Dr. Faith Carter descended the stairway, stepping into a living room where the Coulters and Henry Gowen sat waiting.

"Well, what do you think?" Rosemary Coulter asked, standing as soon as Faith reached the landing.

Faith set her doctor's bag on the table, folding her arms in front of her. "I tried to speak with her, but like you mentioned, her responses are confused. She seems to be having auditory hallucinations. She mentioned hearing Jack's voice telling her to hold on."

"Oh, my," Rosemary said. "Has she gone mad?"

"It's much too early for that sort of diagnosis. I would say right now that it is an acute reaction to psychological shock. Given her history of sudden loss, I wouldn't say this isn't altogether unusual. It will likely improve with time. How is Little Jack?"

Lee shook his head. "Stoic. One of the other kids told him about Lucas."

Faith sighed, then shook her head. "And how did he react?"

"He won't talk about it. I think he's more worried about Elizabeth right now," Lee replied.

"Which is understandable," Faith said. "Is Nathan at least helping him?"

Rosemary spoke up. "Nathan and Elizabeth are no longer together."

"What? I hadn't heard," Faith replied. "Did they fight, or…?"

"It wasn't a fight. It just wasn't working for them. And as for Little Jack, he's been staying with the Canfields, and Elizabeth's father is coming to pick him up in the morning to stay with the Thatchers."

"That's good," Faith replied. "It's better he not be here right now. He's too young to understand."

"When do you think Elizabeth will begin to return to normal?" Henry asked.

Faith shook her head. "I'm not sure. I hope she will."

"You mean she might not?"

"The mind is a very complicated thing. It's impossible to judge where she goes from here. Physically, she's in good shape, so that works in her favor – but her mind…."

"Lucas?"

The four friends turned to the stairwell and saw Elizabeth standing on the landing. Her eyes widened in confusion.

"Elizabeth!" Rosemary exclaimed.

Thornton continued down the stairs, then began franticly looking around. "Was Lucas just here? I thought I heard his voice."

Coulter embraced her friend. "No, sweety. It wasn't him. Why don't you go back to bed…"

Elizabeth pushed her aside. "No. I know he's coming to dinner tonight and I need to start making some beef stew," she moved to her refrigerator and began looking for some beef. "It's his favorite."

The group looked toward Faith who stepped forward, placing her hand on Elizabeth's back. "Elizabeth. Lucas had an accident."

Thornton ignored her, moving to a kitchen cabinet and pulling out her jar of flour. "Rosemary. Would you mind helping me with the pie crust? You do so well with it. The lard is over on the stove."

Faith again walked toward her. "Elizabeth. Lucas passed away. He's gone. Don't you remember?"

Immediately, Elizabeth pulled away from her. "No! No, he didn't die! You're lying!"

"Elizabeth?!" Rosemary said.

Thornton backed toward the cabinet. "She's lying to me, Rosemary. Lucas didn't die. He's alive."

"Now, Elizabeth…" Faith said, "Just calm down."

"No!" Elizabeth yelled, her eyes flashing anger. "You're lying! And you need to get out of my house!" Thornton turned and picked up a rolling pin and began moving toward Faith.

"Oh, my!" Rosemary exclaimed as the two men jumped up to aid her.

"This is worse than I thought," Carter said.

"Elizabeth put down the rolling pin," Lee said as Faith rushed to her medical bag.

Thornton backed toward the door. "You're all against me. You hated Lucas. He's not dead. Lucas is alive! I heard him!"

"Now, Elizabeth…" Lee said.

Henry looked at Rosemary who turned to Thornton to distract her while Gowen sneaked out the front door. Running around the house toward the back he managed to slip in through the back door and before Thornton knew he was there, grabbed her from behind in such a manner that it caused the pin to fall to ground.

"No! Let me go!" Elizabeth screamed and wrestled with him as he held her firm. Carter approached with a hypodermic needle.

"Now, Elizabeth, you need to calm down!" Gowen said.

"No! Help! Help me, Lucas!" Thornton began to cry, pulling at him with her hands. "Please…you were supposed to be his friend! He's not dead…he's not! Oh…Henry…he's not….He's alive."

Gowen felt physically ill over his deception but knew at that particular juncture that nothing that could be done but to continue the lie, although he longed to tell her the truth. With the help of the Coulters holding her down, Henry made her still enough so that Carter managed to inject her with sodium barbital, a sedative that quickly caused unconsciousness within less than a minute. As he held her, Gowen looked at the doctor helplessly until he felt Thornton relax in his arms, his heart breaking for the one person in town aside from Lucas who had consistently been kind to him. "What now?" he asked.

Faith thought for a moment. "Rosemary, I know you've been staying here the past couple of days and this is taking you away from Goldie."

"I don't mind," Coulter said. "Lee brings her over."

"Still, with her exhibiting violent tendencies, I'd rather take her back to the infirmary where I can watch her more closely for a couple of days, maybe give her some medication to calm her."

"But, she's going to be okay?" Henry asked. "Right?"

Faith looked at Elizabeth's friend. "We will give her all the support we can." She paused. "I'm sure she'll be fine," she said, though the worried look in her eyes said differently.

"How is my favorite daredevil this morning?" Parker Scott walked into the Monastery a little after ten with a basket of muffins from Minnie's café, which was something Lucas had been craving.

"In extreme pain," Bouchard winced, moving slightly in his bed where he was propped up with pillows, as one of the Franciscan brothers tended to a scrape on his ribcage. Bouchard's left side was solid blue.

"Yeah," Park said, snarling up his face as he saw the extent of Lucas's injuries and imagined the pain he was in. He set the muffins down on Lucas's nightstand. "Brother John stated that today would probably be the worst since you're no longer on morphine. But hey. Look at the bright side. At least you can still enjoy these!" He opened the bag and pulled out a blueberry muffin, passing it to his friend.

Bouchard's eyes lit up, and he reached for the muffin, grimacing in pain as he stretched. "Th-thank you," he said, leaning back and catching his breath before enjoying the delectable treat. "W-what's the word from Hope Valley? Have they captured my assailant yet?"

Parker shook his head. "No. Not yet. Though there have been some interesting developments. Seems that someone has been calling from Union City to talk to Edwin – a woman."

Lucas shrugged, taking a bite of the muffin. "Yes…I suppose a lot of people, including women, call him. He's my public relations assistant. I'm guessing you think this woman is this Maddie Hagerty?"

"I would bet on it. But that's not the most interesting part. Edwin wasn't the only person she was calling."

"Who?" Lucas asked.

"Nathan Grant."

Lucas wrinkled his forehead in confusion. "Why would both Edwin and Nathan be speaking to this Maddie Hagerty? You don't suppose it was part of this case?"

"That would make sense," Parker stated. "But I don't think Grant's interest was professional. I think it was personal."

"Explain?"

"Our source who overheard the phone call…"

"Florence," Lucas interjected to Park's amusement. "Go on."

"Yes, well, Florence told us that the telephone that was calling was Union City 450. That rings a suite at the Union City Hotel."

"Ah. And is there a record of who was in that suite?" Lucas asked, digesting the facts of the case quickly.

"Yes. It was registered to James Hagerty and his sister, Madeleine. Madeleine St. John."

Lucas's eyes opened wide. "Wait! You're saying that Madeleine, the woman that Edwin was talking about, is Madeleine St. John? The same Madeleine St. John who came to Hope Valley a couple of years ago with her son Jamie?"

"They are one and the same. Bill positively identified her through a photo. Digging a little deeper we discovered that Jamie, the boy, is actually James Hagerty St. John, named for his grandfather. Seems Maddie was part of the Hagerty gang when they robbed a bank and they sent her to Paris for a while. While she was there, she met this French gambler named Sebastian St. John and married him, producing Jamie. They stayed until Jamie was five years old when they moved back to Philadelphia, where Maddie's mother has some powerful relatives in the realm of politics. It was at that time that she learned about the trust that her father had set up, and given that Sebastian had basically gambled away their money while he was in Europe, well, he used that trust as leverage in a scheme to get the money back and partnered with a businessman in Union City."

"Bernhardt Montague. She said he controlled her trust."

"That matches my findings. Bernhardt Montague became Sebastian St. John's business partner through some property investments. St. John, through Maddie's brother James, got hooked up in some illicit land deal and Montague was his chief investor. He used Maddie's trust as collateral but died of natural causes before the deal could come to fruition."

"So, if the deal fell through, how did Montague still have control of the trust?"

"The people from whom Sebastian was purchasing the land took off with the money, and Montague lost out but held onto Maddie's part of the Hagerty Trust as leverage – blackmailing her to do his bidding."

Lucas shook his head. "Yes. I remember that. He blackmailed her to buy the land for the water diversion project, only she never filed the deed. She is a big reason Hope Valley didn't go dry. A real heroine – or at least I thought. Why would she be calling Edwin and Nathan?"

"That's what we are trying to figure out. Since your 'death,' everything in Hope Valley has been a bit out of sorts. Grant is nowhere to be seen. I understand he's with his daughter…who, by the way, Florence is convinced was being threatened by Madeleine."

"Allie was?"

"Yes, though people have seen her and said she looks fine."

"Well, that's good. Although, that doesn't sound like the Madeleine we knew."

"Maybe not the Madeleine you knew, but after he figured this out, Bill noted how often she had lied to him – even at the last, claiming that she didn't think anyone would be hurt by her purchasing his land while in the same breath saying what a dangerous man Montague is. Sounds like she's quite the actress. Bill's going to try to talk to Nathan to see what he knows this afternoon – that is if he can find him."

Lucas shook his head. "And Edwin? Any idea why he was in communication with her?"

"None. And now that Mr. Mitchell has slipped into a coma, I am not sure we'll find out.

Lucas was quiet for a moment. "When will Dr. Hensley from Calgary be arriving?"

"Well, the Defense Minister made the arrangements yesterday afternoon, so we're expecting him here any moment. Aside from coming to see you, that's why I stopped by. We need to make sure Edwin's identity remains a secret. Calgary is out of this jurisdiction, but I don't want to take any chances."

"I agree. Any word on Edwin's wife?"

"None. She's disappeared. Her sister-in-law suggested she's touring Morocco. Beyond that, we haven't done much digging."

"I understand," Lucas replied before adjusting his position so he could look his friend in the eyes. "And how is Elizabeth? Is she doing better?"

Parker's expression was unreadable, which worried Lucas in and of itself. "Henry was going to see her today. I know she's bad enough that they're sending her boy to go stay with his grandparents for a few weeks while she is recovering."

Lucas closed his eyes. "My poor Elizabeth. We need to help her. This isn't fair."

"We've already discussed this, Lucas."

"I know, but if we could just show her…"

"No. If you leave these walls, and anyone sees you, then the whole case is blown. Your life is worth nothing. Jeanette's life. Even Elizabeth's."

"But…"

"She's better off where she is now. Dr. Carter is treating her. She is getting the attention she needs. You need to focus on getting well and nothing more. I'll tell you if anything changes."

Parker's words hung in the air like a thick fog, even though Bouchard knew he was right. Still, it stung. Elizabeth was hurting, and he couldn't help her. Nathan was apparently nowhere to be seen, and she was all alone, thinking he was dead. After everything she'd been through, it just seemed so wrong. He laid his head back and said a prayer for wisdom. Something needed to break, and soon.

At the jailhouse, Jeanette paced her cell while she waited for the news to arrive that Parker Scott had arrived. The detective had received a message from her that she wanted to talk to him but had been so busy with the case that this day was the first time he could make the trip to Eagle Creek to visit her, though he wondered how she was doing.

For her part, she wasn't doing well. For the past two days, she had brooded, angry at herself for ever having gotten involved with the Hagertys, angry over the position they had put her in, angry at the death of Malory, but most of all, angry and grieving that her Chéri was gone. She had considered what she could have done to stop it and then conceded to herself that she was entrapped and nothing she could have said or done could have prevented it. She, therefore, retrained her focus toward revenge. If it were up to her, the Hagertys would never hurt another soul again. She called the Superintendent and asked him to get ahold of Parker and now she waited.

In Capital City, Madeleine St. John had just returned to a small apartment she kept while settling out the business over her father's estate. Jamie, the one person in her life whom she loved with all her heart, was in boarding school in Pennsylvania, unaware of his mother's activity in Western Canada. Soon they'd be reunited and she'd take him away from there – away from America – back to France where she was happy.

Checking the clock on the wall, she then looked down at her wristwatch. Jimmy was late. She sighed, considering the depths he had taken her through - all for access to what was truly hers – her share of the trust. Of course, she felt guilt over her role in three murders, but what choice did she have? Without the fund, she and Jamie would be destitute – just as she had been growing up. She'd experienced that pain through life with her mother, and she swore, whatever it took, she would not allow the same to happen to her child. With this money, Jamie St. John would be set for life.

Finally, the phone rang, and Madeleine immediately answered.

"What took you so long?" she asked. "Did you withdraw my money?"

The sound on the other end of the line was quiet until finally Jimmy responded. "There's a lock on the trust."

"What?"

"They're on to us, Maddie. And they've locked down our ability to get to the cash."

Madeleine sank against the sofa in her living room. "What will we do?"

"We will beat them at their own game. The freeze is based on the case they have against us. So, we eliminate their case."

"Eliminate? Jimmy, you said we were through."

"Things changed. Now, the way I figure, we have three people who could possibly testify against us. Bernhardt Montague. Jeanette Aucoin. And Nathan Grant. Eliminate the three of them, and there is no case against us."

"Absolutely not."

"Do you want the money or don't you? Or do you want to strip all the niceties that young man of yours has gotten used to, the schooling, the clothes, the future….and go start a boarding house like that wretched mother of yours?"

"Do not talk about my mother," she responded.

"I will if I see you becoming like her. Maddie, your mother wouldn't join our father, and we see how she ended up. Don't be foolish. Let's band together and collapse this case. Then, you're free to go wherever you want to. I promise."

Madeleine glanced at a photo of her and Jamie on the desk, then closed her eyes. "What do you want me to do?"

"You have twenty minutes."

The guard at the Eagle Creek Jail led Jeanette into the visitor's room, where Parker Scott sat waiting. As she entered, he stood.

"Quite the gentleman," she said flirtatiously to throw off the guard as to the serious nature of the visit. The guard rolled his eyes and left the room, locking them inside, and Jeanette's expression immediately changed. "Where have you been? I called for you two days ago."

"Busy," Scott replied, surprised at her urgent demeanor. "I've been working on trying to figure out who is behind what happened to our friend."

"I know who's behind it!" she said. "That's why I called. I know, and I'm willing to testify to anything and anyone. I have names, dates, places, documentation…"

Parker paused, surprised at her openness and curious as to what she knew. "Just who do you think did it?"

"It was Madeleine St. John and that despicable brother of hers, Jimmy Hagerty. They were the ones that killed Malory. They killed him because he was going to talk."

"And you know this how?"

"Because I worked for them. They hired me to go after Lucas on the night of the election."

"Wait, they hired you to kill Bouchard?"

"No. Not to kill him. They wanted me to corrupt him. I'll tell you everything. I just don't want to do it here. They killed Lucas. They're going to want to clean up all loose ends."

"But that's why we brought you here," Parker said. "To keep you safe. Walker is a straight arrow."

"He may be, but I don't feel right here. The Superintendent seems honest but I don't trust the others, and the Hagertys have people everywhere. I feel like the walls have ears. I don't trust them, and I'm scared. But more than that, I'm angry. They killed my only friend and I want to make sure they come to justice!"

"Listen, Jeanette, getting you out of here is not as easy as you might think. You're serving a sentence for kidnapping. The Mounties…"

"It was a Mountie that sent me."

Parker furrowed his brow. "You were sent by a Mountie? To St. John?"

"Yes," she said, nodding her head. "Nathan Grant."

Parker's lips parted. There it was again. Grant was involved with Hagerty and St. John and now Jeanette. He took a deep breath. "How do I know you're telling the truth?"

"I have it documented. I have a safe deposit box in Benson Hills. I can give you the combination. There is more at my place in Capital City if they haven't discovered it yet. I imagine The Hagertys have scoured the place, but I have a hidden place. Unless you know it's there, you'll be unlikely to find it."

"What's the combination?" he asked, pulling a small notepad out of his jacket along with a pen and passing it across the table. Jeanette wrote the numbers on the paper.

"I want to do whatever has to be done in order to capture them. Please, believe me."

"I do believe you," Park said. "Just give me a little time. If these numbers check out then I will work with Walker and see what we can do."

"Thank you, Mr. Scott. Please hurry."

"I will, Ms. Aucoin – and please, it's Park."

Parker left the visitation area and immediately made his way to his car, driving to the edge of town and stopping at the local mercantile where he knew there was a telephone. Calling Hope Valley, he asked Bill Avery to stop what he was doing and go to Benson Hills to check out Jeanette's story. "If she's telling us the truth, she could be the key to the Hagertys."

"And she thinks they are the ones who tried to kill Bouchard? How did they get access?"

"I'm not sure. But she seems certain they were the ones that drove it. Oh…and one other thing she told me you're not going to like."

"What's that?"

"She said that the person who brought her back into Bouchard's life to begin with, the one they were working with just before Lucas was shot, was Nathan Grant."

"That can't be right," Avery replied, anger rising within him. "She's lying."

"I don't think she is, Bill," Parker responded. "I'm not sure how much he's involved as of late but it would make sense if he helped them before that he could be being blackmailed now. So, I'd be very careful with what I shared."

Bill nodded. "Message received."

Elizabeth sat quietly in the infirmary, the sodium barbital in her system having done its job as not only a sleep agent but also a drug that would calm nervous excitement such as that which Thornton was experiencing. Still, even though she was no longer as frantic and confused as before, Elizabeth's tortured mind was busy recalling every wrong she'd ever committed against Lucas, tears of regret rolling down her cheek as Faith Carter walked into the room to check on her.

"You're awake," the doctor said. "Are you feeling any better?"

It took several seconds for Thornton to answer and she didn't look at Carter when she did. "I never got to say goodbye," Elizabeth said quietly.

Faith turned toward her, surprised and indeed saddened by her voice. She walked to her and sat down in the chair beside her.

"I loved him," Elizabeth said. "But I made him think he wasn't wanted. I told him to leave. He thought that I didn't want him here, but I did. I never told him. He died, not knowing how I felt."

Faith touched her arm. "I'm sure he knew, Elizabeth."

"No. I hurt him, Faith. Over and over, I hurt him. I let him die not knowing…and I betrayed him – with Nathan."

Faith shook her head. "Elizabeth, you didn't betray him. You and Nathan weren't dating until sometime after Lucas, and you ended your engagement.

"I was the one who ended the engagement."

"What?"

"I told him I would go with him to Capital City. Then I waited until it was time for him to board the train, until there was no time left for discussion, and I ambushed him with the breakup. He…he thought I would go with him. I told him I would. I kissed him goodbye, and he was so happy to know that I would go, and the very next day, I betrayed him."

"You had misgivings…"

"Yes. But not about him. Not about us. About me. About marrying again…after Jack. Rosemary told me that Lucas was the safe choice, and I allowed myself to believe it. But he wasn't safe – because more than anyone on this earth, he…he had the key to my heart. And if I ever allowed him to fully unlock it…"

"You could get hurt again," Faith said, completing the thought. "But if you were having doubts, you were right to call it off."

"Not the way I did, and not for good," she replied. "Lucas loved me, and I loved him more than any man I've ever loved other than Jack. I can't even say I wouldn't have loved him more than Jack as time went on. Jack was my first love, and Lucas was to be my last…and I threw him away. I threw him away, Faith…I made him go…I pushed him to go to Capital City. I wasn't there for him, and I ran to Nathan…foolishly. I lied to myself. I lied to Nathan. I lied to Lucas…and now…he's gone. He's gone." Elizabeth began to sob, and Dr. Carter stood up, sitting on the edge of her bed and attempting to console her, but Thornton abruptly turned away. "I don't deserve your comfort! I don't deserve anything. I sent him away, and they killed him. It's my fault. It's all my fault. I'm to blame."

"Elizabeth…"

"No. Leave me. I don't want to talk…I don't want to do anything."

Nathan sat in his bedroom, staring at the serge hanging by the mirror. He remembered the first time he put it on—young, eager, and full of purpose. At twenty-two years old, he was full of confidence as he stood in front of the barracks following Mountie training in Regina- his first venture outside Alberta. He could still feel the weight of the uniform in his hands, see the gleam of gold buttons against red wool, and sense the swell of pride in his chest. He had vowed to stand for justice, truth, and the redemption of the Grant name. But sixteen years later, he saw only failure staring back at him. He should have been a Superintendent by now, but he'd held back – ostensibly because of Allie, but also because of something else – a desire to keep Elizabeth from Lucas. From the moment he saw him, Bouchard reminded him of Archie, and if there was one way that he could protect Jack's widow, it would be to keep her from the likes of Bouchard. He had been so wrong about so much. Shame settled deep in his bones.

He closed his eyes as he considered how everything had come about, of how Maddie St. John had lingered by his office door the week that Lucas Bouchard had decided to run for governor. He was surprised to see her but even more surprised over what she had come about.

"I heard Lucas Bouchard's broadcast the other night and how he is going against Bixby Balfour," she said, sitting by his desk in a darkened room.

"That's right," Grant replied.

"Bixby is a dangerous man, as is Bernhardt Montague."

"I, um, think we can handle them."

"No, Constable. You don't understand. If Balfour thinks he will lose, he and Montague will stop at nothing to see that everything about this town and Bouchard is destroyed – and you are not immune."

Nathan tilted his head. "What are you talking about?"

Madeleine pulled a thin folder out of her purse and laid it on the desk, and Nathan took it in his hand, immediately recognizing it as his own performance report written by then-Sergeant Andrew Hargreaves. "They gather information on everyone. It's their way of having leverage over people in every town. This was in Bernhardt Montague's office."

"How…how did you get ahold of this?" Nathan asked.

"Montague was my husband's business partner, and he's holding an inheritance as leverage over me and Jamie. I was in his office in Union City discussing the trust when I saw this in a stack of papers on his desk."

Grant furrowed his brow, disturbed.

"Did you really think that the Provincial Governor decided to come out of his way to give you an award for simply doing your job? He knew you were compromised."

Nathan shook his head. "This was seven years ago. I faced reprimand at the time and was demoted for disobeying orders."

"Yes, you were – but we both know that's not the full story, don't we, Constable Grant?"

Nathan's blue eyes met her own.

"You disobeyed orders at the request of Judge Aaron Southwick from Cape Fullerton."

Grant kept a straight face. "I don't know what you're talking about. I arrested some notorious cattle rustlers."

"Who were being observed specifically because the Northwest Mounted Police believed them to be working with Mitchell Quinn and Lance Wilcox, two of the worst gunrunners in Canadian history – men whose activities had resulted in the deaths of several Mounties. Southwick was covering for them and offered you a promotion in exchange for your cooperation – and then afterward, signed off on your going to Hope Valley to hide what you'd done while he worked on getting you an Inspector's job in Union City through Superintendent Patrick O'Reilly – or do you still not know what I'm talking about?" she asked, producing one more piece of paper from her purse which was personal correspondence from Southwick to Grant.

"I had no idea of the connection between Quinn and Wilcox with the cattle rustlers."

"Maybe not, but you still disobeyed orders which allowed Mountie killers to go free and resulted, indirectly, in the death of one more Mountie – Jack Thornton, Sr."

Nathan stared at her blankly. "What do you want?"

Madeleine raised her chin smugly in the air, picking up the papers and replacing them in her purse. Snapping it shut, she leaned forward. "I want information on Lucas Bouchard – anything you can find."

"For what purpose?"

"Bernhardt Montague has been sniffing around, seeing what he could discover about Bouchard, and has so far come up empty. I recall hearing that you arrested the young man last year sometime. Is that not correct?"

"Yes."

"Well, surely you discovered something in your investigation that could…cause Bouchard embarrassment?"

Nathan inhaled. "And if I did?"

"Then I would suggest you share what you know, Constable," she replied. "Or I will share what I know with all of the local news, and the whole world will know how Nathan Grant set two cop-killers free."

"Dad…Dad…"

Allie's voice broke Nathan out of his recollection and called him back to the present.

"Um, yeah…?"

"Didn't you hear Grandma calling you? Breakfast is ready."

Nathan stared blankly at her for a moment, then nodded. "Um, go ahead," he replied. "I'll just have some coffee today. I'm not hungry."

Allie looked at him with worry, then nodded, reaching out and touching his shoulder before exiting his room.

Grant again looked toward his serge, considering how undeserving he was of wearing it. He prayed again for forgiveness, though in his heart, he felt empty.

Stepping into the First National Bank of Benson Hills, Judge Avery nodded toward a guard at the door before walking with a slip of paper in hand toward a teller to inquire about safe deposit boxes. As a judge, he had full authority to do this investigation, but the combination of a request from Walker and his stamp of approval assured his entrance into the back vault room where the deposit boxes existed. Walking along the wall, he carefully looked at each box number until he found the one belonging to Jeanette Aucoin. He tried the combination and it worked like a charm – giving access to the judge to a stack of folders and envelopes, some including photographs, that would make any spy proud. If Aucoin had more than this at her apartment, the case would be open and shut.

In Hope Valley, a luxury Duesenberg automobile pulled up outside the infirmary. William Thatcher had canceled all business when he heard of his daughter's condition and had made the trip to Hamilton with his younger daughter, Julie, in tow to pick up his grandson and to check on Elizabeth. As he and his daughter entered the doctor's office, they were saddened by what they saw.

"Elizabeth, your father is here," Dr. Carter said softly, though Thornton, who was sitting in a chair by the window staring blankly didn't respond.

William took a step forward. "Elizabeth, sweetheart. We're here – me and your sister Julie. Will you look at us?"

Slowly, Thornton's blue eyes tracked to where her father was kneeling next to her chair, and he saw the utter hopelessness in her expression.

"Hello, Beth…" he said softly.

Elizabeth didn't respond so Julie walked up to her with a goal of cheering her. "Elizabeth. It's me. Julie. Your sister. I…um, I'm going to stay with you for a little while, while Jack goes to visit Hamilton. Won't that be fun? Just like old times!"

Elizabeth looked toward her blankly. "Jack? Jack is dead. Lucas is dead. Everybody dies."

Elizabeth again turned her eyes toward the window, and the Thatchers looked at one another with concern, then back to Faith.

"I've given her some medication that is taking the edge off of her erratic behavior."

"She's not like herself at all," Julie responded.

"No. But the pills seem to be helping calm her. Right now, what she needs is time for the shock to subside. I believe she will get there, but what's best for her is to have no undo stress or burden placed on her at all. Do you think you can handle that?" she asked Elizabeth's sister.

Julie smiled then nodded. "I can. I learned to cook a little and I can keep the house clean and of course dispense her medication. It will be like when I was helping Mother through her last illness…only it's not gastric trouble and she won't be…you know…purging so much."

Faith gave a stilted smile. "No. She won't." Taking a bottle of pills out of her pocket, she gave instructions to Elizabeth's sister as to how much she needed to take and when she might need to up the dosage. Then together, even though Thornton was pretty much unaware, they helped her stand. Stepping outside, the trio then walked to Thatcher's car, where a chauffeur opened the door. Down the street, Nathan was entering his office when he saw the vehicle in the distance. Watching Elizabeth being led out of the infirmary and to her father's car caused his stomach to clench. You did this was all he could think. But before he could think further, the sound of the telephone ringing pulled him away.

Walking into the office, Grant grabbed the phone, his mind still on Thornton.

"Yes."

"Call from Capital City," Florence said, her voice tinged with nervousness that Grant did not sense.

"Okay. Patch it through."

Seconds later, the familiar female voice that Grant never expected to hear again spoke. "Hello, Constable."

Nathan froze, his heart immediately speeding up and his throat becoming tight.

"Why are you calling here?"

"You can hang up the call, operator," Madeleine said. Grant closed his eyes.

Hearing the click, St. John began to speak. "We have loose ends to tie up. You are not done."

"Now hold on!" an angry Grant replied.

"You killed the governor, Constable. They will hang you for this, and we have a witness who will say you did it."

"What?!" Nathan said.

"A certain Pinkerton guard, relation to one Julius and Charles Spurlock. Seems joining the Pinkertons is part of the family trade. He's ready to step forward and say he saw you the night of Bouchard's murder walking around his car but that he thought nothing of it. Given your relationship with the governor, I'm sure that you being outside his cabin that late at night will arouse at least some suspicion."

"But you had Allie and my parents! This wasn't the deal!"

"The deal has changed. We aren't bargaining. Here is what we need you to do."

Grant remained silent.

"Jeanette Aucoin has been taken to Eagle Creek jail. We need you to intervene and get her back. We will deal with her."

"Deal with her? You mean kill another person? No."

"Mountie Grant, you were not given an option and there are seven ways to Sunday how we can hurt you – as you well know. Do not fight us. I will be in touch."

At the click of the phone, bile rose up in Nathan's throat, and he ran to a trash can. At the same time, Bill Avery, having returned from Benson Hills, opened his office door. He squinted his eyes as he saw the sickened Mountie.

Hearing the door shut, Nathan turned his head and looked to see who had entered then wiped his mouth.

"Bill! W-what are you doing here?"

"We need to talk."

Grant stood up straight, moving to his desk and straightening things up. "Um, about what?"

"First of all, what were you doing in Buxton? What were you really doing? I know from Andrew Hargreaves that there was no follow-up investigation concerning the train robbery."

Nathan's pulse quickened as he scrambled to think up any excuse that would pass the keen judge's suspicions, but before he could say anything else, Bill dropped another bombshell on Grant's world.

"And what was your business with Jeanette Aucoin?"

Grant's eyes briefly widened, and then his jaw twitched as he felt every one of his senses being set on fire. "I…um…we arrested her when she…um…when she kidnapped Elizabeth."

"Before that. During the election. After Lucas said he was going to run, we have evidence showing that you were involved with her."

"Then the evidence is false," Grant said, raising his hand to his neck and then adjusting his collar. Bill watched every move. "I never met Jeanette until she showed up in Hope Valley."

"You never spoke to her?"

"No," Nathan replied.

"And why don't I believe you?" Avery said steelily.

Nathan shook his head and looked toward his desk. "That's something you'll have to ask yourself. Look. I don't feel well. I need to go. We'll talk later."

Bill stared at Nathan as the Mountie crossed passed him then stepped aside as he exited the door. Following him, Avery stepped onto the sidewalk and watched as Nathan again mounted Newton. "If you are involved in this, it's best you tell me now what's going on. I know that Madeleine St. John called you and I know that something was happening with Allie. I'll find out the rest."

Nathan got onto his horse, that familiar illness beginning again to churn in his gut. "I'm sorry. I need to go."

As the Mountie rode away, Avery shook his head and then turned back toward his office. As he moved down the road, Henry walked up beside him.

"Any news?" he asked.

"Afraid so," Bill replied. "Come to my office, I'll catch you up."

Elizabeth entered her home and walked through the living room as if in a daze.

"Now sit right down," Julie said. "I'll make you some t…. I'll make you coffee. That's it!"

William looked at his youngest daughter. "I'm not sure coffee is what she needs right now, Julie. Perhaps some juice?"

Elizabeth took a seat on the couch and shook her head. "Juice. Grape."

Julie enthusiastically shook her head and turned around then walked to the icebox. "You know, back at home we just purchased a brand-new refrigerator. It was nine hundred dollars! But it uses electricity and doesn't require the purchase of ice at all!"

"Dear, I don't think your sister wants to hear about our refrigerator," William chided. "Elizabeth, do you need anything? Anything at all?"

Thornton shook her head. "I'm just tired."

"That's to be expected. You've had a rough time," he responded. "You know you can come home and live with us anytime."

"No," Elizabeth replied. "My home is here. Jack's home. Lucas's…."

Thatcher nodded. "Well, we'll take care of that boy of yours for as long as you need us to until you're feeling better."

Thornton nodded, knowing she was in no condition to take care of her son.

Jeanette Aucoin's jail cell opened, and Superintendent Walker stepped inside.

"Ms. Aucoin, will you come with me?" he asked.

Jeanette gave him a worried look but knew that her cooperation was the best way to ensure that things went as she wanted them to go. She needed to avenge Lucas's death. And she knew instinctively that Walker was one of the few she could trust.

Walking past the visiting room, she looked over at the Superintendent inquisitively. "Where are we going?" she asked.

"To get your coat," he responded.

Aucoin furrowed her brow, realizing that she was still in one of the nightgowns that Elizabeth had given her. "Don't you want me to change?"

"No," he responded. "We must act swiftly. Follow me."

Aucoin walked into the processing room where a female attendant handed her a woolen blazer that Aucoin had in her effects at the time she was arrested. "Where am I going."

"Shh…" Walker warned.

Slipping on the jacket, Aucoin was then led through the front door after Walker signed her out, stepping into the cooler air that late Canadian afternoons could bring. She shivered slightly. "Alright….I'm here….where to?"

Walker stood next to her and then nodded toward the road. "There."

A Cobalt Blue Buick had pulled up, and now Parker Scott stood beside its passenger door.

"What in…?" She looked up at Walker.

"You will be under house arrest, but continue talking and we will do our best to see that you are protected," Walker said. "You have my word for it. Now go."

Nathan took off on Newton but did not immediately return home. He needed to go somewhere to calm his nerves before Allie and his parents would see him. How could he continue this ruse now that Bill was onto him? He rode to a clearing and jumped down from his steed, pacing for a good long time as he considered what he would do.

Back at the rowhouse, Minnie and Joseph had arrived with little Jack who was anxious to see his mother to see if she was alright.

"Mama, don't be sad. Buddy isn't gone. He's in Heaven with Daddy Jack and he's happy now."

Elizabeth looked at her son and she started to cry, shaking her head and then caressing the sandy-haired boy's hair as he hugged her. "You're so brave and so strong and growing up so quickly. You'll be a good boy while you're gone?"

Jack looked up at her through tears. "I don't have to go. I can stay."

"No, sweetie. It's better for now. But we'll be back together in a few weeks. I promise. Just as soon as Mama feels better."

Jack shook his head with understanding. "I will miss Buddy. I loved him and he loved me."

Elizabeth again fought back tears, pulling her son into a deep hug and kissing the top of his head. "I know you did, Jack. You both did."

"Time to go," William replied. "We'll want to hit the road so we can reach Union City before dark, and then we will call when we're back home."

Elizabeth nodded and then stood, hugging her father. "Thank you for everything."

William smiled helplessly. "The offer still stands."

Elizabeth shook her head. "No. But thank you."

Julie walked forward and hugged her father and the two had a few words about how they would communicate how things were going on, then Elizabeth walked them toward the door. Stepping outside, the family walked to Thatcher's car and Elizabeth bent down to hug her son. Her soul felt utterly bereft.

A few houses down, Nathan Grant, was tying up Newton. He watched with a crushing anguish as Thornton and Jack said goodbye. A tear filled Nathan's eyes as a weeping Elizabeth stepped away from little Jack, and the boy followed his grandfather into the car. Julie hugged her and led her inside, and there Nathan stood, alone in his brokenness and torment. You've deprived her of two husbands, the boy of two fathers. Where is the justice for her?

Jeanette stepped out of Henry's car, which Parker had borrowed in town, and was led by Scott to the door of a chapel.

"You're taking me to church?" she asked. "That's different."

"This is where we're hiding you," Parker explained. "The monks here have taken a vow of celibacy, and no women are allowed in the monastery, but there is a little parsonage that they have used in the past for missionaries and the like. It's on their property, which is gated and will be guarded, and Brother Felix will take care of you."

"Brother Felix?" she said, stepping into the church.

The old church building was of gothic construction though not nearly as ornate as some of the buildings she'd seen of the same style. Situated as it was deep in the woods between Eagle Creek and Hope Valley, it was perfect – it's natural surroundings providing more peace and comfort than the stone edifices that were erected by the Franciscans.

"Stay here," Parker said. "I'll let Brother John know you've arrived."

He left her standing in the vestibule, and the door locked behind him.

Aucoin stood in the quiet looking around at the darkened edifice illuminated by torches like some medieval castle and she mused how proper it was that as she came to the end of what might be her life, she was stepping into the presence of God – or so it would seem. It certainly seemed holy in this place, so quiet, so clean.

Walking into the sanctuary, she observed an altar at the end of the aisle and tables along the wall that were lined with burning candles. Her eyes traveled to the statues to the sides, similar to the ones she'd seen frequently in festivals in New Orleans – though, as a girl from Storyville, she'd never been invited to see what they were all about. And then she traveled up to a cross on the wall with what appeared to be an ivory representation of Jesus, the wounds on its head, its hands, and its side a stark reminder of what the Son of God had done for sinners – Just like you! She recalled a preacher on the street saying, a man, who at the time Aucoin had just laughed off. Why would God want her? He will take you just as you are. He'll forgive you. It doesn't matter what you've done. He'll save you because that is what Jesus came to do – not to dine with royalty or commune with the religious zealots, but to save the broken, the wounded, the weary, the lost. Don't turn him away. Hear His voice calling you. Hear him today.

Jeanette closed her eyes, and she began to tremble, her heart thudding within her chest as the pain of an entire lifetime spent taking care of herself began to crumble before her. There had never been a worse sinner in her own eyes than she was, and the idea that God would love her still seemed like so much fancy that she could hardly believe. And yet, in the quiet of that moment, the solemn atmosphere of that building, her soul cried for sanctuary, for truth, and for the peace that had heretofore eluded her for her entire life.

Stepping forward to the altar, she walked to the steps, fell on her knees against the red carpet, and began to cry silently and agonizingly berating herself for how she had lived her life and telling herself that there was no way that someone as pure and Holy as God could ever want someone like her.

As her shoulders shook in agony, from the side of the sanctuary entered a man wearing a dark monk's robe with the hood pulled up. Seeing her there, broken as she was, his heart filled with compassion. But he said nothing as he knew that the moment was sacred and was exactly what she needed in her life. It was what he needed, too.

For all the time he knew her, Lucas Bouchard had known Jeanette to be a skeptic when it came to religion. At first, he saw her as just another free thinker of the kind society was producing in droves at that time, but once he truly got to know her, he felt there was more to it. He wanted to talk to her about it, but at the time, he himself had gone far away from God. It wasn't that he didn't believe. From the time he was a child, Lucas knew that Christ was real and had respect for the Christian faith. But he never felt God's presence – at least not in the way he wanted as an eight-year-old boy whose parents found nearly everything more important than their own son. And so, Lucas grew to believe that God the Father was just like his own parents, distant and demanding of honor, but otherwise not someone you could have a relationship with.

All of that changed when he came to Hope Valley, and he met a community that had lived through some of life's most difficult moments and had found their strength in God. That piqued his curiosity and his admiration – and then he met the Canfields, who solidified his faith. It was in the dark hours of his breakup with Elizabeth, when it felt like he'd been rejected by everyone, that Joseph and Minnie let him know that he was still loved and that there was still a place for him in this seemingly forsaken world. And somehow, that brought him peace.

And now, as he stood in the sanctuary quietly guarding Aucoin, without her notice, Lucas prayed for her – that she'd find that peace too. A few moments later, he heard Aucoin's own voice filling the air.

"God. I…I know you're probably surprised to see me here," she stopped. "Or maybe not, since You're supposed to know everything. But I'm surprised to be here because I never thought…I…I thought I could do it on my own, and I didn't need you or anyone. I thought that I was the only one I could trust…the only one who could take care of me, and now…" she began to sob. "I've made such a mess of things….I….I never meant for this to happen. I loved him. I really did. He was the kindest man I ever knew, and if I had known…oh, dear God…I'm so sorry! I'm just so…so sorry!" Great tears fell down her cheeks, and she wiped her face with her sleeve. "I know I've never come to you before like this…at least not properly…but if you're listening and if what that preacher said was real, that you can forgive me…and save me…Jesus…I need you. I need you to be with me and to take care of me and to help me as I stand against these wicked…evil…." She stopped and began to weep harder, her hands clenched to her chest as her body shook and curled into a ball. "Oh, Lord! I've been so wicked. I've been so evil. I never meant for him to get hurt. I never wanted anything to actually happen. I was selfish and stupid and…oh, please! Please forgive me! Please...please forgive…."

Her words touched Lucas to his core. "There's nothing to forgive. You are not like those people, and I know you didn't mean it."

At once, Aucoin's breath hitched, and her world stilled as his deep, gentle voice resonated throughout the sanctuary. Slowly, she raised her eyes not noticing as the church door opened and then closed again. She stood up, her body quivering as she approached the hooded figure whose familiar essence drew her forward.

Shaking, she finally spoke. "L-Lucas?"

Bouchard stood still, his back to her as she stood behind him, stunned.

Before he could answer, Parker's voice cut through the silence, full of dry amusement.

"Jeanette Aucoin, I'd like you to meet Brother Felix."

Jeanette blinked, still dazed. "Brother… Felix?"

Parker gave a slow, satisfied nod. "Yeah. You know, Felix - the cat with nine lives?

Jeanette's breath caught as Lucas—Brother Felix—lowered his head, smiling just slightly beneath the hood. She could just barely see the shadow of his dimpled cheeks, her eyes widened in amazement.

"Is it really you?" she whispered, tears running down her reddened cheeks.

Lucas nodded. "It's me, Ma Cheré," he said, his voice rich with warmth. "Though between us, I would prefer to be called Chéri to Felix."

He raised his chin, then looked over at her, and Aucoin broke down.

"Oh! Lucas!" she sobbed, running to him and wrapping her arms around him from behind. "You're alive! You're really alive!"

"Careful!" he said, protecting his ribs, but somehow her genuine happiness that he was alive was a soothing balm for that too.

At quarter 'til eight, Bill Avery sat in his office, having just finished talking with Parker, who had returned from Eagle Creek in Henry Gowen's car. The day had been productive, given that Jeanette was now safe and spilling everything she knew about Madeleine St. John and Jimmy Hagerty Jr, now that she knew Lucas was alive. It was a deep conspiracy that had been going on for well over a decade, starting with Hagerty himself, who was using the pseudonym of Casimir Shaw – a combination of names referencing his mother's parents, Cassius and Mirabella Bradshaw, Scotch-Irish immigrants who had settled in Philadelphia in the early 1800s. He had used it for years, and only when the conspiracy against Lucas was hatched did the name regain attention – much due to the efforts of certain corrupt lawmen in Capital City, all of whom were named by Aucoin in her lengthy deposition.

"This is really amazing," Bill said, as he finished reading the report. "We can't botch this. She's a dead woman if any of these people winds up free."

"I know," Parker stated. "She's very brave, but she's doing it because she really wants to see justice served. I think what they did to Lucas has really shaken her."

"I would imagine so," Bill replied. "You don't think the two of them…?"

Parker shook his head. "No. Even she's adamant that they are just friends. But she loves him deeply, and I think he loves her – as friends."

Bill nodded with a smile. "I suppose that's good for you?"

"For me?" Parker asked. "Why would you say that?"

Bill pursed his lips. "Just call it a hunch."

Just then his attention was drawn to the shadow outside his doorway of someone coming to visit. "Who can that be at this late hour?"

The door opened, and out of the dark walked Nathan Grant, still dressed in his serge and cap.

Parker turned toward him, and Bill leaned forward.

"Nathan. What brings you out here this late at night? Have you come to talk?"

Grant seemed shaken, and somehow humbled. He nodded, removing his hat and then reaching to his jacket and removing his badge. He took a few steps forward, not making eye contact with either man.

"Yes. I've come to talk and to confess," he said, his voice quivering and shaky.

"To what?" Bill asked.

"To the murder of Lucas Bouchard."