Chapter 142 – Getting to Know Patricia

As the ladies were sitting having tea, Elizabeth Rose leaned over to Patricia.

"So are you going to tell me what you are really doing here?" Elizabeth Rose asked.

"I am here for you." Patty said.

Elizabeth Rose looked at her friend and then it dawned on her what Patty was talking about.

"Okay." Elizabeth Rose said. "I am surprised. Last I heard, you were headed to Europe."

"I was." Patty said. "I got back about two weeks ago. I was actually on my way to Vancouver when I stopped in Union City. I figured that I would check in with the office. When I told them where I was, they said that they had a high priority job close by and would I be willing to take it. I figured that it must have been important for them to ask me. So I agreed. It was only then that they told me who. I ended up having to do some shopping in Union City before I came with some cadets and two other Mounties. The stuff that I had packed wasn't going to work here."

"Well." Elizabeth Rose said. "I am glad that you are here. If I have to have a shadow, I am glad that it is you."

"Shadow?" Elizabeth asked.

"Yes, Beth." Elizabeth Rose said. "Patty here is a member of the protection service. I have had her before when we have needed."

"Oh." Elizabeth said. "I guess I wasn't thinking."

"It is okay." Patty said. "I guess you have never needed it, so that is understandable."

"I understand the protection service." Elizabeth said. "Father has used them when we have traveled in the past. I just didn't realize that Aunt Elizabeth was going to be having someone. I knew that Uncle Wynn and Dee were going to. I didn't think about someone just for Aunt Elizabeth."

Elizabeth Rose reached over and patted Elizabeth's hand.

"For your information, Patty." Elizabeth Rose said. "We don't advertise the fact that Wynn and I are related to Beth here. Some know and others don't. We were here for her wedding, but we kept it quiet among the Mounties. Wynn doesn't want them treating Jack differently because of who he happens to be related to."

Patty looked between Elizabeth and Elizabeth Rose.

"Wait a second." Patty said. "Elizabeth. Are you Elizabeth Thatcher? I thought that she said your name was Thornton."

"Yes." Elizabeth said. "Jack and I were married at Christmas."

"I thought that was you." Patty said. "I haven't seen you in several years. I think you were about sixteen the last time I saw you."

"Sorry." Elizabeth said. "I don't remember you."

"It is okay." Patty said. "I had red hair and glasses back then. I was working undercover and needed to change my look."

"Wow." Elizabeth said. "So you are here to protect Aunt Elizabeth."

"Yes." Patty said. "I will be with her most of the time."

"How is that going to work for school?" Elizabeth asked.

"What do you mean?" Patty asked.

"The children have been out of school for over a week." Elizabeth said. "There was a slide at Silverton, a nearby mine. Then a flash flood took out the settlement. Everyone was brought here. While we were dealing with that, another slide happened at the mine north of here in Rock Creek. They also experienced a flash flood, but didn't fare as well. We only lost two of the miners from Silverton and no one from the settlement. There were about thirty deaths from Rock Creek. Mostly the women and children from the settlement. Everyone who was injured was brought back here. We have gotten some of the men who were able back to work. One widow and then one of the miners who had a small child went back east, but everyone else stayed here."

"What Beth is leaving out." Elizabeth Rose said. "Is that her husband, Jack, who is the Mountie here, was injured while trying to rescue a child that had gone missing when they were evacuating the Silverton settlement. He is on the road to recovery, but it is still going to take some time. He suffered exposure and possibly pneumonia. Beth, here also just found out that she is expecting, but that hasn't been shared with people in general yet. Jack's mother is here and she is a retired teacher as well. Her and I were going to help Beth in the classroom this week. She was going to take the morning and then Charlotte and I were going to come in and be with the children in the afternoons. We were going to help with science projects as well as work with the kids from the settlements, access where they are and what they will need to catch up to their peers."

"I will be in the classroom with you then." Patty said. "I can help the children as well. You will just have to tell me what to do."

"Are you sure?" Elizabeth asked.

"I go where she goes." Patty said, motioning her head toward Elizabeth Rose.

Just then Abigail came over.

"Lee is waiting for Jack." Abigail said. "Then he is ready to take you back to the house."

"I will walk with Aunt Elizabeth and Patty." Elizabeth said. "Can you let Jack know to put the roast in and I will be home shortly."

"Okay." Abigail said.

Just then Jack walked in the back door. He came over and gave Elizabeth a kiss.

"Lee is waiting." Jack said.

"I am going to walk home." Elizabeth said.

"I really need to talk to you." Jack said.

"Jack." Elizabeth Rose said. "I am here. I also want to introduce you to my friend Patty."

"Patricia Winters." Patty said. "National Protection Service."

"Corporal Jack Thornton."

Jack looked between Miss Winters, Elizabeth Rose and his wife. As if reading the spoken question, Patty took a step closer to Jack.

"I am here for Mrs Delaney." Patty said. "But you don't have to worry about your wife. I will do everything I can to keep her safe as well."

"Thank you." Jack said. "Will you please make sure that Elizabeth gets home safely."

"I will walk with both of them." Patty said. "You go home and rest. We will be home in a little while."

"Jack." Elizabeth said. "Please put the roast in and I will finish supper when I get home."

"Okay." Jack said.

He took a step closer to Elizabeth, pulled her up and kissed her.

"Be safe." Jack said. "I am going to take a nap."

"I will." Elizabeth said. "You rest."

Jack nodded and then left the cafe. Elizabeth watched him leave.

"He will be fine." Patty said. "From what I saw, there were several Mounties in town and I came in with five cadets. I am sure that they won't let anything happen."

"Thank you." Elizabeth said. "I just feel like something is wrong."

"Beth dear." Elizabeth Rose said. "Don't start borrowing trouble. I know what happened this morning. I am sure that Wynn, Jacobs, Bill and the rest of them are doing everything that they can to keep everyone safe. Patty will be with us. I am also armed. Charlotte also won't let anything happen. Please try to relax."

"Okay." Elizabeth said. "There is just so much going on. I just wish things would slow down and we could catch a break."

"It won't always be like this." Patty said. "Your aunt is right. We won't let anything happen. From what I hear, Jack can take care of himself and he won't let anything happen to you."

Elizabeth looked at Patty.

"Tolliver gang." Patty said. "He is a Mountie legend. I have even heard the stories and I was in Europe from November until a couple weeks ago."

"Guess I didn't think of that." Elizabeth said. "He has had some pretty big take downs this past year and gotten some press."

"Let's finish our tea and then we can walk home." Elizabeth Rose said. "We can help you finish supper."

"Patty, are you going to join us?" Elizabeth asked.

"Only if you want." Patty said. "As much as I need to do my job, I don't want to interfere with family time."

"You are more than welcome." Elizabeth said.

"Then a home cooked meal sounds wonderful." Patty said.

"Are you staying at the saloon?" Elizabeth Rose asked.

"In the room next to you and Wynn." Patty said.

After Jack left, the men sitting around the table looked at each other.

"Captain Campbell." Wynn said. "Do you know everyone?"

"No, Sir." Campbell said.

"Sergeant Jeremiah Jacobs." Jacobs said. "I am going to be here until the protection detail is no longer needed. I am also helping Deputy Commissioner Delaney with paperwork since I am familiar with some of the workings since I had been stationed at headquarters for quite some time."

"Constable Wynn Delaney, Jr." Dee said. "But please call me Dee."

"Sheriff Bill Avery." Bill said. "I am also a retired Inspector."

"So tell us about our prisoner." Jacobs said.

"Without seeing him." Campbell said. "I can't completely confirm this, but it is believed that you are holding Giovanni Romero. He is a twenty-seven year old cousin of the main Romero family. He has been in this country about eight or nine years. He fled Italy after causing trouble there. He has mostly been hiding in Little Italy in Montreal."

"Why would he be the one tasked with this?" Wynn asked.

"We aren't sure." Campbell said.

"We have our suspicions about who was behind it." Wynn said. "But please share who you think is behind it."

"Charles Kensington and/or his father." Campbell said. "We know that Charles Kensington III was in Montreal with his father three weeks ago. It was strange because they rarely travel together. We also know that he wasn't in Montreal on business for William Thatcher."

"Is there a reason that the Mounties are keeping track of the Kensington family that I am unaware of?" Wynn asked.

Campbell looked down and took a deep breath.

"Captain Campbell." Wynn said with an authoritative tone.

"I don't know how much I can say." Campbell said. "My orders come from the Commissioner himself."

"Well." Jacobs said. "I arrested Charles Kensington III and William Thatcher this past Thursday for attempted kidnapping, conspiracy to commit kidnapping, assault, creating a public disturbance and assault on a Mountie. After speaking with Corporal Thornton and his wife, we were able to strike a deal with William Thatcher. Charles Kensington and former Mountie Edward Monclair were moved to Union City yesterday. This is after Charles made a scene at the jail saying that he was promised Elizabeth Thatcher and he wasn't leaving without her.

When I arrested them with the help of Constable McGinty – Charles was trying to hit Mrs Thornton after grabbing her arm and leaving a mark. They accosted her near the saloon in broad daylight. This is after Kensington had been warned to stay away from Mrs Thornton by Corporal Thornton and Sheriff Avery back in January."

"What was this deal that you made with William Thatcher?" Campbell asked. "Why wasn't headquarters notified that Kensington was arrested?"

Bill and Jacobs both looked to Wynn. Dee passed a note to his father. He had picked up something that Campbell had said and was concerned. Wynn looked at it and then looked at his son.

"An bhfuil tú cinnte?" Wynn asked in Irish. (Are you sure?)

"Yes." Dee said.

"What did you say?" Campbell asked.

Wynn glared at Campbell.

"Nothing that you need to know." Wynn said. "As far as why headquarters wasn't notified, I made a command decision to deal with it here. Both William Thatcher and Charles Kensington were known to Bill, Jacobs and myself. We notified Union City when we knew that we needed to move high profile prisoners. I didn't think that it was necessary to broadcast their names. As far as the deal that was made with William Thatcher. That is a sealed document that was between William Thatcher, Corporal Thornton and his wife, Sergeant Jacobs and myself."

"We will know if he violates the deal." Jacobs said. "And if that happens, we will deal with him. The document is legal and binding. I checked with a judge that I know and everything is on the up and up."

Campbell just looked at Jacobs. Jacobs didn't flinch at the look that Campbell had leveled against Jacobs. Wynn pushed a note toward Dee and he picked it up. He looked at his father who nodded toward the door. Dee got up and left without saying anything to anyone.

"Where is he going?" Campbell asked.

"To run an errand for me." Wynn said. "I am in charge around here and you will do what I say. You may know the Romero family, but I have grown to love this town and the people in it. They respect me and I, of the people sitting here, I am the ranking member. All decisions will be mine to make. Just because Sr Deputy Commissioner Connor suggested a protection detail, doesn't mean that I stop doing my job. Also in case you haven't realized it, I am Sr Deputy Commissioner Connor's second in command. I will be Sr Deputy when Connor retires next year. Am I clear?"

Campbell let out a harsh breath, but didn't say anything.

"It has been a long day." Wynn said. "I think we are done. With tomorrow being Easter Sunday. I will be spending the day with my family. We will talk again on Monday."

Bill and Jacobs started gathering the paperwork on the table.

"Bill." Wynn said. "Please check with Abigail, but I think we can put the fire out."

"I will deal with it." Jacobs said.

"Thank you." Wynn said. "Bill, will you walk me to the house?"

"Sure." Bill said.

Jacobs saluted Wynn. Wynn returned it, then looked at Campbell and let out a harsh breath.

"I will tell you the same thing that I have instructed the rest of the Mounties." Wynn said. "You are not to engage the prisoner. You are to record what he says only and make a report. If I find out otherwise, I will not be happy. We don't want to give him too much information. Don't cross me. I am still a Deputy Commissioner, protection detail or not."

Campbell didn't say anything, but gave a half hearted salute before leaving the office.

"Jacobs." Wynn said. "You still have the keys?"

"Yes, Sir." Jacobs said.

"Good." Wynn said. "Keep them and keep an eye on him."

"What did Dee say?" Jacobs asked.

"That a coded message had been sent and acknowledged by headquarters." Wynn said. "Dee also said he wasn't sure that Campbell was telling the truth."

"Well." Bill said. "I would believe Dee. That boy has spent more time in the mercantile sending and receiving messages then the rest of us combined."

"I know." Wynn said. "He knows how to do his job and he has learned to anticipate what I need and want."

"I have noticed." Jacobs said. "I think it is another reason that you don't want to post him somewhere else. You have come to depend on him and that is not a bad thing."

Wynn nodded.

"I am going to go spend some time with my wife." Wynn said. "We will be at Jack and Beth's."

"Understood." Jacobs said. "I won't bother you unless absolutely needed."

"Thank you." Wynn said.

Wynn and Bill walked out of the office while Jacobs finished picking things up.