Chapter 36
With the warmer days of summer not far away now and so much optimism in the air the people of Hope Valley seemed to have a renewed energy to freshen up the shabbiness of their town, which was definitely a sign that things were changing for the better. Neighbours found themselves talking over the fence as they cleared their neglected gardens, friends who had barely spoken in years now stopped to chat in the street and the laughter and cries of children could once again be heard as they played without fear of getting caught up in trouble.
Abigail was quick to notice all of this as she made her way towards the hospital. Despite having spent a lot of time there helping to look after Faith and the baby, she had been busy and had not managed to see Elizabeth. The more days that passed the less was her conviction that she needed this and so she found herself looking for other things to distract herself. Now that Faith was settled at home with young Nate, although still being assisted by a rota of Hope Valley women, there was no putting it off any longer. It was the end of a long chapter in her life, one that brought both happy and sad memories, and like everyone else here she needed to look to the future and leave the past behind. She had gone out to the cemetery first thing, wanting some time for reflection and to feel closer to God as she took a moment to be thankful for so much that had been good in her life. Yes there had been hard times but after each struggle had come joy and growth.
As she stood by their graves she could acknowledge now how much losing Noah and Peter in the mine disaster had almost broken her before she realised that there were so many other widows struggling in the same way. It was the fight for justice for all of them that had given her the purpose she needed, plus the arrival of a naive young schoolteacher and the most honourable of Mounties. They were God's gift to get her through that time and now here she was with both of them lost forever. Who, other than herself, would have thought all those years ago that Henry Gowan would find redemption and be the person giving her the strength to overcome more sadness in her life. First the death of her mother, followed by Becky moving to England to pursue her dreams as an engineer and then having to watch as Elizabeth sank into madness and almost destroyed so many people Abigail loved. She had always seen it in him, he had just needed to see it himself.
Walking back into town she had felt a moment of nostalgia as she remembered the people who had come and gone, most carrying some sort of pain or trouble from their past until Hope Valley had worked its magic on them. Jack, Carson, dearest Frank, Becky and Cody, Jesse, Clara…so many who had been healed of the hurt that had travelled here with them. Then there was Nathan. Would this town always be a place of hardship for him, its healing powers never quite reaching far enough? Or perhaps he had just been further back on the journey, needing his experience in Hope Valley to push him on to where he was meant to be, to the person he belonged with. Deep down she knew the truth was that Nathan hadn't needed them, it was they who needed him. They still did.
Now she stood outside the door to Nickels and Dimes instead of walking further down Main Street. As much as this was a delaying tactic it was also something that she felt compelled to do, almost a handing over of the baton to Hope Valley's future. She knew what a daunting task it was to be mayor of this town, even more so as a woman, and so she was here to give Fiona as much advice and guidance as she could before her return to Brookfield. There was no question in her mind that Bill had made the right decision by choosing Fiona as acting mayor and if this town was sensible they would hold an election soon and make it a permanent position.
In the hospital life seemed to have settled down at last. They had a very efficient routine now and each day it was clearly seen that the Chinese refugees were growing stronger. Matthew had spoken with Bill and Fiona about what they would need to be safe and comfortable at The Tipperary as he was sure it would not be much longer before the first could beging the move across to there. For now the biggest problem was keeping the young ones occupied. After he mentioned it in passing to Cecilia he was surprised when the next morning Allie and Emily arrived. Having borrowed some books and a chalkboard from Katie Yost they set themselves up in one corner of the main ward and signalled for the younger ones to join them. At first only a few came across and listened as they repeated the letters of the alphabet they had carefully written on the board and passed around pictures of everyday items while pronouncing the words.
Allie had explained their plan to her parents at breakfast and both Cecilia and Nathan were proud that she and Emily had come up with this idea themselves. The compassion they showed to others was an example they hoped all of Hope Valley would follow. As Nathan stood to leave he drew her into a hug, whispering in her ear "You amaze me every day Allie Girl. This is exactly what your mother Colleen would have done in this situation and I know that right now she is looking down on you with so much pride at the wonderful woman you are becoming."
"Woman?" she asked almost teasingly, trying to suppress the emotion she always felt at the mention of her mother. "I thought you wanted me to stay a little girl forever?" Tears glistened in the corners of his eyes as he replied, "In one way there is nothing I would love more but then I realise that you are going to do so much good in this world that it would be selfish of me to wish for that. In my heart I know you will always be my little girl."
Determined to do this properly, the girls discussed with the interpreter how they intended to help the refugees and when he offered to write out words in Cantonese and English for them they immediately rushed off to The Mercantile to buy some card for this purpose. Allie explained the reason for their purchase to Ned and Florence and before they knew it their baskets were filled with books and pencils as well as the card, all gifted by The Yosts. "This is so generous of you both" Emily said to Florence in appreciation. "We hope this will make a little bit of a difference to them."
"Well, I am very impressed with both of you, to see a need and work out a way to help is a wonderful thing. In fact, I've just had a thought. The Ladies Sewing Guild has just started up again and I think I may suggest as our first project that we make some personal items for these fine people, maybe dolls for the young ones and small bags for the ladies." Florence was on a roll, turning to Ned, "Now, what do you suggest we make for the men?" Gathering their parcels the girls left with a final thank you, giggling as they closed the door at the expression of surrender that had settled on Mr Yost's face, his wife's voice still loud enough for them to hear.
Inspired by the example set by the two girls, one after another different townspeople offered ways they could help and before she knew it Fiona had a team ready to start work at The Tipperary to change it into a place of refuge. Lee had stepped up to offer materials free of charge and for one of his men to oversee the work and others were collecting the items that would be needed to fit it out. This was what community was all about, she thought, the very thing that made her confident that they were going to make it, despite what she knew was the blow these people were about to receive. Coming together to help the victims of the tragedy seemed to spur so many on with a determination that the town was going to regain everything that had been good about it before The Bouchard's reign of terror. Surely one hiccup wouldn't change that?
One thing had cast a shadow over Allie's first day at the hospital. No matter how much she tried to ignore it, she was ever conscious of Mrs Bouchard's presence in the room at the end of the hallway. There was always a Mountie sitting outside the door and in contrast to the constant chatter of the main ward there was an eerie silence that pervaded that part of the building. She had seen her being brought out of the room, when she was in the hallway gathering chairs to use as more of the adults had come across to join in the lessons. Escorted by Mounties and the doctor she watched the woman slowly shuffle along in her coat towards the rear door. For a moment the figure turned her head and their eyes had met, making Allie almost jump back when she saw her face. It was as though darkness had replaced light for a moment, like she imagined it must have felt during the solar eclipse that she had learned about in science class. Yet she could sense a strange energy emanating from her and wondered if everything was really as it seemed.
It was hard to believe that this was the same person who had been such a welcoming presence when they first arrived in Hope Valley. Despite what had happened after, she would always be grateful to Mrs Bouchard, or Mrs Thornton as she still thought of her, for making a young confused girl feel at home. Because of her for the first time in a number of years she had felt she belonged somewhere and for a short while her dad did too. The irony that she then ended up being the very person who drove them away was not lost on Allie.
Shaking her head to dispel the memories she quickly hurried away, wondering if she should say something about the feeling she had. "I'm probably just being silly," she told herself. "After all, the experts have all decided she is mentally unstable so who am I to think differently." As she returned to the ward she could see Molly walking through from the infirmary at the front carrying a large box. Putting down the chairs Allie rushed across to take it from her. "Here, let me help you with that, it looks heavy."
"It is!" Molly said, a little breathless "and there are two more full of clothes out the front."
Looking down Allie could see that this box was full of children's books and toys, simple things that would be a wonderful way to help these people learn. "Oh my goodness," she exclaimed, "where has all of this come from?"
"Well, I'm not really sure." Molly replied. "Two ladies who I know live on smallholdings out of town arrived with them in the back of a wagon. From what I could understand, Eileen Handsworth has been around to speak to the people out that way to tell them she is shutting down The Plain Speak, now that she will be working here and with Rosemary. I have a feeling that while she was doing the rounds she took it upon herself to clear up some of the lies that had been spread about these people and I guess this is the result. I don't know what Cecilia said to that woman but she seemed to have touched on all the right things to make her see the truth."
Allie could see the feeling of gratitude on Molly's face, tears threatening to flow as she struggled to keep herself together. "This is wonderful Mrs Avery, it's another sign that Hope Valley is going back to how it used to be, when people helped each other and nobody was ever left to face their troubles alone." Behind her smile Allie could feel a sadness as she realised that they would not be here to watch the town really flourish. There was something bittersweet in knowing that once her dad had finished his work here, and Hope Valley was finally able to look to a bright future, they would be moving back the life they had before. It was going to be hard to say goodbye.
Bill and Fiona sat in her office, both looking glumly down at the coffee cups in their hands. "I don't know what to say to make him feel better about this, Fiona. You know as well as I do that Nathan fought this decision vehemently. He didn't accept it easily but eventually he had no argument against what the powers that be felt was the best thing for the investigation." The whole mood of the town had changed overnight, almost as though with the announcement came a storm of sadness that had swept away their newly found sunshine. While the terrible events at the warehouse had not been forgotten there had been so much optimism for the future of their town. Now you could see the looks of betrayal on the faces of the those around as word had spread of what had happened.
They had gathered as many of the townspeople together as possible the previous evening, realising the importance of explaining the situation to them directly. Although it went against normal protocol to announce that a deal had been made, they all felt that being open and honest was what the people here deserved. If it had some unforeseen effect on Lucas Bouchard then it was the price they were willing to pay. In her new role as Mayor, Fiona stood up at the front between Nathan and Bill, speaking with confidence as she was first to address the gathering. "Thank you all for coming here tonight at such short notice. There has been a development in the investigation that we believe you should all be made aware of, something that I know will not sit right with any of you. But now more than ever we need to come together as a community and continue to support our Mounties in their efforts to find justice for us all. I ask that you hear Nathan out before you have your say, give him a chance to explain the situation fully."
She had then moved to the side to let Nathan speak giving him a look of support for she knew that if she felt the tension in the room then he could too. Yet he had spoken clearly, his voice steady and sure, although those already aware of the situation knew that he felt far from that.
"As many of you know we have been questioning the detainees for some time now and to be honest had reached something of an impasse…." He had continued, explaining without going into too much detail that while the situation in Hope Valley was their priority, this was just part of a much bigger crime investigation that impacted the whole of the country. Sometimes, he said, deals have to be made, the small fry thrown back in order to reel in the information needed to catch the bigger fish and as difficult as it was for those gathered here to believe, Lucas Bouchard was just small fry in all of this.
There had been much shouting when he finished, upset people voicing the feeling that they were not important enough to matter and wondering what was going to stop Lucas from taking over again. Calmly Bill and Nathan had answered their questions, their own disappointment obvious in every word they spoke, until eventually everyone realised that this decision had upset these Mounties just as much. Finally Nathan raised his hand to silence the room. "May I just say something to finish? It will probably surprise many of you to learn that I enjoy reading the classics, where I often find great wisdom to guide me. There is a quote from the Greek philosopher Heraclitus….No man ever steps in the same river twice, for it is not the same river and he is not the same man."
The gathered crowd nodded back at him, not all in total understanding but getting the general meaning of what he was trying to say, before the sound of clapping from the back quickly spread throughout the room. It was clear to all present that this team of Mounties were on their side and would not let them down. Nathan held his hand up again before continuing. "This is not the same Hope Valley that existed when Lucas Bouchard arrived in town, you are not the same people and he is not the same man. You are stronger and he is weaker, you are a community and he is alone, you have faith and he has emptiness." He paused for a moment before finishing, "You are wiser and he is still stupid!"
This last sentence brought the hoped for laughter from the crowd and Nathan was glad to see that the angry expressions worn by so many only a short while ago had now gone. This town was a community of caring people and they would get over this obstacle to their journey forward. Bill understood what Nathan meant when he said this was not the same Hope Valley. And it shouldn't be, he thought. As tempting as it was to try to go back to what they had before, that was not what they needed. He had watched the changes over the past few days, how the younger members of the community were leading the way with the many things they were doing and those who had been there before them were gladly offering their wisdom and support. This was where their future lay, in creating a town that had stepped out of the shadow it had been under and was joining the world as it was now, not as it had once been.
Lying down in his cell out at the warehouse Lucas was feeling surprisingly cheerful, despite the horrendous conditions he was having to endure. Not for much longer, he thought. Perhaps he should insist on a move to a room at the saloon and a decent meal if they wanted him to be in a fit state to talk. If he was honest with himself he had not expected Nathan Grant to accept his demands for a deal but then again he was fairly certain that had it been left to his nemesis to agree to it then he would not have done so. That meant the instruction must have come from higher up. He smiled as he thought how devastated the superintendent must feel to have been overruled and how much the idea of that pleased him.
He had been told that tomorrow the interrogation would begin in earnest and his freedom was totally dependent on the honesty and merit of his answers. Would they have their questions already set out? He hoped not, as he relished the thought of being able to dangle various possibilities in front of them before finally revealing the truth. Of course, they would begin by going over the information he had already given them, trying to catch him out on the truthfulness of what he had said. Surprising even himself he had been honest when he spoke about his childhood, needing Nathan to realise that he was not the only one who had suffered a difficult time growing up and that perhaps some understanding should be accorded to him because of that.
After he gave them details of the connection between his mother and the two rival mobsters, he believed that the revelation of who had been involved on the night his father and brother were killed was what would possibly have the most impact. Perhaps he should keep this information to himself for a while. Make sure they were going to honour their part of the deal before revealing everything. Then there was the truth about Fort Clay, his personal bargaining chip with Nathan and Bill and something they may come to wish they had never learned. As for his wife, he had sensed a shifting away from feelings of sympathy towards her, especially from Nathan, but for some reason he believed there was still a bond that Bill felt towards Elizabeth and he would use the truth about her to unsettle the wise old judge. If the Mounties thought it was all going to be straightforward then they were in for a surprise as he intended to get everything and more from them before he was finished.
Happy with how he was going to control them his thoughts turned to France and the life he would create for himself there. Paris, he thought, the city of love. And where there was love there were people who would be distracted and therefore susceptible to all manner of propositions. It was time to forgo the gambling saloons for a while and try something new to make money. After he had played some games here to boost his funds, of course. He had no intention of arriving there a poor man. He had heard that life had been difficult in France when the war ended, with so many men looking for work, rationing of food and rebuilding being done but four years later he was sure things would be much better. Perhaps after a while he could head down to the south, to the wealthy towns along the Mediterranean coast. There was an elegance about Nice and its neighbours that would always attract the wealthy and a rich woman was certainly in his plans.
So he was decided, a short stop in Paris to check out the possibilities would be good before he made his way down to St Germain de Confolens. He needed time to familiarise himself with the way of life in post-war France, perhaps lay low for a while in case the Mounties had any plan of asking the Gendarmerie Nationale to come after him, and where better than in the chateau his family had owned for centuries. He knew that everything would be fine there as the Bouchard family had a long history of playing both sides in a conflict to ensure benefit to themselves and this war would have been no different. With that thought he closed his eyes and quickly drifted off to sleep, in the way that only someone who felt no guilt over anything ever could.
As the latest issue of The Valley Voice was now ready to be delivered, Cecilia picked up a copy and made her way down to the Mayor's Office, wanting to let Fiona read the article she had written before anyone else saw it. Sometimes as a journalist you were lucky to find yourself interviewing a person with whom you had an immediate rapport, and so it had been for her with Fiona. Of course they knew each other before their meeting but no-one would have described their relationship as familiar, after all it had only been a matter of a few turbulent weeks since they had first met.
Cecilia however felt that she had known this young woman long before that, Nathan having spoken often of the people of Hope Valley for whom he still held great affection. Rosemary had been right when describing them as having many similarities and it was on these she had first focused, believing that if you knew the background of a person then you would be better placed to understand where they were going. Fiona's dreams for the future resembled closely how she felt about this place that had in a short time grown close to her heart. As modern women in a rapidly changing world they wanted to see a future that offered opportunity to all. Cecilia had seen the worst of mankind in the war and now here, in a quiet little frontier town, she was experiencing the best.
She knew that Nathan and Bill had spoken of different possibilities for the future of the Mounties here, something that headquarters were keen to explore once this investigation was concluded. How that would involve them she didn't know but, stay or go, she would always do what was best for her family. This new life she was carrying would be lucky to grow up here surrounded by so much love and support but if that didn't happen then what the four of them had together would be just as rich because they would carry the people of Hope Valley in their hearts wherever their journey took them.
For most Mounties, their main thought as they first entered the doors of the academy was simple. They wanted to make a difference, to help people. Those who didn't share that feeling were usually weeded out by the instructors and the suggestion quietly made that perhaps they should be pursuing a different career. Sometimes, however, one snuck past them but even then it didn't normally take long for their true character to show through and a nudge out the door would be given to them. Very rarely did someone manage to fool them all, but sadly it happened.
Nathan was glad that he was supported by men who embodied the Mountie motto in everything they did. "Maintien le Droits". It could be seen in every aspect of the life they each led and yet they had still shown understanding towards those who may have veered off course for a while but found their way back. But this situation was different. There was no redemption, no wanting to right the wrongs…just a need for this man to save himself that resulted in them gathering in the judge's office today.
The interrogation began well, with Nathan taking the lead knowing that Lucas would try to play mind games with them and manipulate the direction of the questioning. He was not going to let that happen. At first the conversation had been easy, going back over the ground that they had already covered before, checking that what Lucas had told them still rang true. This was a standard method and one that they knew would be expected.
It was like boxers sparring for the first time, Bill thought, as he watched the conversation move back and forth between the two as Nathan used his superior skills to get Lucas where he wanted him. First the little exploratory hits that told you how your opponent moved his body and feet, then which hand he would lead with and what tricks he was keeping for later, before you finally unleashed a big punch, hopefully the first of many that would enable you to take him down. These experienced Mounties had seen it all before and so they were aware that Nathan was staying one or two steps ahead of Lucas all the time, almost able to predict where he would go next with his answer so that with an almost imperceptible ease he was able to steer the questioning exactly in the right direction.
The story of the man's childhood would have been heartbreaking had there been any form of regret for subsequent deeds but as much as Lucas tried to instill some sincerity in his voice it was clear he felt no remorse for how he had treated others. His own well-being was all that mattered to him.
Taking up a confident position in his chair, Lucas thought how for years self pity seemed to have been the overriding emotion he was capable of feeling, with the manner of his father's death and the revelations from his mother hanging heavy over him. But that would not be the case anymore. He had his deal and a new life was waiting as soon as he could get this done with. "Tell me again about the escape across the river," Nathan said, his tone expressing some small sympathy for the child whose world had changed that night. But as tragic as it was it did not excuse the man he had become.
So with a surprising amount of feeling in his voice Lucas recounted how he was waiting in the small boat when he heard running and shouting before the figures of his father and brother appeared. "Hurry!" his father had screamed out as they jumped in, pushing off from the side as Lucas frantically tried to get into a rhythm with the oars while staying in the shadows of the bridge. "It was difficult for me to move the boat quickly with the weight of the three of us and I knew the Mounties were getting closer as I heard them calling to each other. One ran onto the bridge, a young man by his voice, and others spread out along the shore."
He shifted in his seat, his eyes closed as clearly the images of that evening were playing in his head. Taking a deep breath he continued. "Then an older voice called out from further away, "Stop or we will shoot. He was calling out names, telling the other Mounties where to go, directing them to apprehend the fugitives at all costs. It was at that point my father decided to take over from me so that we could get away faster." Another pause. "Then it all happened so fast. My father stood to change places with me and suddenly there was a shot from the bridge and he just toppled over. Giles tried to catch him and another shot rang out." The man was visibly shaking now and Nathan began to wonder if there was at least some semblance of emotion buried deep within him.
"I couldn't see them in the dark and the river was flowing at that point, something we had taken into account to move us to the location we wanted to reach further downstream on the other side. I was only a child, without the strength to fight against it, and so I just had to let the boat go with it." The four men in the room were quiet, picturing a frightened young boy not knowing what to do. Perhaps Lucas was deserving of some sympathy for what his parents' chosen lifestyle had put him through.
Finally Nathan broke the silence. "Do you remember anything else about the night?" At that Lucas's head came up and his expression changed. "Oh yes, I remember the name of every Mountie being called out, every…single…one. Especially the last, the officer the man on the bridge shouted back to saying he thought he got them both!" With that he turned to look at the men around him. "You will all recognise the name!"
The atmosphere in the jail cells had been tense, ever since they had taken Lucas away and brought in Andrew Hargreaves. As a Mountie, albeit now disgraced, he understood the standard procedures but was having difficulty knowing what was going on here. There was a lot of activity as men reported for duty or signed themselves off for the day, as well as many one-sided telephone conversations from which he was struggling to work out where the investigation stood. That he had not been called for more questioning told him that the red herrings he had included in his earlier statement had been found out. Of course, he expected that but hoped that there was still a way to salvage something for himself out of this situation. Helen Bouchard had assured him that Lucas did not know the truth so as long as she wasn't speaking to the Mounties he had faith that there was no way to connect him to what had truly happened.
What Andrew Hargreaves didn't realise was that Helen Bouchard had lied.
Upstairs the team working under Patrick and Walter were piecing together everything they had discovered about the large grave at the back of the warehouses. While it was unlikely that they would ever know the true identities of any of the people buried there, they would do their utmost to ensure that all the information was available to Mountie Headquarters so they could notify the necessary people. It saddened all of the men to think that these lives had ended in a foreign land and that somewhere there were families who were left wondering what had happened to their loved ones, who were mourning the silence daily. If even one could find the truth then that would at least be something.
The family who had perished after arriving here, a young mother with her baby and the father killed by Shue Moy's man when he came looking for them, had not been known to any of the others. Fear and mistrust were powerful things, keeping the refugees from revealing too much about themselves even to each other. So the two Mounties had decided that after they had finished their work here they would take some time to visit the docks where the boats from China arrived, showing the photograph around in the hope that perhaps there would be someone from their home village who would recognise them . A forlorn hope perhaps but something they felt compelled to do, for their own sake, as much as that of the families.
Ed Harter and Harold Bishop had taken on the task of sorting through all the evidence from the wagon and the front warehouse, working with another team at Headquarters to build a picture of how the operation here was run and find any connections between the mobsters and the Bouchards. While no-one expected much from this Nathan and Bill both knew that sometimes the most innocent looking item could hold the key to unravelling a whole case. So many things still needed to be sorted in the town and as much as they all shared the townspeople's desire to move things forward quickly, all were agreed that patience was what was needed the most. Small steps now would mean greater advances later, as every aspect of what had occurred here under Lucas's control needed to be undone.
Some committees had been set up and under Fiona's leadership there was the feeling that perhaps despite not everything being as they would like the town was moving in the right direction. But some things hung there, no-one sure just how to deal with the issues but trusting in Nathan and Bill to do it when the time was right.
Almost forgotten, Gustav languished in an unconscious state in a small ward of the hospital. Matthew had explained that there was little more they could do for him but wait and his condition was too delicate to survive the journey to a bigger hospital. Antoine Dupont checked on him each day, fully aware that it had been a matter of life or death when he had fought with the chef but still feeling the guilt of having inflicted this is on another human being. Along with Bruce Wilson he had been looking into the gambling syndicates, in particular finding out where other games were being played the same night as everything had happened here. By putting all of this together they hoped to get some insight into how the money laundering operation was operating and close down one of the most important ways the mobs had of legitimising the profits from their criminal activities.
Nathan was satisfied with how all the investigations were going but now, as he walked along to the row houses, he couldn't help but wonder when the day would come that he didn't seem to be imparting bad news to someone or dealing with other people's troubles. He looked around, remembering a time when he had walked this road on a daily basis, when life here in Hope Valley was full of so much promise. For the first time since Fort Clay they had finally felt settled. Allie was thriving at school thanks to Elizabeth's guidance and he had found some peace within himself, the only barrier to letting go of the past being his need to tell her the truth about why he had come. Now he knew how unnecessary that had been.
Climbing the steps slowly he hesitated before knocking on the door. It was opened quickly and inside he could see a scene of warmth and comfort. Was he about to bring it all crashing down around these people?