Chapter 114 – More Trouble Brewing
After Dee left, Jacobs turned to Wynn.
"What do you think he is up to?" Jacobs asked.
"I don't know." Wynn said. "But I am sure that he has some idea in his head. I saw he had his sketchbook out and that usually means he is trying to work something out."
"How is he doing?" Abigail asked.
"What do you mean?" Wynn asked.
"I remember at Christmas." Abigail said. "He said he was still recovering. He was talking to Charlotte and I with his Mom in the kitchen."
"Oh." Wynn said. "He says he is doing better and only had one headache since we have been here."
"But …." Abigail said.
"But I am worried." Wynn said. "I think he is trying to do too much. I might just be trying to be overprotective, but I think I am worried about giving him his own assignment where I won't be able to keep an eye on him. He has been through a lot in the last year."
"Can I ask what happened?" Jacobs asked.
"He was working undercover in Cape Fullerton." Wynn said. "The first time he was attacked and recovered fairly quickly. It was shortly after he was released back to regular duty that he was beaten again. Only this time, it was much worse. They dragged him into an alley and beat him, leaving him for dead. He was unconscious when he was found. Thank God, a little boy saw everything and ran to the Mounties for help as soon as he could from his hiding spot. Dee spent quite a bit of time in the hospital and then I took him to Regina to recover. He had to relearn many things, but it was easier when he got his memory back and to this day has lingering headaches. The doctors say he is well enough to work, but I worry."
"I am sorry." Jacobs said. "I am sure that you worry like any father, but you also know the dangers of the job. I don't blame you for keeping him close. Were the men caught?"
"Yes." Wynn said. "It took the Mounties some time to track them down, but they got the whole gang and several of them hung for their crimes. The rest are in prison for the rest of their lives."
"I take it that there was more than just what they did to Dee." Jacobs said.
"Yes." Wynn said wistfully. "Those men hurt a lot of people and that was why Dee was determined to bring them to justice. I would have never sent him back if I thought that his cover had been blown after the first incident."
"Don't go there, Sir." Jacobs said. "You couldn't have known and I am sure that Dee blames himself enough for both of you. You can't go down the hole of what ifs. It never ends well. I have been there and done that. I am sure that you know that, but it is harder when it is someone that you care about. At least the people have been caught and will have to answer for their deeds. Think about it this way, you have your son and you also saved many other people from God knows what else at the hands of those men."
"He is right." Abigail said. "As horrible as it was for Dee, I am sure that he is comforted by knowing that he saved innocent people from the terror that those men inflicted on the area."
Abigail reached over and placed her hand on Wynn's.
"I just wish that I could have protected him." Wynn said.
"I know." Abigail said. "I know what you mean. It wasn't easy for me to watch Peter follow his father into that mine everyday."
"I am sorry, Abigail." Wynn said. "I should be more grateful that Dee is alive as I know that many don't have that. I was being insensitive to you and what you have been through."
"It is okay." Abigail said. "You didn't mean to. It hasn't been easy for me. But I take comfort in knowing that they were together to the end and neither was truly alone."
"She is right." Jacobs said. "We need to put our faith in God. We don't always understand why we have to go through things, but as long as whatever draws us closer to Him, it is for the greater good."
"Thank you both." Wynn said. "I know that you are right, but sometimes it is hard to have faith."
"We all struggle from time to time." Jacobs said. "You don't think that I struggled traveling and seeing what I have seen up North. We all have our struggles and things that we need to bear, but in those times that we are struggling, we need to turn to our faith. God never leaves us alone, even if we feel like it sometimes. Now, enough of these heavy topics. Today is supposed to be a good day. Let's get some more paperwork done and then greet Abigail's daughter as she returns after a long illness."
Abigail smiled when Jacobs called Becky her daughter.
"Thank you and yes." Wynn said.
Abigail squeezed Wynn's hand and then went back to her paperwork. Wynn took a deep breath to clear his head before going back to his work. Jacobs got up and got them all some coffee as a way to clear the emotions from the conversation that they just had. They all worked for about thirty more minutes, before they were interrupted by a knock at the door. Abigail got up and saw Ned standing there.
"Did you need something?" Abigail asked.
Ned nodded and held up the envelope in his hand.
"Who is it for?" Abigail asked.
"Wynn." Ned softly.
"I will give it to him." Abigail said. "We are just working on paperwork."
"Okay." Ned said. "Sorry."
Ned handed over the envelope, quickly turned and went back to the mercantile without looking back. Abigail took a deep breath and turned around. She walked over to Wynn and put her hand on his shoulder.
"Ned just delivered this." Abigail said.
Wynn looked at Abigail and then at the envelope in her hand. Wynn saw the look on Abigail's face and quickly grabbed the envelope and opened it. Wynn took the paper and looked at it. He had to read it twice for his brain to comprehend what he was reading:
Deputy Commissioner Delaney, Hope Valley Alberta
Communication From Stony Mountain
Informing you that Clyde Younger the brother of Earl Younger has escaped. Several direct threats against you were made. Sr Deputy Commissioner Connor is recommending a protection detail for you until he is caught. Please advise of plans as soon as possible.
Superintendent Anderson
Abigail could see that something was wrong by Wynn's face. As hard as Wynn had tried to hide his reaction, he couldn't. What he read had knocked the wind out of him. He started to think about what else could go wrong. It had been one thing after another, starting with Jack being injured and then his idiot brother-in-law acting like an ass.
"Wynn, what do you need?" Abigail asked.
Wynn shook his head.
"Please get Bill." Wynn said. "Also see if you can find Dee."
"I will get them." Abigail said.
"What is going on?" Jacobs asked.
"I need a moment." Wynn said.
"Okay, Sir." Jacobs said.
Jacobs went back to his paperwork, while Wynn paced the office for a little bit. It didn't take long for Abigail to come back with Bill.
"I haven't found Dee." Abigail said. "But I will look, while you talk."
"Thank you Abigail." Wynn said. "Maybe check where the kids are playing. He probably went to watch them while he was thinking."
"I will." Abigail said. "I am also going to check on Jack and Beth if I am heading that way."
"Thank you." Wynn said. "Send Dee and then come back when you are done."
"I will." Abigail said. "Is there anything else that you need?"
"Not at the moment." Jacobs said. "I think I might get something to eat after the stagecoach arrives."
"I will have the ladies make something up." Abigail said. "That way you can continue working."
"Thank you." Jacobs said.
Abigail left to find Dee. Bill looked at Wynn.
"Please excuse us, Jacobs." Wynn said. "I need to talk to Bill alone for a moment."
"I will leave." Jacobs said.
"No." Wynn said. "Go about your paperwork. We will step in the back room. Please have Dee stay here if we are not back out when he arrives."
"Yes, Sir." Jacobs said.
Jacobs went back to his paperwork. Wynn and Bill headed to the back room to speak for a moment.
Abigail left the office and headed toward the field that the children were known to play in. As she was heading in that direction, she realized that if they built some houses behind the current set of row houses, the children would need to find another place to play. She knew that there was room near the schoolhouse, but also knew that they were moving another building over there, so she hoped that there wasn't going to be much more development in that area, so the children would have a place to play. Abigail made a mental note to check the maps and see if the town or someone else owned the land around the schoolhouse. As she was walking, she saw Dee walking toward her.
"Dee." Abigail called out.
Dee jogged up to Abigail.
"Your father is looking for you." Abigail said.
"Okay." Dee said. "I was just heading to the cafe, but I will head to the office."
"I am going to check on Jack and Elizabeth." Abigail said.
"Do you know why Dad wants me?" Dee asked.
"Not really." Abigail asked. "He got a wire, was upset and then asked for you and Bill."
"Okay, thanks." Dee said. "I will figure out what is going on. Don't forget that Mom is coming with Becky."
"I remember." Abigail said. "As soon as I check on Jack and Elizabeth, I will be coming back to the office as well."
"See you in a bit." Dee said.
Dee headed to the office and Abigail headed the rest of the way to Jack and Elizabeth's house.
As soon as they were in the back room, Bill turned to Wynn.
"What is going on?" Bill asked.
"Do you remember Earl Younger?" Wynn asked.
"Yes." Bill said. "Wasn't he the one that shot …."
"Yes." Wynn said.
"So what about him?" Bill asked. "Last I heard, he contracted consumption or something like that."
"True." Wynn said. "The problem was that he had also been moved closer to his little brother after that happened."
Bill closed his eyes and let out a harsh breath.
"Wasn't he about sixteen at the time we arrested Earl?" Bill asked.
"Yes." Wynn said. "Over the years he also turned to a life of crime and was at Stony Mountain."
"What do you mean, was?" Bill asked.
Wynn handed the wire message to Bill. Bill took it and read it a couple of times.
"Damn it!" Bill muttered.
Bill looked up at Wynn.
"Sorry." Bill said.
"Don't be." Wynn said.
"I think the protection detail is a good idea." Bill said. "I know that we have McGinty and I here, as well as Jacobs for some time, but the others would be able to keep an eye out for things while we work on things."
"I think you might be right." Wynn said. "As much as I hate it."
"I know." Bill said. "So you do you think that the Thornton's and I are in danger as well. I mean I know that Younger really hated Thomas Thornton. I mean it was no secret that he was pleased that Thomas suffered and died after he had been shot. I just wish that we would have been able to get him for Thomas' death and not just shooting him."
"I know." Wynn said. "I think we need to let Jack and Charlotte know, but I don't know about adding protection details for them. I know that I am going to wire Sophie and ask her and Andrew to be extra careful for the time being. I think I might also wire Elizabeth as she will need to be added to the protection detail. I think that Younger might try going after her to hurt me."
"Let's get the protection detail." Bill said. "We can add others if we need. I think that we also need additional information, including a current description of this Clyde Younger. I also think that we put a general alert out about an escaped prisoner in the area. I know that Stony Mountain is a ways away, so I don't think that the alert would reach us. I just think that if we have other Mountie stations in the area on alert it would be easier."
"I agree." Wynn said. "Please wire Superintendent Anderson and get the protection detail headed this way. Also get as much information as you can. I will get a wire to Sophie written and have Dee send it. Also please be careful, these guys have been in prison for a time, but we don't know what connections that they might have at this time."
"I will wire Superintendent Anderson." Bill said. "Then I will use my other contacts to see what I can learn. Please just be careful. We don't know how long this guy has been missing and there are a lot of new people coming into town."
"I will be careful." Wynn said. "Find everything you can. I am going to be here until I go meet the stagecoach."
"Okay." Bill said.
With that, Bill and Wynn walked out to the main room to find Jacobs and Dee sitting there. Bill nodded to Dee and headed off to get more information. Wynn walked over and sat down at the table. Dee looked at his father and realized that something bad happened. Normally, Wynn was good at hiding his emotions, but with everything else going on Dee could see it in his eyes.
