As October got underway, people found their new routine among the changes that had taken place in the little town. Gabriel talked to Kevin about Vincent coming to see what he did in the blacksmith shop. The Mountie did not miss the quickly masked surprise on the man's face at the request that was quickly replaced with pride. Kevin asked for a little time to figure out what would be appropriate and safe to have the fifteen-year-old boy around and then he would get back to him to arrange a day.
Though Nathan did not get into town as frequently these days, Rosemary kept a look out for him. Like she had on their walks home, Rosemary would happily steal a few minutes of his time as he walked from one building to the next doing whatever errand he had come into town to complete. Nathan found he enjoyed the brief chats with the woman. He was also appreciative of the fact that if she stopped by to chat with Elizabeth, Rosemary would stop by the shop to check in on him.
Laura had written a couple of letters from Hamilton. She talked about how overwhelming things had felt in the city after growing up in Hope Valley. She thanked Elizabeth for arranging for her to stay with the Thatchers, saying that she probably would have boarded the train for home within two weeks if not for the hospitality they had shown her. Noah was equally as grateful both for the opportunity for the study he had longed for and the hospitality of the Montclairs. Laura said both families made sure there were dinner invitations between the two households so that she and Noah could spend time in appropriately chaperoned settings. Mr. and Mrs. Montclair had even escorted the young couple to take in a theater production.
Always included with Elizabeth's letter was a short note from Laura to Jack. The little boy delighted in the brief messages from his former nanny and would always write her back. Tales of Nate were a popular theme for Jack and Elizabeth was sure Laura got a laugh at his stories.
Ally's birthday celebration was planned for her birthday on October 12th. Archie was determined that everything would be perfect for his granddaughter's birthday celebration, as it was her first birthday that he would be able to personally celebrate with her. Nathan had purchased a pretty bay roan mare for Ally's present from him and Elizabeth. The horse was currently stabled at the livery with Archie taking care of her so that Ally would not find out about her until the party.
The Wolfs returned from Regina, with tales of their trip and talked about how proud they were of their son. Robert was currently still in Regina doing some final preparations for his first assignment. The new Mountie would be traveling further west into British Columbia to meet his training officer at Fort St. John. He would be allowed to spend several days with his parents and sister in Hope Valley before needing to leave to be at his post at the designated date. Officers at Depot would make sure that Robert, and the other new recruits going to the more remote postings, would have everything they would need along with things that had been requested by those already at the postings. Remembering Robert's desire to talk to her in person had Ally nervous about his arrival.
In the meanwhile, Nathan continued his new woodworking venture while enjoying being closer to his family. He was working on the table that was part of the Mansfield commission when there was a knock at the door.
"Who is it?" Nathan called out, knowing that if it was one of the kids he would need to meet them at the door. He had too many tools out right now for them to be in the shop.
"It's Gabe," came the call through the door.
"Come in," Nathan said, putting down the tool he had been using to carve the design in the apron of the table. As his friend walk through the door, Nathan took in the grim expression on his friend's face. "From the look on your face, you are not bringing good news."
"Whether it is good news or not is a matter of perspective. It does affect you and your family though, Nathan," Gabriel told him, placing the hat he had removed on a clear part of the work table. "It is about Lucas Bouchard."
Nathan felt anger simmering at just the mention of the man's name. Jack was starting to get past his nightmares. The one in Brookfield was the last one that they were aware of. Elizabeth too was healing from her trauma. She had seemed more comfortable with physical affection of late, as was indicative from the fact they were changing in front of one another now. Nathan was afraid that any mention of Lucas Bouchard could set Elizabeth back, bring back nightmares for Jack or both. Though, there was a fear even greater than that.
"Please tell me he did not escape?" Nathan asked, holding Gabriel's gaze even as his mind started thinking of ways he could keep his family safe. After all, Lucas had threatened him that night. Though he had not felt threatened by Lucas' "you will pay for this, Nathan" that night, Nathan did not doubt that Lucas would attempt to follow through with that threat. He wasn't smart enough not too.
"Again that might be a matter of perspective," Gabe said.
"Stop being cryptic," Nathan demanded, the command coming out harsher than he had intended.
Gabriel reached out and placed a hand on his arm. Nathan knew it was his friend's way of telling him not to 'shoot' the messenger.
Nathan took a deep breath and released it slowly as Gabriel spoke.
"I got a call from a friend of mine that is posted at the Union City Jail. An investigation into the details is underway, but Lucas was killed in his cell last night by another inmate."
Nathan couldn't stop the flood of relief that surged through him at that new and immediately felt guilty. A man had been killed. He should not be happy about that. However, the image of Jack shrinking back in fear that night on the road and the bruises the boy had was ingrained in his memory as was the way he had found Elizabeth that night. Neither of them had deserved to be treated that way. Neither of them had deserved the abuse that Lucas had inflicted on them. Yes, Lucas had been paying for those actions in jail, but perhaps his death was the ultimate justice.
Lucas Bouchard could never harm another person again.
"I should not be relieved to hear that news, but I am. After what he did to Elizabeth and Jack, at least now there is no doubt that he can ever lay another finger on either of them again," Nathan said.
"Do not be too hard on yourself, Nathan," Gabriel said. "You are not going to be the only one that feels that way. What Lucas did was inexcusable. Apparently someone else was not too happy with the man's actions either."
"How did he die?" Nathan asked.
"A fight broke out in another cell in the early hours of this morning. There were only two guards on duty. They both responded to the fight and while that was going on, the inmate in the cell next to Bouchard's somehow managed to reach through the bars between the cells and wrap his rolled up sheet around Bouchard's throat. He was strangled to death by the time the guards got the other situation under control and realized what was happening. They do not know why Dixon chose to strangle Bouchard. There had been no previous indication of trouble between the two or they would not have been in adjacent cells."
Nathan's heart skipped a beat. He had heard the name Dixon in relation to Lucas before. Was it the same man?
"What did you say the inmate who strangled Bouchard's name was."
"Dixon," Gabriel replied. He paused a moment, a thoughtful expression on his face. "Amos Dixon, I believe I was told. Does that name mean anything to you?"
Nathan nodded. "Not long after I came to Hope Valley a man came looking for Lucas. Apparently Lucas had cheated the man in a poker game while helping a friend and the man wanted his money back. Amos Dixon got into the saloon and was holding both Lucas and Elizabeth hostage when I realized something was amiss. I managed to arrest Dixon and his accomplice."
"That would definitely give Amos Dixon a motive. I will pass that information along to my friend. It might prove useful."
"I guess karma finally caught up to Lucas Bouchard," Nathan commented, pushing aside the thought of how much anguish could have been spared here in Hope Valley if Amos Dixon had been able to carry out his plans back then. Except that if he had not done what he had done, Nathan would have felt like he had let down a citizen of the town he had sworn to serve. After all, back then, Lucas had not broken any laws that any of them had been aware of. Bill had even done a background check on the man. Nothing had been uncovered. Like a lot of criminals and abusers, Lucas had been good at covering his tracks.
But sometimes bruises just couldn't be hid any longer.
"What is going through your head, Nathan?"
Gabriel's question made Nathan realize that he had been silent longer than he had intended. Focusing on Gabriel, he saw concern and determination in his friend's eyes. Nathan knew that though Gabriel would give him the time he needed to sort through his thoughts and feelings, his friend was not going anywhere until those thoughts and feelings were expressed to him. Nathan had never known someone as patient as Gabriel. It was part of what made the man such a good investigator. It didn't matter how long it took to find the clues and follow them, Gabriel kept on the case.
The fact that the man was as stubborn as an ox helped as well. He did not know how to leave something unfinished - even after he had been laid up in the hospital for months on end. Most would have accepted the robber who had shot him being behind bars as closure to the case, but not Gabriel. Something had not felt right about the Brookfield bank robbery, so Gabriel had kept on digging.
Nathan pointed to the extra stool in the corner of the room as he sat down on a nearby stool. Waiting for Gabriel to take his seat, Nathan groped for the words to express how he was feeling. When he had sat down, Gabriel remained quiet, waiting for Nathan to begin. Appreciative of the patient but concerned presence of his friend, Nathan spoke, knowing that his friend would not judge him for his feelings.
"I feel like I should feel some kind of remorse. A man died. No matter what horrible things he did, it is still a life loss and we both know that strangulation is not necessarily a quick way to go. Yet, all I feel is relief. Relief that there is no way that Lucas Bouchard could ever physically harm a member of my family again, I am actually glad that there is not chance of parole for Lucas any longer and that I do not have to worry about what to do when his prison sentence is up," Nathan said, well aware that there could be emotional fallout from this course of events. "What kind of person does that make me?"
"A perfectly normal person," Gabriel replied easily without hesitation.
"I arrested him, Gabriel. I am the one who put Lucas in jail. Shouldn't I feel some kind of remorse that the man is dead?"
Nathan could hear the plea in his own voice. He wasn't sure what he was pleading for - to actually find some remorse over Bouchard's death or for Gabriel to vindicate his feelings of relief. After all, Nathan felt no guilt over actually putting Lucas in jail. The man had committed a crime. All he had done was arrest Lucas for that crime.
"You did your job, Nathan," Gabriel said, a steely finality in his words. "Lucas hit an innocent child. A child who could not defend himself. Even without the sexual and physical abuse to Elizabeth, that act alone is enough for the man to deserve to be in jail. Lucas' actions put him in jail, not yours. The only thing you are responsible for is protecting a mother and a child from an abuser. That is a good thing. What happened to Lucas after you made that arrest is not on you. You did not orchestrate Lucas' death. If you had been a guard in that jail, you would not have turned a blind eye to Dixon strangling Lucas. You would have intervened, just like those guards who were on duty would have had they not been dealing with another situation."
Nathan nodded. Gabriel was right. He had done his job that night even though a part of him had wanted to act differently that night. He had wanted to go downstairs and make Lucas pay for what he had done to Jack and Elizabeth. Not wanting to leave Elizabeth's side, hoping to be some source of comfort for her in her pain, had been the only thing that had kept him from doing just that.
"I wanted to serve my own justice that night," Nathan admitted quietly to his friend.
"I know," Gabriel told him. "Bill did too. I could see it in both of your eyes and if that had been Lillian, Grace or Faith, I would have felt the same way. I was able to keep some objectivity because I did not know Elizabeth as well as I do now. I'm not sure I could do that now. To be honest, a part of me is glad that there is no longer any worry about what Lucas might do when he got out of jail. Your family is safe, Nathan. That is what is important."
"Elizabeth and Jack are safe, but what is this going to do to them emotionally? Jack seems to have finally got past his nightmares. What if just the mention of Lucas causes them to resurface? Elizabeth has seemed content and more self-confident lately. How is she going to feel about this news? How is she going to feel knowing I am relieved at the news? What will it do to our relationship?"
"They are all valid questions but ones that I can't answer. Elizabeth does have the right to know. Perhaps you two decide not to tell Jack at this time. However, Elizabeth needs to be a part of that decision."
"I know," Nathan said, closing his eyes. He thought about the steps he and Elizabeth had taken in their relationship. They had grown closer as time had gone by. Elizabeth's use of the phrase "you matter to me," had given him hope that she was close to accepting her feelings for him. Was this just going to set her back in that acceptance?"I just don't know how to break this news to her," Nathan admitted, feeling a wave of helplessness. He could not change the facts. He could not control Elizabeth's reaction. Could he even bring her comfort when she was told this news? Would she push him away? Would she go back into the despair that had almost led to her taken her own life?
"I can do it if you want," Gabriel offered. Nathan finally opened his eyes at the offer as Gabriel continued. "After all, the information came to me through the Mounties. If you want me to break the news to Elizabeth, I will."
The words to accept Gabriel's offer was on the tip of his tongue but Nathan knew he could not accept the offer. No, maybe he was no longer with the Mounties but he was now Elizabeth's husband. The news should come from him. She had already gotten word of Jack's death from a Mountie sent to deliver the news. Yes, she knew Gabriel. If he passed along the information, it wouldn't be quite so impersonal but Nathan knew he owed it to Elizabeth to be the one to tell her.
"Thank you, but no," Nathan said, his original reply getting pushed aside. "I need to be the one to tell her."
Gabriel nodded. "I had a feeling you would say that, but I had to offer."
"I appreciate that," Nathan said. "Do you think you could take the children for the evening though? Perhaps they could have dinner with you, Faith and Vincent? I do not know how Elizabeth is going to take the news. It might be best if the children are not here."
"I can do that," Gabriel replied. "Are you going to tell them why they are having dinner with us or not? Ally is a smart girl she is going to realize something is not quite right with the sudden dinner plans. Jack is observant for his age as well."
Nathan sighed. Gabriel was right. "Let's try to go with not telling them anything specific. I am not even sure Elizabeth will want Jack to know, though I think even he needs to be told. Lucas traumatized him. He has been afraid of Lucas getting out of jail and coming after him. I think it will help him to know that can't happen, even if it does cause a resurfacing of nightmares at first. However, do not lie to them, Gabriel. If you cannot answer their questions without telling them, then tell them. They both know and trust you. I think it will be okay."
Gabriel nodded. Taking out a pocket watch, he looked at the time. "The kids should just be about done with their studies," he said, looking up from the watch to Nathan. "Perhaps I should take the children now. Putting it off is not going to make things any easier."
Nathan nodded. He knew he would not be able to concentrate on his work out here anyway at this point. Besides, the death of an inmate in custody was not going to stay quiet. For now, Gabriel had control of the flow of information but it would not stay that way. Word about incident would get out and it would eventually reach Hope Valley, hence why he thought they needed to tell Jack so he did not overhear it elsewhere.
Taking a deep breath, Nathan held it for a moment, trying to center himself. At this moment, he needed to put his own emotions aside so that he could be there for Elizabeth. She was the one Lucas had raped and physically and emotionally abused. Right now, her feelings were important. He could deal with his own afterwards.
Letting the breath out slowly, Nathan got to his feet. "Let's go," Nathan told his friend.
Gabriel nodded, reaching for the hat he had set aside. The two men left the workshop. The last one out, Gabriel made sure that the workshop was securely locked behind him. At the house, Ally was standing on the porch waving to Opal who was walking down the driveway with her mother. Having spotted Apollo tied to the porch railing, Vincent was standing next to the black horse, petting its neck, apparently willing to delay his own departure for home to see his Dad.
"Is something wrong, Dad?" Ally asked as the two men approached the house.
The teenager had stopped waving to her departing friend, Opal and her mother were almost out of sight by now, and was watching Nathan and Gabriel as they approached. Nathan held his arm out to his daughter as Gabriel went to Vincent's side.
Leaving the porch, Ally met Nathan a few steps from the porch steps. Wrapping her arm around his waist, she stood close to Nathan's side. One arm wrapped around her shoulders, Nathan placed a kiss on the top of her head.
"Things will be all right, Ally," Nathan told her. "I promise you that. For now though, I want you to go with your Uncle Gabe. You and Jack are going to have dinner with his family. The news I have, I need to share with your mother first."
Ally looked up at him. "That means it is bad news," she stated in a matter of fact tone. A tone that reminded Nathan that his little girl had been through more than any child should. So had Jack.
"It is news that will affect us," Nathan told her, not sure how to label it. The death of any person should be bad news but Nathan wasn't quite sure he could label Lucas Bouchard's death as bad news. The man had hurt too many people that he loved. "But I can promise you that we will get through it by sticking together. Just like we always have."
"All right," Ally replied, making Nathan proud at her ability to accept his cryptic answer. "I will go get, Jack," she added, stepping away. Putting on a smile, Ally headed back into the house.
"Hey, Jack! You and I are going to have dinner with Uncle Gabe today," Nathan heard Ally call out cheerfully.
Nathan looked over at Gabe who was standing with an arm around Vincent's shoulders.
"I told you she was a smart kid," Gabriel told him. "Must take after Colleen," he added with a teasing smile.
Nathan cast his friend an annoyed look while silently conceding that Gabriel had a point. There were a lot of things that Ally took after her mom with. Being able to read him like a book was definitely one of them.