KEEPING FAITH

Parts 16-20

by MrsNickB

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 ideas expressed in this story are copyrighted to the author.

Part 16

Jarrod Barkley couldn't sleep; he watched the fire's glow as it released the last of its embers into the chimney. His doleful thoughts swirled with the death of his wife. His second. Why was he the only one who loved and lost twice? The only Barkley son who even after two wives produced no heir. Was he doomed to be alone? Had he been so wrapped up in Barkley family duties that he'd forgotten to procure his own family, his own happiness? Where did he go wrong? What turn in his life had he neglected to take? Or was it a turn he shouldn't have taken?

The whimpering at the bedroom door grew louder and brought Jarrod out of his gloom. A quiet persistent knock reached his ears. He stood and opened his bedroom door. Colleen's little arms grasped him firmly around his legs. "Uncle Jarrod, please can I sleep with you? I'm afraid!" The large tears from her blue eyes quickly soaked his trousers. He scooped his niece up in his arms and brought her to his chair, setting her on his lap.

Hey Princess, why the tears?"

"I've been bad." Colleen cried.

"Bad? You? Now what makes you think you're bad Sweetheart?"

" 'Cause Mama is gone and Papa too. They left me 'cause I'm a bad girl!" She sobbed into her tiny fists.

"Now that's not true. You're a very good girl. I told you Papa is away on business but he will be home very soon. We've received a wire from him remember? Papa and Uncle Heath are on their way home on a train. Papa loves you. We all love you. We would never leave you."

"Then why did Mama leave?"

"Well Princess, she had to leave for a while that's all." He lied.

"But Mama said she was coming back, but she didn't!" The child whimpered.

"I understand that, and you know Mama would come home if she could."

"And where's Auntie Carol? She left us too. Uncle Jarrod everyone's gone away. I don't wanna to be alone. I'm afraid!"

"You're not alone Colleen, I'll make sure you'll never be alone. You will always have me my Princess, always. Uncle Jarrod will never leave you. Never Sweetheart, I promise." He hugged her tightly in his arms and gently rocked her to sleep. That night little Colleen Barkley slept contently in her Uncle Jarrod's bed while he fitfully slept in the chair beside it.

* * * * * * * *

The musty smell of her surroundings was the first to assault her senses, but it was the sight of the burlap mask that caused her to startle from her prone position. The pain of the shackle around her ankle pulling taut made her yell out before she could speak. "Who are you?! Where am I?" She said in a quickened raspy voice. She clutched at her throat which felt dry and scratchy.

"Shh, je fais des excuses pour le masque mais il est pour votre sûreté aussi bien que le mien." (Shh, I apologize for the mask but it is for your safety as well as mine.)

"W.w.why are you speaking French to me? W.w.why am I here?" She shivered out.

"Tant de questions chère, je répondrai aux la plupart, mais pas qui je suis." (So many questions dear, I shall answer most, but not who I am.) "Je vous parle français au disquise ma voix et je sais que vous comprenez moi, et vous êtes ici en tant que mon invité jusqu'à ce que votre mari me paye la rançon que j'exige. Elle est tout à fait simple mon cher." (I speak French to you to disguise my voice and I know you understand me, you are here as my guest until your husband pays me the ransom I demand. It is quite simple my dear.)

"You're out of your mind He'll k.k.kill you f.f.first." Her head was spinning from the ether smell. 'This can't be happening, it's a dream.' She thought. 'Please God let this be a dream.'

"Je pense non mon cher." (I think not my dear.)

"My daughter? W.w.where's my daughter? W.w.what did you...?" She cried as her mind raced. The words tumbling in her mind, 'if you want to see your daughter alive.'

"Votre fille est tout à fait sûre. Je ne l'ai pas prise. C'était seulement un stratagème pour vous capturer. Bon, ne pensez-vous pas?" (Your daughter is quite safe. I did not take her. That was only a ploy to capture you. A good one, don't you think?)

Her mind was cluttered from the drug, and she could hardly think to translate the French in her head. The only French she could remember from her school days was a curse. "Vous porc vile! Pouvez vous vous décomposer dans l'enfer!" (You vile pig! May you rot in Hell!) Laura spat out, mustering what little strength she could gather.

The masked man laughed heartily. "Ampèreheure où vous avez suivi votre Français je vois mon cher!" (Ah you have kept up with your French my dear!) Il y a l'eau et de pain pour vous. Je fais des excuses pour le cuisine maigre. Votre dispositif d'accrochage vous permettra d'atteindre la table." (There is water and bread for you. I apologize for the meager cuisine. Your shackle will permit you to reach the table.)

"Why? W.w.why am I s.s.shackled?" She continued weakly.

"Pour vous protection naturellement. Si vous vous échappez je devrai vous tuer." (For your protection of course. If you escape I will have to kill you.)

Her captor elegantly bowed from the waist and then climbed up the cellar stairs, locking the door behind him. When he entered the kitchen he pulled off his cowl and greeted his partner who was sitting at the kitchen table. "Where the hell have you been?!" He spat in perfect English.

"Talking to Judge Hannibal Williams about the Driscoll case." Jason Browne raised his dirty boots on the wooden table and stretched back on the kitchen chair.

"You are going to win this case! Your whole career depends on it." Simon Landelle warned.

"Oh I guarantee it, especially now. The defense has gracefully bowed out." Jason's face betrayed a sly grin.

"Bowed out? And how did you manage that?"

"Actually Counselor Holister met with an untimely demise."

"WHAT?! Just what the hell did you do?!"

"Who said I did anything?" Jason sat up in his chair and placed his hand on his heart, his face feigning innocence.

"I'm not an idiot! You tell me what happened you bastard, and you tell me now!" Simon lunged at the lawyer's throat and he fell back onto the floor, the chair crashing with him. The two struggled as Jason desperately tried to release himself from Landelle's stranglehold. The Frenchman had incredible brute strength.

"STOP IT! GET OFF ME! I HAD TO DO IT!" Browne choked out in a ragged breath.

Landelle released his hands from around his neck. "Tell me! You tell me what you did you stupid sonofabitch!" The two men stood up from the floor. Jason turned the chair upright and sat down, raking a nervous hand through his now unruly brown hair. "She called me into her office; said she wanted to offer a plea bargain."

"A plea bargain? How? What did she have to offer?"

"These." He pulled a leather folder from his overstuffed briefcase. Simon looked through the papers.

"Affidavits? Where the hell did she get these?!"

"It seems our guest down below double-crossed me in Sacramento five years ago. She talked my girls into signing these documents confessing all they did for my clients, including naming names. She gave it to the lady lawyer who tried to blackmail me with it. She said if I didn't agree to a lenient sentence with time served for Sally Driscoll that I could kiss my political career good bye. You know if word got out that I procured women for political favors I could lose my license! I could end up in prison! I had no choice! I had to end that bitch's life!"

"Damnit! I didn't want any bloodshed. All I wanted was my investment money back. You know what this means now don't you?!" Simon grounded out.

"Yeah, and I'll be glad to do the deed, after all, what's another one now? You can still keep your hands clean. Of course I might have fun first. She owes me that much." Jason snickered.

"You stay away from her, I didn't want anyone killed! DAMNIT! This changes everything!" Simon threw the contents of the leather folder onto the bare floor. The papers flew wildly in ever direction.

Each sheet had The Sacramento House elegantly imprinted on its letter head.

* * * * * * * *

Jarrod looked into the mirror to straighten his black tie. The same mirror that once held his wife's reflection on that fatal day. He tightly shut his eyes to force his tears away. The funeral was to be private. Carol Baelee Holister-Barkley would be laid to rest beside the family patriarch, Thomas Barkley, in the family plot. Jarrod's gloomy thoughts were interrupted by a tug on his trousers.

"Uncle Jarrod? What do you think of my new dress? Do you think Auntie Carol will see it from Heaven? Do you think she'll like it?" The child spread her navy blue taffeta dress out with her small hands.

"You look beautiful Princess. Auntie Carol will love you in it."

"Wish Mama was here." Colleen said sadly as she smoothed imaginary wrinkles from her skirt.

"I know sweetie, and you know she would be here if she could."

"I know, but Aunt Polly needs her."

"Yes, Aunt Polly needs your Mama." Jarrod said guiltily. He hated to lie to the child but it was the best way to explain her mother's absence without frightening her. Both Victoria and Jarrod had agreed to tell the child that her mother had to suddenly go back East to care for an ailing Aunt Polly Thomas.

Jarrod had hired men to help Sheriff Madden search for Laura but so far they didn't find a trace of her. Even her horse Tipper was missing. Sheriff Madden increasingly suspected that Laura Barkley's disappearance had to do in some way with Carol Barkley's death, but how was still a mystery. Jarrod and Victoria suspected it was a kidnapping, but so far there wasn't any demand for ransom which only added to the sheriff's suspicions.

A rap on the door shook Jarrod from his thoughts. "Come in."

Victoria glided into the bedroom dressed in an austere black silk mourning dress. "There you are Colleen, I thought you would be in here with your Uncle. Aunt Hope is waiting to fix your hair; she's waiting in your room. Why don't you go to her?"

"But I don't want to leave Uncle Jarrod." Colleen pouted. The child had become fearful of losing any more of her family members and became even more attached to her Uncle.

Jarrod smiled and knelt down to be eye level to the child. "Now you listen here Princess, I won't leave without you, I promise, but you need to have Aunt Hope fix your hair. Even a beautiful princess needs to have her hair done. Give me a hug and go on now."

"You promise to wait for me?"

"I promise you will sit right beside me in the buggy, how's that?"

"I love you whole bunches Uncle Jarrod!" She hugged him tightly.

"And I love you whole bunches too Sweetie." He returned her warm hugs.

* * * * * * * *

She scrunged the best she could on the far side of her small bed trying to decide what to do about the dampness of the straw mattress. She thought if she leaned the mattress on the wall nearby it would eventually dry. She was embarrassed that she wet herself when she first saw that dreadful masked man. Laura looked around her dank, dimly lit quarters. It was a cold damp cellar but there was a window above that she could get through if she wasn't shackled. There wasn't any light coming from it because of overgrown weeds; so she couldn't tell if it was night or day. 'Why did her surroundings look familiar? Was she still near Stockton? She had lost track of the days. '

Her head was spinning, her face hot, but her body shivered from the cold. She began to cough loudly, and didn't hear the door above open as she searched for a handkerchief in her skirt pocket.

The masked man climbed down the stairs holding a bucket and a large wash basin. White material was rolled under his arm. He seemed to be different than the one who spoke French. Laura cowered closer to the corner of the cot as he walked menacingly toward her. She stared silently, frightened by his presence. He poured the water from the bucket into the wash basin that he set on the floor.

"Wash up!" Said the low guttural voice.

"You're not the same one w.w.who spoke French."

"Wash!" He demanded.

"My husband can kill t.t.two as w.w.well as one." She tried to hide her fear with her courageous claim.

"You stink! Wash!" Growled her masked captor.

"I.I.I can't reach the b.b.basin." She shivered out and held up the chain attached to her ankle and the iron bed post. He produced a key from his trouser pocket and unlocked the shackle. Her hand went immediately to rub the angry bruise that had surfaced. She stared at him, not daring to move from her place on the bed.

"Get up!"

She slowly stood. Limping, she moved against the wall. "W.w.what do you w.want with me?"

"Strip!"

"No." She trembled.

"Do it!" He produced a gun from his side and pointed it. "NOW!"

She slowly unbuttoned her dark riding jacket. He waved the gun at her when she didn't move fast enough. "Come on! Move it! Faster! Or I'll do it for ya!" She quietly dropped the jacket on the floor then began to unbutton her blouse. She pulled the loose blouse out of her riding skirt, then unbuttoned her skirt.

"Do you have to watch me?" Her body was shaking from the cold. His answer was to pull back the hammer on his gun with his thumb. She slowly continued to undress, covering her naked body the best she could with her arms and hands. Tears began to trail down her cheeks. "Please, can't you turn away?"

The man behind the mask laughed. "Not on your life honey."

Laura thought his laughter sounded familiar but her muddled head now wracked with fever couldn't place it. He again waved the gun for her to begin washing herself in the basin. She stepped into the basin and was shocked at the ice cold water. She washed herself quickly under her captor's wanton glare. When she finished she took her clothes up from the floor and began to pat herself dry, and wrapped her riding skirt around her nakedness. Her unwelcome voyeur threw the white material he kept under his arm at her feet. It was a flimsy white cotton summer dress.

"This isn't very w.w.warm." She was appalled at the shearness of the cloth.

"Put it on, or wear nothing!" She quickly pulled the dress over her head. It was of a billowy sheer fabric that clung to her and revealed the outline of her body, leaving little to the imagination. She stood with her arms still covering herself. "Turn the mattress over!"

She did as he asked without a word.

"Now come here." He demanded.

Laura refused with a shake of her head and backed away toward the wall.

"I said, come here!" But she only shook her head again pushing herself closer into the wall. She prayed that it would swallow her up away from this nightmare. He placed his gun in his holster and stalked towards her. "You deaf?! I said come here!" He grabbed her arm roughly and pulled her close enough that she could smell his cologne, another familiar memory, but still unknown to her.

"Let go of me!" She demanded, but in a timid voice.

He slapped her hard across the face. "You need to be taught manners! I'm your master and don't you forget that, Bitch!" He pushed her away from him so that she fell across the table onto her stomach. She cried out in pain. He grabbed both her wrists and pulled them taut above her, she cried out again. Then he raised the flimsy dress so that her buttocks were exposed. He began to unbutton his trousers.

"I'm going to teach you a lesson you won't soon forget!"

"NOO!! PLEASE!!" She cried out with her last ounce of strength.

"Bet you never had it this way before! I do love having virgin flesh." He sneered.

"No! Please!" But her terrified pleas fell on deaf ears. He pulled off his gloves and touched her soft naked flesh. He probed her with his fingers, violating her inner recesses. She cried out terrified.

"Please, I'm begging you!" She whimpered, ashamed of what was happening to her.

"Ah, ya want it huh? You're begging me. My pleasure sweetheart." His fingers pushed her round mounds apart for his now throbbing erect member to make its entrance, when the sound of a gun being cocked by his ear made him freeze.

"LET HER GO!" Laura gasped, and felt the bile come up from her stomach. She willed it down as the nausea threatened to take control.

"Why damnit?!"

"Because I said so! Let her go! NOW!"

The assailant pulled down the flimsy white material over her backside, then buttoned his trousers after tucking himself inside. "Damn sonofabitch! Why not?! After all the trouble she's caused us?! She deserves it!"

"Let's just say I don't believe in taking what's not freely offered. Now put the shackle back on her. Clean up this mess and go upstairs!" It was her French captor now speaking in perfect English, who now became her savior.

Laura's would-be rapist grabbed her arm and slammed her roughly against the bed. He wrapped the shackle around her ankle securely then cleaned up the wash basin. Once he disappeared the masked captor with the gun stood over Laura as she lay limply on the bed drained of any energy.

"Mes excuses mon beau, celui n'ont pas été censées pour être. Je promets qui ne se produira pas encore, au moins pas sans votre permission exprès mon cher." (My apologies my lovely, that was not meant to be. I promise that won't happen again, at least not without your express permission my dear.)

"Allez à l'enfer et prenez ce frai de Satan avec vous! (Go to hell, and take that spawn of Satan with you!) She cried out between choking sobs.

"Comme vous souhaitez la chère dame. (As you wish dear Lady.) Je vous ai apporté une couverture; il peux obtenir le froid ici."( I brought you a blanket; it can get cold here.) He placed the blanket at the foot of the bed then left her alone.

She leaned over the bed and vomited into the chamber pot she had found there earlier. Her throat was now burning with pain. She wanted to drink from the water pitcher that sat on the table but was too frightened to move. A torrent of tears began to cool her hot cheeks. "Nick, Nick, forgive me Nick, please forgive me. Oh my God, forgive me!"

* * * * * * * *

Nick and Heath rode into the familiar courtyard. They both dismounted.

"Home sweet home."

"You said it. I'll take the horses." Heath volunteered.

Nick didn't look back at his brother but headed into the house. "LAURA! HEY I'M HOME!" No answer greeted Nick's shouts. "LAURA? MOTHER? HEY, WHERE IS EVERYBODY? SILAS?" A feeling of dread overcame the dusty cowboy as the nightmare that cursed him several days before haunted his mind once again.

The front door was still opened when Heath walked through. "Nick. I just talked to Ciego..."

"What's going on? No one's here." Nick said as he turned to his brother.

"Ciego said they are all down at the family plot."

"What?! Why?!"

"Carol, she's dead. They're burying her today." Heath said in disbelief.

"What the hell happened?!" Nick's face drained of any color.

"I don't know, but we better go there and see what's going on." Heath headed

outside and once again mounted his horse. Nick quickly followed.

* * * * * * * *

Upstairs again in the abandoned house Simon grabbed Laura's soiled clothes from Jason's hands.

"What did you stop me for?! She deserves whatever she gets! If it wasn't for that bitch..."

"Shut up! You want to satisfy your carnal lust I suggest you keep to the whores in town. I haven't finished with her yet!"

"You want her for yourself don't you? Is that it?" Jason snickered.

"Unlike you, I never had to force a woman into my bed. Now you listen to me. This whole thing is about to begin. Soon we'll have our money and then you can have your revenge. You can do what you want with her then." Landelle promised.

"What do you mean it's about to begin?"

"Barkley came back to town with his brother. Today he gets this and the note." He held up Laura's riding clothes. "And since you're so enraged, you can go shoot us some prey. I need the blood." Landelle threw the clothes into the kitchen sink.

Part 17

Nick and Heath rode up to the mourners, most of whom were family with the exception of Sheriff Fred Madden and Doctor Agatha James. The family saw them dismount but made no motion to acknowledge their presence with the exception of Hope Barkley who smiled widely at her returning husband. Heath took off his hat and stood dutifully beside his wife. He took her hand in his to give it a quick warm kiss.

Nick's hazel eyes searched for his wife, but only spied his daughter who held tightly to the hands of Jarrod and her grandmother as they flanked her. Nick's heart pounded wildly in his chest, but he quietly took his place beside his mother.

The preacher continued his words. "We are here to lay to rest our dear departed sister Carol Baelee Holister-Barkley. In life she was a kind and faithful defender of the poor and the downtrodden of this world. A loving wife to her husband Jarrod and a loyal and beautiful member of this fine family. She will be greatly missed by all of us. May she rest in peace."

The word Amen was echoed by the survivors who circled the casket. Then each male family member, as was the custom, took a spade of dirt and threw it on the oak veneer box. Jarrod, as the bereaved widower, was the first to do so, as Colleen reluctantly released his hand. Victoria held her back and the child buried her face in her grandmother's skirts. It wasn't clear if she knew her father had arrived since she didn't turn to acknowledge him.

Once Jarrod had his turn he gave the spade to his brother Nick who did the same, then gave the shovel to Heath. Once the symbolic gesture of the burial was done, the family headed back to the waiting carriages. It was then that Nick stopped his mother by touching her arm.

"Where's Laura?"

"Not here Nick. Let's go home first." Victoria allowed him to help her into the carriage. Nick took in a deep breath to hide the nervousness that suddenly shook him. Jarrod picked up his niece and held her in his arms. Nick smiled and reached out for his daughter but she held fast to Jarrod's neck.

"Hey Pixie face, come see Papa." She hid her face in her uncle's neck.

Jarrod looked at his brother sympathetically. "We need to talk at home Nick. There's a lot that's happened."

"She's my daughter. That hasn't changed. Come to Papa Colleen. Come ride with me on Hero. You'll like that."

"No!" She cried out, her face still buried in her uncle's neck. Rather than make a scene Nick turned away and mounted his horse to follow the carriages home. Heath sat beside his wife after he tied Charger to the back of the buggy. Silently they all rode back to the Mansion.

* * * * * * * *

At home, Victoria quickly sent Colleen upstairs to be with the nursemaid, Guadalupe. Then joined the others for drinks in the parlor. Heath was anxious to see his children so he followed Hope upstairs for a welcomed reunion. Victoria pulled off her black mantilla. “Now that Colleen is upstairs we can speak freely."

Nick's eyes took turns boring into his mother and brother. "Good, because now I want answers and I want them now! Just what the hell's been going on here?! And more importantly, where's my wife?!"

Fred Madden took a drink from Jarrod's hand and sat quietly near the fireplace, allowing the family to do the explanations. Doctor James sat by Victoria on the settee and sedately accepted a cup of tea from the matriarch.

"Please calm down Nick. We'll tell you all we know so far." Victoria spoke with a calmness that made the hairs in back of his neck stand up.

"W.w.what you know so far? What are talking about?" He stuttered his questions as he stood with tight fists on his hips.

"Why don't you have a drink Nick?" Jarrod held out a filled glass.

"I don't want a drink! I want to know what's going on! Where's Laura?" He blared impatiently.

"She's missing Nick. We don't know where she is. Colleen thinks her mother went to Boston to be with her Aunt Polly, at least that's the story we told her." Jarrod explained.

"What? Boston?" Nick spat out confused and angry.

Victoria interrupted. "Nick, the day Carol was killed, well, it was the same day that Laura disappeared. We think she may have been kidnapped." Victoria's voice quaked.

The color drained from Nick's face. He stood silent, waiting for more of an explanation, but his mind whirled at the thought of his Laura in danger. His mother's words reverberated in his head, 'Laura disappeared. We think she may have been kidnapped.'

"There's been no ransom note Nick." The Sheriff added as he now stood uncomfortably from his chair, "So we don't know for sure what happened, or why she disappeared."

A commotion of noise was heard in the foyer and Ciego was yelling in Spanish. "¡Señor Nick, hombre con un arma, él me dio esto, para usted!" Nick whirled around to see Ciego, terrified, holding a wrapped package.

"Ciego! Speak English! What the hell are you talkin' about?" Nick barked. Heath descended the stairs when he heard the disturbance at the door.

"Señor Nick, a man, he give to me, this. He said give to you pronto!" Ciego handed the package to Nick.

"Did you see his face Ciego?" Jarrod asked.

"Ningún señor, él permanecía detrás de mí, yo sentía su arma en mi parte posteriora!" the manservant answered excitedly.

"What did he say?" Jarrod asked, while Nick was busy unwrapping the package.

"He said, the man had a gun in his back. He didn't see his face." Heath translated for him. "What's going on here? Hope told me something about it, but..."

Nick held up the blood soaked clothes. "This... it's Laura's." He answered, then he felt his knees begin to buckle. Heath rushed to his brother and helped him sit down in the nearest chair. Jarrod took the package from Nick's hands and showed it to the sheriff.

"Look through it; there could be a note." The Sheriff suggested. Jarrod quickly searched and found a folded note at the bottom of the box. He opened it and looked at everyone puzzled.

"What does it say? Is it a ransom note?" Victoria asked anxiously.

"I don't know. I can't read it. It, it looks like it's written in French." Jarrod said startled.

All eyes stared at the note in Jarrod's hand. Then Agatha quickly moved to Jarrod's side and shyly spoke up.

"I can read French. May I see it?" Jarrod reluctantly gave the note to the doctor. Agatha read it and tears immediately came to her eyes.

"If you want to see your wife alive again leave 60,000 dollars in the abandoned well at Evan's Landing, Friday, at five o' clock. Come alone, a gun will be trained at your back, watching. Wait at home. You will be told of your woman's location within three hours after we receive the money."

"Sixty thousand dollars!" Nick stood up from the chair still holding his wife's blood soaked blouse in his hand.

"That gives us less then 48 hours to get the money. How are we going to get that much money in such a short time?" Jarrod said to no one in particular.

"We have to!" Nick said emphatically. "I'll sell my share of the ranch. We can arrange some kind of a loan from the bank."

"You can't sell your share of the ranch Nick." Jarrod said dejectedly.

"What?! Of course I can! And you're not going to stop me! Laura's life at stake!"

"Nick, you don't own a share of this ranch." Jarrod informed his brother.

"What?! What the hell are you talking about?!"

"Don't you remember? You signed your share of this ranch over to Laura, five years ago. I begged you not to do it but you insisted. Don't you remember that?" Jarrod spoke in an admonishing tone.

"DAMN! That's right! I even gave her Coco." Nick half smiled as his mind went back to the quarrel they had and the resulting consequence when he gave his wife the deed to all his possessions as a Christmas gift the first year they were married. It had followed a bad time for the two of them, as they had lost their first child from a miscarriage and Laura had become blind from a complication of her pregnancy which later was happily resolved.

"You can have my share Nick." Heath spoke up. Overcome with emotion Nick simply placed his hand on Heath's shoulder in gratitude.

"There's no need to give up any land. We can mortgage if we must. I'll speak to Luther Kirby, the bank president in the morning." Jarrod added.

Finally the sheriff spoke up. "You people seem to be forgetting something. You know once kidnappers get their money they usually kill their victim. Giving these people the money is the wrong way to go about this."

"They wouldn't kill a woman, would they? They can't." Nick knew the minute he spoke the words that it was only wishful thinking on his part.

"You forget, these people could be the same who killed Jarrod's wife. We still don't know what happened there."

"Who was the last to see Laura?" Nick asked.

"I guess I was." Dr. Agatha James shyly spoke up again. "She came to my office because she was ill."

"What happened then Doctor?" Asked Heath.

"After I examined her, I told her to go home and rest. She was quite ill. She had pneumonia. She promised me she would go straight home."

"Pneumonia! She has pneumonia and these bastards got her?!" Nick growled.

"Could she have gone to the Barkley Law Offices? Maybe she walked in on Carol's murder and they took her." The Sheriff guessed.

"No, I did see her mount her horse and she rode down Main Street." The doctor remembered. "She stopped to talk to a man, a sailor I think."

"A sailor? She doesn't know any sailors." Nick added.

"Could he be one of those men she taught in her literacy classes?" The sheriff asked.

"Maybe. She does seem to meet up with a strange crowd." Nick answered forlornly. He silently cursed himself for not keeping better tabs on his wife's actions. It was always too easy to ignore her interests. Now he regretted not paying more attention to his wife and her whereabouts.

"But she hasn't worked in the literacy program for some time. It was Dora Hamon who took over when Hope was too heavy with child to work. Laura really hadn't worked with the literacy classes since Hope took over." Victoria volunteered.

"I should have known that." Nick said regretfully, then thought. 'Damn what kind of husband am I? So wrapped up in my own concerns I never even asked her what she was doing. I never really cared to know, only that it took her away from what was important to me.' "Damnit! Why didn't I care enough?" He said out loud.

"Please Nick, now is not the time." Victoria placed a comforting hand over his shoulder.

He pulled away from his mother and stood by the fireplace. He leaned his hands on the mantelpiece and stared at the cold dark embers. His thoughts ran wild in his head. Is she warm, cold? Is she hurt? Afraid? Dear God, I should have been here for her. She's sick, I should be caring for her. In sickness and in health. God almighty, I even failed her in that!'

Heath sensed Nick was beating himself up so he stood by his side and grabbed his shoulder. "That's enough Nick. What we need is a plan to get her back. Once that's done you can make up to her all you want. Let's get Laura back home first." Heath tried a comforting smile on his older brother.

Nick turned toward Heath and nodded his head in agreement. He tried to hide his tears by pinching the bridge of his nose. Jarrod walked over and embraced him.

"Heath's right. We have to plan on getting Laura back."

"Jarrod, I'm sorry. You lost Carol and I never said..."

"Never mind Nick. There's nothing we can do for Carol," His voice faltered a bit, "but I know she would want us to help Laura. Let's concentrate on that, shall we?" The three brothers embraced each other, and Victoria let her tears fall. She had never been so proud of her sons as she had been at that very moment.

* * * * * * * *

Laura pulled the one wool blanket up around her neck. When she tried to scrunch into a fetal position the iron shackle around her ankle prevented her from moving her leg further. Her body was desperately cold, but her face burned with fever. She wanted to drink the water that sat on the table nearby but in her weakened state she couldn't muster the strength she needed. She heard footsteps coming down the stairs. She closed her eyes, praying that it wasn't one of them.

"J'ai de bonnes nouvelles pour vous chère dame. Votre mari est finalement à la maison." (I have good news for you dear lady. Your husband is finally home.) The masked man sat on the edge of the table.

Laura opened her eyes and smiled as she whispered his name. "He'll come for me soon. My sweet Nick." Her eyes closed again as she imagined Nick's face before her.

Vous n'avez pas mangé ou n'avez pas bu votre eau. Vous devez maintenir votre force." (You haven't eaten or drunk your water. You must keep up your strength.) He poured some water in a cup and gave it to her. Laura licked her dry lips, stiffly sat up and took the water, drinking thirstily. Then he tore a piece of bread from the loaf and handed that to her as well. The bread was quite dry but she was very hungry and ate it. When she finished eating it she felt her stomach churn and reached down under the bed for the chamber pot. She vomited all her stomach's contents.

Her masked captor stood, shocked. "Vous êtes malade!" (You're ill!)

"Afraid I'll die..., before you get..., your money?" She spoke between her dry heaves.

"Votre mort ne m'arrêtera pas d'obtenir l'argent, je vous assurent de celui!" (Your death will not stop me from getting the money, I assure you of that!)

"Allez à l'enfer!" (Go to Hell!) She said with her last bit of strength then fell back on the cot, exhausted.

The captor left quickly without another word. Laura closed her eyes, hugged the blanket tightly under her neck and fell asleep.

* * * * * * * *

"Laura? Laura? Wake up Milady."

"Nick? Is that you?"

"Yes it's me, come on, let's get out of here."

"I can't they have me chained, I can't get free."

"Take my hand."

"I can't Nick, you're too far away, I can't reach."

"Come on, take my hand."

"I can't Nick, I can't. Stay with me, please. Don't leave me alone. Stay."

"I can't stay."

"Please don't leave me here. Please!"

"I'll come for you, I promise. I'll come for you. Have faith, Milady, I'll come for you."

"I need you Nick. Please, I need you."

* * * * * * * *

Nick quietly walked into the nursery. He found his daughter playing with her toy horses. "Hi Pixie face. Whatcha doing Angel?"

"Playing." She said quietly.

"Think I can play with you too?" He knelt down beside her to be eye level.

"No. I'm waiting for Uncle Jarrod. He plays with me." She continued to play with the toys on her small table, never taking her eyes from them.

"Well can I play with you until he gets here?"

"I guess." She pushed one of her carved horses toward him. "You can have Dusty."

"Thank you." He took the toy in his hand. "Hey, where's Starlite, I don't see him?"

"Starlite went away." She said sullenly.

"You mean you lost him?"

"No, he went away, like Mama did."

"You know Colleen, Mama didn't want to go away." He rubbed his thumb on her sullen cheek, but she pulled away.

"Yes she did. So did you."

"Now, you know I didn't want to go away either, but I had to go away, to take care of ranch business."

"And Mama went away to take care of Aunt Polly. No one wants to take care of me except Uncle Jarrod." She finally looked at her father with a determined glare.

"That's not true Pixie face, I..."

"Don't call me that! I don't like that name anymore! Uncle Jarrod calls me Princess. I like Princess."

"Well that's Uncle Jarrod's special name for you, but I'm your Papa and..."

"No, Papas take care of their little girls, you don't." She pouted.

"I'm your father Colleen and I love you." Colleen stood up from her chair and left the nursery.

"Hey! Colleen, where are you going?" Nick followed her into the hallway and found her in the arms of his older brother.

"Hey Princess, I was just coming to tuck you in." Jarrod noticed his brother, "But I see your Papa is ready to do that so I'll just give you a good night kiss."

Colleen wrapped her small arms around her uncle's neck. "No, I want you to do it."

"Sweetie, your Papa is home now and he wants to.."

"No! You!" She insisted, hugging his neck tighter.

"Well, I think maybe we should both do it. How's that?"

"Will you read me a story Uncle Jarrod?"

"Yes, of course, if you want." Jarrod noticed his brother's crestfallen face. Nick walked over to his brother, cupped his child's face between his large hands and kissed her forehead.

"Uncle Jarrod can tuck you in tonight. I'm kinda tired anyway. Pleasant dreams Pix...Colleen." Nick turned away and walked down the hall to his room.

It had been weeks since he was in their bedroom. For the first time he was taken aback at how large and empty the room felt. He had been sleeping in that room since he had taken charge of the ranch, after his father passed away, and now, for the first time it felt too big. He walked to the bookshelf near the bed and opened the wooden shutters. He pulled out a bottle of whiskey and a glass, then sat in the chair by the fireplace to pour himself a drink. He brought the glass to his lips. He took notice of the aroma of the whiskey and surprisingly pulled back from the strong odor.

"You didn't want to talk, all you did was drink our problems away."

"What?"

"You were drunk last night!"

"No I wasn't."

"Why do you want to drink our problems away?"

"I don't."

"I need you Nick. Please."

"Laura!"

Nick threw the undrunk glass into the fireplace, it shattered and glistened among the cold black soot. He stood, and walked over to his wife's vanity table. He wanted to smell her perfumed hair so he picked up her hair brush and pulled at the lingering blonde strands. With eyes closed his memory went to the last time they made love. He caressed her hair and crushed the satin tresses to his nose. He loved the smell of her rosebud scent. When was the last time he had told her how he felt. He promised himself he wouldn't let a day go by if only he could have a second chance. He walked to her desk when he spied her name written under the appointment book she always kept there. He found the letter she had written, a letter she thought he would never see.

...You once told me, that you wanted my face to be the last you see before you died, and I foolishly promised you that it would be, but truly I selfishly want it to be the other way around. My love, I could no longer live if you weren't here, it would be useless to even argue the point. My life, my heart, will always be yours, and in case I haven't said it yet, I love you Nick Barkley with all my heart and soul.

Laura

Nick brought the letter to his lips and kissed it, "Laura. Sweet Jesus, keep her safe!" He whispered as his tears caused the ink to run. He fell to his knees, repeating his desperate prayer over and over in his heart.

Part 18

Lud Akley often rode by the abandoned ranch house. He loved to imagine it was his. He knew he was still a long way off from having his own spread but he had been working on the Barkley ranch for a some years now and he had secretly put away a portion of his earnings to buy the small ranch. He knew the Barkleys owned it, but could never rent it out to anyone. Lud had heard a tale about some murder that once happened in the house, but that didn't bother him, besides he thought, maybe he could get it for good price. He might even have almost enough money for a down payment. He smiled.

The house stood sadly, boarded up, with its white wash paint peeled off from the wood exterior. Lud often sat on his horse and let his imagination work a different picture in his mind. A fresh coat of paint, fine dark blue shutters at the windows. His mother, Muriel, loved the color blue, and the front would have roses near the porch for her to tend. The house had rose bushes but they were now hidden, strangled by overgrown weeds. Lud began to wheel his mount away when he heard the sound of a horse whinny. The sound came from the barn near the abandoned house. At first he thought his mind was playing tricks. He often imagined the ranch full of life. He was about to turn again when the unmistakable sound of a horse whinnied again.

Lud decided to investigate and dismounting his horse, he led it by its reins into the barn. Inside he found a black gelding in need of serious currying. Although the horse looked well fed and watered, he was in need of more care than he was getting. Lud Akley carefully patted the rump of the horse.

"You're too fine an animal to be treated in such a manner. If you were mine I would see to it that..." Lud noticed the familiar "B" brand with the bar crossed through the middle. "Barkley. What are you doing here boy? Huh?"

The sound of another horse outside stopped Lud's movement. He watched through the crack in the barn door. Though it was a sunny day the man wore a black mackinaw, and a hat hung low over his ears. It seemed obvious that the man didn't want to be seen. The stranger dismounted his horse and brought it around the back of the abandoned house. From Lud's vantage point he no longer could see the man, but he was very good at sneaking around if he had to and Lud decided he needed to investigate further. The Barkleys wouldn't take kindly to squatters and Lud was going to be the one to inform his bosses of this new development.

* * * * * * * *

Jarrod had called a meeting in his office. It had been the first time he had entered the room since he found Carol there. He swallowed hard as he turned the key in the lock. Shutting his eyes he pushed away the sight of his wife's stilled body behind the desk. He couldn't think of that now, he must help the family search for Laura. He needed to vindicate himself in his own eyes, to show proof if only to himself that he was capable of protecting the family. He blamed himself for Laura's abduction. Now he had to witness the misery he had wrought on his brother Nick and his niece Colleen. 'The sweet child,' Jarrod thought, 'so terrified now of losing anymore of her family that she clung to him as her only anchor in her young life.' Nick had been dismayed about the situation but he was too over-wrought with the loss of Laura to do anything about it for now.

The meeting was for Heath, Nick and Sheriff Madden to go over the results of the search for Laura Barkley, but Heath following his own instincts, decided to make a detour. The bell on the door announced his arrival.

"Hello? Anyone here?"

Agatha James walked out of the back room that she used as a laboratory. She had a leather apron on and her sleeves were rolled up to her elbows.

"Welcome Mister Barkley. To what do I owe this visit? Are you ill?" The doctor asked sounding almost hopeful. The lack of patients for the new female doctor was always uppermost in her mind. She was saddened that the people in Stockton still didn't trust her enough to put their health in her hands.

"Oh no Ma'am. And sure would appreciate it if ya called me Heath instead."

"Heath it is then." She untied her apron and hung it on a coat rack by her desk. "So what can I do for you?" She said as she rolled down her sleeves. She pulled off her glasses and tucked them into her skirt pocket.

Although she wasn't a beauty by any stretch of the imagination it seemed to Heath that she was a fine looking woman, and any man would enjoy keeping her company. She had kind, gentle, intelligent eyes he thought, like his Mama and Hope. 'Eyes are the window of the soul.' Mama use to say all the time he reminded himself. "I'd like to ask you a few questions if ya don't mind." Heath answered.

"Not at all. Please sit down." She directed him to the chair in front of her desk. Heath politely waited until she sat down and when she did, he took his seat.

"Well, Ma'am, ah, Doctor I mean."

"Agatha please." She smiled pleasantly. He gave her an instant smile back

"Agatha. I'm here to ask you a few questions about the last time you saw my sister-in-law."

"Be glad to help any way I can Heath."

"Did she mention to you that she was going anywhere after she left here?"

"No, as I told your brother and the sheriff, she promised me she would go right home to bed."

"Well then, you said you saw her talkin' outside your office to a sailor. Have you ever seen that sailor before?"

"I might have, I don't really remember. I still feel new here in Stockton. I really haven't met many people, other than a few patients who have dared to cross that threshold, and of course your fine family. How is your brother?"

"Oh Nick, he's just what you expect, worried and anxious."

"Yes of course, but I was asking about your brother Jarrod. How is he fairing these days with his loss?"

"I don't really think Jarrod had time to dwell on it Ma'am. He's concentrating on finding Laura, as we all are now."

"Yes of course. I understand. I'm sorry, please go on with your questions."

"Could you describe the sailor for me? Anything you can remember will be a help."

"Yes, he was very light haired, kind of long and wind-blown, a stubbly face, quite suntanned which sort of made his hair look almost white. He was very slight, almost like a woman and he had a rather pronounced limp. That's what struck me most about him. In fact I thought he was going to come in here to be cared for but he didn't."

"Anything else?"

"Well, he was a good six inches shorter than Laura, but maybe it was because he was a bit hunched over. It's hard to tell. I noticed he handed her a small box. She opened it but I couldn't see what it was."

"She didn't take anything out of the box?"

"No, except for a small piece of paper, obviously she read it."

"Why do you say obviously?" Heath rolled his hat around in his hands.

"Because when she read it, she immediately mounted her horse and sped off down the street. She seemed to be in a hurry."

"She was riding fast?"

"As fast as she dared on a busy street." Agatha answered.

"What did the sailor do?"

"Now, let me think." She said, placing a finger to her cheek. "Yes, he ran down the street, at least, as well as he could with that bad leg of his. Hobbled was more like it I would say."

"Which direction?"

"The same direction that Laura took with her horse."

"Can you think of anything else?"

"I'm afraid I turned away after that and went back to my work. I had some tests to complete and I was anxious to get started on them. I'm so sorry."

"Not at all, you were a great help."

"I hope you find Laura soon, she's in great need of care now. She's... well..., in any event, I do hope I helped in some way."

Heath stood from his seat, placed his hat back on his head and gave it a respectful tip in her direction. "I thank you kindly Doctor."

"Please give your wife my warmest regards." Agatha gave him a slight bow of her head as she stood by her desk. "And remember me to your brother, ah, brothers."

"Yes Ma'am, will do, take care now." He quickly left the doctor's office and headed toward the river.

* * * * * * * *

Heath stood at the bar in Barbary Red's Saloon, nursing his beer, when the bartender came up to him, wiping the bar near his drink.

"I might have the information you need for a price." The bartender spoke in a low tone. Heath placed a folded bill on the counter and the bartender hid it under his towel. "That sailor you're asking about. His name is Whitey Jax, a little fellar. He was in here about a week ago, acting like a big spender, throwing money around."

"Did he meet anyone here?"

"Come to think of it, there was someone. Tall, yellow haired, well dressed, good looking, had the ladies in here all a titter, but he didn't give any of 'em the time of day. Him and Whitey sat at a table in the corner there. He didn't stay long. He left and Whitey followed him out soon after."

"Ever seen him before or since?"

"Nope, can't say I did. He was an uptown type."

"Did he happen to speak with a French accent?"

"No. Kinda proper talker he was. Like an educated gentleman, know what I mean? He did ask for cognac. Hell, I didn't know what that was, till he explained it was French brandy, so I got it from our private stock in the back room and he gave me a ten dollar gold piece for my trouble."

"Sounds like a fancy dude huh? Like a lawyer or businessman?" Heath fished.

"Yeah, kinda like that." The bartender walked away from Heath to serve another patron.

* * * * * * * *

An impatient Nick jumped up from the leather chair in Jarrod's office. "Where the hell is Heath?! I'm not gonna wait the whole damn day! This is not finding Laura!"

"Nick please! Going off half-cocked is not going to find her any sooner. We need a plan!" Jarrod matched his frustration.

"I have a plan! Here's my plan, we search every inch of this valley, go into every house and look in every corner possible until we find her!"

"Don't you think my men and I have already done that?!" Sheriff Madden shouted exasperated.

"NO! I don't think you did! Because otherwise you would have found her!" Nick stood inches from the sheriff's face, his fists planted firmly on his gunbelt. His angry eyes bulged and his face was markedly flushed with fury.

"And what makes you think she's still in this valley?" Jarrod asked, pulling Nick away from the equally angered sheriff.

"I don't know, it's just a feeling I have." His hands flailing in the air. "She's here, somewhere close by. I can't explain it, but she's near, I know she is."

The office door opened up and Heath threw his hat on a table close by. "Gentlemen." He greeted.

"And just where the hell have you been?! You were supposed to be here an hour ago!" Nick blared.

"Having a beer."

"A BEER!" Nick stormed over to Heath and started jabbing his finger into his chest. "Well maybe my wife isn't so important to you, but..."

"Now you just hold on Nick and quit your finger jabbing! Don't you say I don't care about her. I know how they took Laura. And I even got a name."

"A name? Who is it Heath?" Jarrod spoke out anxiously..

Heath turned toward the sheriff. "Ever hear of a sailor named Whitey Jax Sheriff?"

"No, can't say I have. He must have kept himself out of trouble."

"He got in trouble, just didn't get caught. He was the sailor that Laura talked to before she was kidnapped. Somehow he lured her into the livery stable. That's where they took her."

"The livery stable? How did you find that out?" The sheriff asked.

"Sully the baker saw her ride Tipper into the livery stable on Hunter Street. She rode there from the doctor's office according to Agatha James. I think they somehow made her think that they had kidnapped Colleen, because this is what I found in one of the stalls. Under some feed grain there." Heath held out a carved black horse. Nick took it in his hand.

"It's Starlite. Colleen told me it was missing."

Jarrod took the toy from Nick. "Yes, Colleen said it was missing for weeks. She told me that Starlite ran away. You two were on the cattle drive and I promised her that I would ask you to carve her another when you got back." Jarrod said to Heath. "I wonder if this was what they took from the break-in?"

"Hope told me about the break-in you had at the main house. She said nothing was taken of any value. Laura and Hope both thought that the break-in was probably to kidnap one of the children. Colleen being the most likely one since the babies would be too much trouble. But maybe it was to take something of Colleen's so that they could somehow kidnap Laura. Could be she was the one they really wanted." Heath surmised. "And from what I hear this Whitey Jax had a really bad limp. Hope shot the intruder in the leg."

"Why is Laura their target?" Asked Nick.

"And why sixty thousand dollars? Why that amount? Why not fifty or a hundred? Why sixty thousand? It seems like an odd amount to ask. That's what has bothered me most about this whole case." Jarrod added.

"What costs sixty thousand?" The sheriff asked.

"Not many things cost that much, at least not around here. Maybe a building, a bridge?" Jarrod continued.

"Did we have any business dealings with someone with that amount in mind?" Nick asked.

"I hadn't thought of that." Jarrod walked over to his files and began searching through some of the Barkley holdings.

"How about an investment that didn't go well?" Heath added to the conversation.

"Believe me, I would have remembered if we had an investment that lost that much for us." Jarrod said quickly.

"Maybe, the Barkleys weren't the ones to lose the money, maybe it was someone you were doing business with? Could be blaming the Barkleys for their loss." The Sheriff chimed in.

"That amount just doesn't ring a bell with me." Jarrod said shaking his head, then continued to search through the papers now spread over his desk. Nick began to join in the search in need for something productive to do.

"I spoke to the bartender at Barbary Red's and he said Jax talked to a real fancy dressed dude. Said he asked the bartender for Cognac. Gave him a ten dollar gold piece for his trouble." Heath added.

"Cognac, that's French brandy!" Jarrod said, looking up from the paper search.

"Did he say if this man spoke French?" Nick looked up from his stooped position over Jarrod's desk.

"No, I asked that. Said this dude spoke 'proper English', at least that's what the bartender called it."

"Well sheriff, have you seen any fancy dressed dudes around town lately?" Jarrod asked.

"Only that fancy lawyer friend of yours from upstate." The sheriff half joked.

"Believe me, Jason Browne is no friend of mine! And I'm so sorry I ever let him and Simon Jacques Landelle talk me into taking the job of prosecutor. Maybe if I hadn't Carol would still be..."

"Did you say Jason Browne? From Sacramento?" Nick interrupted Jarrod.

"Yes, why, you know him?"

"Sorry to say I do." Nick complained. "Made our trip to Sacramento a living hell."

"You mean when you went there on your honeymoon?"

"Yeah. We haven't been back there since." Nick groused. He now stood and began to pace the office.

"Laura never said she even knew him. We spoke about him at the dinner table once and she denied knowing him." Jarrod informed them.

"She couldn't have, you must be mistaken." Nick was quick to add.

"Why do you think I'm mistaken?" Jarrod argued. "Laura told me she never heard of him."

"No, that's not true." Nick shook his head. "I know for a fact she knew him. He's an old beau of hers. She introduced me to him in Sacramento. In fact, we first saw him at the Governor's Ball."

"The first time I met him was in Simon Jacques Landelle's office, in Sacramento." Jarrod added. "He's the assistant attorney general."

"Simon Jacques Landelle." Heath mumbled out loud. "Ain't that a French name? Didn't he say he was originally from New Orleans? Isn't he the dude you invited to Doc Merar's going away party?"

"Actually I didn't really invite him, he sort of invited himself when he was in my office. We had some papers to sign and one thing led to another and, well, you know." Jarrod confessed.

"So naturally you brought him." Nick echoed, rubbing his chin. "WHY?! Just who the hell is this fellar? You know he was after my wife all night long! Dancing with her!"

"Yeah, I remember, he's the one who coldcocked ya in the library." Heath said. Nick pointed to his younger brother.

"Yeah, that's right!" Nick agreed.

"Landelle hit you? Why?" Jarrod wondered.

"It's not important now, but the fact is he was after Laura all night, following her around like the dog that he is." Nick complained.

"Ya know," Heath chimed in, "Laura told me this Landelle fellar followed her upstairs that night."

"WHAT?!" Nick blared.

"No harm done Nick. Laura handled it well. She told me that..."

"Laura shouldn't have to handle anything! Why didn't she tell me?!" Nick interrupted angrily.

"Maybe because you were passed out drunk in the library." Jarrod said angrily. Nick swiftly moved over to Jarrod who was now standing at his desk and grabbed his shirt.

"Listen if it wasn't for you inviting the sonofabitch to my home, my wife wouldn't be missing!" Both the sheriff and Heath took an arm each and pulled Nick off Jarrod.

"Easy now Nick! Easy! We need to keep cool heads here!" Sheriff Madden reminded him.

As Nick released his grip on his brother, Jarrod's eyes became dark. "Don't you think I already blame myself?! Don't forget my wife's dead because of me! If Simon Landelle had something to do with Laura's disappearance then he was also responsible for killing my wife!"

The room became pregnant with silence. Jarrod ran his hand through his ebony locks and sat down at his desk again. Nick turned away from the others in the room, ashamed of his actions towards his grieving brother.

Jarrod sat at his desk and began to write on a legal pad. He wrote down Laura's name and circled it, then he drew a line to the sailor's name from Laura's, then he drew another line from Laura's name again to Jason's. From Jason's name he drew a line to Landelle's name. "Now, where's the connection?" He muttered to himself as he stared at the pad, lifting it up to eye level.

"The fancy dude Jax talked to in the saloon. Could that be Jason Browne?" The Sheriff asked.

"Could be. What did the bartender say he looked like?" Jarrod asked, angling his head to Heath.

"He said he looked like a business man or a lawyer." Heath answered, his arms across his chest.

"That could describe either one of them. Anything else?" Jarrod pushed.

"What color hair does this Jason have?" Heath asked.

"Like mine, except curly." Nick added.

"No, the bartender said he was yellow haired." Heath answered.

Nick stared at his brother. "Like Landelle?"

"Yes, like Landelle." Heath smiled at his brother.

Jarrod drew a line from Whitey Jax to Landelle. "It's a long shot but still a slim connection. Let see; what do we know about Landelle and Browne? First in relationship to Laura. Now Nick you said Browne is an old beau, now how is Landelle related to Laura?"

"He was following her around, flirting with her at the party." Nick complained bitterly again.

"All right; anything else?" Jarrod pushed.

"Now that I think on it. I found him with Laura at the Stockton Library one day. He was flirting with her again. He tried to cover it up when I caught him! Said he was donating some books for the damn library!"

"Oh yeah, I remember those, ah, books." Heath blushed slightly as he turned his head away from his brothers' inquisitive eyes. "You didn't see them did ya Nick?"

"No, why?"

"Never mind, not important."

"We're getting off the track here. Shall we continue?" Jarrod reminded them. "Now, I do know Landelle, was the mastermind behind Governor George Stone's re-election campaign and rumor has it that he's also behind Jason Browne for the Governorship."

"That low life sidewinding snake in the grass! Him, governor! That would be a sorry day for this state!" Nick complained.

"I'm not exactly a fan of Browne's either, but what do you know about him to say those things Nick?"

Nick put his head down and began to pace the office again. "Well, I suppose none of it matters now. It happened so long ago." Nick looked earnestly at his older brother. "I never broke a promise to Laura before ya know. Never. I promised her I would never tell anyone"

"If it's going to help us find her, I don't see where you have a choice Nick."

"I agree." Heath chimed.

Nick eyed Sheriff Madden. "Fred, I can't tell this story with you here. It's gotta be between my brothers and me."

"All right Nick. I have to escort Mister Kirby with that money over here anyway."

"Yes, he's getting the money together as we speak. Thanks Fred." Jarrod nodded.

"Yes, thanks Fred." Nick said with downcast eyes.

Part 19

"It all started in Sacramento. During our honeymoon." Nick began.

Jarrod stood, walked in front of his desk, and leaned against it with his arms folded. His white sleeves were rolled up to his elbows. "After all this time I am finally going to hear about Mr. and Mrs. Nick Barkley's misadventures in Sacramento."

Nick gave his brother a shy half smile. "Being married to Laura, well.., there's never much of dull moment. I sure found that out the hard way."

"I think I'm going to need a drink on this one." Jarrod sighed.

"Me too." Heath chimed in and settled in a leather chair. Jarrod poured drinks for all three and served them. Nick sat in the chair opposite Heath and accepted the glass from his brother.

"While we were there Laura got involved with women suffragers, and well to make a long story short she got arrested along with them in a protest in front of a church."

"Are you telling us, Laura was protesting with suffrage women, while you were on your honeymoon?" Jarrod admonished. Heath gave out a small chuckle.

"Now wait, it wasn't like that at all. Ya see, she got friendly with these women and somehow they roped her into their cause."

"And where were you when all this roping was going on brother Nick?" Jarrod asked sternly.

"Hell, I was trying to get her out of it! That's why I wired you for the bail money!"

"Ah yes, the five hundred dollars, now I remember." Jarrod poured another drink for himself then offered it to his brothers, who refused any more.

"Anyway, at the courthouse somehow Laura got thrown into a cell with prostitutes."

"Your wife was arrested for prostitution?" Heath gulped. Jarrod rubbed away an oncoming headache with his hand.

"OF COURSE NOT! For Crissakes! What's the matter with you?! I told you she was arrested for a protest demonstration! And she was innocent by the way!"

"Well of course she was, so there was a trial right?" Jarrod asked.

"Actually no, she pleaded guilty."

"Pleaded guilty? Why on earth would she do that?"

"Because we didn't want to have to come back for a trial. It was easier."

"So your wife has a police record?" Jarrod said with raised eyebrows.

"Yeah well, I suppose so." Nick said quietly.

"Oh for pity sakes! Why didn't you call me?! I would have been there to help you!"

"Laura didn't want the family to know, besides, Jason Browne offered to be her lawyer."

"Ahh, wait a minute! Now it dawns on me. Jason Browne was well on his way up the political ladder, then he got involved defending suffrage women and all his political ambitions went for naught." Nick nodded in agreement. "Now, are you saying Laura was the cause of his misfortune?" Jarrod surmised.

"Yes, that's what I'm saying, but not the way you think. You see, Laura blackmailed him."

"Laura? Our Laura, butter-wouldn't-melt-in-her-mouth, Barkley, blackmailed Jason Browne? Nick you have my undivided attention. I want to hear every last detail."

"No wonder you didn't want Fred to hear this." Heath said with a whistle.

"Yes, I'm also not surprised, blackmail carries a ten year prison sentence in this state." Jarrod added.

"Well the bastard deserved it!" Nick raged with a pointed finger.

Jarrod looked at Heath. "Wonderful our brother was her accomplice. This just gets better and better." Jarrod said shaking his head.

Nick stood up and began pacing, "Now you listen here, Laura did this state a favor getting rid of that viper! And I would help her do it again given a second chance!"

Jarrod sat down on his leather chair, his elbows leaned on the desk and his hands rubbed his forehead. "Go ahead, I'm listening."

"Laura found out that Browne was using prostitutes to further his political ambitions. He would provide the women and his political friends would give him money, or information, whatever he needed to further his career. The girls would work for Browne for free and he would get them out of jail. It was a pretty good racket until Laura found out about it. She stopped him cold." Nick said with a tinge of admiration.

"Incredible. I had no idea." Jarrod said astonished.

"Once I got Laura out of jail I was ready to pull up stakes and get the hell out of Sacramento, but she wasn't having any of it until she took care of the ladies that she befriended. She found out that some of Browne's political pals were kinda rough on the girls. One of them landed in a hospital for a couple of weeks. She had a broken jaw and two black eyes. Laura had these girls sign affidavits, and named names. She used them to stop Jason Browne from ever using the women again. He was furious, but he agreed. He didn't really have a choice. For his penance she got him to defend the suffrage ladies." Nick finished his epistle.

"Yes of course, the governor at that time was being plagued with women's rights

demonstrations. I remember reading about that. Jason Browne was defending these women and getting them off . His political ambitions were pretty much killed off because of it." Jarrod remembered.

"So how does Landelle fit into this?" Heath wondered.

"He was Browne's biggest backer at the time. He lost a lot of money because of it." Jarrod continued. "In fact I remember the Sacramento Clarion reported the amount of money he invested in Browne's governorship campaign was... Sixty thousand dollars."

Got em!" Heath breath out.

"I'll be damned! That sonofabitch!" Nick swore under his breath.

An anxious loud knock on the door silenced the brothers. Jarrod rushed to the door and opened it slightly.

"Lud, it's you. Listen we're kinda busy here, we really need...."

"Please Mister Barkley, I've got something important. I know where Mrs. Barkley is!"

Nick immediately jumped up from his chair. He rushed toward the door and grabbed the young man by his vest lapels and dragged him into the room.

"Start talkin' kid!"

Heath pulled Nick's arms off him. "Easy Nick easy. Let him talk!"

Lud spoke as fast as he could about the abandoned house and the horse he found in the barn with the Barkley brand, and he spoke about how he snuck around the house and found Laura Barkley down in the cellar of the house.

"My God, you were right Nick. She was under our noses all along! That's the Thomas place. Her father's house! I recently sold that place for her."

"Who bought it?"

"It was a Nevada Bank. Wait let me look it up." Jarrod searched through his files until he pulled up a folder. He read its contents, his face became ashen.

"Jarrod, what's wrong?" Heath asked.

"It was bought by the Nevada-California Land Trust Company. It's owned by Simon Landelle.

"WE GOT HIM! Now lets go get Laura!" Nick said through clenched teeth. Jarrod grabbed Nick by his vest.

"Hold on there, we have to wait for the sheriff with the ransom money. We still need to do the drop off. Now let's come up with a plan and when the sheriff gets here with the money we can..."

"Laura's in danger. She needs to be rescued! I need to get her back home!"

"I understand that Nick, but you can't go off half-cocked with this!"

"Damn you Jarrod! You listen to me! You and I need to get something straight right now!" Nick blared. Heath quickly moved toward his brother and placed both hands on his shoulders.

"Easy Nick, it's not time for that yet. Save it Nick!" Heath pleaded.

Nick moved away and rubbed his mouth with his hand. "I need a drink." Nick stalked over to the drink table and poured another shot of whiskey. He brought it up to his lips and then slammed it down again without drinking it. He leaned his fists on the table and bowed his head. Jarrod and Heath watched as Nick shook in silent tears.

Part 20

Sheriff Madden, two deputies, the Barkleys and Lud Akley surrounded the abandoned Thomas home in the cover of darkness. Lud pointed to the side cellar window where he saw Laura Barkley before. It was decided that Heath and Lud would crawl to the cellar window. There were enough weeds and brush to hide them and they could keep a safe eye on Laura. Jarrod was to cover the back of the house which the kidnappers used as an entrance.

Nick was at Evan's Landing at the ransom drop off point. He was careful to do as the note instructed with one exception, instead of going back to the Barkley Ranch he headed over to the Thomas Ranch to lie in wait for the kidnapper to show up. Nick's patience was rewarded when he recognized 'Black Jack' Landelle riding up with the heavily laden saddle bag, which Nick had dropped off an hour before.

The sheriff and his men were spread out and crouched down into the shadows. Jarrod had given them a signal that the other kidnapper was already inside the house, waiting. He wasn't at all surprised that the other culprit was none other than counselor Jason Browne. Jarrod seethed inside his gut knowing that Browne had most likely been Carol's killer. It took all his inner strength to not lunge at the man and strangle the life out of him just as he did to his beloved wife.

Inside the darkened house Jason Browne was getting nervous. He thought that Landelle was taking longer than he expected and he began to pace the kitchen floor. Almost as an afterthought he remembered he had hidden a bottle of whiskey in his valise. It was just the thing to settle his nerves while he waited. He sat down and placed a black boot across the table, taking a generous swig from the bottle. He stared at a small candle flickering on the table, the only light in the house. 'Almost over and we can get out of this hayseed town and be sixty thousand dollars richer.'

Their revenge was a long time coming. The murder of Sam Driscoll had made it all the more easier. So they stepped up their plans. A high profile trial was sure to solidify Jason Browne's success to the State House, all they needed to do was make the playing field lean in their favor. That was when Black Jack had the brilliant idea to talk Jarrod Barkley into becoming Stockton's County Prosecutor, which would leave an inexperienced Carol Baelee Holister-Barkley as the lone defense attorney for Driscoll's defense. The only other problem they had was getting rid of the county prosecutor, Mark Bromley, but fortunately Landelle had enough favors owed to him in Nevada, so getting the state of Nevada to offer the temporary job as State Attorney General to the ambitious Bromley was an easy task for the powerful business man.

The original plan to kidnap Laura Barkley had been Black Jack's idea. It was Laura Barkley's interference with Jason Browne's political plans that spurred him on. If she hadn't stumbled across Jason's whoremongering operations and then blackmailing him into defending the suffragers' causes, Jason Browne would already have been ensconced in the governor's mansion and then well on his way to the White House by now. Landelle had invested almost sixty thousand dollars in those political plans. The pay-offs and the bribes had made it all a hefty sum, and he lost it when Jason's suffrage defense had ruined his political chances with the powers that be. Black Jack Landelle was as notorious a sore loser as he was a gambler, so the fate of Laura Barkley had been sealed. No one ever walked away owing him money and she owed him a huge debt, and if need be she would pay with her life.

Browne had no idea he was being watched by the hateful azure eyes of Jarrod Barkley. From his vantage point behind some thick trees and brush Jarrod saw the shadow of his wife's killer. The palms of his hand burned, rooted to the butt of his colt. He swallowed hard and forced himself to wait. Suddenly Jason stood and moved from Jarrod's range of view.

Jason took the now half drunk bottle down the cellar stairs. He stood, this time unmasked, and stared menacingly at his tormentor. Yes, Laura Barkley was his tormentor, the reason he had to work doubly hard to get where he was in the state, and even then he was only the assistant attorney general. If it hadn't been for her he would have been Governor of California, maybe a candidate for the Presidency.

Two pairs of now alert eyes watched unseen from the cellar window. Heath's gun was already drawn. Lud watched the cool demeanor of his blond boss. Lud admired Heath Barkley; if he was nervous he sure never let it show. Lud's own palms were wet and he already felt the beads of fear trickle down his forehead.

Heath crouched lower, his mouth in a straight taut line, every muscle in his body was tense, ready to pounce, silently, like a cat. There was a small oil lamp on a marred wooden table. Laura lay deathly still on the small cot. Heath strained his eyes in the low light to see what her captor was planning. He sent up a silent prayer that he wouldn't have to give away his position until Nick had arrived. Nick was supposed to follow Landelle, but he had yet to show up. 'What if he double-crossed his partner and took off with the money? That would sure change the playing field,' Heath prayed that was not the case. It was important to get both culprits.

Browne's voice shook Heath from his thoughts. "Wake up Bitch! Come on, wake up!" Jason grabbed Laura's motionless head and turned it to face him. "Hey, I got something to tell you. Open your eyes honey, no more masks. I want you to see who has finally turned the tables on you and that stupid farmer husband of yours! Remember me? Huh?" Jason slapped her across the face in an attempt to wake her up but she remained unconscious and she fell limply back onto the cot.

Heath held back from kicking in the glass window. 'Wait for Nick,' he told himself. 'Can't give it away yet.' It tore at his heart to see his sister-in-law manhandled that way, but he knew he had to hold off just a little longer.

Jason leaned back on the table, he was lolling unsteady from the liquor he had drunk and he began to talk to his unconscious prisoner. "Ya know, too bad ya chose my neck of the woods when ya got married. Remember that night? The governor's ball? And that gambling hall? Hah, I sure cleaned out that farmer's clock huh? You always were a poor judge of men Laura. You know, if you had stuck with me, you coulda been the First Lady of California. Hell, you could have been the First Lady of these United States. But, you always were a stupid country girl! That's what those teachers at that fancy school you went to called you, didn't they? And they're right sweetheart. You're nothin' but a country bumpkin. Stupid bitch!" Jason laughed and took another deep swallow of his liquor bottle. "Ah, I'm tired of this." He tipped the bottle upside down and poured it onto the floor.

Heath and Lud watched from their vantage point, Heath's gun was trained on the drunken lawyer, waiting for a false move, any move. Jason stood again and moved over to the bed. "Ya know, I'm going to do you a favor. I 'm going to put you out of your misery." Jason pulled Laura up from the bed by wrapping his hands around her throat. He began to squeeze. "Good bye Sweetheart, pleasant dreams."

As he concentrated on tightening his grip he barely heard the glass break until it crashed down around him. Heath jumped feet first, his hand firmly gripping the gun as he pointed at Laura's assailant.

"LET HER GO!"

"W.w.what?" Jason stammered then grabbed the lit kerosene lamp from the table. He threw it at Heath and it sprayed around him with flying glass and oil soaking the dry wood floor. The flame from the wick ignited the spilled liquor and oil mixture. A trail of flames began to lick at their boots. Lud, still above, shouted a warning but Heath didn't hear what he said as he

ducked for cover.

* * * * * * * *

Lud heard a gun hammer being pulled back; and when he turned he was staring into the gun barrel of Simon Jacques Landelle.

"You're trespassing kid. Time to say your prayers boy!" Landelle squeezed the trigger and the bullet flew and lodged into the side of the house. Nick's strong arm had caught Landelle in a choke-hold. With his free hand Nick gave his enemy a crushing kidney punch which would have felled any ordinary man, but Black Jack Landelle was no ordinary man and he slipped free from Nick's grasp. He turned and gave Nick a heavy punch in his gut which buckled his knees, but Nick stood as quickly as he went down. He grabbed hold of Simon's lapels and flipped him over his head toward the back. The sheriff's men now had a clear field and took several shots. Landelle scrambled into the house with Nick at his heels. The sheriff quickly ordered his men to cease fire.

* * * * * * * *

Jarrod propelled himself into the house at the sound of the gun shots. The kitchen was empty, but the door to the cellar was opened and smoke was already creeping up. Jarrod started down but then heard someone scrambling up the stairs. The smoke was thick enough to impede his sight. Another gun shot rang out and caught Jason Browne in the leg while he made his escape.

Heath cursed himself for letting Jason get away, but the smoke and flames were rising and he only had minutes to get Laura out of harm's way.

"Lud! Get down here! Quick!"

Reining in his fear Lud pulled away the extra shards of glass in the pane then climbed down into the shallow cellar.

"We gotta get her out of here now!" Heath shouted as he replaced his revolver.

* * * * * * * *

Upstairs, Jarrod hid behind the cellar door when he heard Heath's voice. His patience was rewarded when Jason emerged from the cellar, bleeding at the leg. Jarrod re-holstered his gun and pounced on Browne's back. Jason was larger than Jarrod, but was taken by surprise as he fell to his knees under Jarrod's attack. Jason turned quickly and tackled Jarrod's legs to bring him down. The thickened black smoke from the cellar billowed around them, irritating their eyes, and making it difficult to see. The two lawyers swung at each other frantically.

* * * * * * * *

Nick had followed Landelle into the parlor of the house. He again caught him in a choke-hold but Landelle elbowed him in the rib cage, then turned to punch Nick in the jaw sending him back onto the floor. Landelle pulled out his gun and shot but Nick rolled away toward a small table and threw a lamp at him which knocked the gun from his hand. The kerosene spilled over an old sofa in the middle of the room. Nick stood and launched a frontal attack bringing the man down onto the sofa; they rolled off, crushing the shards of glass under them. Hard punches flew between the two.

* * * * * * * *

In the cellar, Lud caught Heath's arm before he could pick up Laura from the cot.

"WAIT, Heath! You can't! Look! She's shackled to the bed!"

"Sonofa....! Lud, cover her with your body, I've got to shoot it off!" The flames and heat became intense as it licked around them. There was little time to lose looking for a key. Lud bent his chest over the unconscious woman and Heath aimed a sure shot to the chain link, praying to himself that one bullet would do the work. The smoke was beginning to take what little breathing air was in the dried out cellar.

The shot rang true and the chain gave away. A quick look toward the stairs told Heath that wasn't an option open to them. The window was the only escape. "Lud, climb up to the window. I will lift her to you. You pull her up! Quick! There's not much time!" Heath said as he coughed the smoke out of his lungs. He secured the woolen blanket over her body and picked her up in his arms. The now broken chain rattled against the iron bar of the bed.

* * * * * * * *

Jarrod had Jason on the floor, his hands in a strangle-hold. Browne finally pried Jarrod off him and kicked him away. Jarrod fell back, sliding across the floor. Jason's right hand latched onto his gun and he pulled the trigger but Jarrod lobbed away. The bullet missed his heart but bit into his right shoulder.

The liquor and smoke disoriented Jason as he made his escape to the nearest door, which turned out to be the cellar. When he realized his mistake, he turned only to find Jarrod, bleeding profusely from the shoulder but standing before him, a look of rage darkening his face.

"You killed my wife didn't you?!"

"Yes, I killed the bitch! And I'd do it again if I could!"

Jarrod lifted his leg and connected with the lawyer's chest, pushing him down the stairs. Ravenous orange flames claimed the body of Jason Browne as he fell backward into the inferno.

"That's for Carol... and Beth too." Jarrod stumbled through the smoke, feeling the walls with his left arm for an opening. He finally found a window and pushed himself through it to escape the smoke that was now engulfing the top portion of the house.

* * * * * * * *

Outside, Lud managed to drag the still unconscious Laura out through the cellar window. He looked anxiously toward the house which had thick black smoke chugging out. "HEATH!" Lud shouted then breathed a huge sigh of relief when blackened hands were seen at the opening. Heath pulled himself out of the house and crawled on his belly toward them.

"How's she doing?!"

"I don't know.. I don't even know if she's alive!" Was Lud's frantic reply. Heath felt Laura's neck for a pulse.

He waved to the sheriff and his men to come forward. "We gotta get her to the doctor's right away!"

"I saw a wagon in the barn. I'm sure it's still there." Lud offered.

"You stay with her!" Heath ordered. Then he directed the sheriff's men to make the wagon ready. "Where's Nick?!" Heath asked Sheriff Madden.

"He went after Landelle; in the house!" Heath's eyes focused on the small ranch house as flames and smoke protruded out of the openings.

* * * * * * * *

The two equally matched men continued to pummel each other on the floor while the black smoke trailed them into the parlor. The gun that Landelle had lost was within reach and he scrambled for it, but Nick grabbed it first and threw it into the wall of smoke.

"No guns! I want to kill you with my bare hands you bastard!" Nick blared.

"You're no match for me Barkley!" Landelle hit him square in the jaw and sent Nick reeling back, but sheer rage brought him out of his stupor as he stood and pulled Landelle up by his lapels. Nick's right cross, followed by a left jab made Landelle trip over the kerosene soaked sofa, pushing it further toward the consuming flames. It was now feeding the fire. Fearlessly Nick followed his prey as Landelle crawled toward the stairs that led to the upper floor of the house. It now seemed the only escape as the fire danced around them. Nick clutched the man's shoulders from behind and reeled him back into the room with a force of strength that even surprised him. Landelle squirmed to break free of Nick's vise-like grip. Finally he relinquished his jacket and pulled himself away from his attacker. His foot caught hold of the threadbare rug on the floor and propelled him into a wall of flames that had shot up from the sofa. The last sound Nick heard was Landelle's agonizing scream.

* * * * * * * *

The man's scream sent a chill down Heath's spine and he ran toward the house. Yellow flames now teased out of the front door. The heat inside made the windows burst as Heath shielded himself with his arms while the shattered glass showered him. He desperately yelled out Nick's name.

Exhaustion overtook Nick and he dropped to the floor. Time stood still then he heard his name being called. He lifted his head in time to see a bright, white presence standing before him. It seemed to engulf the room with it's light.

"Nick. Nick, follow me."

"Laura?"

"Yes my love, it's me, come this way." The apparition disappeared as quickly as it came.

"Laura? Where are you?"

"I'm here, follow my voice. I'm here Nick. Follow me."

He stumbled at first but pushed himself up from the floor. The flames seemed to pull apart, making a path for him to follow the disembodied voice."

"Here Nick, come this way."

"I'm coming." Nick pushed his way toward the voice.

* * * * * * * *

Heath tried to make his way into the house but the flames angrily pushed him back. "NICK!" He continued to yell his name over and over again.

"Heath! Stop! You can't go in there! It's suicide! STOP!" Sheriff Madden barked out his warning.

The Sheriff tried forcing Heath away but he broke free shouting, "Leave me alone! He's my brother!" Heath stumbled ahead toward the flaming door, when Nick miraculously appeared at the entrance and collapsed into Heath's arms. The sheriff helped Heath pull Nick away from the blazing house. They dropped him on the ground and checked for any burns or patches of fire to put out, but to their amazement not one part of Nick's body or clothes had been scorched.

"I don't believe it, he's not even touched!" Exclaimed the sheriff.

Heath cradled the unconscious Nick in his arms. "Nick! Can you hear me? Nick!"

Nick opened his eyes at hearing his name. Confusion spread over his face. "Laura?"

"We got her Nick."

Nick grabbed Heath's broad shoulders and pulled himself up from the ground. Heath helped his brother up and led him over to his wife's body. She lay on the ground, her head resting on Lud Akley's lap. Nick knelt beside her and took her up into his arms. Her sunken-in cheeks were black with soot and her hair was matted with dirt. Nick touched his hand to her swollen lips which were cracked and dry from lack of liquids. "My God, what did those bastards do to you?" He cried as he clutched her to his chest and wept bitter tears.

To be continued…