The Night of the

Recurring Nightmare

Note: This is a sequel to The Night of the Lethal Horse. It features guest characters from a show set in the same time frame, The Big Valley, although it is very Wild Wild West centric. It would be better to read The Night of the Lethal Horse first. If you don't, or read it a while ago, here is a brief recap.

In The Night of the Lethal Horse, set one year earlier, Jim and Artie save Kat Romaine, a horse breeder and trainer, from disastrous circumstances in Freehold New Jersey. Kat, an exiled Russian countess, wanted nothing to do with her homeland or the Romanov kingdom. For her, horses were everything. Unfortunately, her prized horse, Schumann, appeared to have killed three suitors for her hand in marriage foisted upon her by her father, a man desperate to return to high living in Europe. Consequently, no one will buy Kat's horses or allow her to train theirs.

Jim, recovering from one of the most draining, horrible solo missions of his life chasing Jake Criolla through the Badlands, ends up as a temporary boarder in Kat's house. They are strongly attracted to each other and engage in a physical relationship. Jim, ever the knight in shining armor, sets out to find the real culprit behind the killings of the suitors so that Kat has some hope of succeeding as a horse breeder and trainer.

Missing Artie's guidance and tempering nature, Jim makes a misstep along the way that nearly costs him his life and reminds him of his mistakes on his prior mission. Jim realizes he's just not as good without Artie. Even though Jim escapes, and outs the real culprit — Kat's housekeeper, Nadja - and her motive, it is too late. Nadja disguised as Kat set a fire that cost the town great financial loss, then returned to burn down the Romaine Farm. Nadja held Kat by the throat with a knife and nearly killed her. Jim, seeing a repeat of his failure to save an innocent life in the Badlands unfold, is a mess. Artie arrives in the nick of time to help Jim and save Kat.

Innocent or not, Kat must flee. Jim, recovering from a concussion, leaves the details to Artie. When work calls the two away, Artie leaves Kat in the hands of one of Lily's wealthy friends who arranges a job for her in California. When their paths cross in St. Louis, Artie takes a chance to push she and Jim together again. While they enjoy each others company, the two part to pursue their chosen work at opposite ends of the country.

Artie and Jim spend one last year working together, as Artie and Lily shall marry at last. They make the best of the time before Artie retires, with Jim devoted to ensuring Artie arrives alive and well on his wedding day. All that year, Artie has stayed in touch with Kat and continued to try to push Jim and Kat together, wanting Jim to be as happy as he was.

Before they leave on their honeymoon, Artie has Lil forge a dramatic letter intended to trick Jim into taking a much needed vacation. The letter was to be delivered only in the event President Grant did not listen to Artie's urgings to force Jim to take extended leave. Artie believed that events of the past eighteen months, particularly Jim's tangling with Jake and Eliza Criolla, had left Jim unfit to work solo. Artie insisted Jim needed a mature and seasoned partner like himself. The letter was intended only as a back up plan.

In fact, Grant did listen to Artie. Jim was to take three months of leave while the Wanderer was sidelined for upgrades and Grant found him a new partner. Jim was even going to take Artie's not so subtle hints to go visit the special lady that Artie felt might be Jim's Lily.

Unbeknownst to Artie, on the day of the wedding, Grant rescinded Jim's leave ordering him to San Francisco. That same day, a substitute mail clerk accidentally lost Artie's instructions attached to his forged letter. The clerk gave the letter addressed to Artie and marked "urgent" to Jim to give to Artie. Not wanting to disrupt Artie's wedding day, Jim opened it.

The gist of the letter: their mutual friend, Kat, was in serious difficulty. Fallout from events in New Jersey from which Artie and Jim had rescued her had caught up with her in Stockton, California. If not for duty calling, Jim could have been there in four days via a special Transcontinental Express train departing New York the next day. But Grant's requirement that Jim attend a briefing the next morning left Jim unable to try to help her any time soon.

Jim nevertheless kept the disturbing letter a secret from Artie. He couldn't bring himself to spoil Artie & Lil's long deferred wedding or honeymoon. Jim wasn't even confident that had he caught the express train that he'd be in time to help Kat since she'd been missing for a week already. Those weren't the kind of odds for which you ruined your best friend's wedding and honeymoon.

After the wedding, Jim and Artie bid farewell for some months to come. Jim let Artie continue to believe that he was taking an extended leave and visiting Kat. Artie left town happy and hopeful for his former partner. Though only Lily would admit it aloud, both Artie and she were relieved that Jim would never have to read the gut-wrenching letter Artie dictated. It was not one of his kinder manipulations.

Colonel Richmond and President Grant, though unaware of the nature of the personal business Jim had sacrificed for duty, made some accommodations. The Wanderer was given a second engine crew and orders to permit it to travel as a priority express train. Any time saved in transit from the typical three week journey was Jim's to use as leave.

Chapter 1 - Artie Strikes Again

The Wanderer pulled into Stockton in four days, an impressive run for a train that was supposed to go in for overhaul. If Jim had doubts about the need for overhaul when he'd first been told of it, he now knew for certain that it had been part of Artie's game to compel him to take leave.

Jim removed his horse from the stock car and whispered quietly to it. "Come on, boy. Maybe we'll find an old friend here. I hope so."

Jim, with a satchel full of documentation, debated what to do first: visit the sheriff or Victoria Barkley. After concluding that the sheriff was the real threat to Kat, he went there first. As he walked through town toward the sheriff's office, he passed the Law Office of Jarrod Barkley. Perhaps he wouldn't even have to waste time going to the Barkley ranch before beginning his own search for Kat.

"Sheriff, the name's Jim West. I am an agent of the United States Secret Service." Jim pulled out his identification.

"Did you just pull in on that little train?"

"Yes, four days from Washington to here."

"Almost as fast as that express train. You must be in a big hurry. What could the Secret Service possibly want here?"

"I'm here about a missing person, Kat Romaine."

The sheriff scrunched up his face. "That was fast."

"I'm here to tell you to stop the search."

"Huh?"

"What isn't clear to you?"

"Well, first of all, I'm not certain what authority the Secret Service has over this and second, I think you better talk to the Barkleys before asking that of me, because unless they agree, the search continues."

"You don't understand all the facts, Sheriff. How about we sit down and talk about this?"

"Like I said, it doesn't matter what you say. I'm not calling off the search unless the Barkleys agree. Your badge isn't nearly enough."

"That lawyer down the street, is he one of the brothers?"

"Yes, Jarrod. He'd be a good one to talk too, although his mother will have her say too."

"I'll be back shortly. You better hope nothing happens to that girl in the time I'm gone."

"Um, okay."

Jim was already feeling exasperated when he stormed up the steps to Jarrod Barkley's law office. The secretary said he was in with a client.

"This can't wait." Jim pulled out his identification again.

The secretary's eyes grew wide at reading it. "Oh, I'll, I'll be right back."

"Mr. West, Jarrod Barkley, what can I do for you?"

"I don't know why the hell he needs your family to agree, but I need you to tell the sheriff to call off the search for Kat Romaine."

"Perhaps it's because my brother Heath is with her and we'd like to find him too?"

Jim's face registered confusion. "I was under the impression that she was alone."

"Mr. West, that makes two of us who are confounded. What does the Secret Service have to do with Kat Romaine?"

"It's not an official matter, but I know about the current circumstances and can provide facts about Kat's past which should clear things up for the sheriff."

"Where are you from, Mr. West?"

"I just came from Washington, DC."

"How could you have even known she was missing? It's been just over 24 hours."

"Maybe for your brother."

"No, both of them. Mr. West, one of us is very confused about the facts and since you are the newcomer here, I'm pretty certain it is you. Again, how did you even learn about Kat being missing?"

"Several days ago, I was given an urgent letter for my partner written by your mother about all that had happened to Kat recently."

"All that happened to Kat recently?"

"Yes, cholera, the death of the Roberts, the greedy cousin . . . ."

"Whoa, stop right there, Mr. West. It sounds like you've been the victim of an elaborate hoax. There's been no cholera in these parts for years and the Roberts are elderly, but very much alive."

"The letter was from your mother."

"Do you have it?"

"Yes." Jim pulled it from the satchel.

Jarrod took one glance at the envelope. "That's not my mother's writing." Jarrod started to open the letter, but Jim pulled it back.

"It's probably better if you don't read it then."

"You know, several times I've brought letters into town to mail from Kat to this Mr. Artemus Gordon in care of the US Government. How did you come by this letter?"

"He is — he was my partner. He just retired and got married. He and I helped Kat out of some difficulty last year. They've stayed in touch."

"You mean what happened in New Jersey?"

"Yes."

"I know all about it. Well, I know what Kat told me and I believed her."

"She told you?"

"Yes, after Mrs. Astor contacted my mother, mother arranged for Kat to work for the Roberts. Shortly after Kat got here, and got to know us a little, she came to me to tell me. She worried that someday what had happened might follow her and she didn't want it to reflect on us badly. I thought the chances were low, but said we'd deal with it if the time ever came. Frankly, it seemed complicated and more dangerous to do or say anything about New Jersey given she had been officially presumed dead."

"It was the most expedient way to deal with matter at the time. We didn't give too much thought to the consequences down the road. Business took us in another direction quickly."

"So now we circle around to the matter at hand, Mr. west."

"Call me, Jim."

"Jim, why do you want to call off the search for Kat and Heath?"

"I, uh, I honestly have no idea what's going on now. I came here under the false impression that the sheriff was trying to prosecute Kat for the New Jersey matter as well as other charges a cousin of the Roberts was pursuing after their deaths, none of which appears true. But Kat really is missing?"

"Yes, but it's not related in any way to the events in New Jersey that we know of. She and Heath went for a long ride up into the mountains yesterday and they haven't returned as yet."

Jim sighed. "I guess that's a relief."

"This letter, can I read it, please?"

"Have at it, but I'd rather go looking for Kat instead."

"Have you ever been to this neck of the woods before Mr. West?"

"No."

"How about my secretary shows you maps of the area while I look at this, and then we can discuss how and whether you can be of help in the search."

"Tracking people is what I do for a living."

"Well, then might I suggest you consider changing into trail clothes and pack a bed roll before you head anywhere."

"I'll be back fully provisioned in fifteen minutes."

Jim returned as promised.

"Someone played you well, but it's an awful odd coincidence that Kat is missing now."

"That it is. Artie was in for an earful about that letter, but now, well, I may have to let it pass."

"I can't imagine why someone would play a trick on you like that."

"Believe it or not, it was my partner's way of trying to persuade me to do something he believed I wouldn't do absent extreme circumstances."

"Well, the good news is that unlike in the faked letter, Kat was perfectly healthy when she and Heath left and we have no reason to believe anyone is hunting them down for anything."

"I'd still like to get going looking for them."

"I'm reading between the lines here some, but I take it first, that you are the Jim referenced in the supposed fevered dreams, and second, that this is a personal not a government matter?"

"Yes, but that makes no difference."

"I propose we stop by the sheriff's office, just to quickly let him know to stay on the case. He's really not actively doing much yet anyway, but he has spread word that they are missing and is asking for information. Afterwards, you and I join will up with Nick at the ranch and start looking for them. We had decided we'd give them until at least midmorning to show up before we went looking for them."

"Very patient of you."

"Jim, we're concerned but not alarmed. It wouldn't be Heath's first night roughing it because of some injury to a horse or himself or . . ."

"Mind if I ask what they went up to the hills for?"

Jarrod smiled. "I think the answer to that might depend upon whom you asked. Kat went to look at the wild horses for potential breeding stock."

"And your brother?"

"Do you want the truth?"

"Yes."

"He would say it was about stock, but we all would tell you he went to be with Kat. He's pretty sweet on her."

"I see."

"He might just wear her down one of these days too."

"Then I suppose there's a chance they aren't missing at all?"

"Heath told mother he'd be home late last night, a couple of hours past supper."

"Like no boy has ever lied to his mother?"

"If Heath said it, he meant it. If it had been manageable trouble, I'd expect he or Kat would have been back by now. That neither are suggests it is something more serious."

"So where do we look first?"

"After we meet up with Nick at the ranch, we'll head up towards Mount Diablo. The ranch is on the way. Nick knows that area better than I do."

Jim's instincts were to go it alone and get searching faster. His mind raced in analysis. Like that worked out so well in trailing Jake Criolla. Artie was right about me. I like to act first, think later and I'm not good at trusting others. These people obviously care about Kat. They know the territory too. Artie's voice rang clear as a bell in head. "Be sensible for once. Don't go off half-cocked."

They stopped and left word with the deputy sheriff to keep on the "search" such as it was. As a deputy explained, "I wouldn't expect much to happen on that front. The Sheriff just ran down to the port after receiving an urgent telegraph message. I don't expect him back for at least an hour."

"Tell the sheriff that Nick, Mr. West and I are heading up to Mt. Diablo to look for Heath and Kat Romaine."

"Will do. Good luck, Jarrod."