"Undercover Defender"
Chapter 1: Identity Switch
{Monday, June 26th}
On a cloudless summer day, Hope Valley was quiet. The sun just started peeking its head up into the blue skies while it was producing more and more light. The birds chirped their beaks and soared their wings in the air. The brisk breeze of the cool morning air was circulating through the small town. Many of the townspeople were still dreaming in their sleep while others just opening their eyes to wake.
Elizabeth woke up bright and early this Monday morning ready to start her day. Once she dressed for the day, she headed downstairs to prepare herself some breakfast. Since she was eating for two now she would make more than usual. She was so happy to think of her not yet born child. Her and Jack had been dreaming about starting a family for a while and now they are. Elizabeth looked over at the table stand by the stairs to where picture frames were seating. She looked at one of Jack's pictures and smiled. Oh how she missed him but soon he would come home to her. She bowed her head and prayed a prayer for his safety.
Jack had been up for a couple of hours already working on some paperwork for his case. He loved his work but doing paperwork was his least favorite thing about his job. He would rather be in the action than filling out information about the case but it was one things that had to be done. Jack had left Hope Valley two weeks ago for Mountie business that was very argent. He only expected to be gone for three weeks but this case was taking a little longer. He didn't want to leave Elizabeth especially now with her being pregnant but knew he had to go. He didn't have much time with his new case to write letters to Elizabeth but he tried his best to make time. He knew she always worried about him in this line of work and he tried his best to comfort her with letters when he was gone. He loved his Elizabeth so much and bowed his head to pray for her safety.
Knock knock*
There was knocking on the door.
Before Elizabeth could come to the door Rosemary came rushing in.
"Elizabeth guess what?"
"Good morning Rosemary" Elizabeth chuckled to herself while getting up to get the teapot to refill her tea.
"I'll get that for you. Now sit" Rosemary rushing to the teapot before Elizabeth could.
"Rosemary I can get that myself" Elizabeth a little annoyed.
"You shouldn't be straining yourself. I promised Jack I would make you take it easy" Rosemary pouring the tea in Elizabeth's cup.
"I'm not an invalid, Rosemary" Elizabeth looking up at her.
"Well you're looking a little big lately" Rosemary looked at Elizabeth than went to put the teapot down on the stove.
"Rosemary! That is what happens when you are pregnant" Elizabeth said in surprise.
"I meant tired" Rosemary got a plate of eggs and sat down at the table with Elizabeth.
"So I take it you came over to tell me something? Not just to eat my breakfast" Elizabeth said giving Rosemary a look.
"Oh yes I almost forgot already" Rosemary said putting her fork down and taking a letter out from her dress pocket.
"You got a letter" Rosemary said all excited.
"From Jack?" Elizabeth put her fork down by her plate and got all excited.
"No. I checked there is no letters from Jack this week. But this one is from your parents in Hamilton" Rosemary looked at Elizabeth's disappointed look on her face.
Elizabeth put the letter by her plate and picked up her fork again. She moved her food back and forth with her fork. Elizabeth missed Jack so much and it had been 5 days since his last letter.
"Don't worry Elizabeth you will get a letter soon. He probably is just really busy" Rosemary trying to cheer her up.
Elizabeth nodded her head and stood up to put her plate in the sink.
"Well are you going to open your letter?" Rosemary trying to change the subject.
"Yes, I will" Elizabeth smiled at her friend and went to open the letter.
Before Elizabeth started reading Rosemary spoke up.
"Oh Elizabeth I'm so excited! You are going to see your parents right?" Rosemary drinking a cup of tea.
"Rosemary did you go through our mail again?" Elizabeth asked with a stern look on her face and a hand on her hip.
"Me? I would never" Rosemary said and took another sip of tea.
Elizabeth gave her a look and smiled to herself. Elizabeth started reading the letter. The letter read,
"My dear Beth,
Viola and Sir Lionel are expecting a baby. They both would love for you to be there when it arrives. She is due sometime this week. Your mother and I have some pressing news to tell you as well. I know we should have told you sooner but we couldn't find the right time. We both would love for you and Jack to come visit this week. Please do come Beth, your mother and I miss you terribly. Here are two train tickets for your visit."
Your loving Father,
William Thatcher
Elizabeth looked up from reading the letter.
"Elizabeth I'm so happy for you. Your sister is having a baby as well" Rosemary hugged Elizabeth with excitement.
"Rosemary, I thought you said you didn't read our mail?" Elizabeth gave a questioning look at her.
"Oh... well I could just tell from your face" Rosemary trying to cover her tracks.
Elizabeth was going to say something in return when she felt a little dizzy. She swayed back and forth a little and held her hand on her head.
"Elizabeth are you okay?" Rosemary rosed with concern and moved toward Elizabeth.
"Yeah I just got a little dizzy" Elizabeth said getting her balance back.
"Here seat down" Rosemary motioned for her to sit down in a chair beside her.
"So are you going to visit your parents?" Rosemary couldn't wait any longer for the scoop.
"I don't know yet. I need to go to town though" Elizabeth said getting up to put the rest of the dishes in the sink.
"Go! I'll finish the dishes here" Rosemary said getting up and taking a dish from Elizabeth.
"Are you sure?" Elizabeth feeling a little bad about Rosemary doing her chores.
"Yeah don't worry about it! You have to get ready for a trip" Rosemary reading through the lines in the conversation.
Elizabeth got up and moved to the front door.
"We'll see about that" Elizabeth said grabbing her shawl and left.
{North West Mountie Police:NWMP}
"Jack! Did you finish the paperwork for the Case so far?" Doug asked Jack while at the office.
"Yeah I finished it!" Jack said waiting with his long time friend outside of the office.
"Jack! Doug! The captain wants to see you two now"
Jack and Doug walked into their captain's office.
"I looked at your progress reports... we have been after this guy for a while now and no lead until now"
"We spotted him?" Doug asked surprised a little.
"We find out by an anonymous conductor that the man and his helpers will be traveling North-East. We need you two to go undercover and travel with them. Here is your undercover identification files"
The captain handed the two of them their folders.
"Study them well. You two will leave tomorrow. You must do whatever it takes to get evidence against him. That's it you two may go"
Jack and Doug took their orders respectfully. They turned to go.
"If anyone can put this man behind bars it's you two" the captain said.
Once they were outside of the office Doug spoke to Jack.
"This case might take longer than we thought" Doug looked at Jack's reaction.
"Yeah..." Jack not as happy about the longer part.
"I know what you're thinking" Doug said looking over at his friend.
"What's that?" Jack said a little disappointed about this case.
"About Elizabeth. Don't worry she will be okay she is safe and sound in Hope Valley right now" Doug said trying to uplift his spirits.
"I know but I have a bad feeling about something. I feel like something is going to happen" Jack told him.
"What do you think is going to happen?" Doug asked him.
"I don't know for sure. Elizabeth and I have this connection of when one of us is in harms way the other person knows" Jack said while walking beside Doug.
"And you think she is in harms way?" Doug asked looking both ways before crossing the road.
"No, but I have a bad feeling that something might" Jack told him truthfully.
"Is this because of her pregnancy?" Doug asked him while opening a door to their hotel.
"Ever since I left I didn't want to leave her. She is still dealing with her morning sickness and I'm just over here away from her" Jack came right out and said it.
Jack couldn't stop thinking about Elizabeth and her safety. Jack wished he didn't have leave her at all. His sweet and gentle Elizabeth...He missed her so much. Since Elizabeth told him they were expecting he barely left her side. Jack didn't want to leave Elizabeth for this assignment but he knew it was his job. Every time Jack would go on an assignment he would miss Elizabeth but know she will be safe. This time he had a bad feeling about something to do with Elizabeth and wished he could just head home now to her.
"The sooner we get done with this assignment. The sooner you get home to her" Doug told him.
Jack nodded his head in agreement.
"See you in the morning" Jack said as he got to his room.
"See you in the morning Jack" Doug said as he went into his room right across from Jack's.
Doug wasn't married or he didn't even have a girl back home. He always thought his duty came first. He thought if a girl was waiting for him back home he couldn't focus on his job like he needed to. Watching his long time friend from childhood fall in love and get married changed his mind on the subject. Some day he wanted to find someone who he would fall in love with like Jack did. Doug always wanted to become a Mountie like his older brother. Doug joined the North West Mountie Police one year after his older brother died in the force. Doug always looked up to his older brother ever since he was younger and was crushed when he died. In honor of him, Doug joined the force like his older brother would have wanted. Doug knew Jack ever since they were boys and they were like brothers themselves. Jack joined the force two years before Doug joined. Jack's partner in the earlier days was Doug's older brother. Working with Jack again made Doug miss Jack from when they were boys. When it came to Elizabeth Doug seen her as part of the family. So, seeing Jack apart from her made him feel bad for Jack.
To be continued...