Abigail and Elina gasped. "I'm going to find her. Jack, the next time you see me, I will have Elizabeth. I won't come back until I find her." She finished. Elena walked out of the jail, walked to Elizabeth's first to get changed, then went to the school.
Hearing Mr. Crane teaching, she went inside. "Children, school is dismissed until further notice." she said. The children cheered.
"Ms. Shepherd, why are you interrupting my class? I offered my services as a teacher until Ms. Thatcher gets back." He finished smiling evilly.
"Get out of here, Mr. Crane." She said.
"I have every right to be here. Mr. Billy Hamilton is my friend. He said Ms. Thatcher would love to have me teach." he answered.
Elina shoved him against the wall. He whimpered.
"Where did he take Elizabeth? You will tell me." She didn't have to say more. "He took her to Mr. Spurlock's old cabin."
She nodded and dropped him like a sack. She jumped onto her horse and galloped out of town. Once she arrived at Spurlock's old cabin, she drew her gun.
"Anybody in this house, I want out here with their hands over their heads." she yelled.
She wasn't scared. She heard a scream. It was Elizabeth. Billy Hamilton came out with his hands at his side. He wasn't wearing a gun. "Aren't you supposed to be in jail?'' she asked, smiling.
"I got out for good behavior." he answered, smirking.
"Of course you did. Where is Elizabeth?" she asked him. She slipped off her horse and walked slowly toward Billy.
"I'll never tell. But she may be in the house. I have another man there holding her hostage. At my given word, he could stab her through the throat and she would be dead." he said laughing. It wasn't a good laugh.
Elina heard a horse ride up behind her. She turned around. It was Jack. They could hear Bill, Carson and Abigail looking for him.
"Hand her over." Jack said weakly.
"Make me. You knock me out. You can get her" Billy said laughing.
He knew Jack was hurt. Jack slipped off his horse, he fell to his knees in pain. He slowly got up. He walked towards Billy. He punched him across his face.
"You will pay for doing this to Elizabeth." His voice was deadly. Billy frowned. He threw back the punch, Jack ducked in pain. Jack let out a kick with his uninjured foot that swept Billy off his feet. Billy hit his head on a rock and his eyes rolled to the back of his head.
"Jack! What are you doing here? You're sick. You could die if you do too much and you don't want to die on Elizabeth do you?" Elena asked. "I can handle it from here." and turned toward the cabin.
Nervously, she opened the door seeing a man with a knife at the throat of a tied and gagged Elizabeth. Elena drew her pistol and shot, never hesitating. The man was dead. She quickly untied Elizabeth. "I want to warn you Jack is sick. He has a fever. Carson and I think it is overwork but you never know." Elena helped Elizabeth stand up.
They left the cabin. "Elizabeth. Are you ok?" Jack, asked sitting up.
Elina pushed him back down again. Elizabeth put his head in her lap. He was breathing silently as Carson, Bill, and Abigail rode up.
"He ran off to find Elizabeth." Bill said. "Jack you're going to kill yourself running off like that." Carson said getting down from his horse.
Jack was quiet. Elizabeth was crying. Elina was stroking his head. He was burning up.
"Bill, help me get him onto his horse. Elina, get on his. Elizabeth, take Elina's horse." Carson and Bill lifted Jack onto the horse.
He slumped to the left, Elina caught him. "Oh, Bill there inside the cabin. Can you take care of it?" she said, riding slowly back towards Hope Valley.
Carson and Elizabeth rode on either side of Elina and Jack. Elina was a very strong girl.
Once they arrived back at Hope Valley, Carson helped Jack down from the horse. He was now semi-conscious. Elina helped him to walk.
"Elizabeth." he said as he was brought into the infirmary. "I'm here Jack. I'm here.'' she said, almost crying.
They laid him down onto a bed and he fell laid him down onto a bed and he fell asleep. Elina and Elizabeth stayed there all night. His fever was slightly less than the night before and by the next afternoon it was broken. Elina took care of everything Jack had to do and Bill did all the official Mountiing. Cody brought over food when it was mealtime and Rosemary came every other day to check in on him. After a month, Jack was fully recovered. He thanked Elina profusely about all she did to protect Elizabeth including killing a man. Elina was fine. Hope Valley prospered for a while not knowing what they're next adventure would be.
Hope Valley's stagecoach was due to arrive any minute. Elizabeth Thatcher was waiting for the stagecoach because she had a shipment of books coming in for her students. Constable Jack Thorton was there to help bring the books to the saloon.
"I hope it gets here soon." Elizabeth said impatiently.
"Me too. Did Bill tell you that his niece and nephew are coming to visit Hope Valley soon?" Jack asked her.
Elizabeth shook her head and was about to answer when the stagecoach came into town. Once it stopped, Elizabeth pointed out her case of books. Two older children stepped down from the stagecoach.
"This is the town where Uncle Bill lives? Where's the rest of it?" the girl said, looking around.
The boy nodded. Jack and Elizabeth walked up to them.
"Welcome to Hope Valley. I'm Constable Jack Thorton. I'm this town's official Mountie. This is the schoolteacher, Ms. Thatcher." Jack said, putting down the box of books and shaking their hands.
"Where is he?" The boy asked not bothering to make introductions.
"We assume that in such an ugly little town that you know who everyone is? And why is that girl in a Mounties uniform?" she said as Elina came running up the street.
Elina was scanning the area looking for someone.
"Elina, what are you doing?" Jack asked, smiling.
"Cody Stanton stole 12 of my post prized possessions." Elena walked towards the group.
"And what would those be?" Elizabeth knowingly asked.
"The chocolate chip cookies that Ms. Abigail gave to me this morning. Cody took them before I could try one. Constable Jack can I have permission to arrest him when I get my hands on him" she said.
Jack nodded gravely.
"So who are you?" The boy said, looking at her.
"Sorta Mountie Elina Shepherd. My brother is the town's doctor. Now ladies, gentleman, and Mountie, I will make my gracious exit." Elina said as she bowed, laughing and ran off.