Marjorie was getting impatient and showed her exasperation and wanted some results, "was that when she suddenly left to go and try to find her grandmother even after she had settled into a life here, my goodness, she must be a very brave and resourceful woman." Peter enthusiastically asked Sonya about the newspaper, "Sonya, can you remember that paper at all and where it came from?" She threw her hands in the air, "I'm sorry Peter, it was so long ago and I simply can't remember but I think that I would recognise the title if I ever saw it again." Marjorie was not discouraged in any way, "I reckon we just have to imagine Christine going out somewhere one day for lunch and finding a place where papers and magazines might be sold in this town. Sonya, did she have a favourite place where she would regularly spend her lunch time? I think we should get started; there's no time like the present, someone somewhere is going to remember a little paper with a cute little dog on the front page." Sonya recalled that Christine didn't always go out because she would bring her lunch with her for the most part. "If she did go out, she liked the square down the road where there would be people playing music and there would be singing and dancing when the weather was nice."
The captain didn't push for any answers under the current circumstances but it now seemed like Earl was starting to get ready to volunteer some bits and pieces of information as he looked a bit more relaxed and settled now that Gene was in very capable hands. There were a lot of things about today that had upset him, "Captain, the doctor and Janie were unbelievable how they handled everything. I hate that Janie had to see that young man lying there, I wish that Simon was there for her, I think she's going to need him." Elizabeth was still with her arm around him for some support. The captain knew that she would be okay for the present while she was there for Earl and other people but it would all hit her hard when she would be on her own.
"I was given the job of liaising with Constable Virgil McCain of Cape Fullarton about keeping a lookout for two men who had been summarily discharged from the force as their captain thought," Captain Foster intervened abruptly, "Yes I remember that conversation with Captain Bedford. He was bent on making an example of those men and now looking back, I think that I'm going to live to regret that I didn't talk him out of it." Earl continued with his account, "Virgil insisted on more than one occasion that these were two good men who ended up with a raw deal. He said that they were dismissed from the force at a minute's notice and they were immediately escorted off the premises just like illegal aliens."
The captain went white with horror and he had to try hard to relax and collect his composure. He stood up and sat down in hopelessness while trying to listen to one of the most horrendous events that he had ever heard. Earl added, "I was out on the job for two days checking with stations along the way when I got instructions to attend the house fire and now we find ourselves at this point. It took a while but the people there told me that the young man raced into the burning house and rescued the little girl. They said that the house was well alight but he never gave it a second thought." Earl slumped back in his chair with a thousand thoughts going through his head. He hated the prospect of having to break the bad news to Virgil, the man who almost begged him to look out for the two men and help take care of them. How was he going to be able to tell him that he had failed him.
It was the strangest sensation for Peter as he was slowly finding out a bit more about his wife in the place where she had lived and worked while he was at sea. This was different than knowing where Christine grew up and where she was married. This place right here was where she found a life while he was far away out at sea and she would have been wondering whether she would ever see him again. He was thinking that they were really close to tracking her down but his confidence was tempered with the understanding that there would be numerous places selling newspapers and he might get a similar response to what he received back in Masterton. He looked around on the street thinking that he was walking in the same place where she had frequented and where she had been walking and seeing the same sights. It was rather eerie he thought, a sensation that was completely new and one that bothered him.
Losing a Mountie for whatever reason was like losing a family member to the captain and it was completely unacceptable. He stood up and put a reassuring hand on Earl's shoulder and then ventured into the cell to see Gene Tully still in Amy's arms. He knelt beside him and was hardly able to remain calm as he saw the shell of the man who was a former Mountie, "Gene, I'm Captain Foster from Fort Clay and I'm going to make it right for you and your partner, that is a promise." Tully looked at him through his glazed eyes and then fell asleep still in Amy's arms. She laid him down and covered him with a blanket. The captain watched Amy who was now a fine example to them all, he could see that she was going to stay with this man who was in desperate need of comfort after the tragedy that had unfolded right before his eyes that morning. As soon as she had seen him, she had gone about her business with a firm but gentle assurance like something he would have expected from Faith or Christine. He now drew breath and decided that it was time for him to take control of the situation and decide what to do next.
It had been a long day with the travel from Masterton and the subsequent meeting with Sonya and now they were off walking towards the square in the late afternoon. Peter could see how popular and how busy a bustling place like this would be particularly around lunch time in nice weather. There were a multitude of shops and cafes all bunched up together and people could get lost in them all day. "I'm trying to imagine myself as Christine strolling down here at lunch time after a busy morning." said Marjorie as she ran her eyes around the marketplace. "She might have enjoyed the outdoors but not if it was windy or having the sun in her eyes at a table or one of these benches. If she was to be forced inside she may as well have stayed back at the surgery." Despite their analytical investigation, they still found many ideal places to relax and have some lunch so they looked to find some of the places where magazines and newspapers could be found. At least they noticed that there wasn't as many to choose from as the cafes that they had passed along the way.
A rather large newspaper stand was just in the process of closing up shop for the day, "Excuse me sir," enquired Marjorie. "Can we ask you something please?" The proprietor was only too pleased to accommodate a pretty young lady. "Sorry to impose but do you get publications from all over the country?" It was an unusual request, he thought, "Where else do you think we get them?" he replied with a cheeky grin, "We get more than you could read if you got them in the morning and took all day without any rest. Come back in the morning and bring a big trolley." he said with his grin still there. Marjorie smiled at the man who obviously loved his job and he obviously had a sense of humour. She explained, as she introduced Peter to him, about the man who was searching the entire country for his wife. "She was a nurse from here before she upped and left about eighteen months ago because she saw a little dog on a small newspaper from way out somewhere." The stunned proprietor exclaimed, "That must have been some dog."
Elizabeth was reluctant to leave Earl by himself but she could see the need for Faith and Christine to be informed while the captain went over quickly to see Florence in the Mercantile. "Mrs Yost, we have had the worst news possible, no one from here I add hastily but I need you to get a call through to Captain Bedford for me at Cape Fullarton." She knew not to ask any questions as she could see the anxiety and formality, "Yes captain, I will do it right away." She asked him if he had seen Amy anywhere. "Mrs Yost, Amy has been a tower of strength for us and I couldn't have done without her. She is attending to one of the men who came here today." He had one more request, Mrs Yost, I'm sure that you would remember Jason, I would like you to make a call to Fort Clay and request him to bring Sandra here, she is the daughter of Superintendent Mills and I need her here as soon as possible." He offered his heartfelt thanks and returned quickly and ran into Faith and Elizabeth as they were heading into the jailhouse. "Hello Earl, it's good to see you but I wish the circumstances were better." Faith insisted that he have a drink of water and would not take no for an answer. She knew what trauma was and how there could be some sort of reactions later. Her and Christine were just the ideal people to take care of this. She saw Amy sitting with a stranger who was asleep in the cell. She could worry about him later.
"We get many small publications from all over the country; some are weekly and some only come monthly. We have to be careful about how many we order but that's just experience. There is a big agency on the other side of the square and they get many papers from all over the country but I think that you would be pushing it to get someone to remember a little dog on the front page." Peter realised again, as he already knew that this was not going to be a formality. Still, he was not deterred by any means and they walked back to the surgery ready to try again in the morning. Hopefully, Sonya might be available to come with them because she said how she might recognise the cover if she saw it again.
Faith was concerned about the captain as well as now his heart was beating heavily in anticipation of his oncoming phone call and he looked ready for some choice words. Elizabeth had been able to tell her that there had been a fatality somewhere but not much more than that. There were some things in life that you knew you would never forget and this was going to be one of them. He was on edge while he was sitting at the desk just waiting for the phone to ring. He sat with his head in his hands as the phone rang. "Excuse me captain, I have Captain Bedford on the line from Cape Fullarton, go ahead please." said Florence. One deep breath and a deep focus expression and the captain got right to it, "Captain Bedford, this is Captain Foster at Hope Valley," He paused waiting for some acknowledgement. "Good afternoon captain, did you have any contact with the two men from here?" Everyone could see and feel the tension building around the room, Elizabeth came over and put her arm around him. She could see what was coming. "Captain, I have one of those two men here lying asleep in a cell after being traumatized after today's events."
He was quickly becoming very annoyed at the apparent indifference of this Captain Bedford who now asked, "Have you any news of the other one?" Earl looked on remembering how he was going to be ready for a battle but now he could see the compassion in Captain Foster. "The other one as you refer to him as is dead, He is lying in a grave in a little town called Rainsford after plunging himself into a burning house to save the life of a little girl. The man you cast out into the cold and abandoned has died a hero. You, captain, put these men out without any counselling or recourse at not much more than a minute's notice which, I find, is a disgrace. The man I have here, lying in the cell virtually collapsed with exhaustion on his arrival and his aim was to plead his case to Judge Avery for the young man's reinstatement. He had no motive for himself, only for his young friend. I have to tell you that I'm going to rehabilitate this man. I've lost one man today, I'm not about to lose another. I don't envy your next task when you have to report this tragedy to the parents of that young man. We all joined the service to make a difference. Well sir, I can surely say that you certainly made a difference." He hung up the phone abruptly without any further acknowledgment, his heart still beating furiously. He was rarely moved to anger and he didn't like it at all.
He hadn't spent time to choose his words carefully, he just said it how it was and it was a commitment that was now out of the way and Captain Bedford was just going to have to deal with it. For the moment he hardly noticed how Elizabeth had her arms around him as now his focus was on Earl, "Can we do anything for you Earl, you must be out on your feet by now, there is a spare bunk in the cell and you should try and get some rest. I am glad to have you here and you have done right for Gene and how you and the doctor treated that young man with dignity and respect. I won't rest until I make it right for them." Faith coaxed him to the cell and sat with him, having anything to eat was the last thing on his mind.
He now looked at Elizabeth and he hugged her tightly, "Mrs Thornton, I can only imagine what you must be feeling right now." She started to cry in his arms and he could feel what it must have been like when she was given the news about Jack. He thought that she must have felt so alone. He had received reports about men under his command getting injured on assignments from time to time but a fatality like this was totally new ground for him. He tried to consider what still had to be done now that Earl and Gene Tully appeared to be settled and probably ready to sleep for a week. The situation could have got the better of him but he had not risen to the level of captain for nothing. He felt for the parents of the young man and he thought of Elizabeth and that did bring a tear to his eye, "Fancy sending someone else to break this kind of news to a loved one, I would have known my responsibility and not ever passed it off to a person who may struggle with it for the rest of their lives."
They clung tightly to each other for a while knowing that there was still much to be done. He could see and feel how her strength had got her through these past years and how the families and all the children had seen to it how much she was loved in their community. For the captain, it was like a vivid look into the past to see her being given the terrible news about her husband. He felt desolate that he wasn't there for her when she needed him. He could hardly wait for Sandra to arrive sometime tomorrow. There was still the matter of Nathan to consider as it was not forgotten how all this was going to bring back heartbreaking memories for him with the loss of Jack. He would be thinking while he was away about wedding plans along with Simon and their return to this town would not be a happy one. "Mrs Thornton, I have a task now that I'm not looking forward to but it has to be done. You may wish to accompany me; I have to break this news to Bill Avery as he was a part of this and he may take it very hard."
What was a twenty minute walk yesterday was now hardly a two minute journey by car compliments of Marjorie again. "Thank you so much Sonya for giving up a morning for us, I know how busy you must be and the responsibility that a nurse has so we are very fortunate to have you here." They soon arrived back at the news stand from yesterday and they noticed how busy the square was becoming, bright and early on such a nice day, "This is always a hive of industry especially during the middle of the day. If you want a sit down meal you had better book in early," remarked Sonya. "Good morning Emil, I haven't seen you for a long while but I still get someone to bring me the paper each day and tell me how you are going," she said with a smile. "We're now going to find out how good your memory is."
She was patiently and carefully thumbing her way through all the different papers on the stand, looking for something that resembled the one that Christine was excitedly clutching in her hand eighteen months ago. She knew how important that this was as Christine had made a big lifetime decision based on what she had read. She told Emil about Christine and how she had got hold of this little newspaper that had a picture of a little dog on the front and how he might have belonged to her grandmother. "I don't expect you to remember every paper that you have had on your stand but you might be able to show me the same size newspaper and the same letter head or something similar. I'm sure that I'll remember it when I see it. It wasn't much more than a little newsletter and I don't even know how often it was published either so, I'm sorry Emil, we haven't got very much to go on I'm afraid, but that's why we are here and you are the expert in these matters."
"Cruel and inhuman treatment, that's all I can say. It took us an eternity to get here and I sincerely hope it hasn't been a wild goose chase. I feel like I haven't eaten for about a month and now we have to go back home the same way. I'm sure that we were going to fall off the edge of the earth." groaned Simon. "Janie has probably forgotten all about me by now." Nathan had heard all this catalogue of complaints before but his focus now was on their decision to end their hunt for the sea captain and plan to make arrangements to return home. He knew that Simon was only thinking of the long arduous journey ahead of them but he held mixed feelings of a quest left incomplete. They had discussed how somebody had picked up the captain outside the hotel and it appeared that this person knew where Sonya Radcliffe was to be found. They could do nothing more now that they had left the information about his wife with Martin at the hotel desk.
This time they weren't going to starve on the train because they had bought more than enough provisions to last them until they made it to Grampton. There was no alternative so they had better be prepared to make the best of it. "You could always borrow a horse from the station and plan for about a six week duration before you would make it back home." Simon did not miss the smile from Nathan as he showed his growing displeasure. "I wonder how the captain handled the journey himself, I hope he appreciates our efforts when we finally get to meet him." Nathan was still smiling but his thoughts were elsewhere, "Captain Glover has just spent the last four years on a big ship out on the ocean at the mercy of all the elements such as the wind and the rain, the thunder and lightning and the rolling seas where all they had was their initiative and perseverance to survive. Somehow I don't think a train ride is going to give him any concern." They were walking on the way to the railway station, "I can't help recalling that letter he wrote to Judge Monroe and how precise and to the point it was, there wasn't a single word out of place and he told it how it needed to be said. It's the same sort of thing that I would expect from Superintendent Mills and our two captains. I am looking forward to meeting this man. Speaking of our Captain Foster, do you remember Judge Monroe's reference to a Lieutenant Foster from some years ago and how he singlehandedly closed down some very important and influential people who were involved in some shady undertakings. It seems that our captain is not someone to be trifled with." They could see the train that they were to board soon to commence their return home.
There was a deathly silence once the phone had been hung up. He had heard every word clear and precise still ringing in his ears and there could be no room for interpretation. He had been told bad news in no uncertain manner. He sat at his desk in his office just staring at the phone and then into space still unable to grasp the full gravity of the situation. Just for a brief moment be wondered whether he had heard it correctly but then he realised that what he had been told would have to be all true with no room for interpretation. Had he got it right? Was one of his men dead and the other one lying helpless in a jail cell so far away. There was no just closing your eyes and hoping that it might all go away, this was real and he was going to have to absorb it right away.
He slowly stood up and looked around the office that he occupied where he suddenly felt all of a sudden that he didn't deserve to be. He had a noticeable dazed look on his face as he walked past some of his staff and right out of the building. His horse was dutifully and patiently standing there waiting for him as arranged each day. He had made sure that his staff knew that his horse would not be left there all day if he was not needed from time to time. He generally would conduct his own inspections most days but, not to impose on his staff but more for just a change of pace. He had walked straight past his men in the office and outside without any acknowledgment which appeared very strange to them. Even though life had been quite tense lately after the unceremonious sacking of the two men, Virgil still felt that this was strange form from his captain and it seemed that something was definitely amiss.
He mounted up on his horse and then cantered out of the facility straight past both of the guards at the gate without any acknowledgment and then he continued down the road. The full weight of the news of this catastrophe was now descending upon his shoulders and he knew without a doubt where the responsibility lay. He galloped out of the town and found his little spot under a shady tree where he often would find himself doing his thinking when he needed some soul searching. He had faced many an issue over his time as an officer in authority but nothing compared to what he was going to have to deal with now. He sat on his horse under the tree completely silent with all the events of the last week and a bit going round in his head. His thoughts turned to his family and how his father had glowed with pride when he had been accepted into the academy. He wondered how he could possibly face them with the shame that he had now brought upon them.
There were many facts on the table and they were unescapable, he was fully accountable for the death of a young man and furthermore, he had destroyed the career of a fine and respected constable. He had made a snap judgement in the heat of the moment and he had not detracted from it one inch and good people had paid for this. He thought that if somebody else had discharged duty in this manner, he would have advised them how it was unprofessional and not acceptable for a high ranked officer to have acted in this manner. He could see this now that it was well after the event and the repercussions that it had caused. He sat there in the saddle and slowly felt down to his sidearm, "No, that's the easy and cowardly way out. I'm going to own up and face up to my responsibility and cite myself for the required disciplinary procedures.
She clung tightly to the captain as they ventured out the door onto the landing, she felt safe in his arms and right now there was no other place that she would rather be. She hated to imagine what it would have been like if he had not still been here to take charge when it mattered. Five minutes and he would have been gone back to Fort Clay. Faith had placed a reassuring hand on Amy's shoulder before she left for the night. Amy had decided that she was going to stay with the two men for the duration, she had never experienced anything like this in her entire life and she needed to help them as best as she could. The Mounties had been there for her when she was in trouble so she wasn't going to fail them now.
"We need a slight detour first before we see Bill, let's head to the Mercantile first. She could see that he was trying to make sure that were no loose ends that may cause any difficulties. Florence was shocked as they walked in and she saw the traumatised state that Elizabeth was in. Elizabeth burst into tears as she hugged Florence, "There has been a death this morning," before she could continue Florence nearly came close to collapsing on the floor. "No, no, it's not anyone who we know," said Elizabeth in haste knowing that Florence knew tragedy only too well having lost her husband in the mining disaster. "Mrs Yost, we have two men who arrived here a few hours ago and they are mercifully now asleep in the cell. One of them is Constable Earl Grey who broke the news that a young Mountie perished in a housefire this morning in Rainsford after having saved the life of a little girl. Amy is with them while they sleep. She has been a big help for us today. This has been very hard for Earl as he has witnessed something that nobody should ever have to see." Florence felt sick to the stomach, "We were lucky enough to have had Earl here when you were at Fort Clay Elizabeth and he figured out how to get rid of Amy's father from Hope Valley. Earl is such a wonderful man and I'm so sorry that he has had to be part of something like this, I will want to see him in the morning if I may. Captain, I would imagine that you won't want any phone calls to be forwarded to your office until tomorrow or at least until further notice." He smiled at her and squeezed her hands, "Thank you Mrs Yost, that is why we are here."
They started to wander along towards Bill's office when the captain stopped and took Elizabeth's hand in his, "Mrs Thornton, this is going to be very hard for Bill as he may feel that he has had a hand in this outcome and he may feel guilty. Bedford may have made his decision on Bill's final comments which were probably made in the heat of the moment. He will have to wear this but I am also worried for you and how Jack's death will come flooding back to you all over again." She knew that he was right because she could see that young Mountie in the street as plain as day from years ago when he took his hat off as he broke the news to her. "Captain, it will never ever go away for me but I can now see that there will be a mother out there who is going to experience the same thing that I did and she will carry that for the rest of her life as I do."
Bill had fallen asleep with a book in his hands and his feet on the desk in his office so he had missed all the ruckus outside the jailhouse earlier in the day. He welcomed Elizabeth and the captain into his office but the smile on his face soon disappeared as he could see that this was not a social call by any means. A million horrendous possibilities entered his mind in an instant, could something have happened to Nathan or even Little Jack. "I'm sorry Bill," said the captain, "but we have some bad news." Bill sat up and braced himself for what was to come, Elizabeth was here so it had to be the little boy, his Godson. "Bill, Constable Earl Grey from Union City rode in here a few hours ago with one of the two men from Cape Fullarton who was involved in the case of the man imprisoned by mistake." He was listening intently but somehow he was relieved that Little Jack was not involved. "What has happened Eric, I never heard a thing cause I must have been asleep right here in the office." He couldn't help noticing that the captain didn't seem to be as composed as he usually was, and he hadn't seen Elizabeth like this for a long time. He held his breath for some sort of explanation and how was it that he must be involved in whatever had happened.
He could barely recollect that he had heard that one of the shamed Mounties had arrived in the town earlier today, "Is everyone safe Eric?" he asked remembering that it was thought at one stage that those men might seek some sort of retribution. "Bill, those men were coming here to ask or beg you to see your way clear to reinstating the younger Mountie." Bill was surprised and taken aback, "I don't understand, what do you mean by reinstating?" Elizabeth was standing by the seated captain who was now struggling for the words and where to begin as he knew that this was going to be difficult. There was anger in his voice as he started to explain, "Captain Bedford discharged the two Mounties and had them removed from the premises immediately for their omission." Bill could hardly believe his ears, "Those men certainly needed a measure of discipline, particularly the older one and a penalty rendered but not to be cast out into the cold like common criminals. My final report was damming I admit but I never meant for this to happen to them. Their mistake was not deliberate and I'm sure that they will both learn from it with proper counselling. I can fix this for them with my profound apology. Lead me to them Eric, I'll reinstate them to their positions immediately." He motioned to stand but the captain motioned for him to stay seated, "Wait Bill, there's more."
It was a mesmerizing situation for Sonya with an unending array of newspapers and magazines of all different sizes displayed right in front of her. She had a distant memory of the one that Christine had been holding when she was so excited. "Emil, who has got time to read all this stuff?" she complained as she through her hands in the air. There were publications from all over the country and even ones in different languages. "You'd be surprised how many people there are who expect their paper regularly and on time and I cop it when I run out." She knew what a newspaper stand looked like but she was always so busy with her work to take much interest in the outside world so she rarely had occasion to read the paper or even seek to thumb through a magazine. It was only a small publication that she was looking for and there were some here that were quite similar but she didn't think that they were the correct one even though they looked very much the same as what she remembered.
"There are a number of other newspaper places around the square so you could check them out as well." offered Emil. She found two of the closest resembling papers and Peter found some coins to pay for them. "Captain, these are on the house providing you send me a photo of you and your wife when you find her. If you don't I will tell everyone that there was this fella in a sailor suit who tried to rip me off." Peter laughed at this man's humour but he could tell that he was genuinely wishing him well. "You have my most sincere promise that I won't forget you and you will get our photo along with many other folk who have wished me good fortune. There were people like Captain Perkins, his commanding officer on the ship right through to Susan and the Harris family and Emma who would be waiting impatiently for good news about Christine.
They had taken Emil's advice and directions along the square and they nearly missed the small shop frontage that opened up into a huge store that had nearly three times the newspapers and magazines that they had seen with Emil's outside stand. There was every conceivable kind of greeting card available on one section of the wall. Sonya had no intention of searching on her own so, to avoid a massive task, she sought out the proprietor who would have to help them whether he was busy or not with other customers. She thought that she didn't want to be an old woman by the time she hunted through mountains of newspapers from one side of the continent to the other. She showed him the two papers that Emil had provided and explained and introduced Peter to him so that he would understand how important this expedition was to them all. She described how Christine had seen a paper like these ones and it had a picture of a little dog prominently on the front page. "It was about eighteen months ago sir."
"If that paper had come from here back then, I would reckon that there would be no reason why we wouldn't still be getting them now. Many little towns from all over the country make their own publication and we get many of them." He started to take more notice of Sonya's papers and soon that prompted him to start looking in the area where he had issues from faraway places. Some were easily discarded when he showed them to Sonya but others looked very close to what she was looking for. She was searching in her mind for something that had stood out and she had taken notice of at the top of the front page when she had seen the picture of the little dog. She couldn't remember what it was but she knew that it was very significant and she would know it if she saw it again. She was pleased that this man was not impatient and that he really wanted to take care and find the right paper for them, He took time to reassure them all, "If it is here then we will find it sir." He hated the thought of being in Peter's situation and not knowing where his wife was and having to search the entire continent for her after such a long time away.
Virgil had looked out of the window from time to time and he thought that it was rather unusual for the captain to be away for so long without advising his whereabouts just in case he was needed. He was very perceptive and he could see from his captain's subdued departure and his prolonged absence that some problem existed. There had been a phone call and he had departed without speaking to anyone about ten minutes later and there was no sign of him since. There was nothing on his desk that might indicate what the phone call might have been or where it came from so he was completely in the dark. Usually, under normal circumstances, when a serious problem arose they were all involved and they would all tackle it as a team in accordance with standard procedure. It would be addressed and resolved and reports would be prepared and any resolutions and recommendations would be implemented.
He had planned to keep in touch with Earl Grey and now was as good a time as any while he waited for the return of his captain. He promptly asked for a call to be placed to Union City Police station, he hoped that Earl might be able to allay any fears and doubts that he began to harbour with the captain's strange absence. "Hello Constable McCain, I'm sorry to have to inform you that Earl is not here and he hasn't been here for two days or more. He is out in the field acting on your suggestion and he is checking in at various places to see if your two men are in our district or not. We sent him a message to attend a house fire earlier today and we believe that there had been a fatality at that location, I'm sorry that this is all the information that we have for you so far." Captain Edwards had withheld all his facts on this case until Earl's wife Laura could be informed about where her husband was and his awful experience. Virgil reluctantly hung up the phone and figured that he was none the wiser for his enquiry. "It must be serious if there was a fatality involved." he thought.