The expression on Sheriff Benson's face when he opened the door in answer to Jarod's knock was one of resignation. "You again," he said with a sigh. "Son, I haven't even had my morning coffee yet."
"Then, I will join you for a cup," Jarrod said, keeping his tone amiable. He entered the building and went straight to the chair that was across from the sheriff's desk. "Sheriff, I have only been in this town for one day, but it's long enough to know all is not as it should be."
"Mr. Barkley, if you're going to come in here and cause trouble—"
"A little girl's life is at stake, Sheriff," Jarrod interrupted, his voice hardening. "And, from what I've learned, there have been several children, all with golden hair and blue eyes, who have been murdered in this town in the past several years. I think you know more about this than you've let on and I don't have to remind you that you could be held accountable as an accessory to these crimes."
Looking weary, Sheriff Benson took a seat. "Mr. Barkley, I assure you, I have been doing the best I can under the circumstances," he said. "I don't think you realize just how hard it is to be unable to find a lead, and know that because of your failure to find them, another child will die."
It was the first sign of emotion the sheriff had given. "I understand that, but why try to convince me that Liam's daughter had run off?" Jarrod asked. "Just some way to absolve yourself of guilt?"
"What do you want from me, Mr. Barkley?"
"I want you to help me find my niece before I have a grieving brother to comfort," Jarrod said bluntly. "From what I've learned, this started when one of the Barrington children, a girl by the name of Tessa, was found drowned in the stream."
"What about it?"
"I've also learned that one of the other Barrington children, one the family doesn't talk about."
Sheriff Benson shook his head. "Two," he corrected. "There were three children who didn't come back when they were supposed to that day, Steven, George and Tessa. But you're right, poor George was never the same after the fact and the family tries to keep from mentioning him."
Surprised, Jarrod frowned as he considered that small bit of information. "How much do you know about Steven Barrington?"
Though Audra lamented the poor quality of their mounts, Victoria and her only daughter managed to make good time in getting to the creek. The water was rushing swiftly, debris bobbing on top of the murky brown water. Glancing in both directions, Victoria chose to ride in the direction she knew the Double Square was.
"Mother, if anyone were to fall into the water..." Audra's voice trailed away as she watched the water. Her face was as troubled as her voice. "I mean, if someone, a body, were to be found in it..."
"Everyone would believe it was an accident," Victoria said softly. It wasn't difficult to follow her daughter's train of thought as it was one she'd been considering herself.
Audra kicked her mount into action and rode ahead. "Lucy!" she shouted as she kept her eyes on the banks. "Lucy! It's your aunt Audra. If you can hear me, please answer. Lucy!"
Much to Victoria's surprise, there was an answer. "Aunt Audra! Aunt Audra!" It was distant but there could be no doubt it was Lucy Sawyer. "Aunt Audra, I'm coming! Wait for me! Don't leave me behind!"
"Lucy!" Victoria exclaimed, reining her mount in. She searched the opposite side of the stream for any sign of Liam's daughter. "Lucy, where are you?"
A moment passed and then, Victoria saw a blonde head come around the bend in the stream, dodging a tree as she did so. "I'm here, Grandmother!" the girl cried with delight. She slipped on the mud as she moved. "I'm coming! I'm coming! He wants to hurt me!"
Victoria's heart lept to her throat as she realized what the girl intended. "Lucy, no! Stay out of the water!" With current moving so swiftly and with all manner of wood bobbing along, there was no chance the small girl would make it across.
At the same time, Audra let out a shriek. "Run, Lucy, run!" With a jerk of the reins, the young woman directed her horse towards the stream and plunged in.
It took a mere second for Victoria to see what had alarmed her daughter so much: a man, golden haired, tall, and curiously covered in mud following after Lucy. "Oh, no," she breathed, wishing desperately that one of her sons were there to take charge. "Audra!"
At the edge of the water, Lucy hesitated and she looked over her shoulder. "Lucy, I'm coming!" Audra called out, trying to urge her mount to swim faster. "Leave her alone!"
"Tessa, save her!" the man called out almost desperately.
A gunshot rang out as Audra reached the opposite side. The man crumpled to the ground. Gasping, Victoria brought her hand up to her mouth. Sliding to the ground, Audra gathered Lucy into her arms. "I've got you, darling," she said. "You're safe now. I'm going to get you back to your papa soon."
"Georgie," Lucy whispered. "He's hurt."
"Tessa, run." The man's weak voice reached Audra's ears. Recognizing the name if the Barrington girl who had died, Audra looked over her niece's head. "He'll kill you again. Save her. Please. Help me save her."
"Lucy. Come back, Lucy." An unfamiliar voice ran out, sending fear through both women.
"He's coming," Audra whispered, her voice trembling. She clutched Audra tighter. "I want to go home. I want my daddy."
"Audra, come back!" Victoria called over.
"I'm going to put you in the saddle, alright, Lucy? Hold on as tight as you can," Audra said to the blonde haired girl. Once Lucy gave a nod, the young woman lifted her niece up and settled her in the saddle.
"Aunt Audra, he's coming!" Lucy cried out, terror in her young voice.
Acting an impulse, Audra slapped the rump of her horse, sending it rushing back into the water. She turned to face the danger she had just saved Lucy from and raised her chin. It wasn't hard to see the resemblance the well dressed man had with the man on the ground, and she could also see the resemblance to a young boy in the photograph at the Barrington ranch.
"Audra!" Victoria shouted from across the stream, no doubt seeing the gun in the man's hand.
"You're not going to hurt another child," Audra said, keeping her eyes on Steven Barrington.
To her surprise, the man's face went pale. "Tessa? No, it can't be. You're dead." He raised the gun, though his hand was shaking badly. "You're dead!"
Her mind working quickly, Audra began to put the pieces together. "How many children have you killed in this spot?" she demanded. "And it all started with Georgie and Tessa, didn't it? It wasn't an accident at all. You've been terrorizing families. Why? Why would you do that?"
"It was an accident!" Steven insisted, his hand shaking even more. "You and Georgie slipped on the rocks. I got him out but couldn't reach you."
"Audra," Victoria called out a warning but Audra kept her eyes on the clearly insane man in front of her.
"No, you pushed her," Audra accused. "What? Was your sister too annoying and you just wanted to make her stop? Did you really try to reach her or did you hesitate and let her drown? Did you like the feeling of power?"
"Shut up!" Steven Barrington shouted, his hand tightening on the gun.
Audra tensed, knowing she had pushed to hard. She flinched back as gun fired. To her amazement, Steven Barrington dropped his gun and reached to his chest where a red stain blossomed. He went down on his knees and then fell forward.
With a gasp, the woman turned to discover that Jarrod and the sheriff were on the other side of the stream. To her left, she heard a familiar voice shout, "Lucy? What's happened?"
"She's alright, Liam," Audra managed to call out. "Mother has her."
Within moments, Nick and Heath were by her, demanding an explanation. Liam charged past them, sending a high spray of water as he entered the stream. He was across in no time and had Lucy in his arms. "Papa!" the girl exclaimed, happily.
"Do you think Barry knew?"
At Liam's question, Jarrod shook his head. "He may have suspected that it was his brother Georgie, which is why he kept him away from other people and had a nurse to keep him calm," he answered. He kept his voice low to keep from waking Lucy, who was fast asleep on her father's lap. "I doubt he would have let Steven continue if he'd known."
"It's a good thing I have blonde hair," Audra said with a light laugh. "Otherwise he never would have mistaken me for his dead sister. He must have felt some kind of guilt about what he was doing."
"I'm just glad it's all over and no family here have to worry again," Victoria said, squeezing her oldest son's arm as she passed him.
"Barrington should apologize," Nick said as he poured a drink.
"He won't," Heath responded. "His pride won't let him." He glanced at his twin. "What are you going to do now?"
Liam breathed out. "I hadn't really thought about it."
"It's simple," Nick told him. "You're going to come back to Stockton, to the ranch, where you belong."
"Nick!" The rest of his family all chided at the same time.
"What?" the dark haired man asked defensively. "What other option does he have? I'm not hounding him."
Jarrod shook his head. "Liam, ignore Nick. You can do whatever you want, and go wherever you feel would be best for you and Lucy," the oldest Barkley child said. "It doesn't matter what the rest of us think on the matter."
Breathing out, Liam hesitated. "Yeah. It does matter. I know I can't keep dragging Lucy all over the states in an effort to hide from my past," he said seriously. "So...if you'll have me, I'd like to go to Stockton with you."
"'If we'll have you?'" Nick repeated. "What kind of question is that? Of course we'll have you! Haven't I been trying to talk you into it for months now? It's your home, where you belong."
As he looked around the room at the smiling faces, at the family that had come to his aid when he'd desperately needed them, Liam nodded and he couldn't help but wonder if it had been like this for Heath. In the end, he decided it really didn't matter. "A home sounds like it's exactly what I need."
