CHAPTER 38

Elizabeth, you arrived early that morning. As Jack had some farms further away to be monitored and she wanted to be with her husband longer, she decided to wake up early and walk with him to school, where they shared a kiss so passionate that it left Jack weak in the knees.

- Woman! What was this? This way you kill me...

Elizabeth, her cheeks red, laughed softly. She would never admit that she was also soft, feeling that kiss from her lover. Jack said goodbye to her with a little kiss and left for his rounds. He needed to do everything quickly, and finish early, as they would have to be with Elizabeth at lunch, when Wynn's family arrived. Jack didn't know why, but he was eager to meet Frankison, he already felt like they had a bond.

Elizabeth, decided to look for some boxes, which were at the bottom, after the altar, where they served as a small deposit; Today she would teach her students about the discovery of the Americas, and there she had several things that could be used to attract the boys' attention. When he arrived in the room, he was surprised to see a man... He was younger than Jack, but very similar to him. She smiled, knowing she could trust him, she didn't know why, but she had a feeling he was trustworthy...

- Hello! How can I help? I'm Elizabeth Thorton, the teacher; she said, placing the box on the bench and already extending her hand.

Tom looked straight into his eyes and there he saw something that he hadn't seen in many years. Only his mother and Jack looked at him like that. That look said he was a real man, that they trusted him. He swallowed hard.

— I'm Tom Thornton...

But before he finished, Charles came in already speaking loudly.

— Come on, Tom. I need to get you in the car before the kids arrive...

But Charles hadn't seen two small, bulging eyes watching him from behind the pillar. Opall loved his teacher, and always tried to arrive early, to have more time with her. The girl was terrified; she didn't know what to do seeing her teacher screaming in the hands of those men, and they grabbed her arm tightly; she was kicking, but the man, with a top hat on his head, tied her with her hands in front of her and put a handkerchief in her mouth. Opall, saw her looking at the other man, it was as if she was asking for help. But the man only lowered his head. When Charles put her in the car, she still managed to escape through the other side of the car, and when she ran, he was on top of her, when he was catching her, she kicked him between the legs, causing him to fall to his knees, groaning. She was running, but Opall saw it, when the man barely caught her and punched her in the stomach. Then she lay still. The other man appeared swearing, claiming that he had promised not to hurt that woman, but the evil man started the car and drove away.

Tom ran his hands through his hair, he didn't want him to hurt the woman, he never accepted this type of violence and those eyes asking him for help never left his head.

He didn't know what to do. He hopes he did the best for everyone. He just wanted the Thatchers out of his life and his family. And so he went to the police station, where he had a joyful reunion with his brother, after he returned from his patrol.

Jack was all smiles, he only talked about his wife and marriage... Tom couldn't face him.

Wynn and his wife arrived and were greeted by Jack and Bill. Aunt Elizabeth, as she asked to be called, hugged Jack with so much affection that she showed everyone how happy she was with that marriage. As for Jack, he was amazed at his wife's aunt, that aunt was his wife when she got older and that pleased Jack very much.

Frankison would only arrive later, as he had to finish a mission before starting his vacation.

Charlotte was far away, she hadn't revealed herself to Jack yet, that was when she saw Tom with them. She was a mother, she knew each of her children. And Tom was weird. Something had happened, and she was going to find out.

They were ready to go to school when Laura and Robert came running with Opall. The kids were sweaty, and Jack ran to see what had happened. Robert and Laura told what they knew, just minutes before, that they managed to calm Opall down, so that she could talk...

— Opall! Tell me everything... Where is your teacher? Jack and Bill knelt down in front of her and tried to calm the girl who wouldn't stop crying.

— He threw her in the car. He covered her mouth and tied her up and he hit her when she... Opall said everything without breathing and without being able to finish the sentence with her eyes so wide that they looked like they would come out of her face.

Wynn, noticing the child's dilemma, asked:

— She what...

Opall, called that man down and softly spoke in his ear:

— She kicked him between his legs, then he fell and groaned..., but he soon got up and punched her in the stomach. And she went limp and fainted.

Jack was running his hands through his hair, he was so nervous that he didn't even notice that Tom had walked away, but even from afar Charlotte noticed...

— Bill can only be Charles Kensington III; shouted Jack desperately.

— That's it Mountie Jack. That was the name she screamed..., but the other bandit, who helped her... he's here; and pointed at Tom.

— What are you talking about girl... I'm Jack's brother.

— No... Mountie Jack would never have a bad brother. It was Judge Avery... it was him... She was being tied up, she asked for help, but he helped that man and carried her to the car. I arrived early, because I wanted to spend more time with her, so I saw everything and stayed hidden.

Jack looked into Opall's eyes, he knew that girl loved his Elizabeth and would never lie.

Wynn looked from Bill to Jack and before saying anything, he saw Jack punch Tom and throw him to the ground. And soon after, grabbing him by the collar and shouting:

- What did you do?

— I just wanted to get the Thatchers out of our lives. You don't know what your wife and family did. I lost my job and mom lost her job because of them, or rather, because of this woman. If she hadn't defied her father like that and had already married that man, none of this would have happened. After all, she will be fine, he has money and will be able to give her all the best and the best. And he's your fiancé, it's his right.

—She is my wife Tom Thorton. She is now your sister. And punching Tom in the face, he said:

— Bill, you could open the case against Tom Thorton. He is in prison for being an accomplice of Charles Kensington III in the Elizabeth Thorton kidnapping case. And taking off the handcuffs, Jack put them on Tom.

Charlotte, who saw everything, now processed everything; your son Jack, was arresting your son Tom, due to Elizabeth?

And it was, when Charlotte appeared like a Hurricane and pushing Jack to the side, she grabbed Tom by the shoulders and practically lifted him off the ground by his collar. Wynn and Bill, I had already seen angry women, but this one looked like an angry bull or a chicken protecting its children.

Bill tried to argue, explaining that Jack was just doing his job, he knew that as a mother, she was in a very delicate moment between her children, but to everyone's surprise he heard her shouting at Tom:

— What did you do to my daughter?

— How dare you, Tom Thorton, do anything to your sister?

— But mom, is she William Thatcher's daughter? I just wanted revenge for what they did to us...

— And you think you're better than William Thatcher? Have you ever imagined that girl's terror?

— You are a Thorton, and at the very moment, I am ashamed to say, that you are my son!

And turning to Jack, he said:

— You can arrest him. He has to pay for what he did.

And so Tom was sent to the cell, where Hickman would be responsible, while the search team went after Elizabeth. Abigail took Aunt Elizabeth to Henry's house, she was very shaken and worried about her niece.

Bill gathered everyone who could help, Charlotte, Bill, Wynn, Jack, Carson, Lee, Jessy, Pastor, Frank and Lee, each one put together a team with two more parents of students, and went to different places. The more space they covered, the better it would be.

Charlotte was with Jack and ended up telling her everything about the farm problem and how she was at Bill's house, she also said that she met Elizabeth, lying to her, saying that she was a new farmer, and already in love with her.

Jack knew that his mother would have trouble winning over Elizabeth after this lie, as he knew his wife and she didn't like lies.

Jack stopped his horse, he was desperate as he dismounted, he looked into space and said:

— I can't lose you mom! She is my life, my world.

— We will find her. Charlotte hugged him.

Wynn and Bill arrived and when they noticed Jack's despair, they decided to call him. Wynn was a strategist in war, he knew what he should do. Now he had to forget his heart and use his reason.

They sat down and started taking notes and making plans, they needed to start taking notes and making plans, they needed to start from scratch, and that would be school, and so they went there.

Bill was a great investigator and from there he started tracking the path taken by the car. A knight dressed as a mountie approached the school. Jack felt a feeling of peace invade his soul.

-Lieutenant Frankison, reporting for mission, sir!

And dismounting, he immediately hugged Wynn...

— Dad, as soon as I arrived in the city, I found out about the kidnapping. Any news on Beth?

—Nothing, my son, but we will find her soon. Come, I'll introduce you to the judge and her husband.

And when they arrived and Frankison turned around, Bill and Jack had their eyes wide open and their mouths open in surprise.

-I don't believe! Surprised Jack exclaimed...