Chapter 136 – Deep Breath
Wynn and Jacobs paperwork was interrupted when Abigail came into the office.
"Sorry." Abigail said.
"No, it is okay." Wynn said. "We are just hiding out here working on paperwork. Did you need something?"
"I needed a few minutes." Abigail said. "It has been crazy this morning at the cafe. Also the men are getting ready to move the cabin. Jack and Elizabeth came into town. They are sitting in the back of the cafe at the moment. Charlotte came in shortly after they arrived, she was wearing her gunbelt. I knew that she carried it, but I have never seen her openly wear a sidearm."
"They didn't walk, did they?" Wynn asked.
"No." Abigail said. "Lee drove them in."
"Good." Wynn said.
Abigail saw the relief on Wynn's face.
"Did something happen?" Abigail asked. "Jack and Charlotte were being very tight-lipped and Elizabeth looked a little rattled. I haven't seen that look on her face since just after she was taken by the Tolliver gang."
The two men looked at each other and both shrugged.
"Abigail, please sit down." Wynn said.
After Abigail was seated, Wynn pulled the folder that had the papers they found in it."
"What I am going to tell you." Wynn said. "I have not had a chance to talk to Jack about yet. I also don't mean to add to your burden, but stuff had blown up this morning and we are still trying to learn everything."
"Okay." Jacobs said. "This morning, Dee with the help of Charlotte and Lee, caught a man that fired a rifle near the row houses."
"So it was a gunshot that I heard this morning." Abigail said.
"Yes." Wynn said. "We haven't been able to identify the man, but we found that he had pictures of Jack and Beth. We believe that he was out to kill Jack and possibly take Elizabeth. We have ordered a protection detail for them as well. We don't know if this is connected to the situation that I am in or is separate. Either way we are being careful. Anyone not known to you or Bill starts asking for either of them should raise suspicion."
"I understand." Abigail said. "How much danger are the children in? School is starting on Monday."
"I know." Wynn said. "We are still accessing that. For now, there will be someone else there protecting everyone. My Elizabeth and Charlotte are also both helping with school so it shouldn't be much of a problem. We have some cadets coming in later today and the protection detail should start showing up today or tomorrow. Jacobs is staying and we also have Bill and McGinty. It will be alright. All else fails, we can post a cadet or two at the school, not allowing anyone to enter that doesn't have permission. As soon as we know more, I will talk to my Elizabeth, Charlotte and Beth about school and what they think that we need as well."
"Charlotte Thornton is also here." Jacobs said. "From the little that I have talked to her, I know that she will do what she has to to protect her family. Personally, I wouldn't cross her. I may have given her her pistol back, but I am still afraid that she will use it on someone. I know that she will do anything to stop someone from hurting Jack and Elizabeth."
"I will also." Abigail said.
"As I thought." Wynn said. "But you also have two other children to think of so don't do something we will all regret."
"I won't." Abigail said. "But I also won't allow people to terrorize my town or the people that I love. Jack and Elizabeth are like a son and daughter to me."
The tone that Abigail has used had left no doubt in either Jacobs or Wynn's mind that she was serious.
"Let's just hope it doesn't come to that." Wynn said. "I know that several people in town are carrying sidearms, but I am not going to encourage it. I have authorized a few people, but I also know that out here many people carry without permission. If it becomes a problem I will address it, but for now, I will leave it. Right now, having people armed might be a deterrent to others causing trouble. Normally, I wouldn't like it, but given what it is right now. I know that the people of this town care for one another and will do what they can to protect each other. That is what we need right now, so even if I don't like it, I will allow it without interference for now."
"You are right." Abigail said. "Several men carry and it hasn't been a problem. I had one little incident after I opened the cafe and Lee was hiring the new lumberjacks. But I straightened those guys out and haven't had a problem since."
Jacobs looked at Abigail.
"Like I told Jack once." Abigail said. "A cast iron skillet makes a great weapon and point. One of the former miners wasn't happy with the way some of the new lumberjacks were talking to me. I reminded them all that it was my cafe and I made the rules. I told them to put the sidearms away, sit down, say their prayers and not complain or the next person was going to have a conversation with my iron skillet."
"And no problems since?" Jacobs asked.
Abigail smiled.
"None." Abigail said. "I am the only place that will feed them. They don't like the chili and cornbread at the saloon. They know that if they cross me, I will kick them out."
"She is right." Wynn said. "I have heard about her kicking a few people out. I wouldn't cross her."
Abigail just smiled at Wynn.
"Point taken." Jacobs said. "For the record, I love your cooking and will miss it when I go to Benson Hills."
"Well, you will just have to come back from time to time." Abigail said with another smile.
"I will do that." Jacobs said.
"So you really think that Jack and Elizabeth are in danger?" Abigail asked.
"Yes and no." Wynn said. "The man is locked up, but that doesn't mean that there aren't others. I think that we need to be careful and then we will deal with things. The first step is going to be learning who this man is. I also think that the tension between Charlotte, Jack and Beth might have to do with something else. I just am not sure how much I can say. I know more than Jack and Beth have told me, so until they say something, I think I should keep my mouth closed. I know that I need to talk to them, but Jack was getting tired last night and we didn't get through everything."
"Is Elizabeth okay?" Abigail said.
"Yes." Wynn said. "This has nothing to do with the baby, but something that happened in Hamilton."
"Okay." Abigail said. "I will not say anything, but you know I am here to talk if you want."
"Thank you." Wynn said.
Abigail got up and went into the back room. Wynn and Jacobs continued with paperwork. It wasn't long and there was a knock at the door and Bill walked in.
Jack and Elizabeth walked into the back of the cafe and took a seat at the table. Elizabeth Rose and Ann looked at both of them. Both Jack and Elizabeth wore a smile on their face, but you could feel the underlying tension. Elizabeth Rose wondered what had happened. She knew that something had happened that morning, but she felt that there was something else. She wanted nothing more than to have a conversation with Jack and Elizabeth, but it was still pretty busy at the cafe and Abigail had left just as Jack and Elizabeth had come in. Clara was running the orders and dealing with customers.
"Did you want something?" Ann asked.
"Is there water for tea?" Elizabeth asked.
"There should be." Ann said. "I can grab it in a moment if you can wait."
"I can get it." Elizabeth said.
Elizabeth got up and got a cup of tea for both her and Jack. She had barely sat back down and Charlotte walked in the back door. If the tension wasn't felt before, it was really felt when Charlotte came in. She immediately jumped in to help with things at the cafe. She barely looked at Jack and Elizabeth. Charlotte had hung her gun belt and coat near the back door and put on the apron that Clara had left for her.
Ann looked between the three newest occupants of the kitchen. She could tell something had happened and things were different. This was not the couple that she had seen just a few days ago. There was tension and uncertainty. Ann wanted to ask, but she hadn't known the couple that long and didn't want it to look like she was prying. She offered a quick prayer for whatever was going on. Ann then asked that she be given the words that she needed to let Elizabeth know that whatever was going on, that she was more than welcome to share.
After Elizabeth and Jack settled at the table, Becky joined them.
"How are you?" Elizabeth asked.
"Doing better." Becky said. "Looking forward to school on Monday."
"How long since you have been in regular school?" Elizabeth asked.
"Since before I left the orphanage." Becky said. "So last fall, but I was bored all the time."
"Why?" Jack asked.
"Because the teacher wouldn't let me work at my level." Becky said.
"What do you mean?" Elizabeth asked.
"Before I went to the orphanage." Becky said. "I was already reading college level texts. I can also do college level math. The teacher where we were treated me like I was stupid because I was at the orphanage. She didn't like the orphan kids. She felt that we were a waste of her time and energy. She told us that we would never amount to anything more than a drain on society."
"You don't believe that do you?" Jack asked.
Becky shrugged. Jack and Elizabeth exchanged looks.
"How about I let you in on something." Elizabeth said.
Becky moved a little closer to Elizabeth and leaned forward.
"I will be telling all the children on Monday." Elizabeth said. "But I think I can tell you now. We are going to have a science fair. The winner will go on to a regional science fair against other students in the area. That winner will receive a scholarship to a math and science school back east."
"Really?" Becky asked.
"Really." Elizabeth said. "Each student will be required to complete a science project. Mountie Jack's mother, Mrs Thornton and my aunt, Mrs Delaney, will be helping in the afternoons so that the students can work on their science projects. They will also be working to help the new students from the settlements."
"So I can do a project?" Becky asked.
"Yes." Elizabeth said. "I will even get things ready for you to take a final test this spring if you think that you are ready."
"I am more than ready." Becky said. "My father was an engineer and I was getting ready to test out of school before they died."
"Then we will make sure that you get that test." Elizabeth said. "Even if you don't win the scholarship, I can make other inquiries about scholarships for you."
"Thank you." Becky said
Jack smiled when he saw the smile on Becky's face. Becky wasn't ready to share her drawings with anyone else, but she was excited about the science project, she knew just what she was going to do. She was also excited that Mrs Thornton would look into scholarships for her. She knew that Sergeant Jacobs had said he would do what he could to make sure that she went to school as well, but to hear it from her teacher was something different.
Wynn looked up as Bill entered.
"Need something?" Wynn asked.
"They men have started moving the cabin." Bill said. "We have tried to keep people closer to town and it will take them about half an hour or better to get here. Mr Johnson said that it will be slow going, but they are committed to getting it done this morning."
"We should get going." Wynn said.
"Jack and Elizabeth are still at the cafe." Bill said. "They are going to stay there until the men are closer. Lee and Chris are out with the men, just in case people try to move out there."
"Where is McGinty?" Wynn asked.
"He is at the jail with Dee." Bill said. "I told him to stay there for a bit."
"Okay." Wynn said.
"Your horses are outside the jail." Bill said. "I am going to head out."
"We will be behind you shortly." Wynn said. "Please go find out the full plan, then come back to town and let us know."
Bill nodded and left.
"Jacobs." Wynn said. "Do you want to stay at the jail and I take Dee and McGinty or what do you think?"
"I think that Bill or I need to be here when Buxton arrives." Jacobs said.
"They should be here soon." Wynn said. "The men will probably have to take a break for lunch and also switch horses."
"If you are okay." Jacobs said. "I think I will stick closer to town."
"Fine." Wynn said.
