Shattered Silence

Part 4

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 original characters and storyline are copyrighted to Lily B.

While seated together in the posh restaurant for breakfast, Jarrod tried once again to convince his brothers not to go seek out Rachel and Laura yet. But there was a part of him that didn’t want to try and talk him out of it. He knew just how much that Rachel and Laura meant to the both of them. Especially to Heath, he’d never seen his blonde brother so much in love before. And he wanted Heath to be happy, he wasn’t one to give his heart away easily and now that he had given away his heart, he wanted Heath to know how joyful love could be. But, as he tried to reason with them, Heath and Nick would do the girls very little good if they got caught and thrown into jail. So, whether he liked it or not, he had to try and talk them out of finding Rachel and Laura.

Heath and Nick wouldn’t listen to Jarrod’s reasoning, although they both agreed that being put in jail would not help their cause. They still needed to make sure that they were both okay. Judging from the dark circles beginning to form under Heath’s eyes, it was quite obvious to his eldest brother that he wouldn’t rest until he had seen Rachel. Jarrod sat there watching his brothers and was reminded of something his Mother had said to him only a short week ago. That if the situation was reversed and it had been Beth, he would be of the same mind and behavior as Heath was. He gave up the argument without any further fight.

Nick and Heath later walked the five blocks to the bank. They got there well before it would open at nine o’clock and set themselves to finding a place where they could watch all the comings and goings without being seen. Simpson had seen Heath before, of that fact they were quite sure, but as to whether or not he had seen Nick; that much they didn’t know and didn’t leave to chance. They found an alleyway diagonally across from the bank and quietly waited.

Opening the door, Jarrod briefly admired the elegant décor of David Travers offices and the large amount of space he held in such a high-end part of the city, he could only imagine what the counselor must be paying for such a space.

“May I help you sir?” A young woman addressed him from a very large and elaborate desk in the rear of the room.

“Yes please, my name is Jarrod Barkley, I’m an attorney from California. I believe Mr. Travers received a wire about my impending arrival.”

“Do you have an appointment?”

“Well no, not exactly.”

The young woman frowned and stared down at the book in front of her. “I’m sorry, but Counselor Travers is completely booked for the day. Would you like to schedule an appointment? I have an opening on the 25^th at nine.”

“The 25^th? That’s over two weeks away.”

“I’m sorry but that’s his first available appointment.”

Jarrod’s shoulders drooped slightly and he walked closer to the desk, taking off his hat. “Miss, please if you could just check with him and see if he received the wire from Jim Hanson about me and about this case.”

She studied him for a moment, finding his blue eyes almost hypnotic, she finally relented. “All right. I can’t interrupt him, but when he’s finished with this client; I’ll speak to him on your behalf. But you may have to wait awhile and I can’t promise anything.”

“I understand, thank you very much for your help, Miss?”

“Miss Hadley.” She smiled.

“Thank you Miss Hadley.” Jarrod bowed slightly then took a seat on an overstuffed leather sofa. He took out several sheets of notepaper and began to write. He checked his pocket watch and the door to Travers’s office frequently, anxiously hoping that Travers would indeed see him. He wondered if Jim had really had a change of heart, had he sent the telegram as he told Jarrod he would? Or was it all just another ruse of his, a game? All Jarrod could do was sit, write and wait. He thought of his brothers and prayed that they didn’t get themselves into any trouble.

Heath shifted his weight again and pulled out his pocket watch to check the time. Close to ten in the morning and still no sign of Mr. Simpson. “You sure that girl said it was here?”

“Yep, I’m sure.”

“Sure she was telling the truth?” Heath asked.

“Yep, I’m sure. I don’t think she’d lie to me.” Nick replied.

“How do ya know? Ya were only with her for a few hours.”

“I just know, alright? She’s different.”

Heath rolled his eyes, his brother was falling for someone again and if this wasn’t the worst timing on earth, he didn’t know what was. Then Heath spotted a black covered carriage with rich velvet curtains pulling in front of the bank. “Nick, look.”

Mr. Simpson stepped down from the carriage and put on his hat, he took hold of his walnut and gold walking stick and headed into the bank.

“That’s him?” Nick sneered.

“Yep, so now we just gotta wait some more.”

“If we’re lucky he’ll leave work early.”

“And when we find out where he lives, whaddya want to do Heath?”

He lowered his head, “Don’t know yet, we can’t exactly go knocking on the front door with him there.”

“May have to wait until he leaves for work tomorrow.” Nick shook his head.

“I can’t stand the thought of another night not knowing.”

“I know Heath, believe me I do. Hey maybe Jarrod will have some luck with that lawyer.”

“Ya really don’t think that anything is going to happen today, do you?”

“Nope, that’s one thing that Jarrod has that we don’t. Patience for all of that law stuff.”

“That’s why he’s the lawyer in the family Nick and not us.” Heath managed to give his brother a small grin; the bit of brevity was a much-needed relief from the stress of waiting for both of them.

Promptly at noon, Nick and Heath saw Mr. Simpson leave the bank and get back into the covered carriage. They hustled to get a taxi and ordered the driver to follow the covered carriage from a distance, promising an extra twenty dollars if the driver didn’t lose him. The driver was more than happy to oblige the two men.

A half hour later and just on the outskirts of the city, the covered carriage stopped in front of a large black wrought iron gate. The driver got down and opened the gate then returned to the carriage and drove up the driveway to a home just out of the street’s view.

Heath and Nick paid their driver plus the extra twenty he had earned and they disembarked. They went across the street to the large gate and looked towards the house.

“Hope that this is the house.” Nick commented.

“Maybe he likes to come home for lunch.”

“We can only hope.”

Inside, Alexander Simpson allowed Mrs. Ling to remove his jacket and take his hat. “I’ll take my lunch in a little while Mrs. Ling. I’m going to go check on my girls.” He fumbled with a large ring of keys in his pocket and went upstairs. At the end of the hall, he stopped and turned a key inside the lock. He opened the door into a darkened room with no windows.

“Good afternoon Laura.”

From the corner, Laura stood up and tried her best to smile. “Good afternoon Papa.” She replied meekly.

“Come here daughter and give me a hug and a kiss. It’s been a rough morning.”

Laura obediently took small steps over to her Father and he grabbed hold of her, hugging her tightly.

“Have you been a good girl this morning Laura?”

“Yes Papa, I’ve been good, I promise.”

“Good.” He put a finger under her chin to make her look up at him. He shook his head at the sight, “Quite the black eye you have child. Now if you would just behave all the time, like a good girl, I wouldn’t have to punish you like that.”

“Yes sir.” Laura lowered her head again. “Papa?”

“Yes child.”

“Papa, can I see Rachel?”

“No you may not.”

“Please Papa, I haven’t seen her since we got home! It’s been two whole days!”

“Laura!” His bass voice echoed in the room. “What did I tell you about Rachel!”

“She was very bad for taking me away.” Laura whispered.

“And?!”

“She has to be punished. But Papa…”

Simpson raised his hand to her and Laura shirked away. “Don’t you try me child! Rachel is being punished for her crime and she will stay in the basement until I say otherwise! Now if you both remain good and obedient, then perhaps at the end of the week she can return to her room, but not before.”

“Yes Papa.”

“Much better. Mrs. Ling will bring you up some lunch in a little while.” He watched her for a moment to make sure his weak daughter would not cry then left the room and locked her back inside.

Laura threw herself on the bed and sobbed as quietly as she could.

He went downstairs and then into the kitchen where he unlocked the door into the basement. At the bottom of the stairs, he lit a lantern and went to the door in the corner of the room. He took out yet another key and unlocked the door, stepping inside with a smile on his face.

Rachel opened her eyes slowly as the heat of the lamp touched her face. It was painfully bright and she squinted up at her stepfather.

He knelt down in front of her and took a close look at her neck. “Oh my, you’ve been struggling again haven’t you?” The rope around her neck had spots of blood on it where it had cut into her skin. “You don’t be careful and you’ll crush the air right from your neck and die.” He fingered the rope and took it in his thick fist. “Like this!” Yanking hard, he cut off her air and her eyes flew open wide while he continued to pull on it. Finally he released the rope and she gasped for air.

Simpson stood up and looked down at her. “You know I’ve had quite the rough morning Rachel.” He undid his belt, “I could use a little release.”

Rachel looked up at him and watched him getting undressed. She didn’t have the fight left to do anything; a feverish heat was building inside her and sapped her of all of her energy and will to try and stop him.

* * * * * * * *

Jarrod finally entered David Travers office just before one o’clock. He took in the even more elegantly appointed furnishings before he shook hands with the prominent attorney. “Thank you for seeing me Counselor. I know you must have a very full schedule.”

“Well I do, but when Jim wired me about you desperately needing to see me, it piqued my interest. I don’t think I’ve ever seen or heard Jim beg for anything but that’s what he did. He begged me to speak with you and to take on this mysterious case.” Travers sat down in his thick leather chair and leaned back. “First, Counselor, I take it that this might have something to do with those two girls your family was harboring illegally?”

“Yes it does as a matter of fact. But there is much more to the story than what you apparently know.”

“Ahh, I do love a good story Mr. Barkley. Please, fill me in.”

Crouching behind a row of dense hedges, Heath and Nick watched the gate open and Mr. Simpson leaving the estate home in his carriage. They made a quick check of their firearms then looked for a spot to climb over the fence, without them being seen from the street.

“Remember Nick, we’ve gotta go in there nice and easy. Don’t know for sure this is where Rachel and sprite are. Could be he was having lunch with some client.”

“I know we just knock on the door all friendly like. I’ve got it!” Nick grumbled back to Heath, what else did Heath think he was gonna do?

They made it over the fence, with Nick giving Heath a leg up and they took a look around the grounds before proceeding any further. After the coast appeared to be clear, they brushed the dirt off their clothes and walked to the front door. Heath swung the large brass knocker once. The waited, both of them wrapped up in thoughts of what they might find inside if Rachel and Laura were indeed there. Nick banged the knocker again rapidly several times.

Eventually, a tiny middle-aged woman of Asian descent opened the door partially. “Yes?” She asked.

“Excuse me ma’am,” Heath started politely and removed his hat. “But we were looking for the Simpson home.”

Mrs. Ling looked them over for a moment and remembered where she had seen these two men before; her eyes went wide with horror. “Oh no! You the men from out West! You go away!” She tried to slam the door in their faces but Nick was quick to stick his large boot in the doorway, blocking her from closing it.

“Oh no you don’t!” He told her menacingly.

“You done enough already! You go away before you get them both dead!” She shouted at them.

Heath could see how petrified the woman was. “You’re Mrs. Ling, aren’t you? Rachel told me all about you, she really likes you and she also told me how you were too scared to leave.”

“That’s right! And I was right, you couldn’t protect her out west, you can’t protect her here. And next time he finds her maybe he kills her.”

“Please Mrs. Ling, my brother and I, we gotta know that they are okay. If they are both okay, we’ll leave for now, you have my word on that.” Heath pleaded with the small woman.

“Please,” She said with tears in her eyes, “Just go.”

Nick had enough of the pleading and easily pushed the door open, forcing Mrs. Ling to step back. “Where are Laura and Rachel?” He demanded.

“Mrs. Ling, I love Rachel, please just let us see them.”

“You see them, then you go! You get caught here and things get much worse then they are now.”

Heath stopped and stared at her, “How bad are they now?”

Her head dropped and she sobbed, “Bad, oh please just take them! Take them before Rachel dies. I love them like my own, I do. I so sorry I begged Mr. Simpson not to do anything bad.”

“Where are they?” Heath asked in a soft voice.

“Laura’s upstairs.” She grunted out through her sobs.

Nick didn’t waste another second, he ran up the stairs, taking them in twos. Heath followed behind him. The first door was flung open into Mr. Simpson’s bedroom.

“Sprite!” Nick shouted “Sprite!”

She was dreaming, she had to be. But then came the second yell of Sprite and she jumped up off the small bed and ran to the door. Laura banged her fists hard into the door. “Nick!! She yelled frantically.

“Last door!” Heath said and followed Nick to the end of the hallway.

“It’s locked. Sprite, get away from the door!” Nick called out to her.

“Okay!” She replied.

Nick thrust his boot-clad foot into the door and splintered it off of its hinges. The brothers burst through the door and found Laura standing in front of them in her nightgown, shivering from the chill in the dark room.

“Hiya Sprite! Glad to see me?” Nick took her into his arms and lifted her up. It was then that both brothers saw the swollen black eye. Nick hugged her tightly, feeling a mixture of rage and sadness; he swore that he would protect her to his last breath.

Heath stroked the little girl’s knotted curls. “Hi there Laura, we sure did miss you.”

“I missed you too!” She plopped kisses on both their cheeks.

“Honey, where’s your sister? Where’s Rachel?”

She grew frantic again, “Heath ya gotta help her. She’s in the basement! Papa hasn’t let me see her since we got home and last night I know I heard the whip when Mrs. Ling brought me downstairs to sneak some food. I went by the basement door and I heard it.” She hugged her thin arms around Nick’s neck. “Please help her!”

Heath was down the front stairs in a flash. “Mrs. Ling, where’s the basement?”

She led him quickly into the kitchen and the locked door that led into the basement. “You must hurry, I don’t know when he comes back, it’s always different.”

Heath kicked open the door and Mrs. Ling handed him a candle to light his way. Nick came into the kitchen still carrying Laura in his arms. He set her down carefully.

“Mrs. Ling, stay with her for a moment.”

She nodded her assent to them and watched the two cowboys slowly walk down the narrow steps into the basement.

Heath checked throughout the basement, with his brother at his side. They walked up and down the rows and rows of wine stored but didn’t see any sign of her. Nick saw it first, a narrow door in the corner of the room. Heath went over and tried the door, locked. With a glance to Nick, he kicked this one open.

The smell assaulted the both of them; heavy amounts of mildew and mold filled the air so thickly that it was nearly suffocating. Heath lifted the candle high and went inside the tiny room. A gasp escaped his lips as he made out her form on the other side of the large beam in the center of the room.

“Oh my God, Rachel!” Heath crouched down beside her, he touched her fever soaked hair and gently lifted her head up. She neither opened her eyes nor stirred under his delicate touch. He saw the rope tied around her neck. “Nick!”

Nick pulled out his pocketknife and sliced through the rope, then the ropes that bound her hands together. “What kind of monster did this?” He exclaimed in shock.

Rachel slumped forward into Heath’s arms. He felt the hot fever on her skin.

“Good Lord Heath, her back!”

Most of her clothing had been torn away and in the dim light, Nick saw the fresh lashes on her back; he stopped counting them after he reached ten. They were deep and an angry red color. He took hold of the candle and looked closer, his mouth gaped open, yellow fluid and puss oozed from several of the wounds. “They’re infected, bad infected!”

“Hang on Rachel, please hang on!” Heath whispered in her ear. While holding onto her with one arm, he took off his jacket and tried to wrap it around her as gently as he could. As he did, he got his first look at the wounds on her back. Simpson was a dead man, no matter what happened with the law, Simpson was a dead man. “I’m kinda glad you’re out right now Rachel, cause this is gonna hurt like hell!” He lifted her up into his strong arms and Nick followed him up the stairs into the kitchen.

“Rachel!” Laura started crying as soon as she saw her in Heath’s arms. “Rachel! Oh I knew it was bad. I wish Papa was dead!”

“Shhh, Sprite calm down now.” Nick knelt down in front of her. “Rachel’s gonna be fine, just fine. We just gotta get her to a doctor right now. We’re taking the both of you outta here right now.”

“I go with you.” Mrs. Ling told a suspicious Heath and Nick. “Please, I can help heal her. If I stay here, he’ll kill me when he gets home.”

“She’s right Nick.”

“Alright! Let’s just get them outta here now!”

Mrs. Ling led them outside and around back to the white barn. Nick put Laura down in a wagon and hitched up to sturdy looking horses to the front. Taking Rachel into his arms, he waited for Heath to get seated in the back seat of the wagon before handing her up to him. Mrs. Ling sat herself up front next to Laura and prayed, mumbling softly to herself. With a loud flick of the rein, Nick set the horses towards the front gate and as soon as Mrs. Ling had opened it and climbed back up, he slapped the reins hard and yelled at the horses, they took off back towards the city.

* * * * * * * *

“Nick, we can’t go back into the city. Simpson and his men will find us in no time. We gotta find a place where we can hide out.”

“Then where?” Nick demanded.

“I dunno Nick, I don’t know this city. But we gotta find Rachel someone to take care of these wounds and fast.” Heath stroked Rachel’s hair and put the back of his hand against her face, the fever was worsening. She hadn’t stirred once not since he had found her in the basement. He couldn’t lose her not after all they had been through already. Now that they had found each other, he had thoughts and dreams that a man didn’t normally talk of. Thought of their children and growing old together, thoughts of waking up next to her for the rest of his life. It couldn’t end now; he wouldn’t allow it to happen.

Mrs. Ling turned around to look at Heath and at Rachel, cradled softly in his arms. “I can fix her.”

“She needs a doctor.” Heath told her simply.

“Who you think fix her before? Only time she go to doctor is when her voice left. That the only time.”

“Didn’t the doctor realize what she was going through, what Simpson had done to her?”

“Noooo! Mister Simpson is very powerful man. He tell doctor that Rachel try to kill herself and doctor believe him. I fix Rachel the other times, I fix the lashes and the bruises.”

Nick looked at Mrs. Ling and then back at Heath, after a moment he nodded at his brother.

“Alright.” Heath said. “If you really think you can help her. But please be gentle with her, I don’t know that she can take much more pain.”

Nick was deep in thought, he had an idea but wasn’t completely sure of it. After all, he’d only known her for a few hours. “I have an idea Heath.” Nick turned the carriage and led it down to an alleyway. He began to carefully guide the horses through the narrow passages.

“Where we going Nick?” Laura asked, clinging to his arm as tightly as she could.

“There’s this lady I met yesterday. Maybe she can help us find a safe place for you and your sister to stay.”

“Megan?” Heath asked. He had noticed that Nick had been quite taken with the young woman, but didn’t realize how much so until that moment.

“Yep.”

“You sure about this Nick?”

“Not all the way sure Heath, but we sure can’t go back to the hotel. And unless you got any other ideas, I don’t see much choice but to trust her.”

Nick skillfully guided the carriage through the alleys until he was an easy walking distance from the saloon where Megan worked. He gave Laura a quick kiss on her forehead and promised to be back very soon. Upon arriving at the saloon, he sought her out and found her in almost exactly the same place where he had first seen her, in the very far corner of the room.

She spotted him coming inside and smiled, “Nick!” Megan sashayed across the room and to his side. “I’m glad to see you again.”

“I’m glad to see you too. But right now I need to talk to ya. Can we go to your room for a few minutes?”

“Of course we can.” She smiled, hopeful that he wanted more than talk. She hadn’t been able to get the large cowboy out of her mind since he was in her bed. Megan led him upstairs and to her room. Once inside, with the door closed, she wasted little time in wrapping her arms around his waist.

Nick plundered her mouth in a hungry kiss that was all too brief. “Megan, I need your help. Those girls I mentioned to you before. They are in real trouble. The older one is hurt real bad. I need to find a place for them to stay, someplace safe.”

Megan pulled away from him and looked up into the bright hazel eyes. Didn’t he know who Mr. Simpson was? He owned nearly half of this ritzy section of town. He’d been in the saloon many a time and many hours had been spent upstairs in one of the other girl’s bedrooms. She had even heard rumors of people disappearing before, people that spoke up against him. But there in front of her was Nick, the man she hadn’t been able to get out of her head. He was so sincere and so wanted to help those two girls. She wished that someone like that had wanted to help her when she was little.

“My place.” She whispered.

“What?”

“My place. I have a small flat on the edge of the west side. It’s not much and my little brother and sister live there too. But you can bring them there. I’ll go tell the boss that I need a few hours off. I’ll take you there.”

“Are you sure?” Nick put his hands on her shoulders and grasped them tightly.

“Yes I’m sure Nick. I want to help.” Megan closed her eyes as he drew her to him in a kiss that made her melt into his arms.

“Who are you?” Laura asked when Nick returned to the carriage with Megan.

“My name’s Megan, you must be Sprite.”

“Uh-huh. Are you gonna help Rachel and me?”

Megan reached out and tapped Laura’s nose. “I’m sure going to try.” As Megan climbed into the now crowded carriage, she got her first look at Rachel’s condition. “Oh no, this was Mr. Simpson’s doing?”

“Yep, it was.” Heath replied. He could see now why Nick had been so attracted to Megan in the first place. She truly was quite lovely and had the full curves his brother always seemed to go for.

Megan directed them to the other side of town. Buildings became crowded together, some in serious disrepair. The dress and the atmosphere of the area became almost despondent and sad. Even the air smelled different to them. Leading them between two buildings, she directed them to stop the carriage and jumped down on her own.

“This is home.” She said. “It’s not much but it’s all I could afford for the three of us.”

“It’ll be just fine.” Nick assured her.

Megan led them up to a third story cold water flat where she lived with her two much younger siblings. She offered up her own bedroom to Heath for Rachel. While Heath brought the unconscious young woman into the bedroom, Megan tried to think of what she would say to her brother and sister when they got home from school.

When Heath laid her down in the bed, Rachel stirred for the first time since he had found her. Her face contorted with the pain and fever. Heath brushed back her hair, “It’s gonna be okay now Rachel, you’re safe. No one’s ever gonna hurt you again.”

She heard the voice off in the distance and knew she was dreaming. Heath was back in a jail in California. She was hallucinating, she wanted so much to be with him that she thought she could hear him.

“Rachel, can you open your eyes for me? Look at me Rachel, c’mon honey you can do it.”

She felt heat and cold at the same time. It couldn’t be Heath. Open your eyes, she told herself. What if it was him talking to her? But her eyes wouldn’t open and she couldn’t seem to find her way from the heat and dense fog that surrounded her.

Mrs. Ling took a pair of scissors from her bag and began to cut away the last remnants of her blouse and camisole so she could begin to work on the wounds. She tapped Heath on the shoulder, “I need gunpowder.”

“Gun powder? Why?”

“Have to cauterize these wounds.”

Heath shook his head, “No, no she won’t be able to stand that pain. Think of something else.”

“There is nothing else. Rachel’s strong or don’t you know that by now. Cauterize or the infection gets worse and maybe she dies.”

Nick had been listening and stepped inside the room. “Think maybe she’s right Heath. You know she’s right.”

Heath looked into the pale face of the woman he loved and his heart split in two, the idea of putting her through more pain was horrifying to him. But Nick and Mrs. Ling were right, if they didn’t cauterize it, it would get much worse.

“Okay.” He said.

“I’ll go find the gunpowder.” Nick left the room and after giving Megan a quick hug and a thank you, he left the flat to find gunpowder.

When Nick returned, the sun was beginning to set and Megan’s two younger siblings had returned home from school. She had told them that they were friends of hers, old friends that needed some tending to. It wasn’t that she didn’t trust her little brother and sister, but she thought for their sake, the less they knew the better.

Mrs. Ling took the small canister of powder from Nick and opened it carefully.

“What do you want me to do?” Heath asked.

“Stay here with her. Hold her hand in case she wakes up.” She began to sprinkle the powder sparingly over the long lashes across Rachel’s back. When she had finished, she held out her hand to Heath. “Match.”

He grimaced at what was to come, but still reached his hand into his shirt pocket and pulled out his supply of matches.

“Hold her hand.” Mrs. Ling ordered.

Heath took hold of her hand and brought it to his lips, kissing it gently. “Hold on Rachel, hold on.”

The match was lit and Mrs. Ling brought the tiny flame slowly down to the gunpowder. The powder flashed up suddenly and spread its powerful small flame across the lashes on Rachel’s back.

He felt Rachel grip his hand hard.

“Ahhh..hhh.”

A sound, Rachel’s pain had caused her to make a sound. Heath brought his other hand over hers and held on tight.

* * * * * * * *

Jarrod’s conversation with David Travers had turned into three hours and when Jarrod arrived back at the hotel he had a stack of notes several inches thick, tucked under his arm. In the lobby he came upon a grim-faced Nick and the hope he had felt over a legal solution was washed away. Something had happened, he knew it before Nick had uttered a single word.

“What’s going on Nick?”

“You better come with me Jarrod, better for me to show you.” Nick stood up and toyed with hat.

“You didn’t do anything rash, did you? Please tell me you didn’t.” The lawyer slid his hands inside his vest pockets, preparing for the worst.

Nick shifted his weight and looked down at his boots. “Yeah, we did Pappy. But there wasn’t any other choice.”

“No other choice? I assume then that you took Rachel and Laura out of the home. Where are they? Upstairs?” He demanded.

“Would you lower your voice?”

“All right, I’m sorry. But Nick, couldn’t you have waited?”

“If we waited any longer, Rachel would be dead.”

The irritation with his brother left and was instantly replaced with concern and worry. “That bad?”

“Yeah, it’s that bad. Jarrod, she still might not make it. Come with me and I’ll show you.”

Heath waited and prayed. He helped Mrs. Ling continuously reapply cool damp compresses to Rachel’s face and neck. Several hours had passed since the whip wounds on her back had been cauterized and he’d heard her cry out slightly from the pain. Rachel was laid out on her stomach, bare from the waist up while Mrs. Ling continued to dot around the wounds with cool water trying to temper the heat rising from her skin.

“Mister Heath she rest now. You see Laura okay? She needs you too.”

He lovingly stroked Rachel’s hair and kissed her hot cheek. “I guess you’re right Mrs. Ling. You yell if anything changes.”

“I will Mister Heath.”

He was slow to get up from his seat; his legs had stiffened after having sat next to Rachel for so long. He left the small bedroom and found Laura sitting at the kitchen table half heartedly playing a card game with Megan and her younger brother and sister.

“Who’s winning?” He asked.

“Megan is.”

Megan put her cards down on the table. “You know, I think I should see about getting some dinner together before I go back to work. Heath, why don’t you take my place?”

“Thanks Megan, that’s mighty nice of you.”

As she got up to get dinner ready, Heath grasped her arm lightly. “I can’t thank you enough for everything Megan.”

“I’m just glad that you got them out of that place Heath.”

“So how about introducing me to your family.”

Megan smiled. “This is my brother Daniel, he’s 12 and my sister Hannah, nine.”

“Very nice to meet the both of you.” Heath shook hands with Daniel and turned back to Megan. “Quite the age spread between all of you.” He grinned.

“Only six years.”

“What?!”

“I know, everyone thinks I’m older than that, much older. But the fact of the matter is that I’m eighteen. I’ve been working at the bar since our parents dies of fever three years ago.”

Heath developed a new appreciation for Megan and found himself slightly hopeful that things would develop further between his brother and her. He only hoped that Nick wouldn’t be too overwhelmed by her age. She’d been through a lot obviously.

Right now though, there were other things far more important. Namely playing a game of cards with Laura and hopefully making her feel better. “So what are we playing?”

“Hearts, but I don’t feel like playing anymore.” Laura climbed up into Heath’s lap while Megan called her siblings into the kitchen to help.

“Heath, Rachel’s gonna be okay, isn’t she?” Laura looked at him with her large sweet eyes and he wished he knew for sure that her sister would be okay.

“Sure she is, Mrs. Ling’s taking good care of her. She’ll be good as new in no time.” He hugged the little girl around her waist.

“Is my Papa gonna take us back again?”

“No honey, he won’t take you away ever again. I won’t let him and neither will Nick or Jarrod. Jarrod’s a real good lawyer Sprite, he’s gonna make sure that you’ll always be safe.”

“Promise?”

“Cross my heart!” Like the first day he had met Laura, he made a large x mark across his chest.

Nick opened the door for Jarrod and they both walked into the small flat. Jarrod’s first sight was that of Laura and the angry bruising around her eye. He went to the little girl while she was sitting in Heath’s lap and dropped to his knees. A part of him wanting to weep and another wanting to rip Mr. Simpson apart.

“Laura, oh I’m so sorry!”

“It doesn’t hurt that bad. Rachel’s the one to worry about. Heath says you’re gonna help us, is that true?”

“Yes it’s true Laura, I’m gonna do my very best to help.” He touched her cheek very gently, careful not to touch the bruising on the child’s face.

“Jarrod,” Nick said as Megan emerged from the kitchen, “This is Megan, the young woman I told you about.”

“Miss, I can’t thank you enough for your help.” He stood up and extended his hand to her.

“What other choice was there except to help?” She replied.

Nick picked up his Sprite in his arms and asked Heath to take Jarrod in to see Rachel. His brother needed to see what was happening in that house to really understand it all.

“Be very quiet Jarrod, she’s resting and she’s quite sick still. She’s still burning up with fever.” Heath led his elder brother into the bedroom.

He was unprepared for what he saw. “Oh my God.” Jarrod tentatively walked to her bedside.

“This is Mrs. Ling, Jarrod. She was Mr. Simpson’s housekeeper; she had to come with us. God knows what he would have done to her if she’d been there when he got home and they were gone.”

“Rachel, is she going to be okay Heath?”

“I hope so. But there’s no sign yet of her fever breaking. If she can make it through the night, I think she’ll pull through all of this.” Heath’s voice broke as he spoke.

Jarrod stared at his brother, “Can you ever forgive me Heath?”

“Just fix this Heath, make this right okay?”

“I will Heath. It’s not going to be an easy fight, but it’ll happen. After talking to Travers, I’m sure of it.”

“Let’s go back to the table and you can tell Nick and I all about your talk with that lawyer.” Heath went back over to Rachel and stroked her cheek. She didn’t feel quite as hot as she had a little earlier. “I’ll be right in the other room if you need me Mrs. Ling.”

At the table, Jarrod laid all his notes upon the table. He waited for Nick to join them, but he was talking to Megan.

“Don’t go to work.” He asked her.

“I have to Nick.”

“I just don’t want you to go back there.”

“Nick, you just met me. You shouldn’t be talking like that.”

“It’s how I feel Megan, I don’t want you to go.”

“Look Nick, right now Simpson has no idea that you’re with me. I’ve never not shown up to work before. Wouldn’t it be suspicious to my boss if I didn’t show up?”

“I understand that.”

“If it makes you feel any better Nick, I won’t be going upstairs with anyone.”

His expression brightened considerably. “You won’t?”

Megan gave him a smile that filled him with warmth. “No, I won’t, I promise.”

Nick wrapped his arms around her and kissed her briefly, not wanting to attract too much attention from the children.

“Be careful.” He told her.

Once Megan had left, Nick joined his brothers at the table and left the children to play checkers together.

“So Jarrod, what happened with Travers?”

“Well, for starters, Travers is going to take on the case. Course I don’t know what he’ll think of things once he finds out that you took Rachel and Laura out of the house.”

“Jarrod, we had to!” Nick quickly retorted.

He raised his hand, “Nick I know that, believe me I know that now. I’m just saying legally it doesn’t help us. It could make things more difficult.”

“So what did he say? What does he think about all of this?” Heath asked quietly.

“As you know, right now there are no laws on the books to protect children. Not in California and not here either. But there are whisperings, talks of laws being needed. Talks of a justice system designed just for minors.”

“But there’s still nothing on the books to help Rachel and Laura, is there?”

“Not yet, but the fact that people, lawyers and politicians, are talking about it could help us. There might be enough talk out there that we could be the first.”

“The first?” Nick wasn’t sure where Jarrod was going with all of this, but he was willing to hear him out.

“With every law, there’s a first time Nick. We’re going to be that first. Travers and I are going to make a precedent. We’re going to court to have Laura legally taken from the home. That is after we get his convicted of assault on Rachel.”

“So we’ve got to put Rachel and Laura through two trials?” Heath shook his head; they’d been through so much already.

“It would be the best way. Rachel’s no longer a minor; she’s no longer legally under his care so what he did to her was assault. Once he’s convicted of that, there’s no legal guardian available for Laura.”

“And someone would have to be appointed her legal guardian since Simpson will be in jail.” Nick and Heath nodded, this idea seemed to hold a lot of promise.

* * * * * * * *

Later in the evening, Jarrod returned to the hotel alone. Counselor Travers would be meeting him for breakfast at the hotel first thing in the morning. Taking off his hat and jacket, he sat down on the bed and spread out every page of notes he had taken since this had all started. There would be no sleep for him tonight, far too much needed to be reviewed in preparation for the first trial. Travers was going to see to it that Mr. Simpson was arrested for assault as soon as possible. The images of Rachel and Laura were burned into his mind. A little seven-year-old child with a black eye so bad that the bruising covered nearly half of her face. And Rachel, those lash marks on her back were so horrendous that he found it to be miraculous that she was still alive.

By now, Jarrod knew that Mr. Simpson was looking for the girls. Had he contacted the police yet or was it those Federal Marshals that he had seen in Stockton, out searching for them, he wondered. For now, he believed that the girls were safe in Megan‘s apartment. Megan had certainly been a lifesaver but just how far could she be trusted, if things got bad, would she cave in? Had his brothers unduly put the young woman in danger? All of the questions weighed heavily on his mind.

Nick was quite busy with three children on his hands, but he didn’t mind it one little bit. In a way, this was how he wanted his life to be someday. Surrounded by children, playing games and in a home filled with an abundance of love. Sprite barely left his side all night and he relished in her attentions. If ever he had a little girl of his own, he hoped that she would be just like her. Daniel and Hannah quickly took to the large cowboy as well. And it wasn’t long before Daniel engaged Nick in a wrestling match on the floor. When it came time for bed, Hannah shared her bed with Laura and he tucked in all three of the children, planting noisy kisses on each of their cheeks. Heath emerged to bid them goodnight as well, but soon returned to Rachel’s side.

When Nick came out into the main room again, there was little for him to do but wait. Megan did have an abundance of books but after trying to read several of them, he gave up, not being able to devote his mind to what he was reading. Now it was all about waiting and he couldn’t stand it. Everything was out of his hands. Rachel had yet to regain consciousness and Heath and Mrs. Ling were at her bedside. Megan was at work and wouldn’t return for several hours. He didn’t like the fact that she was there in the first place, but Megan had been right. They had just met each other, it was too soon for him to be speaking of her not going to work and yet, that was exactly how he felt. And Jarrod, tomorrow morning Jarrod would be having breakfast with David Travers and planning the first phase of the attack, having Simpson arrested for assaulting Rachel. Maybe he should show up at the breakfast as well and hear things first hand. He would have to give that idea some serious thought.

Nick dozed off until he heard the metal clicks of the door lock being turned. He reached for his gun and exhaled heavily when Megan came inside. He shoved his gun back into the holster. “I’m glad you’re back, how was it there tonight?”

“I’m glad I’m back too. Nick, that whole section of town is in an uproar. There were police in the saloon asking questions and some men I’d never seen before that asked lots of questions as well. They said they were from Pinkerton’s but didn’t have any badges.”

“Did any of them talk to you?” Nick went to her side and hugged her tightly.

“The police did and one of the men that claimed to be from Pinkertons. They had drawings of you and Heath. They said that they think you kidnapped Rachel and Laura and are holding them for ransom.”

“What?!”

“Yes that’s exactly what they said. That you were both kidnappers and that they think you also killed the housekeeper and hid the body. Nick, there’s something else too. Mr. Simpson has put a $10,000 price tag on your heads for the girls safe return.”

“How did they find out we were here so quickly?”

“I told you Nick, there’s little that goes on in that section of town that he doesn’t know about. I think it would be best if you and Heath don’t leave this flat at all. If you’re spotted then you could lead them right back here to Rachel and Laura and the both of you will find yourselves in prison for a very long time.”

Heath had come to the doorway of the bedroom when he heard Megan come in. “What did you tell them?” He asked.

“I said that I hadn’t seen either of you before and left it at that. It’s a good thing they came in early though. A good deal of the customers are regulars that come in later in the evening, round about the time that the both of you were there the first night. If they had been asking questions a few hours later, someone might have remembered seeing you.”

“Did we stand out that much?”

“In a way, yes you did. You weren’t a regular and well, it’s pretty rare that I take a man upstairs.”

“Thanks for not saying anything Megan.” Heath added.

“You’re welcome. I best check on the children. Did they give you any trouble?”

“Not one bit, they’re really something. Daniel told me that he’s usually the man of the house come nightfall. He makes sure that he gets Hannah to bed at a decent hour.”

“I know, he’s had to grow up far too quickly. He’s a good little man, you know he wants to be a rancher and farmer.”

“I didn’t know that.” Nick smiled to himself and put his arm around Megan as they checked on all three sleeping cherubs.

“He doesn’t like the city very much. He wants to go somewhere where there are wide-open spaces and have lots of animals and land to farm. He’s talked about Montana many times, they did some reading on it last year in school and ever since then, that’s all he can think about.”

“Well, Montana is a good place no doubt about it. But California, now that’s a place he could really spread his wings!”

“You really love your home, don’t you?”

“Yes I do, you should see it Megan. Wide-open spaces as far as the eye can see. Bountiful harvests, vineyards and lots of cattle and other animals for Daniel to take care of!”

“It sounds wonderful.” Megan pulled up the covers on Hannah and Laura and followed Nick from the small bedroom. “And how is Rachel?”

Nick sat down on the couch and Megan joined him. “There’s no change with Rachel.” He said. “She hasn’t regained consciousness yet.”

“What of her fever?” She asked as Nick wrapped an arm around her.

“Heath seems to think that it’s come down a little, but I’m not sure that’s not just wishful thinking on his part.”

“By the way, where’s Jarrod?”

“He went back to the hotel, he’s meeting that lawyer for breakfast in the morning?”

“You think that was a wise idea?”

“From what you said, it looks like that they are just looking for Heath and me. Long as he’s careful, he should be fine. Fortunately though, Heath had a real good idea when we got into town. We’re not checked in under Barkley, but Thompson, they’re not looking for any Thompson’s. Still I think maybe before the sun comes up I should warn him.”

Megan shook her head, “Nick they are crawling all over the place looking for you and Heath. If you go into the city, someone will spot you for certain.”

“Well someone has to let him know about the reward and all.”

“I will.”

“Megan...”

“Listen to me, nobody suspects I’m involved, let alone the fact that I even know you. As a matter of fact, I’ll stay with Jarrod for an hour or so. Do you have some money on you?”

“Yeah, why?”

“Because when I leave the hotel, I’ll flaunt the fact when I leave that I have a good bit of cash on me. It’ll look like its payment for services rendered and nothing else.”

“Have I told you how incredibly beautiful and smart you are?” Nick pulled her close.

“No, can’t recall that you have.” Megan grinned back at him.

“Well now, consider yourself told.” Nick kissed her and parted her lips, relishing her taste and the feel of her body against his.

Megan pulled away too quickly. “We should stop, there are children in the other room you know.”

With a sigh he replied, “Yes I know, oh do I know it!”

Despite Heath’s multiple attempts to convince Mrs. Ling to take the chair, she refused and instead grabbed some blankets and made herself comfortable on the floor next to Rachel’s bedside. Heath remained in the chair until he heard Mrs. Ling begin to snore slightly, he then got up and lifted the slight woman in his arms and put her down in the chair.

Heath sat down cross-legged on the floor next to Rachel’s bed and didn’t take his eyes off of her. If he wasn’t holding her hand and talking to her in whispers of dreams about their future together, he was dampening compresses in the basin beside him and dabbing her face and neck with the cool water. The fever was coming down, slowly, but he was sure she was getting better.

During the middle of the night, he needed to get up and stretch his legs for a bit. He smiled to himself when he went into the main room and found Nick and Megan together. They had fallen asleep on the narrow sofa together. Megan’s head rested on Nick’s chest with his arm around her and his head leaned on top of hers. He reckoned Nick would have one seriously stiff neck in the morning. He stepped quietly into the children’s room and found Sprite all snug and cozy with her arms around Hannah. Daniel was snoring lightly and had tossed off his covers, which Heath replaced before he left the room.

Feeling much more secure, he returned to Rachel’s side and sat down again by her bed. A slender hand reached out for him. He saw the bright hazel eyes and smiled. “Welcome back Rachel.”

* * * * * * * *

Leaning close, he reached out and stroked her cheek with the back of his fingers. Her skin was slightly damp to the touch, but the temperature of her skin had gone down significantly. The slight smile she had at seeing him then disappeared as a hot shooting pain ran through her back and she grimaced.

“I know it hurts something awful.” He whispered. “But you’re gonna be just fine honey, just fine.”

Rachel nodded at him weakly and motioned to her throat.

“Thirsty?”

She nodded in reply. Her eyes surveyed the dark and unfamiliar room until her gaze landed on the chair at the foot of the bed, where Mrs. Ling was soundly sleeping. “Laura?” She signed slowly.

“She’s fine, Sprite is sound asleep in the other room. She’s made herself some new friends too, I’ll tell you all about that later.” He tenderly kissed her forehead before getting to his feet. “I’ll go get you some water, back in two shakes.”

Her hazel eyes closed for a moment, it hadn’t been some feverish dream, it was real. In the back of her mind, she vaguely recalled being in excruciating pain and someone picking her up into their arms and carrying her from the basement. Her eyes had opened then, just enough to see who her rescuer was and she had seen Heath. At the time, she had discounted the whole thing and chalked it up to all that had happened. But it hadn’t been a dream; he had rescued her, like a prince rescuing a princess from an evil king. Heath was a real prince, not a dream and not the result of a fever, he was real. Rachel felt a cool breeze coming in from a cracked open window and she was suddenly aware of her state of undress. He attempted to cover up a bit before Heath came back. Though she didn’t want to think about, her mind flashed images before her, horrible images of her stepfather and what he had done to her since they had left Stockton. She felt hot tears fall upon her cheeks.

He thought about telling her right away and changed his mind. If he told Rachel right now about the sound she had made then she would put all of her energy into trying to speak. What she needed to stay focused on was getting well and healing her body and spirit. Heath decided to wait a few days to tell her about the sound, after she was feeling much better. He could wait, just seeing her eyes open and looking at him and seeing that sweet smile, was more than enough for him.

He returned to the bedroom with a small glass of water and as he drew closer, he saw the tears on her cheeks. “Rachel, what is it? Is the pain that bad?”

She shook her head and struggled to sit up slightly so she could sign properly to him. The pain in her back was excruciating, a mixture of deep bruises and burning pain that shot across her back in waves. Slowly, she started to sign to him, while at the same time trying to keep a sheet up around herself. “Heath..he hurt me..”

“Oh honey, I know he did, I can see it. But I swear, we’re gonna do everything we can to make sure he never touches you or Laura again!”

She shook her head at him. “He..he..he raped me again Heath. I couldn’t stop him…he threatened to hurt Laura if I didn’t give him what he wanted.” The tears flowed unchecked down her cheeks.

Rage was what welled up inside him, a blinding white hatred of the monster that had touched her again, laid his hands on the woman he was in love with. Fury towards the monster that had hurt her so badly this time that Heath had nearly lost her forever. But he couldn’t let it show on his face, he wouldn’t allow Rachel to see it, not now. Instead he cupped her face in his hands and his thumbs wiped away some of the tears on her face. She leaned forward and rested her head on his chest.

“It doesn’t change a thing about you and I. You know that don’t you? I am still going to be the happiest and proudest man in all of California the day you become my wife! It doesn’t change a thing, my heart and my soul will always belong to you.”

Her body shook from the crying and he continued to hold onto her arms until the tears had subsided.

“You need to go back to sleep Rachel, get some rest. I’m sure in a few hours that Laura will be here to check on you.”

She pulled back slightly, “Stay with me, stay close.”

“I’m not going anywhere.” Heath kissed her lips softly and then gently laid her back down on her stomach. He turned away slightly and pulled off his boots, then lay down on his side beside her and watched her as she slowly fell into a restful sleep. After she had gone to sleep, Heath looked at all the marks on her back and felt his own tears upon his cheeks.

* * * * * * * *

Several hours later a very excited little girl greeted them. “Rachel, you’re awake!” Laura shouted out and garnished the attention of everyone in the small flat. Soon they were all in Megan’s bedroom to check on Rachel.

“Gave us quite the scare.” Nick said with a smile.

“You look much better now, I think Mr. Heath is good for you healing.” Mrs. Ling grinned and her heart swelled at the obvious love Heath and Rachel had for one another.

“You know, I’ve got some loose blouses that might be comfortable for you to wear right now or even one of my Pa’s old shirts.” Megan added in when she noticed Rachel trying to keep the covers over herself.

Rachel looked at her quizzically.

“Oh!” She laughed, “I’m sorry, my name is Megan O’Rourke and this is my brother Daniel and my sister Hannah. Both of whom need to be getting ready for school right now!” She gave Hannah and Daniel a little push and ushered them both out of the room to prepare for their school day.

Rachel returned Megan’s smile in kind, extremely grateful for taking herself and her sister in her home. She noticed Nick’s arm about Megan’s waist and wondered at what she had missed exactly.

“I’d better get ready to go.” Megan told Nick and he tightened his grasp around her waist. He still didn’t much care for the whole idea of Megan going to warn Jarrod.

“Go? Where you going?” Heath asked her.

“I’m going into the city to warn Jarrod that they are looking for you and Nick and there’s a reward.”

Heath shook his head, “Don’t know that it’s such a good idea.”

“I think that Nick and I have come up with a pretty good plan, but thanks for worrying about me!” Megan started to leave then quickly turned back around, “Oh and I won’t forget to tell him that you’re back with us Rachel and doing well.”

Jarrod finished dressing and checked in pocket watch, underneath the lamp. He had been up all night and now he found himself with two full hours before he was meeting David Travers for breakfast. This was his brother’s favorite time of day, but not his, he would much rather be still underneath the covers sleeping soundly. He’d much rather that Beth was still there with him; the nights they had spent curled up together were far too few. Like this morning, on occasion he would still find it difficult to believe that she was gone for good. The thought of how close Heath had come to losing Rachel, made him all the more focused on making sure that Mr. Alexander Simpson was put away for a very, very long time.

Now that the sun was finally coming out, he decided to go downstairs for coffee, a brisk walk and the morning paper. Jarrod pulled his coat closed as he stepped outside onto the sidewalk; the place was already bustling with people rushing to and fro. It reminded him of San Francisco, minus the heavy layers of clothing to protect yourself from the cold wind.

It was a mere few feet to the newspaper stand, but a rogue gust of wind removed his hat and set him chasing it down the sidewalk. He caught up with it just as it was about to tumble into the street and he slapped it back onto his head triumphantly.

Returning to the newsstand, he received his first shock of the day. For there on the front cover of the morning news, was Nick and Heath. “WANTED FOR KIDNAPPING” was blazed in thick black lettering underneath a pair of quite detailed sketches of his brothers. Newspaper must have stayed open all night getting this story ready, he sneered to no one in particular. He paid for the paper and returned to the hotel, steaming angry. He fetched himself a cup of coffee and started back through the lobby towards his hotel room.

“Excuse me, Mr. Thompson?” A delicate hand reached out and touched his arm.

Jarrod turned to find Megan standing there in a very low cut dress with an equally high hemline. “Megan?! What the devil…”

She looked about the lobby and found several pairs of eyes staring at them. “Kiss me.”

“What?”

“Just kiss me and take me to your room.”

Jarrod did as he was told and planted a soft kiss on her lips. “Nick’s one lucky man!” He whispered to her. Linking his arm in hers, he led her upstairs to his hotel room. Once inside, he closed and locked the door. “So you’re playing the harlot? Why?”

“I wanted to warn you about what’s been going on.” She told him.

“You mean this?” Jarrod flipped the paper onto the bed.

Megan grabbed it and looked it over. “It’s already in the papers?! I suppose I should be surprised by this, but I’m not.”

“Why aren’t you surprised?”

“Because Alexander Simpson owns 25% of this newspaper. It’s a wonder he didn’t have a special edition run last night.” Megan sat down on the bed, “Look you’ve got to be careful, all of you do. You have no idea who you’re dealing with! I’ve heard some horrible stories about him, he’s not a nice man. But you already know this, I’m sure.”

“At this point, I think Mr. Simpson should be more worried that he doesn’t know who he’s dealing with! But you’re right; we do need to be concerned with Nick and Heath. Nick, especially.”

“He can have a tendency to act rather quickly, can’t he?” Megan asked.

“What you’ve said very nicely I think is that he has a tendency to act before he thinks things through? You’re absolutely right, he has done that.” Jarrod moved next to her and grasped Megan’s shoulder. “But you’ll never find anyone more big hearted, more loyal or more caring than Nick.”

“Are you trying to tell me that you approve of Nick and I spending time together?”

“Why not?”

“Well my profession isn’t exactly one to take home to the parents.”

“Don’t sell yourself short, you did what you had to do to keep your family together and to put food on the table. And you took in two battered girls that were in a lot of trouble with no thought of the danger to yourself. I think that’s a lot to take home to Mother. She’d be honored to know you.”

“Really, you really think so?” She looked up at him with hope filled eyes.

“Really.”

Two men entered the hotel lobby and after passing some money to the front desk clerk, they checked the hotel’s ledger.

“Look here, the Thompson brothers. Hey you!” He called to the man behind the desk. “How many of these Thompson’s are here?”

“Uh..um.. Three. Yes that’s right, three.”

“You sure you saw that lawyer Morgan?” One man asked the other.

“Positive, I saw him getting the paper and you should’ve seen the look on his face when he saw the front page. I’m telling you, that was him!”

“What about the girl he just took upstairs?”

“She works at the saloon, looks like the upstanding lawyer needed a little fun!” He chuckled.

“So what do we do now?”

“Wait, see what he’s up to. I doubt that the sisters are upstairs, that would be a little too obvious. We wait and see, he’ll lead us to them.”

* * * * * * * *

Under two pairs of watchful eyes, Jarrod escorted Megan out of the hotel. She counted out a wad of money in the lobby and tucked it inside the front of her dress.

“Hope to see you again soon, Mr. Thompson, real soon!” She grinned wickedly at her and it was all he could do not chuckle. She tilted her head and welcomed a chaste kiss upon her cheek. Megan felt several hotel guests staring at her and she smiled from ear to ear as she sashayed out of the lobby and to her waiting carriage.

Jarrod checked the time and went into the restaurant to meet David Travers for breakfast. He didn’t have to wait very long and from the deliberate strides that Travers was taking across the restaurant, he knew that he had seen the paper as well.

Travers slapped the morning paper down on the table in front of Jarrod. “This was a fine thing to greet me this morning!” Travis whispered angrily.

“Good morning to you too, David. Please sit down.” Jarrod told him in a cool and collected voice.

“Need I tell you that the actions of your brothers has hurt us tremendously? You told me that they could occasionally be rash, but this?” He pulled out his chair, allowing it to scrape across the floor and sat down.

“No, you needn’t tell me. I am fully aware of what they did.”

“Well then why didn’t you stop them?”

“It all happened while I was meeting with you.” Jarrod nodded at the waitress as she filled both their cups with hot coffee.

“Why aren’t you angry with them? Didn’t you tell them that they hurt your chances in court?”

“I was going to, until I saw Rachel and Laura with my own two eyes.”

“And?”

“They had to do it, David. They had no choice.” Jarrod said solemnly.

“Had to? What do you mean…” David stopped and stared at the fellow lawyer. “Were the conditions that bad?”

“Worse. You know, in our profession we’re supposed to keep our feelings to ourselves. But when I saw Laura’s face and how badly Rachel was hurt, I was on the verge of tears. That anyone could do such a thing, it truly is beyond my comprehension.” He looked down into his coffee cup as the images of Rachel and Laura, from last night, flooded his mind.

“What happened to them?”

“Laura has a black eye, the bruising is so bad that nearly half of her face is black and blue. And Rachel, my God, she was whipped so badly by Simpson and she developed a fever from it as well. She was locked in a small room in the basement and tied to a post by her neck and hands. Do you remember how I said she had a scar on her neck and longer spoke?”

“Yes I remember. Good Lord, is that how she got that scar? He tied her down by her neck?” Travers shook his head, he’d heard cases of abuse before, but none like this. The descriptions of what the girls had been through, literally made his stomach churn. “So, where are they now? No, scratch that, I think for now anyways the less I know of their location, the better.”

“I agree and thank you for not demanding to know where they are. They’ll be ready though if we need Rachel to testify, but not for another week at least. Rachel just regained consciousness and she’s going to need some time to heal.”

“Time is not on our side in this Jarrod, surely you know that.” David stared at the drawings on the front page of the paper. “I might have an idea.”

Jarrod waited for several minutes for David to further expound on his idea, but there was complete silence. “And your idea is?” He said impatiently.

“Your brothers and yourself were worried enough about Mr. Simpson abusing Rachel, that you followed her out here. So naturally, they would want to check on her. They went to the house and Mrs. Ling took them to where Rachel was tied up. Well quite naturally, Laura would want to stay with her half-sister, correct?”

“Yes, of course she would. But legally they couldn’t take her with them.”

“Right, but they could take Rachel as she was in dire need of medical care. Laura stowed away on the carriage, she hid under something and your brothers didn’t know she was there until they got to their destination. Of course it was quite late by the time they realized she was with them, so they didn’t want to go back out in a foreign city at that late hour.”

“But wouldn’t that angle mean that we would have to return Laura to the home immediately?”

“Not if we can’t get an arrest warrant issued first. It’s tricky I know, if you have any other ideas I am more than willing to listen Jarrod.”

“Then once he is arrested, first of course, do you have any other ideas on how to keep Laura away from him for good?”

“I was up all night trying to think of something. You know he’ll post bail immediately and since he’s innocent till proven guilty, he can demand Laura’s return until the end of the trial.”

“Unless we can get the judge to agree to no bail. So, we were both up all night working on this thing David. Maybe we’re more alike then you originally thought.”

“Maybe so, counselor, maybe so.” David smiled for the first time that morning. Perhaps he did have the soft side that his fellow lawyer possessed. Perhaps, like his old school chum Jim Hanson, it took one case like this to truly open his eyes.

Nick welcomed Megan’s return with his open arms. He was so glad to see her back safe and sound. He’d done nothing but wear out the floor with his continuous pacing since she had left for the city.

“How did it go?” He asked.

“Fine, no troubles at all.” Megan then smiled wickedly at him, “But I must tell you that Jarrod is a lovely kisser.”

“What?! He kissed you?”

She laughed at the shocked look on his face. “Just for show, I promise Nick. There were all kinds of people in the lobby, it made my reason for being there, all the more obvious.”

Nick harrumphed, “But he still didn’t need to kiss you. On the cheek, right? He kissed you on the cheek?”

“Oh yes of course Nick, on the cheek.” She smiled to herself while she took off her coat. Best she didn’t tell him she thought to herself, even though it was only acting. Besides, Nick was by far the better kisser anyways and he was just as Jarrod had described him, he had the biggest heart of any man she had ever known. Megan almost didn’t want to admit it to herself, but she was falling in love with the tall cowboy. But she told herself to be cautious, men like Nick Barkley rarely fell in love with saloon girls. She’d heard of stories where girls like her got swept off their feet and found a good man to love and take care of them, but she’d never seen it happen, not to any girl. “How’s Rachel?” She asked.

“C’mon and see for yourself.” Nick grinned and took her hand, leading her into the bedroom.

Rachel was partially sitting up on her side, while she watched Heath and Laura playing a game of checkers together, Laura was winning. Heath looked up once Laura had beaten him again for the third time in a row.

“How’d it go in town?” He asked.

“Fine, just fine. But I’m afraid I have some bad news.”

“Hey Laura, how about you go get your sister and I something to drink.”

Laura sighed and got up from the floor, “Sure I know, get rid of the kid so you can talk about grown up stuff.”

“Sorry Sprite, but it won’t take long.” Nick mussed her hair as she walked past. Once she left the room, he turned to Megan, “So what’s the bad news.”

“You and Heath made the front page of the paper. Wanted for Kidnapping.”

“What? Already?!” Both brothers were shocked by the news.

Rachel closed her eyes tightly. “I knew something like this would happen. What are you going to do Heath?”

Heath took her hand in his, “You don’t worry about us, ya hear?! Everything is going to be okay. Jarrod is meeting with lawyer as we speak. We’re gonna find a way to protect you and Laura, nice and legal.”

Back in the city, two Federal Marshals walked into Alexander Simpson’s large office and closed the door. They told him of how they had seen Jarrod Barkley at the hotel, the look on his face when he saw the paper and the prostitute he had entertained that morning.

“Do ya want us to get the police and have him arrested?” Morgan asked.

Simpson thought for a moment, “You said he’s meeting with David Travers, didn’t you?”

“Yes sir, they were having breakfast together.”

“Let’s wait on getting the good counselor arrested for now. He’s obviously up to something, I think I want to find out what that is. Now as for my girls, anything yet?”

“No sir, not yet, but we’ll find them. I think Barkley will eventually lead us to where they are.”

“I agree. However, for now, I want the two of you to split up.” Alexander tapped his pen on the desk and leaned back in his chair. “You stay with Barkley and Morgan, what do you know about that prostitute?”

“Not much to tell, her name’s Megan O’Rourke and she works at the bar across the street from the hotel.”

“Oh Megan, yes I know who she is. I want you to watch her when she comes back to work tonight. I might just need to pay a little visit to her room upstairs.”

“Ya think she’s in on it?”

Simpson leaned forward onto his desk, “Don’t you?”

* * * * * * * *

Jarrod and David wasted no more time. They went straight from breakfast to the police station. David knew the Chief of Police quite well and they both walked directly into his office.

“Chief, I need your help.” David started, not allowing any time for pleasantries. “I need an arrest warrant issued against Alexander Simpson.”

“Alexander Simpson! We are talking about the bank president, the very one who’s had his daughters kidnapped!” The chief stared at both of them incredulously.

“Yes the very same, but his daughters were not kidnapped. And as a matter clarification,” Jarrod added, “Rachel Knight is not his daughter.”

“Go on,” The chief said, “I’m all ears.”

They spent two hours talking and pleading with the chief, but he wouldn’t bend. He told both lawyers that they should know better than to expect him to issue a warrant for an arrest without any proof, solid proof.

Jarrod didn’t like it, not one bit. But it was the only way. “would you agree to a blindfold chief?”

“A blind fold, are you out of your mind?”

“Possibly sir, but I can’t risk Rachel and Laura’s safety. Not even a little bit. I would need you to wear a blindfold once we’re on the outskirts of the city and we’ll wait until nightfall. But I need your assurance that once you see Rachel, you‘ll issue an immediate warrant for Mr. Simpson‘s arrest.”

“If Miss Knight’s injuries are as bad as you say, I’ll have Alexander Simpson in my jail before midnight.” The chief readily agreed, he had three daughters of his own and the thought of anyone touching his daughters made him seethe. If Simpson was abusing the girls, he would do everything he could to see that Simpson never saw the light of day, outside a cell, ever again.

As the sun came down, Jarrod and David made ready to pick up the Chief of Police in a rented carriage. Neither man knew that they were being watched and followed. The Federal Marshal tailing them had years of experience with this and was extremely good at his job.

They pulled in front of the police station and found the Chief waiting for them rather impatiently. He climbed on board and seated himself next to the driver, Jarrod.

“This had better be good!” He wagged his finger in Jarrod’s face.

“Once you’ve seen Rachel with your own two yes, you’ll not only want an arrest warrant issue but you’ll want to strangle Simpson with your bare hands.” David Travers told him. “By the way Chief, how are your daughters? On of them must be in her early twenties by now.”

“Yes she is, matter of fact she turned 21 just last month and has gotten herself engaged. She’s getting married on Christmas Day.”

“Christmas Day, imagine that. And 21 to boot, why she’s just about the same age as Rachel.” Jarrod grinned to himself at the inference, he turned slightly to see the same look on David’s face. They had made an important connection between the Chief’s eldest daughter and Rachel, now it wasn’t just a case, they had made it personal.

They left the crowded city and had started into the outskirts when Jarrod abruptly pulled the wagon to a halt.

“Time for my blindfold?” The Chief asked.

“Not exactly.” Jarrod replied. “Chief are you having one of your men follow us?”

“Absolutely not, I told you that no one would follow us and my word is as good as gold.”

“I’m almost sorry to hear that.”

“Why’s that?” David asked.

“Oh, because we are most definitely being followed.”

“You sure?”

“I’m sure, he’s been following us from a distance for the last fifteen minutes.”

“We can take care of that little problem. I grew up on these streets and know them like the back of my hand. But you’re gonna have to maneuver this thing through the alleyways. Think ya can handle it, Mr. Barkley?” The chief asked, somewhat snidely, he never was much for fancy pants lawyers.

“Whatever needs to be done.”

“Good, we’ll lose him then get you back to a main street. Then I’ll put on that blasted blindfold. You shouldn’t have any trouble once we’re back to a main street, in finding your way to wherever we are going. Ready?”

“Yes sir.”

“Good now get that ol’ nag moving as fast as it can. Go three blocks then make a sharp right into the alley. It’ gonna be a rough turn. Everyone stay or lean to the left, otherwise we’ll flip this thing.”

Jarrod felt the adrenalin coursing through his veins and his heart pounding in his chest, it was hard to discern exactly how much was pure fear and how much of it was excitement. He slapped the reins hard and sent the horse and carriage flying full tilt down the busy main street.

“Right!” The Chief shouted.

Jarrod pulled hard on the reins and turned the carriage towards a narrow alleyway. The left wheels inched off the ground and threatened to send the wagon over. The men leaned to the left as far as they could and the wheels connected with the ground again.

They sped down the narrow alley and there were several points where Jarrod was sure that they would hit the walls, but somehow they managed to scrape by. Jarrod took a quick look backwards and David was looking slightly green around the edges.

“You all right David?”

“Fine, just fine.” David swallowed hard.

“Left! Then another sharp left!” The chief called out.

Jarrod obeyed and made the sharp turns with success. There were several more in rapid succession and finally, the lone rider that had been following was gone.

“Do you think we lost him?”

“Looks that way, for now anyways. Turn right up here Jarrod then two blocks and turn left, you’ll be back on a main road again. You done good, for a lawyer.” The Chief smiled and slapped Jarrod hard on the back.

Back at Megan’s flat, she got herself ready for work. She didn’t want to go, she didn’t want any other man beside Nick touching her or eyeing her. But she had to go; maybe someday she could put this life behind her. Maybe someday, she could go to California with her brother and sister.

She came out of the children’s room dressed in a vivid red gown that was only knee length. Nick didn’t know whether to love the dress on her or hate it. He’d love it if she were only wearing it just for him. But she wasn’t, heaven only knew how many men would see her in that dress and it was burning him up inside. He couldn’t ask her again not to go to work, it was still too soon for that.

“Boy howdy!” Heath exclaimed. “That is sure some outfit Megan!

“You like it?” Megan asked.

“I don’t know that like is the right word, but it will sure get some attention!” Heath saw the angered look he was getting from Nick and he retreated back into the bedroom to be with Rachel and Laura.

Nick wrapped his arms around Megan and pulled her close. “You can always pretend that you’re sick and come back here early.”

“I wish I could. But rent’s due and Daniel needs new shoes badly.”

“I could help with that.”

Megan shook her head, “Why?”

“Because I want to.”

Megan stared up into Nick’s clear hazel eyes. “Is that the only reason?”

“No Megan, it isn’t. After all that you’ve done it’s the least that I can do. Let me help with the rent and such.”

“Oh, so that’s it. Give a favor and receive a favor. I see.” Megan broke from his embrace and pulled on her shawl. “You don’t have to wait up, I can take care of myself.” Megan opened the door and started out.

“Wait Megan, that came out all wrong.” Nick called out to her but she had already slammed the door shut. He turned and went into the kitchen, “Stupid, stupid, stupid.” He slapped his forehead in frustration.

In the bedroom, Laura climbed into bed with Rachel and refused to leave her side.

“She’s okay Heath.” Rachel signed after Laura had closed her eyes. “She’s frightened, needs to have me near. I’ve always been there for her and I always will be.”

“I hope that doesn’t mean she’s coming on our honeymoon, does it?” Heath grinned.

“I don’t know, that all depends.”

“Depends, on what?” He whispered.

Rachel smiled at him and it warmed his heart. “Oh on how nice you are to me between now and the wedding.”

“I see.” He rubbed his chin and leaned in close. “How’s this for nice.” Heath touched his lips to hers in a soft kiss that left her tingling for more.

“Not bad.”

Heath leaned in to kiss her again, but she stopped him by putting her hand up. “You’ll wake Laura.”

Laughing softly, he planted a kiss upon her cheek. “Get some sleep, I’ll be right out there with Mrs. Ling and Nick if you need me.”

Rachel tugged on his arm as he started to stand. “I’ll always need you.”

“Same here Rachel, same here.”

The brothers sat down in the living room and attempted to explain poker to Mrs. Ling. Though she didn’t seem to grasp the rules very well, she certainly did well with her hands and Nick found himself exclaiming ‘Beginners Luck’ several times. The playful banter stopped when there was a knock at the door. Heath and Nick both drew their guns and Nick approached the door first.

“Who is it?”

“Nick, it’s me!” Jarrod said. “Open the door.”

They holstered their guns again and Nick opened the door, shock was on his face when he saw that his brother had company with him. “Who the devil are they?!” Nick nearly shouted.

“Nick, this is David Travers, the lawyer I told you about and this is Chicago’s finest, Chief of Police Warren Miller.”

“All right, why are you both here?” Heath asked. Without thinking about it, he put himself between the unwelcome guests and the bedroom where Rachel and Laura were sleeping.

“Mr. Barkley.” The chief started, “Your brother and Mr. Travers came to see me today about pressing charges against Alexander Simpson for assault. And while I certainly do believe them, I’m sure that you will understand that I can’t issue a warrant without seeing the actual victim.”

Heath nodded in reply. “Mrs. Ling, I’m sorry but could you get Rachel and Laura up please?”

“Yes Mr. Heath, I will.”

Heath and Nick escorted the guests to the kitchen table and they sat down while they waited. Nick got the coffee off the stove and put the pot on the table with several cups.

“How is she Heath?” Jarrod asked.

“Weak, but she’s getting better.”

“No doubt you’ve had something to do with her recovery.” His elder brother smiled at him.

“Fraid I can’t take much of the credit, she’s really got a strong will.”

Mrs. Ling returned to the kitchen with Laura. The chief looked at the deep black and purple bruising that spread from her eye down to her cheek.

“Child,” He said in a soft voice. “How did that happen to you?”

“I was bad, I kept begging to see Rachel and I wouldn’t stop, kept asking him over and over again. I made him real mad.”

“And this man hit you?”

“Yes sir.”

“What was the name of the man that hit you? Can you tell me that?”

“Yes sir, my father.”

“What’s his proper name child?”

“Alexander Simpson.”

“Thank you, that’s all, I’m sorry that I had to wake you up.”

“That’s okay.”

Mrs. Ling interrupted. “Mr. Heath, Rachel wants to come out here. But she can’t make it all the way on her own and I’m afraid I can’t help with carrying her.”

“She shouldn’t come out here, we’ll go to her.” Heath ushered the men towards the bedroom where he found Rachel teetering on her feet near the doorway. “Rachel, you’re supposed to stay in bed, remember?”

“I remember. But I’m tired of staying in bed.”

“Rachel, this is the chief of police and David Travers, the lawyer that’s gonna try and help you. The chief needs to see what happened to you before he can issue a warrant.”

“I understand.” She signed to him. Rachel turned her back to the men and tried to raise the back of her blouse. When she fumbled with it, Heath took the hemline of her blouse and raised it to show just enough of her back so that the chief would see how much damage had been done to her.

“Good Lord!” He gasped. “Miss Knight, who did this to you.”

She spelled it out slowly in sign language. “Alexander Simpson.”

“Alexander Simpson.” Heath and Mrs. Ling echoed.

“Miss Knight, I’m very sorry that I had to intrude on you this evening. Please be assured that as soon as I return to the station, I will issue an arrest warrant for Alexander Simpson. I should have him in our jail come sunrise.”

Tears came to her eyes and she put her fingers to her lips and thrust them forward. “Thank you.”

Heath pulled her close and she put her arms around his trim waist. “Thank you Chief.” Heath said. “Thank you.”.

She couldn’t stop the tears even after Jarrod had left with the chief and Travers. She was finally beginning to believe that things were going to turn around. After all this time, she and her sister would finally be safe from his clutches. Heath stayed close to Rachel and Laura. She soaked through both shoulders of his shirt but he didn’t mind in the least, this was a much needed release after all that she had been through.

Later, Nick checked his pocket watch. Megan would be there at any minute.

“C’mon Megan, we’re locking up!” The bartender called to her.

“Just gotta get my bag Hank, I’ll be right down. You go on ahead, I’ll lock the back door.”

“Ya sure kid?”

“Sure thing, go on and get home to that wife of yours!”

Hank chuckled and shouted good night as he headed to the back door. “See ya tomorrow Megan!”

Megan retrieved her bag from her room upstairs and went back downstairs, blowing out the lamps as she went. She blew out the remaining lamps in the bar and went to the back door where she always exited from. She gave it a firm shove and locked it behind her. Just across the alley was her carriage.

“Hello Megan O’Rourke!”

Megan whirled around to find Alexander Simpson and two men coming towards her.

“Why Mr. Simpson, isn’t it? This is a surprise!” She gushed, trying to hide the butterflies building in her stomach.

“You know Megan, I’ve always thought that you and I should get better acquainted.”

“I would love to Mr. Simpson, perhaps you can come back tomorrow night to see me. I’m afraid I’m rather tired and plan on catching a good night’s sleep.”

He stepped so close to her that she could smell bourbon on his breath. “No I don’t think so Megan.”

“I’m sorry?”

“I don’t think I’ll wait till tomorrow to get better acquainted with you. I think I want to get to know you better right here and now.”

Simpson’s two hired guns grabbed Megan and one of them covered her mouth as she struggled against them.

“Come now, we’re just going to have ourselves a little party Megan!” He took a fistful of her hair and yanked it hard. “You are the type of girl that likes parties, aren’t you Megan! First we’ll have our party and then you’re gonna tell me what I want to know.”

Continued…