“Coming” Audra Barkley called from the doorway of her room on the second floor of the mansion the Barkley family called home.

“Be right there.” Heatherleah Barkley called from her room. The clasp on her necklace just wouldn’t close.

Nick Barkley along with his two brothers Jarrod and Heath, and their mother Victoria Barkley were all waiting. The whole family were due at the Mayors Gala Ball. But if the two Barkley girls didn’t get a move on and soon they would never get there.

“What’s all the fuss about?” Audra asked from the top of the stairs. “ There’s still plenty of time.”

“If we lived next door to the club” Nick returned. “HEATHER.”

“Nicholas!” Victoria Barkley reprimanded her second born son. “Not so loud.”

Heather was still fighting with her necklace as she came down the stairs.

“Nick honestly sometimes I think you’re trying to raise the dead with that yell of yours” Heather scolded her older brother. “Mother would you please help me with the clasp? It won’t do up.”

She turned her back to Victoria who, with years of practice under her belt, did the clasp up in no time flat.

“Are we all finally ready?” Nick asked as he held his arm out to Heather. “Then let’s go.”

Jarrod Barkley offered his arm to his mother, while their younger brother and Heathers twin Heath offered his arm to Audra.

With the ladies and Jarrod in the family carriage and Nick and Heath riding escort they set off.

The city hall was done up to the nines. Banners and candles outside proclaiming the annual Mayors Gala Ball. Ladies in all their finery were entering the hall while their men folk found somewhere to leave their horses and carriages.

After making sure that the Barkley horses were set for the evening Jarrod, Nick and Heath joined the womenfolk inside. If people thought the outside of the hall was well decorated then the inside of the hall was something to see. Balloons, potted plants, banners and fresh flowers.

When all the guests had eaten their fill of the best seafood, meat salads, and cakes that Stockton had to offer the dancing began.

Jarrod was caught between watching the two glasses of punch he was carrying and watching all of his younger siblings on the dance floor. Audra, in her lovely shell pink dress with cream beading, had Horace Sommers the son of the Mayor and Mayoress entranced. Nick had Horace’s sister Margaret Sommers in a whirl as they floated past. Heath and Sally-Anne Parsons where off in the far corner of the dance floor, Sally-Anne’s lavender dress glittered as the candlelight caught it. Ed Covertington’s son Paul had Heather in his grasp, her sky blue also catching the candlelight. as they also floated passed him.

“Sorry.” Jarrod said as he bumped into the man getting out of his chair. “Excuse me.”

“Jarrod? Jarrod Barkley?” A voice asked.

“Yes.” Jarrod replied turning to face the questioner. “Do I know you?” He looked harder at the face. It seemed familiar. But for the moment he couldn’t quiet place it.

“Tim, Tim Curtis We were together at law school until I dropped out.” The stranger held out his hand. Jarrod took it after he handed one of the punch glassed to Victoria. “You probably don’t even remember me.”

“Tim Curtis, TimCurtis” Jarrod dug into his memories. “That’s right, third year about half way though.”

Curtis nodded.

“I’m sorry” He looked toward Victoria “Tim this is my mother Victoria Barkley, Mother this is Tim Curtis”

Victoria extended her hand and Tim took it graciously

“Mrs Barkley an honour and a pleasure, Jarrod mentioned you frequently.”

“Thank- you Mr Curtis.” Victoria, ever the gracious hostess, indicated for Curtis to join the Barkley table.

“So Tim tell me what have you been doing since law school?”

“Working in my fathers business mainly. These last two years I’ve been running my own little off shoot of it.”

‘What kind of business Mr Curtis?”

“I’m in the business of supply and demand.” Curtis answered kind of cryptically “Where there is a demand of anything I try to supply it.” He lifted his own punch glass and took a sip. “It’s more being able to predict the needs of the people and having the goods on hand.”

“So what brings you to Stockton?”

“I’m here to check out the possibility of opening a branch of my business here. From Stockton I could, potently service people right to the Nevada border.”

“Here’s to your success then.” Jarrod and Victoria both lifted their glasses to toast their guest.

“So Jarrod, I see the law has been very good to you, an off ice here in town.”

“And another in San Francisco” Jarrod put in.

“Mrs Barkley” Curtis addressed Victoria. “We in his class always said Jarrod would go far you should be proud.”

Victoria laid a hand on Jarrod’s arm. “I am Mr Curtis. His whole family are very proud of Jarrod.”

Both Jarrod and Victoria glanced toward the dance floor as the music stopped.

“And speaking of the rest of the family here they come.”

Jarrod rose and moved a couple of seats along, allowing both Audra and Heather easy access to the table.

Audra and Horace Sommers arrived back first.

“Thank-you Horace.” Audra allowed the Mayors son to kiss her hand.

“A pleasure Miss Barkley.” He nodded to Victoria “Mrs Barkley, Jarrod. Mr Curtis how are you enjoying the dance sir?”

“Very much Horace” Curtis replied. Then for the Barkley’s benefit said “Mayor and Mrs Sommers kindly invited me here tonight. I’m staying with them at the moment.” He smiled toward the host and hostess whose table was next to the Barkley one. Margaret Sommers was already sitting at the table after having been escorted there by Nick, who was trying to persuade the beautiful Margaret to have the next dance bracket with him as well. Margaret shook her head and by looks and hand gestures indicated that the next dance was already take by Tim Curtis.

“If you ever get tired of the Sommers place or they get tired of you come out to the ranch you’ll be more the welcome.” Jarrod invited.

Audra coughed lightly.

“And where are my manners?” Jarrod mockingly chastised himself. “Tim Curtis, my youngest sister Audra. Audra this is Tim Curtis I went to law school with him.”

“Miss Barkley, a pleasure” Curtis bowed to Audra.

“Mr Curtis.” Audra smiled at the handsome visitor.

The group was soon joined by Heather and Paul Covertington.

“Paul thank-you”

“Heather any chance I could get you for the next dance as well?”

“Sorry Paul, Jarrod’s already asked me.”

Paul Covertington shrugged his shoulders and left.

“Heather!” Jarrod exclaimed.

“Now Jarrod, Paul’s a very nice man, handsome, and I really enjoy going riding with him, but he’s murder on the dance floor, my feet will ache for a week.”

In spite of himself Tim Curtis chuckled.

“Tim, this is my younger sister Heather. Heather this is Tim Curtis, as I explained to Audra Tim and I went to law school together.”

Curtis and Heather smiled at each other.

“Jarrod, how’d you end up with two such beautiful sisters?”

He raised his glass to the two Barkley sisters and smiled. He had found what he was looking for.

At the other end of Stockton two other sisters were also together. Mary and Catherine O’Hara were going home after another long day in the laundry of Mr Wong. Both had dark brown hair and green eyes. Mary at 19 was the elder of the two. Catherine was two years younger then her sister.

They lived in a small cottage on the outskirts of Stockton with their mother Bridie Their father had died many years ago.

“Can ye imagine what it must be like in there?” Catherine asked her sister as they looked back to the well-lit city hall. Catherine was the dreamer of the pair. “The music, the dancing and all dose beautiful dresses.”

“But not for like of us” Mary said pulling Catherine toward home. Mary was the more level headed and practical one. “Besides when would we be havin’ the time to go to does like that?”

That brought the dreamer back to reality. The girls worked long hours in the laundry to help with the family income. The laundry wasn’t that bad and it beat the other alternative.

A noise from the alley they had just passed caused both girls to pick up the pace.

In the alleyway a tall rakish man bit down on his tongue to prevent himself cursing and giving away the position he and his partner had. Both men had been in the same place and at the same time for the last three nights watching, and noting what times, the O’ Hara sisters came past and if at all they were ever escorted.

Tonight the boss had said would be the best time to make a move. With half the town, including the Sheriff and his deputy, at the Mayors Gala Ball, there would be nobody around to notice them or raise the alarm. The girls would not be missed until at least morning.

Tying bandana’s across their noses and mouths the duo crept out of their hiding place and hurried after the sisters. In their right hands each of the men carried handkerchiefs soaked with chloroform.

It didn’t take long for them to catch up to their prey. They were old hands at doing this. With their left arms they snagged each girl by the waist. The handkerchief in each right hand was expertly place across the nose and mouth of the victim before both girls knew what was happening they were both unconscious. No signs of a struggle to give away any clues. Checking the ground carefully to make sure that neither girl had dropped anything and to make sure that there was nothing that could be traced back to them the men each lifted one girl onto his shoulder and made their way to where their horses were waiting. Yes the boss would be pleased with tonight’s work.

“I’m tellin’ye Sheriff neither of me gals come home last night.” Bridie O’Hara wept as she reported her daughters missing to Sheriff Fred Madden. “And thay both know better then to stay out without me permission.”

“All right Bridie calm down” Madden tried to calm the distressed mother. “Did you check with their friends maybe they stayed with them last night rather then come home late and disturb you?”

“Thay wouldn’t do that without lettin’ me know first.”

“What about Mr Wong?”

“I check with him he saw them leave last night.”

The door opened at this point and Madden was relieved to see the face of Jarrod Barkley. If anybody would be able to calm Bridie O’Hara down it would be Jarrod.

“Good morning Fred.” Jarrod greeted the Sheriff. He turned and saw the distressed Bridie. “Bridie what’s wrong?”

“Tis me Mary and me Catherine Mr Jarrod” Bridie cried.

“What about Mary and Catherine Bridie? Are they all right? Has something happened to them?” Jarrod had known both the O’Hara girls since they were born. Bridie O’Hara was the town seamstress, often when making something for Victoria Bridie had brought the girls with her to the house. Mary and Audra were about the same age, and had played together.

“It seams the neither Mary or Catherine came home last night Jarrod.” Fred explained. “Mr Wong hasn’t seen them since they left the laundry last night and they didn’t spend the night with friends either.”

“And what are you going to do about this Fred?” Jarrod asked. If there was somebody out there kidnapping young women he wanted them caught. Heather and Audra were about the same age as Mary and Catherine.

“I’ll start a search at once.”

“Alright I’ll take Bridie home.”

“Who’d want to steal me babes?”

“Bridie, Fred will find out and will bring Mary and Catherine home.” Jarrod tried to put up a confident front. He had heard of men kidnapping girls and young women and then selling them into prostitution. He prayed that that was not the fate for Mary and Catherine O’Hara.

After seeing Bridie O’Hara back to her home Jarrod headed for his Stockton office. He had a few telegrams that needed to be written and sent. Favours a few people owed him that maybe he could call in. Some of his friends in this and other states police forces may know if any criminals who kidnapped and then sold their victims into any kind of bad situation had moved into the Stockton area.

“Jarrod,hey Jarrod wait up a second.” Tim Curtis’s voice broke into his thought pattern “I need to talk to you.”

“Tim, sorry I’m miles away.” Jarrod looked at his old school friend.

“What’s wrong, you look like you’ve got the weight of the world on your shoulders?”

“Two local girls were kidnapped last night. I’ve just taken their mother home after she reported the matter to our Sheriff.”

“I’m sorry to hear that. Is the mother alright?”

“For the moment. I just hope we get them back quickly.” Jarrod stopped outside the door to his office. “Tim you wanted to discuss something? Please come in.”

When both men were in Jarrod’s office Curtis continued.

“ You know how I said last night that I wanted to open a branch of my business here?”

Jarrod just nodded.

“Well I’ve found the perfect spot and I have the money to pay the rent for a couple of months, it’s just that the buildings owner wants some of sort, well I don’t know, local persons gurantee that I’m well of good character or something like that.”

“Sounds like old Mr Scott.” Jarrod smiled to himself “If you don’t come from the area then you can’t be trusted.”

“Something like that.”

“Don’t worry I’ll have a word with him, tell you are of good character.” Jarrod smiled to his friend. “Well at least good enough to rent the property.”

“Thanks Jarrod.”

Jarrod quickly dealt with both the matter of sending the telegrams and of seeing Mr Scott then headed home. He wanted to warn the family of what was happening. Better to be safe then sorry.

“Jarrod, what a surprise.” Victoria greeted her first-born son “I wasn’t expecting you until lunch time, it’s barely ten-thirty, what’s wrong?”

“Mother I need to talk to everybody, where are they?”

“Jarrod?” Victoria asked cautiously. Something in Jarrod’s tone put her on edge.

“Mother I’ll explain when everybody is here.”

“Nick and Heath are working with some of the horses in the near paddock. Audra is overseeing the shoeing of Golden Girl and I think Heather is watching Nick and Heath.”

“Give me ten minutes to round everybody up and then I’ll explain everything.”

Victoria gave a worried nod.

“Alright Jarrod what’s so all fired important that we had to be dragged away from breaking those horses?” Nick Barkley asked as he stood in the palour “We’re behind as it is.”

Jarrod glared at his hotheaded younger brother. “Nick if it wasn’t important I wouldn’t dragged you away in the first place.”

“Well?”

“As soon as Audra gets here I’ll explain.”

As Jarrod uttered those words Audra joined the group.

“Sorry, Golden Girl just wouldn’t settle.”

“Okay now that everybody’s here. Last night Mary and Catherine O’Hara were kidnapped right off the street. So far Fred has no leads or clues as to who did this or why.”

“Poor Bridie, how is she?” Victoria was concerned for her friend.

“As you can imagine Bridie’s upset.”

“Both Mary and Catherine?” Audra questioned in a small voice. Mary O’Hara had been her playmate when they were children. All though they had grown apart in later years she kept in contact as much as possible.

“Yes and for that reason I wanted to warn both you and Heather.” Jarrod looked across to where his redheaded sister sat with her twin. “Not to set foot off Barkley land without an escort, at least until whoever did this is caught.”

“But Jarrod…” Heather began in protest.

“Jarrod we’re not..” Audra joined in the protest.

“I mean it” Jarrod looked at both his younger sisters “Not with out an escort.”

Your brother’s right.” Victoria told both girls. The news had worried her. Young women kidnapped off the street. It was enough to worry any mother.

“But …”

“We’re not children anymore.” Heather stated.

“THEN ACT LIKE GROWN-UPS THE PAIR OF YOU.” Although Nicks voice was raised it was not so much in anger but in fear. “ AND DO WHAT MOTHER AND JARROD WANT. OR SO HELP ME I WILL PERSONALLY SEE THAT YOU BOTH DON’T LEAVE THIS HOUSE UNTIL THE CREEP DOING THIS IS CAUGHT.”

As he listened to what Jarrod had said fear crept into Nick. He loved his sisters and didn’t want anything to happen to either of them. Nor could he imagine what he would do if put into the same situation as Bridie O’Hara.

Where Nick yelled Heath tried reason. “Baby-girl, Sis you know it’s for your own good. We all just want you both safe and here with us.”

Both of the Barkley sisters knew that they were caught. There was nothing they could do, it was either have an escort, or face the threat Nick had issued.

“Alright we’ll take the escort.” Heather gave in.

“Agreed” Audra too gave in.

Victoria and her sons breathed a collective sigh of relief.

After the dark the tall rakish man and his partner slipped into the back of the deserted shop like they had been told to. Their boss would be inside waiting for them.

“Well done boys” He congratulated them “Our clients will be well pleased with what we have for them. No problems?”

“Not one boss” The tall man confirmed.

“Just like we’s planned” The slightly shorter man put in. “Those two sure are pretty ones.”

“Well make sure they stay that way,” The boss warned. “We want them in good shape and whole for the clients. So no touching the merchandise.”

The pair nodded.

“I mean it the pair of you. I don’t want to see any cuts, bruises or any other damage”

“They won’t give us any problems “The rakish man said,” They’s to scared at the moment. All they do is cry.”

“Where are they?”

“In the caravan outta the back just like you wanted.”

“For safety move it to just out of town, the Sheriff and my lawyer friend are already on the case.” Tim Curtis said moving into the light. “We have to collect two more to fill the first contract. I’ve already seen two possible candidates.”

“And what about the special order?”

Curtis just smiled.

Both of the men had worked with Curtis in the past, that’s why he trusted them now. That and the fact that his little ‘supply and demand’ business was very profitable and he paid very well.

...Continued