The investigation into the jewelry scheme continued. Lucas finally broke his silence, giving names and sharing plans about future heists, along with insight into how the jewels were funneled through small towns until they reached the coast. On his word, the police had arrested more suspects, but none of them had gone to trial yet.
William Thatcher returned to Hamilton, though he kept in regular contact with Nathan. No new incidents with Thatcher Shipping crates were discovered.
Elizabeth settled back into life as a single mother, focusing her energy and extra time on her son and rebuilding the relationships she had neglected for Lucas.
Weeks passed and Allie was finally adjusting to her new life in Union City, though Nathan had mixed feelings on what had finally helped her settle in. Or, rather, who.
In a surprising turn of events, Mr. Wentworth had approached Nathan and Mr. Chambers about having Allie change classes, not because of her behavior, but rather so she could be with students more on her level of knowledge. It had become clear to all of her teachers that Allie was more advanced academically than most of her peers, setting her apart and making it even more difficult for her to make friends. Mr. Wentworth himself had overheard the repeated taunts and derogatory comments the other girls made to and about Allie.
"I think all that moving around and having to depend more on herself than her friends has made Miss Grant mature for her age, and it's obvious she's bored repeating the concepts we're trying to teach her," he admitted. "Despite her younger age, I believe the older students will accept her as the bright young woman she is."
While Allie certainly had to work harder, she thrived with the new challenges, and most of the students in her new classes were at least civil towards her. A few of the girls struck up conversation with her after seeing Nathan pick her up after school, a handsome sight in full uniform. The boys were eager to hear her stories about military life and impressed by her lack of fear of the various bugs, creatures, and chemicals they were studying. One boy in particular took a special interest in her.
Daniel McGinnis was struggling with their math and chemistry classes, so Allie agreed to tutor him. With her help, he was not only passing both classes, but steadily improving his grades. He was even more impressed when he witnessed Allie defending a younger student from bullying by the same girls who tormented her.
"Don't worry, Dad," she laughed, seeing Nathan frown at the young man who had walked her home from school. "I have made it very clear to him that I don't like like him that way. We're just friends. He's the first real friend I've made here, and he's introducing me to other kids. It turns out Sally and Jimmy's dads are both Mounties too, although they've only been assigned to cities instead of the forts and small towns. Susie's dad owns the bookstore that Grandma and I really liked. And Anthony's mom runs the diner on Second Street. He said she bakes the best pies in town."
While Allie was happy with her new friends, there was still trouble with the girls her age. Their ringleader, Morgan Brennan, had long harbored a crush on Daniel, and while Allie's relationship with him wasn't romantic, she still saw her as competition. In the span of two weeks, Allie found her lunch stolen, her art project destroyed, and her locker tampered with. Antony had shared his lunch, assuring her that his mom always packed him extra. The art teacher had been understanding, allowing her to stay after school to redo her work. Mr. Chambers himself had seen to having a new lock installed on her locker, though he did call Nathan to report the incident. The arrival of a Mounted Police Inspector in the middle of the school day caused quite a stir.
"Do you know who did this?" Nathan asked.
Allie shrugged, looking at the pen holder on Mr. Chambers' desk.
"Miss Grant?" The headmaster studied her closely. "Why did you not report the earlier incidents?
Allie shrugged again. "I didn't want to cause any problems," she admitted. "I am finally starting to like it here."
Nathan put his hand over hers. "And I need you to be safe here, Allie. I don't care how old you are or how tall you get, you're still my little girl. I will always protect you. That's my job. And it's Mr. Chambers' job to take care of all of the students here. We can't do that if we don't know what's happening."
"Do you recognize this?" Mr. Chambers held up an earring. "I notice that you don't have pierced ears, so I have to wonder what it was doing in your locker. Perhaps the same person who broke in lost it?"
Nathan couldn't help the inward groan at the irony of lost jewelry being key to solving a crime.
Allie's eyes widened and she took a deep breath. She knew exactly who the earring belonged to, having heard about the birthday gift as well as the jabs about how some people didn't have a mother who loved them.
Mr. Chambers walked around his desk to the door and opened it. "Miss Grant, you may return to class. Miss Brennan, I believe you and I have a few things to discuss." Morgan scowled at Allie as she passed, but her face paled when she saw Nathan waiting in the headmaster's office.
"So what happened?" Daniel asked as he, Allie, and the other kids walked home from school.
Allie smirked. "I had to go back to class. I just know that Morgan was really quiet this afternoon."
Nathan and his team finally got a break in the jewel heist case. After an awkward conversation with Elizabeth, the only person to have spent time with Lucas in his private rooms, Nathan directed his men to search beneath the sideboard. Elizabeth had noticed it being slightly out of place once when she'd been there for dinner. Sure enough, there was a hollow spot under the floor that contained ledgers and bills of sale for jewels, watches, horses, and even a car, all going back nearly four years.
"So, you've been involved in this since you first came to Hope Valley." Nathan had gone to the prison to interrogate Lucas further. Faced with the evidence, Bouchard admitted everything. He and his partners had heard about the saloon going up for sale when Tom Trevoy decided to move away. Since they were using small town businesses to filter stolen items across the country, it seemed like the perfect cover. They nearly pulled out when Lucas ran into trouble with Amos Dixon but changed their minds when an unexpected windfall literally walked in the door—Elizabeth Thatcher Thornton.
Lucas had been intrigued and even attracted to her as soon as they met, offering her a job before he even knew her name. He'd been turned off by the realization that she was a mother and a recent widow, but once his partners found out who she was, they insisted Lucas get closer to her. It had started as just a business deal—get the naïve woman to marry him and gain access to the Thatcher money and connections. That she was smarter and more stubborn than any of them had counted on was a great frustration. Then Lucas realized that the town Mountie had real feelings for her, and it became a competition. He knew Nathan was the better man for Elizabeth; with his niece in tow, he was already prepared to be a father to her son, and his intentions towards her were always pure. Lucas, on the other hand, had money and a few society connections in his favor, and was determined to win at any cost.
When Nathan was nearly killed in the line of duty, Lucas had encouraged Elizabeth's fears about getting involved with and losing anther Mountie. She finally agreed to a courtship and told Nathan that ridiculous lie about 'only seeing Jack in him', though she continued to seek him and Allie out, trying to maintain a place in their lives. After she accepted Lucas's proposal, he'd smugly flaunted it to the whole town, most of whom had been rooting for the Mountie. When they'd returned from the book tour to find that Nathan had accepted a promotion and left town, Lucas thought everything was finally falling into place. All he had to do was bring William Thatcher into the business, and he'd never have anything to worry about again. Even if their crimes were discovered, his father-in-law's money and influence would protect them.
"Inspector Grant," a voice interrupted from the doorway. "There's a call for you. A Mr. Lee Coulter. He says it's urgent."
Nathan hurried from the room without a word, leaving Lucas to be escorted back to his cell. He sat in the office he was directed to and picked up the receiver. "Lee?"
"Nathan, I'm glad I found you. I think we've got a problem here. There have been a lot of new faces around town the last couple of days, hanging around the saloon and asking questions about Lucas." He paused, more worry in his tone when he added, "A couple of them were watching the school and asking about Elizabeth."
Nathan's heart sank and chills ran through him. "Get Bill. Have him stay with Elizabeth and Jack. Have the Mounties keep an eye on these visitors. I'm on my way."
He stopped home only long enough to tell Allie he had to leave. As they had arranged when they arrived in Union City, she would stay with the neighbors. An older couple, Mr. Long had retired from the Mounties a few years earlier, so they were familiar with changing assignments and unexpected departures and welcomed the chance to return the care others had shown their children growing up.
"Be careful," Allie demanded, hugging her dad tightly.
"Always," Nathan promised, kissing the top of her head and holding her just as tightly. Stepping back, he offered a grateful nod to the Longs, waved once more to Allie, then hurried to his car.
The saloon was dark, the first hint that things were not as they should be. Nathan and the team of Mounties watched as a light moved around inside, though they hadn't seen anyone go in or out for the last few hours. He had asked the town's men to keep watch at all the roads and trails in and out of town, not wanting to be surprised by any more visitors. So far, things had been quiet. Too quiet.
Nathan glanced around, his gaze falling on a lone figure hurrying down the street. His heart sank when he realized who it was. "Bill! What are you doing here?"
Bill Avery shook his head. "I was hoping to catch Elizabeth before she did something stupid."
"Elizabeth?" Nathan gasped. "She's supposed to be at home. With you!"
Bill rolled his eyes. "That girl is too smart for her own good," he grumbled. "She snuck out while I was putting Jack to bed. Left a note on the table."
"And where was she going?" Nathan asked, his blood turning cold because he knew.
"The saloon," Bill confirmed. "She said she thought of somewhere else Lucas might have hidden things."
"Surely she wouldn't go in there now…right?" one of the other Mounties had joined them.
"Yes, she would," Bill and Nathan said at the same time.
"The private entrance," Bill realized. "You can't see it from this side. She could be up or downstairs."
Nathan and Bill made their way to the back of the saloon, easing up the exterior stairs to the hotel entrance as quietly as possible. Relieved to find the door unlocked and unguarded, they slipped inside. They could hear commotion downstairs, both in the main room and in the back. It sounded as though several people were ransacking Lucas's private quarters. As they turned the corner, they saw a figure near the top of the stairs.
Nathan hurried stealthily forward, wrapping his arm around Elizabeth's waist as he covered her mouth with his other hand. "Don't scream. It's me," he breathed in her ear, tugging her away from the steps.
Elizabeth heart stopped when she was grabbed from behind, and she prepared to struggle. Then she heard his voice whisper in her ear and recognized the familiar cologne—a comforting combination of horses, leather, and trees. "Nathan," she breathed, sighing with relief.
He pulled her back to the end of the hallway, prepared to push her out the door. "What are you doing here?" he demanded in a stern whisper.
"I remembered something," she said, refusing to meet his eyes. "There's a safe in Lucas's room. I never saw it, but I know he kept documents and things in it."
Nathan shook his head. "We already cracked and searched the safe in his bedroom. Was there another?"
Elizabeth sighed. "No, that's the one. I surprised him once for lunch, and he quickly gathered up everything from the table and put it in there before coming back out to join me."
Bill hissed at them to be quiet just before they heard footsteps on the stairs. Realizing there was no way to get Elizabeth outside without drawing attention, Nathan quickly tried the handle of the nearest door. He was just about to push her into the empty room when a man came around the corner.
"What are you doing here?" the man demanded, pulling his gun.
"You don't want to do that," Bill advised, his own pistol pointed squarely at the man's chest.
"Why not?" the man sneered, raising the gun towards Nathan and Elizabeth. "Mrs. Thornton, just the woman we've been waiting to see. You're going to tell us where Bouchard hid our money."
"She'll talk to you over my dead body," Bill promised, drawing the man's attention back to him.
The man sneered. "That can be arranged." He turned, firing towards Bill, who shot back.
Elizabeth screamed. Footsteps pounded up the stairs. Nathan acted on instinct, grabbing Elizabeth and pulling her to the floor. He maneuvered them so that he took the brunt of their fall, then rolled protectively on top of her and raised his own gun, firing at the next man who rounded the corner. Bill's shot had hit the first man, killing him instantly. Nathan's shot knocked the second man back just as he was firing, pushing him into the third and throwing him off balance enough to allow Bill time to take him down. By then, the Mounties surrounding the building had burst in, and shots and curses rang out downstairs.
"You got this?" Bill asked, glancing quickly at Elizabeth before hurrying down the hall. He checked the fallen men, collecting their guns before rushing to the stairs.
Nathan sat up, his heart in this throat when he saw the red stain blossoming across Elizabeth's chest.
It was a long night for everyone. Nathan was incredibly thankful that Carson had returned from his fellowship, bringing his surgical skills back to Hope Valley. Faith brought them regular updates, and by dawn was able to assure them that, barring infection, Elizabeth was going to be alright. Nathan sank heavily onto the bench, his legs finally giving out with relief after hours of pacing.
"I'm going to get some coffee and breakfast started," Bill said, gesturing towards the café.
Nathan nodded. "And I should check on our guests."
The Mounties had captured most of the men at the saloon, killing two in addition to the three that Nathan and Bill had gotten. Despite his distraction, Nathan had managed to direct their incarceration and report into headquarters, asking for transfer wagons as soon as possible. Headquarters had assured him that the wagons, as well as backup, would arrive first thing in the morning.
Assuring himself that the prisoners were all alive and well tended, Nathan made his way back outside. He closed his eyes, taking a deep breath and releasing it slowly, sending up thanks and a silent prayer for Elizabeth's recovery. He was just opening his eyes when someone slammed into him, knocking the breath from his lungs.
"Dad!"
"Allie!" he exclaimed, returning her tight embrace before pulling back far enough to see her face. "What are you doing here?"
"Mr. Long has friends at headquarters. They told him what happened here last night. HQ said you caught all the bad guys, so the Longs and I drove straight here." She gestured to the older couple standing outside the café. "They knew I was worried about you. You are okay, right?" She eyed the blood staining his serge.
Nathan hugged her again. He knew he should be mad that she'd come here, but he couldn't find the strength to be. "I'm fine, but... Mrs. Thornton was hit with a ricocheted bullet. She's going to be alight," he hastened to add. "Dr. Shepherd and Dr. Carter said she should make a full recovery."
Allie studied her father, taking in his weary, troubled eyes. "You should go sit with her. I'll show Mr. and Mrs. Long the café and introduce them to everyone. Go," she insisted.
"There's something I have to do first. I'll probably be gone most of the day. You stay with the Longs and mind what they say, alright?"
Allie nodded, hugging him again before hurrying down to the café.
After conferring with the other Mounties and assigning guard and transport assignments, he got in the car. A couple of hours later, he was pulling up outside the prison.
"Inspector Nathan Grant to see Lucas Bouchard." He stalked down to the cells, not willing to wait for the prisoner to be brought to an interrogation room.
"Are you happy now?" The guards and the other prisoners all shifted anxiously at Nathan's angry tone, but Lucas didn't even look up.
"What are you talking about?" he asked dismissively.
Nathan glared through the bars. "Your 'friends' came to Hope Valley, trying to find evidence before we did. They ransacked and shot up the saloon last night."
"And I'm sure you rode in and saved the day, right?" Lucas countered, still disinterested.
"Not before they shot Elizabeth."
That got Lucas's attention. He sat up quickly, staring at Nathan, his face gone pale. "What?"
Nathan glowered back at him. "You said everything with her was just a game, right? Well, looks like you win. One of your 'business partners' shot her last night."
He turned, barely keeping his feet steady as he rushed out of the prison, ignoring Lucas's shouts and pleas for more information. The images from the night before continued to flash before his eyes.
Nathan quickly lifted Elizabeth into his arms, hurrying out and down the exterior stairs. "Faith! Carson! We need help!"
People gathered as he hurried down the street to the infirmary. Faith was holding the door open, and Carson waited just inside, directing Nathan to place Elizabeth on the first bed. Her face was pale, her eyes closed, and the stain on her dress was growing larger by the second.
"Nathan, you need to let us help her," Carson said, glancing up long enough to see the pain and fear on his friend's face. "Please step outside. We need to treat her." Faith gently pushed him towards the door, then pulled the divider out to block the view as they quickly cut and tore away her clothes.
He paused in the doorway, frozen, unable to take his eyes off the trail of blood across the floor.
Elizabeth moaned, reluctant to open her eyes. Her whole body hurt, as though she'd fallen down a flight of stairs, but the worst pain radiated from her shoulder.
"Shh…" she heard a gentle voice say, and a hand grasped hers. "Don't try to move."
Elizabeth opened her eyes slowly, blinking as the room came into focus. "Where am I? What happened?" She turned her head. "You're here."
Nathan shifted, bringing the chair a little closer to the bed and squeezing her hand. "I'm here. You're in the infirmary. You were shot last night."
"Jack!" She struggled to sit up, gasping and sinking back against the pillows.
"Shh…" Nathan soothed again. "He's with Lee and Rosemary. I called your parents; they're on their way."
"Where's Allie?" she asked, glancing around. She knew that wherever Nathan went, his daughter was sure to be nearby.
He smiled softly, nodding across the room. Elizabeth turned her head slowly and saw the girl sleeping peacefully on the other bed. "She insisted on coming with me," he explained. "She says we're a team. Where I go, she goes."
Elizabeth was silent for a minute before looking at him hopefully. "I know I have no right to ask this but…are you going to go? Now that I'm awake, are you going to leave?"
Nathan reached across the bed, gently but firmly grasping her other hand, despite the sling on her arm.
"I'm not going anywhere."
A/N- I realize I have "bent" history a little bit with the lockers in Allie's school. I did an admittedly brief Google search for when they started being used- one answer was 1840's, the other 1920's. As this story hits around 1920, I just went with it. Please forgive me.
Yes, I intend to continue this, at least for a few more chapters. I've left too many things unresolved. Of course, I deliberately left Lucas to stew in his guilt—he totally deserves it. If you've read my other story or ever spoken to me, you know I am firmly (stubbornly, regrettably…) Team Nathan/old or redeemed Elizabeth, so you can probably guess how this is going to end….but I think I have at least one or two surprises in store. ;-) Thanks for reading!