Chapter 32

Fiona had given it a lot of thought and now she just needed Bill Avery's blessing and guidance to help her make the decision. His plan to ensure the future of these Chinese people had been so welcomed by the town it had made her think again about the idea that had begun to form in her mind. Now it seemed the most natural thing for her to do, there was a need and she felt that she was the person who could fill it. As she finished tying the green ribbon in the hair of the little Chinese girl she looked down at her innocent face and knew in her heart that she was right. These people and Hope Valley were exactly what each needed right now to start the healing process and she wanted to step forward and play her part. Perhaps it would be her way of honouring Mike and all he had stood for.

She wondered if she should talk to Ed about this. He had been calling into the barber shop each day, sometimes just to say a quick hello and other times to stop and chat for a while. When he wasn't on duty he would be waiting at the end of the day to walk her home, the route getting a little longer and their steps a little slower each time. It was the easiest she had felt with anyone for as long as she could remember and when he took her hand in his it just seemed so right. Their moments together became the most important part of her day and she realized it was something she didn't want to lose. For her he was like a gift from heaven. As though Mike had seen how much she was struggling without him and sent Ed to fill the void he had left behind, with the addition of a strong attraction between her and the Mountie. Mike would never have left that out so determined was he that one day they would each find the love they deserved. She couldn't deny the feeling of heightened emotion that came over her whenever Ed appeared. Nor the electricity she felt whenever they touched.

It would be nice to share her plan with him but she was concerned that by telling him now she would be influencing his decision about Hope Valley and that was something she wasn't sure she should do. Stay or go, it had to be for his own reasons and not because of her plans. It was his future and he had to follow his heart. If that meant moving on she would accept it, no matter how painful it would be for her.

A noise behind made her turn and she was surprised to see Elizabeth standing across the other side of the room, flanked by the two psychiatric nurses brought in by Charles Kensington. Close behind them was one of the young mounties recently arrived with Bill. Faith and Mathew had decided that some exercise and fresh air should be included in Elizabeth's daily routine and so now a small contingent of Mounties came each day to escort her out for a walk. Fiona was shocked to see the difference in the other woman. Although it had been a long time since they had been in close company, she was still accustomed to seeing a well groomed Elizabeth walk along Main Street on her way to visit either The Mercantile or her husband at the saloon. There had been an air of indifference about her then, a separation from all those around as though an impregnable wall enclosed her.

Now that woman was gone and in her place stood a sad creature with lank hair and dull skin, as though everything that had defined the schoolteacher from Hamilton had now disappeared. But it was her eyes that showed how far she had fallen from her golden perch. They were sunk into her face, staring out with a glazed expression as if no longer understanding who or where she was.

Uncertain how to react Fiona gave her a small smile and raised her hand in a half greeting, as she had done so many times in recent years. This woman had been her friend once and until the truth of whether she herself had been a victim in all of this was known she deserved some understanding. Surely there had to still exist a smattering of hope for her redemption. She turned fully around, ready to walk across to offer a proper greeting but stopped sharply as she watched a twisted smile form on Elizabeth's lips and saw a blackness in her eyes so deep it sent a shiver down her spine. Then suddenly it was gone but not before Fiona realized she had just witnessed evil. Or madness. Or both.

Ed's voice brought her back to reality as he had watched the interaction between the two women from the main doorway and rushed over to see what had caused the color to drain from her face. "Fi? Are you ok?" She nodded quickly, not wanting him to worry about her. "I'm fine, just a bit upset to see the state Elizabeth is in now." She stepped away, trying not to show just how deeply it had affected her. The mind is a strange thing, she thought. How awful it must be to fall down into such depths of despair and let it eat you up until reality no longer existed. To care for nothing but the all-consuming hatred within your soul. Hadn't she come close to that herself?

She had wondered many times what would have happened to her if Nathan had not returned to Hope Valley. He had been her lifeline, someone who had given her renewed faith that all was not lost. To say he was a beacon of light, not only to her but all of the good people here, didn't do justice to what he and his men had done for them. Then there was Rosemary, her wise and wonderful friend, who had saved her from crossing over that line into madness, for that was surely where she would be if she had succeeded in shooting Lucas Bouchard. No matter how much anger she had felt over Mike's death she knew now that the answer did not lie in seeking revenge but in living a life that would have made him proud of her, in finding happiness and embracing every opportunity while always carrying him in her heart.

Yet in a way the incident that night at The Coulter's house had brought her the most wonderful gift in the form of Constable Edward Harter. She loved that name and the man who bore it. She gave out a sudden cry at the realisation of her feelings for him and immediately a hand was on her shoulder, turning her back around to look up into the most handsome face she had ever seen. It's always in the eyes, she remembered Nathan telling her once. This time what she saw was love and compassion, with the promise of a future that held no fear, just hope and possibilities. Now she knew he felt the same. It was written so clearly across his face.

"Fi, is something wrong?" he asked again. All at once she knew what she wanted to say. "Nothing is wrong, Ed. At least it won't be if you tell me you are going to stay in Hope Valley."

His smile reached his eyes as he drew her close, before whispering into her ear, "If it was up to me, Fiona Miller, I would stay just as we are now forever. There is nowhere on this earth that I would rather be." He leant back then, cupping her chin in his hand as he looked straight into her eyes. "Now, how about you saying what it is you've been afraid to tell me?"

There was definitely a change to the mood all over Hope Valley. Although the heavy presence of Mounties on their streets meant everyone was aware of the serious work still being carried out by Nathan and his men, as well as the long recuperation that still lay ahead for the Chinese immigrants, overall the only way to describe the feeling was one of optimism. Molly and Florence had commented on it just that morning and when the sign over the cafe came down it was as though the sun was finally shining on their town once again. "Who needs some fancy French name to make it good" Ned commented and all those around him in The Mercantile nodded in agreement.

And so Minnie's Place became the new name for the cafe and once again an element of homeliness and peace returned to the town. There had been many discussions between The Canfields and The Yosts before Minnie finally accepted that neither Florence nor Ned would be upset at losing the small cafe they had set up at the rear of The Mercantile. "They were desperate times, Minnie", Florence reassured her friend, "and we were only providing a stopgap until normality returned. There is nothing Ned and I want more than to see you back at the cafe baking all your delicious cakes and providing a wonderful meeting place for everyone here. Now, more than ever, we all need that."

Minnie was still pinching herself at the speed with which this had all happened. As soon as The Mounties had begun their campaign of exposing the criminal elements in Hope Valley many of the people Lucas had brought in to manage and work in the businesses he had set up had chosen to flee rather than be caught up in his downfall. As most of these properties were in Elizabeth's name and she had been declared incapable, William Thatcher had arranged with Bill for power of attorney to be given to her sister Julie, who had remained in town. As all of this was part of Little Jack's inheritance he had also requested that both Charlotte and Tom Thornton stay to help deal with all these matters. It was very easy for them to know immediately who to approach regarding the cafe, although at first Minnie and Joseph were adamant that it was beyond their means, as much as they would love to purchase it. Undaunted, Julie went back to her father with a plan and he immediately agreed it was the right thing to do.

There was a strong feeling within The Thatcher family that for Hope Valley to heal from all that had happened it was important for the people there to be in control of their own destiny and not feel beholden to the whims of someone as far away as Hamilton. So while it would be easy to simply rent out these properties their preference was to find locals willing to take on or create a business themselves. Of course, the events of recent years had decimated the finances of so many of these good people and so William Thatcher decided there was only one business he wished to own and that was the bank. Through this he could provide loans on reasonable terms to help anyone who showed a willingness to work towards putting this town back on its feet.

So it was that Minnie and Joseph had found themselves sitting in the office of the bank manager signing the paperwork that gave them ownership of the cafe and with recent Sundays having standing room only in the church they finally felt that a big corner had been turned. Joseph made a mental note to include in his sermon this coming Sunday a prayer of thanks to all the people who were bringing hope back to their town after such a long period of turmoil.

At the cafe there was a whirlwind of activity going on as friends came together to paint and freshen up the inside, while pots of spring flowers were placed out on the decking. Many of the nicer pieces that had made the cafe so special before had been packed away when Clara and Jessie were forced out, everyone determined that these would not fall into the hands of Lucas's people. With so much to be grateful for it felt like Thanksgiving to Minnie as she stood by the counter that was ready for her cakes and pies and watched as the small flower vases were placed on the tables that had been covered with freshly laundered cloths.

This evening it would be time to open the doors to everyone but first she had work to do to finish baking a special cake to celebrate this. She had gotten the idea from an article in a recent issue of Canadian Home Journal about a red velvet cake famously served at the Waldorf Astoria in New York, and now she was creating her own version unique to Minnie's Place. A cake of gratitude, she thought, for all the good people who had stayed strong for so long.

Further down Main Street there was a different atmosphere in the air. Bill Avery was once again working out the best way to challenge Helen Bouchard. It was apparent that there was no love lost between her and her adopted son, although it appeared that the habits of years working together were proving hard for her to discard. The questioning seemed to go in circles, one minute bringing full and proud disclosure of what she considered to be business deals, but Bill knew were swindles, and the next complete denial of knowledge of anything that Lucas may have been involved with. But with each sentence she unwittingly disclosed more about the people they had coerced into doing their dirty work for them until eventually he knew it was time to mention the one person who possibly held the key to so much.

He waited until she had finished detailing a very successful business deal before he enquired, "Perhaps you could tell me when and how you first crossed paths with Andrew Hargreaves?"

For the first time he saw her confidence waver as her head shot up and a spark of fear showed on her face before she quickly regained her composure. "I'm not sure I know who you are talking about." Bill gave a small laugh before answering, "Oh my dear Helen, how could you so quickly have forgotten the man who has been your lover for the past ten years?"

"She didn't deny it," Bill told Nathan later, "then again she didn't confirm it either. But it is the only thing that could possibly explain the connection between them for all that time. Maybe longer. We're still looking into that". Nathan laughed, "I'm not sure how you came up with that one Bill and I don't think I want to know. I am, however, interested in knowing what Helen Bouchard's reaction was to that statement!" The two men had finished their questioning for the day and were now seated in the judge's office waiting for Gabe to arrive. Harold had just left to escort Lucas back to the jail, having taken over from Ed as Nathan's supporting officer. With the future of the Mountie presence in Hope Valley to be sorted out he had realized that Ed needed to spend time elsewhere, close to a certain someone, to work out what he wanted.

Lucas had become vague when Nathan came back to continue the interrogation and was not very forthcoming with his answers to questions about the things they had previously discussed. The mention of Elizabeth seemed to cause great conflict in the man and Nathan quickly realized that they needed to re-examine all their information before he could proceed.

Unsurprisingly Bill had reached that same point with Helen Bouchard. Her silence after his statement about Andrew Hargreaves had told him there was nothing to be achieved by staying there and so he had left without saying another word, leaving her to ponder exactly how much they knew.

Now what they needed was to go through everything along with Gabe and use their investigators' experience to identify the line of questioning most likely to finally get to the truth. While Bill and Nathan had been busy with The Bouchards, Gabe had offered to oversee the search of the area behind the second warehouse. It was a grim task that no-one relished doing but it was intrinsic to the case being built around the smuggling of the Chinese people.

At the morning meeting he had asked for volunteers to help with this and had been surprised by the show of hands. Looking at the men around him he knew how deeply they all felt about what had happened, perhaps none more so than Walter and Patrick who had been the ones to discover the horror there. Could he put them through more of this? A quick look in their direction told him the answer as their determined eyes stared back at him.

Nothing could have prepared them for what they found. With a small team of men they had begun the digging, hoping that there would be no more discoveries but very quickly the things they unearthed told the story of a long period of evil. Burnt clothing and personal items were a forewarning to what lay beneath and soon it became evident that the lives of some of the people who had come to this country with the hope for a better future had ended there. They all struggled to keep their emotions in check and as they worked on silently many a tear fell from the eyes of these big strong men. The uncovering of a child's shoe was almost their undoing and so Gabe decided to call an end to work for the day, the light beginning to fade anyway. All the evidence had been carefully removed to the front warehouse and now he sent Patrick back to the Mountie Office to get the men who would be taking first shift of guard duty there.

The man who walked through the door of Bill's office a short while later was not the Gabe they knew, his spirit almost broken by the horror he had seen and only now was he able to show how much it had affected him. With his team he had been determined to stay strong and focused, knowing that each man there was feeling the same as him. But here, with these two men to whom he was closest, he broke down and wept as he recounted what they had found. Knowing there was more to be uncovered made it even harder. "From the evidence so far I would say it was the very old and young who probably didn't survive the harsh journey they had to endure. I only hope we can put those responsible for it away for a long time and find the link to Shue Moy and his gang in Vancouver."

Gabe paused, the anger inside him clear to see as he paced back and forth. Both Bill and Nathan remained silent, allowing the man to get control of his emotions. They were used to seeing the worst of people but every now and then a situation arose that made even these experienced Mounties question how anyone could sink so low as to treat another human being in such a way. Finally he continued, "If any of the Bouchards are involved with this I will personally make sure they never see the light of day again!" With that he sat, all the energy drained from him.

Nathan understood the toll all of this was taking on each of them but while both he and Bill had their wives to go back to at night Gabe was away from Lilian and the children. "I want you to go home for a couple of days Gabe," he said. "Walter and Patrick can continue with the rest of the digging in the pit and then you can come back to check the evidence and carry on with the investigation. It's been too long since you've had a break." Before Gabe could utter a protest Bill stood and walked across to the coat rack where his jacket was hanging. "I agree with Nathan. If you leave now you will be back in time to kiss your wife goodnight. I want you to take my car. I will get someone to look after your horse for the few days you are gone." He tossed the keys across to the younger man.

Seeing the determined looks on his friends' faces Gabe knew there was no point in arguing. Nodding to them both he slipped on his serge and moved towards the door. "Thank you, I promise I'll be back in a few days feeling re-energized. But if you need me just call."

Nathan and Bill sat silently after Gabe had left, each trying to come to terms with what he had told them of the findings out behind the warehouses. They knew as Mounties that their lives could never be the same as other people's. It was an accepted part of the job that they faced danger and difficult conditions at times. But it was what they saw, the pain of other people they had to deal with, that they couldn't share with even their loved ones. Only another Mountie understood that and so in the silent moments they shared together both Bill and Nathan took comfort from each other.

Thankfully only occasionally did they face something that cut to the very core of their being, when something so disturbing was suddenly in front of them and all understandable reason ceased to exist. This was one of those times. So the silence between the two men was of empathy and understanding, in the knowledge that once they left this office it would be hard for anyone else to understand the horrors of what they knew and that normality had to prevail if they were to protect their loved ones from they saw. Finally Nathan spoke, "We need to shake things up Bill. They have both clammed up, scared of what the other is saying." Bill agreed, trusting in Nathan to see the bigger picture of what was happening with the investigations and decide on the right way forward.

In her cell Helen Bouchard was still struggling to contain her shock at what Bill had said. The Mounties were obviously aware of some connection between Andrew and herself but how they had come to that conclusion she didn't know. They had been so careful to keep their lives totally separate, at no time being seen together or known to be in the same place at the same time. It had been a plan put together many years ago and something that they thought had fooled everyone until now.

She had dealt with many law officers over the years and had prided herself on always recognizing who could be manipulated and who would become a problem. Nathan Grant and Bill Avery had fallen into the latter category and no matter how many times they had tried to deal with them nothing had been successful. Now she was feeling the first sense of defeat. If they had uncovered a relationship between her and Andrew what else did they know? It wouldn't surprise her if Lucas had told them everything he knew. Was it too late to negotiate a deal to save herself?

Now that the cafe was reopening as Minnie's Place Ned needed to pack away the tables and chairs they had used in their space at the back of The Mercantile. Florence had made it a very pleasant area, wanting to give their friends somewhere comfortable to meet as a reminder that as long as they stuck together there was hope. He was going to miss the company and the conversations that he never had time for when serving at the counter, especially recently with the young Mounties who had taken to calling in for a coffee and some cake when they finished their shifts. It was good to see them relax in the privacy of this back room, undisturbed by the members of the community who were always questioning them when out elsewhere.

Perhaps he should talk to Florence after all, tell her about his idea and get her opinion. Or maybe not. She would undoubtedly think he was creating unnecessary work for himself and she was probably right. He had just begun to stack the chairs in the far corner when he heard her voice coming down the hall. "Ned, what on earth are you doing back here?" Before he could answer she had stopped in the doorway, a look of sadness on her face. "Do you know, I quite liked having our little cafe here. It seems sad to put everything away."

There was something in her voice that made Ned wait. Looking around the room she took a few steps in then continued. "I was actually thinking about here and have an idea. You'll probably think it silly but just hear me out please." Ned smiled, wondering what plan his dear wife had come up with now, his own thoughts pushed to the back of his mind. Florence sat down at one end of the big table in the middle of the room and looked around once more. "Nathan was saying the other day that there is still going to be quite a big Mountie presence here for some time yet. We've both commented on how difficult it is for these young men to relax when off duty, away from the questioning by everyone wanting to know what is going on. What if we were to offer them the use of this place. We could provide them with refreshments, which I'm sure the town council would be happy to help fund, and they could meet here to chat, play cards and games. Whatever they want, really."

While she was talking Florence had closed her eyes, picturing groups of young men at the different tables, perhaps gathered around a dart board if Ned could order one. "I know it would mean more work for you but with Allie helping with the telephones I could serve on the counter a bit more. Nancy Tucker was just saying recently that Harper is looking for a part time job so perhaps we could get him to come in to help with the post." She nodded to herself, the pieces all falling into place in her mind. "I think it would be good for him to spend some time around these Mounties too. It's been hard on him all these years without a father's influence and the atmosphere in this town hasn't exactly set much of an example. Yes, that would be a real bonus."

She paused then to look up and couldn't believe the huge grin she saw on her husband's face. Reaching out to draw her up to him in a big embrace Ned softly said, "Florence Yost, it's almost as though you read my mind!"

After so many warm spring days the sudden cold snap had everyone reaching for their coats again. Nathan had requested extra blankets for the prisoners in both the warehouse cells and in the jail. Now Lucas lay on his cot, wrapped under layers of blankets as he stared at the ceiling trying to work out the best way to approach his mother. Did she have a plan for getting them out of this? He needed to know. He could see the Mountie sitting at the desk, head down as he worked his way through a stack of paperwork in front of him. This was the quiet time of the evening when many of them changed shifts, so the jail remained empty. Certain that he would not be understood he sat up and moved along to the top of the bed. In a whispered voice in French he said, "Maman? Are you awake?" There was no response from the cell across, the bundled up figure on the cot showing no indication she had heard him.

He gave a light tap on the cell bars, watching carefully for a reaction from both the Mountie on duty and from his mother. "Maman!" He said, a little more urgently but still there was no response.

In the other cell Helen Bouchard lay facing the wall, listening to Lucas trying to get her attention. She had to think and finally decide whether she needed him to help her find a way out of this situation. At his desk Jim Buchanan listened, grateful now that his childhood holidays spent with his grandparents in Quebec were bearing fruit as he understood what was being said. Their strict attitude had been difficult to deal with as a child who had grown up with the freedom of life in small town British Columbia, but as he advanced within the force he realised just how beneficial having the understanding of the French language could be. Yet there was something about this small town existence that drew him into thinking that somewhere like here was where he really belonged. While he knew others were interested in staying here he began to wonder whether he should also throw his hat into the ring. There was something about Hope Valley that offered the promise of a future that could be just what he wanted for his family.

Lucas tried one more time, whispering his mother's name as he tried to imagine what was going through her mind. She was far too astute a woman not to have forces on the outside working on her behalf. Was it a matter of waiting until someone intervened? Lying there Helen Bouchard tried to block out the sound of her adopted son's voice from the other cell. She knew he was close to breaking and that only her own impervious attitude would keep him from crumbling. So she stayed still and silent, not willing to show any sign of weakness. If he thought she was remaining strong then she was sure he would too.

The opening of the door caught the attention of both prisoners and Lucas was surprised when two Mounties appeared outside his cell. "Please collect your belongings and come with us Mr Bouchard", one of them quietly said. Lucas was a little unsettled but intrigued by what was happening. Had Nathan decided that it was better to work out a deal with him? Across the way Helen Bouchard tried to remain calm but a niggling doubt was beginning to make itself heard in her mind. Had Lucas cut a deal? Was he smarter than she thought? Not hesitating to leave, Lucas was quick to grab his few belongings and head out of the cell. A quick look in his mother's direction gave him no indication of what she was thinking, the fact that she had only finally looked at him as he was leaving said more than any words and yet he still understood nothing.

Walking out through the door of the Mountie office he hoped that this meant Nathan Grant had been taken in by the contrition he had tried to convey. Yes, he thought, now was the time to be selfish and do what was needed to get himself out of this situation, no matter the cost.

Left behind in her cell Helen Bouchard finally sat up on her cot, watching the man she had raised as a son walk out and made a promise to herself that her solution to all of this would not include him. Just as she was turning away the door opened again and she looked with renewed interest to see who was entering. When Andrew Hargreaves was brought in, his hands handcuffed in front of him, she felt all hope finally drain from her.