The blood curdling wail echoed through the valley, stopping every man on the Barkley ranch in their tracks, sending shivers down their spines, and causing the hair on their necks to stand on end.

"What the hell was that?" Nick yelled as he looked at Heath.

Heath's eyes were wide as he stared across at his brother. "Mother."

Nick frowned as he stalked to where Heath stood, the younger man's hand still in the air where he'd been about to hammer a post into the ground. "What do you mean…Mother?" he demanded.

Dropping the hammer, Heath ran to his horse. "Mother," he said again before vaulting up into his saddle and taking off.

"Hey!" Nick shouted, rushing to his own horse. "Catch him, Coco," he told his mount as he gave him his head.

Heath's heart was pounding as he raced back toward the house. He knew Nick was following, could hear him yelling, but all he could think about was that blood curdling wail…a sound he'd heard once before when he was working in the mines. It was a sound you never forgot once you heard it.

Nick yanked on the reins as Coco pounded into the yard behind Heath and Charger. "Heath! Heath! Stop boy!"

"Can't! Have to find Mother!" Heath yelled back as he rushed toward the house. "Mother!"

Nick, who had used his longer legs to his advantage and caught up to Heath, followed him into the house and watched as Silas rushed in from the kitchen, the old man's eyes wide. He'd clearly heard the wail, though he didn't seem to be puzzled about what it had been.

"She's not here, Mr. Heath. She and Ms. Audra went to the orphanage after lunch."

"What about Jarrod? He was going to work from home today." Nick frowned at the looks passing between his brother and Silas.

"Mr. Jarrod had to go to Stockton to get some papers he forgot."

Seeing the look again, Nick huffed, "What is that look?"

But neither man answered.

Silas watched as Heath turned and rushed out of the house the same way he'd rushed in.

"Silas, you know what that wail was. Tell me." Nick demanded.

Silas shook his head. "Follow, Mr. Heath," he whispered before disappearing back into the kitchen.

Nick frowned. It wasn't like Silas to act that way. What in tarnation was going on? Rushing out the door, he could barely see Heath as he headed in the direction their mother and sister would be coming in as they came home from the orphanage. As he pulled himself up into the saddle and turned Coco in the same direction, his mind started putting together what he'd heard.

And he didn't like what he was coming up with.

Not one little bit.

TBV

Jarrod had been headed back to the ranch when he'd heard the wail, his usually steady horse, Jingo, nearly bucking him off in fright. Once he'd settled his horse, he turned the animal in the direction he was sure the sound had come from.

Seeing the overturned buggy, Jarrod pushed Jingo harder until he was pulling on the reins, stopping the horse and jumping out of the saddle. "Mother!" he yelled as he ran to where she sat, Audra's head in her lap.

Kneeling down beside his mother, Jarrod looked down at his sister and felt as though his heart had stopped beating in his chest. Closing his eyes against the tears that welled up, he opened them again and turned his attention back to his mother. Her face was scratched, a gash at her forehead had blood running down into her eye. Her hair was a mess, her clothes covered in dirt and blood he suspected was his sister's. Looking at Victoria's eyes, fear started to creep in.

They were blank.

His mother's eyes were never blank.

"Mother?" he whispered but got no response.

Hearing horses headed his way, Jarrod stood up and moved away from Victoria. Stopping by where his brothers had reined in their horses, he held onto Nick when he jumped from the saddle and began to rush toward their mother.

"Don't, Nick. You can't rush her. And…" he took a deep breath. "You don't want to see Audra. Just go into town and get Dr. Merar."

"What do you mean, I don't want to see Audra?" Nick growled.

"Just for once do as I ask without fighting me, please?" Jarrod half begged, hoping Nick would listen.

Nick heard something in his brother's voice and backed down. "Alright, I'll go. Do you want me to send some men back?"

Jarrod nodded. "They'll need to bring the wagon and blankets. I don't want anyone seeing Audra."

Nick felt sick at the thoughts going through his head with his brother's words. Turning back, he saw Heath standing frozen by Charger, his eyes focused on Victoria. Walking back to the younger man, Nick reached out and squeezed his arm. "Heath."

Heath started then looked up at Nick. "I've heard that sound before…in the mines. One of the boys my age was trapped and died before we could get to him. When he was brought out, his mother…" he shook his head. "You never forget that sound. Never," he whispered.

"Come on. You can go get the doctor while I help the men with the things Jarrod asked for."

Heath nodded then turned back to Charger, mounting the horse without much thought and numbly waiting for Nick to ride out.

"Don't come back with the men." Jarrod called out. "And Nick, have one of them bring the other buggy so I can get Mother home."

Nick studied his brother, seeing the same look in his eyes as he'd seen before. Nodding before turning to climb up into the saddle, he urged Coco toward home, turning to make sure Heath was following along with Charger.

Jarrod watched his brothers for a moment then moved back to his mother and knelt down beside her. Taking off his coat, he wrapped it around Victoria before trying to move Audra's head from her lap. The vice like grip on his arm, made him stop and look up. "Mother, please," he whispered. Feeling the grip on his arm slacken, he finished moving Audra. "I'll be right back." He didn't expect a response, and didn't receive one, but he couldn't take the chance that his leaving would cause his mother to be afraid…she'd had enough of that already.

Patting Jingo as he reached up to get his canteen, he took a moment to collect himself, wishing he had some whiskey to give his mother. He shook his head, he'd like the whiskey for himself to steady his jangled nerves and give him courage. He'd dealt with many things during the war, things that still sometimes haunted his dreams, but this…well he wasn't sure he'd be sleeping for a while.