Chapter 37
Having strong faith, Nathan thought to himself, must be what made the hearing of such devastating news easier to accept. Or maybe that was just an outward impression one gave while inside you were of course as heartbroken as anyone else would be. There had been tears at first but those had been followed by expressions of gratitude to him for personally bringing this news to them, something that he found hard to accept as he could never have imagined delegating this task to another. As sad as this part of his job was, for Nathan it went beyond duty when he knew the people involved.
While Minnie comforted the children, Joseph took him aside and asked more questions. "I realise how difficult this is for you Nathan but I need to know, does this have anything to do with Lucas? Or Fort Clay? I'm only wondering because of all the trouble within the RCMP that seems to go back to then." Nathan didn't have the answer to that but he knew what his reply had to be at this moment in time. "From the information we received this afternoon I think not. It appears he was just caught up in a bad situation."
As he was giving comfort to the family, inside Nathan was struggling himself to come to terms with this loss. He had spent a lot of time with Minnie's brother after what happened at Fort Clay, his spiritual guidance and the need to care for Allie having been the only things that had kept him going as he faced the accusations of misconduct from Andrew Hargreaves. As a chaplain with the RCMP it had been Lincoln Desmond's choice to go wherever they and God needed, which often placed him in the centre of trouble where it was felt his calm manner could diffuse an otherwise volatile situation. He was well respected by all within the force, known for his ability to relate to people on all levels. Much like his sister, Nathan thought.
"There was a standoff with some bank robbers holding a family hostage. Lincoln had negotiated the release of the children and it was as he was escorting them away that one of the gang thought he saw movement from a Mountie on the edge of the group and panicked. A child was wounded and as he reached out to protect her the man fired another shot." Joseph nodded, thinking that at least his wife would take comfort in knowing that her brother had died doing what he saw as his life's mission, saving others. "I know you have spoken in the past with Minnie about how you knew him, something that she has never shared with me as she respected your privacy, but I can tell that you are hurting too my friend." Joseph took Nathan's arm and continued, "Come and sit with us at the table as we pray for our brother and give thanks for having had him in our lives."
Nathan was amazed to see the strength Joseph was showing and yet he had a feeling that at some point later, in his own time, this man would have to let his own emotions out. Hope Valley may think of Mounties as heroes but in fact they had so many of their own here, none more so than Joseph Canfield. It was people like this family who had held everyone together through their darkest hours and now it was their time to accept the love of this community as they mourned their loss.
The telephone call that afternoon had meant the end of the interrogation of Lucas for the day, coming as it did just after he had made what he thought was a great revelation. But in fact it was something they had already known from Greg Aldritt's telephone conversation with Superintendent O'Reilly. Bill had laughed at first when the other Mounties had described Patrick as old, although knowing how the death of his wife and daughter in a car accident had nearly destroyed him he understood why he was thought of that way. No longer willing or able to continue in the force he had taken early retirement, content to spend his days in an apartment in Union City, writing about the history of The Mounties, walking his dog and reminiscing over old times whenever former colleagues were in town. He had also become an invaluable source of information on past investigations, the man's mind almost photographic in his knowledge of every mission he had worked on, read about or even briefly discussed.
It was this interest in the old cases that made Greg reach out to him. If the corruption within the force meant that files had been compromised then it would be difficult to know what was true. That Patrick O'Reilly had been studying these for years meant his knowledge superseded all of this and therefore the information that he had recorded would be as honest as they could hope to find. He had known about The Bouchards and the circumstances under which the father and oldest son had died. What was in the files they had obtained from Mountie Headquarters told only part of the story, the most important fact somehow having been removed.
It had been a mystery for Nathan and his team why a family of conmen would have demanded the response that had been there that night. As much as they may have wanted to shut down such scams, they all knew headquarters would never approve mounting a big campaign for the apprehension of some small town criminals. Now they knew the answer. Apprehending the person responsible for a series of rapes and murders of young women along a stretch of riverside towns was a different matter. Somewhere along the way a connection had been made between the appearances of these snake oil salesmen and the crimes against these poor women. So it had been decided that a full team of Mounties would be positioned at the next towns identified as being in their range and after a few incorrect choices they had finally got it right. But then the mission had gone badly wrong as a trigger happy young Mountie had taken it upon himself to act against his commander's order to apprehend the suspects for questioning.
An internal enquiry afterwards had decided that the official command towards a fleeing suspect to "stop or we will shoot" may have escalated the situation too quickly for inexperienced men and led to a mistake happening. The young Mountie, Andrew Hargreaves, had therefore been cleared of any wrongdoing but the star that had sat alongside his name as someone who was expected to rise quickly in the ranks had been tarnished and he found himself given assignments that no longer placed him on the fast route to glory or seniority. If the Mounties thought that this type of information was privileged then they were badly mistaken. As time went by Hargreaves was quietly approached by people of outward respectability who needed some help on a "minor" matter here or there. For a small fee, of course. From there it wasn't long before the criminal elements of society heard his name mentioned as someone who could facilitate things, this time for a larger fee.
Slowly the puzzle was fitting together, the answers to questions they had been pondering for so long were just out of reach for now but they were all certain that they would come soon. Not everything may be what they wanted to hear but at least they would finally know.
Nathan had spent the rest of the evening marvelling at the resilience of the people here as somehow word spread around the town that the Canfields needed them and one after another they had arrived to offer support and love. Eventually he said his farewells, his final words of the night being to Cooper who he found sitting alone on the doorstep. Nathan settled himself down beside the young man, knowing how close he had been to his uncle and how distressing this all must be for him. There would be sadness mixed with anger at first, then the inability to comprehend why God would take someone who did good in life while evil people still lived. He could see the tears on the young boys cheeks, knowing that sadly these were only the first of many in his life. Placing an arm around Cooper's shoulders he sat in silence, no further words spoken, just giving comfort by being there.
Cecilia was already in bed but not asleep as she had been waiting for Nathan to come home, her heart breaking for this man and what he was experiencing. It almost seemed as though everything was coming at him at once, that the heavens were against him for some reason and determined to make him pay. Over and over. For the first time since they arrived here she could sense the warrior spirit going out of him. As he climbed in beside her she knew talking was not what he needed. Comfort could be found in many ways and sometimes physical satisfaction helped more than any words ever could. For a man who spent his days dealing with other people's problems, switching off to all of that and meeting a basic need was the best thing for him right now.
When she reached out Nathan turned, understanding what his wife was thinking and knowing how much he wanted this release to push away, even for a short time, all the problems that were beginning to overwhelm him. He looked into her eyes, seeing so much love there and he thought how right this always felt. This beautiful woman was the answer to every question he could ask of life, everything he could ever want. Reaching out he could feel the roundness of her baby belly against him as they came together. His mouth found hers, gently at first and then he was lost in a hunger and passion that at times seemed too much for both of them. Finally, as they lay there spent, with Cecilia wrapped tight within his arms, Nathan knew that this was how it was meant to be. Things were changing for them as a family and he couldn't help but wonder if perhaps it was time for him to decide what life he wanted to give them. Had he fulfilled his duty as a Mountie? Was it time to be looking for something else?
It was an unusually quiet table at breakfast the next morning. Allie had stayed late at The Canfields to support her friend Angela and help with the making of tea and coffee for everyone who stopped by to offer words of comfort. Now she was struggling to get herself going for her normal morning shift on the telephones. The teaching of the refugees had been put back to late afternoons to fit in with Emily's school day and with Opal offering to help they were hoping to soon be able to work in smaller groups as different levels of learning were reached.
Nathan sat sipping his coffee as he read The Valley Voice, praying there was nothing written in there that he didn't already know or that would cause him concern, although Cecilia constantly assured him that more news of what was happening in the town could be learnt from standing at the counter in The Mercantile, not that she was calling Florence a purveyor of gossip she added with a smile. He had a lot to work out but was determined to savour this time when he could just enjoy being with his girls…his family…before the chaos of the day overtook them all.
However, knowing that they were worried about the effect different matters were having on him, particularly the deal he had to make with Lucas, he put down his paper and began to speak. "I know you both think that I am upset about what we had to agree to and I will be honest and say that at first I was. Yet sometimes what can seem like the most difficult of situations can actually have a hidden bonus. No-one wanted to see Lucas Bouchard locked up for what he did to the people of Hope Valley more than me but perhaps this is actually the way to guarantee he will get what he truly deserves."
Cecilia and Allie both looked confused so Nathan continued. "He will be a marked man and nowhere will be safe for him after this. Not just from those he is about to betray but also from the far reaching arm of the law. We have good communications with other parts of the world and have already sent word to the Gendarmerie Nationale in Paris that he will be arriving there sometime in the future. Because his father was French there is nothing they can do to stop him from entering the country but they will watch him closely. The gendarme in the little town where his family home is located has also been informed."
Allie still looked confused, "I don't understand. Why is that worse for him than going to jail?"
It was Cecilia who answered, knowing exactly what Nathan meant. "Because in jail there is a good chance that he would manage to create his own little empire and, while not free, he could have a comfortable existence, probably even with his own personal set of teacups. But set free, all it will take is one small incident to cause him to believe he is in danger and he will forever be looking over his shoulder. For the rest of his life never being able to relax. Always wondering if someone was coming for him. That is a living hell."
Allie still wasn't convinced. "But what if nothing ever happens to make him think that?" With that Nathan stood, tucked the paper under his arm and turned to kiss the top of his daughter's head. "Don't you worry about that Allie, I can assure you that something will definitely happen."
Almost whistling as he walked down the steps of the house, Nathan pulled himself up as he realised that was not the appropriate way for him to be behaving after yesterday's sad events. His feeling of loss had not diminished by any means but as he lay beside Cecilia last night, listening to her soft breathing as she slept in his arms, he thought about what he wanted in his life. His family was the most important thing. Not just his girls and the baby who would soon be here, but his parents. There had been years of discord between the two of them and while he may have made progress towards a reconciliation with his father, the hurt his mother felt towards the man who had betrayed her was still as strong as ever. When this was over and they were settled with the baby then it would be time to try to change that, before it was too late.
The death of his minister and friend had also made him realise that life was too short to let other people's problems weigh you down. He remembered a story he had heard often over the years about a man who was struggling with his business, so many problems making him wonder how he could keep going. Yet each night as he walked up the path to his house he would stop by a small tree, touch the bush with both hands, and then have a big smile on his face as he walked through the door to greet his family with love and laughter. Asked about it one day by someone who had witnessed this he replied, "That is my trouble tree. Whatever problems I may have at work they don't belong in the house with my family. So every night I hang them on the tree and ask God to take care of them. In the morning I pick them up again and somehow there are never nearly as many as I remember hanging up the night before."
Lying there last night he had made the decision that he would try to no longer let the darkness of the world he worked in affect his home and loved ones. There would always be times when he needed the support Cecilia and Allie so willingly gave him but, wherever he could, he was going to do whatever it took to achieve the right balance. To find his own trouble tree. If that was not achievable he knew then would be the time to think about his future with the Mounties.
Bill and Molly had left the house much earlier, having offered to open the café for Minnie and do the breakfast sitting. Although no-one in town would expect her to be there, they both knew how much she would need the busyness of baking and cooking to keep her mind off what had happened and this gave her the chance to come in when she was ready. Joseph had gathered together those left at the end of the evening and led them in prayer, making sure God knew how blessed he was to have a good man like Lincoln sitting at his side. It was then that his tears had come and as Minnie and the children embraced him they had all quietly departed, leaving this loving family to comfort one another in their grief.
This morning had been surprisingly busy in the cafe, many of the Mounties coming in for a warm meal to start their day. Those who stayed at the boarding house had become accustomed to Greg Aldritt manning the breakfast kitchen, to give Cat a chance to get on with other tasks so that they could have time together later. With his involvement in the questioning of Bouchard he had stepped back from doing this for now and so they had decided to come to the cafe instead. It had been quite emotional for Bill to look out upon a sea of red serge in there this morning.
Leaving Molly to finish clearing up and deal with the last few customers, he had just stepped onto the boardwalk when the sound of a car horn behind made him turn. A big smile lit up Bill's face as he spotted Patrick O'Reilly behind the wheel of a car packed to the brim with boxes. "Well, this is a surprise," he shouted out as he crossed to where the vehicle had been pulled to a stop. "I thought we were dealing with everything by telephone?"
Patrick had stepped out of the car and moved forward to greet Bill, his hand held out to be shaken before the judge brushed it away and grabbed the man in a big hug. "It's been way too long my friend, so I'm not complaining about you being here. Let's head to my office and we can talk. Nathan will be along any minute, if he hasn't already beaten me there."
The other Mounties were certainly surprised to see the retired Superintendent walk in so Patrick quickly explained. "I know I could have given you the facts on this case over the telephone but somehow I feel there are going to be connections to other matters so I just thought it was easier for me to be here." Pointing through the window to the well packed car he said, "As you can see I have brought everything with me!" Nathan was pleased that the man had decided to come as he was also convinced there would be more cases affected. "Well, if it is okay with Bill and Molly I think that we should set you up in the study at the house and.." looking at Bill questioningly he continued, "perhaps you could stay in the other bedroom there?"
Bill hesitated, which surprised Nathan, knowing that the two men were old friends. "Perhaps I should check with Molly on that first." Realising what Bill was struggling with Patrick spoke up. "I understand if it's not convenient for your good wife but if you are worried about me getting upset being around Nathan's family, particularly his daughter since I lost Mary and Jane, then please don't be. It would in fact be my pleasure to spend some time with Allie as from what I have heard of the young lady she sounds a lot like my girl and that is just fine with me."
Lucas had asked yesterday for better accommodation but that had been rejected, Bill having explained to him that no benefits would be forthcoming until he provided them with information that they didn't already know. As soon as he was brought in from the warehouse they had continued, with Nathan picking up the questioning from the point where they had been interrupted. "We already know that Thomas Thornton was the commanding officer that night, his wife Charlotte came to me with that information a little while ago. She had the feeling it may have something to do with what was going on here and what happened to Jack. It had eaten away at her husband every day that while they were chasing one man for a crime another had died as well. It didn't matter that he was involved in other felonies."
They had all realised how hard it was for Charlotte to tell them this, worried that the reputation of her husband within the Mounties would be changed. "She was convinced that there was more to the incident when he was shot than was being told and in the end it wasn't the injury to his head but the loss of the fight within him that had become too much." He simply gave up, Nathan thought to himself. "She said that Jack knew about what Andrew Hargreaves had done and always suspected that he had something to do with the shooting that eventually led to his father's death. That was why he accepted the posting at Fort Clay when it came up, even though he was only newly married. He wanted to confront Hargreaves about it."
Lucas could feel some of his bargaining power fading away and wondered just what information they needed from him if they already knew so much. He waited for Nathan to continue. "What I want you to tell me is whether you knew about the rapes and murders that your brother was committing. Or more importantly, did your mother know?" Suddenly Lucas was taken back to memories of the arguments between his parents, as his father would state that the boy should be sent away and his mother insisted that he had to stay. He was her son and nothing was going to separate them.
"Both my parents suspected that Giles was up to something. He would disappear for a while in each town, saying that he needed to be with people his own age. Usually we made sure to stay a far enough distance ahead of the news that spread along the river as we didn't want to be recognised from a description any victim of one of the scams may have given to the Mounties." For once the men in the room were feeling sorry for Lucas, to have been part of such a situation at his young age would certainly have affected him. "But this one time we were held up with a broken wheel on the wagon and were passed by travellers talking about the murder of a young woman in the last town we had visited. Then we heard about more and one by one my parents put it all together. Nothing was said, of course, but our family was even more divided after that."
Bill had been sitting at the back, listening to the conversation between the two men. He came forward to stand in front of Lucas. "If your father knew about what your brother was doing why did he keep taking him out on scams? Wasn't that inviting trouble?"
"My parents didn't tell Giles that they knew and I never let on that I had heard their conversations. Besides, my father believed that as long as he was with him then he couldn't commit any more crimes. But my brother was smart and always managed to get away. We spent our time looking over our shoulders after that, never sure if someone was coming for us, until the day they did. That is not something I would ever want to do again."
Although there were no more significant revelations that morning Nathan had decided to just let Lucas talk. In the background notes were being taken by the others, knowing that in amongst his ramblings there could be information that would help them build the cases against both Helen Bouchard and Andrew Hargreaves. It was difficult listening to the story of how his mother had turned against him after the deaths of his father and brother and not feel some sympathy for the child he had been. Clearly losing her own son had made her forget all the evil he had perpetrated and instead focus her bitterness on the one that was left. To choose that time, when he too was grieving, to disclose the truth about his birth said a lot about the woman's character.
Of course, she had omitted to include the fact that she had been ultimately responsible for the death of his natural mother, having had her kidnapped when she was almost due to give birth which resulted in problems she could not overcome. Or that her original plan was for the woman and baby to be killed and that only the reluctance of the men she had paid to do this had saved them. Nathan wondered when to impart this information to Lucas but eventually decided to wait, not wanting to stop the flow of his recollections. So he continued his story of a life spent learning the skills of a con artist from one of the master grifters, the former Helen Colombier. No matter how well he did it was never good enough for his mother and finally when he had saved enough to start out on his own he left and headed to New Orleans.
"You know the rest, Nathan. I think you figured me out the minute you arrived in Hope Valley."
Nathan laughed. "If I'd had all the answers then I could have saved so many people a lot of pain. But you are right, I could tell the minute we met that you were not someone to be trusted. But we'll get back to that. What I don't understand is how your mother ended up working with Hargreaves if she knew he was the one who killed your father and brother?"
Lucas's lips curled up in a sardonic smile. "Oh that was easy for him to arrange. He sought my mother out, knowing that he needed an ally when working with the criminal elements and who better than the one person the Mounties thought hated him more than anyone else!" He laughed then, almost in admiration of the man, "I think you know just how good he is at pushing an untruth until it is accepted. He came to her begging forgiveness and said that he was simply following the orders given by his commanding officer that night. How his life had been ruined by Thomas Thornton, just like hers had."
Now it was all making sense, Nathan thought. One incident had impacted on so many people over the years and all because of a woman's hatred and one man's greed. "Does your mother know that Hargreaves lied to her about that night?" Suddenly the Lucas of old reappeared, a look of smugness on his face. "No, I don't believe she does and I certainly wasn't going to do anything to upset the apple cart once we were in the pockets of the mobs. Believe me, there would have been no stopping her need for vengeance if she knew and that would have jeopardised everything!"
As she took each step along the hallway in the hospital Abigail found it becoming more difficult. For the past few days her thoughts had gone backwards and forwards as she debated the wisdom of what she was about to do. She was torn. On one hand she felt the need for a final conversation with Elizabeth, even if there was little response she would at least have had her say. Yet there was also the fear of what she would find when she looked into the eyes of the woman she had once treated like a daughter.
Eventually she had decided that she could live with what she found more than with the regret of not having gone. So here she was, smiling towards the Mountie stationed outside the door and saying all the right things while inside her heart was breaking at what she was about to face. "Good afternoon Mrs Gowan." The voice from behind made her stop and turning she was surprised to see Allie standing there.
"Hello Allie, I didn't think your class here started until Emily and Opal were finished with school for the day." Allie nodded, "You are right but I heard you say last night that you were coming to see Mrs Bouchard this afternoon and I wanted to talk to you about that." Abigail could see some conflict on the young woman's face so signalling to the Mountie that she would be back in a while she turned towards Allie. "I get the feeling that something is troubling you so why don't we sit on those chairs along the hallway for a minute and talk."
Once they were seated Allie wasn't sure how to begin the conversation. Seeing her hesitation Abigail spoke, "Are you wondering why I am going to see Mrs Bouchard after everything she has done?" Knowing she was right she didn't wait for a response before continuing. "You know that there was a big mine collapse here many years ago, which killed both my husband and son. Afterwards I was lost for quite a while. To be honest I wasn't sure if I could go on living without them and struggled every day to understand what God wanted from me. Then a young school teacher arrived in town and I knew what I was there to do. It was as simple as that."
Allie reached out to touch the older woman's arm. "I can't imagine what it must have been like for you. I don't know how I would cope if anything happened to my dad." Abigail could see the emotion in Allie's eyes and immediately drew her close. "It took a long time for my faith to be restored and for me to see that this was my purpose. It was about more than just me. The children of Hope Valley needed a teacher and Elizabeth needed me. It was as simple as that."
Allie could understand that and was beginning to see why Mrs Gowan was here, to get an answer to the same question that she herself had been asking, despite what she had said when her mother was in danger. "I think I know why. You want to see if there was any truth to the person you knew then. Did you every really know her?" Realising that this was something bothering Allie as well Abigail knew what she had to do. "I'm guessing you are feeling the same way, wondering if the teacher who was so good to you when you arrived here was doing it out of kindness or was she using you to get to your father. We may never know the answer to our questions but I need to look her in the eyes once more and see if there is anything there."
A shadow passed across Allie's face as she remembered seeing Mrs Bouchard in this corridor. "I was here when they were taking her out for her walk the other day and she looked straight at me. There was nothing there, just an emptiness, except for one brief moment and I was sure that what I saw was regret. Do you think she feels any remorse, Mrs Gowan?"
"I hope so Allie. Perhaps before I make my visit we should have a word with your dad and get his permission for you to come in with me. Something tells me that you will not feel at peace until you do. Whatever her reaction may be towards us at least we will have closed the door on what was." Suddenly Allie wrapped her arms around Abigail, "Thank you, I know I have to put the terrible experience of Mrs Bouchard behind me, and I have very much done that, but there is still a lingering question in my mind. In my heart, really."
In the Mayor's office Fiona had gathered a group of people around her, all good honest members of the Hope Valley Community, to create a committee who would formulate the plan to move the town forward. The Town Council had agreed with her idea that this should be comprised of people from all facets of life and she was pleased to see some less familiar faces in front of her alongside those she knew well.
Eileen Handsworth had declined the invitation to represent the people who lived outside the town boundary, suggesting instead that some of the farming folk would be better placed to talk about the difficulties they faced. In fact, she had said, perhaps a man and a woman would be best to cover all aspects of the life they led and what the town could do for them. Laura Campbell's father had accepted, although he insisted that he was more of a townie than many others these days and so Mrs Handsworth's neighbours, Jack and Jennifer Cunningham, now found themselves sitting around the table.
Rosemary had asked Cecilia to cover the meeting for The Valley Voice but as she was not sure how long they would be staying she had persuaded her editor that she would be the better one to do this, offering instead to do the less desirable jobs within the newspaper such as the for sale section. Wilma Lawson was there to represent the shop owners, having been put forward by the Retailers Association that Ned had recently helped reinstate within the town. They knew there was a long road ahead to prosperity but only by supporting each other would they be able to overcome many of the difficulties faced in recent years.
Then there was an assortment of other business owners. Kevin the Blacksmith, who had once taken a fancy to Fiona but was now courting the school teacher, Katie Yost. Lee had sent Richard Wolfe, the Assistant Manager of his sawmill since Lucas's henchmen had driven him off his land to gain the access they needed through there. Faith was there with baby Nate, Mathew insisting that she be brought over in a wheelchair and that Molly accompany her. So the first ten minutes of the meeting had been spent on congratulations from those who had not yet had the opportunity to see her and much cooing over what a handsome boy he was. Just like his father, muttered a few of the women.
This was what she wanted to see, Fiona thought, Hope Valley people coming together to celebrate good things. On her way to the office this morning she had found the sight of the newly painted buildings and budding plants lifting her spirits. Of course, there was more to a happy town than these outward displays but surely it was a start in making people feel more positive about life. There were suggestions of many improvements and changes they could make, some of them wonderful but more than what they were able to realistically manage right now. She had her own dreams but knew the importance of listening to what others thought as well. Forever the pragmatist, she also wanted to make sure that with every new project suggested they were also finding a solution to an existing problem.
Upon leaving The Canfields last night she and Ed had walked a little further out of town, not wanting the evening to end on the sadness they had witnessed. They had talked of so many things but mostly of their hopes for the future of the town and themselves. Ed was determined that there was a need for more than one Mountie here and Fiona agreed that was something to discuss with both Nathan and Bill once they had finished the interrogations.
"What happens if I don't get chosen to stay?" Ed surprised himself by asking out loud, the thought having dominated his waking hours of late. Fiona was not surprised to hear him say that, knowing that it had been playing on his mind but adamant that it would be his choice should that happen. Still with her newly found optimism she had not let it worry her. Without breaking stride she said, "Well, perhaps you need to take the bull by the horn. Go and tell Nathan quite clearly that you want the position. Make him see how determined you are."
He stopped, turning her towards him and looking into her eyes, "My wonderful Fi, you are right of course. There is absolutely nothing that will take me away from you. Wherever you are is where I will be so I guess I will just have to persuade the Superintendent that I am the man for Hope Valley. If he says no, we'll have to think of something else for me to do because I am staying put." Despite standing in the middle of the road in front of the row houses he drew her into his arms and kissed her with a passion that let those who were passing by know exactly what she meant to him?