Pt1:
"Jarrod! Jarrod!" Nick bellowed as he came through the front door into the large Barkley House.
"Nicholas, must you yell?"
"Where's Jarrod?" Nick questioned Victoria.
"I'm right here." Jarrod answered coming in from the study.
"This letter came for you." Nick said as he handed Jarrod the letter.
Jarrod opened the letter quickly reading, then rereading the letters contents.
"Melissa is dead." Was all he said before walking toward the parlor and sitting down in a chair by the fire place.
Victoria and Nick followed him.
"I'm sorry." Was all Victoria said. Nick remained silent.
"If only her father hadn't pushed her from me. Forced her to leave. She would probably still be alive!" Jarrod said his voice full of anger as he stood up and quickly headed off to his room returning moments later with his hat and gun belt. He fastened the belt around his waist as he walked toward the door.
"Where are you going?" Nick questioned as he attempted to stop his brother, making sure the usually level headed, sensible lawyer didn't do something that he'd regret later.
"To get my daughter!" Was Jarrod's only reply as he pushed past Nick and headed out to the barn to saddle Jingo. Leaving Nick standing there staring after him.
Jarrod arrived in a small town called Junction City a few days later, after stabling his horse in the livery he made his way down the street to the hotel. Deciding he needed to get cleaned up and eat something before going to see his ex-father in law. 'Lord knows that's going to be a job in its self.' He thought to himself as he unfastened his gun belt and laid it on the bed, his shirt soon following it.
He made quick work of cleaning him self up and putting on fresh clothes, this time instead of his ranch style clothes he wore a grey suit. After placing his gun belt in his saddle bags he exited his room and headed down stairs to the dinning room.
PT2:
After breakfast Jarrod found him self standing on the front porch to his ex-father in law's house. To say he was nervous would be an understatement but his anger toward the man was far greater. He raised his hand and knocked on the big wooden door, pushing all this thoughts and feelings to the back of his mind.
A few moments after he knocked on the door one of the family servants opened the door. "Yes, sir?"
"Is Mr. Williams home?" Jarrod asked politely.
"Yes, sir. May I ask who's calling on him?"
"Uh yes. Mr. Barkley. "
"Right this way Mr. Barkley." He said as he allowed Jarrod into the house and led him into what Jarrod was assuming to be the parlor.
Several minutes later Mr. Williams entered the room. "What are you doing here Barkley?" He demanded.
"I'm here to get my daughter." Jarrod said sternly, getting straight to the point.
"You'll not take that child out of this house!" Williams yelled.
"She's my child and you're not going to keep her from me, like you did Melissa." Jarrod countered, raising his voice slightly.
"Melissa was better off here. She should have never married you and went to Stockton."
"It was her choice; you had no right making her decisions for her and forcing her to come back here."
"I wasn't going to leave my baby girl in Stockton to die alone!" Williams said with a cross of anger and pain in his voice.
"She wasn't alone. She had me." Jarrod countered. "The last year of her life you took her and Kylie away from me, and wouldn't even allow me to see her. I didn't even get the chance to tell her good-bye. And now you're trying to keep Kylie, my child, away from me. Tell me Fred what kind of life would she have here? Without a mother or a father?"
Mr. Williams didn't answer he stood staring at the fire place.
"Even if I have to get a court order my daughter is coming home with me." Jarrod threatened. At the sound of this Mr. Williams whorled around to face Jarrod.
"Don't threaten me!"
PT3
"Mr. Williams, that was no threat." Jarrod said coldly before turning for the door.
"Barkley you take that child and I will hunt you down and kill you with my bare hands!" Williams yelled before Jarrod stepped through the door closing it behind him.
He looked down the street as he rode back into town, trying to find the Judge's office. He noticed a small café, the hotel, sheriff's office, the general store, bank and saloon. Figuring the sheriff's office would be the best place to start.
He dismounted, and tied his horse to the hitching post outside the sheriff's office and went inside.
"Something I can help you with Mister?" A middle aged man with graying hair and a sheriff's badge pinned to a brown leather vest asked.
"I'm looking for the judge."
"He won't be back 'til middle of next week." The sheriff told him as he leaned back in his chair.
"I see." Jarrod replied as his mind worked to form another solution. "Is there a judge in the next town?"
"You mean Willow Springs?" The sheriff questioned. "I believe so. Might wanna send a telegraph before riding over there."
"Thank you sheriff, I'll do that." Jarrod replied then left the sheriff's office.
He mounted his horse then headed off in the direction of Willow Springs.
The trip took him only a couple of hours but to Jarrod it felt like it was a lot longer. He scanned the streets for the Judge's office finally finding it located right down from the sheriff's office.
He pulled his mount to a stop in front of the office, tied him to the hitching post and proceeded into the office.
"Can I help you?" A woman of about thirty with brown hair pinned up in a bun asked.
"Yes, I'm looking for the Judge. Is he available?" Jarrod questioned.
"He's in court right now, but if you care to wait?"
"That will be fine." Jarrod replied as he sat down.
"May I ask your name and reason for seeing Judge Harrison?"
"Jarrod Barkley and for a court order."
"Of the Stockton Barkley's?" She questioned as she wrote the information on a sheet of paper.
"That's right." Was his simple reply.
"What is it that you need a court order for Mr. Barkley?" The old Judge asked from behind his desk.
"To regain custody of my daughter."
"Mr. Barkley, you should be aware of the fact that custody cases are resolved in court not by a court order."
"Your Honor due to the circumstances of this case I feel it'd be in the best interest of the child to be returned to her father."
"I see." Judge Harrison replied, "I'll give you the court order demanding the child be place in your custody for now and then there'll be a hearing to decide the germinate placement of the child."
"Thank you, Your Honor." Jarrod said as Judge Harrison handed him the folder document.
It was late that night when Jarrod got back into Junction City, so he decided he'd go on back to the hotel and go back out to the Williams Ranch the first thing the next morning.
He ate supper in the hotel dinning room then went up to his room. As soon as he stepped through the door and closed it, two men grabbed him. One of them held him while the other one delivered punches to his face, ribs and stomach.
"Mr. Williams told you to stay away." One of them said as they dropped him to the floor.
Pt. 4
Jarrod just laid there on the cold, hard wooden floor, struggling to get his breathing under control. Every time he'd take a breath it felt like an elephant sat on him.
He struggled to move into a sitting position, the pain of the movement was almost too much for him, but he knew he couldn't stay on the floor.
After he finally got up into a sitting position he rested for a couple of minutes before trying to make it the four feet to the bed.
He finally got up the strength to crawl to the bed and climb up on it, before he passed out.
The sound of someone banging on the door brought him out of his slumber.
"Come in." Jarrod called not having the strength to move from the spot where he was lying and not even sure if he could have anyway. Every time he took a breath it reminded him of the broken ribs he'd just received a short time ago.
A short man with dark hair in black pants, a white shirt and string tie came into the room, "Mr. Barkley, you have a tel…" He trailed off as soon as he caught sight of Jarrod.
"Someone get the doctor!" He yelled as he ran out of the room, only to turn around and run right back in.
Within minutes the doctor was rushing into the room telling the few people standing around to move out of the way.
The doctor preformed a quick but thorough examination.
"Floyd, get me an old sheet and tare it into pieces about three inches wide."
Several minutes later the hotel desk clerk came running back in with two sheets and began the task of ripping them into three inch strips.
Doctor Miller took the strips of cloth from Floyd and began binding Jarrod's ribs with it. Jarrod winced at the action but didn't say anything.
"You know who did this?" Sheriff Harry Martin questioned.
"Two men that work for Fred Williams, but I didn't get a good look at them." Jarrod answered.
"Any reason as to why?"
"Sheriff, can't this wait?" The old doctor questioned irritably.
The sheriff shot the doctor an annoyed look, "How am I suppose to catch them if I can't get answers to these questions?"
The doctor ignored the sheriff's remarks as he finished wrapping Jarrod's ribs.
"You're to stay in bed for the remainder of today and if you're feeling better tomorrow you may be able to get up some. I'll be back tomorrow to check on you." The doctor explained to Jarrod as he closed up his medical bag, then left.
"Mr. Barkley this telegraph came for you." Floyd, the desk clerk, said as he gave him the paper, then left.
"Any reason why they'd do this?" The Sheriff asked again.
"Because I'm trying to get my daughter back."
Pt. 5
"Your daughter?"
"Yes." Jarrod replied tiredly. "My father in law has her."
"I'm assuming you got your court order?"
"Yes."
"I'll serve it to him. Is there anyone I can send a telegraph to?"
"Nick or Heath Barkley, Stockton."
"All right." The Sheriff said as he stood up to leave.
Jarrod slept for half the day, not feeling like doing anything else.
'I'll probably be taking the stage or train home.' He thought.
He lay on the bed a few more minutes before deciding to get up. He walked over to the wash stand to clean himself up but stopped when he caught sight of himself in the mirror.
He had a bruise by his left eye, the right side of his bottom lip had a cut, and he had another bruise on his right temple.
He picked up a rag, wet it in the water basin and wiped at the dried blood from his lip. He winced as he pressed the wet rag to the cut, the water stinging it.
He finished cleaning up, changed clothes and made his way down to the hotel dinning room.
He ordered a small lunch then headed over to the Sheriff's office.
"Glad to see you're up." Sheriff Martin greeted as Jarrod walked in. "Your brother, Heath, sent a reply back saying he'd be in tonight."
"Thank you." Jarrod said. "About Mr. Williams, I'm going out there."
"I believe I'll be riding with you Mr. Barkley, that way no trouble is started." He said as he stood up and fastened his gun belt around his waist.
"Mr. Williams, this is a court order demanding that the child, Kylie Barkley, be placed in the custody of her father, Jarrod Barkley, until the custody hearing." Sheriff Martin explained.
"Harry this is ridiculous!"
"I'm sorry Fred, but this judge issued a court order placing Kylie in Mr. Barkley's custody."
"Well, you're gonna need a lot more than a court order!" Mr. Williams said as he opened the front door and called out for a couple of his ranch hands.
"Boys, show Sheriff Martin and Mr. Barkley off the ranch."
Pt. 6
"You heard Mr. Williams." Two of the men said as they drew their guns and pointed them at the Sheriff and Jarrod.
"Boys, think about what you're doing." The Sheriff warned.
"Sheriff, you and Mr. Barkley just leave and there won't be any trouble." One of the men told them, Jarrod recognized his voice as being one of the men that jumped him.
"We'll leave for now, Fred, but we will be coming back." Harry told him.
"Mister, can you tell me where I can find the Williams' Ranch?" Heath asked the desk clerk.
"Follow the main road until you come to a road that bares off to the right, take it and it'll lead you all the way to the main house."
"Thanks." With that Heath left the hotel, mounted Charger and rode out.
Heath didn't have to ride all the way to the ranch because he met up with Jarrod and the sheriff where the two roads met.
"What happened to you?" Heath questioned Jarrod.
"Two of Williams' guys jumped me."
"I'm surprised Nick didn't come with you." Jarrod said to Heath once they were back at the hotel.
"He's in Carson City looking at new stock."
"New stock?" Jarrod questioned. "We just bought two more bulls and ten new horses."
"What happened here?"
"I went to talk to Williams, he wouldn't let me take her, so I got a court order from the judge in Willow Springs. When I came back two guys were here waiting for me. The sheriff and I went back today with that court order and we were thrown out at gun point."
"Whatcha gonna do now?" Heath asked.
"I don't know." Jarrod said, "But if it's a fight Williams wants then it's a fight he'll get."
Heath didn't have to say anything, he just looked over to Jarrod and he knew his brother would be there to back him up in whatever he decided to do.
Jarrod layed back on the bed thinking about what their next step would be. It had become apparent that a judge's order meant nothing to Williams; he'd made it clear that if Jarrod tried anything there'd be a fight. And at the moment that was the only way Jarrod could figure he'd get Kylie, his only problem was Williams had atleast twenty men working for him plus he had friends, right now all Jarrod had was Heath and Sheriff Harry Martin.
Pt 7
Jarrod walked out of the sheriff's office as Heath came from the telegraph office.
"Nick will be here sometime tomorrow." Heath said as he folded the telegraph paper and shoved it into his shirt pocket.
"Good." Jarrod said looking around the town, "We're going to need all the help we can get."
The next morning Jarrod and Heath were waiting for Nick when the train pulled into the station.
Jarrod and Heath greeted their brother and then the trio made the short walk back to the hotel.
"What do you mean we can't just storm in there and take her?" Nick questioned anger apparent in his voice.
"We can't give them any legal reason to be able to take her back." Jarrod tried to explain, unsuccessfully.
"Well they aren't just going to hand her over and you've already proved you little court order isn't going to get the job done!" Nick said the level of his voice one again rising above normal level.
Pt 8
"Then just what do you suppose we do brother Nick?" Jarrod questioned his temper starting to rise.
Nick shot Jarrod a look, "She's your daughter they can't keep her!"
"I'm sure there's gotta be something we can do." Heath voiced uncertainly.
"Yes but question is what." Jarrod said returning to thought.
Nick and Heath exchanged glances, both men at a complete loss on what to do. It was obvious they weren't going to give the child up without a fight but Jarrod didn't want to be pushed to such violent means unless he had no other choice.
Jarrod was growing more frustrated by the minute. All he wanted was his daughter and his ex-in-laws were preventing him from taking her. Of course he didn't believe gaining custody of her was going to be easy. His father in-law never liked him much anyway so naturally he blamed Jarrod for Melissa's illness and death.
"I suppose we take the sheriff, reissue the court order and a summons to go before the judge." Jarrod stated.
"Go before the judge?" Nick exclaimed. "You honestly think that's going to do any good?"
Jarrod didn't respond.
Heath just shrugged as if to say 'your guess is as good as mine' to Nick's questioning glance.
Finally Jarrod answered, "The Judge that issued the court order said it was temporary that'd we'd have to go to court over custody anyway."
"If we can't force him to give her back and he's ignoring the court order, guess we'll have to just get the sheriff a little more involved!" Nick said frustrated but with the first real idea that any of them had come up with.
"I suppose Nick's right." Jarrod said sinking down onto the bed with a heavy sigh.
"What do you mean there's nothing you can do?" Nick questioned furiously.
"Mr. Barkley, I don't have the man power to take on Williams and his men." The sheriff tried explaining to Nick as Jarrod sat in a chair across from the sheriff's desk and Heath paced by the window.
"Nick will you settle down." Jarrod coaxed growing more irritated by the minute.
"What do you suggest we do, Sheriff?" Heath questioned.
"Well, fellas I wouldn't advise you boys do anything dumb."
Pt 9
"He wouldn't advise us to do anything stupid but he sure as hell can't advise anything else!" Nick shouted.
"A lot of help he's gonna be. If I didn't know better I'd say he was part of Williams outfit." Heath threw in.
"Part of Williams…" Jarrod started but then stopped. "Have you two gone mad? If he was helping Williams then why did he send me to the next town to get my court order and ride out to the ranch with me to begin with?"
"I don't know." Nick state in frustration as he threw his hat onto the nearby table.
"The Sheriff is on our side, he doesn't have the men to take on Williams and his men." Jarrod began to explain. "His ranch hands are more like hired guns and body guards. The three of us and the sheriff couldn't take them all on in a gun battle and live to tell about it."
"Then just what do you suppose we do counselor?" Nick questioned sarcastically.
"We find a way to take them on one by one." Jarrod said his voice full of determination.
"Martha I'll not hear another word of it!"
"But Fred, Kylie needs her father." Martha pleaded.
"I said that'd be enough of that!" Fred said sternly.
Martha shook her head sadly as her husband exited the room. She saw him stop in the foyer talking to his foreman before quickly disappearing out the door.
She left the study and made her way up stairs. A smile came to her face as she walked into Melissa's old room and her eyes landed on the small bundle laying in the basinet.
"My sweet sweet darling." She cooed to the small baby as she picked her up. "I love you dearly you're grandpa does too but my sweet you belong with your papa."
Martha layed Kylie back in the basinet and quickly began packing her things into a bag. Soon as she had everything she needed she gathered the baby up in her arms and was out the door.
"Monty, please hitch up the buggy." Martha ordered making sure to keep Kylie and the bag out of sight, she didn't want anyone to see what she was about to do.
Pt 10
Martha had made it half way into town when she ran into Jed Baker, a hand at the ranch.
"Morning Ma'am." Jed said as he tipped his hat.
"Good Morning Jed." Martha smiled.
"Ya headed into town Mrs Martha?"
"I am." Martha said simply.
"Need anyone to ride with you?" Jed questioned as he looked the buggy over. "Boys got supplies the other day and don't reckon you'd be totin' much in that buggy."
"Oh no dear." Martha laughed. "Just going to get a few things for the baby."
"Well alright ma'am. Reckon I'll be headin back." With that Jed rode off back to the ranch and Martha continued her journey into town.
"Where did she go?" Mr. Williams asked angrily.
"She said she was going into town to get some things for the baby." Jed told him simply.
"That blasted woman!" Williams bellowed. "She's taken the child to Barkley! Get some men together, we're going into town!"
"Yes sir." Jed said as he donned his hat and headed for the door.
"Ted get the men and mount up. Mr. Williams wants us to go into town with him." Jed told the first ranch hand he came to.
"All right." Ted said as he hurried off toward the barn to gather up some of the men.
As Williams and his men arrived in town he looked around trying to spot his wife or their buggy. It didn't take him long to find it parked out side of the General Store.
"Y'all wait here," Williams ordered as he dismounted his horse. "I'm going to see if my wife is in the store."