Oh, no. Oh, no no no! Lucas hung his head in dread of what news was coming next. The one name he'd never wanted to hear for the rest of his life: Amos Dixon. Lucas's blood ran cold at the thought of what Dixon was comfortable doing just to extract money and exert power over those who were helpless to defend themselves.

From Constable Carlton's countenance, it was not good news. Giving himself a mental shake, Lucas prepared himself to hear the rest of Hope Valley's turbulent two-year history.

Feeling no need to rush into town, Dixon had watched and waited for his opportunity to strike and make a new base for himself in Hope Valley. Dixon had also used the time to gather to himself a small, but wicked group of desperate men. Men that would do his bidding...and take the fall for him. Late one evening, Dixon decided the time had finally come to eradicate the local law enforcement in town. He and his gang had ridden into town the next evening at sunset.

That 24-hour delay had given Constable Grant and Judge Avery enough time to receive warning that Amos Dixon had been spotted in the immediate vicinity. Nathan and Bill had been able to gather their own noble posse and it had been enough to subdue Dixon had his company of rebels. Dixon had been put out of commission, permanently. But the cost had been steep. Lucas recognized almost all the names of those that had been wounded during the short skirmish. But he still hadn't heard two specific names.

Through the building tightness in his throat, Lucas pushed out the question. "What of Constable Grant and Judge Avery?"

"Constable Grant sustained a serious injury to his left leg. At first, they thought he might never walk again. After much physical therapy, he was able to regain full use of his legs...though he will always walk with a limp. He received an honorable discharge from active duty and now has a desk job in Cape Fullerton. I believe I heard his mother and niece now live there too."

Constable Carlton continued. "There were only two men that succumbed to the wounds they sustained during the attack: Bill Avery and Mike Hickam."

With that information, the young constable folded his hands together and bowed his head. So concluded the tale for why Lucas was unable to find either Nathan or Bill for help in this new fight against Wyman Walden.

Bowing his head, Lucas pressed both his hands to his forehead. He was struggling with every fiber of his being to process Constable Carlton's news, but his brain refused to accept the plain and simple facts.

Nathan wounded? Bill and Mike are both dead? This was NOT how things were supposed to be! Lucas railed silently. Towards God, towards life in general...but mostly towards himself. It was so hard to think of Hope Valley without having Constable Grant standing guard or making his rounds on his faithful steed, Newton. For it to be without Bill Avery, the crusty judge who had a heart of gold. And without Mike Hickam, undoubtedly the quietest and humblest man in town. Did he ever tell Fiona how much he cared for her? Lucas sadly wondered.

Several long minutes passed before the scrapping of a chair reminded Lucas that he was not alone. Looking up, he saw the constable move back to his seat behind the desk. Pushing off the armrests of his chair, Lucas stood and quietly thanked the Mountie for his time. Walking to the door, Lucas paused as a new thought occurred to him.

"Why is Constable Grant's horse still here in town?" He asked the Mountie.

"Mr. Grant sold him to help pay the mounting bills from his convalescence so his mother would not have to work," Carlton responded.

Without giving a second thought, Lucas reached into his jacket. Thankfully, his billfold was still there with the same amount of money as it had when he had first put it into his breast pocket that morning. That seemed so long ago...not the mere 5 hours it had actually been.

Lucas knew he was powerless to change the past. He hadn't been there for Nathan and all of his friends to facedown Dixon. He hadn't been there to visit Nathan in hospital and possibly alleviate the worry of the building expenses. Even though they had just taken their first steps towards mutual respect and support for each other, Lucas knew in his heart that he and Nathan would have become friends.

Walking back to the Mountie's desk, Lucas pulled out all the money from his billfold. Reaching down, he took off one of his shoes, removing the money he had stashed there as well. After putting his shoe back on and counting all his funds, Lucas set it on the desk.

Giving a stern look to young Carlton, Lucas gave instructions for the funds. "I'm buying Newton. However, draw up the papers so that Nathan Grant is named the full owner. The remainder of this money is to be given in its entirety to the Grant family. They are the first recipients of a new foundation. A foundation that seeks to come alongside wounded Mounties who might not be physically able to serve, but still have the heart of a Mountie. It's designed to assist those men and their families as they heal and find what is next for them." Looking down at the money laying on the desk, Lucas said, "Tell them this is the first installment from The Avery-Hickam Hope Foundation."

The constable reached into one of his desk drawers and pulled out an envelope to put the money before securing it in the safe. As Carlton closed the door on the safe, Lucas put his hand against the closed safe door, making sure Carlton met his eyes.

"Either myself or one of the other members of the foundation will be following up with both the Grants and those at NWMP headquarters to ensure these instructions are carried out to the letter."

Lucas did not attempt to be subtle that he knew of the corruption and bribery that was running amuck in this town...and that the constable was allowing such corruption. His eyes gave a challenge to the young man: to fight for justice and to live with integrity. Carlton nodded in solemn understanding, realizing he was being given a chance to choose the noble path.

Returning the other man's nod, Lucas strode across the room, opened the door, and walked outside into the chilly afternoon. Seeing Sam standing by his wagon alongside the boardwalk, Lucas felt a moment of guilt for leaving the man waiting patiently outside.

Sam met Lucas' solemn gaze. "So now you know the news," he said.

"Yes, I now know...but I still don't understand it," Lucas replied.

"You're making it too hard on yourself, Lucas," Sam said as he dropped to sit on the raised boardwalk. Lucas took a seat beside him. "This is what Hope Valley would be if you'd never come. Turns out, with you buying the saloon, that allowed Henry to use his funds to start the oil business. When he needed more capital to invest, you were there to lend it to him...since no banks would work with him." Sam looked over at Lucas and saw his young friend was finally realizing the repercussions of one decision...or in this case, declaration.

He continued. "Lucas, you were just the bait to lure Amos Dixon into town before he'd had time to prepare or strategize. He only had one partner with him. By you and Elizabeth keeping Dixon distracted, it allowed Nathan and Bill to get the drop on both men. You were able to tackle Dixon so Nathan could capture him. While certainly a frightening evening, no one was injured...or worse. Our lives aren't meant to run parallel alongside each other, observing but never intersecting. Instead, our lives are intertwined, interconnected." Sam paused, putting an arm around the younger man's shoulders. "For good or bad, our lives are connected. When we stop and settle down somewhere we set down roots, and the plant is never the same if you start messing with the roots."

Hearing those words triggered something in Lucas' memory. Settle down. Settling down...settling down, settling down. Why did that phrase seem to be calling out to Lucas, calling out to be remembered?

Like a bolt of lightning, the memory surfaced for Lucas. That was it! He was seated in a fine restaurant with the most beautiful and enchanting woman he'd ever known. He was telling her how part of what drove him to Hope Valley was wanting to find the perfect place to stop. And start a family, his memory recalled the words exactly...just like their conversation had happened yesterday.

Roused from the memory, Lucas turned to his rustic-looking guardian angel. Alarm filled his eyes.

"Sam," Lucas asked. "Where's Elizabeth?"