Bill shuffled papers around. He had a land dispute to settle between some farmers on the outskirts of the Hope Valley area. Until this dispute, he had only known their faces, not their names. Both men only came into town to run errands. Though the one man had a wife and two children, the wife taught her children at home. They felt the distance to the school would be too hard for the children to cover over the winter months. Bill could not say he disagreed with that assessment. The farmer without a family had just recently taken over the farm from another family that had moved further west. Where the land boundaries truly were was in dispute by the two landowners.
Finding the book with the land deeds, Bill began searching for the deeds for the disputed lands. He had not been working on it long when the phone rang. Bill grabbed for the phone.
"Judge Avery," he said gruffly.
"Commissioner Anders is on the line for you, Bill," Florence said cheerfully, the judge's gruffness not fazing her at all.
Bill sat up straighter. "Put him through," he told her, his tone immediately getting much more civil.
Bill heard a couple of clicks over the line. "Go ahead, Commissioner Anders," Florence said over the line.
"My secretary informed me that you had called this morning, Judge Avery," Anders said over the line. The man's directness was one of the things Bill had always admired about the man.
"I did, Commissioner," Bill replied. He heard the click as Florence got off the connection. "As you may be aware, I attended Constable Novak's funeral in Clearwater over the weekend."
"What a tragedy," Anders commented. "The young man had a promising career ahead of him like his older brother. Too eager to prove himself though. Erik Novak should have just let Grant handle the situation."
The candid talk about the incident told Bill a lot. In Anders' opinion, the incident was not due to Nathan's actions. The question remained though, why had Nathan not received notification that the matter was closed? Why was Sgt. Novak's inquiry into the incident of his brother's death being blocked?
"Novak reaching for that rifle was definitely a bad choice due to inexperience," Bill commented. "I told Sgt. Novak and his mother as much when I had dinner with them Saturday night. They invited me to have dinner as they had questions surrounding Constable Novak's death. Sgt. Novak mentioned that he keeps getting put off by Superintendent Hargraves and Mrs. Novak says she was told that her inquiries could not be answered as the matter was still under investigation. As I was never told the matter was to be kept confidential, I did not see the harm in answering what questions I could. I also told the family I would see if I could get some official information about the incident review."
"The report into the internal review should be available to the Novak family," Anders replied. "The testimony from you, Constable Grant and Constable Rogers from that day coincide with one another. From all three accounts, Grant was talking the O'Rourke sister down and Novak went for a rifle and startled her. As far as the review board is concerned, the matter is closed and not confidential."
"Seems the wires are crossed somewhere," Bill commented.
"It would appear so. I will tell Superintendent Hargraves to reach out to the Novak family."
"Perhaps you could do so yourself, Commissioner," Bill suggested. He and Anders had worked together a few times when Bill was an Inspector, though they had never been close. Still, he had always felt the two shared a professional respect for one another. He hoped Anders still felt that respect for him despite the differences that their career paths had taken.
"Why do I get the feeling that you are making that request for other reasons than deference to the Novak family for the lack of information so far?"
"Because I am," Bill told him. "I have nothing concrete yet, but I don't believe this is a matter of a simple oversight. I think that Hargraves is deliberately stalling for time. My gut says that if you look into it, you will find that Hargraves has not officially closed the internal review."
"Do you have a reason for that feeling that you would care to share at this time?" the Commissioner asked. Bill could hear that the man's curiosity was piqued. The man clearly still respected him enough to consider what he had to say.
"It has come to my attention that Superintendent Hargraves and Constable Grant have a history. A history that includes Fort Clay and Constable Jack Thornton. I think that Hargraves may still be looking for a way to cast blame for Constable Novak's death on Constable Grant. Hargraves has questioned Nathan more times than seems necessary as it is. As such, Nathan is starting to question his actions himself because he is a conscientious man who wants to do right by everyone his path crosses."
"Further reason for me to believe this is not simply professional."
"I will not deny that I have a personal investment in seeing that this matter is handled correctly. It is why I am coming to you rather than confronting Hargraves myself. If you tell me this is simply a bureaucratic oversight, I will accept that, but I would appreciate it if you could look into the situation for me."
There was a moment of silence on the line. The fact that Commissioner Anders did not reply right away told Bill that he was thinking the matter over.
"If there is even a slight chance this is something more than a simple oversight, then I want to know the truth," Anders finally said. "We cannot have officers allowing personal agendas to influence their actions. I will contact the Novak family personally and make sure they get a copy of the report prepared by the review board if they so desire. If the matter has not officially been closed, I will look into both the past incident you have alluded to and why Hargraves has not followed the order to close the O'Rourke Prisoner Transfer Incident. Is that satisfactory for you, Judge Avery?"
"It is," Bill replied. "Thank you Commissioner."
"No thanks needed. It is my duty to look into the possible misconduct of officers under me. Until you hear back from me, I would prefer that you do not contact Hargraves. If he contacts you, try not to let him know you suspect anything. Also, inform Constable Grant that for now he is to continue to cooperate with any further inquiries though I would like to be made aware of them."
"I will do that, Commissioner."
"I will be in touch, Judge Avery. Have a good day."
"You too," Bill replied, before the line went dead.
Hanging up the phone, Bill got to his feet. The land dispute wasn't going anywhere. Right now, he needed to have a conversation with Nathan.
Lucas walked down the streets of Cape Fullerton feeling more at ease than he had in a long time. In his hand was a borrowed basket of Jeanette's with enough food for two from one of the town's restaurants. Jeanette's cooking was as good as ever, but their meals had been simple. He had a craving for something fancier tonight and so had decided to provide it. He was hoping his hostess would enjoy an evening off from cooking for her surprise guest.
Coming to see Jeanette had been just the thing for his ruffled soul. Since arriving on her doorstep, almost everything concerning Elizabeth Thornton had come out. Lucas had begun with his embarrassment of trying to get her to apply for a job at the saloon and finding out that she was a school teacher. If that wasn't embarrassing enough, the "Mrs. Thornton" reference by the children had made him cringe. Yes, he could be a flirt. Lucas fully admitted to that. However, he had more respect for himself and women in general than to flirt with one he knew was taken.
"I was fully expecting some man to walk into the saloon, tell me to leave his wife alone right before he decked me," Lucas admitted to Jeanette. "Of course, then I went and put my foot in my mouth by asking her where her husband was when I held the opening for the saloon, only to find out she was a widow. All I could think about was you, Jeanette, and the pain I saw you go through after losing Jeff."
Jeanette smiled softly. "You are not the first person to say something insensitive to a widow and you won't be the last. People assumed I would sell Jeff's publishing company when he died and move home. Even my own family. Given that you did not know, I am sure this Elizabeth forgave you for that comment."
Lucas had then proceeded to tell her about backing off when he had found out she had an infant son. "I do well with older children but I can't relate to the little ones," he admitted to Jeanette's laughter.
"I think the possibility of a baby is the reason you have never been able to actually ask a woman to marry you, Lucas," she said. Lucas could not deny that she was probably right.
He had confessed to Jeanette after that to have backed off, though the fire with which Elizabeth had confronted him about the card trick had made him admire her spirit. "In a way, she reminded me of you, Jeanette." Seeing Jeanette's blush at the compliment had encouraged Lucas to continue his tale that night, and he had told her about Nathan. About no one knowing he was a Mountie at first, and Nathan taking a punch meant for him. To confessing that the girl he had taught the card trick to had been the Mountie's niece and it had landed her into trouble at school.
"When Nathan told me that night when he had come to confront me about the card trick, he told me he did not think I was a good fit for the town."
"Which meant that you just had to prove that you were," Jeanette supplied.
Lucas had not bothered to try to deny it. What was the point? Jeanette knew him better than he knew himself.
"That was when I decided to go back to pursuing Elizabeth," Lucas had confessed. "I thought that if I could win over the widow of the town's beloved hero, that everyone would accept me."
The following night, Lucas continued his tale. He told Jeanette about the means he had tried to impress her, including the gift of the library and the books.
"When she confronted me about if I had bought the library because I had feelings for her, I panicked. Yes, she was pretty and I liked her spirit, but I knew her son would be an obstacle for me. I quoted Dangerous Liaisons to her."
"You didn't!"
"I did. I half expected her to yell for help the next time I approached to talk to her thinking she would think I was some kind of creep."
"It would have served you right," Jeanette had told him, though even then Lucas had heard the sympathy in her voice.
Just last night, Lucas had told Jeanette about the display on Hope Valley's main street. Walking out to see Elizabeth embracing Nathan like he was her life line, had been a shock. It had told him for sure that Elizabeth's continuous line of only wanting his friendship was true.
"I guess maybe it stung my pride a bit," Lucas had confessed. "You know I don't like to lose. However, more than that, I felt guilty. Guilty for toying with Elizabeth's emotions and perhaps keeping Elizabeth and Nathan apart. There was true love between them, Jeanette. Just like I saw when I saw you with Jeff."
What he had not confessed to Janeatte was that at her wedding he had felt sorry for himself. Sorry that he had not taken a chance and told her he had feelings for her before Jeff came into the picture. That wedding had been the one time he had thought about speaking when the pastor asked for objections but he had kept his silence. He was the one that had been blind to his true feelings for Jeanette until another man had made her realize how special she was. He vowed instead not to destroy her happiness but hold his silence.
It was a silence he was still holding.
Reaching Jeanette's little house, Lucas noticed for the first time how run down it looked. Things needed a new coat of paint. A few shutters hung loose. For as many times as he had passed through it during his stay, Lucas noted that the gate in the 'white' picket fence did not quite close.
With guilt, Lucas realized that they had mostly talked about him. He had not asked his friend how she was doing.
Well, that would change. The conversation over dinner tonight would be about Jeanette and not himself.
Going inside, Lucas took the food he had bought to the kitchen. Jeanette would be home from work soon and the food would need to be warmed up. He could cook, but most of the time he simply reheated pre-made food. With the food warming, Lucas headed to the dining room. He knew that Jeanette had a set of china that had been brought over from England by her mother. She used it for special occasions, and Lucas wanted to make tonight feel special out of gratitude for her.
The china was not in the cupboard that it had been in the last time he was here. Lucas commenced looking for it. Seeing a box that had 'Sell?" written on it, Lucas opened it. He was shocked to see the china packed carefully away. Something was wrong. Jeanette would not even think about selling this china on a whim.
Looking up from the box, Lucas spotted Jeanette standing in the doorway. His friend wore an embarrassed look.
"I didn't want you to know," Jeanette told him.
"Know what?" Lucas asked.
"The publishing company that Jeff started has been struggling. Bigger publishing companies are taking business away," Jeanette confessed, tears glistening in her eyes. "I had to let the few employees go, to try to stay afloat. I have let repairs slide and have cut back where I can to try to keep going. I made you a promise to publish that book for your friend, and not just because you paid me in advance to do it. I want to keep that promise to you, Lucas. I have been trying everything to keep going until I can fulfill that promise. I even considered selling the china but I couldn't go through with it."
Lucas closed the distance between them and wrapped her in his arms. "Oh, Jeanette, I wish you would have told me. Is there any way the business can be salvaged?"
"I don't think so," Jeanette confessed. "It is just too small to compete with bigger companies. Your friend's book is charming but she is an unknown author. It won't bring in the money and recognition I need to keep going. If it wasn't for the promise I made you, I would have shut down and sold what equipment I could. There have been offers for the building already."
"Then do that, Jeanette," Lucas told her. "I don't want you falling into further financial hardship for my sake."
"And your friend's book?" Jeanette asked, looking up at him.
"I will confess the truth to her and help her find another publisher if she likes. My mother is already onboard for editing it to get it polished. Maybe she knows another company that might be willing to publish."
"I'm sorry," Jeanette told him, dissolving into sobs.
"Don't be," Lucas told her, holding her tight with one hand and stroking her hair with the other. "I know you did your best, and that is all I can ask. I am here for you, Jeanette. You are not alone."
Lucas held her for a while. It was Jeanette that broke the silence.
"Are you cooking something?" Jeanette asked, finally lifting her head.
Lucas let her go, rushing for the kitchen. "I bought us dinner. Hopefully, it isn't burning."
Lucas did not hear Jeanette''s soft laughter at his reaction even as she followed him into the kitchen.
"Maintiens le droit," the voice said over the line.
Andrew Hargraves hung up the phone with enough force that the earpiece did not stay in place. Instead, it bounced a bit and clattered to the desk. This was proving harder than he had thought it would be. When the investigation into the death of Constable Novak had come across his desk, he thought it would be the perfect opportunity he needed to finally get Nathan Grant dismissed from the Mounties. The way he saw it, in the end it was Nathan's fault that Jack Thornton had died on that training mission leaving Elizabeth Thornton a widow.
Andrew had been unable to face either Elizabeth Thornton or Charlotte Thornton following Jack's death. He had been the one to ask Jack to take that assignment. However, if Nathan had just followed orders in the first place none of this would have happened. Constable Grant would have been on that training mission. Andrew doubted he would have sent that mission out right after all those rains under normal circumstances. It had been in anger that he had sent Jack Thornton and those trainees out that day. Anger that the report that the area was unsafe had come from Grant.
And it all stemmed from the fact that Nathan Grant had not simply waited for backup.
Once again, Constable Grant had escaped justice, the review board ruling Novak's death a tragic accident brought about by unforeseen circumstances. Hargraves wanted Grant held accountable for the deaths that kept happening around him. Despite the review board declaring the matter closed, Hargraves had not done so. He had thought he could get Constable Rogers on his side before his own superiors were ever the wiser.
Commissioner Anders had somehow found out that the investigation was still open. The Commissioner had told him he was personally contacting the Novak family with the results from the review board and that Hargraves had two weeks to have the matter properly closed.
Now Rogers had called him and told him that Hargraves could give him all the bad assignments that Hargraves wanted but that Rogers was not changing his testimony about the prisoner transfer. The man had even had the gall to quote the Mountie motto to him.
Well he wasn't about to give up yet, Hargraves determined. If he couldn't get Rogers to change his testimony, then perhaps he could put enough pressure on Grant to make the man start doubting himself. He had always figured it was a guilty conscience that had made Grant request the Hope Valley assignment anyway.
Reaching out, Hargraves picked up the earpiece of the phone and hung it up properly. He then got to his feet and calmly left his office, telling his secretary he was starting his weekend early. He would go to his cabin outside of the city. The solitude would give him time to think of a new plan.