Chapter 137 – Dealing with Trouble

After it was announced that there was a delay, the conversations picked up again. Elizabeth was sitting with Lee and Katie talking when Father Mark came over.

"Elizabeth." Father Mark said. "I want you to stay here talking to us and don't react if someone calls out your name. Don't look around or anything. Just keep talking to us. I want your focus on Lee and I."

"Okay." Elizabeth said. "What is going on?"

"I am not sure." Father Mark said. "All I know is that the guard stopped someone who was trying to come in this area."

"Okay." Elizabeth said.

"I will go check it out." Katie said.

"Thank you." Elizabeth said. "So where have you been?"

"I was sitting with some people from the Church." Father Mark said. "I saw both Jack and Doug run. Amazing what he did with that injured horse."

"Yes it was." Elizabeth said. "I was scared because of how the horse reacted to the other people."

"I understand that." Father Mark said. "But you also need to understand that Jack has been around horses all of his life. He has worked with horses since he was little. He halter broke many horses and helped us train them to jump. I was surprised that Jack didn't apply for his jockey license when he was sixteen."

"I was too." Lee said. "He always said he wanted to race the horses they raised."

"Why do you think that he didn't?" Elizabeth asked.

Lee and Father Mark looked at each other.

… … … …

Katie headed to where the guard was standing. There was a young man standing there arguing with him.

"Is there a problem here?" Katie asked.

"Yes." The man said. "This idiot won't let me pass."

"He is doing his job." Katie said. "Can I help you?"

"Yes." The man said. "My brother's fiancée who was kidnapped is over there and I want to speak to her and make sure that she is okay."

"What is your name?" Katie asked. "And who is your brother?"

"My name?" The man said.

"Yes." Katie said. "Your name and the name of your brother. This is a restricted area and we can't just let anyone in here."

"But she is right there." The man said. "She has been held against her will and I want to speak to her and take her back to my brother."

"I have been with her all morning." Katie said. "I can tell you that no one is being held against their will. Now, what is your name, your brother's name and the name of this supposed fiancée?"

"Fine." The young man huffed. "My name is Lucas and my brother is Charlie Kensington and his fiancée is Elizabeth Thatcher."

"I am sorry." The guard said. "I think you have a case of mistaken identity. There is no one in this area with that name."

"She is right there." Lucas said, pointing at Elizabeth. "She is talking to those two guys."

The guard looked over and Peter caught his sight and came over.

"Can I help you?" Peter asked.

"He is trying to say that his brother Charlie Kensington's fiancée is in here." Katie said.

"You are mistaken, Sir." Peter said.

"ELIZABETH!" Lucas yelled.

Elizabeth didn't turn around or react at all. It was hard, but she kept talking to Lee and Father Mark. They also didn't react to someone yelling Elizabeth's name.

"See you are mistaken." Peter said. "That is John Thornton's granddaughter and as his assistant I would know if she had a fiance. So please leave as this is a restricted area."

"I am not leaving until I speak to Elizabeth." Lucas yelled.

"You are leaving." Katie said. "The question is whether you walk away on your own or I have you physically removed."

Peter raised his hand and caught the attention of two officers who were nearby. They immediately came over.

"Can I help you Sir?" The officer said.

"Yes." Peter said. "This man has been asked several times to leave and he is refusing. He is demanding to speak to someone, but the person that he says he wants to speak to is not here."

"He is lying." Lucas said. "Thornton is the one that kidnapped my brother's fiancée. I demand that you do something."

"If you want to file a report." The other officer said. "You are more than free to come to the office and do so. Once we have an official report, we can investigate your claim of kidnapping."

"But she is right there." Lucas hissed.

"And this area was reserved for former State Senator John Thornton." The first officer said. "I have never known him to be part of something illegal, besides we know where he will be so you can come file your report."

"I want all your names." Lucas demanded. "I am going to name you in the lawsuit that Charlie is filing."

"You can have our names when you file that report." The officer said.

"I am not leaving without Elizabeth." Lucas yelled.

The officer took a step closer to Lucas.

"Elizabeth! Elizabeth!" Lucas yelled. "Charlie still loves you and forgives you. He won't stop looking for you."

The officers grabbed Lucas and started dragging him away, while he continued to yell for Elizabeth and make a scene.

… … … …

"What?" Elizabeth said.

"Jack was studying for his jockey license when Laura was hurt." Lee said.

"So that is all tied up in what happened to Laura." Elizabeth said.

"A lot of things are tied up with what happened with Laura." Father Mark said. "Her injury has affected Jack in ways that he hasn't even begun to recognize. I have tried over the years to get him to talk to me about it, but he refuses."

"I know that Jack told me what happened." Elizabeth said. "He also told me some of his feelings about the situation. The one thing that he never told me was who it was or what happened to him."

As they were talking, Elizabeth's name was yelled several times, but she kept her focus on Father Mark. It was hard, but she didn't react, nor did she look around.

"The guy was a local guy." Father Mark said. "John and Grandpa made sure that he is spending the next twenty-two years in prison for attempted murder among other charges. We don't speak his name as we felt it more important to speak of victims of crime instead of the perpetrators."

"I can see that." Elizabeth said.

Before anyone could say anything else, Katie came back and sat down.

"Who was that?" Elizabeth asked.

"Someone claiming to be Charlie's brother." Katie said. "His name is Lucas."

"Lucas Bouchard," Lee said. "He is one of Charlie's frat brothers. Just as much bad news as Charlie with half the brains. Lucas' mother is a publisher in the city. I am not sure what his father does. He started hanging out with Charlie when they were juniors or so in high school. Both should have a record a mile long, but have always been able to buy their way out of trouble."

"Good to know." Katie said.

Katie sent a quick text to Peter and Andrew before turning back to the conversation.

"So what were you all talking about?" Katie asked.

"Why didn't Jack get his jockey license?" Elizabeth said.

"Because Charlotte refused to sign the papers when he was sixteen." Katie said. "I know that he had thought about getting it this summer, but he wasn't sure he would be up here long enough."

"How do you know that?" Elizabeth asked.

"Because he asked me about it." Katie said. "I have mine. Chris thought it was a good way for us to have another layer of protection for everyone."

"You have rode a thoroughbred?" Elizabeth asked, surprised.

"Yes." Katie said. "Not in a race, but around the track at a full gallop."

"How long have you had your license?" Lee asked.

"Ten years." Katie said. "About the same amount of time that I have been working for Mr Thornton."

"Wow." Elizabeth said. "So security, jockey and personal shopper. What don't you do?"

"You forgot I am also a wife and mother." Katie said. "I only work security when Chris needs me for Jack. I have kept up my jockey license because of that. These days, I spend more time as a personal shopper for several clients as it is easier to fit that schedule around the kids."

"How old are your kids?" Father Mark asked.

"Harper is six." Katie said. "Oliver is eight, almost nine."

"And they are with your parents in DC." Elizabeth said.

"Yes." Katie said. "Well, they will leave for DC on Monday. They will come home from camp tomorrow. They have been there for the last two weeks. I homeschool the kids with a couple of other mothers. My mother thought that a trip to DC would be fun. They are going to be gone for three weeks. They have plans to take in a lot of museums. I think that there was talk of going to a Civil War battle field. My father served in the Air Force for twenty years so the kids are excited to go to the National Air and Space museum. There is so much to see in DC, that I am thinking that three weeks will not be enough time."

"Will they stay longer if you are still up here?" Elizabeth asked.

"Maybe." Katie said. "They are staying with some friends of theirs, my parents, for part of the time and Jack arranged for a nice hotel suite for them also. I also know that they are taking their fifth wheel so that if they want to go camping, they can."

"Sounds like fun." Elizabeth said. "I would love to see some of the sights in DC. I love history."

"Maybe someday." Katie said. "I know that Jack wants to see the Air and Space museum. He had a blast sitting with the kids and planning what they were going to do."

"I bet he did." Elizabeth said with a smile.

Katie looked at Elizabeth and smiled.

"Ladies and gentlemen." Todd announced. "The judges have made their decision. It has been determined that neither JP Thornton or Doug Burke violated any rules. They jumped all the fences in order and therefore didn't go off course as was alleged. Since both had clear rounds, they will continue on to the jumpoff. Mr Thornton is currently in first and Mr Burke is currently in second and those times will stand. So lets please welcome our next rider Max Curtis. He is riding Goldie, owned by Vine Stables of Grangerville."

"So that means that Jack and Doug didn't do anything wrong?" Elizabeth asked.

"That is exactly what it means." Gran said coming back over.

"Good." Elizabeth said. "Where were you?"

"I was talking to some people that I knew." Gran said. "Is everything okay here?"

"There was something going on with a young man who wanted in." Katie said. "We took care of it. The State police took the guy away after he made a scene."

"I stayed here talking to Lee and Father Mark." Elizabeth said. "It was one of Charlie's frat brothers who was trying to get to me."

"I am sorry about that." Gran said. "I was hoping that nothing would happen."

"It is okay." Elizabeth said. "I feel safe here with you and with Jack. I think I have felt completely safe for the first time that I can remember in a very long time."

Father Mark put his hand on Elizabeth's shoulder.

"I am sorry that you have had to go through what you have." Father Mark said. "Please consider letting me arrange for someone for you to speak to. I am sure that I can arrange for her to come out to the ranch."

"I think I might like that." Elizabeth said. "Maybe later this week, we are going to Toronto for a couple of days."

"I know." Father Mark said. "I might go as well."

The group continued to talk as the last few jumpers rode. Elizabeth was vaguely watching what was going on the field as Jack had already rode and she wanted to engage in the conversation that was going on around her. As much as Elizabeth wanted to learn more about jumping and horses, she wanted to also talk to Father Mark and Katie. Elizabeth also noticed that Lee wasn't paying as much attention to what was going on on the field as he was before Jack jumped. Gran was still taking notes as the riders and farms were announced and then again when their times were posted.

… … … …