Disclaimer: I don't own The Big Valley or its characters. I am making no money from on the story.

A/N: Thanks for the reviews. They are appreciated.

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Chapter 9

Tom and Victoria Barkley had decided not to tell Jarrod and Nick of the discovery of the corpse. They didn't want the boys to think the body was that of the stranger at the stream until the body could be identified.

Jarrod and Nick had all but forgotten about the argument as life returned to normal. Tom and Victoria made it a point not to bring up the subject. They discussed the matter late one evening after the children had gone to bed.

"Victoria, you haven't seen or heard from Jacob Mosley lately have you?" Tom asked as he sat down in his customary chair in the main room downstairs.

Victoria paused from mending a hole in a pair of Nick's britches and looked up. "Why no I haven't Tom. That does seem rather suspicious in light of what Jarrod and Nick witnessed.

"I was thinking the same thing. After church tomorrow I think I'll ask around and see if anybody knows where Jacob might be," Tom remarked, as he picked up the newspaper setting on the small table next to his chair.

On Sunday Tom and Victoria Barkley sat in the pews listening to the sermon. They both scanned the pews and saw most of their friends there, except Jacob Mosley.

Tom and Victoria weren't surprised to find Jacob Mosley absent from the service. It was unusual though. Tom and Victoria knew Mosley to attend church regularly. Tom decided to discreetly ask around after church. Nobody Tom spoke with had seen Mosley for at least a week and there was talk that he had gone on a trip somewhere. Tom couldn't get a definite answer as to where or why Jacob Mosley had gone. Mrs. Wilson said he went to visit a sick relative in San Francisco. Swede Swenson thought Mosley had gone back East on business.

After church, Tom planned to ride out to Jacob Mosley's house on the edge of Stockton. Victoria took the children with her as she made her shopping rounds. Audra needed a new dress and Jarrod and Nick had outgrown their boots.

Tom knocked on the door to Jacob Mosley's home and waited for an answer. Not surprisingly, there was no answer. Tom knocked again and called out, just to make sure. After getting no response Tom Barkley headed over to the sheriff's office.

"Hello Tom. Doc still doesn't have an answer yet," Sheriff Jenkins greeted as he stood up from his chair.

Tom took off his hat saying, "I figured that since I know you would have let us know as soon as you heard anything Mike. I just came here to ask you if you've seen Jacob Mosley around lately."

"You mean since Jarrod and Nick say they saw him arguing with a stranger?" Sheriff Jenkins asked.

"That's exactly what I mean Mike," Tom answered.

Sheriff Jenkins paused a moment, trying to remember when he had last seen Mosley. "Come to think of it Tom, I can't say that I have seen or heard from Jacob Mosley for over a week now. I went over to his home the day you last came into my office, but he wasn't there."

"Well, that might not mean anything, but it does seem too much to be a coincidence," Tom remarked.

"You may be right, but there's nothing I can do until I hear back from Doc," Jenkins said.

****

3 Days Later

A rider delivered a message for Tom Barkley. It was from Sheriff Jenkins who wrote that he had some news to report regarding the corpse. Tom Barkley immediately rode in to Stockton.

Sheriff Jenkins had some good and bad news to report. The good news was that the doctor was able to determine the cause of death; a bullet wound to the back of the head.

"I believe I can now say who the dead man was Tom. Doc gave me some possessions he took off of the body," Sheriff Jenkins said as he handed Tom some papers and a pocket watch.

Tom looked down at the papers in his hands and read the top one. He couldn't believe what he was seeing. The paper was addressed to Jacob Mosley, Stockton, California.

Tom Barkley glanced at the other papers and they all had Jacob Mosley's name on them. One was a bill of sale for a mirror from Boston. Tom remembered Mosley mentioning having ordered one several months ago.