Chapter 8
Hope Valley Without Nathan Grant
When Elizabeth got back to the town, she looked around at her friends and the people who had become her family, and then Nathan's family. Everyone was worried for their missing Mountie. This time they knew something had to have had happened to him for him to be away from his family.
"I'm glad you're back, but sad about the circumstances," Elizabeth said to Allie, who just nodded sadly.
"We're not giving up yet," Bill added.
The Grants nodded but didn't say anything.
"May I take you somewhere? It's a special place for me and helps keep me grounded and calm," Elizabeth said to the Grants.
Archie, Ruth, and Allie all looked at each other.
"How far is it?" Ruth asked as her mobility hadn't gotten better.
"It's not that far, but a bit outside of town limits. Bill could drive us," Elizabeth said kindly. Bill agreed before he came over with Henry's car. Elizabeth had him stop to get Little Jack from Laura first, and then had Bill drive to the cemetery. This was not the place that Bill had thought they were driving but it was less walking on Ruth's part. Archie and Allie helped Ruth on the path. They followed Elizabeth and Little Jack to Jack Thornton's graveside.
"Whenever I have a difficult time or day, I pray for God's guidance, of course, but I also pray for Jack's assistance. I figured it wouldn't hurt for us to ask for their help and protection with Constable Grant," Elizabeth said.
Ruth looked at her suspiciously, but nodded in agreement.
"What's this?" Allie asked when she noticed the fallen cross.
Elizabeth blushed, just as Allie tipped it up and read her mother's name.
"I felt that Colleen should have some sort of marker for herself. I've been praying to her as well, but I don't think she's forgiven me quite yet," Elizabeth said.
Ruth looked at her as if that should be obvious.
Allie was happy that Elizabeth had thought about her mother needing a space in Hope Valley.
Allie went about trying to get it to stay up. She had succeeded and had walked over to her grandparents, when it fell again. Archie helped her stand it up and dig deeper. The cross really should've stayed, but it looked like someone took a good kick at it, and it fell over. Ruth walked slowly to where the cross was, and sighed. Colleen was proving her presence. Her first name was displayed, but the Parks was starting to fade.
"I take it Nathan didn't tell you," Ruth said as she stood back up.
"That Colleen had divorced her husband. No, Nathan didn't. But Constable Kinslow explained it. I haven't had the time to fix it since we found out. The cross has stayed on the ground since," Elizabeth admitted.
Allie and Archie both looked surprised by that comment.
"Dylan Parks was the worst sort of man to not actually commit a crime. It always annoyed Nathan that he couldn't find a way to put the man in prison. Colleen fell in love with him hard and fast. They got married quickly...only waiting just long enough for Nathan to be there. She was happily ignorant for a while. Then she began to see how bad he was when she got pregnant. She tried everything to get the man to stay in and be there and help her with preparing for a baby and taking care of his family. Nathan was the one who checked on her everyday. Drove her crazy! But she also admitted in private conversations that she wouldn't have been as ready in their apartment if Nathan hadn't helped as much as he had. Dylan wasn't around when she went into labor. Nathan was the second person to hold Allie. They bonded instantly," Ruth explained. "That bond only grew deeper on both sides over the years. Allie was always more excited to see and play with Uncle Nathan than her own father when he was around. Colleen had enough of Dylan and gave him an ultimatum, be there or get divorced. Dylan was gone for three months. During that time, Colleen had every single piece of paperwork for Dylan to fill out to divorce him and get her name changed back. It took some persuasion, but Dylan finally signed the papers and she filed them with happiness and relief."
"I don't remember that," Allie said.
"You were quite young. What you understood was that you were spending time with your uncles more and more, while Colleen dealt with the divorce. You both were supposed to live with Nathan."
"Why didn't that happen?"Allie asked.
"Your mother got hit by the car that killed her," Ruth explained.
"Oh…"
The Grants all held each other in comfort about the pain of their lost person.
Jack wiggled to be let down, and started playing and chattering away in front of Colleen's cross.
"Jack, be careful," Elizabeth said as she was about to pick him up.
"Nate," Jack said firmly as he was playing with his Mountie.
Everyone froze, but it was the Grant couple who reacted the most violently.
"What's that, Jack?" Elizabeth said quietly.
"Nate. Nate. Tá Nate beo. Táimid ag lorg," Jack repeated happily.
Bill and Elizabeth both looked at him in surprise.
Archie was crying.
"What is Colleen's message?" Ruth asked, looking at her husband.
"She said that Nate's alive, and they're looking out for him," Archie repeated.
"Is Nate an old nickname?" Bill asked.
Ruth and Archie both gave a semi-shrug.
"Nathan has never warmed to it, but Colleen was a big sister, picking on him was part of those duties. She called him Nate to get on his nerves, and she was the only one who ever got away with calling him that," Ruth explained.
"And the language?" Bill asked.
"Irish. I spoke with both of them in Irish daily," Archie said.
They all just processed everything.
"Well, it looks like we don't need to ask for help. They're both on it, apparently," Bill said as he looked between the headstone and cross.
They all smiled. But also sent silent prayers of thanks to both Colleen and Jack Sr.
Bill and Gabe had their first conversation later that week. Bill hadn't been able to put pressure on the young Mountie because he was ignoring Bill. Bill also let Gabe know about what happened at the cemetery.
"Well, that doesn't actually surprise me. Both of them will have a lot of IOU's to call in with some good souls, Nathan must be protected by all of them, or he would've died by now," Gabe said.
Bill nodded in agreement.
"Are we believing that Colleen spoke through Jack?" Gabe had asked.
"The kid spoke a language no one has ever used around him. And called Nathan by something his sister had been the only one to say. I think she proved herself very well," Bill said gruffly.
"Alright then, next time ask where he is and point to a map," Gabe said only semi-serious.
But Bill thought it was definitely worth trying. Bill had tried getting Jack to repeat the information. But Jack only looked at him as if he were crazy.
After the Grants had time to settle back into life in Hope Valley, and Archie took up a job at the Mercantile, was when Elizabeth felt the need to apologize to Allie, Ruth, and Archie in person. She would have invited them to her house, but Ruth rarely left the house, and Elizabeth didn't want to cause any more trouble for her. So, she had asked permission formally with a letter asking if it was okay with them for her to come over to discuss Allie's upcoming school year, and also to be able to apologize. Elizabeth had offered to order dinner for all of them from the café so that Ruth wouldn't have to cook.
She got her response as a note on the door.
It was written in Allie's handwriting. It agreed to the meeting and that ordering dinner wasn't necessary and gave a time and date. It also stated to bring Jack.
Elizabeth smiled gratefully.
This is how she found herself standing on the outside of the Grant's rowhouse, waiting for someone to answer her knock. Jack was standing next to her holding one hand, while she carried her basket in the other.
Archie was the one who opened the door.
"Welcome, Mrs. Thornton! Let me get your basket," Archie reached out to unburden her of one of her items.
"Thank you, Mr. Grant," Elizabeth smiled, as she walked slowly past him.
"Hello, Jack!" Archie said as he bent over and waved at the little boy.
"Hi, 'R'Chee," Jack waved in greeting, having seen him quite a lot in the Mercantile.
Archie smiled at him.
Jack walked a few steps inside to look around the parlor and kitchen of the Grant rowhouse. Elizabeth was also looking around. The Grants hadn't done much to change how Nathan had set things up. But they had added their own pictures and some wall decorations. Elizabeth was looking at one of Nathan and Colleen. It was a bit fuzzy, because Colleen was laughing. Nathan was smirking. He didn't have the lines on his face that he had now. Colleen was a beautiful woman. She looked like a mischievous free spirit, who found happiness in a lot of things. And she looked like Allie. Or more accurately, Allie looked like her.
The picture was in front of the house that Allie must have remembered because there was a bit of familiarity to the house.
"Awee! Jack greeted her in happiness when he noticed her presence.
"Hi, Jack," Allie went over and took his hand.
Ruth was still in the kitchen.
"Hello, Mrs. Grant. Can I help with anything?" Elizabeth asked.
Ruth shook her head as a "no."
"Hello, Mrs. Thornton," Allie said.
"Hello, Allie," Elizabeth said with a smile of hope.
Allie returned it.
"Allie, Archie will you bring the food to the table?" Ruth asked as she had just finished with the meal prep.
Archie nodded and Allie tried to follow, but Jack refused to be left behind.
"Jack, stay with me, please," Elizabeth gently reminded him.
"I'm okay with it, Mrs. Thornton, if you are?" Allie said as she looked down at Jack with fondness.
"I don't want him to be in your way," Elizabeth said..
Allie smiled.
"He isn't," she said as she picked Jack up. "It's time you met my grandma. This is my grandma, Ruth Grant."
Allie introduced Jack. Ruth and Jack were both smiling happily at each other.
'Well, at least she likes something that is attached to me,' Elizabeth thought as she watched Ruth and Jack take to each other just as easily as Nathan and Jack had. Jack even went willingly into Ruth's arms while Allie and Archie were both putting dinner dishes on the table.
They all sat down, had the prayer and started eating the meal Ruth had cooked. Elizabeth and Jack soon realized that Ruth Grant was an excellent cook.
"This is better than the cafe's," Elizabeth complimented.
Archie and Allie both nodded in agreement.
"Thank you," Ruth said as she looked down.
"Allie is going to be spoiled for Nathan's cooking," Archie teased his granddaughter.
Allie sighed heavily.
"Yeah...neither of us have ever cooked well," Allie admitted.
Elizabeth gave Allie a smile.
They all ate with happy chatter.
After dinner, Allie had brought down some of her toys and let Jack play on the floor of the parlor while the rest were able to talk.
"First, thank you for agreeing to meet with me, and for hosting," Elizabeth started as she looked at Ruth.
Ruth gave her a long look.
"To be honest, if you had asked me to go somewhere else, I probably wouldn't have agreed," Ruth said flatly.
"And I took into consideration how poorly your movement is. I didn't want any of you to be uncomfortable," Elizabeth said.
Ruth just raised an eyebrow.
"Secondly, I need to apologize to each of you. I am very sorry for how poorly I behaved in the past. And if you will let me, I would like a second chance," Elizabeth added.
Allie thought about it and nodded.
Archie smiled.
Ruth gave her a long look.
"I need more time," Ruth said with honesty.
Elizabeth nodded in understanding.
"Now, I assume that you will be staying in Hope Valley until at least Constable Grant returns?" Elizabeth asked as she looked at Allie's grandparents.
They looked at each other before nodding.
Elizabeth had the thought that Nathan really was a perfect mixture of both of them. It was fairly obvious that Nathan was related to them both.
"Did Constable Grant explain Allie's math program?" Elizabeth asked.
"He mentioned it. So did Allie. But I will be honest this type of math is a bit over both of our heads," Archie admitted..
Elizabeth smiled.
"If it is alright with all of you, I would like to schedule tutoring hours after school for Allie three times a week, until Constable Grant gets back or until we feel confident enough that she can lessen the sessions or get rid of them entirely," Elizabeth offered kindly.
Allie looked excited.
"How much do the sessions cost?" Archie asked.
"Oh, I don't charge for them," Elizabeth said.
Both Archie and Ruth looked at her in astonishment.
"Isn't that going above and beyond your duties, Mrs. Thornton?" Archie asked.
Elizabeth blushed a little.
"Maybe. But I became a teacher to help grow student's minds and learning. I came out here because I knew that the people in Hamilton were so much richer and had so much more options. I came here to give other smaller places the possibilities of the world through learning. If I charged my students for study sessions, that would put a barrier on that goal," Elizabeth said passionately.
"You're from Hamilton?" Ruth asked.
Elizabeth nodded.
"And you came here?" Ruth added.
Elizabeth nodded again.
"And stayed?" Ruth seemed astonished with this fact.
"Not only stayed. Hope Valley has become my home. I want to live here for the rest of my days," Elizabeth said firmly.
Ruth gave her a long look that Elizabeth couldn't quite decipher. But Ruth and Archie eventually agreed to the tutoring sessions.
Elizabeth then explained when school would start, they agreed on study session days.
Finally, they were getting ready to go back to their own homes.
"I'll escort ya," Archie offered as he helped Elizabeth into her coat.
She smiled and said thank you.
"Jack, will you tell Allie and Mrs. Grant thank-you and goodbye?" Elizabeth said as she reached down to pick him up.
"Bye Awwee, tank you," Jack waved.
Allie waved back.
"Bye-bye, Granma Roof," Jack waved.
Everyone froze at that comment.
Elizabeth smiled in apology.
"She's not your grandma, Jack. You need to call her Mrs. Grant," Elizabeth whispered into his ear.
Jack looked at Elizabeth asking why.
"I'm sorry, Mrs. Grant," Elizabeth whispered as Archie led them out the door.
Archie only managed to get about halfway between the rowhouses before his humor kicked in, and he started laughing hard at the situation
Elizabeth gave him a long glare as well.
"I know yer embarrassed at the moment, but it's nothing to be ashamed of. Jack is the one who said it. Ruth knows all about embarrassing kids. She raised Colleen after all, and was there for bits with Allie. And while she won't admit it yet, you've done some remediation of her view of you already, or we wouldn't be here," Archie whispered as they approached her doorstep.
"Still. I want to respect Constable Grant's wishes to stay in a professional manner until he gets back and we can talk. I don't want anyone to get the wrong idea," Elizabeth said with worry.
"Small children are some of the most honest humans in the world, Mrs. Thornton, which I'm sure you know. Jack is putting what he wants out into the universe," Archie winked.
Elizabeth looked down at Jack.
"He hasn't actually met either of his grandmothers," Elizabeth whispered.
Archie looked at her in surprise.
"Why not?" Archie couldn't help ask.
"My family doesn't come here to visit. Julie, my younger sister, has a few times. My father-only for my wedding. My mother and other sister haven't come out to visit," Elizabeth said. "Jack's mother, Charlotte, is hard to pin down and is very busy."
Archie gave her a look.
"Too busy to meet their grandchild? Seems selfish to me," Archie said.
Elizabeth looked about to defend them both.
"Look, Elizabeth, I know all about selfish motives. I let my addiction rule me for far too long and missed out on a long time getting to know my son and daughter and granddaughter. And I've got a long way to go to make it up. Just know that I can understand why they are staying away. But I also know that there are heaps of regret if we let too much time pass us by. You may need to reach out first," Archie said.
Elizabeth smiled and nodded at his advice.
"Isn't this getting a little personal for Constable Grant's boundaries?" Elizabeth asked.
"Perhaps. But I am the one who started the conversation. You can blame me," Archie winked.
Elizabeth smiled gently.
"Goodnight," Archie said as he turned and waved goodbye.
Jack waved enthusiastically.
"Why's it never easy?" Bill grumbled when he realized he would have to go to the young Mountie and threaten him in person.
Gabe had checked in with him twice more over the past week, but Bill was being ignored by the new Mountie, and hadn't been able to update Gabe to where Nathan may be. Gabe had been making his way as quickly as he could to the last place the two had checked in with headquarters, but they were both hoping to have more accurate information before Gabe got there. Nathan was also still missing and hadn't checked in. The grumblings around headquarters were starting to worry about their missing Mountie, but they didn't want to make public that they had messed up with this particular situation. So, while they still hadn't officially declared Nathan as MIA, they were sending another temporary Mountie, while Gabe and Bill were given free reign to do what they were already doing.
Bill's preparations for leaving would take a while. He needed to hire a cook, wait for the temp Mountie to arrive, reschedule all of his cases as judge.
'I'm going to kill this kid,' Bill thought angrily as his to-do list kept growing.
The people of Hope Valley were also giving him a wide berth, because he was constantly barking at them in frustration and anger.
"Bill, we're NOT the ones who did this. Take your anger out somewhere else," Molly reprimanded him in the street once he had bitten off Florence and Ned for laughing loudly outside of the Mountie Office.
Bill did look apologetic for a moment, but was stopped by a man in red serge. The whole town gathered in the street to see him, and all were praying it was Nathan.
"Sir," the man said as he lifted his head up. It wasn't Nathan. "I'm looking for Judge Avery."
"You found him. How can I help you?" Bill asked as he watched the Mountie dismount.
"My name is Constable Wilberts. I'm supposed to fill in until either Kinslow or Grant comes back," the man introduced himself.
Bill watched as the people standing in the street were all looking more forlorn and more weary.
"You've arrived just in time. Let me fill you in," Bill gestured him in to the Mountie Office.
Bill told him about what had happened. Hope Valley's routines and guidelines.
"Any news on Constable Grant?" Bill asked.
The Mountie shook his head.
"No. But I'm not ranked high enough to know," the constable admitted.
"What's the rumor?" Bill asked.
The young Mountie looked down.
"That Constable Grant was left for dead somewhere. A lot of people who know him, keep saying that he wouldn't have stayed silent this long, and he wouldn't have continued without his horse," Wilberts said softly.
"Those are both true. Which is why Kinslow set out after him when his family brought it to our attention. Any rumors about which direction they were in?" Bill said.
"No, no one is talking about that," Wilberts said.
"Looks like I can finally make a house call on this new kid," Bill said angrily as he glared down at the picture of the paper that Archie had shown them.
Bill had asked to meet the Grants at their house as soon as school got out. Bill walked into the schoolhouse where Allie and Elizabeth were about to get started on their math lesson.
"Bill?" Elizabeth asked in surprise.
"I need to take Allie for this afternoon," Bill said softly.
Elizabeth had a look of fear and hurt in her eyes, but she nodded.
Bill led Allie away.
"Is this about Dad?" Allie asked as they walked to the row houses.
Bill nodded.
"But it's best if I tell you all at the same time," Bill said.
Allie nodded.
Archie and Ruth were waiting anxiously for Bill and Allie when they got back. Bill didn't bother with sitting down.
"We still don't have any news on Nathan. The person who was with him last has been ignoring my attempts to call. So, I am going to him," Bill said with frustration. "We have a temporary Mountie to help with any issues while I'm away. But if you hear or remember anything that you think is relevant, please let him know. He'll know how to get in touch."
"When are you leaving?" Allie asked.
"As soon as I can," Bill admitted.
"Good luck," Archie said as he shook Bill's hand.
Bill took the stage to where the Mountie had been posted. He was hoping to bring Newton back. Bill took a look around at the posting. Newton was tied up in the livery where the other Mountie horses were cared for. Bill looked around and found Nathan's saddle. Most of the things inside had been taken out, but there was one bit of proof that Nathan had ridden. There were scuff marks the length of Nathan's fingernails, as if Nathan had been surprised and fought and managed to get himself on the underside of his saddle.
Bill didn't like what he saw. He strode into the town's saloon. The young Mountie was lording it over his people, taking in their adoration and thanks for his braveness.
"Judge Avery, how can I help you?" the bartender asked in awe when Bill walked in.
"Actually, I'm here to see him," Bill pointed to the young man.
Everyone went quiet.
"I've told you everything I know, Judge," the man said simply.
"I don't think you have. And I've been trying to call you about it, but you haven't been returning my calls. I don't like being ignored. Never have," Bill gave a smile of warning.
The man raised an eyebrow.
"In these types of missions, headquarters always assigns a partner. Yours was Constable Grant, you returned with HIS horse, and yet he hasn't. No one is saying where he was last seen, and you were the last to see him," Bill pointed out.
"You've read my report, my superiors have accepted it, I don't know why you're here," the constable sneered.
"I'm here because a good man is missing, and no one seems to want to tell me why he is missing or where they last saw him," Bill growled.
The man didn't say anything else.
"Fine, I have other pathways of getting the truth," Bill glared as he stormed out. "I hope your deal with the Olsen gang was ironclad because I'm about to talk with their leader."
The Mountie gave a subtle flinch. Bill smirked and then rode Newton to where they were holding the prisoner.
"I'm here because two men tracked you and only one returned. What do you know?" Bill asked.
"What's in it for me?" the man sneered.
"I'm a judge," Bill stated simply.
The man sat up.
"I can get you a lesser sentence."
"The only reason that young hot head got anywhere near me was because of the other guy," the man said.
Bill nodded, thinking that had to be the case.
"I would have been captured much faster if the older one had been on his own. That being said, the young Mountie and him were tracking me for a while and the young Mountie was constantly asking him when they were going to arrest me. When they were going to arrest me? When? When? When?"
"You heard them?" Bill asked.
"No, I heard the greenhorn. The older guy was much quieter and kept giving answers that the new kid didn't like."
"Can you guess at why they waited?" Bill asked.
"The experienced Mountie knew that I was heading to our hideout. The kid couldn't wait anymore though, and he attacked me while he was on watch duty. But I'm a lot heavier and much burlier than that twig and I got him into a downed position when the other guy came up from behind, really quietly and put his rifle next to my head. I stopped, because I didn't want to die. The older man handcuffed me. Got me on his horse and tied me to his saddle horn through handcuffs. The older Mountie then turned and started giving the boy a long and well deserved lecture when the boy spouted off that this man wasn't able to lecture him since his disciplinary actions caused another Mountie to die."
Bill looked up.
"The older Mountie gave the kid a long glare. Then he turned to walk back to their camp. The hot head got angry and started pushing at the older Mountie, pushing him back until the man tripped and fell. He hit his head on a large rock. The kid started freaking out. That he had killed another Mountie and he had no idea how to explain this to anyone. Then he got a desperate look in his eye. He demanded that I go along with his story. That his father was influential and could stop me from being hanged."
"Did he check for signs of life?" Bill asked.
"No, he left the man laying on his side with his head wound bleeding quite badly."
"Where did this happen?" Bill asked.
"Near High Level," the man said.
"Why did you take the kids' deal?" Bill asked as he was putting on his coat.
"I didn't. I figured it's always good to have something on the local law enforcement."
Bill shook his head in disgust.
But if Nathan had been given that kind of head wound that long ago it could be deadly, and this was time sensitive. Bill managed to find a somewhat private telephone when he next called Gabe. He quickly summarized what he had learned.
Gabe was silent as he processed this new information.
"Want to meet up?" was all he said. Bill agreed and then sent a telegram to Hope Valley, saying they had a decent lead, but needed to check.