I do NOT own The Big Valley, nor do I own any of the original Barkley characters. Thanks again to my Beta Reader, for all the time she spent helping me this story.

Against the Crooked Sky

Chapter Fourteen

Joshua and Luke tied their horses to the hitching post outside and headed for the trading post's front door. So intent were they on finding Jarrod that they were completely oblivious to the Apaches who were watching from a distance. If they'd been more alert, they would have hightailed it back in the direction they'd come. As it was, they opened the door and stepped inside. No one was around. The two men walked around the business as Luke yelled, "Hello!" That brought Matthew Hansen out of the back.

One look at the men and Matthew got the funniest feeling his gut. That put him on the alert as he had a way of sensing whether or not a man was good or bad. There was something bad about these men. His suspicions only grew as Joshua spoke. "Hello, my name is Bryson Tate. This man is James Brandon; we're with the Bureau of Indian Affairs. We're supposed to meet a Jarrod Barkley here."

Now Matthew knew something was amiss. He may have been born at night, but it wasn't the night before! Two men dressed in clothes worn by those who worked with their hands and a strong back did not work for any government agency. Still, if he was to alert Mr. Barkley he had to make sure these men stayed at the post. "I will go ask my father if he knows anything." He turned and disappeared into the back.

Joshua walked around looking at the various items. As he saw a saw with the initials J. P. on it, he had to chuckle. His grandfather's name had been Joseph Pierce; the old man had done his best to raise Joshua after the lad's parents had died from 'the fever'. He'd tried to teach him right from wrong and taken him to church every Sunday. It hadn't done a bit of good though. Joshua turned wild at sixteen and ran away and talked a ship's captain into hiring him. He'd worked as a sailor for three years and then his gambling and con jobs he'd pulled had landed him in prison for four years. It hadn't helped either.

Luke watched Joshua walking around and kept an eye out the window. Unlike Joshua, he'd finally noticed the Apaches off in the distance. He hoped they kept their distance; he didn't want to die. The thought of dying had him going over his own life. His father had been a coal miner and his mother a seamstress. The couple had done their best to raise their seven children up right; for the most part they'd succeeded. Their four daughters were all married to good, hard working, Christian men. Their oldest son taught school and their youngest one was studying to become a doctor. It was Luke who had been their source of heartache. He'd fallen into the wrong crowd and, as hard as his parents had tried, he'd only got worse. By the time he was seventeen, Luke's parents had had enough and kicked him out.

While Joshua and Luke were looking around, Jim had, after hearing what Matthew said, sent the man up to the cabin to tell Jarrod what was going on. Then he, Jim, waited a few minutes before going back up to the front of the trading post to deal with the strangers. One look at the strangers and Jim found himself agreeing with Matthew; something was wrong. "I hear you're looking for one Jarrod Barkley." He kept a smile upon his face as he looked at Joshua; the man had walked up to the counter.

"Yes, we are. Has he been here?" Joshua asked through the worst smile Jim had ever seen.

For a moment Jim did not answer, and then he nodded. "He and a friend are staying up at my cabin." He wasn't surprised when the man in front of him leaned forward a bit and inquired about the location of the cabin. A noise from the back made it so all three men were looking towards the back of the Post. Excusing himself, Jim disappeared into the back. He was gone for a few minutes, and then came back. "Sorry, my daughter had a slight accident, nothing major. Now, what were we talking about?" He looked at the men, purposely acting as if he'd honestly forgotten what the two needed.

"The cabin," Joshua looked at him, irritation in his eyes, "We need to meet with Mr. Barkley." He was fuming on the inside, but he had to get the information from this old man and get on his way. He thought he was succeeding as the gentleman gave him instructions. Jim then watched as both men hightailed it out of the post. He walked walk over to the window and chuckled as, from a distance, he saw a few Apaches headed in the same direction. Oh well, if the two strangers were stupid enough to think agents dressed like that, they would deserve anything that came their way.

Joshua and Luke made their way up the trail that led to the cabin. Each was thinking of where he'd go once they'd finished this job. Dance hall girls flashed through their minds, along with a good poker game, were just some of the pictures they saw. When the cabin came into sight they made their way over to a couple of boulders. Joshua looked at Luke and nodded towards the cabin. "Go up there and knock on the door. Get Mr. Barkley to come out onto the porch. I'll take care of him after that." He watched as Luke did as he was told.

Jarrod (who had been up and around for days) and Paul were sitting at the table discussing what Matthew had told them when a knock came at the door. Paul, who didn't like what Jim's son in law had told him any more than Jarrod did, had his gun in his hand in no time flat. Jarrod stood up and went to answer the door.