After dinner Jarrod, Katie, and Maria went to Edna's house. Outside the ornate front door of the Stallingforth mansion, Katie took a few deep breaths. She raised a trembling hand and knocked on the door.

Jarrod placed a reassuring hand on Katie's shoulder. Jarrod knew his daughter was nervous about coming to Edna's house. After all she had decided she was happier in Stockton with her father's family.

Katie turned to look at Jarrod. She looked as if she was going to cry. The door opened and Katie turned back to it.

Helga's face turned to pure joy when she saw Katie. "Miss Abigail! You're back!" Helga exclaimed, throwing her arms around Katie's shoulders.

"Happy to see you too, Helga," Katie said.

"Are you back home to stay, Miss?" Helga asked with the enthusiasm of a five-year-old.

"No. I need to talk to Mother. Is she in?" Katie asked.

"Yes Miss. She's in the parlor," Helga said.

"Thank you," Katie said, walking into the house. Jarrod and Maria followed her into the house.

"Miss, do you need instructions to the parlor?" Helga asked.

"That won't be necessary, Helga. I've lived in this house for nearly 10 years. I think I would know the way to it," Katie said, smiling at her friend.

"When you get done talking to your mother you will come back and talk to us, won't you, Miss?" Helga asked.

"I promise. All of you wait for me in the kitchen. I wouldn't dream of being here and not talking to my friends," Katie said.

Katie walked into the parlor. Edna was reading a book on her chaise lounge.

"Mother?" Katie asked.

Edna looked up from her book. Katie stood before her. Jarrod and Maria Barkley stood behind her.

"Abigail? What are you doing here?" Edna asked, standing up.

"Mother, I need my adoption papers. Do you still have them?" Katie asked.

"I probably do. You know how I am about cleaning out your father's office or safe," Edna said.

"Yeah. I'm well aware of that," Katie, mumbled under her breath.

"What was that?" Edna asked.

"Nothing. Look Mother, this is important. Can you give me the combination to Father's safe? It's important that we get those papers," Katie asked, her blue eyes pleading.

"Why don't you all sit down and Helga will bring us some tea?" Edna asked.

"Mother, we don't have time for tea. All I want is that combination. Please, can you give it to me?" Katie asked.

"I'm sorry, Abigail. I can not do that," Edna said.

"Why not, Mrs. Stallingforth?" Jarrod finally said.

"Well, when my John died I promised him that those papers would stay in his safe under lock and key. And if I give them to you now I'll be going back on my promise," Edna said.

Katie's face flushed red with anger. Of all the times for Edna to say that she couldn't give her the papers! Katie took a few deep breaths to control her temper.

"Mother, please. I need those papers. Papa wants to look them over. Please, just give me Father's combination," Katie begged.

"I'm sorry. I cannot, Abigail," Edna said firmly.

Katie cast a helpless glance at her father. Jarrod knew his daughter was frustrated. Jarrod put his hand on her shoulder.

"Mrs. Stallingforth, we have to have those papers. Katie feels it was Samuel Eaton who stole her and I'd like to be able to produce proof to a judge if I can. I can't build a wall without any bricks," Jarrod said, the look on his face almost matching his daughter's. Pure frustration.

"It couldn't have been Samuel Eaton. My husband and myself have used his law firm for the past twenty years," Edna said, shock in her green eyes.

"Mother, I don't trust Samuel Eaton. I think he steals children to pass them off as orphans to wealthy families here in the east," Katie said.

"Well, you never liked the man, but I don't think he would steal children," Edna said stubbornly.

"MRS. STALLINGFORTH, GET THOSE ADOPTION PAPERS OR I'M GETTING THEM MYSELF!!!!" Katie yelled finally losing her temper.

"How do you propose to do that?" Edna asked.

"You'll see. Helga?" Katie called.

The young servant came into the room. "Yes, Miss?" Helga asked.

"Helga, my father's safe combination is in his office right?" Katie asked.

"No Miss. It's in your mother's desk," Helga asked.

Katie walked over to her mother's desk and started to poke around through the drawers.

Jarrod walked over to where Katie stood pulling paper after paper out of the desk drawers. Katie hadn't bothered to read any of them yet, but that was where Jarrod came in.

Jarrod slipped his glasses out of his coat pocket and onto his nose. He picked up the first piece of paper and read it.

"Mr. Barkley, I protest at this!" Edna protested loudly.

Katie looked up at Edna. Maria stood next to her. "Mama, can you take her into the garden? Ask Helga were it is," Katie said.

Maria knew that if Edna complained the whole time Jarrod and Katie would never find the combination. So she complied with her daughter's wishes.

As Edna and Maria left Katie breathed a huge sigh of relief. That sound made Jarrod smile as he looked up at her.

"Relieved?" Jarrod asked, humor reflected in his clear blue eyes.

"Yes. Mother is one huge pain in the neck! Why do I always forget that?" Katie asked.

"I don't know. My father was hard to get along with, but I loved him any way. It's like you love that person so much you forget the faults they have," Jarrod said.

"Probably. I think you are overbearing sometimes, but now I haven't even thought about it," Katie said.

"Thank you for the compliment, Miss Barkley," Jarrod said, his voice filled with sarcasm.

"Papa, it's true. Sometimes you do get on my nerves, but when that happened I was just mad at you," Katie said.

"Like when I came and got you?" Jarrod asked.

"Yeah that's one time," Katie said, putting her hand on her father's hand.

"I am sorry for that time. I just felt like I loved you so much I wanted the little girl back that was taken from me," Jarrod said, reaching up and touching her face gently with the tips of his fingers.

"Papa, you got me back. But I think we should get back to this," Katie said, throwing her arms around Jarrod's neck and hugging him. Katie's arms were wrapped so hard around her father's neck Jarrod felt that Katie was going to cut off his breathing.

Jarrod patted her shoulder and went back to the papers on the desk.

Katie picked up a piece of paper and started to read. After about 5 pieces of paper, Katie gasped.

"Did you find it?" Jarrod asked.

"I think so. Papa, does this look like a safe combination to you?" Katie asked, showing the paper to Jarrod.

Jarrod looked over the groups of numbers on the papers. "It looks as if it could be. There's only one way to find out, Katie," Jarrod said.

Jarrod took Katie's hand in his hand and ran with her all the way to John Stallingforth's study.

"Papa, may I open the safe?" Katie asked.

"Here's the combination," Jarrod handed the paper to her. Katie plopped down on the floor and put in the first number of the combination they found. Jarrod took a deep breath and waited.

After the fourth number the safe opened. Five files were in the safe along with some valuables.

Katie took out the files and put them on John's large desk. Katie opened the first file. It didn't take until they got to the bottom of the pile to find the papers.

Jarrod read over the file briefly and closed it. He put his hand on Katie's shoulder. "I think this is it. Go get your mother," Jarrod said, his voice not leaving much room for argument.

"Yes Papa," Katie made it to the kitchen and garden. Edna and Maria were on the bench talking. Polly had served them tea in the garden and Helga stood behind Edna waiting for further orders.

Katie knew that Maria would want to know what happened, but she decided to wait until she got back to the hotel. She didn't really want to hear Edna's whining over how she had made a promise to John about not showing the papers.

Jarrod carried the file into the hotel sitting room and put it on the table in the middle of the room. He opened the file and spread the papers about.

Maria stood next to her husband and tried to read the papers over his shoulder.

"Jarrod, I can't understand a thing," Maria said, her forehead wrinkled as she tried to read the papers.

"It's all written in legal terms. I'll read it and try to translate to all of you what it says," Jarrod said, slipping his spectacles back on.

After a few minutes Jarrod sat down rubbing his eyes as if he didn't believe what he'd just read.

"What is it, Jarrod?" Heath asked.

"I don't believe what Katie's papers have just said. They said that Maria and myself died of influenza and that she had no living relatives. Also her adoption papers say that her name was Abigail Stanton," Jarrod said.

Katie sat next to her father. "What next, Papa?" Katie asked.

"Well, I have your birth certificate and if we take it and these adoption papers down to the police station we should have enough proof to put Eaton's law firm out of business," Jarrod said.

"Mother's going to kill me," Katie said.

"Why do you say that, Katalina?" Don Alfredo asked.

"Because I'm putting the Stallingforth family lawyer behind bars," Katie said.

"I thought you said you didn't like the man," Dora said.

"I don't, Aunt Dora. But my father trusted him and now we know that he kidnapped other children just like me," Katie said, lowering her blue eyes.

Jarrod put a hand comfortingly on her shoulder. "I know that when you do something right not everyone is going to agree with you. I often had to do things as a lawyer that nobody, but myself thought was right," Jarrod said.

"Boy howdy, don't we know it!" Heath exclaimed.

"Really, Papa? I thought that everyone usually agreed with what you do as a lawyer," Katie said.

"No. I once defended a man named Korbie Kyles and everyone said he killed a man. The main witness in that trial was your Uncle Heath. Of course I ended up being wrong. There was also a time when I defended a woman named Julia Saxon for the same crime of murder and she ended up being innocent. So sometimes you can be wrong about someone and sometimes you can be right," Jarrod said.

"Papa, what if your right and everyone still hates you?" Katie asked.

"Well, if you did the right thing and they still hate you that's their fault and not yours," Jarrod said.

"Papa, how many years do people get in jail for kidnapping?" Katie asked.

"I think it's fifteen years," Jarrod said.

"Papa, you aren't mad at Mr. Eaton, are you?" Katie asked.

"I'm furious with him. Look what he did to our family and Edna," Jarrod said.

"I'm sorry. It's all my fault," Katie said.

Jarrod gently brushed some loose tendrils of black hair out of her eyes. "No, it's not your fault. You were a baby. You being kidnapped was beyond your control," Jarrod said, looking into her bright blue eyes with a firm look.

"Papa, I love you," Katie said, throwing her arms around his neck.

"I love you too, Katie," Jarrod said, kissing her cheek. He gently stroked her thick black hair and looked into her eyes. "Now do me a favor," Jarrod said.

"What, Papa?" Katie asked.

"Smile for me. I hate to see my little girl look so unhappy," Jarrod ordered.

"Yes Papa," Katie said. A sunny grin spread across her face.

"You know, big brother, I think Katie looks so happy when she smiles," Heath said.

"That's why I asked her to smile, Heath," Jarrod said.

"She looks like my wife, Katalina, when she smiles," Don Alfredo said.

"Really?" Katie asked, standing up.

"Yes, really," Don Alfredo said.

"I'd wish I'd known her. Was she pretty?" Katie asked.

"Very. Your mother looks just like her," Don Alfredo said.

"And you do have her necklace," Dora said.

"Yes. I'm saving it for Christmas," Katie said.

"Well, I suppose we should go to the police station," Jarrod said.

'How long are you going to be gone, Jarrod?" Maria asked.

"It depends on how long it takes to issue a warrant for Eaton's arrest," Jarrod said.

"Jarrod, be careful," Victoria warned.

"We will, Mother," Heath said, kissing Victoria's cheek.

Jarrod kissed Maria on her forehead then turned to Katie.

"You will come back, won't you, Papa?" Katie asked.

"I promise," Jarrod said, taking his daughter in his arms and hugging her.

Jarrod walked out the door with Heath and Don Alfredo and the Barkley women sat down to wait. Katie prayed that the police would listen to Jarrod about Samuel Eaton.

Katie sat in the sitting room watching Victoria, Dora, and Maria sew. Katie hated sewing. It made her feel like she would stick her fingers with the needles if she tried to do it.

"Katalina, read a book," Maria said, looking at her impatient daughter.

"I've already done that," Katie said.

"Why don't you sew with us then?" Aunt Dora suggested, her eyes on her knitting hoop.

"I hate sewing, Aunt Dora! Mother has already tried to teach me how to sew. That was a catastrophe," Katie said, shivering at the memory.

"What happened?" Victoria asked.

"I accidentally sewed the material I was working on to the hem of my dress and I pricked my fingers about 100 times," Katie asked.

Maria looked down and smiled at the despairing look on her daughter's face.

"Mama, that was not funny! It was a nightmare!" Katie yelped, her face turning beet red.

"Katalina, lower your voice. I'm just teasing you," Maria said, patting her daughter's slender hand with her hand.

"Yeah, I wonder," Katie mumbled under her breath.

"Maria, why don't we go out and go to the police ourselves?" Dora asked.

"No. Jarrod and the men don't want our help. We should let the men handle this," Maria said.

"But did Jarrod say we have to stay here?" Dora asked.

"Jarrod didn't have to ask that we stay here. His eyes said it all," Maria said, defending her husband.

"Maria, what if Jarrod kills the man who kidnapped Katie?" Dora asked.

"He won't. Jarrod said a long time ago that he prayed to Heaven that he'd not get angry again and want to kill someone," Victoria said.

"When was that, Mother?" Maria asked.

"When his first wife was murdered in front of him. I think it was God who prevented Jarrod from seeking revenge when Katie was kidnapped before and also now," Victoria said.

"But do we really have to sit here, not knowing anything, Mama?" Katie asked.

"I suppose you're right, Katalina," Maria said, setting aside her sewing.

The three women and girl stood up and went out the door ready to solve this puzzle.

Jarrod, Heath, Don Alfredo, and the police arrived at the offices of Samuel Eaton an hour after the women left the hotel.

At that moment Jarrod tried to remain calm. After 9 years of wondering Jarrod was going to come face to face with his daughter's kidnapper. He silently sent a prayer to Heaven asking God to give him forgiveness toward this man that stole his daughter from him so long ago.

Jarrod walked up to the secretary, who was filing some papers in some folders.

"Miss?" Jarrod asked, trying to get her attention.

"May I help you, Sir?" The woman asked, peering at the group over her wire-rimmed glasses.

"Yes. We are here to see Samuel Eaton," Jarrod said, his tone completely business-like.

"May I ask who's calling on business?" The woman asked.

"Yes. My name's Jarrod Barkley and these are my brother Heath and my father-in-law Don Alfredo Montero," Jarrod said.

"I'll tell him, Sir," the woman said, walking into the office on her right.

"Well, here goes, Jarrod," Heath said softly to his brother.

"Yes, Heath. Here goes," Jarrod said.

"Mr. Barkley, how are we going to be able to identify the man who stole your daughter?" Chief-of Police Hanratty asked.

"I might be able to help you on that," Katie said, walking into the office.

"Katie!" Heath exclaimed.

Jarrod walked over to his daughter, a stern look on his face.

"What are you doing here? I expected you to stay at the hotel," Jarrod said, his face and voice grim.

"That's what Mama said you expected, but, Papa, all of us just couldn't sit there and worry all by ourselves," Katie said.

"Your mother? She's here too?" Jarrod asked.

"Yes Sir. I talked her into leaving the hotel," Katie admitted.

"That's terrific," Jarrod moaned, rubbing his face with his hand.

"I'm sorry, Papa," Katie apologized.

"Who else is here, Katie? I mean besides your mother?" Heath asked.

"Mama, Grandmother, and Aunt Dora?" Katie said it as if she were asking a question.

The secretary came out followed by a man wearing a linen brown suit and a pair of spectacles. He had thin dark brown hair.

"Jarrod Barkley?" The man asked nervously.

"Papa, that's him!" Katie whispered violently.

Jarrod looked at the man. He looked like he wouldn't squash a bug, let alone kidnap a one-year-old girl.

"Katie, he doesn't look like he'd kidnap children," Jarrod whispered.

"Papa, he's tricking you. He's not like this. Mr. Eaton, do you remember me? You arranged my adoption nine years ago and read my father's will three years ago," Katie said.

"Young lady, I've read a lot of wills and arranged a lot of adoptions. You'll have to be more specific," Samuel said.

"Does the name Abigail Stallingforth ring a bell? You arranged my adoption with my adopted parents John and Edna Stallingforth," Katie said.

Samuel looked at Katie and then Jarrod. It was as if Jarrod then saw the truth in this man's eyes. This man knew who he was and that he had intentionally taken Katie.

"Mr. Samuel Eaton, we have a warrant for your arrest," Hanratty said.

"What are the charges?" Eaton asked.

"You are under arrest for the kidnapping of Katalina Maria Isabel Barkley from her home in Stockton, California on April 23rd 1882," Hanratty said.

Katie flopped onto the couch in the hotel sitting room, feeling very tired for the first time since they had arrived in Philadelphia.

"Katie, don't flop on the couch," Jarrod warned. "I don't want to pay for a broken couch while we're here."

"Sorry Papa. I'm just glad that this is all over. I have never felt so tired," Katie said.

"I'm relieved that this is over too," Maria said.

"I have come to the conclusion about something," Don Alfredo said, breaking into the conversation.

"What about, Father?" Maria asked, her brown eyes curious.

"I was wrong, Maria. I was wrong about everything," Don Alfredo said.

'What do you mean that you were wrong, Grandfather?" Katie asked.

Don Alfredo looked at Heath and then looked at Jarrod. "I thought there was no man on this planet that would be good enough for my daughter, but you come very close, Jarrod Barkley," Don Alfredo said.

"Did you just give me a compliment?" Jarrod asked, surprised.

"Yes. I am sorry for the way I have treated your family and yourself. I hope you can forgive me. When Maria married you I think she made the right decision. I was just too blind to see it and too stubborn," Don Alfredo said.

"Thank you, Father. You have made me very happy. I love Jarrod very much and I also love you," Maria said, kissing her father's wrinkled cheek.

"I also have an apology to make to Katalina," Don Alfredo said, turning to his granddaughter.

"I'm listening, Grandfather," Katie said, her eyes misting over with tears.

"I am sorry that I didn't want to accept you either. You are very sweet and kind. I was wrong to treat you like I did," Don Alfredo said.

"Don't worry about it. It's no big deal," Katie said, her eyes saying the opposite of what she just said.

Don Alfredo turned back to Jarrod, He held out his hand and Jarrod took it with his hand. In that firm handshake the Barkley and Montero families made peace with each other. The peace made would last for a lifetime.