A/N I wrote this chapter with all of TN in mind and hope that you enjoy every last word of this chapter. Originally it included the rescue, but as this chapter is already a long one, I had to split it. Just know that there is no need to be anxious as the spirit of these chapters is purely fun while dealing with the premise of the investigation. This is a token of my appreciation for all my readers who have encouraged me and continue to read my stories. I promise you won't be waiting long for the next chapter.

Elizabeth yawned, looked up at the clock, and was shocked at how much time had passed. Setting her cup in the sink, she headed over to the stairs.

She was startled by an urgent knock on the door. Opening it, she was shocked to see Lucas and a Pinkerton standing there.

"Lucas, what are you doing here this late at night?" She could tell he was upset and looked anxious about something.

"I'm sorry, Elizabeth. I know I am the last person you want to see, but it's Bill." Lucas replied.

"Bill! What happened to Bill?" Elizabeth exclaimed, forgetting about her suspicions.

"There was an accident. Lee and Rosemary are already at the infirmary. Please come. They sent me to come to get you." He had replied.

Elizabeth knew she should be cautious and realize there was something wrong with the scenario, but her worry over Bill and the fact that she didn't fear Lucas overrode it, and she went. It wasn't until they were closer to town that she realized something was wrong. The first thing that stood out to her was that the Pinkerton never really said anything. The other thing she noticed was that Lucas was beginning to look more anxious the closer they got to town. Elizabeth got a sinking feeling as she realized that there was no way that anyone would have sent Lucas to get her.

"Lucas, what are you up to, and where are we going?" Elizabeth said, stopping and looking at him with her arms crossed. It was then she felt a presence behind her and saw two more men there. "Who are these men?"

"Elizabeth, I'm sorry," Lucas said as if that answered everything, which in a way, it had.

"Sorry? You are telling me you are SORRY!" Elizabeth shouted.

"Look, Mrs. Thornton; you need to keep quiet. We aren't going to hurt anyone as long as you cooperate with us. You don't want any of your friends to be hurt now, would you?" The Pinkerton said, speaking for the first time. "We just need a distraction for a while until we get everything moved." Then he nodded to the men behind her, and she felt a gun in her rib.

"Doesn't seem like I have a choice, does it?" Elizabeth said icily. She noted with disgust that Lucas avoided eye contact with her. As they got to the hidden car in a dense group of trees, they tied her and Lucas up and put a gag in their mouths. They drove to a wooded area near Lee's sawmill just outside town. They finally stopped at a secluded hunter's cabin in the woods a little while later.

Elizabeth couldn't believe that Lucas had gotten them both mixed up in danger once again. The men forced them into the hunting cabin, but once inside, they retied their hands in front of them and removed the gags. Surprisingly they didn't shove them on the floor but propped them up on the bed instead. It seemed like they were trying to be friendly, although she knew it could change in a moment. Looking at her fellow captive, she snorted and thought, 'knowing my luck, with Lucas involved, it would. The men walked out the door, but she could hear them just outside talking. She started listening in, hoping to hear their plans and why they had taken her so she could figure out a way to escape.

Elizabeth heard the Pinkerton tell them to be prepared to move as soon as the shipment was on its way.

"What about those two?" One of them asked the Pinkerton.

"Just leave them to be found by the search party. They were only meant to be a diversion anyway. By the time they are found, we will be long gone, and it won't matter whom they talk to. It's not like we gave real names." The Pinkerton answered before telling them he would see them later and to listen for the signal.

Elizabeth felt a sense of relief, and then her attention turned back to Lucas as she recalled another time they were in this position. She couldn't help noticing that Lucas refused to make eye contact with her. 'Figures,' she thought as she glared at him.

"Elizabeth, I am so sorry; I didn't mean…." Lucas began.

Not caring who heard the conversation, she had reached her limit. "You know what, Lucas? SAVE IT! I am not interested in anything you have to say to me right now. As a matter of fact, do you remember the last time we were in a similar situation with Amos Dixon?"

Lucas just nodded, trying to look going to do it contrite.

"I should have corrected it then, but better late than never. Stop trying to be the hero, Lucas, because you suck at it," Elizabeth said.

"Elizabeth," Lucas said, trying to stop her as he became aware that the two men watching them were listening.

"Don't Elizabeth me because I'm not finished. You have this penchant for trying to fix things, but you end up making them worse."

Then recalling his words about being a hero was kind of his thing, she got even madder. "This is the second time you have gotten me in a bad situation. That day in the saloon? You were not the hero; Nathan and Bill were. You even tried to pull the gun out of your safe, thinking that you could get the jump on Amos and his henchman. How did that work out for you? Let me answer that; it made things worse."

She could hear them chuckling and knew they were listening to their conversation, but she didn't care. Elizabeth was done pulling punches, and since they were stuck there thanks to him, she might as well speak her truth.

"Do you recall the day I brought the plaque that Nathan made me in the library? It was the one you hung up for me, but I had to go back and redo it because it fell off the wall. You said that you found it to be both inspirational and reckless at the same time. Remember?" Elizabeth said though it was rhetorical because she didn't wait for an answer.

"I bet you don't even know where that quote came from, do you?" She asked, rolling her eyes in irritation. She paused, waiting to see if he would say anything. Of course, he remained silent and tried avoiding making eye contact.

"I mentioned you running into a burning building to save a friend. Do you remember what you said? Let me refresh your memory. You said you just reacted. Then I reminded you that you almost took me away from my son, and your past ties were behind it. What was your response?"

"Let me see," Elizabeth said, then tapped her finger against her lips as if thinking. Since her hands were tied when she was tapping, Lucas had a bird's eye view of them, and he couldn't help but notice her bound hands as she did, which was her intent.

"Oh, that's right, you promised me that you wouldn't let ANYTHING happen to me. The men outside really laughed over that one.

"You went on and on about how you would have done whatever it took to keep me safe. Then you have the audacity to declare that being a hero is kind of your thing now. Well, let me enlighten you in case you haven't figured it out yet. Being a Hero IS NOT your thing, and you would be doing the rest of us a favor if you would realize that."

They sat quietly for a short time as Elizabeth continued to fume in anger. Finally, she looked over at him again and said, "I can't wait to figure out how you got me in the middle of this mess."

Suddenly one of the men, Elizabeth couldn't recall his name, stepped forward. "I don't know about before, but I can tell you that he came to the boss saying that since you were courting, he could guarantee that our shipments wouldn't be intercepted anymore. He was why we brought them to Hope Valley in the first place." The older man said with a smirk. They had been enjoying listening to the man get yelled at and decided to add fuel to the fire. "But it didn't take long once we arrived to see that wasn't the case."

Elizabeth froze, and her eyes blazed in anger as her fury rose. She saw that Lucas had turned his face away from her, and she said, "Is it true?"

But Lucas had turned his head away and didn't answer.

So she shouted, "Look at me and tell me, is that true? Did you tell these men that we were courting? That you could help them with their shipments?"

Lucas looked down sheepishly, then nodded.

"Why!" Elizabeth said, her mouth forming into a thin line. "What made you think, based on recent events, that I would ever agree to a courting relationship with you? At this point, I don't even know if I could be acquaintances with you."

Elizabeth let out a frustrated sigh and shook her head. She could only hope with Gabe in town that he and Bill would figure out what was happening.

As she sat there, trying to figure out how he could ever have thought she would agree to court him, other memories began returning. It was past time to put everything on the table. "Lucas, what made you think I would agree to a courtship?"

"Well, there was the fact you chose me for your ladies' choice." He replied.

"Lucas, I chose you because I couldn't find Nathan, and no one else was going to ask you. I hate to say it, but when I saw Nathan leaving, I almost ran after him, but I didn't want to be rude or embarrass you. That is when you decided that I had feelings for you?"

"What else?" Elizabeth said.

"You let me read your writing. I got you the book deal remember, and the library." Lucas said, becoming a bit more confident. "I was your inspiration for your book, and you wouldn't have written it without me."

"I see. Is that what you really believe?" Elizabeth said, feeling the anger rising again.

"It's true, Elizabeth, and you know it. Why don't you admit it." Lucas said. "Without me, there wouldn't be a book."

"You want to be truthful? Let's start with you reading my writing. You actually discouraged me after telling me that my writing lacked depth. Though to be fair, you were right, so I will concede that one. Let's talk about the book deal that you were responsible for. You got it by sending some chapters to a publisher, your mother, without my permission because you knew I would say no. But then you have proven that as long as the end result is good, it doesn't matter how you achieve it. As for your being the inspiration behind the book, you obviously haven't read it because if you had, you would know you weren't. It was Nathan who inspired the novel and got me to write it when he asked me what was in my heart."

"Well, you went on an overnight date with me to Union City," Lucas said. "Not to mention our little tete-a-tete in the library."

"You mean the book reading where you hadn't even bothered to read the book?" Elizabeth countered.

"I did read some of it," Lucas protested.

"One chapter Lucas. You read one chapter the night before the reading though you initially tried to infer that you had." Elizabeth countered. "But you forget an important detail. It was never a date, and I made that clear repeatedly. We went as friends, to my shame and embarrassment. Though it certainly wasn't for lack of you trying to turn it into one regardless of what I felt. Between that roadside picnic with those disgusting Macrons and just the whole awkwardness of it. Not to mention when they addressed me as Mrs. Bouchard, which makes me wonder, even now, whose fault that was. Not sure if you even noticed, but that book you had specially bound is in the Hope Valley library. One good thing came out of it, in any case.

"Oh," Lucas said with a smirk, "I would say more than one."

"I'm sure you would. However, it was very apparent that you would not be suitable for me or my son Jack."

"Really?" Lucas said, "I think I would be an excellent father for Jack, and I could give him anything he wanted.

"Yep, that dinner really cleared things up for me. Do you remember what you said that night?"

Lucas swallowed before reluctantly answering, "Vaguely,"

"Well, let me refresh your mind because it is still fresh in mine," Elizabeth said. "You asked me if I missed my old life, and I said I occasionally did, but that Hope Valley is where I wanted to raise my son.

"You spoke of growing up, traveling, moving all around, and wanting to find the perfect place to stop and start a family. Then proceeded to say that you weren't in any hurry to have one. Do you recall that?"

The men snickered at his obvious discomfort. Lucas just nodded but looked a bit sick.

"Well, I'm not sure how it escaped your notice since the title of my book clearly gives that away, but I am a mother with a child; ergo, I come with a family. So you pretty much declared that my son didn't fit in your plans."

Lucas groaned as he heard the truth of her words.

"Let's not forget that you thought it was a good idea to teach an impressionable child a card trick to make friends with fellow students since she was nervous about her first day. Then when I confronted you about it, you told me you were doing my job. Somehow, I don't recall teaching card tricks being part of the teaching curriculum in college." Elizabeth paused to see if he would comment, he didn't.

"Then, of course, there was the awkward drive to and from Union City, where it was just us in the car, and I had to listen to you go on and on about all of the places you have been and more. Your favorite casinos and Saloons that you love to frequent. Oh, and how to improve my book because it still wasn't quite up to your standards. Then there was the one-sided discussion on why Dangerous Liaisons is your favorite book. If I remember right, you even remarked that I wouldn't know a good book if I read one because my preferences were too conservative. I would be surprised if I spoke above 500 words the entire ride home. Then to make it worse, as we stood outside my house, you just wanted to linger, and all I wanted to do was get my son and have some peace and quiet for a change. I was getting to the point I felt like a trapped animal and was about to gnaw my leg off. No wonder you spend so much time alone because you evidently don't need anyone to converse." Elizabeth said.

The men guffawed, and Lucas turned red. "What about the library? Without me, there wouldn't be one." Lucas said smugly. "I even built you shelves."

"Would those be the ones that collapsed as soon as I put books on them and had to be rebuilt by Nathan and Lee?"

Lucas just glared at her, but Elizabeth didn't care. She was tired of him trying to manipulate her. "From what Allie said, you shouldn't even be allowed around tools. After seeing your handiwork with the shelves, I agree with her."

The men gave full belly laughs at this point. They didn't know the Missus very well, but she had spunk, and they were glad she wouldn't be harmed. They planned to leave a clue near town where she could be found. Neither one of them nor the boss cared for Bouchard, and it was the highlight of the week watching him get put in his place.

"Which reminds me of our conversation that preceded that gifting of a space you already owned that now makes me wonder. I should have taken Nathan's caution to heart when you gave it to me, although they weren't the only ones cautioning me. Anyway, Nathan warned me that your interest in the library might not be because you are a lover of books. Of course, when I started to ask you about it, and you quoted Dangerous Liaisons, I should have known right then to keep you at a distance," Elizabeth said.

Lucas just gave a smug smile and shrugged his shoulders, further irritating Elizabeth.

"That day you had come up to me in the Mercantile when I was placing an ad looking for a space for the library, you told me that there was an element of positive thinking going on by my doing so."

Elizabeth looked at the men and if they were part of the conversation from the beginning. "He said that as a gambler, he lives and dies on that. Of course, I informed him that, as a teacher, I hope my children never do the same."

The more that she spoke, the more that followed. She was acting more like her sister Viola than herself, but she had reached her limit with the fact that, once again, he has put her in a situation that has the potential to make her child an orphan.

"I've done a lot for Hope Valley," Lucas said in defense as if pleading his case to their captors. "I thought a library was a great idea remember? Not to mention the Christmas Festival, I used my own money to bring business to the town and some culture to a backward frontier town. Something they were lacking in."

"Really? The same one that, because you didn't adequately plan for the town, had to bail you out with their own food to feed all the guests and step in to help serve them? The same one where the Mountie, instead of spending Christmas Eve with his daughter, had to go out and ensure that those lanterns were properly extinguished and didn't fall where they shouldn't?"

"Oh, and during his dinner that the town put on so that his guests could eat, he actually hung mistletoe over by the tree, hoping one of the single ladies would step under it." Elizabeth giggled. "Then he pretty much lurked around it so that people had to go by there and talk to him. But he didn't know that Florence and Molly had seen him and quickly spread the word. It was why you spent a lot of time over by the tree by yourself. Not one of us ladies was about to get caught under the mistletoe with you." Elizabeth said, giving a good imitation of Rosemary.

"You know you do have awfully soft hands for an oil man." One of the men taunted, now wanting in on Lucas. "I can see why they wouldn't go near you; ladies like a man that works for a living."

"Maybe it is from drinking all that tea. I hardly ever see him without a teacup in his hands." The second man taunted. "I've been here over a month and can't recall ever seeing him without one in his hands. Who in the world drinks that much tea."

"Lucas, I have wondered for a while now how you work two jobs and yet sit around on your balcony sipping tea from your teacup," Elizabeth said. "You own two of the largest sources of employment, so how do you do it?"

"I have a talented staff that knows what they are doing. Being in management, I am not required to get my hands dirty. You should know since your father doesn't work but relies on his staff, Elizabeth." His condescending tone simply spurred her on.

"Can we even call what you do working? It seems all you do is stand around lurking and watching everyone else work. Have you ever actually worked for a living?" Elizabeth asked. "Because I can assure you my father built the company into what it is today and spends long hours in the office and on the docks when necessary. He doesn't ask his workers to do anything he himself isn't willing to." Then giving him a look of disdain, she added, "Somehow, I don't think the same could be said of you."

"I agree with the Missus on that one." One of the men said.

"Thank you, gentleman," Elizabeth said with a smile.

Lucas glared at Elizabeth and the men and then turned away silently, fuming.

"Oh, one last thing you brought up our supposed little tete-a-tete in the library. The little celebration of my book deal, or at least that is what you had told me. But when I arrived, you had it all set up like an intimate romantic dinner date instead. You never hear me even after I told you that I only saw you as a friend on more than one occasion."

"You seemed to enjoy my attention that night," Lucas said with a smirk. "Me thinks the lady doth protest too much,"

Elizabeth stared at Lucas like he had two heads. Turning to the man closest to her, she said, "Can you untie me for just a minute, please."

The man looked at her with regret in his eyes. "I'm sorry, Missus, but we can't risk you getting away. If it helps, though, we understand."

"Elizabeth, since we are going down memory lane, remember I told you about my father's courtship of my mother? He stressed the importance of patience, especially when it comes to finding your soulmate. He had to court her for five years before she finally agreed to marry him." Lucas said with a smarmy smile.

"Five years?" The two men exclaimed.

"What took them so long," one of the men said.

"You know life. Things get in the way, and of course, my mother played hard to get. But my father said he always knew she was the one. My mother says she got tired of turning him down. I think she loved him but wanted to be sure before she said yes."

"So what the majority of people would consider harassment and stalking you call patience?" Elizabeth asked incredulously. "It is all making sense now."

Lucas ignored that and said, "I have always had faith that I would know the perfect woman for me when I met her. I found her in you, Elizabeth, and I will wait as long as I have to, to win your heart, though I suspect it is already mine."

Elizabeth rolled her eyes at that, feeling sick. "Lucas, how many ways do I have to tell you that I am not interested in any type of relationship with you? I can tell you for sure that my heart is not yours and never will be. You won't take no for an answer despite me telling you repeatedly that I wasn't interested. That night in the library was not as enjoyable for me as it was for you, apparently. When I told you I thought the scenario would be sweet, I was picturing my students in my head and trying to be kind. Then I started to picture that it was Nathan across from me instead of you."

Lucas scoffed. "Nathan Grant has nothing on me,"

"Except he is respectful, kind, compassionate, dependable, always willing to help others, and so handsome. He always looked so good leaning against the post as he watched over the town I love. Even more attractive is that he does it because he genuinely wants to help others and make the world a better place. His touch sends tingles through me when we accidentally touch, like the day he helped me pick up the books that fell when one of the shelves you built collapsed. His smile makes me feel butterflies, and my heart races."

"You are just trying to upset me," Lucas muttered, brushing off what she said.

"Lucas, hear me well because this is the last time I will say this. I'm not playing hard to get. I don't like you. Unlike with Nathan, my skin crawls at your touch. Frankly, I'm glad we are tied up so you can't try to reach for me. You may think your charming, but I've seen better in Hamilton, and frankly, your pathetic attempts disgust me. I once told Abigail I met charmers like you before, but the flower soon withers on the vine. I can safely say I was correct about you," Elizabeth replied scornfully.

"Why don't you stop running and take a chance on me?" Lucas asked. "Nathan can't give you what I can. Jack would have wanted a good life for you and your son. The good life I can provide that a mere Mountie can't."

"Jack? Don't you dare mention my husband's name! You know nothing of my Jack. First, Jack was a Mountie, or have you forgotten? Second, Jack would have run you out of town when you taught Allie that card trick to make friends. Third, you aren't my type, and it appears that Mounties are very much the type of man I prefer. You should know too that I have another uncle and a cousin that are Mounties, as well as several others. As the widow of a fallen brother, I am also highly respected within the Mountie community, especially since Jack was a legacy Mountie whose father also died in the line of duty. So you need to believe me when I say I will NEVER entertain ANY relationship with you. This is your last warning because if you persist, I will pursue legal action if necessary." Elizabeth said with finality that didn't invite further discussion. As the cabin fell quiet, she noticed that the other men had not been fully aware of who she was and were nervous. She didn't miss the looks of anger they cast at Lucas either.

Elizabeth fell asleep at some point in the early morning hours, unable to keep her eyes open as sunrise approached.