“Matt for the last time the Barkley’s have money load’s of it. And if we play our cards right, they will pay us for the care and love we gave that niece and nephew of yours, all we have to do is convince them that we took good care of them and their mother.” Martha Simmons yelled to her husband as she paced the small room they’d rented in one of the not so well kept hotels in Stockton. “Besides Heather still has that newspaper clipping ”

“How can you be sure?” Matt Simmons sat on the wooden chair next to the little table and watched his wife pace the length of the room. “Maybe she left it there that day and you just never found it, after all she was just a child”

“You idiot Matt, I searched that place from top to bottom after she left, and there was nothing, no she still has it and I want it back.” Martha glared at her husband. “As soon as you can you go and see that lawyer Barkley, convince him of what a loving and caring Uncle you were to his brother and sister. And Matt make sure you do it right”

Heather opened her eyes. The room she was in was familiar somehow. There were pots of all shapes and sizes, a fireplace, several of the in fact some of them with fires burning in them. Sheets dripping wet were hanging from various lines, in the corner were several ironing boards above them a small window let in just the barest amount of light. She was back in the laundry. The laundry of the Simmons hotel. Why? Why was she here? From somewhere behind her a door closed. There was the sound of snapping as though somebody had stepped on a dry twig. From behind one the pots standing drying out waiting for the next load of washing a small child appeared. The child looked straight at her or rather beyond her toward the door. Heather gasped she was looking at herself, herself as an eight-year old girl. As she continued to watch, little Heather went over to the wall behind the oldest and rustiest of the washing pots and removed four bricks from it. She saw the hollow cavity that was behind it and watched as the child pulled out two objects, little Heather opened the first it was a newspaper clipping. The words ‘Carson Kidnap Unsolved’ blared out as the headline. From behind her the door reopened, it was Aunt Martha with another load of washing for the pots. She tried to yell a warning to little Heather, but it was too late all she could do was watch as her Aunt caught little Heather, and gave her the slap that sent her into the side of the hot soaking pot. There was a flash and the next thing Heather saw was little Heather waking up and pulling the paper from her pocket, stare at it and then replace it in the same pocket. Another flash and she saw her own hands open the old style biscuit tin and carefully place the paper in it.

“Heather” Somebody was calling to her “Heather sweetheart wake –up you’re dreaming”

Heather woke with a start and stared into the eyes of Victoria Barkley. Quickly she looked around. She was in her own room at the Barkley mansion. Victoria Barkley, her mother was sitting on the bed next to her. Around her were the worried faces of her brothers and sister. It was three in the morning.

“Who? Where am I?” The look she gave her family was one of confusion. What’s going on?”

“It’s alright sweetheart you’re in your bed in your room at home” Victoria said in a quite soothing tone, gently rubbing her hand through Heathers hair. “You’re safe, nobodies going to hurt you, it was only a dream, just a bad dream”

“You were crying out in your sleep” Nick explained reaching out and taking Heathers hand. “I heard it clear the other side of mothers room.”

“I heard it to” Audra said from where she sat behind Victoria a worried and scared look on her face. “You cried out for yourself to look out”

“Something about your Aunt Martha” Jarrod put in and gently rubbed her sisters shoulder in support.

From where he sat on the other side of the bed Heath took his twins hand. As she turned to face him he saw in her eyes, the almost light green colour of fear.

“That was no dream,” He stated still looking into his twins eyes.”It was a memory”

“That’s about how I’d describe it” Heather said looking from one family member to another. “I was seeing myself as a child going through that whole time again.”

“Can you try to describe it to us?” Victoria inquired.

Before Victoria had even finished her request Heather was out of the bed and across to the chest of draws near the window. She opened the second draw and fumbled around in it.

“Heather” He twin reprimanded her. “Get back here before you catch your death of cold”

“Heath, I’ve got to get this before I can tell you anything. Its important” She was still fumbling when they heard “Found it”

In her hand as an old lolly tin, which Heather opened to reveal some papers, and a second smaller tin.

“Always wondered why I kept this” She rejoined her family on the bed.

“Well if you’re going to sit out with us at least put this on” Victoria handed her a dressing gown.

“I’ve had this little tin since I was eight” She showed her family the little tin. Not even Heath had seen it before. “Couldn’t remember where it came from or what the paper inside meant” The tin opened and inside was an old faded newspaper clipping. “Until now. I now remember watching Aunt Martha in the laundry putting something back into a cavity behind one of the old washing pots. I was curious so after she left I went to the spot pulled out the bricks that Aunt Martha had. In this space were two things, this clipping and something else, but I just can’t remember what the other thing was. It’s like it’s there but fuzzy, like just out of focus.”

Heather handed the old clipping over to Victoria.

“Well Mother was does it say?” Nick asked in his demanding tone.

“Carson Kidnap Unsolved” Victoria began to read. “Police have so far found few clues in the kidnapping case of Baby Abby Carson, the baby stolen from her crib three days ago. Her parents Mr Walter Carson of San Fransisco and his wife Mrs Maria Carson paid the ransom demand of $20,000 and still the baby has not been returned.”

“When was that dated?” Jarrods legally trained mind was taking over. He was going back to his city office tomorrow or rather today his mind reminded him as he looked at the clock.

“A little over 24 years ago” Victoria answered. “ I do seem to remember something about this. It all happened just before Nick was born.”

“Was the baby ever found?” Audra asked.

“No I’m sorry to say they never did find that child, nor did they ever catch the people responsible”

“Did they ever have any suspects?” Nick asked.

“Well it seemed about the same time as the baby vanished, the assistant nanny and one of the male servants disappeared as well. The police thought they were in on it together.”

“What I can’t understand is why Aunt Martha would have this hidden away.”

“Unless she was involved” Heath put in “But we can’t prove it”

“We could if only I could remember what the other object in the cavity was,” Heather said critically. She was angry with herself for not remembering.

“Now don’t you go and be too hard on yourself” Nick warned his arm around Heathers shoulders “Its amazing that you’ve remembered this much” As he had listened to the story Nick had believed more and more that what Heather a been through was indeed a memory.

“Lets leave it here” Victoria said, “We’ll continue this in the morning.”

While Heath sat with his twin the rest of the family congregated in the hall.

“Jarrod” Victoria began “While you in San Fransisco would you do something for me?”

“You want me to do a little digging see if I can find out anything at all about this little episode?”

Victoria smiled at her eldest son “If you wouldn’t mind”

“Mother you should now better then to ask,” Jarrod grabbed his mother into a quick hug “For the twins anything”

“I would really like this cleared up before Christmas, it’s the twins first with us and I just wanted to make a special one.”

“Speaking of making it a special one, was I the only one who noticed how Heath and Heather reacted in the store today?”

Both of his siblings acknowledged that they notice the twins' reactions.

“Well I was thinking with the tree decorations, you know how mother you gave each of us a new set when a new brother or sister came along?”

Victoria nodded.

That tradition had began when Jarrod was born, when four years later Nick came along, Tom and Victoria had brought Jarrod a new set of tree decorations and had brought Nick two sets. When later Audra came along, each boy got a third set to go along with his already existing sets. Audra had been given three.

“How about each of us by a set each for the twins? It just that I saw the perfect set for each of them last time I was in the city”

“Jarrod I had the same idea when I was in Denver” Audra put in “They’re in my room now just waiting for the right moment”

“I was thinking the same” Nick also added “I was going to leave Heath in charge today and slip into the general store”

Victoria just smiled

What a difference a mere seven months had made. That was when Heath had first come to them, first made his claim to the Barkley name. Back then Nick would no more have thought about buying Xmas tree decorations for Heath, then picking up a pair of shears and shearing sheep. Now listen to him plotting along with his brother and sister to make Heath feel a part of the family celebrations.

By the time Heather had joined the family in the early autumn things had calmed down significantly and her transition into the family had been a lot smoother.

“If none of you mind?”

“Mother!”

“Mind of course not”

“For those rascals anything”

“The silver bells have been taken care of already” Victoria informed her children. “I have the new nameplates for the stockings, and I’ve only got one more stocking to make”

The stockings were also a tradition: To celebrate the new arrivals first Christmas each member of the family received a new stocking to go with the stocking of the new little Barkley.

“Two new arrivals at once, does this mean we get two new stockings?” Nick asked with a gleam in his eye.

All Audra and Jarrod could do in answer to that question was shake their heads and laugh.

“If that was a way of asking if you will get more sweets and chocolates then last year” Victoria returned with a gleam in her eyes as well “ Then the answer is no, you still only get one stocking, although it maybe a little bigger then last years.”

The door to Heathers room opened and Heath crept quietly out.

“She’s sleeping” Was his answer to the unspoken question that was on each of the four faces that looked at him.

“Heath how can you be so sure that what Heather experienced was a memory and not just a bad dream like Mother suggested?” Jarrod asked.

“Because both Heather and Mama have described the exact same look on my face when I woke after a session of reliving my time in Carterson”

“Carterson, but Heath that was a..”

“A place where the rebs kept their prisoners of war, yes I know” Heath hung his head not wanting to bring up those memories again. “ I spent seven months there”

With that Heath turned and went back to his room leaving his family in a stunned silence.

Jarrod Barkley looked without seeing out of the train window was it chugged its way along the track heading toward San Fransisco. His mind was too full of things that needed to be done before he returned to Stockton. The closing of his office and the presentation to his staff there shouldn’t take too long. Nor should be buying of the presents he had in mind for each member of the family. The boxes of tree decorations he had in mind for his younger twin brother and sister were also going to be a breeze to collect.

As to the matter his mother had asked him to look into, that was going to be another thing all together. He had friends in the S.F Police who may prove useful.

Lt Richard Wilson of S.F Police did indeed have some very useful information for his old friend. He was able to show Jarrod, off the record of course, the police file on the Baby Abby kidnapping, from it Jarrod was able to a current address for Mrs Carson, there was no mention of Mr Carson, and one other fact that the newspaper never picked up on, the police did in fact catch up with the male offender, he admitted to being part of the kidnapping but not the planner, he admitted that he double crossed his partner and kept all the money leaving her so to speak holding the baby. But under no amount of questioning did he give up a name for his partner or any indication as to where the police might have found her.

What Jarrod didn’t realize was that he was being followed.

Matt, on his way to see Jarrod like Martha had ordered, overheard the fact that Jarrod was going to San Fransisco and part of his plans while there. He had very little time to act, so without telling his wife Matt Simmons got himself a ticket and boarded the same train as Jarrod. It had been any easy matter of stooping to change his height and pulling on a ‘borrowed’ oversized coat. Jarrod Barkley had walked right past him and didn’t even recognize him.

While watching Jarrod talk to the Lt of Police, Matt noticed that the cleaner was working close by and probably hearing every word, a hand over of a few dollars and Matt would have the information he needed.

“This will show Martha that I’m not as weak and thick skulled as she thinks I am” He thought to himself proudly.

He was right about the cleaner, for five dollars the man willingly told Matt the address that Jarrod had been given and the name of the person who lived there Mrs Maria Carson. He had never met Mrs Carson but knew the name from the story Martha had told him all those years ago when they had first met and married. He caught the next train back to Stockton with the information.

“Mrs Maria Carson?” Jarrod asked as the front door of the lovely bay view house was opened in response to his knock.

“Yes” The response was cautious “How can I help you”

“Mrs Carson my name is Jarrod Barkley I’m a lawyer and I was wondering if I could talk to you for a few moments about your daughter Abby?”

“My daughter disappeared over twenty-four years ago Mr Barkley what could you possibly want to talk to me about her for?”

“I know, and I sorry Mrs Carson, but certain events in my home town of Stockton have raised the possibility that maybe, just maybe we might be able to find out what happened to her, but I need some information from you please.”

“Come in Mr Barkley”

“Thank-you” Jarrod smiled to the woman as he stepped past her and into the hallway of the house.

“Mr Barkley please understand that was a very painful time for me, not only did I lose my daughter, but when the police caught our handy-man with the money, and our daughter was never returned to us my husband shot himself”

“I am sorry” Jarrod “And I do understand how hard this is for you and I’ll try to make this as brief as possible”

“I thank you for your consideration sir” Mrs Carson bowed her head briefly “Please go ahead ask your questions, I’ll try to answer them.”

“Two quick questions Mrs Carson and then I’ll leave you in peace.” Jarrod took out a small notebook and pencil. “First the newspaper stated that the police suspected your assistant nanny, could you, please if you can, describe her for me?”

“I can do better then that Mr Barkley, I can give you this” Maria Carson went over to the sideboard and pulled out a photograph. It showed an older woman holding a baby of about five months of age, to the left of them was a younger woman of about nineteen. “ The older woman holding Abby was Mrs Burton, she was my nanny.” At this Maria smiled warmly, that smile vanished quickly “The younger one was employed by my husband on the say so of a family friend, that’s Annie-Martha Smitherson”

Jarrod looked at the photo. Staring back up at him was a younger Martha Simmons.

“Do you mind if I keep this for a while?”

“No go ahead it’s only a spare”

“Secondly, could you describe for me what your daughter was wearing when she was taken?”

“It was a pale pink and white crocheted jacket, pink cotton dress and on the jacket a name broach ‘Abigail Maria Victoria’ we had that engraved for her two days after she was born”

Jarrod thanked Mrs Carson for her time and rose to leave.

“Mr Barkley, a favour?”

“ Certainly Mrs Carson”

“Will you please let me know one way or the other what happens? All these years of not knowing, I’d like some sort of closure”

“I understand”

Back in Stockton Nick Barkley was pleased with himself, he had managed to assign Heath the chores furthest out from the main house, Mother and Audra had kept Heather busy all morning and so he’d been able to slip into Stockton and pick up the two boxes of tree decorations he wanted for his brother and sister.

Mother had wanted this first Christmas with the twins to be a special one and he was bound and determined to play his part in making it so. With his treasure secure in his room away from the prying eyes of Heath and Heather he was about to remount Coco and join Heath when the man in question rode up.

“ And where may I ask have you been?” Heath began “Thought you were supposed to come and help me?” He dismounted from his horse Charger.

“Hey Little Brother I was just about to join you”

“Yeah well thanks Nick but I’m done with the lot you left me with”

Nick looked his brother up and down; all though there was snow on the ground around them, there had been no fresh falls since the night before. Yet on the shoulders of Heaths jacket and brim of his hat were snowflakes.

“Get caught in a little snow shower did we?” Nick teased.

“Yeah no thanks to you” Heath returned, and bending down grabbed a handful of the cold stuff. “And Nick I brought back a little something for you”

Splat, the snowball caught Nick full in the face.

“Why you….” Nick spluttered, “You asked for this, major revenge time” He too grabbed a handful of snow and threw it in Heaths direction, scoring a direct hit on Heaths hat.

It was then on for young and old. Snowballs flew in all directions; both brothers were soon covered in snow and slush. The noise of their laughter brought Victoria, Audra and Heather out of the kitchen and onto the back porch. Victoria was about to reprimand both of her sons when Audra and Heather looked at each other, laughed once and dashed out to where their brothers were fighting.

Both reached down, collected up a handful of snow and with one look at each other threw them at their brothers. Heather’s found its target in Nick, Audra scored on Heath.

“New targets” Nick said with glee. “Right Little Brother, let’s get’ em”

The former enemies, now allies, turned their attention to the new foes. Their sisters.

Victoria, as she stood and watched the game, wasn’t sure if more laughter flew through the air or snowballs.

In her minds eye she wasn’t seeing her adult children, instead what she saw was a group of younger children, a fourteen year old dark haired boy with hazel eyes leading the way, with him were his ten year old twin brother and sister, the boy with fair hair and blue eyes and the girl with reddish-blonde hair and laughing blue/green eyes, and the final member of the quartet was their faired haired blue eyed eight year old baby sister. If only it could’ve been.

“Mother” One of the youngsters called to her. “Motherrrr”

The smallest amount of wet snow on her face brought her back to the present.

Wiping it off her face she asked with mock anger “Alright which one of you did that?”

All four of her children produced the classic ‘butter wouldn’t melt in the mouth’ look, hid their hands behind their backs and said nothing.

“Right, everybody inside now and use the back stairs I don’t want slushy muddy footprints in my clean hall”

The train Matt Simmons was on pulled into Stockton station at 8.30am the next morning. The saloon didn’t open for another couple of hours so there was no chance of getting a shot of courage before facing Martha.

“And just where have you been?” Martha opened with “I sent you to talk to the lawyer Barkley and you don’t come back all night?”

“I didn’t come back because I followed him to San Fransisco”

“San Fransisco, what were you doing following him there?”

“Martha if you’ll just listen for a minute. I overheard Barkley making his plans to go to S.F and try to chase up any information about a missing baby named Carson ring any bells?”

“ The Carson baby, that dear niece of your’s must’ve shown them that clipping, I knew she still had it. This changes things. Well what did you find out?”

“Barkley went straight to Police H.Q. and got the current address for Mrs Carson”

“And?”

...Continued