Chapter 257 – A Confrontation in the Street
Patty had stepped out the kitchen door of the cafe to get some air when she saw JD storm out of the mayor's office. She didn't tell anyone where she was going, but took off after JD. She caught up with him just past the saloon.
"John David." Patty called.
JD turned to look and saw who it was, so just kept going. Patty quickened her steps to catch him. She grabbed hold of his ear just before he went up the steps to the mining office. She pulled him back and stood in the middle of the street. She still had a hold of his ear when she started yelling at him, drawing the attention of many, including Jack, Joe and Doug who had all been in the Mountie office.
"You are going to stand here and listen to me." Patty yelled. "Like it or not. I might not have been old enough to say something when you conned Erin into marrying you and then getting her pregnant only to get mad and punch her in the stomach, causing her to lose the baby. But I am more than old enough to tan your hide now and I am not afraid to either."
JD tried to pull away, but Patty tightened her grip on his ear, causing him to yelp in pain. Doug and Joe looked at Jack.
"Give her a minute." Jack said. "They need to work this out and from what I saw, he was already on thin ice."
"So whatever you said to Abigail Stanton." Patty continued. "You better go apologize and hope that she allows you to live and work in her town. Because if you crossed her, then you have bigger problems than just me being angry at you."
Jack looked at Joe, who was the only one in uniform.
"Go intervene." Jack said, softly. "Tell them to take it inside or they will both be in a jail cell until they cool off. Doug, try to get people to move along."
Both men left Jack standing on the porch and went to do what he asked.
Joe went right up to Patty and JD.
"Ms Winters." Joe said. "Let him go and take this inside or Corporal Thornton said you can both sit in a cell to cool off."
Patty looked at Joe and nodded. He let go of JD, but Joe stood there to see what was going to happen. Patty then took a step closer to JD and lowered her voice.
"Watch your back." Patty said. "I am a better shot now than when you first started with Erin. I also have the backing of the National Protection Service. I can shoot you and claim you were a threat to the people that I have been assigned to protect and no one would question me."
Patty then turned on her heel and started marching back to the cafe, not looking at anyone.
"You will be sorry, bitch!" JD yelled. "You have no idea what I can do."
That was all it took and Joe grabbed JD's arm and started dragging him toward the jail. JD in his rage, took a swing at Joe and that was all it took for Joe to knock him out. Doug saw everything, came over and helped Joe carry the man to the jail and dump him in a cell. Neither of the three men said anything, but sat down and started writing the report. A cadet stepped into the jail and earned a glare from Jack.
"Weren't you assigned chores?" Jack snapped. "Because if you have nothing better to do, I can find plenty for you to do. Starting with digging outhouses at the new houses. So go. If I find out you are not doing what has been assigned to you, I can promise you won't graduate with a badge next month and you will never wear that serge again."
The cadet stood there shocked and unable to speak. Jack stood up and walked over to the cadet and looked down on him since he had about five inches on the man.
"Was I not clear Cadet Peters?" Jack asked.
"Um … Sir." Peters stuttered. "Are you just going to let Ms Winters get away with that?"
"She did nothing wrong." Joe said, standing up. "He was the one that threatened her and took a swing at me."
"But she pulled him off the stairs by the ear." Peters stammered.
"Maybe, maybe not." Joe said. "That was a sister-in-law upset with her brother-in-law. We tend not to get in the middle of family disputes unless someone endangers the other. She wasn't causing him any harm. Just reminding him she was in control. Didn't you learn not to cross a woman, especially when she is already upset."
"My father would never have allowed my mother to speak to him that way." Peters said.
"Well." Jack said. "You have a lot to learn. Women do what they want, when they want. If she was too scared to act, you have to ask yourself why. In my experience, that indicates a man who had beaten his wife into submission. Is that how you think women should act? Because if it is, I can guarantee you won't get far as a Mountie. So unless you can demonstrate to me and these guys that you don't believe in beating women into submission, then you won't make it to graduation. The force doesn't need men who won't protect women and children. Now, I expect you to change out of that serge and spend the rest of the day digging outhouses for the new houses. I will be checking in with Adam and Hickum and if you haven't done everything they say, you will be in more trouble."
"I will walk him over to Hickum." Joe said.
"Thank you." Jack said.
Jack turned and went back to the desk. Joe looked at Peters and pointed toward the door. Peters dropped his head. There was more that he wanted to say, but he knew he had pushed it. He went out the door and tried to go around to change.
"No." Joe said. "You can hang your serge right on that railing and spend the rest of the day in your henley, jodhpurs and riding boots. I then expect you to have clean polished boots in the morning. Maybe you will remember how uncomfortable it was and not open your mouth when you should be listening and learning."
Peters slipped his serge off and hung it over the rail of the jail porch before Joe walked him over to Lee's office and explained his punishment. Hickum said he would take him out there and let Adam know. Joe left to go back and finish his report and talk to Jack. Hickum took Peters out to the sight of the new buildings and had Adam put him to work.
… … … …
Abigail took a deep breath and looked right at Wynn, with a small glance to Jacobs and Dee.
"So how worried should I be?" Abigail asked.
Wynn leaned back in his chair and rubbed his chin in thought.
"Give it a bit of time." Wynn said. "I was very clear to Andy and so were you about the expectations of him. Let him have a chance to make things right and if there are continued problems, I would say let the chips fall where they may. This JD has clearly already upset Bill, so I doubt that he will get another chance without sitting in a cell for a while."
"What did he do to upset Bill?" Abigail asked.
"Beat him at poker and refused to answer his questions." Jacobs said. "Apparently, the two biggest cardinal sins according to my sources. Bill hates to lose at poker and even more so when he doesn't get the information that he so wanted and was working hard to get."
Wynn shook his head and let out a little laugh.
"He keeps it up and it won't last long." Dee said. "I probably shouldn't say anything, but this is apparently Patty's brother-in-law and she wasn't happy to learn he had come to town."
"No she wasn't." Wynn said. "I think if he can get his act together, this place might be good for the wife and kids, but if JD doesn't straighten out, I have a feeling it will be Patty who deals with him before anyone."
Abigail looked between the men at the table.
"I will let things be." Abigail said. "For now. But I will be keeping a close eye on things and I am not lying about making their life difficult if they cross me."
"I believe you." Wynn said.
Abigail got up to leave, but was stopped by someone coming up the steps.
"Can I help you?" Abigail asked.
"I was looking for Mayor Stanton." The man said. "Is he in?"
"I am Mayor Stanton." Abigail said. "How can I help you?"
"You are the mayor?" The man asked.
"Yes." Abigail said. "Do you have a problem with that?"
Hearing the conversation because Abigail was standing in the doorway, Jacobs got up and walked over since he was in uniform.
"Is there a problem here?" Jacobs asked in an authoritative voice.
"No, Constable." The man said.
"It is Sergeant." Jacobs said, his face cold as stone. "Do you need something from Mayor Stanton? If not, be on your way. We have lots to do."
Abigail put her hand on Jacobs's arm and stepped back, allowing them all to step into the office and shut the door. The man looked around and saw two men working, but they made no move to introduce themselves.
"William Bolt told me to introduce myself." The man said. "I am Thomas Wright and I will be running the newspaper here in town. I bought half of the business and will run the Hope Valley paper while helping with the Benson Hills paper as well."
"I am Abigail Stanton." She said. "I am the mayor and owner of the cafe. This is my town and you will abide by the rules that have been set forth. Is that clear?"
"Yes, ma'am." Thomas said. "I was just surprised by a woman mayor. That is not something that you would see in the bigger cities."
"No, but we are different around here." Abigail said. "This town is full of widows. Some have remarried, some haven't. Many of the businesses are run by women and if you can't accept that, I will tell you what I have told others – this town isn't for you. We stick together and care for our own. If you cross one of us, you cross all of us."
"Yes, ma'am." Thomas said. "I just wanted to let you know that I will be putting out my first addition of the paper on Thursday. It will be published on Mondays and Thursdays after that. If you have anything to add, it needs to be to me by seven the night before."
"Thank you for that." Abigail said. "I might have some items for you Wednesday as there is a town council meeting tomorrow night."
"Is the council open to everyone?" Thomas asked, his interest piqued.
"Not at this time." Abigail said. "This is an executive meeting, as we have things we need to decide. They may be in the future or I might just hold a town meeting next week, I haven't decided as of yet."
"Okay." Thomas said. "I wanted to introduce myself. I have a lot to do before my wife, Edith, arrives later this week."
"Will she be helping you with the paper?" Jacobs asked.
Thomas laughed.
"Edith doesn't like messy things." Thomas said. "She isn't going to be happy that there isn't electricity, indoor plumbing and a telephone."
"Yes." Abigail said. "We are a bit more rustic here, but I have a feeling that those things will come over time. I know as the country grows and the railroad expands, we will have more modern conveniences."
"I have a question for you." Jacobs said. "If your wife sounds so delicate. Why would you move to a town that didn't have the things she was used to."
"I didn't know that you didn't have electricity or indoor plumbing." Thomas said. "I knew that you didn't have the telephone. I took this opportunity, because it was a chance to run my own paper and not have to answer to people that didn't/don't understand the changing nature of the country and world right now. Yes, I have partnered with William Bolt, but he has given me free rein to run this paper as I see fit, as long as I don't fire any employee he has hired until I have given them a chance. That included Miss Bickley who does all of William's correspondences as well as the new girl, Lucy, he hired to clean."
"Very well." Abigail said. "I will get you a tax schedule and a copy of the town bylaws this week."
"Thank you." Thomas said.
He then turned to Jacobs.
"So are you the full-time Mountie here?" He asked.
"No." Jacobs said. "I will eventually be in Benson Hills and run that station. I may periodically be here in Hope Valley, but Corporal Thornton is in charge of this station."
Thomas nodded. He had heard the name Thornton and looked forward to interviewing the man. Little did he know that Jack would turn down every opportunity and keep things very close to his vest. The closed ranks of the people of Hope Valley about things would be a point of contention going forward with Thomas Wright.
When the others made no move to introduce themselves, Thomas turned and left the office, a little frustrated. He was hoping to have a huge headline for his first paper. He had heard that the Deputy Commissioner was in town, but the highest ranking officer he had seen was that Sergeant.
Abigail waited a moment and then went to her desk. Jacobs took his seat again. Dee slid a note over to his father. Wynn read it and looked at him.
"Are you sure?" Wynn asked.
"Sure of what?" Jacobs asked.
"That is the man he thought it was from Calgary." Wynn said. "He was the top assistant editor at the big paper there."
"Strange." Jacobs said. "That must be a huge pay cut. I am sure that there has to be more to the story because it sounds like he gave up a lot to move to a very small town that doesn't have everything his spoiled wife is used to. Something must have prompted the change. I just don't buy that he told us the whole story."
"See what you can find." Wynn said. "We might not have answers before we leave this week, but we can always send the information to Jacobs or Abigail."
"Thank you." Abigail said.
"Are you alright?" Wynn asked. "I know that you weren't expecting to be challenged by both of the new businessmen this morning."
"I am fine." Abigail said. "I will not back down. I have made myself clear what I want and what I will tolerate."
Wynn nodded and went back to his paperwork. No one said anything about the Delaneys leaving, mainly because no one wanted their time there to end. Wynn was also frustrated that he wasn't able to provide more answers for Abigail before he left. He felt he was letting her down, but he had received word that the escaped prisoner was spotted in Cape Fullerton and if he wanted to return to Hamilton he could. Wynn was still hesitant about going back, since the prisoner hadn't actually been caught as of yet, but he also knew that it was needed. He would be able to finish the work he started in Hamilton and he knew he was going to be back here in September, so it wasn't going to be that long and he was back. He wasn't sure how long they would be staying in September, but he planned on also talking to Jack about returning for Christmas, especially since the Mountie Ball was going to be in Union City and he was going to be there for that. That was the week before Jack and Elizabeth's anniversary, so it would be easy to stay there or come to Hope Valley after the ball and stay until the new year. He would have to talk to Jack and Elizabeth to see what they felt about it. He also knew that he was going to have to talk to his wife.
Wynn's thoughts were interrupted by Abigail touching his arm. He looked up at her, so she knew he was listening.
"I am going to go back to the cafe." Abigail said. "There is a lot that needs to get done over there, and I don't have much here to do. It isn't fair to leave everything to Ann, Patty and your wife. I know that they wanted to check in on Elizabeth at the schoolhouse as well."
"We will let people know." Wynn said. "Or take a message for you to get back to them. Do you have everything ready for the town council meeting tomorrow?"
"I am waiting on the proposals from Andy Yeager." Abigail said. "But everything else is ready. I was going to speak to Jack and see if he was able to sit in on the meeting. I might also borrow Dee to take notes."
"As long as Jack is up to it." Wynn said. "They will both be there and I will as well if you want."
"Let me think about it." Abigail said. "There might be some questions about the audit, but Dee could potentially answer them. Apparently, Jenkins told Norman and Lee about the audit and Norman told Florence and Christine. Lee mentioned something to Adam. I am sure that Ned has also heard. So I am sure I will get some questions about it."
"Just let me know." Wynn said. "The earliest we would be leaving would be Thursday."
"Don't forget that Frank and I are taking the kids to Union City." Abigail said. "We are leaving Thursday and Becky has the science fair on Friday afternoon."
"I didn't forget." Wynn said. "If I can, I wouldn't mind traveling with you."
Abigail nodded. She wasn't sure about letting others in on her secret with Frank, but it was what it was.
… … … …