CHAPTER 5

At the hospital Jack was rushed directly into surgery. He was alive at least. Elizabeth could only wait and pray and try to collect her thoughts. Constable O'Reilly had to leave to take Superintendent Houston to headquarters. Her father. She needed to speak to her father. Could she trust him? She had to; there was no one else. She went to the telephone and was patched through to her home. She knew she couldn't say much on the line. She gathered all her strength and when her father came on the line, with calmness she in no way felt, she said, "Father, I'm fine, but a friend is badly injured. You mustn't say anything to anyone. It is very important. I need you to meet me at the hospital."

"Certainly, Elizabeth. I'll be right there!"

Elizabeth met him when he arrived. "Father! Come with me!"

William Thatcher saw the blood on Elizabeth's coat. "Elizabeth, are you hurt? What is going on?"

She looked down at her blood-stained coat. "It's not my blood. I'm not hurt. Not physically anyway." She led him to the surgery waiting room. No one else was there, but she kept her voice low.

"Jack, though." Before she could say more, she noticed her father's scowl.

"Did he put you in any kind of danger?!"

"Father, stop it!" She stifled a sob. Holding back tears, she shared how she had followed Jack. She ignored her father's stern and disapproving look. "When he went to stop the men, one of them shot him. Father, I saw the man's face. It was Charles! Charles shot Jack!" She could no longer hold back the tears. She fell into her father's arms.

"Elizabeth, that can't be! Surely you are mistaken!"

"I know what I saw. WHO I saw. I believe Charles is involved in counterfeiting business. Now Jack's fighting for his life, all because of Charles!" She wept uncontrollably.

When she was able to speak again, she shared the rest of the night's events.

"My dear, do you love Jack?" William asked his daughter.

"Yes, Father! I do! I truly do!"

Tears came to William's eyes. He hugged his daughter tightly trying to console her. "God?" he earnestly prayed. "How could I have misjudged so badly?"

William processed the news as Elizabeth calmed down. He held her hand as they sat in the waiting room. "Other than giving your testimony to the authorities, let's keep this between us for now. I'm going to be doing some checking of my own." She nodded in agreement.

An hour later the doctor appeared. "We got the bullet removed, but it was very close to the heart. He made it through surgery, but…only time will tell."

Elizabeth let out a small cry. "Please, may I see him, doctor?"

"They are taking him to recovery now. Someone will be here shortly to take you back to see him."

She sank to the chair. It felt like the longest wait of her life. A nurse eventually came and took them back to see Jack. Elizabeth walked into the room. She quickly went over to Jack's bedside and gently grabbed his hand as fresh tears began to run down her face. He was so pale. Fear gripped her heart. If he didn't make it through this, she didn't know what she would do. "Please, God," she softly prayed. "Help him through this!"

William Thatcher stood behind his daughter, his hand on her shoulder for support. He saw the love she had for this brave Mountie. William's attitude towards Jack began to change. He bent down and gave Elizabeth a kiss on the top of her head. He pulled up a chair and directed her to sit in it at the side of the bed. "I have some calls to make. Let me know if you need anything." She nodded slightly. William slipped out.

Elizabeth stayed beside Jack all night, praying and drifting in and out of sleep. Jack's condition didn't change. Mr. Thatcher would come in on occasion to check on them, but very early in the morning, he left the hospital.

To be continued...