CHAPTER 4

Viola and Sir Lionel's wedding day came. Viola looked lovely. She seemed happy, and Elizabeth was happy for her sister but found herself simply going through the motions. As she stood as a bridesmaid and watched her sister marry Lionel, she envisioned her own wedding. Would it be with Jack? She hoped so, but it was beginning to look more doubtful with each passing day without word from him and no way to reach him. Her mind went back to the small box she discovered in his suit.

After the wedding, Charles continued to make attempts to spend time with her. He still seemed to hold out hope for them. She tried her best to be appropriately respectful, but she avoided him whenever possible. At times that was difficult.

Viola and Lionel left the next day on their new adventure. Julie left again not long after, but not before giving her favorite sister a big hug. "I'm praying for Jack. And for you," she told Elizabeth. "He'll be back! I know it!" And she was gone.

Elizabeth was more alone than ever without her sisters. She went for a stroll in town by herself. As she exited a dress shop not far from Mountie headquarters, she saw someone in the now familiar red serge a ways in front of her. Her heart and pace quickened. The stature, the hair – it HAD to be him. "Jack!" she called out. He kept walking, not responding. In a very unladylike manner, she quickened her pace. When he was within reach, she touched his arm. "Jack!" she said expectantly. The man turned to her and her countenance fell. It wasn't Jack. She stammered out an apology. The Mountie respectfully tipped his head. "It's quite all right, ma'am," and went on about his business.

Elizabeth was again unaware that Jack, staking out Headquarters from across the street, was in plain clothes and witnessed the entire thing. He pulled his hat further down and carefully watched as she slowly continued down the street. She had seemed excited at the possibility of the other Mountie being him. Had he assumed incorrectly when he saw Elizabeth with Charles at the Thatcher Estate?

Jack later returned to his hotel room. He had to get his mind back on the case…he needed to focus. With the evidence gathered, he was beginning to suspect Superintendent Houston more and more, but there was a piece to the puzzle he couldn't quite figure out. Someone else was involved, but he had no idea who.

Jack eventually gave up trying to stop thinking of Elizabeth. The day after seeing her again, he decided to risk catching another glimpse of her. Again in civilian clothes, he walked along the sidewalk of the Thatcher estate as dusk neared. He casually leaned against a tree with a view of the garden. There was no movement that he could see. Just when he was about to give up, movement in the garden caught his eye. Elizabeth! He wanted to call out to her. To run to her and kiss her. The sorrow on her face was unbearable.

Elizabeth had been spending a lot of time in the garden, walking and praying for direction and peace. This evening started no differently. But as she neared a section close to the street, a feeling came over her. "Jack?" she whispered. She glanced towards the street. She thought she caught slight movement to her left. Someone was there! She knew it. "Hello? Is someone there?" she called out as she ran to the fence. "Jack? Please, say something."

Jack's heart beat rapidly as he pressed against the fence along a row of tall bushes, just barely out of sight. He had been quiet; how could she think anyone was there? The woman he loved was so close; it took everything within him to avoid reaching out to her. After a few moments, he heard her sigh deeply and then she walked away. He turned and cautiously made his way back to his stakeout point near headquarters.

Elizabeth went inside. "I know he was there!" she whispered to herself. She glanced at the clock. It was getting late, but she had to see him. She called a taxi. Within 15 minutes, it arrived. She was waiting and slipped away unnoticed. "To Mountie headquarters please. Hurry!" The driver nodded and sped off.

When they arrived, Elizabeth instructed the driver. "Park across the street. We will wait here. I'll pay you well, just please do exactly as I say."

"Yes, ma'am!"

Elizabeth watched carefully as several Mounties exited the building, but none were her Jack. Darkness had fallen. About a half hour later, not long after one Mountie had left the building and gotten in an auto and driven away, she saw someone step out from the shadows. The man turned the other direction and she saw his face. Her heart quickened. Jack! She WAS right! He motioned and another car came up beside him. He got in, and the driver began following the previous vehicle.

"Follow them, but don't let them see us," she instructed the taxi driver. Fifteen minutes later, the vehicle Jack was in pulled onto a side street. Elizabeth's taxi drove on by. Jack got out of the auto. Elizabeth had her driver stop a half block away. As she exited, the driver said, "Uh, miss, are you sure you should get out? This is a really bad part of town."

"I'll be fine. Just please wait here for me."

She exited and crossed the street. She finally just barely made out a figure up ahead in the shadows watching the automobile that he had been following. She knew it was Jack. But what was he doing? What was he involved in? He waited. She waited.

Jack knew Superintendent Houston was inside the car he had followed. Within a few minutes another car pulled in. A man with a hat low on his head exited as did Superintendent Houston from his car.

"Did you bring the merchandise?"

"I did. It took longer because of Avery nosing around the shipping yards, but you arranging for his arrest worked out well. I finally got it. Here it is. Now, where's my money?" The voice was low but somehow familiar. The trade occurred. Jack had the information he needed, and stepped out of the shadows, gun drawn. "Hold it right there." Superintendent Houston jerked back in surprise, but then stopped and glared at Jack. "Thornton! Why didn't you leave well enough alone!" The man with the hat low over his head had turned in surprise as well, but it was Jack who was the most surprised. The light of the moon and the street lamp hit the man just right, and Jack found himself looking into the face of Charles Kensington! Elizabeth could see him, too, and let out a sharp gasp, unheard by the trio because she was far enough away. Stunned to see Charles, Jack hesitated too long, and Charles pulled a gun from his coat. A gunshot rang out. Elizabeth watch in horror as Jack grabbed his chest. He got a shot off at Charles as he fell backwards, but the bullet only grazed Charles on the shoulder. Then Jack slumped to the ground, his gun falling next to him.

"Noooo! Jack!" screamed Elizabeth. Her scream was drowned out by a nearby train whistle. She stood unable to move as she watched Charles grab his shoulder, scramble into his car and quickly drive away. Superintendent Houston tried to escape but the man who arrived with Jack chased him down.

"Jack!" Elizabeth screamed out and finally was able to move her feet after the horror she had just witnessed. She ran to him. His chest was bleeding. "Jack!"

Jack looked into the face of the woman he loved. His vision was blurry. Was he dreaming? He heard her voice calling his name. He fought to focus on her but was losing the battle.

"Elizabeth! Wh..what are you doing here?" He grabbed her hand with his waning strength and struggled to speak. "Get out of here… It's too…dangerous!" And with those words, his eyes closed, and he fell into unconsciousness.

"I'm not leaving you!" She screamed his name again, but he didn't respond. "Jack! Wake up!" She looked around quickly. "Someone, help, please!" Her hand felt sticky. She looked at it. It was covered in Jack's blood. Tears ran down her face, and she kissed him on the forehead. The Mountie who had arrived with Jack and captured Superintendent Houston appeared. She heard a familiar voice. It belonged to Patrick O'Reilly, the constable who was in then Coal Valley for a time. "Miss Thatcher, we've got to get him to the hospital now." He quickly but gently lifted her to her feet.

To be continued...