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Nathan and Elizabeth: an Epic Love
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Chapter Thirty-Six
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Charade
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Part II
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As soon as Superintendent Hargreaves left the Chief Inspector's office after his below-the-belt parting shot directed squarely at the Chief, he set about figuring out how to achieve the real reason he had come to Hope Valley.
Glancing at his watch, he realized he needed to get busy, especially having no idea how long his mission would take since it involved a civilian, and a feisty civilian at that, from what he had seen.
So, he started walking through the town, wondering what a teacher would be doing during the summer months in Hope Valley.
As he reached the Café, he peeked in the large front window, and though there were quite a few men eating brunch and having coffee and pastries, he realized there were no women.
So, he walked on, and as luck would have it, he was sure he had caught a glimpse of her.
'Yes, that's her!' he affirmed to himself as he quickened his pace to reach the steps of The Mercantile she was now entering.
"Mrs. Thornton," he called in a voice that was as congenial as he could get his to be.
She turned around at The Mercantile Entrance, wondering who was calling her name, and though he couldn't read her blank face, he walked on to greet her with a smile plastered on his own.
"Mrs. Thornton, I'm Superintendent Hargreaves. And you're just the person I wanted to see!"
"I know who you are. But me? Why ever would you want to see me, Superintendent?"
"Actually, there's an issue I need to talk with you about that's arisen from Jack's death and the deaths of his men. There is an issue where I need to clear his good name, and I was hoping you could loan me his journals, as I'm sure they contain a logical explanation for the decisions he made that would put the families at rest so they would drop this ridiculous notion of further legal action they seem to be entertaining."
"I know nothing about any of that, I'm afraid."
"No, you don't, because I've insisted it be kept from you since you've had more than enough to deal with, losing your husband and all. I feel sure, based on something Jack told me, that the answers I need in order to protect your husband beyond the grave are in his journals. Please know I only need to borrow them and make copies to keep in case the issue continues. And be assured, I will do so with the utmost care."
Elizabeth was astute, and something didn't feel right, but she never let it show at all.
"I have no problem with that. But to be honest I haven't been able to bring myself to even look through the trunk that contains Jack's belongings. Except to remove his Stetson for my young son to wear as a memory of his father."
"I would be happy to go through the trunk for you."
"I appreciate that, but I'm having a guest for lunch and need to get a few items here first. Could you meet me at my rowhouse, let's say in about a half hour. I should be done by then," she smiled graciously.
"A half-hour is perfect. Where do I come?"
"Mine is the last rowhouse on the far end of town. I'll see you there soon! Perhaps you'd want to grab a cup of coffee at the Café while I finish up here."
"That sounds lovely! Thank you for being so understanding, Mrs. Thornton…"
Elizabeth waited inside The Mercantile till she saw Superintendent Hargreaves enter the Café, then she quickly turned to Florence and Ned.
"I need your help. Ned, can you please gather these few items for me? And Florence, will you please get Nathan on the line? I'm afraid it's urgent and confidential."
"Of course, I'll get the items now, and Flo, you get Nathan right now!"
"Yes, Ned! Of course! Come, sit with me, Elizabeth. You look like you've seen a ghost!"
Florence patched the line through as an emergency.
"Chief Inspector, Elizabeth, and the children are fine, but Elizabeth needs to speak with you urgently."
"Put her on, Florence, quickly, please, and thank you!"
"Nathan, the strangest thing just happened. Superintendent Hargreaves stopped me as I was entering The Mercantile and asked me for Jack's journals. He says that the parents of the men who died are blaming Jack, and he feels he can clear Jack's name because of something Jack once said to him. I told him I haven't really gone through the trunk containing Jack's belongings except to get Jack's Stetson out for his son. What do I do?"
"Do you have the journals?"
"No, but I didn't tell him that. I personally don't know where they are, but Bill does, as I gave them to him for safekeeping right after Jack died. What do I do?"
"Do you feel safe with Hargreaves being there? I'll send out a couple of my men right now to go with you!"
"No, Nathan, he will know I've called you. I'm not afraid of him. I'll be fine. It's broad daylight, and Emily will be there with me. Also, Lee is right next door, keeping Goldie because she caught a small cold from being out in the night air last night. I'm fine, I promise. I just didn't want to do anything without talking to you first. He will be there in less than a half-hour."
"Then this is what you do. Go straight home and get the trunk down from wherever you keep it and carry it to your sitting area before he gets there, so he's in and out. But don't lift that alone. Get some help carrying it. Let him look through the trunk. When he realizes the Journals aren't there, tell him the truth: you have no idea where they are and that you're sorry. If Jack didn't talk to you about them, tell him so. And tell him you're so sorry you can't help him, but if by some miracle they turn up, you'll let him know."
At this point, Nathan turned to Bill.
"Are the Constables back from rounds, and has Hargreaves seen them?"
"Yes, by now, I'm sure they're back. And no, Hargreaves hasn't seen them unless it was after he left here."
"Call Finn and have both constables change into their private clothes and exit the back way, keeping off the main roads," instructed Nathan most carefully. "Post one to cover the front and one to cover the back of Elizabeth's rowhouse, but they must stay hidden from view. If they hear anything at all, they are to go inside immediately. Understood? Also, call Lee, who is at home with Goldie, and ask him to be on standby as well, since he can hear everything from inside his house. Hargreaves is expected there in less than a half-hour."
"Understood! Consider it all done exactly as you've said!"
"And Bill, you do know where Jack's journals are, right?"
"I do, and they are locked up as secure as can be. They won't be located if anyone is snoopin', and I'm guessin' the snooper is Hargreaves!"
"You've got that right!"
Then Nathan turned back to his phone call with Elizabeth.
"I've got you covered, Lizbeth, with Lee and two hidden Constables in plainclothes who will also remain out of sight. I love you, Darling! You and Emily, be safe!"
"I love you, too, Darling! Everything will be fine! I promise!"
"It will, our Constables will make sure of it, Lizbeth…"
As Elizabeth was preparing to leave The Mercantile, Emily entered.
"Hal just called and said you needed me, Elizabeth, and that we should stay together till after Superintendent Hargreaves leaves."
"Oh, Emily, thank you so much! Thanks, Ned and Florence. I'm sorry we can't stay and chat, but we really need to rush!"
"Go! Go now!" insisted Florence, opening the door for the two ladies. "And Emily, we have loved having you with us!"
"It's been such a pleasure! Thank you, Florence!"
The two women hurriedly walked toward the rowhouse, where they went upstairs and carried the trunk downstairs into the living room.
They had barely made it in time when there was a loud knock on the door.
"Who's there?" asked Elizabeth.
"Superintendent Hargreaves, Mrs. Thornton."
"Come in, Superintendent! We have everything ready for you to look through. Here's the key. Though the lock may stick a bit since it hasn't been opened in so long."
"Mrs. Blevins, so nice to see you here. I just met with your husband!" faked the Superintendent, who was absolutely rattled, having had no idea she was in Hope Valley, much less with Elizabeth.
"Wonderful to see you, too, Andrew! Can we help you in any way?" she asked so politely, but she knew this man well enough to know her presence was definitely making him nervous.
"No, just looking for Jack's journals. He once told me he kept comprehensive records of his assignments in them, which will really help me out of this bind the parents of his deceased men keep putting me in. I'd like to put the mess all to rest once and for all!"
"Of course, and I would love the same," agreed Elizabeth. "I really appreciate you being so proactive about the matter."
The Superintendent maneuvered the lock.
"Boy, you weren't kidding. The lock seems to be stuck. Is it okay if I attempt to unstick it?"
"Of course," nodded Elizabeth.
He jiggled the lock with all his strength, maneuvering it just so, then fit in the key, and voila, the trunk then opened without any struggle whatsoever.
"Do you mind if I go to the kitchen to get our lunch started? I'd just rather not watch this."
"Of course, you go, and I'll stay and help Andrew," offered Emily.
If Hargreaves had his preference, both women would have gone to the kitchen, since a panic was rising within him, because with each item he moved, it was looking less and less like there was a single journal, much less a series of journals!
When he finally reached the bottom, his worst fears were confirmed.
"Mrs. Thornton," he called. "I'm shutting the trunk and locking it back up for you. I'm afraid there are no journals here. Would you have any idea where they could be?"
Elizabeth walked back into the room and sat down by Emily.
"I'm so sorry! If they aren't in this trunk, I'm afraid I have no idea where they would be. This is all I have left of Jack's belongings. If, by some miracle, they show up somewhere, you'll be the first person I contact. But where would I do so?"
"Apparently, the town's new Chief Inspector Grant will know how to reach me," he muttered, leaving the women clear on his intended slur, which irritated Emily so much that she spoke up immediately.
"A small correction, Andrew, Chief Inspector Grant no longer belongs to Hope Valley, or the town as you just said, but all of Canada, as his most important and prestigious role is now over the entire country, not one town, but all towns. Much like Patrick is over all the Superintendents across Canada, as well as all the towns and all the provinces, and all the territories."
"But of course! You are correct, Mrs. Blevins! Forgive me, I mis-spoke. But Mrs. Thornton, I can't impress upon you enough how important it is that we find those diaries for Jack's good, and of course ultimately yours and your son's."
"I give you my word, Sir, if I find them, the Mounties shall have them! And Superintendent Hargreaves, I truly appreciate you working so hard to clear Jack's name of any wrongdoing…"
Back in the Chief Inspector's Office, a gut-punched Nathan Grant somehow put all that aside, to speak normally with Elizabeth. However, it was more of a frantic normal, as he just had to know she and Emily were really alright.
"Nathan, Love. I'm fine! Emily was such a support, being here with me, and we made it through together splendidly. I admit, though, I will be very glad to know when he leaves town!"
"Oh, Lizbeth, I am so thankful! I'm so sorry you and Emily had to go through that, but he won't be back. We are making sure of that, as Finn is watching his every move! You and Emily relax and enjoy your lunch. The Constables are standing guard at your rowhouse till I get there after work. I love you so much!"
"I love you so very much, too, Nathan. And don't worry about me. I promise I'm fine! Emily and I are going to cook a bit, then just relax and talk a mile a minute to cram all our conversation in before she leaves! Bye, for now, Darling!"
"Bye, Love!"
Before Nathan could hang up his phone, Alex came to give them a message.
"Excuse me, Sirs! Sergeant Major Bernard just called and said to give you this message immediately, Deputy Commissioner. Our Falling Star is now en route."
"Thank you, Alex! That means Hargreaves is on his way. Bill, can you retrieve the journals?"
"Absolutely, Sir! That is if you are alright to do this, Nathan?"
"I can't possibly think of a single other thing I would rather be doing than this, Bill!"
"But, Son, we need to talk about…"
"No, we don't, Bill, not now!"
"Are you sure, Son?" asked a most concerned Hal.
"I'm positive, Sir!"
"And you're alright, Son?" asked a chagrined Bill, as he knew Hargreaves parting shot had hit way below any possible belt. "What he said, Nathan, was despicable."
"I'll process it all, later, Bill. Right now, nothing will give me more pleasure than taking him down, and call it crazy or call it the brotherhood, but every instinct I have tells me Jack left us answers in his journals that will help us take this monster down. And I'm ready to do it for Jack Senior, for Elizabeth, and for Little Jack! But also, for Allie and for me…"
Nathan, Bill, and Hall worked together till four pm, combing through Jack's journals, which Bill had securely stored in Lee's safe.
"Brilliant to have put them there, Bill! Andrew would have had access to the Mountie safes, and he would have suspected you might have them in your own safe, but never Lee's, so, brilliant move, my friend!" complimented Hal.
"I knew no one would get them there, and if somethin' had happened to me, Lee knew to let you know about them, Nathan!"
"Thanks for entrusting me with that, Bill. And thanks for taking such good care of Elizabeth and Jack!"
"Always, Son. You and Allie, too!"
With the three men determined not to give up, Alex got them a working lunch from The Queen of Hearts and, afterward, kept bringing the men fresh coffee to keep them alert.
"Some of these are so smeared, it's hard to tell what he's tryin' to say!" complained Bill, so frustrated they still hadn't found anything.
"This one also looks like it's been out in the weather," agreed Hal.
"I know it's here, somewhere," insisted Nathan, picking up and opening Jack's very last journal.
He read the first four pages, then let out a low whistle.
"We have it! It's right here, everything we need!"
"Read it to us, Son!" insisted Hal, who knew this was going to be hard for his friend to hear.
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September 13, 1914
In all my years of serving the Mounties, I have never come as close to walking out and leaving for good as I have today.
I have been assigned a difficult mission by Superintendent Andrew Hargreaves, leading a contingent of 24 men up a rugged mountainside for nothing more than a training mission, which in most instances is very doable. But when I surveyed the area in perfectly clear weather on the Monday before with a team of my officer friends, we couldn't make it a third of the way up.
Every single one of us felt the earth shift slightly beneath us.
No, had it happened once, it probably wouldn't have even been a concern, but it happened with every single one of us and multiple times.
We all deemed the mission had to be switched to a different terrain, that this was not only impassable but dangerously unsafe.
On our return, I went straight to Superintendent Hargreaves, explaining the mission had to be changed to different terrain as the mountain was impassable as well as in danger of erosion, which each of my team had experienced under our own feet.
He said we were simply in the wrong area, that the other side was safe, and if I was so scared, that I could just repeat basic training.
Seeing I was getting nowhere with him, I completed reports for the Chief Superintendent, the Deputy Commissioner, and the Commissioner, requesting cancellation of the mission with my specific findings listed.
Shockingly, I got no response back.
And this is why I am so angry.
I know this was wrong to do. But I waited till Hargreaves left, and I entered his office. I didn't even have to unlock his desk, because there lying on top of a book in his bookshelf were my four letters, including the one I had sent to him.
I am attaching them to the back cover of this journal in case they are ever needed.
The next day, I decided to try once more, this time, successfully getting the terrain changed but without having time to do a trial run.
However, Hargreaves assured me he had his team of special services to do the run for me with stellar results.
And though I was still nervous about the weather, he assured me the reports he had gotten confirmed that the rain would be mild and not a problem.
Am I 100% confident? No, I am not. But as my father used to say, 'If a Mountie can't believe his Commanding Officer, who can he believe?'
I pray that Superintendent Hargreaves and his special services team have done their due diligence, as my team's life and my own life are now in his hands…
May God protect us all!
Maintiens le Droit!"
Jack Thornton
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As Nathan finished reading, all three men looked like they were sick and going to be physically so, but perhaps Hal was worst of all.
"Despite the obvious, of course, what's wrong, Sir," asked Nathan.
"God help us all! He had no special services team…"