Part 2

*Disclaimer – I do not own Big Valley or To Know Her by Name by Lori Wick which is where the idea for Heather's job came from.

**The Lyrics are from The Eagles' song Hotel California

So I called up the Captain,
"Please bring me my wine"
He said, "We haven't had that spirit here since nineteen sixty nine"
And still those voices are calling from far away,
Wake you up in the middle of the night
Just to hear them say...

Heath stood at the bar in the Cattleman's Hotel alone, with a drink in his hand. He stared pensively into the distance. He tried so hard to sit on the abandonment he felt when it came to his father for the sake of Victoria, and the others, but it was so hard. They didn't understand, all of them had known their father and adored him, and he had never had that chance, not he, and not Heather.

Then Eugene had come home for this big unveiling of Tom Barkley's statue in town and had urged Heath to try on their father's boots., which of course fit Heath and Heath alone. The others had stood there just expecting him to wear them, not understanding what it felt like from his view point. He hated to let them down, but he wasn't sure he could do it. Eugene was angry with him, not understanding, his father was his idol. Nick had been the closest to their father, and he kept Eugene off Heath's back but he was upset as well. Jarrod hadn't said anything but Heath could tell he was disappointed as was Audra. Victoria had said she understood, and was surprised he had even come into town. He had told her he'd like to honor him for what he was to everyone else.

Victoria entered the room and walked up to him, just looking at him, out of all the family she was the one he didn't want to hurt the most.

"I know it's a little early in the mornin' to start celebrating." He said harshly.

Victoria only walked to the other end of the bar, grabbed a glass and slid it down to him. She poured herself a drink and poured him another one.

Heath signed, "I'm sorry. The last thing in the world I want to do is to hurt you. Maybe I shouldn't have come, but I thought if I could sit on how I feel for at least one day, this day, but..."

He raised the drink and swallowed it all in one swallow. Victoria took a sip of her drink.

"I brought them with me, the boots."

"You'd wear them?" Victoria asked.

"Say the word."

"I told you I understand how you feel," Victoria said. "Maybe I more than understand. Maybe I'm afraid you have a right to feel the way you do, but thank you for offering."

Heath looked at her, "I'd do anything for you, anything. You know that don't you? And I meant what I said. Whatever he was to me, to my mother, I know he was a great man to others, to his children, to you."

"He was a great man, a wonderful father."

"A wobnderful father and husband. I never meant for you to question that." Heath said, but he knew she was, because he was. He tried to stop her from questioning but he knew she wouldn't, she just had to know the truth.

Welcome to the Hotel California
Such a lovely place (Such a lovely place)
Such a lovely face
They livin' it up at the Hotel California
What a nice surprise (what a nice surprise)
Bring your alibis

Victoria had driven to Strawberry to find answers. She had stopped in at the general store to ask if the owner knew where she could find Rachel, only to be told Rachel was dead. She then asked for Hannah and was directed to a little green cottage at the edge of town. That is where she met Hannah, a little, old African American woman, she pulled up in front of the house and stopped the buggy.

Hannah came over, "Miss Leah, Lawd in heaven, Miss Leah." Hannah said,rushing over, then she stopped. "For a moment I thought you were Heath's mother, Miss Leah, but she dead, and Rachel she dead too. Both my good friends is dead, and Heather, she be missing."

Victoria started at that name, Heather? The young girl she had talked to a month and a half ago, that said she knew Heath? Was this the same Heather? She figured it was but, she wasn't sure what the connection was, she just remained quiet watching Hannah.

Hannah continue muttering, "Maybe they kill me to." The she looked at Victoria, "Who you be?"

Victoria smiled and said, "I'm Victoria Barkley, and your Hannah. Heath told me about you and Rachel."

Hannah smiled, "Heath, You know about Heath?"

Victoria replied, "He lives with me now – with me and my family."

"He all right?"

"Oh, he's fine."

"Then that's all that matters, Heath's fine, that's all that matters. Heath's fine." Hannah turned and walked inside, leaving Victoria confused.

Victoria followed Hannah inside the cabin, the whole time Hannah mumble to herself about Heath being fine. Victoria tried to get answers out of Hannah, but Hannah wouldn't answer her. The only thing Victoria found out was that Leah loved him, but she couldn't find out if he love Leah. So Victoria went over to the Hotel, after being warned by Hannah not to.

Hannah had said, "Leave them be. Leave this place. Leave the dead to themselves, and the living to the time they got." It was obvious that she was afraid of something, but Victoria couldn't unravel the mystery for anything.

At the Hotel she met Matt and Martha Simmons, who had asked for money. They had spun some tale about Tom and Leah, but Victoria felt like something was off. Victoria had offered them $5,000 but after the tale and Martha's rant about Leah being loved, and cutting Victoria down. Victoria had told them that she had to think about it and she left, She got into her buggy and she looked at the hotel one last time and she saw a figure in the upstairs window, she couldn't make out clearly who she saw but it reminded her of Heather, in a flash the figure was gone. Before she could react to that, Victoria heard Hannah calling her quietly, asking her to walk over to the house.

Mirrors on the ceiling,
The pink champagne on ice
And she said "We are all just prisoners here, of our own device"
And in the master's chambers,
They gathered for the feast
They stab it with their steely knives,
But they just can't kill the beast

So Victoria did so and when she got to the cabin, Hannah told her that she had a letter from Tom to Miss Leah. Victoria told Hannah, as Hannah was digging through a chest, that the Simmons told her that Leah met Tom in a bar. Hannah told her that Leah found Tom beaten near half to death in an alley way behind one of the Saloons. Leah had rescued him, nursed him back to health.

"They told me that they took care of Leah and the baby." Victoria said.

Hannah cackled, "That woman never cared for nobody but herself, and from the looks of it she ain't doing to good of a job at that."

"They've asked for money, you don't think they deserve it?"

Hannah frowned, "I'll tell you what them two deserve, No. It don't make no difference now. Rachel's dead now. Ain't nothing ever going to bring her back. And Heather, she probably is too."

Victoria looked curiously at Hannah, there was that reference to Heather again.

"Who is Heather?" Victoria asked.

Hannah signed, "It don't matter any more, Heather is gone, all that matters is that Heath is fine."

Victoria sighed, "Hannah? Did my husband love Leah?"

Hannah pulled a hat from the chest, "Everybody loved Miss Leah, Mrs. Barkley. She was so small and so pretty, and when she laughed...She had the nicest laugh, but most of all ma'am, she was a good woman. She was a good woman."

Victoria gave a half smile, "I'm sure of that."

Hannah stood up and walked over to Victoria "I'm sorry Mrs. Barkley, but I can't tell you what you ask. I don't know did he love her or not. Maybe only the two of them know that. And Rachel she know, but Rachel dead now. Maybe it's best you go miss."

Victoria shook her head, "Not until you find that letter."

Hannah cried, "It's gone now! It's gone, you hear? You go too, before..."

"Before what?"

Hannah laughed, "You stubborn alright. Ain't nothin' gonna turn you back, is there?

"Hannah, when I first spoke to you, you said you were afraid they might kill you too. Now why would Mr. and Mrs. Simmons what to kill you."

"I didn't say they wanted..." Hannah said.

Victoria cut her off, "You didn't sat they killed Rachel, but you think they did. What happened to her?"

"It's no use, it's gone." Hannah walked over to the chest and knelt down, she reached in a purse and stuffed a letter in her pocket.

Victoria strolled over, "I'm not leaving here until you tell me what happened to Rachel."

Hannah laughed, "I guess I knows that. When we hear Heath was livin' with you, them two, Heather say they want to ask you for money. They want to bother you. Rachel and Heather they wanted to stop 'em. Miss Leah, she would have wanted it that way. A little while later they find Rachel dead, she went and fell into a mine shaft, and Heather she be missing. Law should have been called, but nobody cared enough, and me, I was. I was too scared lest they throws me in the bottom of a mine shaft too."

Hannah reached into her pocket and pulled our the letter, "I can't read, so's I don't know what's in here. But maybe this will answer some of your questions about your husband and Miss Leah." She started to hand it to Victoria.

"Thank you." Victoria reached to take it.

Hannah held onto it, "Mrs. Barkley, you want to thank me good and proper. You read what's in here, and you get yourself outta this place. If the answer to your question ain't in this letter there ain't no answer for you. Not in this world anyway." She handed it over to Victoria.

"Thank you." Victoria said and walked out.

Last thing I remember, I was
Running for the door
I had to find the passage back
To the place I was before
"Relax, " said the night man,
"We are programmed to receive.
You can check-out any time you like,
But you can never leave! "

Victoria was back home safe and sound, she was very much aware of the fact it had almost not happened. She had arrived back at the place left the buggy, but it was no longer there. She had to go into the hotel, and try to track it down, Matt Simmons told her it was in the stables and offered to take it to her. Martha had stopped them, she started asking what Hannah had said. Then she said that what happened to Rachel was an accident, they had only taken her on an outing and she had wandered away, falling through some rotted boards.

Then Martha said they would have to take her to the scene and show her what happened, Victoria pushed Martha and ran passed Matt, opening the door and fell straight into Heath's arms. On the way out of town, Victoria told Heath what had happened, and that they would tell Jarrod and see if the law could be called in, and then they were shot at. She then told him there was a letter from Tom, and that he didn't know about Heath. Heath killed the shooter, some guy she had seen hanging around town, but didn't know who he was. Now she was telling Jarrod privately, in his office in Stockton what had happened.

"Jarrod, while I was there, Hannah kept mentioning a Heather. Said she was missing, probably dead, and while I was there I could have sworn I saw Heather, the girl who was helping the Sample's in the hotel room. Heather mentioned to me she knew Heath but not to tell him about her when I gave her a ride over there. I don't know what she had to do with any of this, but I figured I wouldn't tell Heath about her until I knew." Victoria noticed Jarrod look alarmed at that. 'What is it."

Jarrod sighed, "I cant tell you everything, Mother. I can tell you that a month and a half ago, Heather, the same Heather that was helping the Sample's family. She got news that her mother had died, Eugene let her borrow his horse, they are rather close."

"His horse? I thought he took it with him to Berkley?" Victoria asked surprised.

Jarrod quirked a small smile, "We planned it that way, she wasn't supposed to be gone long. Truth be told I've been getting worried, I had just hoped she had extended her visit. I'll contact the proper authorities and we'll go up to Strawberry and see what we can find out."

Victoria nodded, knowing Jarrod would be safe with the law. "Be careful."

Jarrod nodded, "Mother, don't say anything about Heather to anyone."

Victoria nodded and left. Jarrod prepared a telegram to send to the Treasury Department, to let them know that Heather might have run into trouble in Strawberry and he requested assistance to to check it out, there may have been a murder. He sent it off and within hours he had a reply, One of their best agents would be there as soon as possible, as would Heather's supervisor and his boss.

A few days later, early in the morning, three men appeared at Jarrod's office, with credentials saying they were with the treasury department.

"I'm Jarrod Barkley," Jarrod introduced himself.

"George Jones. I believe Heather told you about me? She served as my aid in the military."

Jarrod nodded, "She told me about you, but didn't mention your name. It's an honor to meet you, but I wish it was under better circumstances."

"Indeed," Another man stepped forward. "Nick Wallace."

"It's an honor, sir." Jarrod greeted him, shaking his hand.

Next came a slight young man named Peter. Jarrod greeted him as well, although his senses were telling him something was off there. Jarrod sent word to his mother that he was going to Strawberry with the proper authorities and not to worry he would be back soon. Then he arranged for horses to be brought and they were on their way.

Once they arrived in Strawberry Jarrod led them to Hannah's cottage, which was exactly where his mother had told him to look. Hannah came out and greeted them asking who they were.

"I'm Jarrod Barkley, You talked to my mother a few days ago." Jarrod said.

"I's tell you the same thing I done told your mother, Mr. Barkley, leave now while you still can." Hannah replied.

"We're here to find Heather." Jarrod said.

"You's know about Heather?" Hannah asked.

"Heather works for me," George spoke up, "I'm George Jones, and this is my boss Nick Wallace, and Heather's friend Peter."

Hannah sighed, "You's best come in."

The group dismounted and entered the cottage together. "Sit down, I'll tell you what I know." the group obeyed and Hannah started in. "Heather arrived late at night, she say she borrowed a horse from her brother."

"Her brother?" Jarrod asked confused.

Hannah nodded, "I think she say his name was Eugene. He tell her about Heath."

"Her twin brother Heath?" Peter asked. "What about him?"

"Wait twin brother?" Jarrod asked, everything suddenly clicked into place. "Heather and Heath are twins?"

Hannah nods, "Thought you said you know about Heather?"

Jarrod shook his head, "I knew of her, she's a friend, but I didn't know she was Heath's sister."

Nick spoke up, "Maybe you better fill us in?"

Jarrod signed, "Heath came to the ranch after his mother died, turns out we have the same father. I didn't know until now that Heather was our sister though."

Peter grinned, "Heath and Heather found their family, how exciting."

Jarrod frowned, "Now I'm even more worried, the reason my mother was up here was to find out more about their mother Leah, and our father. She believe Rachel was murdered by the Simmons because they wanted to extort money from us."

Hannah nodded, "Heather was with them with Rachel, she die, no one has seen Heather since."

"My mother thought she saw Heather at the hotel," Jarrod said, "In one of the windows."

Nick nodded, "Let's head over there, and see what we can find out."

The group nodded and left, Jarrod promised to be back by later and let her know what they found out. Regardless of what they found out he was going to do what he could to convince her to move to the ranch. Once at the hotel, Peter went across the street to the General Store, before the Simmons could see him. Jarrod, Nick, and George went inside where they found the Simmons arguing over something, they couldn't hear what. The Simmons stopped arguing as soon as they saw that they had company.

"Hello," Martha Simmons greeted with a smile. "How may I help you?"

"I'm Jarrod Barkley," Jarrod spoke up. "I believe you met my mother the other day. She had some interesting tales to tell about her trip up here."

Martha didn't even blink, "I'll just bet she did. I suppose she told you we killed Rachel?"

"She said it was an accident, but on the behalf of my new brother, I decided we should check out the scene, just in case,"

"Of Course," Martha said, "Matt, will take you."

"We understand you were there too," Nick spoke up. Martha nodded. "then we'd like you to join us as well."

"And you are?" Matt spoke up.

"Nick Wallace, with the Treasury Department, and this here is my co-worker George Jones."

"It's a pleasure," Martha smiled tightly.

The three of them led Matt and Martha outside and together they all set off to the scene of Rachel's death. Once they were out of sight, Peter rushed over to the hotel to search it. He started upstairs in the bed rooms, and started searching them. In the next to last one that he searched he found Heather, she was bound and gagged and lying on the bed. He could see bruises on her arms and she appeared to be unconscious.

He rushed over to her and cut the ropes that bound her with his pocket knife and ungagged her. He could now see she was just asleep, as she started to stir when he untied her. "Heather!" He exclaimed trying to wake her up.

"Peter?" She asked as she came to, "What are you doing here?"

"I'm rescuing you." Peter cracked a grin.

"Are you alone?"

'No, Jarrod Barkley, Nick and George are here." Your aunt and Uncle took them out to where Rachel was killed.

"Well then, let's go." Heather said, "I want to tell them the real story."

"You were there?"

"I was." How did you know to come find me. "Mrs. Barkley was here a few days ago, she said she thought she saw you."

"I saw her, Aunt Martha wasn't happy when she left." Heather said, "I guess her boy toy was killed after trying to kill Mrs. Barkley."

"Yeah, Heath killed him."

"Heath was here?"

"Briefly, he came for Mrs. Barkley. Your Aunt Martha was about to try and kill her, I think."

"Probably, I'm surprised she didn't kill me. She just settled for beating me every now and then and confining me to the room. I was free to move around until Mrs. Barkley came, after that I was tied up."

Peter nodded, "Where's your horse?"

"At the cottage, in the lean to out back, I hope Hannah has been taking good care of him."

"We'll check in on the way back, you'll ride double with me for now."

Heather and Peter mounted Peter's horse and rode off to the site of Rachel's death. They arrived and dismounted and Heather led the way, down to where Rachel had fallen. They arrived to hear Martha tell her version of what happened, Hannah laughed bitterly as she came into sight.

"Lies." She said.

"Heather!" Martha gasped.

"Surprised to see me, Aunt Martha?" Heather arched an eye brow. "You should have killed me when you killed Aunt Rachel, because now I'll see you hang for it."

"What exactly happened," Nick asked.

Heather sheared what she saw, where she was standing when it happened and why it happened. Jarrod was amazed at her level of detail, there was no hesitation as she spoke clearly and eloquently. Yes, he could see now what he had been missing during their encounters, she was indeed a Barkley. Martha tried to make a break for it, but George grabbed her before she could get far.

Matt surrendered to Nick, Heather suspected he was glad that the ordeal was over, "Uncle Matt was just an accessory, he never touched Aunt Rachel or me." She told Nick.

Jarrod walked over to her, "Where did Peter find you?" He asked concerned.

"Tied up in one of the bed rooms," Heather responded. "Guess you have some questions for me?"

"They can wait, let's get out of this town and back to Stockton." Jarrod smiled at her. "Sure am glad you are safe, little sister."

Heather smiled at him, "I like the sound of that."