Author's Note: Things are about to get bumpy, and I'm sure theories will start flying around, which is all well and good. There are going to be some disturbing events and imagery here and in upcoming chapters, so I'll repeat the "triggering" warning and the "abusive comments will not be tolerated" piece again. Thanks to all the extremely encouraging comments and reviews so far. I'm pleased you're all following along.

To the childless wife he gives a home, and gladdens her heart with children.

- Ps. 113

Chapter 3:

Or Worse

Hudson Times—Online Version

Wednesday, April 10, 2019

Hudson Area Residents On Alert Due to Bear Sightings

Nadir Jutley

Fish and Wildlife officials are responding to reports of a bear in Hudson county. An alert was issued after several ranchers caught sight of the animal over the past week. April is typically when bears emerge from hibernation. Residents of Hudson county are being asked to be extra vigilant, especially around dusk and dawn, when bears are most likely to be active.

If you see the bear, contact Fish and Wildlife at 555-625-1540 immediately. Do not approach, and do not provoke the animal.

• Email: nadir_jutley

"Hey, Ty," Amy called softly, "did you see this report about a bear in the area?"

Ty looked up from his reports. "Yeah," he replied. "Scott and I got the alert at the clinic yesterday afternoon."

"Good," Amy said, though she was still pouting, thinking about all the potential areas her country vet husband and his boss could encounter the beast while making their rounds to rural ranch lands. "Be careful out on those calls, okay? You and Scott go to some pretty remote places sometimes..."

Ty smiled in spite of himself. "Now who's being overprotective?"

"Ty," she said, eyeing him sternly, "I'm serious. I—I just don't want anything to happen to you, okay? After Mongolia..."

The last thing Ty wanted at that moment was to rehash falling nearly fatally ill on his first trip to Mongolia, and then being abducted and left for dead the second time—not to mention the near-fatal encounter with one of the poachers on his own home turf.

"Hey, Scott and I are always careful," he said, attempting to reassure her. "He's got his tranquilizer all the time, at the ready. The chances of us encountering that bear are pretty slim. It may even have moved on by now."

"Okay," Amy said, mouth still drawn downwards.

Now who's being overprotective? Ty's gentle rebuke echoed in her mind. She chided herself mentally, knowing her worries were probably unfounded. After all, Ty had not said a word when she departed on Sunday with Georgie to participate in the faux fox hunt event. She had enjoyed every minute of the ride, though she did choose not to vault any of the jumps on the course this time around. If I'm going to ride, I don't have to take unnecessary risks, she reasoned. It would be one line of defense she figured she could bring up if Ty ever did say something negative about her decision to ride during her pregnancy.

Five Days Later...

"Val Stanton is missing," Jack announced as he shut the door behind him.

Lisa looked up from her laptop, her brow instantly creasing. "'Missing'? What do you mean missing?"

"The police are out at Briar Ridge now. I saw them there when I was driving back from my supply run. Something in my gut told me there was something really wrong with that picture, so I stopped in to see what was going on. I got to speak with Jesse, and he says Val went out for a ride late this morning and didn't come back when he expected her to. She was supposed to meet some clients with him at 1:00 p.m., and she never showed. It's of course way past that time now."

"Did you say she went out for a ride late this morning? I had Herring trailered over there yesterday so she could try him out," Lisa said, genuine worry replacing her initial curiosity. "I hope she wasn't thrown and is lying injured somewhere—or worse."

"Right now, no one knows, but Jesse did mention she took Herring," Jack said. "Val unfortunately didn't go out with her cell phone, so they can't track her that way. Chief Parker is going to have his officers combing the areas Jesse said she was known to go when she went for a ride."

"Do they need any help? I mean, we could always saddle up and check where her property meets up with Heartland," Lisa suggested, pre-emptively shutting down her laptop. "She can't have gone too far."

"We could take a look," Jack agreed thoughtfully. "But I hate to say it: I have a bad feeling about this, especially with all those bear sightings lately."

Lisa shook her head once as she stood to face him. "Let's not go down that road yet," she said, putting a hand on his arm. "We should ride out and hope for the best. I'll head out to the jumping pen to let Georgie know where we're going."

"I'll tell Amy and Ty when I get the horses saddled."

Upon hearing that Val was missing, Georgie immediately halted her jumping practice and dismounted from Phoenix. She followed Lisa to the stables and asked to come along for the search, but Jack firmly nixed her request.

"No, you stay put," Jack said in a voice that left no room for discussion. "We don't know why she's missing. This could be a very serious situation, and someone needs to stay in the house with Katie right now."

For a moment Georgie felt a surge of indignation, like she was once again the immature child who was always left out of the action. This time, though, she came to the realisation all on her own what Jack was not verbalizing: He suspected Val could very well be hurt or even dead, and did not want Georgie to be on hand to see those suspicions confirmed.

"You're taking your rifle?" Lisa asked, eyeing the weapon uneasily as Jack climbed up into Buddy's saddle.

With a nod, Jack said gruffly: "We don't know what's out there, Lis. It's just a precaution."

"Right. Of course," Lisa said, and nudged Venus to head out, simultaneously double-checking to make sure she had her cell phone in her jacket pocket.

Daylight hours faded to the point Jack and Lisa knew it was time to return. Searching in darkness would be futile. Reluctantly, they turned the horses back toward the ranch house, having trekked along the property line separating Heartland from Briar Ridge. During that time they spotted nothing resembling either Val or Herring.

"Did you find anything?" Georgie asked anxiously when they eventually made it into the kitchen after seeing to Buddy and Venus' post-ride needs.

"Nothing," Jack said wearily.

"It's definitely a concerning situation," Lisa added. "Herring is a—a very well-behaved, steady horse. And Val is an experienced rider. But I can't help thinking that she could be lying out there somewhere with a broken leg or—"

"If that's the case, someone will find her," Jack interrupted, hoping to swing her thoughts back to a positive mode.

"I hope so."

Despite all their differences over the years, Lisa shuddered interiorly at the notion something horrible could have happened to Val.

"Hey, isn't Herring micro-chipped?" Georgie asked.

"He is," Lisa said, turning to look at the teen. "And I think I know where you're going with this, but those chips aren't designed to be tracked by GPS."

"Oh, right," Georgie said with a defeated pout. "I guess I thought it could be an easy way to locate him."

Lisa pursed her lips, then said: "It was a good thought. It's just too bad that's not how it works. If it were, we would have tracked Herring hours ago—the moment we knew he and Val were missing."

Georgie sighed. "Okay. Too bad. I really hope she's okay, and Herring, of course."

"Me, too."

MISSING PERSONS REPORT

Tuesday, April 16

Hudson Police are seeking public assistance in locating a missing local woman.

Valerie Jane Stanton, 59, was last seen on the morning of Tuesday, April 16 departing her residence of Briar Ridge on horseback and did not return at the scheduled time.

She is described as 5'5", approximately 130 lbs., with blonde hair and blue eyes. She was wearing English-style riding attire and a riding helmet, as pictured.

The horse she was riding is chestnut in colour with one white sock on his right front foreleg.

Stanton's family believes she could be in medical distress due to an undisclosed health issue.

Anyone with information about Stanton's whereabouts are asked to contact Hudson Police immediately at 403-555-7799.

Photo courtesy Stanton family

The sun was just cresting the horizon when Lisa pulled into Fairfield the next morning. She was pleased to see some of her staff already seeing after the never-ending list of duties assigned to them. The smart maroon jerseys with the Fairfield logo that distinguished her staff from visitors or clients brought a smile to her face. It was something her father would never have done, but once Fairfield had started to become more well-known past local circles, adding this touch of professionalism had seemed to be the right move.

Ten minutes later, she had mounted up on Cinders and was cantering out towards her usual morning destination: Lookout Point. The familiar sights and sounds brought a welcome comfort to her troubled mind. Neither she nor Jack had enjoyed a restful night. Thoughts of the missing Val Stanton and the horse she was riding had proven to be a burdensome distraction. With no news on Val's whereabouts this morning, their worry had not abated. Lisa figured with daylight hours now upon them, the police would probably be resuming their search.

Where could Val possibly be? Lisa fretted for the hundredth time. Again, she pushed back the unsettling thought that Val could have fallen from Herring. Who goes off riding without a cell phone these days in case something like this happens?

The still snow-capped Rocky Mountains glowed in the bright, early sunshine. Lisa reined in Cinders and simply sat for a few moments, taking in the awe-inspiring view. No matter how often she took this ride and gazed out at these mountains, they were different, beautiful and new every time. She was about to urge Cinders forward again when a flicker of movement caught the corner of her right eye.

A wild whinny of terror reached Lisa's ears, followed by the fierce pounding of hooves. Cinders reacted by giving a whinny of his own while shaking his head, sensing danger.

Lisa's gaze now fell on a chestnut horse that circled them in confusion and fright. A few ugly, bloody gashes stood out in stark relief on the left hindquarter, flank, and thigh. The saddle and pad were missing.

"Herring!" Lisa cried in recognition. She quickly dismounted. If this was Herring, her missing horse, then where was its rider, Val?

"Herring," Lisa called softly, dread billowing up inside her. The chestnut horse shook his head furiously when Lisa approached. He snorted once then bolted away from her.

"Hey, hey, it's okay," Lisa tried to lower her voice, slowing her steps so as not to frighten the horse further. She realised he must be suffering a great deal from his injuries, the cause of which Lisa could not yet determine, but she had a strong suspicion a bear's paws had inflicted the damage. She took a few furtive glances around, but saw no sign of anything of a predatory nature. Besides, the wounds looked as if they had been bleeding for some time.

Where is Val? Lisa wondered again in a panic. If Herring is hurt, Val could be, too...

Lisa cast her eyes down to the grassy ground in search of anything resembling a human form. Her eyes soon fell upon mangled black leather. That must be Val's dressage saddle, Lisa thought, recognizing the shape of the riding gear. It obviously got snagged on something or pulled off. That's why it's lying here. Not far away, Lisa spied a torn saddle pad soiled with dirt and blood. Oh, no. Val could be lying here anywhere. She took a few careful paces forward, keeping close watch on Herring at the same time. The last thing she wanted was for him to be so spooked he took off for a wooded area, or worse, towards the road where he might be hit by some careless driver.

"Val?!" Lisa chanced a shout. "Can you hear me?"

She kept pacing around slowly, keeping her eyes peeled. After about five minutes, Lisa thought she spotted something unusual. About ten paces away, she identified what appeared to be a human-shaped lump, partially obscured in the ankle-high wild grass. Lisa's heart dropped to the pit of her stomach.

"Val?" she called with growing trepidation. She crept closer, then stopped at five paces, having now, even from this distance, seen enough to know getting any nearer would be a bad idea. She pulled out her cell phone and immediately put in a call to the Hudson police department. Val Stanton had indeed fallen from Herring as Lisa had feared, and from what she could see, the other woman would never be getting up again.

At 9:00 a.m. that same morning, Ty's phone buzzed just as he was finishing a quiet breakfast with Amy. "It's Scott," he said, looking at the screen.

"Go ahead," Amy said with a nod, figuring it could be something urgent.

"Hi, Scott," Ty spoke, rising from the table and moving to the living room area of the loft. "Lookout Point? Yeah, I can be there in about twenty minutes... Okay, 'bye."

"Work emergency?" Amy asked with a knowing smile.

"Yeah," Ty said with a frown. "It's weird, though. Scott said the police called him out to Lookout Point. Something about a horse and a crime scene."

"A horse and a crime scene?" Amy gasped, remembering Jack and Lisa's fruitless search the evening before. "Val Stanton and Herring... You don't think this has anything to do with them, do you?"

"Scott didn't say, but I hope not," Ty said, moving quickly to stow his breakfast dishes in the washer. He planted a kiss on his wife's cheek before hurrying into the bathroom to finish cleaning up for his departure.

"See you later," Amy said, catching him for a parting kiss when he emerged. "Love you."

"Love you, too," Ty responded, kissing her again. "Give Lyndy a kiss for me, too, okay?"

"Of course. Now go on; don't be late."

By the time Ty reached Lookout Point, he saw a coroner's van pulling onto the road back towards town. He quickly spotted several police vehicles along with Scott's truck. Two constables stood beside their SUVs, ostensibly there to direct traffic or to encourage nosy onlookers to keep driving past. Ty, unsure of what he should do, pulled to a stop behind Scott's truck. One constable approached and Ty lowered his window expectantly.

"This area has been declared a crime scene; you'll need to continue on," said the young constable, whose nametag identified him as 'Becket'.

"I've been called out here," Ty said. "I'm Dr. Borden. I'm a veterinarian and I work with Dr. Scott Cardinal."

"I.D., please?" Becket asked.

Ty provided his license.

"Okay, stay right here," Becket said after handing back the card. He keyed his radio. "Chief, Dr. Borden has arrived. You're expecting him?"

Chief Parker's deep voice came over the radio, confirming Ty had indeed been summoned and should be permitted to enter the area.

"Follow me," Becket said nodding to Ty. "I'll take you to the spot."

"Thanks," Ty said, growing more uneasy with the entire situation. He stepped out of the truck's cab, vet kit in hand. He followed close on Becket's heels across the uneven grassy terrain, over the rise in the landscape, and down towards a perimeter cordoned off with large orange barriers and yellow crime scene tape.

Within that perimeter Ty could make out a small cluster of uniformed personnel and numbered yellow tags on the turf. He then spotted not one, but two horses outside the perimeter. To his utter surprise, he now saw Lisa was holding the rein of one of those horses.

That's Cinders, he thought, recognizing the dapple grey horse from the time Lisa and Jack had reconciled during an ill-fated trip to Montana. The other horse was being kept away from everyone by Scott for some reason. Now as he neared, Ty could see the horse being minded by Scott was indeed injured.

Ty caught Lisa's eye as he made his way past the perimeter towards his mentor. In that brief exchange, he read in her expression shock and horror. She was speaking with Chief Parker, but he could not make out their conversation. With the presence of the coroner's van he had seen only moments earlier, a new sense of foreboding gripped Ty. He wondered what Lisa was even doing at Lookout Point amidst all these police officers, but then remembered her habit of riding out to this location on most mornings—a habit she had retained even after moving in at Heartland.

"Hey, Ty, thanks for coming," Scott said. The horse he was minding let out a loud snort and kicked at the turf as soon as it spotted Ty.

"Easy, easy," Scott said soothingly.

"Whoa, what's going on with this guy?" Ty asked.

"This is Herring," Scott said of the chestnut horse. "And it looks like he's been attacked by a bear. Lisa thinks he's been out here all last night."

"All last night?" Ty repeated, instantly registering the horse's name and why it sounded familiar. "Scott, Val Stanton was supposed to be riding Herring yesterday. The coroner's van I just saw..."

Bleakly, Scott answered Ty's implied question. "Val's dead, Ty. Lisa found her body."

Ty closed his eyes and exhaled his shock. "Aw, man. That's terrible. Was she thrown, or something?"

Scott shrugged. "I don't know. Chief Parker and his team were already here when I arrived. I didn't get a look at the body. My immediate concern was for Herring. Lisa said he was spooked by Cinders and absolutely would not calm down. Wouldn't even let her approach with Cinders so close. That's why they called me. I've just administered a sedative. It's a small miracle he let me get near enough even for that, because everyone was ready to go with a tranquilizer gun. Anyway, I called you because Herring is Lisa's. She asked for you."

Despite the sedative Scott administered, Ty noted the horse was still skittish. Its eyes roved in an agitated fashion, and it was wary of any movement. This was demonstrated right at that moment when Chief Parker ambled over to the veterinarians. Herring gave a wild cry and stamped a hoof.

"Whoa," Scott said in a gentle tone. The horse managed to settle enough for Parker not to feel threatened.

"Thanks for coming, Ty," the senior officer said. Turning to Scott, he added, "Dr. Cardinal, one of my guys is going to come and take those photos of the wounds on Herring now like we talked about earlier, just in case we need anything for evidence later. Do you think he can keep still enough for that?"

"The sedative should really be taking effect now, but no sudden moves," Scott warned.

"We'll do our best," Parker said, waving over a member of his forensic crime scene team. The young man clutched a large kit stuffed with photography equipment, listened to Parker's instructions about what he needed, and carried on with his task.

"I think the best thing would be to get him trailered to Heartland since it's so nearby," Ty said, while the photographs were being snapped. "And he does belong to Lisa, after all."

"Fine," Parker said with a brisk nod. "Let my guy finish up here, then I'll sign off on that transport."

Ty looked over once more at Lisa, concerned for her state of mind after finding Val. Her body language said it all as she stood rigidly in place, tightly gripping Cinders' rein with her left hand, her riding helmet pressed snugly against her side in the crook of her right arm.

Parker was speaking to her again now, and Ty saw her nod her head a couple times. He rightly assumed it was about the arrangement to bring Herring to Heartland. Ty wondered why she had not yet approached them, but remembered the injured horse's current mental state. Whatever happened out here, this poor horse has been severely traumatized, Ty realised. Everything is spooking him right now.

"I'm finished here," the forensics photographer finally said, and backed away calmly and carefully from the injured animal.

"Thanks," Scott said. Then, turning to Ty, added, "Let's get these wounds cleaned up now. I'm worried about how long they've been left exposed like this. I don't want infection to set in."

"Right," Ty said in agreement. He cast one last glance back at Lisa. She waved a gloved hand before placing her helmet back on her head in preparation to ride Cinders back to Fairfield. He waved back, then set to work with Scott to clean and bandage the wounds on the afflicted horse.

"The police are here with the trailer," Jack announced as he peered out the kitchen window.

Lisa set down her mug of tea. "Thanks," she murmured, still dressed in her riding attire. She had immediately driven back from Fairfield after depositing Cinders and had arrived at Heartland only minutes earlier.

Jack watched things unfold from the porch. Lisa, Ty, and Amy gathered at the trailer and they spoke with a pair of constables. He watched Lisa sign some sort of official paperwork.

With that piece of business taken care of, Ty and Amy began the task of offloading Herring. Lisa said something to them Jack could not determine, but seemed to him to be words of encouragement. The constables departed, their job having been completed.

"Scott administered a sedative on site," Ty said to Amy, as he slowly guided the animal towards the stables. "Herring was really agitated from the pain and the trauma of the attack, we think."

"Poor guy," Amy said.

"It's a miracle he was able to get close enough for that," Ty repeated what his mentor said at Lookout Point. "Scott mentioned they were almost ready to use the tranquilizer. We cleaned up the wounds as best we could out there, but we still need to watch for signs of infection."

Amy nodded in understanding.

"What comes next, now that he's here?" Lisa asked.

"I can deal with the physical side; we're all hoping you can cope with his behavior, Amy," Ty answered as they entered the barn. "He's terrified of everything right now. You'll see once the sedation wears off."

"No wonder," Amy said, noting the bandages Ty and Scott had applied to the left flank, hindquarter, and thigh. "After what he's been through, he's going to need a lot of help."

"I'm game if you are, babe," Ty said with a smile.

"I most certainly am, Dr. Borden," Amy replied, stretching up to kiss him.

Lisa smiled at the sight. "I'll let you two get to it," she said, sending them a wink as she parted company, confident her horse was in the right hands.

Despite knowing Herring would most likely make a full recovery under Ty and Amy's expert care, Lisa's face was grim when she was once again inside the kitchen.

"How bad is it?" Jack ventured to ask, immediately noticing her gloomy expression.

Lisa sat down at the table before giving an answer. She took a sip from her mug, but the tea had grown tepid in her absence and failed to help ward off a chill she was suddenly experiencing.

"The bear got some pretty good swipes in," Lisa finally responded, a slight tremor passing through her frame at the memory of seeing the extent of Herring's injuries. "Some of those claw marks are pretty deep. But that's not the only concern. He's been really traumatised psychologically by the attack. Right now he is sedated; Amy is hoping to work with him later."

Jack observed her with concern. "Are you okay?"

"I will be," she said, looking up at his face and reading there a combination of love and worry. "I'm much more upset about Val. When I saw her lying there, facedown, I just knew. It was awful, Jack."

"I'm so sorry you had to find her like that, Lis," Jack said, gently placing his hand over hers.

"I can't imagine what could have happened. From what I was able to see, her jacket... her jacket was bloodstained. Do you think the bear—"

"I really don't know," Jack interjected quickly, wanting to divert his wife's line of thinking. "No use dwelling on it until the police finish their investigation."

"You knew her longer than I did," Lisa stated carefully. "You were the friend she leaned on when she was going through her cancer battles."

"Right," Jack said slowly with a nod of agreement.

"She had feelings for you, Jack," Lisa added. "You know she did; I won't pretend I didn't notice. Years back she let me know in no uncertain terms she was keeping you in her life, despite knowing we were a serious item."

"Why are you bringing this up all of a sudden?" asked Jack, surprised the conversation had swayed in this direction.

Lisa exhaled. "I don't really know. I'm still trying to wrap my mind around everything, I guess. What I'm trying to say is, despite Val not being my favourite person on the planet, I certainly never wanted her dead, and certainly not like that."

"Come here," Jack said, opening his arms. Lisa got up from her seat and slid onto Jack's lap. He encircled her in a tight embrace, nuzzling the side of her head. The earlier chill that had descended upon her melted away with the warmth of his body so close to hers.

"Mmm..." murmured Lisa. "Thank you. I needed this hug."

"You're welcome," Jack whispered.

Hudson Times—Print Version

Wednesday, April 17, 2019

Briar Ridge Owner Found Dead

Nadir Jutley

Prominent Hudson businesswoman Valerie Stanton was found dead early Tuesday morning. Stanton had earlier been reported missing by her son, Jesse Stanton. He told this reporter he advised authorities his mother had been out horseback riding on Monday and had not returned by the appointed time. He immediately reported this absence, as he was particularly concerned for her well-being due to an undisclosed health issue.

This reporter learned local veterinarians, Drs. Cardinal and Borden were called to Lookout Point and an injured horse was removed from the scene for treatment.

Chief of Hudson Police James Parker has issued the following statement:

"At approximately 7:15 a.m. on Tuesday morning, the body of Ms. Valerie Stanton of Briar Ridge Stables was discovered by a Hudson resident out on a horseback ride up at Lookout Point. Ms. Stanton had evidently fallen from her mount. Our preliminary examination shows that any injuries suffered in that fall did not ultimately contribute to her death. At this time, we cannot comment on the precise cause of death except to say we believe Ms. Stanton did not die from natural causes.

"We would also like to issue another warning to the public about the bear that has been seen around Hudson. There is evidence the horse Ms. Stanton was riding came into close contact with that animal and suffered some injuries as a result."

Chief Parker said he would make more details public as they became available.

Briar Ridge staff and neighbours reacted with sadness and shock at the news.

Stanton was the owner of Briar Ridge Stables, a world-class showjumping training facility. She was predeceased by her husband, Alexander Stanton, in 2004; she is survived by two adult children, Jesse and Ashley.

• Email: nadir_jutley

"I still can't believe Val is dead," Georgie said, staring blankly. "We just saw her at the faux fox hunt last week."

"It's crazy," Lou uttered in agreement. "I don't get it. What on earth could have happened? And this part about 'Ms. Stanton did not die from natural causes'. What's that supposed to mean?"

"It means whatever happened to her wasn't natural, and it wasn't an accident," Tim spoke up. He made a slashing motion across his neck.

"Dad!" Lou cried in dismay, staring at him in shock at his crude gesture.

"What? That's exactly what it means," he said in his defense. "Someone or some thing killed Val. But I'll wager this is a case of foul play."

Lou glared at her father. "You didn't have to be so—so graphic about it."

Tim was about to give some smart retort, but was stalled when Georgie spoke up.

"I rode for her... And I did a school project on Briar Ridge," murmured the teen, voice toneless. "I learned so much from her, even if I didn't agree with her business model. She wasn't the easiest person to deal with, you know? She could be so demanding and so mean sometimes, but I-I don't know how anyone could want to hurt her."

"Hey, come here," Lou said softly, beckoning her daughter for a hug, which the girl quickly accepted. "Don't worry yourself about it, honey."

"Make no mistake: someone did her in. And all I have to say is the cops better catch the person responsible," Tim remarked. "Last thing we need is a killer on the loose in Hudson."

The man's phone buzzed.

"Speak," he said, upon accepting the call.

"They found the body."

"I know. It's being blasted in the local paper."

"Hmph. My client wasn't expecting her to be found for another few days."

"Not my problem."

"You're sure no one saw you out there?"

"I was long gone before the body was discovered. No one saw me. You can take that to the bank."

"Okay, fine. My client just wants to be sure."

"Tell your 'client' I did what I was paid to do. I don't control what happens afterwards. If he was so concerned about when or how someone eventually stumbled upon that woman's corpse, he should have added 'disposal' to the list of duties."

"You do that, too?"

"If my price is met."

"Good to know. I'll keep that in mind."

Hudson Times — Print Version

Thursday, April 18

Cause of Death Released

Nadir Jutley

At a press conference yesterday, Hudson Police Chief James Parker announced a stunning development in the death of prominent Hudsonite Valerie Stanton.

"The coroner has determined that Ms. Stanton's death was the result of a single gunshot wound," Parker revealed. "We have no suspects at this time, but we are asking for the public's help in this matter. Sometime on the morning of the 15th, Ms. Stanton was out on horseback at Lookout Point near Highway 23. We are asking for any hunters, hikers, or motorists in the vicinity at the time to please come forward with any information."

When asked by this reporter, Chief Parker admitted they are treating the death as "suspicious", but ultimately stated the shooting could be accidental in nature.

"The fact that we've had several bear sightings and the fact the horse Ms. Stanton was riding was attacked by a bear is reason enough to believe someone might have been aiming for one of those predators. The possibility certainly exists Ms. Stanton could have been struck by a stray bullet. This is why it is crucial we speak to anyone who might have been out hunting in the area on Monday, the 15th."

Alberta Fish and Wildlife had previously issued a warning about a bear in Hudson county, and they repeated that warning today. If spotted, residents are asked to call 555-625-1540. Do not approach the animal in any circumstance.

Valerie Stanton was the owner and operator of the renowned Briar Ridge Stables. She was also a member of the Hudson Chamber of Commerce, and was the recipient of the Hudson Businesswoman of the Year award in 2006. She is survived by her two adult children, Jesse and Ashley.

The funeral for Stanton will be held on Tuesday, April 23 at the Hudson Funeral Home at 1:00 p.m.; a private burial will take place at the Highwood Cemetery.

• Email: nadir_jutley

The atmosphere around the dinner table felt quieter and more sombre than usual that Good Friday evening with just Jack, Lisa, and Georgie sharing a meal. Katie was off to spend the Easter long weekend and an extended spring break in Vancouver with Peter. Lou had departed for New York to deal with her Maggie's franchise business, and would be gone for the next month or so. Surprisingly, Tim was spending a rare evening at Big River for his evening meal. Lisa had extended an invitation to Ty and Amy to come by; the couple had declined.

Jack was feeling the weight of the uncommon silence. He reflected on how much a lively dinner hour had become the norm over the past several years.

It was such a contrast to the time immediately following Lyndy's death when dinners tended to be low-key affairs. Back then, it would be a setting for four: Marion, himself, Lou and Amy. Even then, sometimes he would be eating alone if he had been out dealing with the herd. At other times, he would be eating with just Amy and Lou if their mother was looking after a particularly difficult client horse. Then Scott entered the picture for a few years when Marion sponsored him. Soon after, both the former juvenile delinquent and Lou left Heartland to spread their wings and pursue higher education and careers, bringing the number of those at the dining table down to a paltry three.

Jack's thoughts drifted to Amy and Ty's newest patient. From what Lisa reported upon Herring's return from his fateful ride with Val up to Lookout Point, Jack knew the horse suffered some trauma due to the bear's attack, not unlike what Bear the horse had suffered a few years in the past. A shiver ran down his spine at the thought of Val's body lying on the ground next to Herring as the ravenous predator approached. He swiped a hand across his face, hoping to blot out the images his troubled imagination conjured.

"You all right?" asked Lisa, upon seeing this action.

"Fine," he replied, suddenly self-conscious.

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah, Jack," Georgie added. "You seemed really out of it for a few minutes."

"I am fine, both of you," Jack insisted, trying to ignore Georgie's unsolicited observation. "Not particularly happy, mind you. After all, I've just lost a friend and neighbour, and nobody seems to know what the heck happened to her, but I'm fine."

"Okay, honey," Lisa said placatingly.

Figuring now was as good a time as any to bring up the subject, Jack said, "I don't mean to sound like a worry-wort, but it would give me a great deal of peace of mind if you skipped your usual morning rides out to Lookout Point for the next little while, Lis."

"Oh, I have no intention of going out there anytime soon, believe me," Lisa said with a shudder. "Not after..."

She let her words die on her lips. No, after finding Val's body, Lookout Point would be crossed off her list of riding destinations for the foreseeable future.

"Good," Jack grunted in relief and approval.

They all turned their attention back to the food on their plates, any further conversation having dried up completely. Mention of Lookout Point and the knowledge of what happened to Val ensured no one would be in the mood to say much of anything else.

Easter Monday

"How's Herring doing this morning?" Lisa asked Amy as she walked inside the barn.

"Physically, better. Mentally, not so much," Amy replied with a slight frown. "He still won't go near any of the other horses when I try to turn him out in the paddock. I'm afraid he thinks any large animal is a threat. But like I said, his physical wounds are healing well, thanks to Ty. No signs of infection."

"Okay, good," Lisa said.

"I'm actually thinking of trying a little canine therapy with him."

"Oh?" said Lisa, looking at Amy with interest at this comment.

"Yes," Amy said. "Remi was a great help with that mare-foal pairing we had a few weeks ago. She had a calming effect on the mare. The less we humans interfered, the more Sassy was willing to let the foal approach. The same thing might work for Herring. Remi's a smaller animal than a horse or even a person, so he might not spook so easily in her presence."

"Makes sense," Lisa said with a smile of admiration at Amy's astute observations. "You just keep doing what you do, Amy. I know everything will turn out just fine."

"Thanks, Lisa," Amy said. "You've always had faith in me, right from the start. I don't think I've told you how much that means to me."

"Well, you deserve it, 'Miracle Girl'," Lisa said affectionately. "Okay, I'll let you get back to it. See you later; I'm off to Fairfield."

TBC