Chapter 133 – Waiting for Word (short)

After Dee went to the jail and while they were waiting on Jacobs, Bill and Wynn went through the rest of the stuff before putting the stuff minus the papers back in the pack. They had five pictures from the newspaper with Jack and Elizabeth and a partial address to some place. It wasn't much to go on, but hopefully Dee would be able to get something. Bill and Wynn both looked closely at the clothes, but there was nothing that they could tell from them. They found no labels or indication where they were made. They were simple clothes that anyone would wear. Bill was frustrated and took a deep breath to try and control his emotions. He saw Jack as a son, so for someone to try and intentionally injure him made Bill's blood boil.

"We need a break." Bill said. "We can't let anything happen to Jack."

"We won't let anything happen." Wynn said. "You are not the only one that is frustrated. Jack is special to me as well. We also need to keep a clear head because of everything else going on. Bill, please don't let your emotions get the better of you. I know you."

Bill grunted. Wynn just looked at him.

"Glad you are so sure." Bill said. "We have an escaped prisoner after you. A shooter who was apparently after Jack and we only have four Mounties and a sheriff."

"We have more than that." Wynn said. "We have an excellent investigator, a brilliant mind and three Mounties. Not to mention a couple of sharp shooters who you didn't include."

Bill looked at Wynn confused.

"Charlotte and Abigail." Wynn said. "I wouldn't cross either of them. They are both very proficient with a rifle and as much as I dislike Rosemary, she is also pretty handy with a pistol. My wife also happens to be pretty proficient with a pistol. Honestly, I wouldn't want to cross any of the four of them. Especially Charlotte, Abigail and my Elizabeth where Jack and Beth are concerned."

"Good to know." Bill said. "I mean I know that several of the men are handy with a rifle, but the last thing that I want is to endanger civilians."

"I don't either." Wynn said. "But if it came to protecting Jack and Beth, neither Charlotte, my Elizabeth or Abigail might be able to be stopped. I don't want to use them, but I have a feeling that they would show up to help no matter what we said."

Bill looked at Wynn for a moment. He knew that Wynn was right about Charlotte and her use of a firearm. Bill also wasn't going to test the theory with the others. He had seen Abigail upset and that was not something that he wanted to repeat. He was also sure that Wynn would not allow his wife to have a pistol if she wasn't proficient in using it. Bill also knew that Rosemary was a good shot. He had seen her shooting some cans one day – she didn't miss.

"You are probably right there." Bill said. "I guess the cadets will be handy, but you have to know I am not keen on the idea of babysitting."

"You won't be." Wynn said. "McGinty and/or Jacobs will be. At least until the protection detail arrives. I will be here so technically I will be in charge, but you might get the job of sitting with Jack at certain points."

"I can handle that." Bill said.

"Thought so." Wynn said. "Please go make sure that things are getting done. I have paperwork here."

"Got it." Bill said.

Bill left and Wynn started on his paperwork. He hadn't been working long when Jacobs came back.

"Waiting to hear back." Jacobs said. "If nothing else, at least my contacts in Montreal will be on the lookout. There were no other messages. Let's look at this paperwork a little more. Since we are going to be really busy soon. There are already a lot of people in town. Looks like the cafe is busy."

"Do you need to help or can we work on this paperwork?" Wynn asked.

"Bill and McGinty look to have things under control." Jacobs said.

"Good." Wynn said. "I sent Dee to the jail to see if he can pick up anything from the men. I told him not to identify himself, but to work on things there."

"Think he will learn anything?" Jacobs asked.

"I don't know, but it was worth a shot." Wynn said. "His Italian is a little rusty."

"So how many languages does he speak?" Jacobs asked.

"Speak or understand?" Wynn asked.

"Both." Jacobs said.

"He fluently speaks five or six." Wynn said. "But he has knowledge of at least a dozen more, including several native languages. Don't tell him that I told you, but he remembers everything that he hears and reads. He has struggled after he was injured recalling everything, but he is doing so much better now. His recall is getting better and he has started to remember things that he thought were lost."

"Wow." Jacobs said. "I thought I had a good memory. No wonder you want him around. What a good trait as a Mountie!"

"If you ask him it can also be a curse." Wynn said. "He struggled for a long time, always remembering the taunting of the other children."

"I can see that." Jacobs said. "But as a teenager and adult, it can come in handy."

"Yes it does." Wynn said. "I have a feeling that his sister is the same way, but she has never said one way or the other. I have tried to ask her, but she doesn't talk about it."

"I wouldn't doubt it." Jacobs said. "There is so much that we still don't know much about when it comes to why people are the way that they are. I mean, how many people do you know that are equally good with their left as they are with their right?"

Wynn didn't even look up from his paperwork, but he had a small smile on his face.

"Counting you?" Wynn asked.

Jacobs just looked at him.

"You, Dee, Jack, Bill and my wife." Wynn said. "So at least five and that is just here in town. I know of about a dozen others across the country."

"Jack, really." Jacobs said.

"He would never brag." Wynn said. "But he shots just as well with his left as he does with his right. He can draw with both, I have seen it. He used to shoot left-handed to give the other cadets a chance at the targets."

"And he still beat them." Jacobs said.

"Yes." Wynn said. "Just not as bad as he probably would have if he would have used his right. It wasn't until he left the academy that he switched to his right. From what he and Charlotte say, Jack is naturally left handed. Charlotte forced him to learn and do everything right-handed because of some crazy idea that his grandmother, Thomas's mother had."

"How do you know that?" Jacobs asked.

Wynn just looked at him.

"Because of his father." Wynn said. "I may have followed his career a little closer than I should have. He has gotten no special treatment, but I have kept my eye on him. I felt that I at least owed that to his father. Jack has earned everything that he has gotten. He didn't meet me until I came here in December for the wedding and had only learned about me about six weeks before that."

"I believe you." Jacobs said. "But others may not."

"You and McGinty are the only two Mounties that know of our connection." Wynn said.

"And Dee." Jacobs said.

Wynn nodded. The two men went back to their paperwork. Not much else was said other than when a question needed to be asked and answered.