Chapter 113 – Dee's Bright Idea
Andy got up and left the office. Abigail waited until she saw him go down the stairs.
"What do you think about the library?" Abigail asked.
"I think that it is a good idea." Wynn said. "Make sure that you bring Elizabeth in on the discussion. I doubt that she would be willing to take it on, but it is something to think about. Also didn't you mention that there was someone else that was a teacher."
"Yes, Katie Yost." Abigail said. "I think that she has a few final exams to take, but otherwise she is done. Why?"
"It might be something to think about." Wynn said. "I know that she works at the mercantile with her father, but she might be willing to work at the library. I don't know about tutoring, but a meeting room that can be rented out might be nice. Something to think about."
"Never thought about it like that." Abigail said. "I will have to wait and see what the proposals say."
"At least keep an open mind." Wynn said. "Oh, before I forget. Your auditors should be here at the end of next week or the beginning of the following."
"Do you know who?" Abigail asked.
"Nope." Wynn said. "I received a message that someone is coming from Ottawa and that is all I know. I think I will stay until they get here if I can. It might be easier if I am here. I also doubt that Jack will be back to work before that, at least not full time and maybe not even part time."
"You are welcome as long as you want to stay." Abigail said.
"Also, my son-in-law sent a wire." Wynn said. "He said he will send the papers next week, I am assuming after the Easter holiday. So we need to be on the lookout for them."
"Good. Thank you." Abigail said.
"Can I ask what that is about?" Jacobs asked.
"Adopting Cody and Becky." Abigail said. "The worker at the hospital is pushing me to make a decision. He doesn't think that I am the best person to take the children since I am a widow, business owner and the mayor. What he doesn't realize is that I need Cody as much as he needs me. Besides, I have an entire community to help me. Wynn's son-in-law was working on the papers for me to file. Wynn and his wife also wrote letters in support of me keeping the children."
"Well." Jacobs said. "I hope it works out. Please let me know if there is anything I can do to help. I happen to know some people that can make things easier."
"If I need to, I will ask." Abigail said.
Wynn smiled to himself. He knew that Jacobs was going to help, asked or not.
"Okay." Jacobs said.
"Is there anything else?" Wynn asked.
"Nope." Abigail said. "I think we have about an hour and half or so until the stagecoach is due."
"Then I would like to get some more paperwork done if that is okay." Wynn said.
"You and I both." Abigail said.
Wynn, Abigail and Jacobs all went back to their paperwork. Dee picked up a few things and his messenger bag.
"If you are going out." Wynn said. "Please take these (holding a stack of wires)."
"Okay." Dee said. "I will run them over to the mercantile, then I am working on something. I will meet you at the stagecoach stop."
"Later." Wynn said.
Dee stopped at the top of the steps and looked around for a moment. He then headed to the mercantile to get the wires out that his father had given him. He also checked to see if there were anymore, and there wasn't. While he was at the mercantile, he saw Wyatt Weaver and he knew that the boy would be able to help him.
"Wyatt." Dee said. "I was wondering if you, your brothers and the other two boys from the settlement would be able to help me with something. You are not in trouble, I just need your help."
Wyatt looked between the constable and his employer, almost trying to decide what he should do. Wyatt took his job seriously, but he also knew it must be something important if the Mounties were asking for his help.
"Go help the constable." Ned said. "When you are done, you can come back to work."
"Thanks Ned." Dee said. "It shouldn't take too long."
"Take as long as you need." Ned said. "I understand you all have a lot going on. I will still give you a break later, Wyatt. Thanks for helping."
Dee nodded to Ned.
"My brothers and the other boys should be playing in the field." Wyatt said.
"Then lead the way." Dee said.
Dee and Wyatt walked over to the field. Dee motioned for him to go get the boys while he found a spot to sit. Pretty soon the boys were seated in front of Dee.
"Wyatt said you needed our help." Wesley said.
"I do." Dee said. "But first I need you to listen to me. When I ask you a question, I don't want you all to talk at once, so you will need to wait your turns. Can you do that?"
Dee watched as the boys all nodded. Dee smiled at the boys. He just hoped that his idea worked. The information that he got from the adults was helpful, but he also knew that kids noticed other things.
"Good." Dee said. "I know that you might have already talked about this, but I am still hoping that you can help me. Do any of you remember the man that used to come out to the settlement and talk to your mom's once and a while."
"You mean that bad man?" Little William asked.
"Yes." Dee said. "I know that you don't want to think about him, but I need to figure out who he is so he can't be mean to other people."
"I only saw him once." Wyatt said. "I told Sheriff Avery everything that I remember, but feel free to ask the boys. I know that they saw him more than I did."
"Will you stay with us?" William asked.
"I will stay right here while we talk." Wyatt said.
Dee smiled at the boys. He thought it was sweet that Wyatt was willing to stay with his brothers. He had known that Wyatt might not have much more to offer, but Dee also figured that it would be easier for his brothers to talk if he was there.
"Okay boys." Dee said. "I know you don't want to, but I want you to close your eyes and think about the man. I will tap your knee when it is your turn. Can you tell me what he was wearing? Anything that you remember or stands out to you."
First he tapped Little William
"A fancy suit." William said
"Shiny shoes." Wesley said..
"He had a fancy watch." Jonah said. "I think it was gold. He wore it on his wrist, not in his pocket like my dad."
"He had a funny hat." Harper said.
"What do you mean by a funny hat?" Dee asked.
"Um …." Harper said.
"How about you tell me what it looked like?" Dee said.
"It was black and round." Harper said. "I never saw one before."
Dee turned the page and quickly drew a bowler hat.
"Harper, I want you to look at something." Dee said.
Dee showed Harper the picture.
"Did it look something like this?"
"Yeah." Harper said.
"Thank you." Dee said. "That is really helpful. I only have a few more questions. Okay guys, I want you to close your eyes again and think about the man. He is standing next to your mom. Is he taller or shorter than your mom?"
"About the same." Harper said.
"A little taller." Jonah said.
"About the same." Wesley said.
"I agree with Wes." William said. "About the same."
"Again, wonderful." Dee said. "Now I want you to think about the man again. Was he skinny like me or was he fatter?"
"Skinny." Wesley said.
"Yep, skinny." William said.
"Definitely skinny." Jonah said.
"He was skinny." Harper said. "But not as skinny as you. More like Constable McGinty."
"Thank you boys." Dee said. "I only have one more question. I want you to think about the man and what he is saying. Can you tell me about his voice?"
"What do you mean?" William asked.
"Did he have a low voice or a higher voice?" Dee said.
The boys thought for a moment. They opened their eyes and looked around at each other. Dee was watching them hoping that they had heard the man speak, as that would be a huge help.
"I think he had a more regular voice." Jonah said. "My grandpa had a low voice, but it wasn't like that. It was more like my dad's."
"He sounded funny when he spoke." Wesley said.
"What do you mean?" Dee asked. "Did he use big words that you didn't understand or was it something else?"
"Well." Wesley said. "He did use words I didn't understand, but that is not it."
"What do you mean?" Wyatt asked. "Do you mean the way he said words, they sounded funny."
"Yeah, that." Wesley said.
"Let me think for a moment." Dee said. "Did he say things like madame or le paiement (the payment in French.)."
"Yeah, that." Wesley said.
"So he spoke with an accent." Dee said. "Thank you very much, that helps a lot."
"You're welcome." Wesley said. "I just didn't know what it was called."
"That is okay." Dee said. "We figured it out. Is there anything else that you can think of that you want to tell me about the man?"
"He didn't have a lot of hair." William said.
"Was it short or missing?" Dee asked.
"Missing." William said. "When he took off his hat, there was no hair on top of his head, but he had some gray on the sides."
"That helps a lot." Dee said, smiling at the boys.
"He also came out in a car." Jonah said. "But he wasn't driving."
"Someone else was driving?" Dee asked.
"Yeah." Jonah said. "He sat in the back seat. I didn't really see the driver, but the man was dressed all in black and looked big, like that new Mountie."
"Again." Dee said. "All that is very helpful."
"That bad man isn't going to come after us is he?" William asked.
"No." Dee said. "You are safe here in Hope Valley. If you ever see anyone that makes you uncomfortable or scared, I want you to go tell an adult that you trust. You can always tell your teacher, Mrs Thornton, or come find one of us Mounties. We will be around for a while and then after we leave, Mrs Thornton's husband, Corporal Thornton will still be around. Sheriff Avery will also be around."
"Good." William said. "That makes me feel better. I like being here better than when we were out at the settlement. I feel safer here."
"I am glad." Dee said. "You boys can go play again. Thank you for your help. Wyatt, thank you as well, you are free to go back to work."
"Thank you." Wyatt said.
Wyatt got up, walked his brothers and the other two back to the other children playing. He then headed into town. Dee sat back against the tree for a few moments and worked on a second sketch based on what the children said. When he was done, he got up and headed into town. He knew that he had a little time before he had to meet the stagecoach, so he headed to the cafe. Dee was also thinking that it would be a good idea to grab a bite to eat and maybe have the ladies make some of his tea. Dee knew that he was pushing himself and he could feel a headache coming on. He was hoping to head it off before it got too bad, but he also hated taking the meds he had been given, unless he really had too. If Dee was honest, he felt that the tea that he had helped more than the meds did. He knew that the meds clouded his mind and he knew that with everything going on he needed to be sharp. Dee was worried what his father would think if he saw him having some of the tea, but he would deal with that later.
Dee also smiled to himself that he was going to be able to surprise his father with his mother's arrival. He didn't think that he was going to be able to keep it a secret especially with everything going on with his Uncle William. Dee was looking forward to spending the Easter weekend with both of his parents. He wondered how long his mother would stay. She normally didn't come when they traveled, but this was different Dee thought, Jack and Beth were here and that is probably why she came more than anything.
