Straight after breakfast, two carriages and two riders left the Barkley ranch and headed in the direction of the small ghost town of Strawberry. Many eyes watched as the procession passed through Stockton, but none with more interest than those of Martha Simmons.

“Matt” She called to her husband “ Matt get up the Barkley’s are heading out of town and in the direction of Strawberry, Matt did you hear me?”

Matt Simmons who had only gone to bed a few hours earlier after another session at the saloon grumbled, “ I heard ya”

“Well don’t just lay there, get your lazy carcass out of the bed and get a carriage we need to catch up to them quick”

“What’s so important?”

“The jacket, you idiot, the jacket is still back in the laundry in it’s hidey hole. If Heathers remembered about it then you can be certain that’s where they’re heading for” She threw the covers off Matt “ Now get”

Matt got out of the bed with bad grace muttering to himself that someday he’d get even with Martha for all of this.

Some three hours later the Barkley family pasted the outer limits of what was once the boom-mining town of Strawberry.

Where once buildings stood tall and proud now there were just shells, dusty unkempt gardens now overgrown with weeds where once beautiful flowerbeds stood. Where once people milled and hurried along the streets, now only dust and tumbleweeds gathered.

As they passed the graveyard the twins stopped. From what the rest of the family could see the graveyard was much like the town, unloved and unkempt. Only one grave stood out, it appeared to be taken care of, no weeds grew around it and there was a small vase of flowers near the tombstone. Quietly and with great reverence the twins made they’re way to this particular site and knelt one either side of it. Nobody had to tell the other members of the Barkley family that this was were Leah Thomson was.

“We’ve come to say Merry Christmas Mama” Heather spoke.

“And to let you know that we did what you asked, we found them Mama, we found our fathers family.” This was Heath.

“You were right they are good people, they made us feel welcome and wanted just like you hoped”

“We have a family mama, you needn’t worry we’re not alone anymore”

The twin knelt beside their mother a little while longer, then Heather pulled out a single white rose. Each of the twins gripped it and as one laid it on top of the grave.

“Merry Christmas Mama, we love you”

Together they rose and rejoined the rest of the Barkley’s. The family was about to exit the graveyard when the remaining Barkley children excused themselves and made their way to Leah’s grave.

“On behalf of my brother and sister “ Jarrod addressed the grave “We just want to say thank-you, thank-you for having the courage to tell the twins about their father and for sending them looking for us. They are a joy and so very special to us”

Unexpectedly the breeze picked up, of the group only Victoria knew what it meant Leah had heard the message and was responding, the only way she could.

“How much further to the hotel?” Nick asked when the family regrouped outside the gates.

“It’s just at the end of this road” Heath replied helping Heather into her carriage, Jarrod, Victoria and Audra were already in the other Barkley rig and waiting.

“Are you sure its even still standing?” Nick looked to the other crumbling buildings.

“It was when we were here seven months ago” Heath swung up onto Charger.

He joined Heather at the front of the group and the twins led the way into town and the Simmons Hotel.

The only building that looked like somebody was in residence was a small cabin just beyond the cemetery. There were clean curtains in the windows; a mat at the front door and flowers still bloomed in the neatly kept garden.

“That’s the place we grew up in” Heath pointed to it as they passed “Hannah and Aunt Rachel still live there”

“I don’t see Aunt Rachel’s buggy” Heather called to her twin “They must be out.”

Heath went on to explain that with no general store to speak of in town any more all supplies had to be obtained from the nearest town, an hour to the south.

“Here it is” Heather pulled on the reins forcing Silverfire Lady to come to a halt.

The Simmons Hotel, on the face of it looked as run down and deserted as the other buildings in the town. But unlike the others wasn’t boarded up.

“And the laundry area is where?” Jarrod asked as he helped his mother and sister out of the main carriage.

“A separate area behind the main building” Heather answered as Nick helped her out of her carriage. “This way”

Heather led the way to a small shack behind the hotel. Like the main building this one also looked abandoned, planks missing from the walls and the door hanging by one hinge. Nick reached out to pull it open; the door came away in his hand.

“Looks like this place hasn’t been used in years.” He commented as he carefully looked at the door fame and the walls, trying to see if it was indeed safe to enter.

“Maybe is hasn’t” Heath commented, “I doubt many people come here anymore”

As Heather entered the room she began to shiver, it hadn’t changed one bit. Yes the pots were a little rustier then they were almost thirteen years ago. The fireplaces were blacker and the pot that her Aunt had sent her crashing into was still exactly where it had been back then.

“Baby-girl?” Heath sensed the tension in his twin.

“It hasn’t changed one bit”

“I know I remember it too”

Caught-up in the moment, neither of the twins noticed the looks the rest of the family were giving them.

“Are you two alright?” Jarrod was concerned.

“Sorry, yes we’re fine” Heath turned to face the others.

“Just putting some old feelings back in their place” Heather explained.

“Bringing up some bad memories?”

“Something like that” Heather again turned to face the back wall “What we’re looking for is over here” She led the way followed by Heath, Nick, Jarrod, with Victoria and Audra behind them.

Just as they had all those years ago the bricks came away easily in her hands. The cavity was still there, reaching in Heather heard the crinkle of paper has her probing hands touched the parcel. Gently and carefully she removed it, turning it over she opened it. The little jacket was still folded just like it had been and yes on the left front was the name broach.

Smiling she turned and faced her family holding the jacket up in triumph. The proof .They now had the proof to link Martha Simmons to the kidnapping of Baby Abby Carson.

“Can you make a case with this Jarrod?” Victoria asked, “Given that it all happened so long ago?”

“The case was never officially closed” Jarrod responded “ I’ll present this to the S.F. Police once the holidays are over and then they’ll take it from there”

With everybody’s attention being focused on Jarrod and the baby jacket, nobody was paying attention to the door of the laundry shack. No one saw the shadow fall across the threshold or did they realize there was any danger until Audra let out a muffled scream.

“Don’t even think about it” Martha Simmons warned the brothers, a gun to Audra’s throat. “Just empty your holsters nice and easy and throw the guns this way.”

Having no choice but to obey Nick, Jarrod and Heath all threw their guns at the feet of Martha.

“What do you want?” Nick spat as he looked into the terrified eyes of his baby sister.

“What I want Mr Barkley is my baby jacket, the newspaper clipping and $10,000” Was the unemotional response.

“We none of us have that amount of money on us” Jarrod explained in a rational calm tone not wanting to force the woman into a situation where she may harm Audra. “We’ll need a little time”

“I’m not an unreasonable woman Mr Barkley” Martha continued “ I’ll give you say three hours. One hour each way to and from Colesville and one hour to arrange for the money, with your family name that shouldn’t be a problem.”

“How do we know that our sister will be safe?”

“Oh she’ll be safe, we’ll make the exchange at the old Cutters Mine hut, my niece and nephew know where I mean. Three hours folks and don’t forget the jacket and clipping”

With that Martha backed out of the door dragging Audra with her.

Nick bolted out the door after the pair, but a well-placed shot at his feet stopped him dead in his tracks.

“That was a warning Mr Barkley, next time it’ll be your sister”

“Nick don’t. She means it” Heath said grabbing his fuming sibling by the arm “And believe she is capable of doing it”

“Alright then tell me what’re we going to do now” Nick was still fuming “That power mad woman has our little sister”

“Nick calm down” Victoria ordered “Getting angry is not going to help Audra”

“Mothers right Nick” Jarrod sided with his mother “Here’s what we’ll do, Mother and I will go to Colesville and arrange for the money. You go with Heath and Heather, check out this Cutters Mine place and we’ll all meet up at the twins old home”

“Alright Jarrod”

“How does it look?” Was Jarrod’s first question when he and Victoria joined Nick and the twins at Hannah and Rachel’s.

“Not good” Was Nicks reply.

“The Miners hut is still standing” Heather said.

“But the ground around it is crumbling, the whole area is criss crossed with old shafts and tunnels it’s very unstable” Heath continued.

“Any problems getting the money?” Nick asked.

“Not one”

“Good then lets go”

“Matt” Martha called from her vantage point at the broken window “Matt get her ready they’re coming.”

Matt Simmons didn’t answer his wife, but instead took another swig from his hip flask He was going to need all the courage he could find to get through this afternoon.

“Matt, put that thing down and get her ready they’re coming”

“I heard you the first time”

“Well get going and don’t damage her in any way”

From where she was sitting Audra could put up no resistance. When the three of them had entered the old hut over an hour ago Matt had tied her to the old chair and there had been no chance at all to even loosen the ropes let alone get free. Now Matt was manhandling her again, cutting the ropes and pulling her roughly to her feet. The difference was then Matt was sober, now his breath reeked of alcohol. When she turned her head in order to get away from his foul smelling breath, Matt interpreted it as an attempt to escape, and gave her a rough shaking.

“Matt I said don’t damage her in any way” Martha repeated “Now come on Miss Barkley your family is here” With that Martha grabbed Audra by the arm and forced her out of the door.

The relief on the face of each member of the Barkley family was visible when they saw Audra being forced out of the door by Martha Simmons, the relief was replaced by concern when they saw that Martha still had the gun at Audra’s throat and Matt Simmons followed them both out carrying a rifle.

“You have the money” Martha yelled.

“Right here” Jarrod held up the bag containing the money.

“And the baby jacket?”

“With me” Heather held up the jacket for Martha to see then placed it in the bag with the money. “The news clipping is here too” That also was put in the moneybag.

Jarrod began to step forward.

“Not you Mr Barkley” Martha ordered “Send my dear niece over here with it”

Having no choice but to go along with Martha, Jarrod handed the bag over to his younger sister.

“ Be careful and don’t take your eyes off her,” He whispered.

“Don’t worry I won’t” Was the confident reply and with that Heather began the journey to retrieve her sister.

While all this was going on Matt Simmons had taken up a position from where he could cover both Nick and Heath.

Without their own guns and with Matt standing there pointing a loaded rifle at them neither of them could do anything except watch what was unfolding before them.

Matt was enjoying this, once again he had control and there was nothing that ‘little Heathie’could do about it. In his drunken haze Matt wasn’t seeing what was being played out in front of him, all he could see was Heath, Heather and his no-good sister Leah.

“How does if feel Heathie?” He taunted “Being unable to do anything while I’ve got the gun? At any time I could pull the trigger, blowing you, that worthless sister of yours, and that tart of a mother to kingdom come”

He swung the barrel of the rifle so that he had Leah, actually Victoria, in his sights.

“Which one shall I blow away first?” The taunting continued “ Your mother or your sister? Your sister or your mother?” The barrel continued to swing between Heathers’ position and Victorias’.

During the taunting Heath kept his eyes squarely on the gun, watching, calculating the time it took to swing from covering Heather to Victoria and back again. When the time was right he lunged.

Heather kept her eyes on her Aunt as she moved closer to Martha and Audra were standing.

“That’s right dear keep coming” Martha called “Don’t forget who’s standing here with me” She jerked Audra’s arm causing her to cry in surprise.

“Why? Why are you doing this Aunt Martha?”

“Why else dear? Money”

“And Baby Abby, did you take her for money as well?”

‘Yes, except that creep who was my partner double crossed me, he took the money before I even saw it and left me with the baby”

“What happened to Abby? Did you kill her?”

“No, never she was my daughter, I would never kill my daughter. I loved her”

“She was the Carson’s daughter” Jarrod said.

“They never loved her, they left her to be raised by that Mrs Burton they didn’t love her I did” By now Martha was almost hysterical. “When she died from that measles epidemic I was shattered” Martha regained control of herself “ Just keep coming with the money and no more talking”

Matt saw the blurry figure coming at him, but the alcohol he had consumed slowed his reflexes down.

Heath crashed into his Uncle causing the rifle to shift its position away from Victoria and Heather, but Matt never really lost his grip on it. Together they rolled over and over each holding onto the rifle. For one second Matt got the upper hand and with a forceful push managed to loosen Heath’s grip on the gun, he raised the butt of the gun and before Nick, who had been standing there, watching, waiting for an opportunity to jump in and help Heath, could do anything brought it crashing down onto Heaths head, catching him behind the left ear. Heath went down and didn’t rise. Matt got to his feet, swung the barrel in line with Heaths chest and cocked the gun.

From where she was standing next to Martha Simmons, Audra was clearly able to see the fight between Heath Barkley and Matt Simmons, when Matt hit Heath with the rifle butt she screamed. That drew everybody’s attention away from herself and Martha and onto Heath and Matt.

All though her twin was in danger Heathers focus remained on Martha and Audra. Martha’s attention like everyone else’s turned to her husband and nephew. After Audra screamed Martha loosened her grip on Audra’s arm just long enough for Heather to grab her sister and drag her back toward Victoria and Jarrod. The four of them took cover behind a group of rocks; out of sight and no longer targets for the revolver Martha was holding.

With her hostage and the money gone Martha turned her attention onto the one who had caused the plan to go wrong. Her husband.

“Matt you fool” She yelled advancing toward her husband “Look what you’ve done”

Raising the gun she took aim.

Matt Simmons never got off the shot that would’ve killed Heath Barkley. There was the sound of gunfire, he felt something hit him in the stomach area, like a mule had kicked him and then he fell back to the ground. He held his hands to the area and felt the lifeblood pour out of him. Martha had shot him.

Martha, still advancing toward her husband, paid no attention to the ground beneath her feet. The area she was walking on suddenly gave way, and she fell into one of the old disused mine tunnels. The fall broke her neck.

“Heather, I ..” Audra began as she threw her arms around her older sister. “You risked every thing”

“ Believe Audra I’d do it all again in an instant” Heather returned the hug “You’re my sister, nothing else matters”

Victoria and Jarrod joined the sisters and enveloped them both in a group hug.

Feeling uncomfortable Heather escaped as quickly as possible allowing mother, son and daughter to be together. A quick look across to where Nick and Heath were told her that her twin needed her.

The hurried movement of her skirts caught Victoria’s eye.

“Heath” Victoria called and together with the rest of her family rushed over to where Nick was cradling the unconscious Heath in his arms.

“He’s still with us Mother” Nick reassured her never once looking up “Simmons got him a good one behind the ear but I don’t think it’s too bad” He looked up and gave his mother the briefest of smiles. “Heath, come on wake up we know you’re there.” He tried coaxing his brother awake when that failed he bellowed “HEATH WAKE UP”

“Nick” Jarrod scolded as he got an earful of the bellow as well “Do you mind?”

Nick never got the chance to reply as Heath started to stir.

“Hey Heath” Nick gently encouraged his brother “Come on wake up.”

The blue eyes finally opened.

“That’s better. How do you feel?”

“Headachy ..Woozy” Was the soft reply. Heath felt that if he spoke any louder his head would explode. “Audra? Heather? Uncle Matt? Aunt Martha?”

“Audra and Heather are just fine” Jarrod reassured him “ Martha Simmons is dead.She fell into an old mine tunnel and broke her neck. Your uncle is still alive barely, before she died your aunt shot him. In doing so she saved your life.”

Heath started to rise.

“Hey where do you think you’re going?” Nick was surprised when Heath started to try to stand.

“Help me up Nick.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yes.”

With his arm around Nick’s shoulder and his twin by his side Heath walked to where Matt Simmons lay.

“Heathie…….Heather come to say good bye?” Matt croaked.

“Uncle Matt” Heath called “You’re dying, help us, tell us about Baby Abby so that her mother may find some peace”

“Martha had Abby with her when I married her….we raised her …two years….had to keep moving…in case law caught us…stopped for while in town called Smoulders Gap……measles went through while we were there…….baby got it…..died….we buried her there …name of Patricia Thomson……left there went back to Strawberry…..changed our name again to Simmons…” Matt confessed.

“Why did you hate us and our mother?”

“So….so unfair….Leah unmarried…..us married….never had children……Patricia taken from us….taken from us…” With that Matts head fell to one side and his eyes closed for the last time.

The Barkley family bowed their heads. They took comfort from the fact that in death Matt Simmons had at least done the right thing. They could now offer Maria Carson some closure.

“Mother” Jarrod called as he walked in the kitchen where Victoria was putting the finishing touches on yet another batch of cookies” Have you seen Heather at all today?”

“Isn’t she in the parlour with Audra, or possibly in the stables, you know she goes there to think and be alone”

“No I tried both areas not a sign, and neither Nick or Heath have seen her.”

“Is Silverfire Lady still in her stall?”

“Hasn’t moved since we returned from Strawberry.”

“Sorry Jarrod, but I’m out of ideas.”

“Thanks anyway Lovely Lady.” Jarrod thanked his mother and helped himself to a handful of cookies at the same time.

As he walked back to the main staircase his attention was caught by a lone figure sitting out in Victoria’s prize rose-garden.

“What are you doing out here” He asked opening the French doors “ You’ll catch a frightful cold”

“Just wanted to be alone” Heather replied setting down her paintbrush “Needed sometime to think”

"About?”

“Recent events”

“You’re not sitting out here thinking about how all of this was your fault are you?” Jarrod sat beside his sister and admired the painting she was working on.

“Yes, I am actually. If I hadn’t remembered what Aunt Martha did to me and finding those things in the wall then Aunt Martha wouldn’t have nearly brained you, Audra wouldn’t have been taken as a hostage and terrified and Uncle Matt wouldn’t have almost killed my twin”

“Stop a moment. Didn’t you once tell Nick that you believed that things happen at a certain time and in a certain place for a reason?”

Heather just nodded.

“Well then looking at it from that point the reason is clear. It was time for Maria Carson to move on, to know what happened to her daughter and she never would’ve if you hadn’t remembered and started the ball rolling.” Jarrod paused “ And it was also a good thing for both you and Heath, the echoes have been silenced.”

“Echoes? I don’t understand what echoes have been silenced?”

“The echoes from the past”

“Thanks Jarrod” Heather hugged her eldest brother.

Together brother and sister looked down at the page that Heather was working with.

“You know that’s very good” Jarrod commented, “May I ask what you’re planning to do with it?”

“Store it, frame it maybe. Why? Would you like it?”

“Yes please if you don’t mind”

Heather smiled and handed over to Jarrod a picture one of their mothers’ best winter roses weeping teardrop like petals onto a snow-covered lawn.