Chapter 5
"Martin is the half brother of Andrew Hargraves. I didn't know until after he had graduated. I told Collins that Hargraves had it out for you and that putting anyone connected to him near you or those you cared for was asking for problems."
Nathan let out a harsh breath.
"I won't tell Bill, but if Hargraves continues to come after me, especially after I have been cleared by multiple inquiries then I am going to go to the press and I have plenty of evidence that I am willing to release to prove my side of the story."
"I have no doubt that you do. Please don't do that just yet. Let me talk to Collins and see if we can deal with both Martin and Hargraves without giving the whole organization a black eye."
"You have a week. I am not going to allow him to continue to slander me or allow those around him to harass my family and friends."
O'Reilly nodded. The two men stood and saluted before Nathan left the office. Nathan immediately when back to his office and slumped back into his chair. He closed his eyes and let out a couple of harsh breaths. He thought he was past Hargraves and his accusations. After regaining his calm, Nathan once again went over everything that he knew about the smuggling case as well as the complaints about Walden. As he was doing that, he received several messages about additional scams and that the files were on their way to Union City to review.
Just before Nathan left to meet Bill, he received a call from a Mountie station about the contraband and that it had been removed in Rockton, the last stop before Cape Fullerton. The train had stopped and unloaded several crates that were part of the shipment that was bound for Cape Fullerton. Nathan asked a few questions and received the answers he needed. He was also informed that the man that had the jewels was arrested and being held, pending a decision from headquarters as to where the man was going to be moved.
"What is the man's name?"
("The person being held is calling himself Jack Thornton, but know that is not true. I personally served with Jack Thornton.")
"Thank you. Try to get some information out of him if you can. Please coordinate with this office and headquarters in Regina to see if the man can be moved to Union City as this is my case. Please be careful. I have reason to believe that the men that this guys is working for will not be happy that he was caught. I can't say much, but this might be related to an even bigger case that has much more far reaching consequences. We need to be extra careful as this man might be the key to unlocking this huge mess."
("Understood Inspector.")
"Thank you for your work. Please let me know if there is anything else."
("There is one things.")
"Yes."
("This man, he had a picture of a woman and a small boy with him and he was got very agitated when I took it from him. I think it might help identify who he really is.")
"Please log it as evidence and make sure that it is sent to me here when the man is transferred."
("Yes, Inspector.")
Nathan talked to the Mountie for a few more minutes getting a physical description of the man being held. He thought it sounded familiar, but wasn't sure at that point. He made the note in his notebook and then hung up the phone. To check his suspicions, Nathan placed a call. What Nathan learned confirmed what he knew. As much as Nathan wanted to and should update O'Reilly, he knew that he needed to talk to Bill first. Nathan looked at the time and took a chance and called his apartment in hopes that Bill was still there. When he answered, Nathan asked him to quickly come back to headquarters as he had a huge break in the case and needed his help. Bill also informed Nathan that he had information about Martin, but wasn't sure he wanted to talk about it at headquarters. Nathan told him that he understood and if that was the case, they could talk about it later.
While Nathan waited for Bill to return, he called Allie's school and left a message that he might have to work late and if she needed anything to call him at the office. After leaving the message for Allie, Nathan went back to the case that was still laid out on the table. He went through the details and he knew that he had enough to arrest Walden and Spurlock and charge them with several felonies. Nathan also requested additional information from the records office and let them know that there might be several files that would be arriving for him. Nathan had everything written out by the time that Bill knocked on his office door. Nathan motioned for Bill to close the door and have a seat.
"So what is so urgent that you had me come back?"
"I have heard from seven of the stations that you identified. With the information that they have sent me, even without going through the actual complaints, I have enough to arrest Walden and Spurlock."
Bill smiled.
"What about Bouchard?"
"If I am correct, he is already in custody and is linked to the smuggling case. I think that the information that we need to nail them on both is going to be buried in the files that are coming here. Do you think that you can stick around for a few more days? I would like your help going through everything as it arrives."
"I would need to make a few calls, but it shouldn't be a problem. Tell me more about Bouchard."
"The Mountie station in Rockton arrested a man in connection to the smuggling. He had the stolen jewels on him. They are arranging for him to be transferred here. He gave them a false name, but his description is a match for Bouchard. I also called Hope Valley and confirmed that Bouchard is not there and he had left for business in Cape Fullerton."
"What name did he give? We will have to run it headquarters to see if it connects to anything else."
"No need, the Mountie who arrested him immediately knew that he gave a false name and would have held him on that alone. It was just lucky that they found the stolen jewels on him."
"What name did he give?"
Nathan looked at Bill and wasn't sure that he wanted to tell him. Bill just stared back and wasn't backing down.
"Jack Thornton."
"I am going to kill him myself."
"Bill!"
"Sorry. How dare he even speak his name, much less use his name."
"Don't worry about it. We are going to nail him and then we won't have to ever worry about him causing trouble for the good people of Hope Valley."
"Good. What about Martin?"
"Leave him to O'Reilly and Collins. We have enough to do."
Bill started to protest, but Nathan put his hand up.
"O'Reilly is going to handle it because he doesn't want what will happen if he doesn't."
"What did you do?"
"Nothing you need to concern yourself with at the moment. I may share with you later, but not right now."
Nathan looked at him with a raised eyebrow and Bill understood that it wasn't something he wanted to discuss where they could possible be overheard. The two men ordered lunch to be delivered and they went to work making sure that they had an airtight case against Walden and Spurlock. Some time after lunch, O'Reilly knocked on Nathan's door.
"I hear an arrest was made in the smuggling case."
"Yes, I talked to the Mountie in Rockton and he was going to arrange for the man to be moved here."
"I know. He will be here sometime on Wednesday. So who do you think this man is? I can't believe that someone would be using Jack's name."
"Based on the description that I was given and other information that I have confirmed, I am almost positive who the man is, but I want to wait and lay my eyes on him before I am sure."
"Fine. Do you think you will be able to get him to talk?"
"Yes. That is what Bill is helping me with right now. If it is the man who I think it is, then he connected to another very large case and I have enough right now to charge all three of the men with multiple felonies. As far as getting this man to talk about the smuggling, well I think that case is related to the one that Bill and I have put together over the last few days. When it comes to getting this man to talk, like I said, if it is who I think, well I know his weakness and have no problem using it. I am having Bill here help as a former Inspector, not only for his experience, but because the two of us started this other case over a year ago in Hope Valley and I think it is only right that he see it through."
O'Reilly just stood there looking between the two men.
"What case is that?"
"Conspiracy to defraud and illegal land transfers."
"I thought that you didn't have enough evidence to proceed on that case."
"We found new evidence. This land scam is much larger then I thought and across several providences."
"And you are sure?"
"Absolutely."
"Okay then. Arrest the men so they can't flee."
"Already sent a couple of Mounties to find two of the three I know are involved."
"What about the third?"
"We will get him."
"Why didn't you want to arrest him yourself?"
"I will get more satisfaction out of seeing them behind bars. Besides, I am needed here to make sure that we have an ironclad case."
O'Reilly nodded. Bill and Nathan went back to work. By the time that they left to head back to the apartment, they had a very good case against Walden, Spurlock and Bouchard. They were just waiting to read though all of the case files that were being sent.
Over the next few days, Bill and Nathan were able to connect Walden, Spurlock and Bouchard to the land scam in twelve different areas. They had reviewed all the cases and despite the men using different names, they were positive that it was all the work of the same three men. The scam had happened over a four year period. Also buried in the complaints was the evidence that they needed to connect them to the smuggling case. Bill was surprised when Nathan was able to connect the two cases.
Bill and Nathan were both at the train depot when the man from Rockton arrived. Neither were surprised when the Mounties escorted Lucas Bouchard off the train. He was however surprised to see both Nathan and Bill standing before him. Nathan could read the fear on Bouchard's face and was glad that he finally was able to take the man down and put him behind bars where he belonged. Two hours after Lucas was booked into the Union City jail, Walden and Spurlock joined him. All three were being held pending a trail.
Nathan had talked to William Thatcher and told him of the arrests, but to still be vigilant for awhile to make sure that no one else was involved. Nathan had also issued the same warning to the railroad. Nathan was glad that he put it all together and that the three men sitting in jail cells wouldn't be able to continue to hurt innocent people. The Mounties had seized the saloon, but allowed Henry Gowen to continue to run the oil company pending the outcome of the trial. When William Thatcher learned about the oil company, he bought Bouchard out and gave the shares to Henry Gowen.
Constable Martin had been ordered to headquarters in Union City. He was surprised to learn that he was facing several charges when he arrived. One of the Mounties that had gone to Hope Valley to gather evidence had been ordered to stay until he heard otherwise. He was to serve the town while continuing to gather information and evidence both related to Bouchard and his cohorts, as well as anything that he could find out about Martin. It didn't take long for word to spread through Hope Valley that Lucas Bouchard had been arrested on several counts and was being held.
The lawyers agreed that the cases against Bouchard, Walden and Spurlock were very clear as well as full of undisputable evidence. Bill called in a few favors and Sam Madison was coming into prosecute the case. Nathan and Bill were wrapping up everything that they needed to do, so Bill could head back to Hope Valley. As much as he liked spending time with Nathan, he knew that he needed to get back.