Jarrod sat in the study of the Barkley home checking and cross checking the replies he had so far received to his telegrams. Some of it was useful, some not. As far as he could tell most of the known kidnappers were still all serving time in one jail or another.

“There’s always the possibility that it’s a new outfit” He thought to himself. What worried him the most was the lack, so far, of any kind of ransom note. Not one penny had been asked for up till now and this worried him.

“Jarrod?” Heath called as he opened the door “Jarrod, where are you?”

“In the study Heath.” Jarrod returned, “What’s up? Aren’t you and Nick supposed to mending fences somewhere?”

“YES WE ARE.” Nick boomed, “Now that you’ve found Jarrod will you please tell me WHAT THE HECK IS GOING ON?”

“Nick will you simmer down and give Heath a chance?” Jarrod tried to rein in his younger brother. “Now Heath what is so important?”

Heath went on to tell Jarrod about the incident in town the previous day.

“I knew I’d seen him before but I just couldn’t place him.” Heath continued, “Then when Nick and I were discussing the kidnappings it came to me his name is Burt Fisher. I ran into him while working as a deputy to Frank Sawyer. His specialty is kidnapping, he stalks his victims and uses chloroform. Has a partner by the name of Dan Kleins.”

“Kleins? Kleins?” Jarrod mumbled as he rustled through the various papers on the desk. “Yes Dan Kleins still serving time in a jail north of here. No mention of a partner.” He put down the piece of paper. “Thanks Heath, I’ll have Fred chase up any information, and also see if he can round this Fisher up.”

A small knock drew all three brothers attention to the study door.

“Yes Silas?” Jarrod inquired.

“Sheriff Madden to see you Mr Jarrod.”

“Thanks Silas. Fred come in. We may have a lead for you thanks to Heath.” Jarrod enthused.

“That’s great Jarrod” Madden took the lawyers hand “Nick, Heath, cause I could use some of that right about now.”

“Fred what’s wrong?” Nick didn’t like the tone of the Sheriffs voice.

“Another two young women were kidnapped sometime last night.”

“Who?” Heath asked.

“Sara Carlton, Kess Carlton’s widow and Hattie Green that new cook at the diner.” Madden looked downcast. Four kidnappings in two days and not a clue. “ I really could use any kinda lead about now.”

“We’ve got a name for you to check.” Jarrod offered “Burt Fisher, kidnapper, usually works with a partner by the name of Dan Kleins. Kleins is still in jail up north.”

“And this guy’s in Stockton now?” This was news to Madden.

“Bumped into him yesterday morning” Heath confirmed. “ Smallish men, light brown hair, brown eyes, scar on back of the right hand.”

“Thanks boys” With that Madden departed with the promise to return if he received any further information.

A feeling of something cold and damp on her forehead and the room moving and swaying brought Heather back to consciousness. Opening her eyes she looked up to a wooden ceiling. Raising her head was a mistake, for as she did the room revolved even faster.

“Lay still missy” An Irish accent said. The face belonging to the accent was still a little blurry.

“Where’s….where’s my sister? Did Audra. Audra get away?” Even to her ears the words coming out of her mouth were slurred. She couldn’t think straight. What had happened? Where was she? Where was Audra?

“Audra’s over there.” A blurry hand pointed to the other side of the room. “She’s not quite awake yet.”

“Where…..where are we? What is going on here?” At least this time when she lifted her head the room didn’t spin as much.

Sitting up then standing was another matter entirely. As she tried to stand her stomach revolted against her.

“Thare you go,you’ll be needing tat.” The accent said again and handed over something that looked like a bucket. The face belonging to the accent became clearer.

“Mary O’Hara?” Heather asked peering at the face.

“Yes Miss Barkley” Mary replied.

“Heather, just Heather will do.” Heather grabbed onto something wooden. It was the side of a bunk. “Please take me to my sister.”

Mary guided her over to another bunk where a slightly younger girl was bathing Audra’s forehead.

“It’s okay Cat.” Mary reassured the younger girl. “ Dis is Heather Barkley, Heather me younger sister Cat.”

Catherine O’Hara rose and allowed Heather to sit by the bunk where Audra was laying.

“I think she’ll be wakening soon” Cat’s accent was identical to that of her sister. “She’s been making little mewing sounds.”

“Thank- you Cat” Heather took the cloth Cat was holding and began to sponge Audra’s head.

“Dis is Sara Carlton, and Hattie Green” Mary indicated to the other occupants of the room.

Sara Carlton, she estimated was about her own age. Hattie Green a little younger, her eyes were red and it looked like she’d been crying.

“Why are we all here? What’s going on?”

“We’re being taken to some mining town east of here” Sara answered “Where we’re to be sold as brides.”

“Jarrod?” Victoria called to her eldest son “Did you see the girls come back?” It was now well after five in the evening and there was still no sign of either one of her daughters.

“No Mother” Jarrod replied as he joined Victoria “I haven’t seen them since they left earlier. Maybe they met up with Nick and Heath and will come back with them.”

“Jarrod I don’t like this, they’ve been gone far too long.” Victoria fretted.

“Mother lets just wait till Nick and Heath get back.” Victoria’s fear was beginning to envelope him as well.

By the time Nick and Heath returned to the house an hour or so later both Victoria and Jarrod were a bundle to nerves. Every sound, every movement had them at the front door hoping it was the missing Barkley girls returning.

Both Nick and Heath sensed the fear and tension before they saw the faces of either their mother or brother.

“What’s wrong?” Nick asked immediately.

“Are the girls with you?” Victoria asked anxiously.

“No” Heath replied at once, fear creeping into his voice “They’re not here?”

“We haven’t seen either of them since they left this afternoon” Jarrod reported to his younger brothers

“I KNEW WE SHOULD’VE FORCED THEM TO STAY IN THE HOUSE” Nick angrily tossed his hat and gloves onto the table.

“What about Silverfire Lady?” Heath tried to think of where his twin and younger sister may be. “Has she come home at all?”

“No” Victoria said in a small voice. This was not looking good.

“Come on Heath, Jarrod we’ll round up the men, grab some torches and start looking” Nick laid down a plan “Mother I know it’s going to be hard but we need you to stay here in case they do come home.”

Victoria nodded. Nick was right. She desperately wanted to ride with her sons but knew that somebody was needed at home.

“Find them Nick, Heath, Jarrod, please just find them.”

Each of the boys bent down and kissed their mother.

“BRIDES?” Heather was shocked. “We are to be sold to some man as his bride?” The very thought of it sickened her. She, they had to escape somehow. It was up to her as the eldest to get herself and Audra out of this.

“Before ye git that look on ye face, don’t even think about it.” Mary warned her “There’s not a chance to escape. They guard us too well.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“They keep us in this whatever it is by day.” Sara explained. “They let us out at night when they stop. We eat, stretch our legs, wash and then bunk down for the night.”

“How many of them?”

“Just two, but they know what they’re doing. Hattie tried to escape the first night she was here. Although they didn’t hurt her they did give her a good shaking. Said it was a warning to the rest of us.”

“Any idea where we’re going?”

“Just to the east.”

“There has to be a way out. There’s no way my sister and I are going to end up as the bought brides to some miner or the like.”

“Keep thinkin’ like that Red and all ye’ll do is get yourself into trouble.” Mary said.

“And just what do you plan to do Irish? Do you want your little sister to end up as the forced bride of some miner?” Heather’s eyes flashed green, the danger colour. Mary didn’t know what it meant but knew better then to push any further.

“Red, I mean Heather, Audra’s just about awake” Catherine said.

Heather went and sat on the bunk of her sister.

“Hey Audra.” She called quietly “Come on little sister wake-up.”

“Heather? ….Where..?” Audra asked drowsily

“Shh, Its alright I’m here. We’re together.” Heather continued to sponge her sister’s head. “We really should’ve listened to Nick.”

“Kidnappers?”

“Yes.”

The wagon/caravan jerked to a halt.

Footsteps approached the back. A key turned in some sort of lock and the door opened.

“Good evening ladies” Fisher purred “Time to eat. I see our two latest guests are awake.”

“Come on Burt.” Connors called “Move them out.”

“The Barkley girls are awake” Fisher called. He mounted the first of six steps leading from the ground to the area the girls were confined in.

Mary pushed Catherine behind her. Sara stepped in front of Hattie and Heather moved to place herself between Fisher and Audra.

“Burt” Connors warned, “You know what the boss said.”

“Alright, alright” Fisher backed away. “Come on ladies get out here.”

Slowly the girls filed out of the caravan and made their way to the fire that Connors had started.

Over the meal Connors explained what fate, or at least fate as he and Fisher saw it, had in store for the girls.

“It’s like this ladies” He began. “We, meaning Mr Fisher there and I, are being paid a lot of money to deliver you to Virginia City where there is a shortage of marriageable age women for the miners. The four of you.” He pointed to the O’Hara sisters, Sara and Hattie “Will become brides for some lucky miners.

“And us?” Heather glared at Connors. Her arm went protectively around Audra.

“For you two something special is in store. A very rich gentleman has requested two girls of breeding and quality for his sons. And you two are it.”

Hearing what was in store for them Audra began to cry. Heather continued to glare at Connors and to plot.

With torches held high Nick, Jarrod and Heath along with some twenty of their hands began the search. Nick despatched two of the men to ride to Stockton to bring back Fred Madden and any of his deputies that could be spared.

The search had started at Watchers Lookout only because this was the closest spot to the house. When nothing was found there, they switched across to Mystic Gully. It was the same story at the Gully, evidence that the girls had indeed been there, but no sign of them been in area currently.

“That leaves only Meadows Creek.” Jarrod said dejectedly.

They had been searching for two to three hours already and nothing. With each passing minute it looked more and more like Heather and Audra were the two latest victims of the kidnapper.

“Right now I be happy to know that they’re walking home because Fire tossed them out of the carriage in a fit of temper.” Nick stated, “Even though I know that wouldn’t happen.”

“I hear what’re saying Nick” Heath agreed. The action Nick suggested would indeed be out of character for his twins little horse, but at this moment it would be welcomed.

“ALRIGHT EVERYBODY WE’RE HEADING TO MEADOWS CREEK.” Nick yelled.

The group was within sight of the creek when the torchlight revealed a small horse and carriage approaching them.

“Fire?” Nick called to the horse.

Upon hearing a familiar voice Silverfire Lady stopped. She was exhausted.

“Audra? Heather?” Nick called expecting to see his sisters sitting on the driving board. “AURDA, HEATHER.THIS ISN’T FUNNY.”

“Nick, Nick stop they’re not here.” Jarrod said from where he was standing beside the carriage.

Nick looked toward both of his brothers were standing. Jarrod was holding Audra’s basket of flowers and leaves that she was planning to take to the orphanage the next day. Heath was standing next to Jarrod looking at the little sketchbook Heather kept in a waterproof satchel under the seat. On his face a look of total devastation.

“Nick they’re gone”.

Nick had never, in all the time Heath had been with his family, heard such loss and pain in Heaths voice as he heard when Heath uttered those words.

The sound of approaching hoof beats brought Victoria out of the chair in which she was seated and to the front door. It had been hours since the boys had gone looking for their missing sisters. With Silas away for the evening with a church group she had been alone, the house was so big and quite, so very very quite.

Picking up a lamp from one of the tables she opened the door.

Jarrod and Nick were leading the way. Behind came Heath leading Silverfire Lady and the little carriage.

Nicks face was so dark. And he felt it, the sight of the empty carriage had shaken him. Just wait until he got his hands on those who had done this. Tearing his family apart like this. Where were they? What was happening to them? Never had he felt so helpless.

“Jarrod? Nick?” Victoria eyes fell on the empty carriage, Audra’s basket and Heathers satchel on the drivers seat. “Oh no, no Jarrod”

Jarrod Barkley, with a look of total loss on his face, wrapped his arms around the tiny women they all called Mother and said “ We searched the three places Audra and Heather said they were going to visit Mother. We couldn’t find them. We found Fire near Meadows Creek. From the state she was in when we found her I’d say some body led or forced her to another part of the property or even out of the property in an attempt to gain time and distance. Somebody figured it would take her a while to reach home, time they could use to run, hide, escape whatever.”

From within his arms he could feel her body shake and tremble. She was crying, softly, but nevertheless crying.

“Let’s get you inside” He led her passed the columns and through the front door.

“Come in Fred” Jarrod opened the door to the Sheriff.

It was about an hour and a half after the brothers had returned home. They had something to eat, not that any of them were really very hungry, and had persuaded Victoria to try and get some sleep.

“Jarrod, Nick, Heath” The Sheriff addressed all three brothers “I’m so sorry about your sisters.” It seemed so inadequate but he had to express his sorrow some how.

“WELL WHAT ARE YOU DOING ABOUT IT FRED?” This was Nick. “OUR SISTERS ARE OUT THERE FACING GOD ONLY KNOWS WHAT AND ALL YOU CAN SAY IS YOU’RE SORRY.”

Fred Madden let Nick’s tirade go. He knew that Nick was worried and afraid. And when Nick was in that kind of mood he got loud and lashed out at those around him. It wasn’t personal.

“Jarrod I followed up on that name you gave me and well you not going to like what I found.”

“Go on Fred” Jarrod’s interest was raised.

“Seems this Burt Fisher came out of a prison also up north some months ago. He and another by the name of Kurt Connors were released together, bummed around for a bit and then found work with, and this is the part you’re not gonna like Jarrod, your friend Tim Curtis. Connors too was in for kidnapping. I also did a little diggin into your friend.”

“Go on Fred.” Jarrod encouraged.

“Seems all those branches of his ‘supply and demand’ business were just fronts.”

“What’d you mean fronts?” Heath sat up and took notice.

“Well I checked in with another town sheriff’s seems wherever this guy has set-up girls have gone missing.” Madden saw the look that was spreading across Nicks face and added, “Now there’s no proof it may all just be one big coincidence.”

“AND I’M A FORTUNE TELLER.” Nick replied. “ AND TO THINK WE INVITATED HIM INTO OUR HOME.”

“Nick calm down” Jarrod advised more out of habit then anything. He was only half listening to this volatile brother.

“Calm down, Jarrod that so called friend of yours has STOLEN, yes Jarrod stolen our little sisters and the only way we’re ever going to get them back is to find and get the answer out of him.”

“Nick violence never solved anything.”

“OH but Jarrod it’ll feel so good.”

“Nick’s right Jarrod, it’s going to be about the best way to ever get our sisters back.” Heath sided with Nick.

“Heath, Nick just give me a day to find everything I can then together we’ll confront him.” Jarrod pleaded. The course of action his brothers wanted to take would only end up landing them both in jail.

“AND BY THEN AUDRA AND HEATHER WILL BE GOD KNOWS WHERE.NO JARROD WE BEAT THE INFORMATION OUT OF CURTIS AND THEN GO AND GET THE GIRLS BACK.”

“Nick I want them both back as much as you do, for crying out loud they’re both my sisters too. But we have to do this within the law.”

“The law can go hang itself” Heath was getting as worked up as Nick “Jarrod that’s my twin and younger sister out there and I’m going to do whatever is necessary to get them back.”

“If you want to question Curtis you’ll have to find him first.” Madden piped in “ We checked the shop and the place that he’s been staying in, nothing. He’s upped and gone. Nor can we locate either Connors or Fisher.”

“Nick, Heath at least wait till day-break you won’t be able to find a thing out there now.”

With bad grace the two youngest Barkley’s agreed

For the six girls locked in the wagon/caravan all day things were getting boring and tiresome. Mary O’Hara and Heather continued to argue about the possibility of escape, with Sara Carlton trying to act as peacemaker. Audra and Catherine O’Hara took it in turns to try and lift the spirits of the downcast and very scared Hattie Green. The only thing the eldest of the girls could agree on was no matter what they wouldn’t under any circumstances allow anything to happen to the younger ones.

Meantime back on the Barkley ranch the boys weren’t exactly having a good day either.

With Nick in a dark and foul mood all the hands were keeping out of his way as much as possible. The unfortunate ones who had no choice but to deal with their grouchy moody boss ended up with their heads being bitten off. On this day there was just no pleasing Nick at all.

Even the more mild mannered Heath was in an extreme mood. His temper resembled his brothers. The hands assigned to work with him also kept their distance. For the hands this was the first time many of them had seen this side to Heaths nature.

“Come on Ladies, time to eat and stretch your legs again.” Fisher called as he opened the door. “This is the last time we’ll be eating together. Tomorrow you’ll be arriving in Virginia City and will be starting your new lives.”

“We’ll see about that.” Heather mumbled in a defiant tone.

“Red” Mary hissed, “Don’t”

The mention of Virginia City stirred something in Audra’s mind.

“We have friend’s just outside of the city.” She told the others “If we could just somehow reach them then we’d be safe.”

“And how far out of ta city would these friends be?” Mary asked.

I’m not sure, I’ve never actually been to their ranch, but from what I hear it’s big and they’re an influential family.”

“Even if we could make a break and get to the Sheriff’s office, surely by now our family will have put out a missing persons bulletin on us.” Heather chipped in.

“Hush it they’re coming back” Catherine was on watch.

Connors put a bucket of cool fresh water in front of the girls.

“Drink-up ladies, cool water. It’ll be the last lot until we reach Virginia City.”

“I’ll just get my cup.” Audra excused herself.

Heather turned and watched her younger sister enter the living quarters.

Burt Fisher also watched Audra enter the caravan. Of all six girls, in his opinion, the Barkley’s were the best lookers and of the two of them the blonde one was the prettier. What he wouldn’t give to have just five minutes with her. And now finally here was his chance. Connors was off getting fish or game for the meal so he would be no problem and he really didn’t expect any of the others to interfere, after all they were only females and could hardly match his size and strength. What he didn’t count on was one feisty red head with, not only the temper of the red head, but also the temper of the Barkley’s.

Audra was just at the top of the stairs when Fisher approached, leapt up them and pushed her back into the room.

“Well pretty” He leered “This is the last time we’ll be together, so hows about you and I have a little fun? Come on give us a kiss.”

“Get away from me or I’ll scream” Audra said defiantly “Kiss you? I’d sooner kiss a rattler, and it would kiss better then you could.”

“Why you little…” Fisher was starting to boil, a woman defying him wasn’t what he was used to and it was made even worse when Audra’s nails raked their way down his face. “Come here.” He pushed Audra up against one of the bunks and began to kiss her forcibly.

Audra tried to take a swing at him but he had pinned her arms with his hands.

“LEAVE HER ALONE” A new voice ordered.

Fisher felt his hands been removed from where they had Audra pinned and then felt his body being propelled toward the other end of the living space.

“Audra go.” Heather ordered her younger sister. She watched as Audra hurried down the stairs and toward the safety of the other girls.

She smiled in relief as Audra reached the bottom of the stairs. She heard Audra yell something and point behind her. She turned. A hand slapped her face and she stumbled forward.

When she reached the bottom of the stairs Audra turned and waited for her sister to join her. What she actually saw made her fear for her sister.

Burt Fisher had recovered from being thrown against the wall and was coming up from behind Heather

“Look out.” Audra warned, pointing. “Behind you.”

All Audra could do was watch in horror as Fisher raised his hand and slapped Heather hard across the face. The force of the blow caused her lose her footing and fall, she bounced off one or two of the steps and crashed to the ground with a sickening thud

“HEATHER!” Audra screamed.

It was all quite at the Barkley house, the end of another frustrating day. Both Nick and Heath’s moods were still dark and gloomy. Victoria was up in her room in a drug induced sleep, the doctor had been out earlier in the day and prescribed something to help her sleep.

Jarrod’s investigations hadn’t gotten him very far either. The background checks he had made on Tim Curtis revealed that he had at one point worked for his father. After about two years he had then gone out on his own and started up his little business. Banking and finical records showed that every three months or so he made large deposits into his accounts, there were however the occasional very large deposits irregular but still made.

All of the payments coincided with the reports of missing girls. That little fact really worried him. He still had the thought of the girls being sold into prostitution in the back of his mind or possibly even being sold as white slaves to another country. Those thoughts kept him awake at night.

Although he hadn’t said anything about this to either of his brothers or his mother he could see in their eyes that they were thinking along similar lines.

It was just those thoughts that had him awake and roaming around his bedroom at this hour, the rest of the family had been in bed for some hours and although probably not sleeping terribly well at least they would be getting some sort of rest. For Jarrod there was not that kind of luxury. How could he have been so blind? To trust somebody he hadn’t seen for so many years? The Tim he knew at law-school had been a bright young man eager to learn and wanting to help people. Tim had changed.

The sound of breaking glass brought him back to reality. Somebody was breaking in and it sounded like the study.

Jarrod reached into his bedside cabinet and pulled out his revolver. Quietly he crept to his bedroom door and opened it. As he passed by Nick’s door it too opened Nick emerged holding her gun and wearing a shirt and sleeping pants. A second door opened and Heath also emerged hold a gun and wearing a shirt and sleeping pants.

“Intruder,” Jarrod whispered.

“In the study.” Nick confirmed.

The three brothers crept quietly down the stair and through the doorway leading to the study.

...Continued