Only the Beginning Chapter 12, Page 76
Rick felt life was just about as good as it gets. He had a precious baby daughter, an incredible wife, and a good job. The only thing he was still hoping for was a home of their own, although he wasn't complaining in the least. His folks left them alone respecting their life as newlyweds, and not wanting to interfere, but were always there, especially helping taking care of Timi Anne.
Sean and Mary assured Rick not to worry about paying rent for their room, in fact, they wanted them to save their money to build themselves a home. Rick knew that his dad still needed some help around the farm, which he happily obliged, as he felt that was the least he could do in appreciation. Knowing that Rick was learning the trade under Joseph and Bob, they were proud of Rick's natural talent. Of course, having an employer like Lee Coulter, just couldn't get any better. When the huge rush of building eased up, Rick would ask Lee about a home of his own, but that didn't seem to be in the near future.
Christy was also very happy with her new career as a stylist. It was fun and she loved talking to all the people that came by. It made her feel like part of the community as an adult now. She reminded the ladies that she didn't forget the kindness they extended to her showering her and Rick with gifts that would make their eventual new house a home. It was all packed up and sitting in the attic for when they finally had a place of their own.
As promised she hoped to treat all the ladies to a spa day. Her first 'client' was her boss, Fiona. She was perfect to practice on and gave her tips as she went along with her facial, manicure, pedicure, and shoulder massage. Being so stressed from all the new ventures happening in Hope Valley, Fiona appreciated it all very much! It just so happened, that after her special treatment, Dr. James Scholl stopped over for a haircut! Fiona pulled Christy aside, thanked her for the spa time, then told her with a wink, she could go home, as she would take care of Dr. Scholl herself!
Christy smiled to herself and winked back. "Enjoy your day Dr. Scholl!" she called out as she left. She walked over to Dottie's Apparel to see what new baby clothes and fabric they had in. Dottie had expected a shipment in that week and Christy had saved some money to buy her daughter a cute sun hat. Timi Anne was growing so fast that Christy had been sewing up a storm but she had spotted the baby hats in the catalog and couldn't wait to pick hers up. She knew she would charm the socks off her daddy when he saw it on her!
It was fun having a little time to herself. If her mother-in-law, Mary, was too busy, then her mom would offer to watch Timi Anne, especially since she was no longer home schooling in the summer. Anne knew David needed help with the farm and this is the time he depended on his children's help. Having Timi Anne was always a fun delight!
Gabe had succumbed to the pressure from the RCMP to learn to drive an automobile, so when he arrived he surprised Nathan by parking his automobile outside the Mountie office. Nathan heard the rumble of the engine. Looking through the window he spotted Gabe and went outside to greet him.
"What have we here?" Nathan whistled.
"Oh, just a little better horse power." Gabe chuckled. With that he threw his keys at Nathan who reacted quickly catching them in midair.
"What? You trust me to drive this?" Nathan was busy walking around slowly taking in each detail.
"Sure, is nice once you get used to it. C'mon, stop gawking, and let's ride out in the country and see what we can find!" Gabe rattled Nathan a bit. "You do know how to drive, don't you?"
"Lee showed me but actually I haven't had any practice for a while. Maybe you better drive." Nathan started to hand Gabe his keys back.
"I'm sure you'll do just fine. Before we make any new plans, I want to see what land you're talking about where you and Bill found the buried money and lumber." Gabe explained. "You know where you're going, so please lead the way."
After a bit of a rough start, the two Mounties took off down the country roads. Gabe watched and noticed some wooded areas that they should check on the way back. A few farmhands waved as they drove by and laughed when they saw Nathan behind the wheel.
The main concern Nathan had was the noise of the automobile as they got farther out in the country. It would tip off anyone that someone was coming. So, he pulled it over and they walked aways to the campsite. They saw no one there, so they walked over to the area where the box was with the money. The dirt there had been moved around again. Gabe wanted to dig for the box, but Nathan warned him not to, not yet. Gabe followed Nathan over to the grove of trees. On their way there Nathan filled Gabe in on the stolen lumber that was left there. Quietly they approached, and when they got there, Nathan was not surprised to find more lumber there. He and Gabe wrote down how much they counted of each size.
"Gabe, I think this is the lumber stolen from Lee's house. I need to compare it to the list that Lee gave me, but with the men gone and the wagon, they're no doubt going for more, but where?" Nathan looked around and scratched his head. "Let's hike back to the automobile and drive to the old hunter's cabin I was telling you about. They just might be there, waiting for nightfall."
Gabe nodded and while driving, Nathan told him that there was going to be a delivery at the Cafe today for the addition Lee was in charge of. He was training Rick and that would be their next stop.
When they reached the cabin, they parked close to Clara and Jesse's home. Nathan introduced Gabe to Clara and little Michael. From there they walked over to the hunter's cabin. They approached cautiously and when Nathan quickly darted over to the outside wall, like before, he slowly peered in with his pistol in his hand. There was no one in there again. He waved for Gabe to join him as he went inside. The cabin was as messy and stunk like before, but he could tell that those men had been there with used dishes and a bucket they used for a toilet. "It reeks in here!" Gabe just about choked. "See anything different?"
"No, let's get some fresh air." Nathan covered his face. Outside, they zig-zagged to the woods on the opposite side of the cabin. To their surprise they found the wagon hidden in the trees. It was empty. ''Probably ready for later tonight." Nathan suggested. "Let's get back to town. I want to talk with Lee about the delivery at the Cafe."
When they reached the Cafe, both Lee and Rick were there going through the lumber that they just delivered. Everything was counted and Minnie signed the receipt. "Hi Gabe, thanks for coming. We need the help." Lee shook hands with Gabe and then introduced Rick O'Neill. "He'll be coming here early before morning. We need to catch these guys."
Nathan looked at Gabe, "Do you think you can spot him? I have a recruit coming first thing in the morning, and I have to pick him up from the train station."
"Sure, of course," Gabe assured him. The men went inside the Cafe and they all had a cold lemonade and some of Emily's apple strudel. After the snack break, it was time for them all to go, Gabe looked at Rick, "See you tomorrow."
Only the Beginning Chapter 12, Page 77
That night, Fiona was amazed at how many folks filled Billees for the town hall meeting. Henry had his new hires standing together, and Lee had his. Nathan, Mountie Gabe, and Bill were gathered in the corner. Molly was sitting with Dee, Emily, and Allie. The room didn't allow much space so, Maggie and Sam had moved the tables out back with help from their group of friends, but left a few chairs for the ladies with the men standing nearby.
Addressing the crowd, Fiona tapped the table on the stage and calling for quiet. "I know it's warm and crowded, so I'll make this brief. I believe in keeping with our town's great hospitality and genuinely good spirit, so it is fitting for us to introduce ourselves as we go around the room, and to welcome our new townsfolk. I'll begin by welcoming all here to our town Hope Valley. I'm Mayor Fiona Miller and I own Nichols and Dimes beauty and barber salon. My assistant is Christy O'Neill who is home with her little daughter Timi Anne, however her husband, Rick is with us." Rick waved. "Rick works for Lee Coulter, proprietor of Coulter Lumber Company which is one of the busiest companies hiring now. Lee, please introduce your new employees to us."
As Lee introduced his new hires, Nathan, Gabe, and Bill were making mental notes of the new faces and names. They seemed familiar faces so far and none stuck out as odd. The men mentioned if they were single or married, and if they had children. Elizabeth and Dee made note of the children, knowing the new row houses still needing building, but some may eventually relocate to Hope Valley. Most of the men were single and had pitched tents in camp-like surroundings just outside of town. Others lived close enough between local towns so that they could go home to their families after work.
Henry took it from there and did the same with his new employees. They were already hard at work building pipelines to the railroad depot for shipping. His oil industry was really busy and Henry was researching with Mike Hickam and Jesse the next steps they needed to get done. Oil was a dirty business, so most of his men were single. Nathan and Gabe had their eyes on a few of the men that seemed a bit odd, standing next to each other with one wearing a red bandanna. Nathan whispered to Bill those two men who caught his attention. Bill nodded with a look of disgust on his face.
It was then that Bill spoke up. Bill had rented out a few rooms, but they were bursting at the seams. "Should I have any open rooms, I will post it outside. You are welcome to eat here, but please know that you'll need to have yourselves cleaned up."
Nathan took stage, and Dee admired how handsome and authoritative he looked, "We don't know where all of you are staying, however, we need to know where you do, so we can keep you all protected. Please sign up with the Mayor now. Thank you."
Fiona took the cue and asked everyone to sign up with their names and addresses. Nathan stepped back and watched from the side. With so many people packed in, Bill and Gabe took various spots. Trying to keep their eyes peeled on the men they spotted earlier they watched as they quietly and quickly tried to leave.
Nathan stepped in front of the pair as they approached the door. "Men, I didn't catch your names."
They looked at each other and darted their eyes right past Nathan and at the door. "Excuse us, my partner is not feeling well, and we need to leave," one of the men murmured.
"Surely you have a minute to sign up with the Mayor." Nathan nodded towards Fiona.
"Sorry Constable, the line is too long, we really have to leave now," the man replied as they pushed past Nathan and left.
Nathan caught Gabe' eye. Gabe came right over, "I have to follow those two men as they just left. I'll be back, please keep order here and let Dee know. Thanks."
Nathan went out and looking for those men, he saw they were just mounting their horses. As quick as he could Nathan ran to the livery and saddled up Newton. As he headed out he followed the way he had seen them go. It was getting dark and hard to see making it difficult.
As he rode out into the country he went to the cabin where he suspected they went to. This time their horses were tied up to the trees in the woods. As he approached the cabin, he heard voices. Hoping and praying he wouldn't be detected, he scurried to it. Listening at the window with his pistol ready, he could tell there were more men than just the two of them. The other voice seemed angry, "What are you doing in town?" he demanded.
"Boss, Gowen told us to go. We were just following his order," one of them answered.
"Does Gowen know anything about the two of you?"
"No, nothing. He's clean as a whistle," the other answered.
"Good, but you need to stay out of Hope Valley is that understood? No associating with anyone. You hear me?" the boss warned. "Are you ready for the next hit?"
"Yea, we are, we got this," the first man said.
Boss looked around and covered his face so Nathan couldn't see it clearly, "This place is disgusting. The smell in here is enough to kill a rat. You two are such slobs, get this place cleaned up and make sure you're ready for the next hit."
Nathan heard the boss going to the door. He had no chance to leave before the boss was outside. Nathan plastered himself tight against the side of the cabin and watched the boss leave. He headed in a different direction and mounted his horse taking off. Nathan was glad it was dark enough outside that he could dash back to the woods unnoticed.
When Nathan got back to town, he met with Gabe and Bill at his office. "Did Dee, Ma, and Allie get home safely?" he asked. Bill confirmed they did.
Nathan shared with the men what he just witnessed. "There's a third man, their boss, out here. I couldn't get a look at him as he covered his face. Apparently, the stench got to him too. He left in the opposite direction and I couldn't see him in the dark by the time I got back to Newton."
Bill told Nathan that no one left Billees without signing up with Fiona. "Well, we got the two men we've been watching, but nothing yet to arrest them on." Gabe added.
Changing the subject Nathan asked, "Gabe how are you handling staying with Bill?"
"I've stayed with worse," he laughed. Bill told him he could sleep on the sofa instead just for that smart remark.
"Ha! Gabe, one more night will help," Nathan added, "Like I told you earlier, I have to meet Gunther Burmeister at the train station tomorrow morning. I appreciate you spotting Rick O'Neill tomorrow morning."
"No problem," Gabe confirmed. "4:00 right?"
"Yes, now Lee won't be there until 6:00, but Rick offered to go early like Bob did. Rick has a hunting rifle and I told him to bring it, but I'm telling you, he's not a good shot. I first met him out in the woods hunting and his bullet went flashing by me close enough he could've hit me. So, don't count on his aim." Nathan warned.
"Thanks Gabe." Nathan slapped him on his back. "I'm relieved I can count on you!"
Only the Beginning Chapter 12, Page 78
As Nathan was walking home, a man raced past him down the road. He was near the row houses and so Nathan immediately was alert. Rushing to his home, he went inside and called for Dee. His Ma was sitting in her rocking chair reading, and Allie was near her practicing her guitar. "Dee, where are you honey?" Nathan called.
Emily looked up and smiled, "She's upstairs Nathan, is everything all right?"
"It is, I just wanted to make sure everyone was home," Nathan tried not to sound alarmed. He walked over to his Ma and gave her a kiss on her head and sat by Allie listening to her guitar playing. "Sounding better," he complimented her as she asked him to sing. "That's your mom's specialty. Let me go check on her and we both can join in."
When Nathan went upstairs, he saw Dee brushing her golden hair out from the braid she wore all day. She had little waves in her hair reminding him of when she was younger. He let out a whistle. She looked up and saw him coming over. "Hey handsome, how's my cowboy?" she smiled.
He leaned down and gave her a warm, tender kiss, "Much better now!"
She looked into his eyes and saw that her husband was thinking about something else. He sat on the bed and pulled her down next to him. He brushed a lock of her hair away from her face and brought her in towards him so her head rested on his shoulder. He sat there quietly and she knew he just needed to be with her. After a while, Dee reached for his hand and placed it on her tummy. "Feel that?" she beamed.
As a broad grin took over his face he answered, "Yes, I do," and with that he leaned down and placed his head next to her body talking to their little one. "Hey little bun, have I told you how beautiful your mother is?" Then 'bun' kicked.
They both laughed. He reminded her that Gunther Burmeister would be arriving the next morning. "I might be putting him right to work, but that'll be good. Nothing like instant duty to snap a man into place."
"Nathan, what did Gunther find out about Tom Thornton at headquarters?" Dee wanted to know.
"Well he's been in some shady business after he left the tire sales company. Apparently, he's not in deep trouble, but he hasn't kept his nose clean either. He owes some gambling sharks money, and I believe that is why they're threatening Elizabeth. With the name of Thornton, it didn't take long for the sharks to put Jack and Tom together. Knowing Jack passed away, they knew Elizabeth would have his pension, so she is their target to get their money back."
"Is she safe?" Dee was concerned for her.
"So far, but she's waiting for another message from this mysterious stranger telling her how much money they're demanding and how they'll collect it." Nathan confided. "Bill is working closely with her."
Nathan gave Dee a long hug and suggested they go downstairs together and join Allie and Ma. "Allie wants us to join her. Ready?"
Dee was always ready to sing, ever since she sat on her daddy's lap and he named her Chickadee she was happy when singing, until she found the love of her life, who also loved to sing, and that was absolutely when she was the most delighted!
Rick couldn't believe it was 3:30 in the morning already. The house was dark and everyone was sound asleep. Christy knew he had to get up early but he reassured her that he would be just fine, and not to get up to make him breakfast or pack a lunch as he was hoping Minnie would take care of that. Just about stubbing a toe when he got up without any light he moved carefully as he reached for his pants and shirt. After dressing, his eyes were becoming accustomed to the dark so he saw Christy's silhouette in their bed. She lay there breathing softly and he got lost gazing at her and feeling so much love.
Pulling himself back to reality, he knew that early in the day, it would be cooler, so he threw on a flannel shirt and grabbed a hat. He tiptoed around the corner and gazed down on little Timi Anne, gently pulling her baby quilt up around her. He touched his fingers to his lips and then placed them on the back of her head, leaving her with his kiss.
Once downstairs, he grabbed one of the cinnamon rolls his mom had baked the previous day. It was soft and gooey and went down with a big glass of milk. His dad had given him permission to use the farm truck to go to town since he was traveling while still dark. When he stepped outside, the cool night air hit his face and it woke him all the way up. He had promised to be at the Cafe by 4:00 to keep an eye on the lumber that was delivered the day before.
When he arrived at the Cafe, he turned off the engine and looked around. It wasn't quite 4:00 yet. He got out of the truck and walked over to the lumber stack in the far back. It didn't look like it had been messed with. He used his flashlight to try to count it. As he was bending over, something swooped by him. It scared the dickens out of him, but it proved to be an owl, so he let out a sigh of relief. He squatted back down and continued counting. So far so good.
He had left his paper and pencil in the truck, so he walked back to write down the quantity of each size. He compared it to his list and everything was there. That was great! Maybe the thieves weren't coming for this load after all. He sat in the truck keeping warm and was watching for Gabe. He should be coming any time now. As he stared out the car window he thought he saw something in the distance. He grabbed his rifle and went out. All he could see were some stars in the night sky. He listened and heard crickets chirping and a few coyotes howling. Then he heard horses coming from two different directions. Was it one or two people walking towards him. "Gabe?" he murmured, "is that you?"
The next thing he knew his head exploded with a piercing blow and his vision was fading, the pain took over his body as he fell to the ground with a thud.
Only the Beginning Chapter 12, Page 79
A gunshot rang out in the cool dawn air. Gabe hit one of the two in the leg and he cried out in pain and fell. The other man went running, but Joseph caught him and wrestled him to the ground. Gabe threw handcuffs at Joseph while Gabe went over to check on Rick. By then, Minnie was standing on the back porch and Joseph yelled for her to get help. Minnie went inside, grabbed a sweater, and took off in their car to fetch Carson.
"Rick, Rick, hey buddy, are you okay?" Gabe frantically but steadily tried to talk to Rick. There was no response, so he bent down to listen and thanked God he felt his breath on his cheek. His heart was beating, but slowly. He didn't want to move him, so he stayed by his side, trying to wake him.
Meanwhile, Joseph took both men and tied them up together. "Any response?" Joseph asked.
"No, not yet. Where did you come from Joseph?" Gabe was grateful to see him.
"Lee, Bob, and I have been on the alert watching for the thieves. I was inside and saw the headlights of the car that apparently Rick was driving, so I thought I better check. When I didn't hear anything, I was just going back to bed to catch a few winks, when I heard horse hoofs pounding close by, so I looked back outside and just then heard the gunshot. I was out the door and running after the other man and luckily I overpowered him."
"Great! Stay with Rick for a second?" he asked Joseph. Joseph went over and began praying out loud for God's mercy to help Rick.
Meanwhile, Gabe went over to the tied-up men interrogating them. "What are your names?"
"Jude Thomas" the one Joseph tackled answered sheepishly.
"Clay Smith" the one that the bullet grazed his leg mumbled.
"Who are you working for?" Gabe pursued.
"No one," Clay mumbled again.
"Oh, you so just like to hit people over the head and knock them out. Is that your wagon over there?" Gabe nodded. Dawn was breaking and the early morning sun was lighting up the sky.
"Yes," Jude answered. Clay gave him a look that was a warning to shut up.
The car was pulling in just then and Carson jumped out with his black bag and raced over to Rick. He had a very concerned look etched on his face, as there was still no response from Rick. Minnie had run inside and wet cloth for Carson to wipe down Rick's face. Carson asked Joseph to help him take Rick to the car and drive him to the infirmary.
Gabe took the two men and tied them to his horse. He went to the RMCP office and threw them in separate jail cells. Using the telephone, he called Nathan at home and explained to him what just happened. Nathan was extremely worried about Rick. He had mentored Rick and felt almost as if he were a younger brother for him. It was an honor to be his best man for his wedding to Christy. As he expressed his deep concern, Gabe offered to pick up Gunther so Nathan could be here in town.
"Thank you Gabe I do appreciate that. I will be there in a few minutes." Nathan got off the telephone and wrote a quick note to his family that he would be in town and why. He walked into town and went straight to the infirmary to check on Rick first.
He hurriedly walked in, "Carson, it's Nathan. Can I come around the curtain to see Rick?"
"Yes, of course," Carson replied. "As you can see, he's barely coming out of it. The blow to his head was pretty severe. I'm not sure, but I think he might have a fracture. We don't have an x-ray machine here, so I might have to take him to the hospital in Clearwater."
"Rick, can you hear me?" Nathan asked hoping he would respond. Nathan and Carson watched intently waiting for some sign of recognition. Rick seemed to move his fingers and that was a good sign, but then he'd fall back asleep.
"His brain is trying to heal," Carson explained. "The more he sleeps the better it is for healing. Once he is mostly awake, I'll do some tests on him. In the meantime, we just watch, pray, and wait."
"All right, I'll be over at the jail, so should he wake up, please let me know. Oh, what about Christy and his folks? Do you need me to tell them?" Nathan inquired.
"It's already being taken care of, Faith is over there now. I expect them to be here shortly." Carson sent Nathan off knowing, that Rick was under good care.
Bill was at the RCMP office waiting for him with a mug of coffee. "You'll need this," he said as he handed it to Nathan. "Gabe just left for the train station but first he filled me in. Seems this Jude and Clay don't want to talk just yet."
"No, huh? Well, it looks like they have some explaining to do or they'll just have to sit here until they do." Nathan looked at them both with disdain as he rattled the keys across the cell bars. "You better say your prayers that the man you hit over the head will be all right, or you'll have murder charges to face."
Bill looked at Nathan searching for an explanation but Nathan kept his face stoic and didn't let on.
"When am I going to get this damn bullet wound taken care of?" Clay demanded.
"Seems the doctor is busy taking care of the man you wounded," Nathan said as he walked away from the cells.
Bill joined Nathan in the corner of the office. "What's going on with Rick?" Bill was disturbed by what he heard.
"Bill, he's got a concussion, that's all I know. He seems to be trying to wake up but is sleeping, which is good Carson reassured me. Faith is bringing his family to the infirmary," Nathan whispered.
"You had me going there." Bill let out a sigh of relief.
"Me too, he's like a brother to me, but I know he's in good hands. Good thing Joseph was there. As he would say, join me in prayer, Bill." Nathan encouraged him.
Only the Beginning Chapter 12, Page 80
When the telephone rang in his office, Nathan answered quickly. He had been anticipating a call from Carson and prayed he'd hear his voice on the other end of the telephone. "Hello Nathan, I just called to see if everything is all right. You left us a note but didn't say why you were going to be in town instead of picking up Gunther." Dee's sweet voice soothed his anxiety.
"Dee, honey, I'm all right. There's been an incident over at the Mercantile where Rick was keeping an eye on the lumber before dawn. He got whacked from behind pretty hard and is coming and going out of consciousness. His family is probably at the infirmary by now." Nathan started.
"Oh dear," Dee was startled, "I just got a message from Rosemary that Minnie is calling all of us to church for a prayer vigil. I was so afraid it was something drastic like this. I'm just so relieved you are all right."
"Gabe and Joseph caught the two men that assaulted Rick and they're sitting in their cells right now. Gabe went to pick up Gunther so I could stay here. Once I know anything, I'll let you know. I love you, sweetheart!" Nathan hung up.
Looking at Bill watching outside through the window, Bill pointed to the infirmary, "The O'Neills are over there now."
"That's good, I hope they can get Rick to come to. I'll check later, as I don't want to interrupt their private family time. Dee informed me that Minnie is calling people to the church for a prayer vigil for Rick. That's what I appreciate about our town, everyone drops everything if one of us is in trouble. I hope we can keep it that way with all the new folks." Nathan expressed.
Bill agreed wholeheartedly. Both of the men knew it was a peaceful, friendly town and many came here because of that. Bill, Jack, and now Nathan had provided a safe town too, so it had a good reputation and they both wanted to keep it that way.
Nathan walked over to the cells and confronted the men. "Look men, the sooner you tell me who your boss man is, the easier it will go for you. We know someone had to put you up to this."
The two men looked across the cells at each other and played dumb. "We ain't got nothin' to tell," Clay spoke.
"You know he's going to be looking for you two, so what will he do if he finds out you're in jail?" Nathan challenged them.
Jude gulped. "It wasn't me who hit the fella. It was him," he said while pointing at Clay.
Clay shook his head and stood up, "Now Jude why you gone and say that for? You idiot!" and then he spit at him.
"Hey, none of that, sit back down, now!" Nathan ordered.
Clay held his leg as he collapsed on the bunk wincing, "Get that doc over here now. I'm hurt damn it!"
"All in good time, how about you first tell me who your boss man is." Nathan insisted. Silence.
"I suppose you're getting thirsty just about now, maybe even a little hungry," Bill spoke up, "Hey Nathan, I'll run over and get us some fresh hot coffee, crispy bacon, and fried eggs. You like toast?"
"Sounds good Bill. Thanks, I'm hungry as a bear and I can smell that crisp bacon already." Nathan had a wide smile with his nose smelling the air.
It was not a long wait at all, and Bill arrived with the food wrapped up and a container of hot coffee. The smell of the savory bacon tickled the noses of everyone in the jail office. "Mm, mm!" was all Nathan said as he opened up the plate of bacon and walked between the jail cells. He let the enticing aroma of the bacon saturate the air while he slowly chewed piece by piece. Clay and Jude's stomachs were growling loudly. He also picked up his coffee and the smell was delightful. He sat down at his desk opposite Bill and finished his eggs and toast one bite at a time.
"Hey, Mountie, you can't just let us sit here and not eat nothin'. It's against the rules." Jude shouted.
"Who's rules? Hey, it's up to you. If you co-operate and tell us the name of your boss man, well, I might find something to feed you." Nathan smiled.
"Toliver," Jude murmured.
"Damn it, Jude!" Clay yelled.
"Well, well," Bill nodded as he walked over to Jude. "I remember quite well a Nate Toliver who was captured by Mountie Jack. That gang was wanted all across the land for train robberies and bank heists. So now, he's out and you're working for this outlaw. Hmm. Not good, not good at all."
Bill walked back to the desk and filled in Nathan about who Toliver was and how Jack came to capture him and the gang. Nathan was swiftly on the telephone calling headquarters after Bill's revelation. As he talked, he jotted down some information as Bill read it over his shoulder.
"Seems the Toliver gang broke out of jail about a year ago. Sightings of them were confirmed, but no one has seen them in one spot for any length of time. After holding up a train, they had enough money to split between the three of them. Apparently, they travel separately. Gambling and prostitution seem to be their new deceptive vice for income."
"Those men are quite dangerous," Bill warned, "they'll stop at nothing. We have to be on top of them before they get to us."
Just then the door opened, and in walked Gabe with a smiling, innocent Gunther Burmeister. Nathan looked attentively, "Just in time, men. We have business to attend to. Welcome to Hope Valley Mountie Burmeister."
Only the Beginning Chapter 12, Page 81
"Rick, honey, it's Christy!" Christy was sitting by Rick's side of the bed in the infirmary. She held his hand tightly and was trying her hardest to wake Rick up. His eyes seemed to be moving back and forth under his eyelids, but he still hadn't opened them.
Carson reassured Rick's family that his heart rate was getting stronger and his breathing was steady. Carson closed the curtains to block any natural light, trying to keep it as dim as possible so that the light wouldn't bother Rick as much. "Upon waking he might be sensitive to light at first when he looks around. Chances are good he will have a headache and it's easier to deal with it when the light doesn't bother him."
Both Mary and Sean O'Neill had tried to wake Rick but to no avail. Both of them were praying their rosaries, sitting in the corner. Christy wouldn't leave his side. Almost crying, she pleaded, "Rick, please, let me see those beautiful eyes and that wonderful smile." As she bent down to kiss him, she felt him squeeze her hand. She almost started to laugh, but she didn't want to make a sound until she talked to him again. "Rick, I feel your hand pressing mine." Just then Timi Anne let out a big loud burp! Rick's eyes started to flutter, and he lifted his eyebrows as if trying to help open his eyes.
"Rick"? Carson called. "This is Carson, your doctor. You are in the infirmary. Christy is sitting next to you with Timi Anne. Can you hear me?"
Rick kept struggling to open his eyes for a few more seconds and then he finally opened them. The figures next to him were blurry, but he could tell when she spoke it was Christy, the love of his life. He heard Timi Anne babbling and a smile slowly crept across his face.
"Oh Rick, Rick!" Christy was ecstatically thrilled to see him looking at her and tears of joy gushed down her cheeks. "I love you, we all love you!"
"Christy...I love you both," was all he was able to say right then. Mary and Sean jumped up and ran over to Christy smiling and hugging each other in relief and praising God.
"Rick," Carson said as he asked to get close to Rick, "I need to check you out now, save your strength and try not to talk."
Faith came over and asked Sean and Mary to sit back down and offered them a cup of water. She kept them busy as she described to them what to expect in the next few days.
Christy stayed on the other side of the bed while Carson examined Rick. He had him follow his fingers and look in all directions. He took his ophthalmoscope and shone a light into his eyes looking for any sign of damage. Nothing seemed to be wrong except for a few burst blood vessels, which relieved Carson.
Next, he checked his reflexes and noticed some slow responses, but that was normal for his injury. Slowly he lifted Rick from a prone position to sitting up and watched for any signs of dizziness. Rick did have some slight dizziness, but not enough to make him ill.
Once he was sitting, he tapped on his neck and back trying to avoid the place that was red and swollen from the attack. Asking Faith to come there, he took a picture of his back and neck. Continuing on, when Carson neared Rick's collarbone in the front Rick winced and cried out. It was bruised and swollen too as well as his ear on the same side. Carson shared with Faith that he must have fallen on his left side. While he was still sitting up, he gave Rick a cool sip of water. That water felt so soothing as he rolled down his throat. Carson didn't want him drinking too much or too fast, so he had to take it easy, as difficult as that was.
Laying Rick slowly back down, he proceeded to check his arms and chest. Luckily, he didn't suffer from any broken ribs, but they were bruised and his left arm was tender near the shoulder. His legs seemed to be fine, but after the thorough exam, he still wanted Rick to go to the hospital for x-rays to rule out any broken or fractured bones.
Rick seemed drowsy after the exam, so he fought hard to stay awake, telling Carson what hurt and what didn't. Carson patted his hand and told him he was making arrangements for him to be transferred to Clearwater hospital for x-rays and further tests tomorrow. He told Christy that depending on the results, he would be gone for one or two days.
"Can he come home then?" she hoped with all her being.
"Yes, only if he has no broken bones or further problems. He'll need to be off his feet for a while, so bed rest will be required. His body needs to heal and I think being home with his family is the fastest and best way to accomplish that," Carson smiled warmly.
Timi Anne was squirming, so Christy let her lay down on the bed next to Rick so he could soothe her. "What a daddy's girl!" Faith smiled. "Look how she quieted down next to him."
Rick felt his little girl by him and when she started to quiet down, so did Rick. He fell asleep with her next to him. It was a sweet sight to behold. Sean, Mary, and Christy smiled seeing the two of them so comfortable and content together.
"Why don't you go on back home Mr. and Mrs. O'Neill? You can come back before we transfer him to Clearwater. Now that we know he's conscious again, the worst is over. Let him rest for now. All right?" Faith suggested kindly.
"Christy you too honey, get some rest. You'll be back soon. When he wakes again, we'll try food. If he eats and does all right with it, that will be another big hurdle he's passed."
Christy gently bent down, kissed Rick, and picked up Timi Anne. "I'll be back my love," she whispered.
Outside, the O'Neills met Lee. "I was just coming here to see how Rick is," Lee asked excitedly. "Is he all right?"
"He finally woke up," Mary said, "once he heard Christy he started to stir, but little Timi Anne's burp got him to open his eyes."
Lee laughed and so did the O'Neills. It was a fun laugh. They needed that. The fear was let go of as they let the laughter take over. When they stopped and caught their breaths, Lee spoke up, "Christy, you are not to worry about any of the expenses. He was hurt on the job, and I am taking full responsibility for his medical expenses and his lost wages." Lee reassured her.
"Oh, Mr. Coulter, that is so generous of you! Really, are you sure?" Christy was astonished.
"Yes, Christy I am, Rick is doing wonderfully and he is part of the Coulter Company family."
Christy hugged Lee and thanked him again. Sean put his arm around Mary and said, "Now that's one very kind and decent man!"
Only the Beginning Chapter 12, Page 82
Mountie Gunther Burmeister saluted Sergeant Grant. "Reporting for duty, sir."
Returning the salute, Nathan commanded Gunther, "At ease. So, from what I understand your training is completed. Now, you're a Mountie, welcome aboard!"
"Thank you, sir!" Gunther answered.
"The 4th level as a Mountie Constable is your first step and I will be training you here in Hope Valley. You've arrived at a time when our typical experiences will be set aside at the present. We have developing situations that are out of the ordinary for our town. Forensic Inspector, Judge Bill Avery will be working with us." Nathan explained while nodding towards Bill, making Gunther anxious.
"Have a seat here Gunther," Bill provided him with a chair.
Addressing Gabe, Nathan remarked, "Thank you Mountie Kinslow for your assistance. You are deeply appreciated especially for the arrest of our jail occupants and immediate attention to Rick O'Neill." Nathan was talking very formally for Gunther to learn firsthand who demanded respect in his town. Once he settled in, he would relax his communication skills, but it wasn't time yet.
Gabe nodded. "Glad I could be of assistance. What would you like me to do before I return to Brookfield?"
"Have a good hot meal on me," Bill piped up. Gabe laughed, and Nathan agreed.
"I need you to write your report and give me a copy. That Toliver gang is out there and I've already advised Headquarters, that every local Mountie needs to be on alert. I'm expecting one of them to show their faces sooner than later while looking for those two men," Nathan said looking towards the jail cells.
"Perhaps Constable Burmeister might accompany you for something to eat," Nathan looked inquiringly at Gunther.
Gunther nervously replied, "Sir, yes I would. Thank you."
Bill spoke up, "Constable Burmeister, I will escort you and Constable Kinslow to Billees to get a meal. I am part proprietor of the Hope Valley gathering place. Gabe and I will fill you in on what's been happening here."
Gabe looked over at Nathan with a half-smile, rolling his eyes, and tipped his hat. "I'll return to file that report." Nathan had to turn away to stop from laughing.
Nathan walked over to the livery and talked to Kevin about a horse to use for Gunther. He also made arrangements for the two horses and wagon that the outlaws used to be stored there. He explained that he was waiting for Mountie headquarters to return his telephone call and would make arrangements as to what to do with the horses and wagon. Kevin agreed to keep a list of feed, hay, and labor for the horses' care so he could be reimbursed.
Nathan walked over to the Infirmary to check on Rick since he noticed that his family had left. "Molly, how is Rick doing?"
"He's awake right now actually. Faith is with him and watching how he handles eating. Let me check." Molly answered.
When Molly returned, she was smiling as she informed Nathan that Rick had eaten toast and was doing fine with it. "You can go on in now."
Nathan walked around the curtain and saw his buddy sitting up and awake. He was so relieved, "You are a sight for sore eyes!"
Rick was smiling right back at Nathan and very happy to see him. "Good to see you too Nathan!"
"Rick, you had us all worried. I prayed for you to wake up. Actually, the whole town had a prayer vigil for you at the church, storming heaven. That was a very nasty blow you sustained." he shook his head thinking about it.
"Well, Doc says I have to go to the hospital in Clearwater for x-rays. I'm hoping nothing is broken." Rick then explained how he came to because of his daughter's burp. His eyes lit up as he told the story and his mouth curved into a soft smile.
"Hey, that's exactly who you think about. That's why you keep going." Nathan encouraged Rick.
As Rick tried to get comfortable, he winced. His head was throbbing and he knew he needed rest.
"We have those men arrested for assault and battery to start. They're working for an outlaw gang so there are Wanted posters being sent out for the likes of them." Nathan informed him, "I won't keep you, Rick, I can see you need your rest. I'll stop and see you when you get back from Clearwater. Hang in there!"
"Thanks, Nathan for coming by," Rick called as Faith walked over to get Rick comfortable.
When Nathan returned to the jail, he saw Henry marching over. "Nathan!"
"Henry, what has you so upset?"
"Look, Nathan, I just heard about what went down this morning and I want you to know I had no idea that Clay and Jude were working for the Toliver gang. I knew they were a creepy pair, but they worked digging just fine. I am so sorry about this." Henry was deeply disturbed. "How is Rick doing?"
"Well, he's awake and doing as good as he can. He is sitting up and just tried to eat some toast. He definitely has some nasty swelling and bruises, so he's going to Clearwater for x-rays tomorrow to check for any fractures or broken bones, not to mention a severe headache."
"This makes my blood boil. I want to give those two a piece of my mind." Henry stormed past Nathan and hustled over to the jail cells. His face was distorted with anger as a vein popped out in his neck. Raising his voice he glowered at the two men, his eyes blazing with fury, "Never will you be able to work again for anyone, I'll see to it," he barked. "You almost killed an innocent man with a wife and young baby, how dare you come to this town!" he hissed, "I hope you rot in jail!"
Henry left as quickly as he came. Nathan was actually proud of how far Henry had changed. Those men deserved that tongue lashing and more. They had to track down those Tolivers and soon before anyone else got hurt.