McConaughey Mining …
Constable Hansen drove the RCMP Jeep like his foot was on fire. He wanted to apprehend Omar Zaman badly. The usually easygoing officer kept his own counsel about his motivation to catch the thief. He barely saw the large, Ford truck in the cloud of dust billowing up and down the mountain. Hansen quickly hugged the ditch line, avoiding the much larger vehicle.
"I know it's him, Benton. Omar vowed to get revenge on me for the death of his family. He would have killed me himself all those years ago." Hansen had been standing near the door of the Inspector's office, ready to knock when he heard her say those words. He knew Inspector Thatcher wasn't responsible for anyone's murder. She'd been too kind and helpful to the people of Spencer Falls. Hansen wasn't about to let anyone hurt the Inspector.
The Jeep skidded to a stop on the deep gravel near the mining works. Dust hung in the air as men worked to remove the precious stone hidden in the earth. Hansen took the lead. He walked up to the first miner he came to and asked,
"Is Omar Bilal Zaman here right now?" His voice carried across the site. The miner looked at the fierce looking officer, his eyes wide.
"No, he left a few minutes ago, you must have met him on your way up here." The man shrugged, confused.
"In the Jeep, Constable Ford." Hansen turned on his heel and marched back to the Jeep. He put the four wheel drive in gear and tore out of the gravel lot.
"What's your problem, Hansen?" Ford asked as he hung onto the safety bar for dear life.
"We just past Omar Zaman on our way up here, if we hurry we can catch him before he attacks the Inspector." Ford's eyes widened when he heard that. An attack on Inspector Thatcher was news to him.
"How do you know he's after the Inspector?" Ford demanded as he braced for a hard left.
"I just do, trust me." Hansen didn't take his eyes off the road as they hit the pavement and took off.
Omar had spotted the RCMP Jeep on his way back down the mountain. Fearful, he sped the Ford Superduty onto the road and off toward the bunkhouse. If he was going to kill Meg Thatcher he knew it would have to be soon.
First he needed to gather his gear. Second he needed to ditch the huge, Ford truck for something harder to spot, his dirt bike. Omar had practiced living light, keeping only the things he needed to survive.
McConaughey Mining's bunkhouse was a low slung, block structure. There were two dozen rooms, each with a full restroom, refrigerator and microwave. Two men usually shared a room but the rest of the mining crew refused to go anywhere near Omar. That suited him fine. For so long he'd craved revenge on Meg Thatcher. Now he was going to get it, if it was the last thing he did.
Taking his sniper rifle, ammunition and camping gear, the young man emptied his room of his belongings, packing it all in a backpack. Omar pulled the tarp off his dirt bike and saddled up. In ten minutes he had made his way to a campsite in a remote area on McConaughey's land. The mining director didn't know, nor would he care, that Omar had siphoned off explosives, money and other materials while waiting until the time was right to strike. Omar had only one exit strategy- death.
Home from the Hospital …
It was a snug ride in the RCMP Jeep with four adults and Ben. The boy had to squeeze into the back seat with Maggie and Ray. He didn't mind, he was glad to be out of the hospital.
"So, is Dief liking the country out here?" Ben leaned forward to ask his dad. It wasn't the question he wanted to ask, but he decided to ask about things between Fraser and Meg back at the cabin.
"He's quite happy here, it's difficult to get him inside without the promise of food." Fraser answered over his shoulder.
"I bet Aurora is the same way." Ben turned to Maggie who was eying Ray and smiling coquettishly.
"No, Spencer Falls isn't that much different from my post, the new has already worn off for her." Maggie shrugged.
"I've missed them both." Ben went on.
Constable Wilder listened to the conversation in silence. He had pieced together that Inspector Thatcher had worked with Fraser years ago in the States, that Ray was an American detective and that Maggie McKenzie Kowalski was Fraser's younger sister. It was an interesting situation. Wilder had heard stories and whispers about the Mountie working in Chicago his whole career. His verdict on the whole thing was still out. Wilder tended to believe only what he witnessed for himself. The younger officer knew more than anyone suspected about Inspector Thatcher's past.
"Are you headed back to the post?" Wilder asked as they arrived in Spencer Falls.
"Yes, the post." Fraser answered. He needed to see Meg for himself.
Meg sat behind her desk, trying to get her day's work done. Aurora lay beside her on one side and Dief sat with his head on her knee. No matter what she did, including tossing him a Swiss Roll, Dief wouldn't leave her side. The old wolf looked up to her woefully.
"What is your problem, Diefenbaker. I'm fine, I promise." Meg assured him for the third time. Still, he nudged her hand and left his head on her knee.
Aurora's ears perked up and she stood when she heard the sound of a vehicle in the parking lot. When the door opened she smelled her human and the boy. She trotted out of Thatcher's office and into the main room.
"Hello, girl, I'm glad to see you too." Maggie knelt down and said hello to her furry companion. Aurora then scoped out the other humans. Dief followed Meg into the main room.
"Ah, Fraser, good. I don't know what is up with Diefenbaker, I can't turn around without tripping over him. He won't leave me alone, even when I give him a doggie treat." Meg pointed to the old wolf walking along side her.
"My apologies, Sir. He may sense your anxiety, about the suspect." Fraser rushed to explain. Meg didn't look convinced but knew better than to dig any deeper.
"How are you, Ben?" Meg switched the subject, her dark eyes examining boy for herself.
"I'm fine, thank you, Inspector Thatcher. I just got the wind knocked out of me." He grinned, shrugging off her attention.
"I understand that your quick thinking saved another camper from drowning, that was very brave of you." The Inspector smiled, noting the rising blush in his cheeks.
"It was nothing, really." The boy shook his head.
"Well, I'm glad to see that you're alright." Meg reached out to shake the boy's hand.
"Hey, Frase, why don't Ben and me go back to the cabin, let him rest up." Ray came around to where he and the Mountie wouldn't be overheard.
"Thank you, Ray, I appreciate it." Fraser felt relieved.
"No problem, Buddy, you take care of Maggie and I'll take care of Ben, okay." Ray slapped his old partner on the back.
"Would you mind taking Dief as well, he seems to be annoying Inspector Thatcher." Fraser asked as he watched his son and Meg interacting.
"Sure, I will if I can. Personally, I think the wolf knows there's a thing goin' on between you and the Iron Maiden." Fraser whirled to look at his old friend.
"You know, hormones, fairy mones, er whatever, Dief can smell 'em all over the two of you." The Mountie thought about it for a moment, his thumb nail smoothing his brow as he pondered.
"That is a possibility, Dief is keenly in tune with my scent and body chemistry. Pheromone, the chemical that the majority of animals secrete to draw a potential mate, would be quite strong to his olfactory senses." Fraser reasoned. As usual, Ray quit listening after the first half of the sentence.
"Yeah, anyway, me and Ben will hang out the rest of the afternoon at the cabin." Ray strolled off to let Maggie and Ben know the plan.
"I'll see you for dinner, Dad." Ben waved as he and Ray walked out the door. The boy still looked a bit pale and seemed tired.
"I'll call Ray and check on you later." Fraser walked them outside. Ben sighed, exasperated.
"Okay, Dad, talk to you later." He shook his head as they turned to walk down the sidewalk. Fraser watched them for a moment before turning to go back inside. Meg stood on the other side of the post's front door, her arms crossed over her chest as she leaned against the frame.
"He's amazing." She said with a smile as she met Fraser's gaze. Dief had refused to leave the post and Meg's side. He sat quietly watching his human and his human's chosen female.
"Yes, he is." Fraser leaned against the frame, his body language mirroring Meg's. He rubbed the tip of his tongue over his slightly imperfect eyetooth. Meg reached in and pulled the door shut, so as not to be overheard.
"Why do you do that?" She said, her brown eyes lingering on the Mountie's moveable lips.
"Do what?" He stood up straight, confused.
"That thing you do with your tongue and your eyetooth. I've seen you do it when we were assigned to the consulate." Meg felt her heart racing as she decided to steal a moment from the work day for the two of them.
"I wasn't aware that I was doing anything special." He met her gaze, noticing her wire framed glasses.
"I always wondered what you were thinking when you did that. It's sexy." She added just above a whisper. Fraser's eyes went wide, flattered. Meg didn't think her heart could beat any harder without going into cardiac arrest. It was her first revelation made without being under duress. She was glad to see the smile begin to pick up the edges of Fraser's lips.
"I was hoping to tell you about your glasses," Meg stiffened. She still hated her glasses but they were a necessary evil these days.
"I think they suit you, they're elegant on you." Fraser silently admonished himself for such a stiff compliment. "They bring out your eyes. I like your eyes." He thought to himself, "That sounded like a compliment Ben would have given a girl."
Meg smiled broadly at the clumsy extolment. Her glasses didn't seem so bad anymore.
"Thank you kindly, no one's said anything like that to me in a long time." Fraser loved the glow that seemed to spread as she smiled. This was the Meg Thatcher he'd suspected was hidden beneath the inspector's mask all along.
Dief stood up, whining to get Fraser's attention. All the sugar in the air was making him thirsty. Meg looked down at the old wolf who looked back at her. She thought sure he rolled his eyes at her before heading back into the main room of the post as Fraser held the door open.
The rest of the day was spent trying to track down Omar Zaman. His immigration file was pulled, his college transcripts, criminal records, phone records and anything else that Fraser could think of to give them a clear picture of who this young man had grown into. By all accounts he was an intense, often hostile person who made excellent grades in school. The more Fraser studied the young man, the more concerned he became for Meg's safety. It didn't take long in a small place the size of Spencer Falls for the whole community to know there was a man hunt in the works.
"Benton, it's five o'clock, Ray's called asking what you want for dinner." Maggie interrupted the Mountie as he read through Omar's immigration file.
"Oh my, I should be heading home." He checked his watch. "Tell Ray I'll bring dinner." Fraser stopped in his tracks. It was also time for Meg to leave for her apartment.
"Maggie, may I speak to you outside, please?" Fraser's voice was too calm.
"What's going on, Benton?" Her pale blue eyes searched his face when they were out of earshot.
"Maggie, I need someone to stay with Meg, ah, Inspector Thatcher tonight." Fraser tried to hide it as he winced.
"You want me and Aurora to stay with her in case Omar Zaman decides to make his move tonight." She reasoned, letting her brother's gaff slide.
"Yes, he may well know that we've identified him, putting the Inspector in danger." Genuine concern in his voice.
"I agree. Let me call Ray and tell him while you inform the Inspector." Maggie suggested. She hated to give up a night with Ray but she hadn't seen her brother this anxious about a woman in his life, ever.
"Thank you kindly, Maggie." Fraser looked her square in the eye. She could tell that this was important to him.
"Glad to help, Benton." She smiled up at him before turning to go back inside.
Meg gathered her purse and jacket slowly. She hated to be parted from Fraser even over night. It was comforting knowing he was just in the next room. The old days in Chicago came to mind, days when she would find excuses to call him into her office to see him.
"Inspector may I come in?" Fraser's voice interrupted her memories as she let the computer finish shutting down.
"Constable Fraser, yes." She rounded the desk to meet him halfway to the door.
"I feel that with Omar Zaman unaccounted for it would be prudent for someone to stay with you tonight at your apartment, or perhaps you could stay elsewhere." Fraser suggested, hoping she wouldn't be stubborn and refuse. He studied her for her reaction.
"I can't ask anyone to put themselves in danger, having me as a guest. I also can't have one of my officers stay at my apartment, that wouldn't appear above board." Meg shook her head, her mind still sorting her options.
"I've already asked Maggie and she's agreed. She and Aurora will stay tonight." Fraser didn't care about above board anymore, he wanted Meg to be safe. His green eyes pleaded with her to be reasonable, to let him do this as much for his own peace of mind as well as her safety.
"It's too much to ask, she and Ray Kowalski are newly married." Meg protested but her heart wasn't in it. Fraser took a deep breath, looking down between his feet for a moment.
"I can see this is troubling you, Fraser, thank you. I just hope Aurora doesn't snore like Dief does." Meg relented. She was too old to waste time resisting him. She'd seen him be right too often to shut him down.
"Come to the cabin with me, we can have dinner until Maggie's shift is over then I'll accompany you home." The Mountie offered. What was there for Meg to say? She smiled and nodded, pleased to be fussed over.
"Good, it's settled." Fraser put his Stetson on his head firmly as he ushered Meg out the door ahead of him.