities.

 

Dan took a deep breath, rose from his chair and went to stand directly in front of the jury.  “Good afternoon gentlemen.  This case is quite simple actually.  The state intends to prove that over the course of the last seven years, a young woman by the name of Rachel Knight was both physically and sexually abused by the accused.  Rachel Knight was a mere fourteen years of age when she was first attacked and raped by Mr. Simpson, she was only a child.

 

We also further intend to prove that Mr. Simpson, in an effort to locate Rachel Knight, kidnapped, raped and left Megan O’Rourke to die in a tomb.

 

Furthermore, we intend to prove that Mr. Simpson’s own daughter, Laura Simpson was abused by her father and we intend to show that she does have rights as a minor child and intend for custody of Miss Simpson to be permanently taken away from Alexander Simpson.  Thank you.”  Dan turned around and sat back down with a contended smile on his face.

 

“Bland.”  David whispered.  “I’ve seen the man more passionate over fruit stand robberies.”

 

“I couldn’t agree more.”  Jarrod nodded.  “Perhaps we should talk to him once court is adjourned for the day.  Make sure that he’s passionate about the rest of this trial.  He won’t win over anyone with that monotone voice.”

 

It was time for the defense to make it’s opening statement and the youngest of Simpson’s lawyers stood before the jury with his hands on his hips.  “What we have here gentlemen, is nothing more than a misunderstanding and quite possibly the wild musings of a young woman in love.

 

Mr. Simpson is not a criminal!  Perhaps, he suffered from poor judgment in matters of the heart but haven’t many of us suffered the same affliction?  The truth of the matter is that Miss Knight is a sick young woman and in need of help.  Yes, Mr. Simpson was involved with her romantically and yes, he did have sexual relations with her.  He loved her.  But what is the case now?  A woman scorned, Miss Knight was dropped by Mr. Simpson when she kept insisting on their sexual encounters becoming more and more violent.  Miss Knight was only able to derive any pleasure from their encounters when pain was involved.  Mr. Simpson only wanted to please the woman he loved, but eventually it became all too much for him.  He couldn’t take the idea anymore that his love was not enough, he couldn’t take anymore the foul language and the way she always tried to make him feel bad about himself, say horrible things to him.  So he put an end to their relationship and that should have been the end of it.  But no, now we are here because of a woman scorned.  Let it end here gentlemen, don’t make this man suffer anymore than he already has because of this young woman.  End it here.”

 

Jarrod shook his head as the defense attorney sat back down with his fellow lawyers and Mr. Simpson.  The attorney had done quite well, he was passionate, he had evoked the emotions of the jury by bringing reference to many a men having suffered heartbreak.  The young lawyer was good, very good.

 

 

Jarrod followed David back to his office and David’s secretary, Miss Hadley, took both of their coats and hats.

 

“Thank you Miss Hadley.”  Jarrod said politely.  “You know I don’t recall your first name.”

 

“That’s because I’ve never told you.”  She replied and once she walked from the room, a small smile streaked across her face.

 

“Don’t bother, she’s a complete bookworm, I can’t tell you how many of my clients have attempted to court her.”  David went to his small bar and poured two oversized glasses of scotch, with a mere sprinkling of water.  He handed one to Jarrod and then sat down in his large chair with a heavy sigh.

 

“Well I’d say today was score one for the defense.  I’m glad we’re meeting with Dan first thing in the morning.  Still I have the feeling I would have much preferred it if you were the state prosecutor David.”

 

“Thank you, I would say that’s high praise.  But I don’t think we should worry too much just yet.  He may have been a bit bland today, but you wait.  I’ve seen him in the courtroom Jarrod, he can be quite good.” 

 

“I hope you’re right.  Now tomorrow, our witnesses will be the Chief of Police, the officer that was let off early when Rachel was attacked and Mrs. Ling.”

 

“And if we’re lucky, we’ll get through the three of them in one day.  But Simpson’s lawyers just love to drag things out and they will try to draw this trial out as long as possible then make it look like we’re the ones dragging our heels.  Then when it’s their turn, they’ll be going at lightning speed trying to show off how well prepared and efficient they are.”

 

“So that’s how they operate.”  Jarrod leaned back in his chair and drank down another gulp of scotch.  “Tomorrow’s another day.”  He said more to himself than David.  He drank down the drop left in his glass and set it down upon David’s desk.

 

“Heading out?”

 

“Yes I’d better.  They’ll be wanting to hear how the first day went and what’s coming next.”  Jarrod opened the large office door, “I’ll see you at eight then.”

 

“Night Jarrod and get some rest, you look like you could use it.”

 

“I’ll do my best.”  Jarrod took his coat and hat from Miss Hadley.  “Goodnight Miss Hadley, I’ll see you tomorrow.”

 

“Goodnight Mr. Barkley.”  She replied and as he opened the door to step outside she called after him.  “Michelle.”

 

“What?”  He stopped.

 

“My name is Michelle.”

 

“Michelle, thank you.  I’m Jarrod.”

 

“Yes I know.  Goodnight.”

 

Jarrod tipped his hat with a smile and boarded the carriage for the ride back to the house.  He played out the next day in his mind, the testimony from the chief and from Mrs. Ling was especially crucial.  He imagined just how he would speak to them and thought of several good questions to ask that he would bring back to the prosecutor in the morning.

 

Little Hannah, Megan’s youngest sibling, had taken quite the shining to the young lawyer and after dinner, she waited by the front window for his return.  When she saw him pulling up, she forgot all about the rule of not going out front and went out the front door and down the steps.

 

“Hannah!”  Megan shouted after her.

 

Jarrod jumped down from the carriage and quickly caught the freckled little girl up in his arms.  “Hello there!”

 

“How was court today?”

 

“It was just fine thank you.  But you’re not supposed to be outside are you?”  Jarrod grabbed his valise and walked quickly up to the house.

 

“No, I fowgat.  I’m sorry.”  Hannah stuck her index finger in her mouth. 

 

“It’s okay honey, just don’t forget next time.”  He made it to the front door and Megan took Hannah from him.

 

“Little one, what did I tell you.”  She said as she walked away, holding her little sister’s hand.

 

Jarrod removed his coat and hat and tossed them onto the hall table.  “Something sure smells good.”  He said as Nick and Heath approached him. 

 

“Pork chops.”  Heath said.  “How’d it go today?”

 

“Oh well the jury has finally been selected and we got to the opening statements.”

 

“Yeah, and how did that go?”  Nick had his arms tightly folded across his chest.

 

“Let’s go upstairs where we can talk more privately.”

 

Rachel emerged from the side room, “I think I’ll join you.”

 

“Rachel,”  Jarrod sighed, “it might be best if you don’t hear this.”

 

“I’m a grown woman Jarrod and I do believe that this case involves me so I should know whatever is going on.”

 

“She’s got a right to know Jarrod.”  Heath agreed and took her hand in his.

 

“Why don’t we all go to the kitchen, I do believe there’s still some dinner left for you.”  Rachel extended her other arm to Jarrod and he gratefully accepted it.

 

Rachel’s extended arm to him was a long awaited olive branch.  He had made such a huge mistake and it had cost Rachel and Laura dearly, but now she was extending her arm to him and somehow he felt a tremendous weight lifting off his shoulders.  “Wonderful,”  He replied and linked his arm in hers, “I’m starving.”

 

After preparing him a plate, Mrs. Ling left the room to tend to the children with Megan.  Heath felt Rachel’s hand tighten in his as Jarrod began to talk of what had happened during the course of the day.  He finally got around to the opening statements and played up the one that the prosecutor had made.

 

“And what did Simpson’s lawyers have to say?”  Nick demanded to know.

 

Jarrod hesitated and toyed with the food on his plate.

“Please Jarrod, I have to know what’s going on, don’t leave me in the dark.”  Rachel implored him.

 

“It boils down to this, they are alleging that you and your stepfather were lovers and that he eventually broke it off.  They want the jury to believe that this is all a personal vendetta of yours, that you are a woman scorned.”

 

“I see.”  She said in a small voice.

 

The rage in Heath‘s soul grew closer to the surface.  “He broke it off with her?  That son of a b..”

 

“There’s something else Rachel.”

 

“What is it?  Please Jarrod..”

 

“He’s claiming that you enjoyed things rough.”

 

“What?!”  heath stood up from the table and began to pace the room.  Nick slammed his fist against the wall.

 

“I’m sorry.  He’s saying or rather his lawyers are saying that he broke it off because you kept wanting things to be more and more violent, that you said demeaning things to him and treated him badly.”

 

Rachel stood up from the table without a word and started to leave the kitchen, but Heath stopped her and cupped his hands around her face. 

 

“Rachel, you all right?”

 

“Yes, I’m fine.  It’s time for the children to get to bed, I’d better go lend Megan and Mrs. Ling a hand.”

 

“I’ll come help.”

 

“No it’s okay Heath, we’ll manage.” 

 

He watched her leave the room  and leaned up against the wall.  “When is this all going to be over?  How much more can we expect her to take?”

 

Sometime later when all the children had been put to bed, Jarrod had gone to sleep in the chair and Nick and Megan were in the backyard together; Heath went upstairs and knocked on Rachel’s door.

 

“It’s me Rachel, can I come in?”  He tried to speak as quietly as possible.

 

“Yes, come in.”

 

He opened the door and found her sitting on the bed with a book in her hands.  She had her long chestnut hair hanging down loosely about her shoulders.  Her ivory nightgown was a stark contrast the deep colors of the quilt that surrounded her.

 

Heath sat down at the end of the bed.  “Ya wanna tell me how you’re really doing?”

 

Rachel put her book down, “I’m angry Heath, I’m  so angry that I wish I was more like Nick right now.  I wanted to slam my fist into a wall, I want to rant and rave and scream at the top of my voice!”

 

“So what’s stopping ya?  Ya certainly got a right to be madder than a wet hen, so go ahead and rant!”

 

Rachel rolled her eyes at him.  “Heath!  I can’t rant right now, I’ll wake up the children!”

 

He thought for a moment then grabbed a pillow from behind her.  “Okay then, hit this.”

 

“What?”  She laughed.

 

“Go ahead and punch it, you’ll feel better.”

 

“Heath, I don’t see how..”

 

“Punch it!”

 

“Oh alright!”  Rachel balled up her fist and gave the pillow a small jab.

 

“You’re only that mad?!  I thought you were way angrier than that!”

 

“I am!”

 

“Then hit it like you mean it!”

 

She hit it again, harder this time.

 

“Again!”

 

Rachel began laughing and hit the pillow with all her might.

 

“Feel better now?”  Heath asked, putting down the pillow.

 

“Actually, yes I do feel better.”

 

Heath moved up closer to her on the bed and kissed her lips tenderly.  “Good, now go to sleep.”  He got up and went to the door.

 

“Heath?”

 

“Yeah?”

 

“Don’t go. Stay and hold me?  I just don‘t want to be alone right now.”

 

 

Halfway between his dreams and being awake , he wasn’t sure if what he felt was real or imagined.  But then, the figure next to him stirred in his arms and he knew she was real.  Rachel’s head was nestled in his shoulder and she lay on her side with her body against his.  She fit there just perfectly, Heath thought to himself, like two puzzle pieces joined together.  He relished the feeling of her there, of the softly scented hair that brushed across his chest and tickled him, of the long leg that draped across his own and her slender soft hand clasped in his large and calloused one.

 

They’d come so close during the night, to knowing each other fully, so close that he ached for her.  A whispered conversation between them had ended with an agreement to wait until she was his wife.  They wouldn’t do anything that they could ever possibly regret, they had agreed.   But in their silent thoughts, neither of them thought that they could ever possibly regret it happening, how could they regret showing the other how much love there was between them?

 

Rachel moved again and Heath looked down to find her sleepy eyes and a small smile looking back at him.

 

He ran his fingers through her tousled hair.  “G’morning.” He whispered.

 

“Good morning.”

 

“Sun’s gonna be comin’ up soon.”  He kissed her and parted her lips to taste her again and he felt his desires for her swell once more. 

 

Rachel pulled away just slightly.  Her head was swimming, of course it would be improper, scandalous even, to know him before they were married.  All those years, she’d only knew what it was like to be taken by force to do something she didn’t want to do.  Rachel desperately wanted to know what it would be like to be with the man that she loved, a man that she would willingly give herself to.  How different would it be?  Would it hurt like before?  Was it something that she could enjoy?  She’d heard that it was something that a man and woman enjoyed together; but had all the joy been taken from her?  Rachel desperately wanted to know what it would be like to be with Heath and a part of her suspected that she already knew the answer to her questions.  Heath’s touch made her feel things that she never knew existed.  At one moment, he could calm her and comfort her and in the next a single touch from him could make her heart pound wildly and her breath catch in her throat.  But they had been right when they had talked about it, they would wait until they were wed, not just because it was the proper thing to do but because it was the right thing for them to do.

 

“What are you thinking?”  He asked, she looked a lifetime away.

 

“I was just thinking I should go make us some coffee before the sun comes up.”  Rachel squeezed his hand and got out of bed.

 

He didn’t want her to leave, her sudden departure left him feeling an emptiness that he hadn’t anticipated.  He never wanted to have another night alone without her.  It was funny he thought, he’d never noticed it before but now he when she left the bed, something was missing.  Rachel made him feel whole.  Before she’d come into his life, he’d always desired a wife and a family of his own, but never felt like his life was missing something.  Now, he couldn’t imagine life without her.

 

He’d wanted so much to make love to her during the night, but he had held back, not wanting to take the chance of bringing back any painful memories.  He wanted to show her how much he loved her, slowly, take all night if need be.  Let her know just how tender making love could be.  He’d had nightmares about it, though he would never tell her.  He had dreams of walking with her and holding hands and then that monster would appear from nowhere.  He would take Rachel from him and then he couldn’t see her anymore but he could hear her screams, begging Simpson to stop.  No matter how hard he tried, in his nightmares he couldn’t find her, only hear her.  He would awaken in a cold sweat and his breath coming in short gasps; it would be several minutes before he was able to regain his composure.  Thankfully, he hadn’t had that dream while he was in her room.  In fact, he mused, it had been the best night’s sleep in months.

 

Heath threw his legs over the side of the bed and stood up.  Few items of clothing had come off during the night, his boots, his belt and his shirt were all sitting on the chair next to the bed.  He grabbed all three items and put them back on where they belonged then opened the bedroom door.

 

Nick stepped out of Megan’s door and ran headlong into Heath.  Nick was carrying his boots in his hands and his shirt was draped over his arm.  After the initial shock wore off, he broke into a wide grin.  “Morning Heath.”

 

“Morning Nick.”  Heath replied with a lopsided grin.  “Sleep well?”

 

“Like a baby!  You?”  He nudged his brother’s shoulder.

 

“Best I slept in months.”  Heath could’ve spent hours trying to convince Nick that nothing had happened between Rachel and himself but for some reason that wasn’t completely obvious to himself, he remained silent as he watched Nick retreat to their bedroom.

 

Heath came downstairs and found Rachel in the kitchen, with Mrs. Ling.  They already had made the coffee and Mrs. Ling was continually trying to shoo Rachel out of the kitchen. 

 

“How am I going to learn to cook for my future husband if you keep pushing me away?”  Rachel told Mrs. Ling, exasperated.  She didn’t realize that Heath was standing a mere few feet from her.

 

“Oh I don’t know.”  He said to his surprised future wife.  “But I don’t think ya’ll have to worry about that much.  Seeing as how I think Mrs. Ling will be cooking for us for a very long time!”  He laughed and hugged Rachel as though he hadn’t seen her in hours.

 

“You mean that Misser Heath?  You mean I stay with Rachel?”

 

“For as long as you think you can put up with us.”

 

“Oh I take good care of both of you, you see.  And all your children, you have lots of children?”

 

“Plannin’ on it Mrs. Ling, lots of children.”  Heath gave Rachel a nudge.

 

“Good morning everyone.”  Jarrod came into the kitchen and sat down at the table.  He gratefully accepted the coffee that Rachel put down in front of him.

 

“You look tired.”  Rachel observed.

 

“Didn’t sleep that well I’m afraid.” 

 

“Worried about the trial?”  Heath asked.

 

“Supoose that I am.  Mrs. Ling are you all ready to come with me this morning to the courthouse?”

 

“Yes, I tink so.  Will Misser Simpson’s lawyers be mean to me?”  She asked warily.

 

“Mrs. Ling, all I can tell you is that I hope they are.  Because if they are all sweet to you, well then that’s when you’ve got to be the most careful.  They are going to try and get you to say things you don’t mean.  Just remember everything you told me and don’t say anything else; you’ll be just fine.”

 

“I hope so.  Don’t want Rachel or Laura to go back there.  I no want to go back there either.”

 

“Don’t worry Mrs. Ling, I know you’ll do okay.”  Rachel gave the dear woman a kiss on the cheek.

 

“I hope so.  I so nervous!”

 

An hour later, Jarrod left the house with Mrs. Ling.  Nick and Megan, along with Heath and Rachel waved at them as they left.  Rachel gripped Heath’s hand hard.  The day was finally here, her step=father was finally standing trial for everything he had done.  But would a jury of his so-called peers find him guilty.    Rachel found herself lacking in some much needed patience, she wanted this trial to be over now.  She wanted her step-father to be put away for the rest of his life.  And she wanted it all to happen as soon as possible.  Once the dark clouds were gone; she and her sister were free.  They could start over again, start their new lives in their new home and Rachel could give all her attentions to being Heath’s wife.

 

 

Jarrod and David joined forces to have a much needed discussion with the prosecutor.  Jarrod remained standing, despite the offered plush chair, he wanted to get his point across quite firmly and thought it would be best given from a standing position.

 

“Dan, what we need is more passion in this case.  C’mon you understand the brevity of it all.  These young women have been abused and Megan was kidnapped!  This is not a time to be mundane.”

 

“Jarrod, really you are exaggerating things.  I am not being mundane.  Quite the contrary, I am very passionate about this case.  However, you must understand that if I get too overzealous, I’m going to sound like some activist campaigning for some kind of new law that would give children more rights.”

 

“But ultimately Dan, that is what needs to happen.”  David asserted.

 

“Of course it is, but right now we need to focus on just Rachel Knight and Laura Simpson, not the grand scheme of things.  Trust me on this please, you really don’t have a thing to worry about!  I know what I’m doing!”

 

 

 

The jury had been selected, the opening statements made and now the drama would truly begin.  Jarrod leaned back in the gallery chair and took a look around.  There wasn’t a free seat in the courtroom and in fact a line of people stood against the back wall to watch the most intriguing trial in Chicago, in several years.  The jury was impossible to read, they usually were at this juncture, not enough had been said to reveal their true thoughts.  He hoped that there weren’t too many poker types on the jury, he felt truly in his element when he was able to pull and see emotions on their faces.  But all of this was out of his hands.  He was a watcher, a bystander in this trial and it irked him to no end. 

 

“Call your first witness.”  The judge said.

 

Dan turned back and smiled quickly at Jarrod and David.  He stood up and buttoned his jacket, “The prosecution calls Officer Mark Johnson.”

 

The officer, in uniform, came forward and swore to tell the truth on the Holy Bible.

 

“State your full name please.”  Dan told him.

 

Still standing, he replied.  “Mark Andrew Johnson, Officer Mark Andrew Johnson.”

 

“Thank you officer, please be seated.”  Dan waited till the officer was seated somewhat comfortably in the large wooden chair.  “You stated that you are an officer?”

 

“Yes sir.”

 

“With the Chicago police force?”

 

“Yes sir.”

 

“On April 25th of this year, can you tell me what you were doing in the morning?”

 

“Yes sir.  I was keeping watch outside a house.  The police chief had reason to believe that the people staying there might come under some kind of attack.”

 

“I see.  And how many people were staying in that house?”

 

“Objection.”  The defense called out.

 

“On what grounds?”

 

“He just stated that he was assigned to keeping watch outside the house, not inside.  He can’t provide us with the number of people staying inside, that would be purely speculation on his part.”

 

The judge turned to the officer, “Young man, did you ever enter the house?”

 

“No sir.”

 

“Very well then, the objection is sustained.  Move on counselor.”

 

Dan rolled his eyes.  “Alright then, when did you go on duty.”

 

“About eleven the evening prior.  April 24th sir.”

 

“Anything happen while you were on duty, officer?”

 

“No sir, the night was all quiet.  I saw one man come from inside the house and stand out on the porch, smoking a cigarette.”

 

“Nothing else?”

 

“Not until the morning sir.”

 

“And did anything unusual happen in the morning.”

 

“I was relieved of my duties sir.”

 

“Well that doesn’t sound unusual to me.  Why did it seem unusual to you?”

 

“It wasn’t who I was expecting sir.  I was expecting Tom, I mean Officer Tom Franklin, but he didn’t come.”

 

“So who did show up to replace you?”

 

“A new officer on the force.  Phillip Benting.  He got there late and said the chief had told him to come as Tom’s replacement.”

 

“I see and you fund this unusual?”

 

“Yes sir.  The chief was only putting his most trusted men on this and Benting was brand new on the force.”

 

“And what happened after that?”

 

“I went home sir.  But when I came back on duty later, I found out that Officer Benting had tried to kill a young woman in the house and that he was dead.”

 

“I see and who was that young woman?”

“Objection your honor, really!”

 

“Yes?”  The judge sighed.

 

“Your honor, he just said that he found out Benting had tried to kill a young woman.  He didn’t witness it, how can he possibly know first hand what really happened in that house and who the woman was?”

 

“I see your point.  Objection sustained.  Move on Mr. Prosecutor.”  The judge leaned over the desk and pointed a finger at Dan.  “You really should know better.”   He chided him.

 

“I apologize, your honor.”  Dan looked at his witness and then back at the judge.  “No further questions, your honor.”

 

“Does the Defense wish to question this witness?”  The judge asked.

 

The eldest of Simpson’s attorneys stood up.  “Indeed we do, your honor.”  He smoothed back his sparse gray hair and walked to the witness box.  “You said you saw someone on the porch having a cigarette during the night?”

 

“Yes sir, I did.”

 

“And who was that?”

 

“Oh..I don’t know who it was but I think it was one of the men here from California.”

 

“I see, but you don’t know who.”

 

“No sir, not for sure.”

 

“Tell me, you said that they you found it unusual that Officer Benting came to relieve you?”

 

“Yessir, pretty unusual.”

 

The attorney nodded his head, “Ah, pretty unusual.  So it was unusual enough for you to do what?”

 

“I’m sorry sir, don’t understand.”  The young officer looked perplexed.

 

Jarrod knew the next question, he would’ve asked it himself in the same position.  Not good, he thought, not good at all.

 

“So if it was truly unusual, did you report it back to your chief of police?”

 

“Well, umm…no sir I didn’t.”

 

“Uh-huh.  Then you must have stuck around for a while just to make sure that everything was as it was supposed to be.”

 

“Ummm, no sir.”

 

“No?”  The lawyer turned around and moved next to the jury.  “So it was truly unusual, but you didn’t report it and you didn’t stick around.  Sounds to me like you either didn’t care or it wasn’t as unusual an event as you would like us all to believe.”

 

“But I..”

 

“No further questions your honor.”

 

“You may go Officer, thank you for your time.”  The judge nodded at the police officer.  “Call your next witness.”

 

Dan stood up again, “The prosecution calls Chief of Police Jacob O’Toole.”

 

David leaned into Jarrod whispered.  “Let’s pray that this one goes better.  Dan doesn’t seem like himself today.”

 

“He better get back to himself quickly, we can’t let this trial fail because he’s not quite himself!”  Jarrod replied.  He sat up in his chair and crossed his arms across his chest. 

 

“Thank you for taking time out of your day to come here Chief.”  Dan started.  “Do you know the defendant, Alexander Simpson?”

 

“I know of him, but we’ve never been formally introduced.”

 

“Have you ever had occasion to meet his daughter, Laura Simpson or his step-daughter, Rachel Knight?”

 

“Yes I have.”

 

“And can you tell me about when you met these two?”

 

“Yes I can.  On the evening of April 19th, I was paid a visit by David Travers and a lawyer from California by the name of Jarrod Barkley.  They told me about what had happened to both of those young woman.  It was horrible to hear, abuse, beatings and the older one, Rachel, being raped.”

 

“Objection Your Honor, really this is too much!”

 

“I would have to agree with the Defense.  Chief, you will limit your answers to what you know as fact and not hearsay.”

 

“But your honor,”  Dan objected.  “He is merely telling us what transpired on the occasion that he met the victims.”

 

“Alleged victims and if he is going to state what was said to him, he must refer to the events as alleged and not as factual.”

 

“Yes your honor.  Please continue chief.”

 

The chief glared at Simpson’s defense lawyers and then began again.  “They asked if I would meet with the young women.”

 

“And did you?”

 

“Yes I did.”

 

“And what did you find?”

 

“That they were both hurt.”

 

“Hurt?  How?”

 

“The youngest one, Laura had a large black eye that encompassed nearly a quarter of her face.”

 

“And the older one, Rachel, did she have any discernable wounds?”

 

The chief closed his eyes.  “Many.  There’s this wound around her neck, a scar.  It’s horrible to see.”

 

“Anything else?”

 

“Yes, when I met her, she was recovering from wounds to her back.  Many wounds to her back.”

 

“What kind of wounds were they?”

 

“They looked to whipping wounds, too many of them to count.”  The chief replied, wincing as he spoke.

 

The defense attorney slammed a cup on the table.  “Objection!  Your honor, he didn’t witness the injuries so he can’t testify where they came from.”

 

“Overruled counselor.  The Chief of Police has been on the job long enough that we can consider his testimony regarding wounds to be of an expert nature.”

 

“Finally,”  Jarrod whispered, “One for our side.”

 

“So these wounds on her back, were they new?”  Dan asked.

 

“Some were brand new and some were scars that looked to be several years old.  It was hard to tell, her entire back was a mix of old and new wounds.  No one should suffer what she obviously has.”

 

“I see.”  Dan looked at the jury and walked to the jury box, facing them, he threw out his next question.  “What can you tell me about Megan O’Rourke and her disappearance?”

 

The chief tried to choose his words carefully before he laid them out for everyone to hear.  “Megan O’Rourke was helping Rachel Simpson and Laura Knight.  It was because of her assistance that she was kidnapped, raped and beaten.”

 

“Because of her assistance?  Please explain further for us.”

 

“Miss O’Rourke, at the pleadings of Nick Barkley, offered to give Miss Knight and Miss Simpson shelter after they had been rescued.  At some point, Mr. Simpson found out that they were staying with her and according to Miss O’Rourke she was raped and then taken away against her will by the defendant, Alexander Simpson.”

 

A gasp shot out across the courtroom and Jarrod couldn’t help but be a bit glad to hear it; it indicated some sympathy for the women.  He tried to read each member of the jury, though they tried to remain stoic, it was obvious that they were beginning to feel something.  Still, they had a long way yet to go.

 

“But she was later found, is that correct?”

 

“Yes sir.  And she’s doing okay now, strong woman.”

 

“So we are here today because Mr. Simpson is accused of raping and beating two different women and one of them over a period of several years, am I correct?”

 

“Yes sir, you are correct.  I believe Mr. Simpson raped and kidnapped Megan O’Rourke and over the last six years, has raped and beaten Rachel Simpson and her younger sister, “

 

Jarrod and David turned around to check out the reporters; they were writing things down furiously.

 

“Thank you.  No further questions, your honor.”

 

“No further questions?”  David whispered.

 

His mouth had dropped open, what was Dan planning, Jarrod wondered.  “That can’t be.  He’s still got a lot of items he hasn’t covered yet.  Unless he‘s planning to further cement things with a redirect.”

 

Dan sat back down at the table as the youngest defense lawyer stood to question the chief of police.  Dan turned and winked at the two lawyers seated behind him.

 

Jarrod leaned forward, “You left a lot of gaps.  Redirect?  Is that what you’re planning?”

 

“Oh yes, very good counselor.  A redirect will be the final thing the jury hears from the chief and not what the defense lawyers want the jury to hear.”

 

“Good thinking.”  Jarrod leaned back and nodded at David.  “Redirect.”  He whispered to him.  Both men folded their arms and prepared to hear what the defense would say.  But they would have the last word with this witness. 

 

 

The two couples did their best to mask their anxieties and worries around the children.  None of them wanted to allow what they were feeling to ruin the day for the children, they’d been through so much already.  Nick and Heath had spent a good portion of the morning rough housing with the children and had later talked Megan and Rachel into joining the group in hide and seek.

 

The brothers decided that they would be ‘it’ together and once the counting was done, they wasted no time in chasing down the children and carrying back into the parlor while they let out loud peals of laughter.

 

With a wink to his elder brother, they set off to find their two ladies.  While Nick checked out the downstairs, Heath headed upstairs and into the bedrooms.  Just as he was leaving his bedroom, he heard a small sound coming from the large wardrobe in the corner.  Quietly, he stepped back to the wardrobe, his boots didn’t make a sound on the wooden floor.  He threw open the doors and Megan squealed and bolted, just escaping his grasp and running headlong into Nick’s open arms as she tried to run into another bedroom.

 

Nick slammed the door shut and pinned her up against the bedroom wall.  He could feel her heart pounding and the sultry eyes that looked up at him.  “I think this means you’re it.”  He pressed his lean frame against her curves and his mouth hungrily dove onto hers.

 

“Hey Nick, don’t wanna stay in there too long, the kids are waiting!”  Heath chided with a grin.  Then he had another thought, poor Rachel what if she was stuck in that room where Nick and Megan were having a bit of fun.  Just then, in the corner of his eye, he saw a movement coming from the children’s bedroom.

 

“Hmm, can’t rightly imagine where that beautiful girl of mine has gotten off too.  Nope, don’t have any idea where she could be.”  Heath quickly dropped to his knees and threw the bedcovers off the bed, exposing Rachel hiding underneath it.

 

With a giggle, she tried to slide out the other side but he put an arm on her waist and her dress on the wooden floor made it too easy for him to pull her to him. 

 

“And where ya think you’re going?”  Heath chuckled and looked down at her, pulling a small bit of dust from her hair.

 

“Who me?  Nowhere, I was just thinking I should get some reading together for the children.”

 

“Oh, that’s what you were thinking about?  I don’t suppose you were thinking you might make it downstairs before me, were ya?”

 

“Oh no sir, I could never make it down the stairs before you!  You are a much faster runner than I am!”  Rachel pushed off from him and slid out from under his grasp. 

 

He was up on his feet in a flash and scooped her right up into his arms, despite her weak protests.

 

There was just something endearing to him about a woman that could play and wasn‘t above hiding underneath a bed in a game of hide and seek.  He found himself drifting away and thinking of games played with a houseful of their own children.  “Marry me.”  He said to her.

 

Rachel giggled, “You asked me that one before, remember?”

 

“Yep, just wanna hear your answer again.”

 

“It won’t ever change Heath, yes I’ll be your wife.”

 

The games over, Megan and Rachel located some books for the children to read and they wrote out math problems for Daniel and Laura to work on together.  With the children not being able to attend school; they did their best to make sure that they didn’t fall too far behind in their learning.  After much protestations from all three of the children, they sat down and quietly began to do their reading assignments.

 

It was nearing lunchtime when Heath and Nick stepped outside onto the porch and Rachel was only mildly surprised when she saw them both lighting up hand rolled cigarettes.  She’d heard those things were good for occasional nervousness and she almost wished that she could have one herself.  If only they didn’t have that awful smell that seemed to linger on forever.

 

Megan touched Rachel’s arm, “Let’s go see what we can scavenge up for lunch.”

 

“Good idea.  I forgot Mrs. Ling’s in court today, she’s been spoiling us with all of her cooking.”

 

Nick took a quick drag off the smoke Heath had given him, he leaned up against the porch railing and raked his fingers through his mane.  “How ya doing Heath?”

 

Exhaling loudly, he sat down on the porch swing.  “Could be better.”

 

“Yeah, me too.  How do ya think it’s going?  At court I mean.”

 

“Don’ rightly know.  I’d feel lot better ‘bout things if I knew Jarrod was being the lawyer and not just stuck watching.”

 

“Yep.”

 

“Or even that David fella.  Might love money a bit much for my tastes, but he seems pretty smart.”

 

“Yep.”  Nick agreed.

 

Heath stood up, somehow the swing just didn’t feel right without Rachel there next to him.  “Jarrod don’t seem to thrilled with this state prosecutor.”

 

“Nope.”

 

A lopsided grin came over Heath.  “Ya know, seems to me that I’m doing an awful lot of talking and ain’t that usually your job?  What’s on your mind?”  He asked.

 

“Nothing.”  Came the curt reply.

 

“C’mon now, I know ya better than anybody.  Whatcha thinking about?”  Nick was troubled by something, Heath could see it in his sullen expression and by the way he had fallen so quiet.

 

Nick pitched his cigarette over the railing.  “Awright Heath, I was thinking that if we lose the trial, I’m gonna lose a brother.”

 

Heath’s eyes averted his brothers, he didn’t know what to say, Nick‘s remark had taken him completely off guard.

 

“Ain’t that so?”

 

Heath looked back up at him.  “I’ll always be your brother.”

 

“Yep, I know that.  But if we lose this trial I may never see you again!  Or Sprite, or Rachel!  We lose and you’ll disappear.  Ain’t that so?”

 

“Nick I..”

 

“Heath, dammit all!  You don’t have to explain yourself, I know it’s what ya gotta do!  I’d be doing the same thing in your shoes.  All I’m saying is that I don’t like it, not one bit.”

 

“I don’t much like the idea either Nick.  Look, let’s just not think about it!  We’re gonna win this trial and all of us are going home to Stockton.”

 

“Ya know, if the trial don’t go our way, Megan and the kids and I could come with you.”

 

Heath remained silent for just a moment before he started laughing loudly.

 

“What’s so funny!”  His hot headed brother demanded.

 

“I was just thinking about the idea of Jarrod or Audra running the ranch all the time.”

 

Nick thought for a moment and laughed, “Yeah, you’re right, somebody’s gotta mind the place.”

 

“Lunch is ready!”  Megan called out from within the house.

 

Heath tossed out his smoke and started back inside.

 

“Hey Heath?”  Nick said.

 

“Yeah?”

 

“Glad you’re my little brother.”

 

“Me too, Nick.”

 

The rest of the afternoon passed by in relative quiet.  Though the grownups worked hard to keep their feelings to themselves, eventually the tension became palpable and the children would start looking out the window as well.  Young Hannah, who’d grown quite fond of Jarrod, pulled her chair out from the table and dragged it to the window where she kept watch for his return.

 

All they could think about was the trial and how anxious they all were for Jarrod and Mrs. Ling to return to the house with news of how the first day of the trial had gone.  As the day progressed, they tried to keep themselves busy with games of checkers and a very animated story-telling session from Nick while Megan and Rachel went to the kitchen to start dinner.

 

Rachel was quite relieved to find out that Megan was not nearly as territorial in the kitchen as Mrs. Ling.  In fact, Megan rather enjoyed having the company from what she hoped would be a long time friendship. 

 

Hearing another round of laughter coming from the kitchen, Heath glanced sidelong at his brother and grinned.  “Seems they really get along good.”

 

“Yep sure does seem that way.”  Nick, not able to fight off the sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach, turned to his thoughts again.  He was confident that someday he would ask Megan to marry him and was glad that she got along so well with Rachel and Sprite.  But would the friendship be short-lived?  He couldn’t lose his brother, not now after he had waited a lifetime for him.  He’d never realized it all those years when he was growing up, he’d always felt like he’d wanted a brother to share in the ranch with him but he had resigned himself to the fact that the running of the ranch was squarely upon his shoulders.  Then Heath had come along and claimed his birthright and suddenly, he not only had a brother but a partner, someone that loved the land and the ranch just as much as he did.  Oh Jarrod loved the ranch, he knew that, but he didn’t work hard on the land everyday like Nick did.  Now he wasn’t alone anymore, he had a brother to share all of it with.  The idea of losing Heath, after such a short time, caused a pain in his gut that refused to go away.

 

Hannah hadn’t left her perch the majority of the afternoon.  After lunch she had pulled the chair over to the window and sat quietly waiting for Jarrod to come back to the house.  The small curly haired child adored him with all her being and though she didn’t quite know what a lawyer was that is what she decided she was going to do when she grew up, a lawyer just like Jarrod with the pretty blue eyes.

 

Her eyes went wide when she saw the carriage pull up in front of the house.  “He’s back!  He’s back!”  Hannah jumped down from her perch and bolted towards the door. 

 

“Oh no you don’t!”  Megan scolded and grabbed Hannah around her waist.  “What did I tell you about going out front?”

 

“That I can’t?”  Hannah folder her hands together and looked up innocently at her big sister.

 

“That’s right.  You just wait right here Hannah, I’m sure that Jarrod is going to come inside.  Don’t you think he will?”

 

“Yes Megan, he will.  I’m sorry.”  Hannah’s bottom lip came out in an exaggerated pout.

 

“Oh it’s okay sweetie.  We’re all anxious to see him.  You stay right here by the door and I bet he’s just gonna love to see you there waiting for him.”

 

Heath went back to the kitchen and extended his hand, wrapping it around Rachel’s.  “Jarrod and Mrs. Ling are back.”  He watched her sigh and nod her head in silence, how he wished that it was all over for them and they could go back to Stockton free from the fear that still haunted her.

 

She was glad for the offered hand, glad and grateful for she didn’t think she could make it through all of this without him by her side.  He was her well of strength that she could draw from whenever she needed it.  She knew that he was there for her, no matter what and would always love her. 

 

They heard the front door open and Hannah’s shouts of glee at Jarrod’s arrival. 

 

Jarrod picked up Hannah and took the hug that she gave him, relishing in her unbridled enthusiasm.  How had this small waif of a child managed to tug on his heart so completely in such a short time?  It was much like how Nick and Sprite had bonded together and he remembered how he had almost been just a tiny bit envious of the little girl’s wide-eyed innocence and untainted admiration for his brother.  And now Hannah had utterly stolen his heart away, he imagined that if he and Beth had children, they would have had a little girl just like Hannah.

 

“Mrs. Ling!”  Rachel called out as she entered the front hallway.  “Guess what?  We’re going to make dinner for you tonight, you don’t have to worry about a thing.  It couldn’t have been easy for you today, I’m sure you must be tired.  We’re the defense attorneys horrible to you?”

 

“I don’t know.  I not testify.”  She replied with a glance towards Jarrod.

 

“You didn’t testify?”  Heath asked.  “I don’t understand, I thought you were supposed to testify today.”

 

“I thought so too.  But the chief on the stand so long, it dinner time when they finish and I go back tomorrow.”

 

“What happened?”  Nick asked.

 

Jarrod tossed his hat onto the hall table and removed his coat, rolling up his sleeves.  “Why don’t we save this for after the children are in bed.”

 

“Jarrod’s right.”  Heath agreed.  “We’ll talk about it later.”

 

“You look exhausted Jarrod.”  Rachel added.  “Go on in and sit down, dinner will be ready in a little bit.”

 

Dinner passed by in nearly total silence save for the occasional conversations that the children shared amongst themselves.  Heath sat next to Rachel during dinner and kept one hand on her knee for reassurance.  It was easy to see how worried she was, her complexion had grown pale and her eyes darkened with sadness.  Jarrod didn’t look much better to Heath, had those dark circles been under his eyes when he had left that morning for court?

 

After the meal was finished and Heath and Rachel retreated to the kitchen together to do the dishes, Laura came into the kitchen and tapped both of them on their backs.

 

“Can I go to bed now please?”

 

“Are you feeling okay Laura?  Usually it’s a fight to get you to go to bed when you’re supposed to.”

 

“Yeah, I’m just tired I guess.  Heath could ya give me a piggy back ride upstairs?  Please?”

 

Heath finished drying the plate in his hands and laid the dish towel on the counter.  “Be glad to Sprite!”  He replied with a toothy grin.

 

Laura climbed up onto a kitchen chair and wrapped her arms and legs around Heath.

 

“Up ya go!”  He started bouncing her as he walked towards the stairs but she didn’t giggle as she had when they were in Stockton, in fact she was completely silent.

 

Heath waited patiently outside the room while Laura changed into her night clothes.

 

“Ya can come in now!”  Laura called out.

He walked in to the room and went to the bed where Rachel was sitting and braiding Laura’s long wavy hair.

 

“Now that it’s just the three of us do you want to talk Laura?”  Rachel asked her.

 

“If this trial thing don’t go good, I’m going to have to go back to that house.”  Laura replied glumly.

 

Rachel‘s eyes filled with pain and she grasped her baby sister‘s shoulders.  “Oh no, sweetie no matter what happens, you and I are never going back to the house.  I promise you that!”

 

“But you’ll have to give me back!”

 

Hath knelt in front of the child and took her small hands in his.  “No Sprite.  You never have to go back there.  I really think we’re going to win this but if we don’t, you’re still not going back there.”

 

“But what..”

 

“Listen to me Sprite, you don’t have to worry about that.  Someone your age should never have to even think about something like that.  You just know, if we do the lose the trial, you won’t ever lose Rachel or me.  We’re always going to take care of you.”

 

“You promise?”  Laura asked.

 

“I promise.”

 

“Does that mean you’ll run away with Rachel and me, if ya have to?”

 

“That’s just what I mean.”  Heath planted a warm kiss on Laura’s forehead.  “You get some sleep now and dontcha worry, everything’s going to be okay - no matter what happens at that trial!”  Heath stood up and started from the room.

 

“Heath?  I love you.”  Laura told him.

 

“I love ya too Sprite, always will.”

 

“I’ll be down in just a minute Heath.”

 

“Okay Rachel.”

 

She waited for the sound of his footsteps going down the stairs.  “You and I are going to be just fine.”  Rachel told her little sister as she tucked her in.

 

“Ya mean you, me and Heath?”

 

“No honey.”

 

“But Heath says he’ll come with us.”  Laura pleaded.

 

“Oh honey, you don’t understand.  It’s always been you and me.  But Heath, no matter how much I love him, he has a family.  A family that loves him very much and a home that he loves.  I could never take him away from all of that.”

 

“But you just said that you love him!”  Laura’s eyes filled up with tears.

 

“Oh I do love him Laura, so much.  And that’s why I could never let him leave his family for us.  As much as I want him to be with us, as much as I love him, I just could not do that to him.”  She tucked Laura in and kissed her forehead.  “Try to understand, please Laura I really need you to understand.”

 

“I’ll try Rachel, but if we have to go, I’m gonna miss Heath and Nick very much!”

 

“Me too sweetheart.”

 

 

When Hannah and Daniel had been tucked in and kissed goodnight, the adults gathered at the dining room table to hear what had transpired in court earlier that day.

 

“Four hours.”  Jarrod sighed and lit a thick cigar.  “They kept the chief on the stand for four hours.  And we only had the chief for less than an hour.”

 

“What the devil did they talk about for four hours?!”  Nick demanded in a loud voice.

 

“Everything, they nitpicked away at everything.  You know last week, I got the feeling that the both of you had stopped trusting the Chief.”  Jarrod pointed towards his brothers.  “Well you may have been right, but not the way that you think.  Unfortunately though, we knew nothing about it, but Alexander Simpson sure knew.”

 

“Knew what?”  Heath asked.

 

Jarrod puffed on his cigar and the smoke billowed up into the air.  “Knew that while the Chief was growing up, he was completely enamored with a beautiful and wealthy young woman by the name of Violet Toussaint.”

 

“My..my mother.”  Rachel responded incredulously.

 

“Yes.  He was quite taken with your mother.  But the feeling wasn’t mutual.  You know they lived on the same street, he was from a wealthy family as well and he fell utterly in love with your mother.  He said that half the young men in Chicago were enamored with her, she was that beautiful and had such a big heart.”

 

“But,”  Rachel continued for him, “She fell in love with a man that had virtually no money at all.  Just a dream of owning a bank and helping people in the city.  My father.”

 

“When the Chief found out about it, he testified that he said some pretty hurtful things to your mother.”

 

“But I don’t understand Jarrod.”  Heath interrupted, “What does all of that have to do with this case.”

 

“Well after about three hours of the defense verbally beating on every detail of the case and of him personally, he admitted that he felt guilt about the things that he had said to your mother and that his involvement in the case was his way of apologizing for his behavior.”

 

“Oh no.”  Heath leaned back into his chair and his shoulders slumped. 

 

“Right.  So the chief basically said that he was more involved in this case than he normally would have been and it was personal.”

 

“Good Lord!”  Nick dropped his head onto the table. 

 

“It gets worse.  After the defense has a chance at our witness than we have the opportunity for what’s called a redirect.  We can ask a few short questions to clarify things, hopefully bringing the jury back to us.  Dan didn’t redirect, he said he was going to but when the chance was given to him, he replied no further questions.  We could’ve turned it back around, for the life of me I can’t understand why Dan didn’t redirect.”

 

 

The court room was crowded, the gallery packed to capacity.  Though it was cool and breezy on the streets of Chicago; the air inside was stagnant and stifling.  Many in the gallery used pieces of papers or their hats to fan themselves.

 

Jarrod glanced at his dark-haired brother and Nick looked back at him.  He then looked to his left towards David and his secretary, Michelle. 

 

Nick sat next to Megan and held her slender hand in his.  She held onto his strong hand so tightly that her knuckles turned white.  Beads of perspiration streaked her forehead, as much from the heat as from her nerves.  Megan could think of a hundred things that she would like to be doing, but being in a court room was not among them.  She and Nick had stayed up with Jarrod until past two in the morning; they went over every single detail of her kidnapping.  It was painful for her to recount everything, it was all so vivid in her mind, almost as if it was happening all over again.  And Nick, he tried to stay so strong while he sat next to her and listened, but once in awhile she would look at him and see his bright eyes filled with pain and anger.    She had reached out to him when they were finished with getting their testimony ready and he had stayed with her till the sun came up.  He had kept his arms around her through the night and when the nightmares came, he had held her tighter and kissed her cheeks until she calmed back down again.

 

David’s secretary sat between the two lawyers and took copious amounts  of notes while Mrs. Ling testified and answered questions from the state prosecutor.  She was the calm in the storm, Jarrod thought to himself, so composed when both he and David were a storm of emotions.

 

Before they had left the city the night before, they had scheduled a breakfast meeting with Dan, the state prosecutor.  They had wanted Dan to know of their displeasure with how he’d been handling the case thus far.  But they hadn’t had the chance, Dan had never showed up at the restaurant.  Dan did not make his appearance until they found him walking into the courtroom, five minutes before court was scheduled to begin session.

 

“Nice of you to grace us with your presence.”  Jarrod said, his voice tinged with sarcasm.

 

“I am sorry, but my youngest son took ill this morning.”

 

“We had a meeting you know.”  David hissed at him.

 

David stopped and glared angrily at the both of them.  “Again, I said I was sorry but my sick child took precedence over our meeting gentlemen.”

 

Jarrod’s tenseness released somewhat.  “No of course, you’re right Dan.  I do understand that your son comes first.”

 

“Can we discuss things over lunch?”  Dan asked.

 

“Certainly.”  David had agreed.

 

Now they were an hour away from lunch and Jarrod had to admit that Dan appeared to be doing much better with questioning the witness then he had the previous day.    And Mrs. Ling appeared to be holding up well so far under Dan’s questioning.  She was gaining the sympathy of the jury, Jarrod could see it on each of the jury member’s faces.

 

“Mrs. Ling,”  Dan proceeded.  “Not too many more questions from me.  Now, Mrs. Ling can you tell me how often did Mr. Simpson beat Rachel Knight and his own daughter, Laura Simpson.”

 

“I don’t know.  Many time, so many time.  Can’t count that high.  Before Rachel voice go, I could hear her screams, I cover my ears but I still hear them.”

 

“What else Mrs. Ling, what else besides her screaming?  Did she beg him to stop, anything like that.”

 

“She never beg for herself.  Just for her sister, she beg for her so Misser Simpson won’t hurt her too.”

 

“I see so you heard Rachel Knight beg the defendant not to hurt her sister too, is that right?”

 

“Yes sir, that’s right.”

 

“Mrs. Ling, over in the front row of the gallery do you see that young woman there in the peach colored dress?”  Dan pointed his finger towards Megan.

 

“Yes.”

 

“Do you know who she is?”

 

“Yes, her name Megan.”

 

“And what can you tell me about that young lady?”

 

“She nice, she took us in, she help us.  Then she disappear.”

 

“Disappeared, what happened?”

 

“She not come home from work one night.  Misser Barkley there and the police they look and look for her.”

 

“How did they find her?”

 

“Rachel, she remember something that Misser Simpson told Misser Heath.”

 

“And what did Mister Simpson say?” 

 

One of the defense lawyers stood and shouted loudly.  “Objection your honor!”

 

“What now?”  The judge sighed.

 

“She can’t testify as to what Mr. Simpson allegedly said to someone else unless she was there herself and heard it directly.”

 

“What about it Mrs. Ling?”  The judge asked.  “Did you hear it with your own ears?”

 

Mrs. Ling hesitated and looked over to Jarrod, he nodded his head sadly and Mrs. Ling looked back up at the judge.  “No sir, I didn’t hear it.”

 

“Very well then, the prosecutor will not ask any further questions about what Mr. Simpson allegedly said.”

 

“Yes your honor.”  Dan replied.  “Mrs. Ling, tell me about the night that Megan was found.  Only what you know of exactly.”

 

“Yes sir.  Rachel and Heath had been upstairs and all of a sudden she come running down the stairs and he was calling her.  She came into kitchen and said she know where Megan is.  Misser Heath and Misser Nick and Rachel, they go out to look for Megan.  Misser Jarrod stay there with the children and me.  They come back long time later and they have Megan with them.  She so cold and not moving.  She hardly had any clothes on, just under clothes.  Misser Nick and Rachel, they stay there all night and help Megan get better.  She woke up next day and she okay now.  But she has nightmares.”

 

“Nightmares?”

 

“Yes, I hear her cry out in her sleep.”

 

“Sounds like she went through something terrible.”  Dan replied.

 

“Objection your honor, could the state prosecutor please keep his opinions to himself?”

 

The judge pointed his gavel at Dan, “Save your opinions for the closing arguments, understand?” 

 

“Yes sir.”

 

“Are you finished?”  The judge asked. 

 

“Yes I am for now, but I reserve the right to redirect once the defense has finished with their line of questioning.”

 

“Very well.  Does the defense have any questions for this witness?”

 

The youngest lawyer stood up with a smug grin on his face, “Oh yes, we most certainly do.” 

 

“Mrs. Ling, thank you for coming today, I do appreciate it.”  Mr. Simpson’s lawyer was oozing sugar and it put Jarrod on his guard.  “Mrs. Ling, you said you worked for Mr. Simpson for about ten years, is that right?”

 

“Yessir.  That’s right.”  She nodded.

 

“Ten years is a long time.  How was the pay?”

 

“Good.”

 

“I see.  And what else did you get along with the pay?”

 

“I sorry?”

 

“Well isn’t it true Mrs. Ling that you often spent the night in Mr. Simpson’s bedroom?”

 

She hung her head down and closed her eyes.

 

“Your honor, please direct her to answer the question.”

 

“Mrs. Ling, you’ve been asked a question by the defense, you will respond with a truthful answer.”

 

“Yes.”

 

“Yes..what?!”  The lawyer demanded.

 

“Yes, I’ve been in Mr. Simpson’s bed.”

 

“Really?  So you were not only his housekeeper, but his mistress.  And Rachel Knight, she was his mistress too, was she not?”

 

“No!  She not his mistress, he made her do it!”

 

“Really, so you’ve seen him drag her into the bedroom or seen him force himself on her?”

 

Mrs. Ling said nothing.

 

“Your honor!”

 

“Mrs. Ling, answer the question.”

 

“No.”

 

“No, what?”  The young lawyer demanded, his face only inches from hers.

 

“No I never seen him force himself on her.  But I hear her screaming.”

 

“But,”  He said turning to the jury.  “You’ve never actually seen my client rape Rachel Knight, have you?  Have you!”

 

“No!  But he come out of her bedroom and she crying and in the basement, I go down there and she have no clothes on, just balled up in the corner and not speak.”

 

“Yes, yes.  You’ve said that you heard her screaming before and that you’ve heard her crying.  Mrs. Ling, how many times have you seen Mr. Simpson beating her?”

 

“I..I”

 

“How many times?!”

 

“Never!  I never seen him beating her.  He always beat her in the basement or behind locked door.”

 

“So how do you know the screaming was from pain?  And not pleasure?”

 

Nick couldn’t take this line of questioning anymore.  “Wait just a minute!  You can’t talk like that!”

 

Jarrod put his hand on his brother’s arm.  “Nick, sit down, I’m afraid he can talk to her like that.”

 

“Young man, if there are anymore outbursts from you, you’ll be seeing the inside of a jail cell!”  The judge angrily yelled at Nick.

 

“Nick, please.”  Megan pleaded. 

 

Nick sat back down slowly, he could only imagine if Heath had been there, what his younger brother would do.  Even his calm little brother had a boiling point and he suspected that if he’d been there, Heath would’ve reached it by now.

 

 

 

Continued…