Chapter 29- Maintiens le Droit

"How was the last day of school?" Nathan asked as he walked through the door of Charlotte's classroom where she and Allie were working at tidying up the space for summer vacation.

"It was really good!" Allie exclaimed. "But is it bad that I'm not too disappointed there won't be summer classes this year?"

"Not at all," Charlotte answered. "As much as I loved the program last year, I think it is important that you guys get a little break from classwork. That doesn't mean I won't expect you to keep up your reading this summer."

"Yes ma'am," Allie grinned.

"Well, I have an idea for part of your summer if you two are up for it?" Nathan dangled the prospect of a new adventure in front of his girls.

"And what is that?" Charlotte questioned.

"I just received a message from Constable Kinslow in Brookfield. Seems his friend, Chuck Stewart, is looking for a few extra hands to help trail his family's cattle herd to their summer pastures and when I was there a few weeks ago I may have mentioned how good you two are on horseback and he was wondering if we could come help," Nathan replied.

"Really?" Excitement carried in Allie's voice. "We get to be actual cowboys and cowgirls?"

"That's what it sounds like," Nathan smiled. "What do you say, Charlotte? Are you in?"

"I think that sounds like a wonderful idea. You know how much I miss ranching. And I am excited to finally get to meet the people of Brookfield you and the Coulters are always talking about. Speaking of which…" Charlotte's eyebrow lifted, and her dimples became more pronounced. Just like they did every time she came up with a new idea. "What are your thoughts on inviting Lee and Rosemary to come along?"

Nathan quickly understood where Charlotte was going with her mischievous planning. Lee and Rosemary had become such friends to Nathan and Charlotte and were an important part of bringing them together as a couple. Thoughts of Charlotte in her blue dress at their own Christmas Ball flooded into Nathan's mind.

Yes. He and Charlotte wanted to help bring a little happiness into the Coulter's lives as well.

"I think that is a fantastic idea!" Nathan agreed. "Let's head over to their office and invite them along."

"What's taking her so long in there?" Nathan leaned over to ask Allie.

"I have no idea," Allie answered as she shrugged her shoulders and kicked a rock by her feet.

They were waiting on the street outside the mercantile with Lee and Rosemary. Everyone's horses were saddled and packed for Brookfield, but Charlotte had insisted she needed to pick up a couple last minute items from the store that she had ordered in for their trip.

About the moment Nathan was going to investigate, the bell above the door to the mercantile jingled as Charlotte pushed it open with her backside and juggled two boxes in her arms.

Nathan smiled at the woman before him as he was reminded of a quote from Charlotte's Jane Eyre book…

Her coming was my hope each day. Her parting was my pain; The chance that did her steps delay was ice in every vein.

"Where do you think we are going to fit those boxes?" Nathan joked.

"Just a minute constable," Charlotte chided. "They have a place."

Charlotte extended one of the boxes to Allie and another to Nathan. "Okay. Open them!"

Allie and Nathan lifted the lid to their boxes simultaneously.

A shrill shriek of excitement escaped Allie. "An actual cowboy hat!"

Allie quickly deposited the hat onto her head and then wrapped her arms around Charlotte's torso in a strong hug. "Thank you, Ms. Thompson. I love it! I'll look just like Bess in Riders of the Purple Sage now!"

"I'm glad you love it," Charlotte smiled as Allie exited her embrace and expertly mounted Bandit to begin their journey. She turned then and saw that Nathan had not put on his hat.

"Don't like it?" Charlotte gently questioned as she walked over to where Nathan stood beside Newton. "I know it's not your usual campaign hat, but I thought…"

"No, it's nothing like that," Nathan started. "It just kind of hit me. When I was a kid, I always thought I wanted to be a cowboy. I mean Grandma was always reading Colleen and I these Western novels and it seemed like such a wonderful life of adventures. I just never thought that it would happen for me."

"Well now it is," Charlotte reached into the box and lifted out the hat. She ran her left hand through Nathan's hair, pushing back that pesky lock that always fell over his right eye, before placing the hat onto his head.

"There, now it's perfect," Charlotte made a little adjustment to the brim before catching Nathan staring down at her. She smiled up at him as she moved her hands to Nathan's suspenders, pulling them slightly towards her. "Lookin' pretty good there, cowboy."

"Alright you two. Saddle up! We are burning daylight!"

"Lee!" Rosemary scolded as she laid a playful smack across her husband's arm. "Can't you see they were having a moment?"

"Sorry," Lee sheepishly grinned in Nathan and Charlotte's direction. "But I've always wanted to say that."

The group could not help but laugh as they mounted their horses and took off in the direction of Brookfield.

"Wow!" Charlotte gasped as the group topped the hill that overlooked Brookfield. "It's everything you've described Nathan."

"I thought you would enjoy it," Nathan smiled in return, and they continued into town.

"Good afternoon!" Gabe waved to the group from his rocking chair on the boardwalk outside of his office.

"Constable Kinslow," Nathan nodded his head in Gabe's direction as they pulled up their horses and dismounted on the street. "Gabe, I believe you have already met Rosemary and Lee Coulter."

"Yes. Good to see you both again."

"And this," Nathan turned towards Allie. "Is my niece Allie."

"Nice to finally meet you, Allie."

"You too, Constable Kinslow." Allie politely replied.

"And Gabe," Nathan continued. "This is Ms. Charlotte Thompson."

"Ms. Thompson," Gabe removed his campaign hat and extended his hand to Charlotte. "Nathan has told me so much about you."

"All good things I hope," Charlotte winked as she took Gabe's welcoming handshake.

"Good things, yes. But I don't think he was able to accurately describe how beautiful you are."

Charlotte laughed nervously and blushed.

"Alright. Easy there Casanova!" Nathan rolled his eyes and stepped forward. "Aren't you and Lillian happily courting?"

"Yes, but that doesn't mean I can't point out that your words have failed you my friend when it comes to talking about how lovely Charlotte is."

Nathan groaned at his friend's ribbing.

"All joking aside, Nathan, I was wondering if I could steal you for a little bit to get your opinion on this case I'm working on," Gabe continued. "I know that Lillian and Grace are expecting everyone soon. Rosemary and Lee, would you be so kind as to show Allie and Charlotte the way to the orphanage?"

"Of course," Lee replied.

"Do you want me to take Newton with us?" Charlotte asked Nathan.

"If you wouldn't mind," Nathan answered, handing over Newton's reins to Charlotte. "I'll try not to be too long."

Nathan seemed to sense that Charlotte knew something was off, so he leaned forward and placed a gentle yet discrete kiss to her forehead. Trying to reassure both of them that everything would be alright.

"You haven't told her yet, have you?" Gabe asked as he and Nathan watched the group from Hope Valley lead their horses towards the orphanage at the other side of town.

"What?" Nathan replied, although he already knew exactly what Gabe was asking. He was just trying to bide his time to come up with a good answer.

"You know what," Gabe did not let Nathan off the hook. "You haven't told Charlotte you asked me to start investigating McEntire."

"No. I haven't," Nathan lowered his head and turned to follow Gabe into his office.

"You do plan on telling her, right?" Gabe questioned as he sat down at his desk and unlocked a drawer to remove a few files.

"I don't know," Nathan pulled up a chair across from Gabe, running a hand through his hair. The action seemed to have become an unconscious tick he developed whenever the conversation of Beck McEntire came up. "This is the only thing I've ever kept from Charlotte, but after what that man has put her through. I don't want to upset Charlotte further. Make her afraid that because I'm going after Beck, he's going to circle back and come after her instead."

"I understand what you're saying. I really do. But Nathan. That woman I just met is smart. She knows something isn't quite right. Didn't you notice her expression before they left?"

"I did," Nathan sighed. How in the world did he think he was going to keep this from Charlotte?

"And you don't think that you should tell her what is going on?"

"Gabe. You only know this Charlotte. The one who has had to work every day for almost a year to banish the horrors of what happened to her. Charlotte has made so many strides in overcoming her past, but I feel until Beck is taken care of, she may never be able to heal completely. There is always going to be the fear, in both our minds, that McEntire is going to swoop in and steal away all the happiness we have built in these past months."

Gabe nodded his head. "It's your decision, but I think Charlotte is stronger than you may be giving her credit for. Just promise me you will consider it."

"Why don't you just tell me what you found out about McEntire before I make any decisions."

"I made a trip to Potter's Creek last week. Went undercover as an out of work railroad security agent looking to line up a job, before moving my family to the area."

"Did you meet McEntire?" Nathan questioned leaning forward in his chair.

"I did." Gabe responded.

"And?"

"And all my notes are in this file," Gabe slid a stack of papers in Nathan's direction.

Nathan greedily picked up the typed pile of notes and started shifting through the pages.

"I'm sorry to say, but it's about as bad as it can get Nathan," Gabe leaned back in his chair. Threading his fingers together and bringing them up to rest against his chin. "Charlotte was right. McEntire is in deep with a number of criminal connections across the territory."

"The Schneider gang?" Nathan looked up from where he was reading through McEntire's file.

Gabe nodded his head. "Yes. The North West Mounted Police have been trying to break into that gang for a few years now. It started from a group of disbanded criminals that had been wreaking havoc in the Northern Territory about five years ago. Now, they've created a bit of a stronghold down south, closer to the border."

"I've read a lot of reports about them, but I never remember Beck McEntire being named as an associate."

"I haven't quite made all the connections yet on how McEntire completely fits into the operation. But from what I found out last week, he is a major player in their schemes. The Schneider gang is the real deal, Nathan. They cover their tracks and are notorious for never leaving loose ends, if you know what I mean. That's why Mountie headquarters hasn't been able to make any convictions. Even after years of trying."

"So, what now?" questioned Nathan as he tossed the file back onto Gabe's desk. At the moment he couldn't focus enough to read the notes. The words in front of him were spinning and jumbled, making the file unreadable. Nathan pinched the bridge of his nose and rubbed his brow, trying to release the pressure in his head that had instantly hit him. Arresting Beck had just become ten times more difficult when adding in information that he was a leader of the most notorious criminal band in the territory.

"That's up to you. From what I could tell, Beck has not been searching for Charlotte. But you should know. There were a few pictures of her, and them together, sitting around his office in town where we talked."

"He hasn't moved on then," Nathan felt like he was going to be sick. Bile formed in his throat.

"I doesn't appear so."

Nathan ran his hands over his face, trying to scrub the frustration from his soul. An angry, guttural yell escaped him as he shot up out of the chair and began pacing the room. His mind, and heart, raced with thoughts of what he should do next.

"This is bigger than us Nathan. We can't bring down the whole Schneider gang by ourselves."

"I didn't set out to take down the whole Schneider gang. All I wanted to do was put away the monster who attacked Charlotte. Who hurt her in so many ways…"

"Maybe we should send a message to headquarters in Cape Fullerton. Talk to Superintendent Hargreaves or Chief Superintendent Collins."

"No!" Nathan stopped his pacing behind the chair he had been sitting in, placing his hands on the back and leaning his weight into it. Nathan's fingernails dug deep, carving little marks into the wood beneath them. His eyes focused on the way the muscles in his hands twitched in anger. "No. I don't want them to know about this. Not yet anyway. If they have not made headway with the Schneider gang after over five years… I don't know... Something tells me there might be more to this than what we see on the surface."

"An insider?" Gabe questioned, leaning forward now to rest his elbows on the desk.

"Maybe."

"What do you want me to do next then?"

Nathan took a deep breath and moved again to sit in the chair. "As much as my job tells me I should want to arrest all of the Schneider gang… right now, I really only care about putting Beck behind bars. But you need to know Gabe. Going any deeper down this path with me, it could cost you your position. And I can't ask you to do that. It is easy for me. I have motivation and reasons to arrest McEntire. My record with the Mounties already has scars. Yours does not. Even if it all works out for the best, doing this behind the back of our supervisors will cost you any promotion in the future.

"Maintiens le Droit."

Nathan lifted his head to look at Gabe; a grin formed across his face. "Maintain the Right."

Gabe nodded. "That was part of the oath I took when I joined the Mounties. And arresting Beck is the first step in maintaining the right. You think that those motivations and reasons to bring about justice for Charlotte are only yours? That is where you are wrong, Constable Grant. I swore to protect others and uphold the law too. I believe putting McEntire behind bars is in keeping to that promise. Whether headquarters understands that or not. I am in this with you. As long as it takes or as deep as it gets. Remember I owe you."

"Thanks Gabe."

"You're welcome. What do you say, we close up shop here and go join the rest of the group at the orphanage? Because you know our relationship is starting to feel unhealthy. Maybe we should spread our presence around to others. I'd hate to be so selfish," Gabe winked, repeating what Nathan had once told him after he had helped arrest Sinclair and his associates.

Nathan laughed. "I think you are right. Let's go see what trouble our girls have gotten into together."