Chapter 38

Shocked by what Nathan had told him Lucas's thoughts were suddenly all over the place. There was no reason for him to doubt the truth of what had been said, it explained so many of the things he thought he had imagined over the years. Lucas had accepted a long time ago that Helen Bouchard was never going to love him as a mother should and, surprisingly, on the night she told him that he was not actually her son he had been almost relieved as things finally made sense. It wasn't that he was a horrible child, he was just someone else's child. Now to know that she had wanted his mother dead along with the baby she was carrying…him…was beyond anything he had previously thought of her, a cruel and calculating evil that was difficult to comprehend.

Nathan watched as any last vestige of feeling for the woman he called Mother disappeared from Lucas and with it would have finally come the realisation that he was on his own completely. The serious questioning would now begin. "We need to know how your involvement began with Shue Moy's gang and then Rocco Perri's, but more importantly what part Hargreaves played in all of that.

So Lucas began to tell them everything he knew, no longer playing the game of holding back information. "Andrew Hargreaves came into our lives when I was fourteen. I remember it exactly as it was one week after my birthday when I turned the same age as Giles had been when he died. It was preying on my mind, trying to imagine how he could have done all those things we knew he was guilty of. My mother…" he paused for a moment before continuing, "Helen Bouchard had made enquiries a little while after they died and found that the attacks had stopped, there were no more. It confirmed what we already knew was the truth."

Had the woman not had such a long history of criminal behavior before the incident then the Mounties listening to this tale may have had some sympathy for her but they were all aware that she would have had some bearing on her son turning out as he did. They knew that was not the case with every murderer and rapist, just that it seemed she had turned a blind eye to so many of his faults when as his mother she should have been helping him. Lucas went on, explaining how their world became interwoven with Hargreaves as information was exchanged that benefited both sides. "She would have nothing to do with him at first, holding him responsible for what she considered the murder of her husband and son. But then he told her something that changed all that and their mutual loathing of Thomas Thornton created a bond. After that she was his source for word on the street about what was happening while he was her protection, managing to make small problems go away."

Bill interrupted, wanting to know if his earlier guess had been right. "Were they lovers?" Lucas laughed, "I'm not sure I would use the word love in the same sentence as either of them but, yes, they were. At least for a few years but then it became more of a business arrangement, both driven by their own need for revenge. There was no room for any emotion other than that."

Bill continued the questioning, seeing that Nathan was getting tired, the mental pressure of directing the interrogation a heavy burden he had to carry. "So, as you told Nathan in an earlier interview, you left and went down to New Orleans. What made you come back?" There was pain on Lucas's face as he answered. "Would you believe me if I said that as badly as she had treated me I missed my mother. She was the only family I knew." Nathan stopped them after that, knowing that they were now getting into the territory of events that led to the main things they were investigating. "It's getting late so I think this is as good a time as any to finish for the day. We'll start again in the morning with fresh minds. I for one am looking forward to going home for a peaceful evening with my family." Turning to Lucas he gave a small nod. "You'll be pleased to know that you're being moved into a room at the saloon. You will be under guard so don't think of doing anything stupid or this deal will be off."

It was after dinner that Abigail had knocked on the door, Cecilia having called to ask her to come over after Allie had spoken to them. Now Allie sat patiently in the kitchen, waiting while the three adults spoke through in the front room. She thought she had set out her reasons very well and had decided that whatever the outcome she would accept it. Unlike most of her peers she knew that her opinion was listened to whenever major issues were being considered. Through conversations with her friends she had been made to realise just how unusual this was for a girl her age. In fact, many women had no say in what happened within their family, the patriarchal society they lived in denying them those rights.

But she knew things were changing and she was determined to be at the forefront of that as a journalist specializing in writing about women's issues. Now that there was a woman in parliament other things would follow and she was excited to be growing up in these times. Lost in her own thoughts it took a moment before she realised her father had come into the room. His face gave nothing away as he pulled out a chair and sat down opposite her. "I've had a long conversation with Mrs Gowan, a woman whose opinion I respect greatly, and to be honest there was nothing she said that added any more to the argument you had already voiced for meeting with Mrs Bouchard. Then your mother and I discussed everything before we made a decision."

Allie opened her mouth to speak but quickly closed it again as her father lifted one eyebrow in that way he had of saying he was not finished yet. "I have found that the best way to deal with the hurt she caused us is to move on, look to the future and think of the past as just that, something that happened a long time ago. I must admit I really thought you felt the same when I heard what you said out at the row houses, so this request came as a surprise to me and I've had to give it some serious thought."

Suddenly Allie felt bad, knowing the pressure he was under right now and here she was adding to it. "I'm sorry dad, I didn't mean to give you something else to worry about." Nathan relaxed the stern look on his face, never wanting to see his daughter upset. "Nothing else I have to deal with will ever be more important than you Allie, I hope you know that." She nodded, struggling to keep the tears from welling in her eyes.

"I couldn't help but be afraid that this could go badly wrong and you would be hurt all over again. But then your mum reminded me of the courage you showed when confronting Mrs Bouchard before and of the words you spoke. How you thanked her because you now know what a mother's love really is. You are strong and brave, Allie, and for that reason I am allowing your request." Allie was halfway out of her seat before he put his hand up to stop her. "Hold on, there is a condition. I am going to ask Uncle Gabe to be there with you, along with Mrs Gowan, and if at any time he thinks something isn't right he will take you out of there. Is that understood?" She nodded.

"I mean it Allie, you will do exactly as he says." Barely were the words out of his mouth than he was enveloped in a big hug. "I promise. Thank you for trusting me dad, I love you so much for that." Nathan smiled, doubting there was anything that could make him love his daughter any more than he already did.

In his bed at the boarding house Ed Harter groaned as he struggled to open his eyes fully. Woken by the sound of a knock on the front door he knew it was still the early hours. There was a temptation to hide back under the bedcovers and let someone else drag themselves downstairs to answer, especially as the late spring chill was still with them. But Mountie training is hard to forget and he found himself up and at the door of the room he shared with Harold Bishop before the other man's feet had even touched the floor. "I'll go, no point in both of us getting cold."

A shivering Ned Yost greeted him as he pulled the latch and swung the door open, before he beckoned for him to come in quickly. "Has something happened Ned?" In the other man's hand he could see the telegram envelope clutched tightly and his heart sank. Who was going to be the one about to have his world changed today? "I am so sorry to bother you this early but I have a telegram here that we thought shouldn't wait. At least, maybe it could have, but Florence decided it was best for me to bring it over straight away."

Ned was stumbling over his words, his breath catching as Ed realised the poor man must have run all the way from The Mercantile. "Come in and sit down by the stove, then tell me who that is for and I will go get them." He knew that all the Mounties would be upstairs, awake now and just lying in the dark wondering what they were to be called out for at this hour, waiting for the shout from him to say what was needed. Taking a seat at the table Ned kept his head down, not wanting his expression to give any hint of the message inside. "It's for Jim….James Buchanan", he said quietly as he could feel his heart rate begin to regulate and warmth come back into his body.

Cat appeared in the doorway then, looking across to Ed and then back at Greg who had followed close behind her, "I'd better put the coffee on while you go and call Jim. You'll be needing a cup before you head back Ned, I can't have Florence telling me off for not looking after you."

There was an unwritten rule of the hierarchy in the team and all of the Mounties had accepted Greg as the unofficial second in command to the Superintendent. It was a role he took seriously, looking after the men. Watching Ed move towards the stairs Greg quickly stopped him "I can go, if you like?" For a little while Ed had felt that the competition for the position of Mountie in Hope Valley had been hanging between the two of them but it was moments like this that made him realise it just didn't matter, the superintendent would do what was right and they would each find a way forward whatever the decision.

Patting Greg on the shoulder he could hear the genuine emotion in the big man's voice and replied "I've got this…but thank you."

It wasn't long before shouts of congratulations from inside the boarding house could be heard from the next few residences along the street as people were waking to start their day. Cat looked on fondly, having already expressed her delight to Jim, as she watched one after another of the men appear in the kitchen to be greeted by the news of his baby's arrival. He had been worried when he first read the telegram as the baby wasn't due for another three weeks, his leave already having been sorted with the superintendent for just before that time. When Cat insisted that he use her telephone to call his wife he didn't hesitate and when she heard his voice Eleanor burst into tears before reassuring him that everything was ok. She was tired but very happy.

So it was a jovial group of Mounties who headed for their office this morning, glad to be sharing the reason for their happiness to anyone who asked. Bill was just coming down the steps as they approached and upon being told the news he promised that there would be a bottle of something suitable waiting for them that evening in their room at The Mercantile, "to wet the baby's head of course" he winked.

Nathan was delighted, glad that at last they had something to celebrate amongst themselves and immediately took Jim aside. After first offering his own good wishes he then told the young Mountie that his leave started as soon as Antoine had shuffled the rota around to cover his duties, so hopefully he should make the morning train. He had a daughter to meet and Nathan knew first hand what a joy she would be in his life.

Very quickly the mood settled and each went their own way to carry out the assigned duties. As Jim sat down behind the desk to wait for his relief, a voice called out to him from one of the cells. "Sounds like something has happened out there young man. Care to tell us?" He paused for a moment, not wanting to spoil his happy news by sharing it with these people. Looking at Helen Bouchard he wondered if she had ever actually experienced the euphoria he was feeling at this moment or had she always been a cold hearted mother. Smiling in what he hoped was a sincere way he quickly replied, "Just good news regarding the investigation. It seems like things are going better than expected. I'll be catching the train home in a couple of hours." He grinned to himself, looking back down at the paper in front of him without waiting to see the reaction.

Allie and Cecilia had walked into town together, each caught up in their own thoughts about what the day would bring. They had all agreed that the sooner she could see Elizabeth the better and so they were meeting Abigail at the cafe after Allie's shift, by which time Gabe promised to have the arrangements made with the hospital. Sleep had come easy to Allie last night, her mind very firmly set on what she wanted to ask Mrs Bouchard. Now she was reaffirming all of that in her head as she was determined today to stand strong, just as she knew her father and mother would in the same situation. After that she would close the door on everything that happened and never think of the woman again.

For Cecilia, talk of the new baby had reminded her that she should start thinking about her own imminent arrival. Up until now she had been happy to wait to see what would happen after this investigation was over but as time went on she was beginning to feel the urge to get some things organized. Faith had called it nesting and explained it was something all pregnant women went through in their final few months. She understood that there would be no decision regarding their future until everything here was concluded but couldn't help feeling guilty about having taken over The Avery's house for so long, despite their protestations whenever she mentioned it. In one way she longed to get back to their home in Cape Fullerton and their own belongings yet surprisingly she also hated the thought of leaving Hope Valley.

Molly was busy making plans for housing the youngest of the Chinese refugees once they were cleared to leave the hospital, although she assured Cecilia that they could do that in the row house once the Thortons had left, which was going to be in a few days. That seemed unfair to them and although she had not discussed it with Nathan she had already decided they would move in there instead. Despite all the drama of their time here she had never felt such a sense of belonging as she did with the people of this town. The outpouring of love shown towards Nathan and Allie had extended to include her and it was something she was going to find difficult to leave behind. Today, however, she had an article to write, for which her research material had only just arrived from a friend in Vancouver.

Robert was another war correspondent and their paths had crossed at various times and places throughout their posting overseas, each with their own experiences but with an understanding of things that could be shared with few others. On a couple of occasions some of them had been lucky to meet up in Paris or London to enjoy a few days of respite from the horrors they reported on.

Cecilia's happiest memories from that time were when her journey took her through Paris and she could spend an evening at her favourite restaurant, La Rotonde in Montparnasse. Frequented by writers and artists it was possible to pretend for just a few hours that all was right in the world, while dining on the superb dishes that the wonderful Liberon managed to still serve in a city where food was so heavily rationed.

One evening she had been invited to attend the opening performance of "Parade", by Les Ballet Russes. The scenario had been specially written by Jean Cocteau at the request of his Russian patron Sergei Dhiaglev, with the sets and costumes by none other than the artist of the moment, Pablo Picasso. For someone who had been brought up with a love of the arts it was an experience like nothing else. Her escort for the evening had been an Italian painter named Amadeo Modigliani, whom she had met on a previous visit when she attended a 'salon' of Gertrude Stein. When he had suggested that she should stay in Paris and be his muse their hostess had laughed, exclaiming that as beautiful as Cecilia was the world needed her out there reporting on the war through a woman's eyes, not reclining naked on a chaise for him to paint in his unusual style.

Paris, London, Rome, Madrid….she had been to them all and sometimes loved, other times disliked, the places, people and the distinctive cuisines they had to offer. She had written articles about her experiences to share with those who desperately wanted to read of something other than war. To be reminded that somehow some aspects of normality still existed over there.

Then she returned home to Canada, where daily life was largely unaffected by what was happening on the other side of the world but still experiencing its own changes. In Vancouver, her friend had suggested they dine at one of the many restaurants run by Chinese people that had sprung up. While most only served the same food that could be found anywhere else in the city, the more adventurous were including traditional Chinese dishes on their menu and word quickly spread of just how good it was.

She had mentioned this to Fiona the other night and had been surprised to hear their new mayor burst out laughing. "You must have read my mind, Cecilia. One of the first things I have on my plan for The Tipperary is a small restaurant serving food cooked by the residents using recipes from home. We want them to be able to build new lives for themselves eventually and I thought this would be a great way to begin." Cecilia wasn't surprised to find they had similar thoughts. Fiona was, after all, a native of San Francisco which was known for its cultural diversity. "Well I must say I am impressed with how you are thinking. You have so much enthusiasm and are able to look at things with fresh eyes, I think it's wonderful. Would you like me to write some articles for the newspaper about the differences in our two cultures, maybe it would help everyone understand more about the Chinese people?"

She had gotten quite excited about it then, knowing that Rosemary would be fully supportive as they often found themselves wishing they could share more of what they had experienced of the wider world with their readers. Although Rosemary had pointed out that there were stories from her time as an actress that were probably best left unsaid. Now as her thoughts came back to the present she realised that this life she was growing inside would be making her hungry again very soon. Saying goodbye to Allie she decided that a slice of Minnie's chocolate cake to accompany mid-morning coffee at The Valley Voice was the perfect thing to help with that.

At the window of Bill's office, Nathan stood looking down the street at the bustle of people going about their morning business. He watched Allie and Cecilia walking in this direction, marvelling at how his wife could remain so graceful and elegant at this stage of her pregnancy and wondering when his little girl had grown into such a confident and beautiful young woman.

Outside the newspaper office he could see Rosemary shoo Patrick and Little Jack along the boardwalk in the direction of the school, their scrunched up expressions showing a typical boyish reaction to hugs and kisses from their mother before they turned at the corner to wave back at her with big smiles on their faces. Other women walked along pushing prams or holding tight to the hands of toddlers who were determined to go off in a different direction or to not go anywhere at all, while their older children greeted friends with shouts from opposite sides of the streets.

Mothers, he thought. How blessed all these children were to have warm and loving women to guide them through the challenges in life. And how sad it was that it wasn't so for everyone. The man they were interviewing was an example of the difference that could make. With that he reached for his serge, trying to mentally prepare himself for the day ahead. "I need to get this finished soon" he said to no-one in particular, "then I can get on with living life as it should be. Where we should be."

It had been a long night for Matthew and now as he was about to head home his spirits were lifted to hear the happy sound of Mounties laughing behind him. It was good that they had such an event to brighten what had been a difficult time for them all as he knew just how much joy the birth of a baby could bring. He hoped the other event of the night wouldn't spoil that. God must have been working hard in the early hours he thought. As the last vestige of life had faded from the French chef it seemed that in Cape Fullerton a new life had been taking its first breath as Eve Buchanan made her entry into the world.

Although he had known for a while that Gustav was unlikely to recover from his injuries, it was still difficult for any doctor to lose a patient under their care. It had become clear yesterday afternoon that the end was almost here and so he had asked Joseph to come and sit with him, which he willingly did despite their own recent loss. After closing the cafe for the evening Minnie had joined them, sharing the reading from the bible with her husband as they prayed for Gustav to find peace and salvation in his final hours.

He knew that this was going to be particularly difficult on Antoine DuPont. The young Mountie had come to the hospital every day to check on the patient, the unwarranted guilt at having inflicted this injury weighing heavy on him although it was agreed by all that he had acted in self defense, protecting not just himself but the people of the town. He was a good Mountie who was simply doing his job. As tired as he felt, Matthew knew that before he could find his own comfort with his family he had the task of informing Antoine of the death and so he turned, making his way towards the saloon where he could usually be found working at the desk in what had once been Lucas Bouchard's office. He found an empty room and was advised by one of the other men that Antoine had taken over duties at the Mountie Office so that Jim could catch the train home to see his wife and daughter.

Suddenly Mathew remembered that other people also needed to be told but he was not sure how Nathan wanted to handle that. So he changed direction again, heading to where he could glimpse Nathan standing at the window, hoping to catch him before they started the interrogations for the day.

In the cafe, Patrick O'Reilly had just finished the best breakfast he had eaten for a very long time, already looking across the room at the cakes on display and wondering how long he could leave it before coming back for more. This was a nice feeling, being part of a town where people cared for each other. He had been told of the history of recent times here but in his heart he knew that was not the real Hope Valley. For a moment he pictured the life he might have had if Jack Thornton hadn't changed his mind about leaving. Would Mary and Jane still be alive? Would Jack still be with them? He knew he couldn't dwell on that, so many other things could have happened instead. What he did know was that this town had a healing quality about it that he was already feeling.

He had been busy since arriving, sorting through his paperwork to find cases that he remembered having any connection to Andrew Hargreaves and Thomas Thornton. In some instances it was the secondary cases that linked the two men and gave him information of any other Mounties involved. Somewhere in there he would find the information to back up what Lucas Bouchard was telling Nathan, he just needed to follow the trail.

Last night had been a trip down memory lane as he and Bill sat up late talking about old missions and their gone but not forgotten friends. There was little they hadn't seen during their time with the RCMP, back through to the days when it was still the North West Mounted Police, and there were few Mounties from that time they didn't remember. Nathan had sat with them for a while, laughing at the slightly exaggerated stories of escapades and enjoying the banter between the two men. Sometimes when an investigation enveloped you in the way this one had it was easy to forget who you were and so moments like this were necessary to help you breathe again. There was nothing superhuman about any of them, he thought, they were just men who wanted to make a difference in the world. To keep people safe. After one drink he made his excuses and retired to bed, leaving the two old friends to continue their reminiscing . He smiled as he climbed the stairs, glad that Patrick O'Reilly had come as he knew that Bill would need his support in the coming days, possibly even weeks.

Now starting a new day of questioning back in Bill's office he waited for Lucas to settle in his seat, a delicate teacup in his hand. Nathan looked quizzically at him, trying to understand the thinking of the man. He had chosen to withhold the news about Gustav for the moment, not wanting to alter the flow of Lucas's thoughts from where they had left off. "Yesterday you said that you came back to Canada because you missed your mother and yet she was in Hamilton and you chose to live in Vancouver. I don't understand that."

Lucas wondered if someone like Nathan could ever know what it was like for him. There had never been the loving mother to come home to. In fact, he had spent little time in school, his learning coming from the books that always surrounded them and the knowledge imparted by the well educated Helen Bouchard. At least that was something to thank her for. "Just because I missed my mother doesn't mean that she missed me. Ever practical, Helen Bouchard decided that she could use me as her eyes and ears with the mobs in Vancouver while she concentrated on Hamilton. This was what she and Hargreaves needed if they were to achieve what they were aiming for, to become invaluable to the big players."

Nathan knew the story of how Lucas established himself within the Vancouver gambling scene, becoming known by some as The Dandy because of his style of dress and way of speaking. He won enough at the tables to maintain a reasonable lifestyle but extra funding from his mother gave the impression of someone who was independently wealthy. It made him attractive to Shue Moy and his gang as a gateway to the elite of society.

Lucas went on. "I met a man named Billy Hamilton at one of the tables, in a poker game, and heard his tale about trying to seduce an heiress to Thatcher Shipping who had gone to teach in a frontier town. He was a small time hustler who I saw through straight away but for some reason his story intrigued me."

On the other side of the room Bill had been sitting quietly but now he remembered what Abigail always had to say about the man who had turned Elizabeth's head for a while with his talk of poetry and books before Jack finally exposed him for what he really was. He had often wondered if there was a need in Elizabeth that made her vulnerable to these types.

"There was something about it that made me want to hear more so I let him win a few hands to keep him speaking. He was quite unashamed by what he had tried to do, laughing as he said how the local Mountie had run him out of town and then ended up marrying the woman himself. Then quite surprisingly his mood became sombre as he told me that he had heard that the husband had been killed and left her a widow, with a baby."

This was now getting to the beginning of the real story they needed to hear so Nathan just sat back, indicating for Lucas to continue. "I didn't think any more of it at the time but when my mother came to visit a few weeks later I was relating the story to her over dinner one night when she suddenly smiled, the way she does when she senses an opportunity." Nathan had a sudden vision of how Helen Bouchard would have looked at that moment and the image wasn't pleasant. He had always thought it was the rivalry between Lucas and himself that made him find the woman unnerving to be around but eventually he had come to realise that it was an inner sense of her evil that he could feel all along.

"Is that when she decided you should come to Hope Valley to seduce Elizabeth?" Lucas shook his head. "No, my mother rarely does anything spontaneously. She likes to do her research and set things up properly." He grimaced then before going on. "Plus, as always, she wanted to speak to Hargreaves. Then she went back to Hamilton to put out feelers about what Rocco Perri would give to gain the control of William Thatcher's ships. I was sent back down to New Orleans….to practice, she said, away from anyone who I might come across later. This was a big deal for them and she intended to make sure nothing could go wrong."

Nathan could picture the plan they were putting together. "Did she also speak to Shue Moy's mob in Vancouver?"

Shaking his head Lucas replied, "No they didn't become involved until later. When the whole town saw that hug after the Mountie was killed and it became clear she was in love with you."

Laughing at Nathan's obvious embarrassment some bitterness had crept into Lucas's voice. "I didn't go to Louisiana as I told people but to Vancouver. Unfortunately Lady Luck decided not to come with me and I lost heavily. So there I was in debt to Shue Moy and once again Helen Bouchard found a way to turn it into something positive."

Nathan sat pensively for a moment before he once again looked at Lucas, "Did she know Elizabeth was the widow of Jack Thornton?"

Lucas laughed. "Did she know? Oh yes….and she also knew that Hargreaves was responsible for his death!"

Bill and Gabe both watched as Nathan's expression changed after hearing Lucas's last words. Greg was up from his chair quickly, certain that the superintendent wouldn't do anything but wanting to put a barrier between him and Lucas to stop the man from saying more. But Nathan sat still, his face blank at first and then showing a mix of expressions as the meaning of what had been said became clear. Without looking at Lucas he rose and turned towards Gabe. "I can't be here."

It was Bill who answered. "We understand Nathan, this must be quite a shock for you." Surprisingly Nathan's voice was calm when he spoke again, although everyone could see the whiteness of the knuckles of his clenched fists. "I can't be here because it will jeopardize the case. If this goes all the way back to events at Fort Clay, or earlier, then I will probably have to testify, so I can no longer be part of this interrogation. Maybe even the entire investigation."

The others nodded, amazed that at such a moment he still had the ability to look outside of his own emotions. "Of course," Bill replied, "we need to make sure that everything is done by the book".

Nathan picked up his cap from the table and walked out of the room, still without so much as a glance at Lucas. Gabe followed, then closing the door behind them he stopped his friend as he started down the steps. "What are you going to do?"

Taking a deep breath Nathan paused before speaking. " I know what I would like to do, march straight down to the jail and haul Andrew Hargreaves out of his cell, then beat him until my hands are torn and bloody." Gabe was shocked but not surprised, for he understood why his normally calm and peaceful friend was feeling that way. Before he could say anything Nathan's face softened a little and he spoke again. "What I am going to do, however, is go to the livery and saddle Newton, then ride as fast as I can for as far as it takes me to no longer want to kill another human being."

With that he placed his cap on his head and walked off, Gabe knowing that there was nothing anyone could do to help him at this moment.