A/N This chapter contains a couple of scenes that some may find difficult to read. I have tried to write the most unpleasant of them in a way that tells the story without being too graphic. My apologies if it upsets anyone.
Chapter 25 *
At the compound Nathan was being cautious. When he realised that the gates and door to the first warehouse were wide open he had his men approach the buildings from different points, cutting their way through the fencing at the back where necessary. He himself was now positioned at the entrance, the conversation from inside clear as he could just make out Lucas Bouchard on the floor pleading to be spared.
He realised this was the man Ed had followed from the station. The one at the saloon who had questioned Antoine and Bruce. They had thought he was working with the Bouchards as he had been seen in discussion with the pitiful man who now cowered before him. His distinct Italian accent had placed him as part of Rocco Perri's mob, which could only mean that Lucas and his mother had crossed the wrong people and were now paying the price.
Stepping back he indicated to Harold to come over, quickly relaying the information about Helen Bouchard and instructing him to go back to town to send word to Gabe. He knew that someone from the Mountie station in Clearwater was going there to help with the interrogation, but as that was quite a few hours away from Brookfield he still had time. Was he one who had been missed off the list Andrew Hargreaves had given them or was there another person in that town who was on the payroll of these people?
Turning back to the scene unfolding inside the warehouse he thought quickly how best to deal with this. It was clear that the man was ruthless and would not give in without a fight, probably taking Lucas with him in the process. As much as he disliked Bouchard he didn't want to see the man die. He also knew that he could prove useful in the fight against the crime syndicates if he could be made to talk. Listening to the man begging now he realised there would be little difficulty in getting him to tell everything if he thought it would work in his favour.
It was at that moment that he heard the sound of barking, the noise getting louder as his eyes searched for the direction of the source. From the woodland above the compound a dog came running towards the gate. Ed had also been alerted so he made his was around from the side of the building to see how this changed the situation. "One of the dogs must have managed to break free. I have some meat for him in my saddle bag, let me go and get it". Nathan stopped him. Could this be the distraction they needed? "No, let him come. We will try to guide him into the warehouse and that should then give us the chance to move in and take Bouchard and the other man by surprise."
Inside both men had stopped as the noise of the dog grew louder. Lucas could feel his fear grow but knew that this was perhaps his final chance. Pushing off hard from his feet tucked beneath him he leapt forward, his hand reaching out for the gun. The man from Hamilton was surprised, not expecting any bravado but reacting quickly as Lucas's hand wrapped around his on the gun shaft.
Nathan could see the struggle before him and as the dog charged into the building he followed, with Ed close behind. Weapons raised they raced across the floor, watching the two men battle. First one, then the other, seemed to have the ascendancy. "Stop!" He shouted. "Let go of the gun and step apart." But they continued, neither man willing to relinquish their hold, knowing that whoever did would be finished.
Ed moved around one side of the two combatants as Nathan ran to the other, keeping a safe distance to protect themselves. Once again Nathan called out, "I am ordering you to put down the gun." Momentarily the man from Hamilton raised his eyes towards the Mounties, his look of contempt turning to horror as a gunshot rang out. His eyes widened and almost in slow motion his body fell to the ground as Lucas slowly released the hold he had on the man's arm and the gun.
Kneeling beside him Nathan looked into his face, blood trickling from the man's mouth as he exhaled a gurgling breath. Whispered words were muffled with the raspy sound of death but his eyes told Nathan that he was trying to say something and so he leant closer, "…..the other building..." He coughed more blood and then with a slow exhale uttered his final words, "Mrs Bouchard isn't what she seems."
Sitting at his desk in the corner of the living room Joseph put down his pen, finally satisfied with the sermon he had written. So much had happened over the past few days that he found it difficult to keep up. He had chosen his words carefully, conscious that there was much healing that now needed to be done, the bringing together of people who had been divided by the evil machinations of a small group who cared for nothing but their own gain.
Word had gone out about the special service being held this evening and soon the church bell would be ringing, calling people back into the heart of Hope Valley. It was important now for the community to come together, first in reflection of the dark times they had come through and then in prayer for better days to come. It seemed that a light had been brought back into all their lives, one that was only going to shine brighter from now and he wanted to make sure that everybody felt part of it, that they understood that the past was now just that, a moment in history that needed to be left behind as they moved forward together.
He had called on Katie Yost last night and she had readily agreed to bring the school children to sing some joyful songs, the sound of their young voices an important sign that the town was looking to a happier future. He had left the choice to her, trusting in the young woman to know what would be most uplifting. Her position as school teacher had placed her in the centre of so much of the turmoil, family troubles and disagreements amongst neighbours impacting on the children who spent time together in her classroom. That she managed to achieve harmony there was a credit to her teaching skills and the sign of a wise and gentle woman, something the town could learn from. Joseph hoped this service would be the first step towards it.
With Lucas Bouchard under arrest and Gustav still in a serious condition in the hospital Nathan had decided to close down the Little Gem Saloon. Needing space to accommodate his growing number of detainees and men he had then commandeered the rooms upstairs, his officers taking up guard duty along with the reinforcements who arrived from Brookfield the previous night. These extra men had been a welcome relief, allowing some greatly needed rest to those here, not just from the physical toll but also the emotional strain they had been through. No amount of training could prepare anyone for the things they had seen.
And yet these brave Mounties soldiered on, doing their duty in ways that went beyond what was expected of them. Having noticed some work required to the outside of Cat Montgomery's boarding house yesterday the oldest of the Mounties, Greg Aldritt, had spent his a few moments of his time off carrying out the necessary repairs, all the while chatting with some of Emily's friends who had gathered there eager to hear first hand what had been happening.
Joseph had met a few of them as they headed home, their disappointment at not getting very much information countered by the other tales of Mountie exploits the constable had regaled them with. What a blessing it would be for Hope Valley to have someone like him here. He laughed as he recalled the looks he had seen pass between Cat and the constable, leaving him in no doubt that he wasn't the only one who thought that may be a good thing.
A call from Bill had reassured them all that he had arrived safely at Mountie Headquarters, the list of corrupt officers he presented sending a shock wave through the select senior Mounties trusted with the information. Already an investigation was being set up to check back through cases they had worked to find evidence of their misdeeds as their duties were being curtailed without giving them any indication of what was suspected. Work was also being undertaken to identify any Mounties who may have slipped past Andrew Hargreaves, the select team being careful not to give any sign to anyone that they were under suspicion.
It was going to be a long and arduous task, each action taken carefully as those entrusted with carrying out the investigation took small steps forward to ensure the safety of anyone involved. Joseph knew how desperate men reacted when cornered and had therefore remembered to include in his sermon prayers for all the brave Mounties given what could only be a disheartening duty, challenging others they had once thought of as brothers.
Gabe was the first to experience this, having had the unpleasant duty of arresting one of their own when the Mountie from Clearwater had arrived, his denial of any wrongdoing quickly fading as proof of his communication with one of Rocco Perri's closest associates was uncovered. Faced with this evidence he quickly admitted that his purpose in coming to Brookfield was to deal with Helen Bouchard. His only defence, he explained, was that it wasn't monetary gain that made him comply but the threats made to his sister and her family in Hamilton.
At the promise of protection for them and leniency for his co-operation he had been quick to offer up the few names and connections he had, the first understanding they had of how the mobsters found and inveigled men to betray their oath. In each case they had discovered the officer's weakness and then through threat or offer of remuneration had coerced him into doing their dirty work. Their system was so well set up that no Mountie knew who he could trust, therefore going to a superior was not an option. The mobsters had people at all levels within the force.
As for Helen Bouchard, she was staying tight-lipped, not giving anything away. Gabe had laughed about that with Nathan, wondering at her reaction if he was to tell her that in Hope Valley her son was tripping over himself to tell them everything and save his own bacon. Somehow no-one thought it would surprise her as the contempt she felt for her only child showed every time his name was mentioned.
There were ways to break her, it was just going to take time and a little bit of trickery to wear her down. Gabe had taken great delight in rounding up the known drunks of the town and placing them in the jail cell opposite her, making sure that they were in the worst condition possible and so disturbing any hope the woman may have had for sleep or thought. To say that their language was choice was an understatement but her protests fell on deaf ears. In addition Joe Moody, when on guard duty, happily made a point of walking them as close to her cell as possible when he released them from custody, their odour lingering long after they were gone.
They were willing to wait and once they felt she was ready, at Nathan's asking, Henry Gowan had agreed to sit in on the interrogation. He had said, "I know how people like her think, Gabe. I was one of them once." At this the Mountie shook his head. "No, Henry, you were never like Helen Bouchard. After all her own son has described her as having no heart, no soul…no feeling. What a sad indictment of a human being that is when someone as low as Lucas Bouchard thinks that of his mother! How you have turned your life around is something we all admire."
Closing his notebook Joseph stood up from his chair, wanting to check in at Elizabeth's before heading across to the church. He knew how hard it had been for Minnie, taking on the responsibility of caring for the woman like she would her own daughter. But that was her way, treating all people the same, looking for the good in each of them and patiently sharing their journey to redemption if that was the path they chose. He hadn't yet told her of the conversation he had with Nathan, making her still believe that the security that remained around Elizabeth was there for her own protection, especially now that Jack's body had returned to Hope Valley. Although his widow had not been informed of this happening.
It had been a sombre town that stood out on the boardwalks as the carriage bearing Jack Thornton's flag draped coffin had moved slowly down the main street. Heads were bowed and tears shed, all remembering the good and brave man who had once been such an important part of their community. Someone who had protected and loved every one of them and had been loved equally in return.
Nathan had realised that he couldn't keep this a secret from the townspeople and had asked Cecilia to write a short article about the discovery of his body and how he was now finally being laid to rest in the place that had meant so much to him. This had been quickly printed in a short issue of The Valley Voice, along with a brief explanation from Nathan of the situation unfolding in the town and a promise of more details once all the investigations had been completed.
Standing outside Elizabeth's house now Joseph took a moment to find the strength within himself to act as God would wish. It was not his job to judge others but to wait for the truth to be revealed. It was difficult. No matter how deep was his faith and how hard he worked to be better, the ability to put aside what he believed of a person and view them simply as one of God's creatures did not always come easily to him. For that he thanked the lord for giving him Minnie, for it was when looking at people through her eyes that he was so often humbled.
But the discovery in the second warehouse made it difficult for him today, this evening's service now having even more importance. Man's cruelty to others was never easy to understand and the realisation of what had been going on so close to them all for such a long time was something many people were finding hard to come to terms with. How Nathan and his men must have felt when they opened that door and saw what was inside was impossible to imagine. Today he would ask the people of Hope Valley to pray for the souls of all involved.
So many people were giving so much. The two town doctors had worked tirelessly and it was only with the arrival of Maggie, the nurse from Brookfield, that Faith had finally allowed herself to be led away from the hospital to get some sleep. Molly, Florence and Cecilia all stepped in to help, organising other women of the town to do likewise. Memories of her war experience came flooding back to Cecilia and she felt herself struggling for breath at times, if only for a brief moment, before she could continue. When Joseph had spoken with her she had confessed how difficult she found it. He reminded her that while evil may pervade every corner of the world it was only when good people like herself stood up that it would be defeated.
Before knocking on the door Joseph gave a final thought to the man who had once lived here, albeit briefly. At Bill's request Mountie Headquarters had contacted Charlotte and Tom Thornton and both had agreed that this was where Jack would have wanted to be buried. Charlotte's sadness that Elizabeth had not contacted them was tempered when Bill explained the deterioration in her condition, giving them more reason to make the journey here to lay their son and brother to rest.
So it was that Nathan found himself on the station platform waiting for their train. He thought back to his last time here, only a few weeks ago, when chaos had ensued. Little had he realised at the time just how quickly the situation around them would unravel, nor the extent of the troubles that had beset Hope Valley.
He wanted to get the Thorntons settled in Molly's rowhouse before taking them with him to the church. While his men were too busy to attend he knew that his presence, the sight of his red serge, would be a positive reinforcement of the changes coming to Hope Valley. He also knew that the coming days would bring difficult times for those involved in the investigations. Once Bill was back they would pause to say a proper goodbye to one of their own and accord him the respect he deserved, then the task of bringing those responsible to justice would continue, for he was not yet discounting a connection between Jack's death and whomever Elizabeth was involved with. He prayed that he was wrong.
Selfishly Nathan also knew he needed some time with his family to remind himself just why it was all so important. Allie would be arriving home tonight with The Coulters and only when he had his arms wrapped around both his girls would he feel some peace. He also knew that Cecilia would find the right words to help him understand that he should not feel guilty about the delay in checking the warehouses. His own men's safety had to always be a priority for him and no-one could have known the true reason for hesitancy from the men they had detained.
It was a late night for everyone. First the church service, followed by many of the townspeople gathering in the back part of The Mercantile to share some refreshments and finally spend time with each other, the need for this coming together written on their faces. In the midst of this The Coulters arrived with their boys and Allie. They had hoped to be back in time for the service but the farewells from everyone in Brookfield took much longer than they anticipated.
With emotions already high the sight of Allie and Nathan reunited was too much for many people and there were few dry eyes.
For Nathan it was as though part of him had been missing and now he was whole again. Eyes closed he held on tight to his daughter, breathing in the joy of having her back. It was only when Allie started looking around for Cecilia that he finally relinquished his hold but even then only a little. Coming forward to join their embrace Cecilia felt that her heart was about to burst with the love she felt in this moment.
Nothing in her past had prepared her for the depth of feeling she encountered whenever she was with her family, especially knowing that soon there would be a new one joining them. Not believing she could love another child as much as Allie she had sometimes worried but then seeing how much she and Nathan had allowed their love to open up to include her made her see how wonderful it was going to be. Now as the night wound down she gave thanks for having their daughter safely back with them and prayed that no more difficulties would cause them to be separated.
In the morning Cecilia and Molly were quietly enjoying their coffee when the sound of footsteps on the stairs alerted them to the fact that someone else in the house had finally woken. They had left Allie and Nathan to sleep on, knowing just how much each of them were in need of the rest.
It was Nathan whose head appeared around the door of the kitchen first before he stepped in fully dressed and ready for the day. "Good morning ladies, I seem to be a little tardy today." With that he bent to kiss his wife as Molly moved across to the stove to pour him some coffee.
"You certainly needed that sleep. How are you feeling now?" she said, placing the steaming cup in front of him.
"Actually I feel much better, despite having had to wake up from the incredible dream I was having." He smiled in such a big way then as though the memory of it came into his thoughts that both women spoke in unison, "Don't keep it to yourself, we want to know what it was about." Taking the seat next to his wife he leant back, wondering just how far he could push this. "Well, in my dream I was still the Mountie here in Hope Valley, although I did have others under me." He winked at his wife before saying "I was, of course, married".
Nathan could see a softness in Cecilia's eyes as she was imaging the scenario, so he continued quickly, "My wife was so beautiful. Smart and sassy, there was nothing she couldn't do and everybody loved her". Keeping just the faintest smile on his face he added, "We had a wonderful family, an older daughter, a toddler son and then cute twin baby girls. It was everything I've ever dreamt of."
By this time both women had leant forward, their eyes wide waiting for him to continue, "and, erm….who was you wife?" Cecilia finally asked. Rising from his chair and stepping back he grinned before turning to run, "Her name was Daisy!"
As a shriek escaped Cecilia's lips Allie walked into the kitchen and straight into her father, a bewildered look on her face. "What on earth is going on here? You sound like a group of school children on the last day of term!" Inside she was smiling. This was the dad she wished everyone in Hope Valley could know. Not the person who had carried the unwarranted guilt of Fort Clay with him and then the rejection from Mrs Bouchard but the man who was funny and loving and meant the world to her. She hoped the terrible happenings here wouldn't change him again.
From the room above the Mountie Office the men were heading off to carry out their tasks. The two Mounties who had brought Jack Thornton's body back were each taking the lead on guard duty in The Little Gem Saloon and downstairs at the jail. Nathan was keeping them here until such time as Elizabeth's fate was decided or, more precisely, her involvement in all of this had been determined.
Walter and Patrick were ready to begin the investigation at The Tipperary and confirm its connection to the second warehouse. There was no question that it was all part of the same operation and the men from Brookfield had been tasked with keeping an eye on the place until they were ready to start.
The first requirement was to search for the hidden area they now knew existed. Approaching the front of the building they waited until they knew that the Brookfield men had made their way around to the rear, keeping watch to make sure no-one escaped out of the back doors. In the bar the same Chinese man was lounging at the table by the door working on ledgers spread out in front of him, his demeanor calm for someone who must know what had been found at the warehouse and whom they believed was involved in the appalling crime. It had struck them as a strange conundrum, why an Irish bar was being run by the Chinese. Of course, the answer lay with Shue Moy's gang but the bigger question was where did Elizabeth Bouchard fit into this?
There was a self assurance about the man as the two mounties entered, as though he believed that nothing they did would touch him. Was he feeling so confident because he thought any trouble here would be quickly quashed by those higher up in the force? Walter and Patrick just glared back at him, having seen the arrogance in the Chinese man and knowing they had enough evidence already to wipe away his smugness while elsewhere anyone who could help him was being closely monitored. What they were doing now was just a process they needed to go through to put the whole picture together.
"We believe that you may be hiding some illicit goods on the premises and are here to conduct a search," Patrick explained, knowing that was not the reason but wanting to gain the access that would allow them find evidence connecting the place to the transportation of illegal immigrants. Again there was a sneering indifference on the man's face, something they were looking forward to wiping away. The memory of what they had found in the warehouse was forever etched in the minds of both men, bringing a steely resolve to bring this criminal and his cohorts to justice.
It was the smell that had hit first, the odour overwhelming them at the first crack of the big door. Then as they opened it wide and the light hit the interior they stood still, aghast at what they saw. Metal cages lined the walls, with little more than rags on the bottom where skeletal figures lay. Only a few reacted as the light poured in and even then it was only with the slightest of movement, their bodies too weak to do anything more. There was no food or water, no escape from the small space they inhabited. Huddled together with their faces turned away, no longer having any expectation of rescue, they were oblivious to the men who would be their saviours.
A shout from Walter had alerted Nathan and he came running from the other warehouse where Lucas Bouchard was being arrested, Ed and Harold ready to take him into the jail. Immediately their task had changed and an urgent message for help was the priority.
The community had responded quickly, the horror of what they were being told so unbelievable that even those who had experienced the worst cruelties of war were not prepared for what they found when they arrived. Working silently and with a determination to treat these people with the utmost dignity they wrapped them in blankets and carried them out of the hellhole, the tears of rescuers and victims mixing together. But it was only when the last of the people had been carefully loaded onto a wagon to be transported to the hospital that the worst of this atrocity became known. In the far corner behind the building was an area of recently disturbed earth and from the few words that the only one who could speak some English was able to utter they realised exactly what it was.
In town the call went out for all manner of supplies, including old tin baths which were then used constantly as each person was cleaned, freshly clothed and moved to a comfortable bed. The kitchen of The Little Gem was put back into use with pots of soup being made, a gentle meal full of nutrients that both doctors felt would not be too much for the starving patients. Molly, Florence and Cecilia assisted Faith and Mathew with treating the many open wounds and checking for any other injuries.
Despite sometimes seeming overwhelmed the good people of Hope Valley came together unable to say any more than what was necessary, aghast at the barbarity of what they now knew had been happening under their noses yet humbled at the gratitude they saw in the eyes of every one of these people.
With those images as a reminder Walter and Patrick strode across the floor of The Tipperary bar, not waiting for permission. As the Chinese man's hand started to move down under the table another figure appeared at the door. His gun raised, Chuck Stewart stepped inside before saying, "Keep your hands where I can see them".