Author's Note: We're back! Thank you all so much for sticking with us during this difficult time for all LucaBeth Hearties. This story continues until its conclusion, so please stay tuned. For this chapter we do feel it necessary to add a PG-13 warning label for some mature content - nothing too bad, but still something parents might want to monitor if their kiddos are reading. For the rest, we hope you enjoy.

"Careful! Watch that step. You don't want to joss…."

"Ahhgh!"

"…stle him."

"Sorry."

"It hurts!"

"I know it does. They'll try to be gentler," Jenny said, watching as Joseph and Nathan tilted Lucas's wheelchair backward to transport him up the steps and back into the rowhouse. It had been two hours since he slammed shoulder-first into an unlocked chair that rolled away faster than he could catch himself. From that point forward, the pain had been excruciating.

"I'm going to be sick," Lucas said, looking positively deathly as he turned his face toward his arm.

"Again?" Joseph asked.

"Let me get the door," Lucas's sister said as she squeezed past the men to clear the way.

"Lucas?!"

Jenny looked up just as she got the door open in time to see Elizabeth rushing down the road approaching Nathan's house. Despite the late hour, she was somehow not surprised.

"What's happened to Lucas?" Elizabeth asked as she watched the men lower the wheelchair and take a moaning Bouchard inside. "Mary Weise called Rosemary, who called me to tell me that something had happened, and you had to take Lucas to the infirmary?" she continued.

"Yes," Jenny said, laying a reassuring hand on Elizabeth's shoulder as her future sister-in-law climbed the stairs. "He took a little tumble shortly after you left and further injured himself."

"His leg?" she asked, walking with Jenny into the house.

"His collarbone. He cracked it."

"Collarbone! Oh, dear!" Elizabeth said as she walked a few feet further into the house.

Nathan locked Lucas's chair and leaned in to offer a shoulder for Lucas to use while helping him up from the chair, Bouchard attempting to raise the arm on the 'good' side of his torso, which happened to be the same side as his bad leg and reached for Nathan's neck. Even that amount of motion moved him to tears.

"I'm going to try to put my arm around your back and pull you up, okay?"

Lucas shook his head, his face becoming red.

"On the count of three. One…two…three…"

Nathan pulled, avoiding Lucas's bad leg, while Lucas growled through an attempt to stand on the good one – but the angle wasn't good. The end result was an awkward twist to Nathan's back and a pulled hamstring on Lucas's good thigh. Bouchard screamed in agony as Nathan was forced to drop him back into the chair.

"Sorry! Sorry!" Nathan said, holding his lower back and taking a step back to recover.

Joseph stepped forward to assess the situation, scratching his chin. "We need something to leverage, to help him to his feet."

"Grab my gun belt," Nathan suggested, pointing toward the coat tree where it was hanging.

Lucas's eyes opened wide. "I'm not doing this on purpose!"

Jenny snorted, which caused Elizabeth to start laughing, and then Joseph. Lucas looked at each of them with a look of shock. "You think this is funny?!" Nathan began to laugh.

Lucas looked at Elizabeth. "My fiancée would be perfectly fine with the town Mountie shooting me because I'm in agony."

"Well, the pain would stop," Jenny quipped. Lucas's eyes went flat as Jenny bit her lips, trying to regain composure. Elizabeth turned her face away.

"I'm not going to shoot you," Nathan said, taking the belt from Joseph. "I'm going to wrap it around your waist, the one part of yourself that you haven't seemed to injure yet, and have Joseph pull you to your feet. I'll stand behind you to make sure you don't fall."

Lucas thought for a moment and then shook his head, taking a deep breath as Nathan put the belt around Lucas's waist, nodding toward Joseph, who grabbed the belt from the front and began to pull. Lucas moved his arm and yelped, and then Jenny and Elizabeth rushed to each side, the four of them finally getting him to his feet. As he limped toward the bed, Joseph supporting him the best he could, a single tear rolled down Lucas's cheek, causing Elizabeth's heart to ache.

"Did Faith not give him any medicine to dull the pain?" she asked.

Jenny nodded yes. "Antipyrine."

"It's not working," Lucas said, allowing Joseph to support him as he lay down on the bed. Lucas clenched his jaw.

"Maybe some ice, then," Elizabeth said. "I know it can numb the pain."

"Faith mentioned ice," Nathan said. "I have a little in my ice box."

"I can go knock on doors," Joseph said.

"No," Elizabeth replied. "Go to the saloon. They have plenty." She stroked Lucas's cheek, and he visibly relaxed. "Just rest, darling. We'll try to make things as comfortable as we possibly can."

Jenny spent the night on Nathan's sofa, watching her brother's fitful sleep. In the morning, Faith dropped by to see how he was doing and adjusted his medication to include a small dose of morphine. This seemed to reduce his pain, but there were other challenges he had to face. You see, Bouchard was a private man who, while not prideful in a negative sense, did feel a sense of aplomb in maintaining a well-put-together exterior, both physically and mentally. But now that he was fully dependent upon others for almost everything. Some things, such as taking care of bodily functions, he had to accept help on – and Nathan never complained when Lucas grumbled about it. But other things, he set his mind to avoiding until he was well enough to do them himself.

"Lucas, you have to eat."

"No."

"Do you want me to call Mother?"

Lucas rolled his eyes. "Like she would care."

"Lucas Bouchard!"

"I said no! It's humiliating."

"It's only for a couple of days."

Jenny had been compassionate and sweet thus far, but her patience was wearing thin. Her brother might be longsuffering, but his stubbornness was showing through. The current battle had to do with her spoon-feeding him, and he was having nothing to do with it.

A mischievous look crossed her face as she took a spoonful of the scrambled eggs. "Here comes the choo-choo train; open up the tunnel," she teasingly sang as the bite approached his mouth. Lucas clamped his mouth tightly, glaring at her with a deep frown.

"Alright. I give up." Jenny dropped the spoon in the bowl with a loud clang. She stood and walked to the kitchen, placing the food on the table.

"I'm going to get some fresh air. This house is sweltering," she said, walking through the front door and standing on the porch, crossing her arms in front of her. Jenny had forgotten how hard-headed her brother could be when he wasn't feeling well and loudly sighed as she contemplated the situation at hand.

"Good morning, Jenny. I have to assume that scowl has something to do with my fiancé?" Elizabeth asked as she approached the porch. Jack and Jo followed along behind her, chasing each other.

"I can't get him to eat," Jenny said the words, not expecting her daughter to hear them.

"Uncle Lucas won't eat?" Josephine responded with a troubled expression on her face. "Did you try the choo-choo?"

Jenny couldn't help the smile that crossed her face. "Yes. I even tried the choo-choo. He refuses to eat."

"The choo-choo always worked on me when I was sick. Jack and I made him a card. May we take it into him?"

Hoping his mood would improve if he saw the children, Jenny nodded.

"C'mon, Jack!"

Elizabeth's smile joined her own as she watched the youngsters run inside. "He'll come around," she said, rubbing Jenny's upper arm with a sympathetic look.

"I just hate to see him suffering so. And now, with this heat wave, he must be miserable being confined to that chair or being in bed all the time."

"You were able to get him out of bed without too much trouble?" Elizabeth asked.

"Yes. Faith gave Nathan and me some pointers on helping lift him, and he's been up and down this morning. The change in the medication seems to have helped as well. You know, if he's like father, he has a high tolerance for any sort of intoxicant, which is funny since he is not blood relation to father, but you would think…."

Elizabeth raised her hand, tilting her head toward the house. "Shhh….do you hear that?"

"What?" Jenny asked.

Elizabeth looked at Lucas's sister and then the door. "Absolutely nothing."

Both women quietly stepped to the door and peered in, Jenny not believing her eyes or her ears as she watched her daughter.

"Now, me and Jack made you a card, but you can't see it until you finish all your eggs, Uncle Lucas."

Jo stood there with the bowl and spoon in hand, Lucas opening his mouth obediently as she fed him.

"You can't get better if you don't eat. That's a good boy. You're doing good."

Thankfully, his face was turned away from the door.

"I got all better one time when I was sick when Mama fed me eggs like this."

"Is that a fact?" he asked.

"Mmm-hmm. Here comes some more."

"How many bites are left?" Lucas asked, causing Elizabeth to cover her mouth when a snicker tried to emerge. Not wanting Lucas to see them observing, she motioned Jenny down the steps. It appeared the man was putty in the little girl's hands, and Jenny's heart swelled with pride.

"Now I know what to do when he won't eat," she said.

"Seems Jo has quite the bedside manner."

"She is a character at times, but very empathetic when people are hurting. Animals, too."

"Jack has taken to her quickly. Maybe we should see if he is finished yet." The two made their way back into the house after seeing that Lucas was no longer being fed.

"Here you go, buddy! We both made this card for you!" Jack cried, holding out the paper.

Jo got as close as she dared without touching him and opened up the card.

"That is a wonderful picture. Can you explain it to me?"

"It's our whole family!" Jo said with excitement as she pointed at each individual. "Look, it's you and Aunt Elizabeth, Jack, me, Luke, Mama, Nan, Grand'Mere Helen, and Grand Papa."

Lucas's eyes welled as he scrutinized the picture inside the card. "Who's that over there next to your mama?" he asked of a figure wearing red.

"That's Mountie Nathan!" Jack called out happily, the announcement causing Lucas to bristle. Jenny glanced at Elizabeth, then blushed, lowering her head.

"We couldn't leave him out," Jo stated matter-of-factly.

"Of course not," Lucas replied, his voice dripping with sarcasm. On that note, the two women stepped forward to bring Bouchard some relief.

"Alright, you two, we better let Lucas rest now," Elizabeth responded as she leaned over and kissed his cheek. "I'll be back later. Love you."

"I love you too," he replied.

Elizabeth ushered the children toward the door, then turned around and winked as she exited the house, and Lucas smiled. When the door closed, Bouchard glanced at his sister, who was staring at him with a distinctive glare.

"What?!" he asked.

"Well, at least you ate something," she said dryly as she picked up the dirty bowl on the coffee table and took it to the kitchen.

Well, at least you ate something Lucas mouthed, mockingly, as she walked away.

"I saw that," she said, though her back was turned to him.

"How?!"

"Just never you mind. I'll be right over to transfer you back to bed after I open a window."

With some carefully placed pillows, Lucas managed to finally find comfort enough to sleep, and on the third day, Faith gave the okay for him to begin trying to walk. He still was not able to climb stairs so as to use Nathan's facilities, but before the morning was out, this problem, too, had been ameliorated when Lee and Joseph installed a walking ramp from Nathan's back door to the yard. From there, it was just a short distance to the old outhouse and a return of some small human dignity for the very modest Mr. Bouchard. And while Lucas longed to be fully independent again, it made him a much happier patient as it was a step in the right direction. Despite this, as things would have it, where one problem would be solved, another would soon crop up.

What is that smell? Nathan questioned as he exited his bedroom and entered the outer hallway. Rubbing his eyes, he made his way toward the stairs and yawned as he began his descent. He hadn't slept well, so he was glad he had the day off. Bill had offered to keep an eye on things and said he would call him if he was needed. And so, today was a day of rest, a rarity in his home – or that was the plan.

As he reached the bottom of the stairs, the smell grew worse. Grant frowned, then lifted each of his arms, quickly sniffing at his armpits. Not me, he thought, relieved.

Noticing that Lucas was sitting up in bed reading a book, he nodded good morning, wondering how he could stand the stench, but then again, politeness was his forte. He had to be dying being right there on the same floor with it – whatever it was. Poor guy. Now, he knew he had to find the smell. It was bad enough that Lucas was in the shape he was in. The least he could do was to help with this.

Passing by him on his way to the kitchen, Nathan stopped to check the trashcan, thinking perhaps some food had been left in there and had rotted. But all was well.

"Where is it?" he said quietly to himself, perplexed. "Maybe over here."

Lucas looked over the top of his book and raised his eyebrow as Nathan began searching the cupboard. "Is everything alright?" He asked.

"Fine. Don't worry about a thing," Nathan said, emptying the shelves and then putting everything back. He looked behind the ice box and the stove, then he stood there with his hands on his hips and took a deep breath. The living room. It seemed to be coming from the living room.

Lucas set down his book and watched as Nathan smelled all around, coming closer to his bedside. Finally, Grant stood directly over his houseguest and scrunched up his face.

"It's you!"

"What's me?"

"You! The odor. Don't tell me you can't smell that."

Wrinkling up his nose, Lucas inhaled deeply and then shrugged. "Smells fine to me."

"It does not smell fine! It smells like you've been in a wrestling match with a skunk!"

"I beg your pardon?"

"It's been days, Lucas. You need a bath."

"Why would I need a bath? All I do is sit here all day and read – not enough activity to get dirty or even to break a sweat."

"That's obviously not true," Grant replied. "You smell just like that old raccoon that crawled up into our chimney and died when we lived in that cabin at Birch Lake. House reeked for weeks."

"Well, now you're just being rude."

"There's no rude about it. It's true! Good grief. I can't believe you can't smell that," Grant huffed, walking to his windows. "I need to get some air in here. And as soon as you get back from seeing Faith, you're getting a bath."

"What if I refuse?"

Nathan tilted his head. "You can't refuse."

"Nobody can make me."

Nathan gritted his teeth. "Lucas, you're getting a bath or so help me..."

Just then, a knock came at the door, and Nathan happily rushed to open it so that he didn't have to continue the conversation. His smile was automatic when he saw Jenny standing there in a light green dress that brought out her eyes. Stepping back, he motioned for her to enter.

Jenny's smile quickly turned to a frown. "What is that-?" Her question was interrupted by Nathan's look towards her brother. "Oh."

Stepping closer to him and wishing she didn't have to, Jenny greeted the patient. "Good morning, Lucas. Maybe we should get you washed up before taking you to see Doctor Carter."

"I already had this discussion with our good constable, and the answer is still no. I'm ready to go, just as I am. You two are being ridiculous. Now help me up."

"Okay…" she replied, stepping as close to him as she dared and offering him her hand = a quick glance between herself and Nathan and an almost imperceptible shrug from Jenny preceded their trip out the door.

Once Lucas was in the car, Nathan stopped her by the back bumper. "I'm going to get the tub while he is gone. He is taking a bath if I have to drown him in the process."

Her quick snicker lightened his heart and brought a crooked smile.

"See you soon, Constable," she responded as she got behind the wheel, and he watched them drive away.

Quickly walking to the back of the house, Nathan opened his shed and tugged on the metal trough within, releasing it from its confines before dragging it into the house and putting water on to boil. "If it's good enough for Newton, it's good enough for you, Bouchard."

"Who taught you to drive?" Lucas asked as his car turned onto Main Street and pulled up in front of the Infirmary.

Jenny put the car in park, then turned to her brother and smiled. "Nobody. I just watched Stuart as he drove to and from the hotel and figured out what to do."

Lucas raised his eyebrows. "You've never driven until today?"

"Never," she said proudly.

Lucas looked at her with flattened expression and reached out his hand. "Then I'm going to have to ask you to return my keys."

Jenny's expression fell. Slowly, she reached out her hand to return his keys to him, and he began to laugh. "I was just teasing you," he said. "Pretty good driving for a rookie!"

Lucas's sister's face lit up. "Thank you! Maybe I can borrow your car again sometime?"

"Of course," he replied.

Stepping out of the car, she made her way to the passenger's side and opened the door, standing ready to help Bouchard stand if he needed to.

"Hello, Lucas!" a voice called out from across the street. He turned his head. "Hello, Flo-" he began to raise his arm to wave, then winced in pain, "…rence."

Jenny nodded toward the Mercantile, and Florence took the hint that they needed some privacy. Then, Lucas swung his legs out the car door and ever so slowly stood on the ground. He took a couple of steps and then wobbled, so Jenny rushed to his side, placing her arm around his waist. Holding her breath as she walked him toward the Infirmary, she didn't let go until they reached the door.

"You okay?" Lucas asked, removing his arm from around her.

"Fine," she exhaled, reaching for the doorknob.

"Are you sure? Your face was red. You look better now."

His sister just shook her head and motioned for him to come inside.

"Lucas! So good to…" Faith said, immediately getting a whiff of the normally fastidious saloon owner, "…see you. Come in."

While Bouchard walked toward the exam table, Dr. Carter looked toward his sister, who was holding her nose and fanning herself. She quickly dropped her arms when Lucas turned around.

"Do you want me over here?" he asked.

Carter pursed her lips and nodded. "Yes. Up on the table, and drop your pants."

"Um…." Lucas said, standing still.

Faith smirked. "There's a blanket on the chair to cover yourself in. I won't come in until you're covered."

Lucas smiled and pulled the curtain closed.

Faith walked to where her instruments were and put them on a rolling cart. "We need to take that bandage off and make sure everything has healed well. With all the heat and sweat, sometimes bacteria can form under the surface, which isn't good for a healing leg." She looked toward Jenny. "It can also cause a bit of a…smell."

"You mean it isn't him?" Jenny asked.

Lucas poked his head out from behind the curtain. "What do you mean it isn't me?!"

"I, uh…" she turned toward Carter. "Get that nasty thing off of him, quickly."

"That's what I plan to do." Faith took a pair of blunted scissors and cut through the gauze and tape, soon peeling the bandage away. Snarling up her nose, she disposed of it promptly, then doused some sterile gauze in an antiseptic solution. "It's a little red but doesn't look infected."

"Thankfully," Lucas said.

"I'm going to go ahead and remove the stitches. It may tug a bit but shouldn't really hurt," she said, reaching for the proper instruments on her table. "Aside from this, how are you feeling? How is the collarbone?."

"It's sore," he replied. "It's no longer the sharp pain it was, but it aches all the time, and sometimes the ache seems worse. I'm not sure how to explain it."

"That's pretty common for when someone cracks a collarbone. You'll likely be uncomfortable until about the third week, and then you'll see improvement. Just don't put any pressure on it. The bone is making new bone and…."

"Don't worry," he replied. "I've learned my lesson."

"There!" Faith announced. The stitches are out. I'm going to try to let the air get to it now so it can continue to heal."

"Thank you," Lucas said. "May I dress?"

Carter smiled. "You may. Follow me, Jenny, while Lucas gets dressed."

Bill Avery sat at his desk reading a letter he'd received in the morning mail from Billings, Montana, where he planned to visit the brother whom he hadn't seen in years. It wasn't that they were estranged, but when Bill took off to join the Mounties, Frank took off for America, life on the open range being his goal. Since that time, the two had kept in touch, mainly through the post. But the occasion of the cowboy's wedding to a woman named Belle was about to change all that, and the normally unsentimental judge found himself getting excited over the family reunion.

Refolding the letter, he pulled out an invitation that had come with it and quickly RSVP'd that he'd be attending the late May festivities. He'd have a judge he knew in Jameson fill in for him while he was gone. He smiled as he considered his vacation. Sealing the envelope, Bill stood to walk to the Mercantile to mail it when a knock came on his door. Seconds later, a head poked into the room.

"Henry," Bill stated, retaking his seat.

"Hey, Bill. You got a minute?"

Avery nodded toward the guest chair, and Henry gratefully took it.

"How can I help you?"

"I was, well, I was wondering if you might help me with some legal matters, specifically how to deal with my estate."

Bill furrowed his brow. "Your estate? Is everything alright?"

"Fine," Henry smiled. "Just fine. Faith says my blood pressure has come more under control now that I'm no longer in the oil business. Seems I could live to be a hundred."

Bill nodded. "Then it's just routine."

"Yeah," Gowen replied, reaching into his vest pocket to retrieve a scrap of paper. He unfolded it and handed it to Bill. "These are my wishes. Of course, the majority will go to Christopher, as I have outlined below, but I'd like my property on the Eastern edge of town, with the open field and stream; I'd like to give that to Abigail and Cody. The reason being, I forced her during one of the most difficult times in her life to worry about whether she'd have a home, and I don't want her to ever have to worry about that again. She can sell it, or she can move there if she decides to return to Hope Valley."

"That's very generous of you. Any, um, word on whether she's open to coming back?"

Gowen shrugged. "We write and talk on the phone now and then. She loves Hope Valley. I think she's open to coming back."

Avery leaned forward. "Any chance it's more than just the valley she loves?"

Just then, the phone rang in Bill's office, though the curious Avery just sat there.

Finally, Gowen tilted his head. "Don't you think you ought to get that?"

Bill huffed and then reached for the phone. "Bill Avery….Yes, I'll speak to him." There was a brief pause as the switchboard operator patched the caller through. "Good morning, Captain Cantrell. I'm surprised to hear from you. Everything okay?"

Bill listened for several seconds as Cantrell explained the purpose of his call. He then furrowed his brows. "How could they be missing? We sent them by armored coach to New Orleans five days ago…..I see…..Yes, I'll let Constable Grant know, and we'll be in touch. Thanks for letting me know."

Bill hung up the phone, deep in thought.

"Something serious?" Henry asked.

Bill shook his head. "All of the records that Fontaine and Martyn had sent up here about the illegal prostitution ring, they were part of a larger case, so we sent them back. Apparently, they never made it to their destination."

Henry looked concerned. "And you sent them in an armored train?"

"Yeah."

"Who would want old records? Sounds like maybe an inside job," Gowen suggested.

"That's what I was thinking. But who?"

"I appreciate you driving me today," Lucas said, adjusting his pant leg as, for the first time in over a week, he felt the feeling of cloth and not a bandage against his thigh.

Jenny had parked in front of Nathan's house and was now opening the front door for her brother, who stopped just inside.

"I already told you no," he said sternly, seeing the large metal tub, already three-quarters full of warm water, with Nathan pouring more from a large pot into it.

Grant looked up, grinning at Jenny and then Lucas. "Just in time. I'm almost ready," he responded, emptying the pot into the tub. "And you are taking a bath."

"No."

"Yes!"

"I said no."

"And I said yes."

"It would appear it's time for me to take my exit," Jenny responded, Lucas looking at her for assistance. "Don't be such a baby, Lucas. You will feel much better, all cleaned up and in fresh clothes." Leaning in, she kissed his cheek, winked at Nathan, added, "I'll keep Elizabeth away," and closed the door behind her.

Standing with feet glued to the floor, Lucas looked terrified, bringing a laugh from Nathan. "Let's get this over with then," the Mountie said as he stepped forward. "I'm no happier about it than you are."

Lucas looked toward the door and considered running but realized he wouldn't get far. He lowered his head. One of his worst nightmares was about to commence.

"You know, I know a few guys that run those operations with the armored cars. Maybe they could help you," Henry stated as Bill rose from his seat.

"Really?"

"Yes. If they were stolen from the train, at the very least, they'd be able to expedite records as to who was on duty at the time and maybe even have some of their backgrounds in their employee files. Maybe you could find a New Orleans connection that way."

Bill thought for a moment and then nodded. "That sounds like the kind of connection we need. Let's go."

"Sure." Henry stood and followed Bill to the door. "Um, where are we going, exactly?"

Bill looked at his friend. "To see Nathan.

Lucas looked at Nathan warily as the Mountie made his approach, and although every window in the house was open, creating a nice cross-current, he was suddenly feeling excessively warm.

"Now, Nathan. Be reasonable. Could I interest you in a compromise?"

Grant shook his head. "Not this time, Lucas. You need a bath, and you're either walking over there and getting in that tub, or I'm carrying you."

"You wouldn't dare!"

Within seconds, Nathan's arms were around Lucas's waist, and the saloon owner found himself being hoisted up into the air.

"Put me d-….owe!" Lucas said, starting to fight him off but being reminded quickly of his limitations due to the collarbone. "Please! Stop!" he cried as Grant carried him part of the way across the room.

"Stop squirming, or I'm going to drop you."

"Okay! Alright! You win! You win! Just put me down, please! This is embarrassing enough!"

Nathan stopped and gently set Lucas down on his feet, and the latter looked between Grant and the tub. "How, exactly, are we going to do this?"

Nathan crossed his arms and explained. "Well, since you can't put any weight on your arms, I figured I'd help you into the tub and then hold onto you while you sat down."

"Hold onto me? What do you mean? You can't grip under my arms."

"No. I figured I'd put my arms around your waist, just like I did there. Then you could bend your legs, and we'd gently lower you into the tub."

Lucas furrowed his brow. "In my clothes?"

Nathan chuckled. "Do you normally bathe in your clothes?"

"Well, no. But I don't normally bathe when…well when someone else is around either."

"Okay?"

"It's just…well…I'm very modest."

"Then I'll close my eyes. But it's not like I haven't seen you before."

Lucas looked at him, shocked. "When did you see me before?! Were you, were you spying on me?"

"What?"

"Listen, Nathan, I'm not sure what you're doing, but let's be clear here. I like you, but I don't, you know…like, like you!"

"What?!"

"I have Elizabeth, and we're very much in love and…"

Grant laughed. "Don't be an idiot! Faith had me undress and dress you after you were stabbed in the leg."

"And you looked?!"

"Not on purpose, though I will say you're a little hard to miss."

"Oh, good grief!" Bouchard said, turning red.

"Come on, let's stop fooling around. The water is getting cold."

Lucas floundered. "I….I don't know. Perhaps, maybe we could…"

Bill and Henry turned the corner in front of the rowhouses, having worked out the strategy that they wished to present as they were on their way to their destination. They walked up to Nathan's porch, and Bill was raising his hand to knock when a certain conversation was heard from outside the window.

"What are you so worried about? I'll be gentle."

"I don't doubt you will be, but it's my first time. I've never done something like this before."

"Well, consider it a new experience."

"A new…um….uh wait, what are you doing?!"

"I'm helping you to take your shirt off."

"Nathan!"

"Lucas, loosen up. Do you want this to be a pleasant experience or not? You go into this all tense, and I will hurt you."

"Please don't."

"I'll try not to. It's not like you can do this yourself with your arms and everything."

"That's true. I guess I'm just always used to…."

"I know, trust me, as a single guy, I know...but you can't, so I'm here to help. There was that so bad?" "No."

"Then why do you still seem tense? Want me to rub your shoulders a little?"

"Uh, no. I'm okay." Lucas said, looking at the tub and trying to will himself to get in. "I'll be fine."

"Do you need me to remove your pants too?"

Bouchard's eyes darted his way. "Not if you want to keep your fingers!"

Nathan laughed. "Fine. I get it. Suit yourself. I'm just trying to make you comfortable."

Lucas grunted.

"Hey, you know you could trust me a little. After we're done, you're going to feel like a new man. You'll be so relaxed. This must be driving you crazy. A guy can only take being bound up for just so long."

Avery and Gowen stopped and looked at one another, mouths gaping.

"Are they talking about what I think they're talking about?" Henry whispered. Avery clenched his jaw and reached for the doorknob but stopped when Lucas screamed.

"Ouch! That hurt!"

"Sorry. Relax."

"I'm trying."

"Hold still."

"I hope Elizabeth never finds out about this."

"Hey, what happens here stays here. Trust me. I don't want this getting around, either. Lift your leg."

"I'm scared."

"It's okay. I've got you."

Bill looked at Henry, a look of determination on his face. "Sounds like Bouchard is being pressured into this against his will. We're going in."

"Why do I have to go in?!"

"What?!"

"Well, you're the lawman. I don't want to see that stuff." Gowen replied. "Consider yourself deputized," Bill said, rolling his eyes.

"Okay, bend over, "Nathan said.

Just then, the door to the rowhouse burst open.

"Get your hands off him and stop what you're doing!" Avery shouted as he and Gowen entered the room.

Nathan opened his eyes and immediately dropped Lucas face-first into the tub. The latter screamed in pain under the water, and when Grant tried to help him, he found himself pulled straight down into the tub along with him. He struggled to get himself into an upright position and only then was able to pull the kicking Bouchard to the surface. The two looked breathlessly at a gobsmacked Bill and Henry.

After the reality of the situation came into view, Gowen stepped forward and tipped his hat. "Sorry to barge in, but you guys wouldn't happen to have a few moments where we could talk?"

Nathan turned to Lucas, who then turned his face toward his friend and glared.

A half-hour later, the four men sat at the kitchen table while Elizabeth towel-dried the traumatized Lucas's hair as he held an ice pack to his shoulder. Across the room, Jenny was pouring coffee for three of the men while her, Lucas, and Elizabeth's tea water was almost ready.

"So, you're going to call this Mr. Jeffreys at the rail company and let them know what we need?" Nathan asked, the specifics having been explained.

"As soon as I get back to the office," Henry replied. "I expect he'll give us everything we need."

"Then, I'll call Cantrell and let him know what we found," Bill said.

Jenny brought the tea kettle to Lucas's side and poured him a cup. "If there's anything I can do to help."

"Help?" Nathan asked.

"Well, I know I wasn't the first person that Paps and Hank abducted. And, while they worked for Thomas Martyn, it seems, by the disappearance of the paperwork, that someone is nervous. If I can help bring them to justice…."

"That shouldn't be necessary," Nathan responded. "If we can find out who took the paperwork, then Cantrell and his boys can take it from there. Hopefully, it cracks this case wide open."

Later that day, Bill and Nathan sat in Avery's office, having just received the information from Henry's contact.

"It was a good thing that Gowen came up with the information so quickly," Nathan said as Bill picked up the phone.

"Henry can be quite resourceful sometimes," Bill said with a slight grin. "Yes, Florence. Connect me with Captain Cantrell at the New Orleans Police."

While the men waited for Florence to patch them through, they made small talk about how life was going with Lucas living in Nathan's house and how Jenny was turning out to be a nice addition to Hope Valley.

"The whole family is," Nathan said. "Though I think I may have a little winning over to do with Mrs. Drake."

"Probably force of habit," Bill said. "They were on the run for so long, she'd naturally be suspicious of anyone in a serge."

"You're probably right."

Bill sat up as Captain Cantrell picked up the call. "Good afternoon, Captain. Just wanted to let you know that we have a lead on who might have taken the papers…..A man in town named Henry Gowen knows the owner of the armored car company, and he…huh? What's that? Oh….you already have a name? Yes….Yes, that's the same guy," Bill said, shrugging toward Nathan. "So I guess you've brought him in for questioning?" Bill paused while Cantrell spoke on the other end of the line. "Really? Uh, huh. He's what?...I, I see." Avery twisted his jaw to the side. "Okay. Well, it sounds like you have your hands full. If there's anything we can do to help, please let us know."

Bill hung up the phone and then leaned back in his chair.

"I take it he already knew who took the papers?" Nathan asked.

"Yeah. They had their own set of contacts as well, this time in Baton Rouge."

"They nab him?"

"No, they didn't," Bill replied.

"Why not?"

"It was too late. He'd been strangled. The papers are gone."