Chapter 96 – Edward Monclair
Wynn walked up to Monclair and tapped his shoulder.
"What? Can't you see I am busy." Monclair sneered as he turned around.
Wynn didn't say anything, but when Monclair saw who was standing in front of him, his eyes got really big. Wynn just motioned for him to come with him and pointed to the door. Once they were outside the cafe, Wynn grabbed Monclair's arm and practically dragged him to the mayor's office. Wynn had not yet said a word to Monclair. Bill and Abigail both looked up when Wynn entered the office.
"I will leave you to it." Abigail said.
Abigail stood and gathered a few papers on her desk.
"I will leave as well." Bill said.
"Stay!" Wynn said harshly looking right at Bill.
Wynn pushed Monclair toward Bill.
"Strip him of that serge." Wynn growled.
Wynn then turned to Abigail. She took one look at his face and knew that whatever had happened this young Mountie had made it worse. She had never seen the anger in Wynn's eyes that she was now looking at. Wynn closed his eyes and took a couple of deep breaths. When he opened them, Abigail still saw the anger, but it wasn't as strong.
"I am sorry, Abigail." Wynn said. "We have a situation and may I please use your office?"
"Whatever you need." Abigail said. "Is there anything I need to know?"
"I will talk to you later." Wynn said.
As Abigail went by Wynn to leave, he motioned for her to stop.
"Go check on Jack and Beth." Wynn whispered. "They are at their house."
Abigail nodded and left the office. When Wynn turned to Monclair, Bill had taken his serge and sat him in a chair.
"Get up!" Wynn growled in a deep voice.
Monclair just glared at him. Bill grabbed the boy by his ear and pulled him out of the chair.
"Who the hell do you think you are?" Monclair snapped. "Don't you know who I am?"
"A dead man if you keep talking." Bill said in a low voice.
"Monclair you better have a very good reason for being in uniform when you are suspended." Wynn said. "For that matter, you better have a better reason for being here. I thought that part of your suspension was you were restricted Hamilton. If you ever want to wear that serge again, you better start explaining."
"Superintendent Anderson approved my leaving Hamilton." Monclair said.
"And what did you tell him?" Wynn asked.
"That I had a family matter to attend to." Monclair said.
"So you lied." Wynn said. "Because last time I checked, you were of no relation to the Thatchers."
"We were raised like siblings." Monclair said. "So when Mr Thatcher asked for my help, I felt it was my duty."
"And what exactly were you asked to do?" Bill asked.
Monclair just glared at him. Bill matched his stare.
"You were asked a question." Wynn said.
"Fine." Monclair huffed. "I was asked to get Miss Thatcher, escort her back to Hamilton and see her to her father's place, then stand guard until Mr Thatcher returned."
"Were you told why this was to happen?" Wynn asked.
"Yes." Monclair said. "Mr Thatcher said that a man had taken advantage of Miss Thatcher and forced himself on her. I was asked to be a proper escort for her while her father and fiance, Mr Kensington, handled the legal side as well as retrieving Miss Thatcher's property. I was then to stand guard and protect Miss Thatcher from this man or his family if they came after her."
"Did you bother to verify the story?" Wynn asked.
"I didn't feel it was necessary." Monclair said. "I have known Mr Thatcher all my life and I have never known him to be dishonest. Also everyone knows that Mr Kensington is Miss Thatcher's intended. It has been common knowledge for years. The agreement was that she would marry him the summer after her twenty-first birthday. Mr Kensington's mother additionally showed me plans for the wedding and messages back and forth between her and Miss Thatcher."
Wynn went to his messenger bag and pulled a file and opened it. He spread pictures on the table.
"What about these?" Wynn asked.
"Obviously either fake or forced." Monclair said. "Mr Thatcher would never consent to one of his daughters marrying a Mountie, much less someone like the likes of him, I figured that paper was trying to stir up trouble, since Mr Thatcher said that they had apologized and printed a retraction for misleading information. Even I was deemed not to be a proper suitor since I was a Mountie. I mean I was good enough to escort and guard her, but not marry her, all because of the uniform I wear. I mean, really."
"So you know who that is in the photo?" Bill asked.
"Yeah." Monclair said. "That kiss-ass Thornton who disobeys orders and gets rewarded. He shouldn't even be a Mountie. He cheated when we were in the academy. There is no way that nobody who never attended a proper prep school was the top academy cadet. He had to have help or cheated, I know it."
By that point Bill was fuming mad. Wynn could see it. Before Wynn could react, Bill let loose on Monclair. Bill got right in his face, backing him up against a wall.
"You see, here you are spoiled, no good excuse for a human being." Bill growled. "I have known Jack Thornton all of his life. He is the son of a decorated fallen Mountie and a highly decorated Mountie himself. His mother was a teacher and she made sure both of her sons were taught properly. Jack is smarter than you ever hope to be. He is an excellent marksman, his riding skills are unmatched and if you don't believe me I can put it to the test. Injured he is a better Mountie than you ever will be. You want to argue that point, I will let you be with his mother – or maybe she might just shoot your ass, since she is the one that taught Jack to shoot and ride."
Suddenly the door opened and a very angry looking Charlotte Thornton stormed in. Wynn grabbed her and tried to hold her back.
"Charlotte." Wynn said. "I got it. Bill and I are handling it."
"No." Charlotte said. "Whatever you are handling is not why I am pissed at that man."
Charlotte glared at Monclair in full on scary teacher mode.
"Slow down." Wynn said. "Why are you ready to kill him?"
"If that man is truly a Mountie." Charlotte said. "I want him brought up on charges for what he said to a fifteen year old girl."
"When did this happen?" Wynn asked.
"In the cafe." Charlotte said. "The girl was so upset. When I asked her what happened she told me, she also told me that you took the man away and led him to the mayor's office."
Wynn stopped and thought about the scene in the cafe. He remembered the girl looking shocked, but he thought it was because he was there.
"What did he say?" Wynn asked.
"Ask him." Charlotte said. "I am too much a lady to repeat what he said."
"What did you do?" Bill said in a low voice.
"Nothing she wasn't asking for." Monclair said.
At that, Bill pinned Monclair against the wall with his arm across the chest.
"Tell me." Bill said. "Or I will let Mrs Thornton at you after I tell her what you said about her son and daughter-in-law. Trust me when I say that you have a better chance of surviving in Medicine Hat then with an angry Charlotte Thornton."
"What?" Monclair said. "I just asked if she wanted to take a roll in the hay. I didn't know that she was fifteen."
Charlotte whispered something to Wynn.
"Will the girl testify to that?" Wynn asked.
"Here is her sworn statement." Charlotte said. "Now what did he say about my Jack?"
"Charlotte." Wynn said. "I will handle it."
Bill backed off just a bit, but Charlotte stepped forward. She glared at Monclair.
"No matter what happens here." Charlotte said in a low voice just above a whisper. "You ever speak my son's name again and I will find you. Don't test me, I would sooner drag you behind one of my horses then allow you to slander my son or late husband's names."
Charlotte then spun on her heel.
"Wynn." Charlotte said. "I ever see that sorry excuse for a man near a child again and I will shoot him on the spot, he has been warned."
"I believe you." Wynn said.
Charlotte left the office, slamming the door behind her.
"Now back to the other matter." Bill said. "I was Jack Thornton's best man. I can attest to the fact that it was a completely legal marriage between two consenting adults. No one forced anyone to do anything. Jack and Elizabeth are very much in love. I have seen them and watched their love grow over the months that I have been in Hope Valley."
Bill and Wynn were still fuming when Jacobs entered the office. He saw Bill and Monclair. Jacobs let out a sound akin to a bear growling.
"Is there a problem, Jacobs?" Bill asked.
At that, Wynn turned around.
"Constable Jeremiah Jacobs?" Wynn asked.
"Yes, Sir." Jacobs said.
"Deputy Commissioner Wynn Delaney, Sr." Wynn said. "Glad you made it."
Jacobs immediately snapped to attention with a salute. Wynn saluted back.
"I didn't realize you were here, Sir." Jacobs said.
Wynn just nodded.
"We will explain everything later." Bill said.
"Now." Wynn said. "Why don't you like Monclair."
"He gives Mounties a bad name." Jacobs said. "I warned him if I ever saw his face again, I would not be happy."
"Care to elaborate?" Wynn asked.
"Last time I was in Hamilton." Jacobs said.
"Which was when?" Wynn asked. "Trying to establish a timeline."
"November, Sir." Jacobs said. "I believe you were still in Cape Fullerton. Anyway, I saw Monclair grab a young woman and proposition her. When she resisted, he said he was a Mountie and could make her life difficult. I pulled him off of her. I tried to get the woman to press charges, but she was afraid as she hadn't been in the country that long. I told him if I ever saw him again he would regret it. It was at that point that I knew I needed out of Hamilton and away from rich spoiled brats like him. When Anderson asked for volunteers to head north, I took it."
"Will you be willing to write a sworn statement?" Wynn asked.
"Gladly." Jacobs said.
"How are things at the jail?" Bill asked.
"Loud." Jacobs said. "Speaking of which, here are the reports from myself and the other Mountie."
"Is McGinty still there?" Wynn asked.
"If that was the young man that was there before." Jacobs said. "Then yes."
