Outside, Summer had officially given way to Fall and with it came beautiful colors on the hills around Hope Valley and a crisp feeling in the air. Inside, Nathan sat on the couch working on Newton's harness. At least that's what he was supposed to be doing but if he had to admit, he had been stealing more than a few glances at his wife.
Elizabeth was dusting around the room. She wore her white apron tied around her waist over a simple dress. Her hair was held back by a scarf tied around in a bow at the nape of her neck. Even like that, Nathan thought she looked every bit as beautiful as their wedding day. She quietly hummed a tune he recognized as one they'd danced to on their honeymoon. She had once told him he was distractingly good looking to her and he certainly felt the same about her. He was entirely enamoured.
Elizabeth laughed to herself, pulling Nathan out of his daydreaming.
"And what's so funny?" Nathan questioned her in a teasing voice.
Elizabeth stopped dusting for a moment to reply. "Well I was just thinking. When Jack first arrived here and realized he'd been assigned to this sleepy little town to watch over the heiress of a Hamilton tycoon, he was not happy. He even requested a transfer." Elizabeth giggled again. "Of course by the time his transfer was granted, he didn't want to leave." She smiled at the memory before she continued speaking, able to let the good memories come and go without the weight of grief.
"And then there's you, requesting to come here to watch over that same heiress only then as a grieving widow, and after you'd been assigned here to do that job in the first place years before. It's amazing, isn't it?"
Nathan reached for Elizabeth's hand leading her around the couch and pulling her closer until she sat on his lap. Setting the duster aside, he answered her, his voice deep and gentle, "It's truly amazing."
Elizabeth leaned into him as Nathan ran his hand along the side of her face before pulling her in for a lingering kiss.
Ever since the realization that it was him originally assigned to Coal Valley, Nathan had felt a new peace about the way his path and Elizabeth's had been brought together. A new peace about his coming to Hope Valley. A new peace about Fort Clay and Jack's passing. Any nagging guilt was gone and with that came freedom to cherish their love in an even greater way. Something he wasn't sure was even possible, for truly their love was the thing of fairytales and legends.
"Have you heard anything from Bill?" Elizabeth asked.
Two weeks had passed since Bill left for Fort Clay. Immediately after seeing the telegram that proved Jack's assignment to there was legitimate, Bill had gone to his home, packed the necessary things, and then rode out the next morning. While the confirmation of Jack's innocence had brought them great relief, there was still more to this. They were certain of it.
Elizabeth well remembered her own journey to Fort Clay with Jack. The rugged yet beautiful territory etched in her memory. Nathan thought of his time there as well. It was an unikely place that tied all of their stories together. Daily, they sent up heartfelt prayers that Bill's search would bring out the truth.
"No I haven't heard from him but I'm sure we will soon." He squeezed her hand. "Why don't we get ready and take the kids into town for some ice cream?"
In Fort Clay, Bill had been struggling to find evidence that would shine a light on Andrew Hargraves motives and actions. It seemed there was more than enough reason to be suspicious but not nearly enough evidence for charges. Of course Hargraves was too careful to leave a terribly obvious trail of his misdeeds but still, surely something would come up if he kept digging.
"What's this?" Bill said to himself quietly. He had come across a file with the name Jack Thornton across the top. Bill's former rank and well known reputation has gained him access to boxes full of old files.
Laying this file on the desk nearby, Bill opened it and began to sort through. There, on top, was a photo of his friend. Truly, Jack had felt more like a son to him than a just friend. Bill recognized that he also considered Nathan a son. They were different to be sure yet both good men and both dear to him. And solving this mystery was important for both so Bill kept going.
Toward the back of the file were a couple personal effects. They all should been handed over to his widow but here was a small journal. Bill flipped through it quickly, torn between respecting Jack's privacy and wanting to see if it may offer any insight. Finally settling on the possibility of important information being inside, Bill began to read. And then he saw something that caught his eye. He needed to get back home. Maybe there was more he could do there than here anyway.
Bill rode into town as the Grant family was sitting together by the park. Jack was just finishing his treat and hopped off the bench to run and play with Scout. Bill dropped his horse off at the livery and walked over. By now, Allie had joined in the fun and only Elizabeth and Nathan sat watching them, savouring their ice cream.
"Nathan! Elizabeth! Hello!" Bill called and waved, happy to see them and anxious to speak to them. "We need to talk. How about in the school?"
After asking Allie to keep an eye on Jack, they walked the short distance together. Bill filled them in on the way. There wasn't much to tell when it came to Hargraves but he still had something to share.
Finally sitting together on the benches of the schoolhouse, Bill shared what he had found. "I came across some personal effects belonging Jack that you should have Elizabeth. I think you'll be interested to see this. It's a journal he was keeping there. Mostly just little daily notes and reminders of things he wanted to include in letters to you. Nothing really work related. But this is what I thought you'd like to see. It's his final entry."
Nathan stood and slowly walked away, wanting his wife to have privacy to read her late husband's words but Bill stopped him. "Nathan, you should see this too." Bill smiled and nodded reassuringly.
"Nathan, please, come sit with me." Elizabeth reached her hand out for Nathan as she spoke. He returned and sat next to her as she began to read out loud:
"I've learned the reason for my assignment in Fort Clay. I'm replacing a Mountie who was reprimanded for arresting cattle rustlers. I admit, I can't understand it. His actions should be rewarded, not punished. I hear his last name is Grant, and that he's a good Mountie and was a good friend to others here. Apparently he is raising a little girl, his niece. I hope to meet him someday. Maybe life will allow our paths to cross."
Nathan was glad he'd stayed to hear the words she read. Elizabeth smiled at him and intertwined her fingers with his. Knowing Jack also believed the best of him felt good. Really good. And indeed their paths had crossed, just not as expected.
It also continued to solidify their evidence that he was not working with the cattle rustlers. Hargraves was lying and the truth must come out. Bill patted Nathan's shoulder heartily and then left to find Rosemary. They needed to talk. Bill found her at her Valley Voice desk.
Rosemary greeted her investigative partner and pulled out her notebook, ready to update Bill on her phone call to Jeanette Aucoin. It had proven far more successful than his trip to Fort Clay and she was eager to tell him all about it.
Bill took the seat across from her desk and shared his thoughts with her. "Jeanette just might be the key to all of this. After all, Hargraves closed the case before she could be discovered. Why would he do that? Unless…"
"Unless they're working together." Rosemary finished his sentence. "I think that just might be the case. It's only her word but listen…"
Rosemary recounted the many details Jeanette had been willing to share in return for the promise of a lighter sentence. Of course Rosemary reminded her she wasn't in the position to make those promises but it seemed prison had put Jeanette in the mood to talk and Rosemary was all ears.
Jeanette had met Andrew Hargraves about 6 years before because of Amos Dixon. He had been close to Dixon, close to his wallet at least, even got him out of prison early before that from what she knew. It was because of him that Hargraves had heard of Jeanette's particular expertise and sought her out. Seeing her opportunity for power and influence, she remained close to him, lining his pockets with a portion of her rum running profits. He could control investigations and arrests, and that made her untouchable, or so she thought. And that was exactly what happened after Lucas was shot.
When Nathan's investigation was getting too close to the truth, Hargraves had paid off Clayton Pike to confess, therefore closing the case with no one the wiser as to his connection to the real criminal, Jeanette. That explained why Clayton had felt that it wasn't worth it to confess the truth. Being a Superintendent, Hargraves wielded too much power to oppose and was also frighteningly unconcerned with the law.
That was all Jeanette was aware of or at least all she was willing to share on the phone call. Accusations from a recently arrested prisoner weren't exactly a solid case against a man in his position but it was a start.
Bill had heard all he could handle. No more investigating, he needed to speak directly to Andrew Hargraves. Bill has his ways of making people talk and it was time to get to the bottom of this. Leaving the Valley Voice, he retraced his steps back to the livery. If what Jeanette divulged was true, this couldn't wait.
He quickly saddled his horse again and headed back across the same stretch of country. Hargraves had avoided him much of his recent visit and Bill felt he didn't have enough evidence to talk to him and expose his suspicions. Not this time, this time they would speak.
Bill rode into the training base and quickly tracked down the Superintendent. Hargraves looked up quickly to see who had barged into his office and seeing Bill Avery standing there, his shoulders slumped ever so slightly.
"Andrew, we need to talk."
The phone rang at Nathan and Elizabeth's. It was Nathan who answered.
"It's over, Nathan," he could hear the smile in Bill's voice. "Hargraves confessed. He's been arrested. Seems he's much more fond of money than the law."
Bill quickly passed along details of Hargrave's confession. How he was taking pay offs from the cattle rustlers Nathan arrested in Fort Clay and from Amos Dixon which lead to him meeting Jeanette. He made quite a lot of cash turning a blind eye to her rum running. Then recently, he had been trying to protect her and himself after the attempt on the governor's life and when Nathan's investigation got too close for comfort, he framed and paid off Clayton Pike. This confirmed what Jeanette had shared.
"There's a lot more to tell you. I'll fill you in when I get back. But he's been angry with you and trying to make trouble for you for years simply because you're a good Mountie and a good man who was getting in his way." Bill sounded like a proud father. He continued, "When he was afraid of being exposed after Jeanette's arrest, he concocted his story about Jack knowing that tarnishing his reputation would be a distraction to you and the people around you."
Suddenly his voice shifted and Bill sounded tired. "It brings me no joy to arrest a fellow Mountie, but justice always feels good. I guess he was tired of carrying the guilt around. Truth finally caught up with him. Nathan, I'll see you soon." And with that the phone clicked and Bill had hung up. Nathan hadn't even had the chance to reply but he was okay with that because the news had left him speechless. This was a lot to take in. While they had suspicions that Hargraves was dishonest at best, they never could have guessed the full extent of it.
Elizabeth came down the stairs. "Who was that on the phone, hunny?"
Nathan cleared his throat. "It was Bill," emotion filling his voice. He quickly relayed to her the latest from Fort Clay and Hargraves' confession.
From her place next to him on the couch, Elizabeth dove into Nathan's arms. They hugged tightly with grateful hearts. The truth had set them free. Free from guilt, free from fear, and free to live their happily ever after. Life was good and love was sweet.
Jack was a good man and would always remain a part of their history, their family, and no doubt their future as Elizabeth continued to teach their son about his father. Grief and guilt was no way to remember a life like Jack's. Through this investigation they had confirmed his innocence as well as Nathan's, plus uncovered truths proving how their own love was undeniably meant to be, and now it was time to allow life to move on.
Elizabeth pulled away from his hug to sit up straighter and face Nathan, a look of awe on her face. So much had happened in the past month. So much had come together for them since they took the leap and said I do.
"So the very thing Hargraves meant to hurt us with became his own undoing. If he'd never accused Jack, we may not have put all the pieces together of his own guilt. And not even just about Miss Aucoin, but spanning years. Even the awful way he's treated you." Elizabeth marvelled at how once again, things had worked together for their good.
"You know," Nathan began, a flirtatious grin on his face, "if you ever want to quit teaching, you can come work with me."
Elizabeth laughed, "I'm just not sure I'd look as good as you in the serge."
"Elizabeth, your courage took down Higgins just a few months ago and now you've helped to uncover the truth about Hargraves," he spoke with sincerity, his eyes full of pride.
Elizabeth rested her hand on his cheek before kissing him tenderly. Still close together she replied softly, "We made a good team, Constable. We make a good team."