It was four o'clock in the afternoon when Henry and Bill returned to Hope Valley after their tumultuous trip. As they drove down Rowhouse Lane, the two men glanced nervously at Elizabeth's house, apprehensive about the conversation ahead that had recently led to a heated argument between them.

"I can't lie to her," Bill said an hour before. "Not after Jack."

"Bill, you know if she knows he's alive, she may try to go to him, and that'll just endanger him and her."

"I know. But I just can't do it."

"Well, it can't be avoided. He's the governor. The news will be out today. Best we be the ones to break it, so the world and Elizabeth find out the way we need them to, not the way some nosey reporter wants it to be in order to make a splash. To the world, Lucas Bouchard is dead."

Henry stopped his car at Nathan's house, noting Newton was hitched to a post outside. "Looks like Nathan's home. Want to talk to him now?"

"That's a good idea."

Stepping out of the car, the two men climbed onto Grant's porch and knocked on the door, waiting for some time before knocking again.

Bill jumped down from the porch and looked in the back yard then shrugged. "Huh. Must be visiting neighbors or something. We'll try later."

But Grant wasn't visiting with anyone. Instead, he sat on the floor of his rowhouse, with his knees drawn to his chest, his eyes bloodshot with tears, and his body trembling. He had killed an innocent man. He had killed Lucas Bouchard – a man his rival but also someone who had tried to be his friend, and yet he had always put a wall between them.

"I'm sorry, Lucas. I'm so…so, sorry," he whispered, as the emotions continued to pummel him over his actions, and he felt destroyed.

At Eagle Creek, Jeanette Aucoin was taken immediately to the infirmary, seemingly in shock. No words escaped her lips over the horror she had seen as her heart broke in pieces at the realization that her Chéri was gone. She felt pain, remorse, and, most of all, anger at the wickedness that had taken this good and humble young man away from the world in the prime of his life. How could they? How could they do it?

Reaching Hope Valley, Bill and Henry stepped out of Gowen's car, which was parked next to the Queen of Hearts. They stood there for a few moments, discussing among themselves who to tell first. The two most obvious candidates to get the word out were Florence and Rosemary, and due to Bill's working relationship with the latter, they thought that Coulter might be a better pick. But as they moved toward the Lumber Company office, they were approached by Molly and Florence, who knew that Bouchard had left that morning to take Aucoin to Eagle Creek. They called out their names.

"Oh, Bill! Henry!" Yost said.

The two men stopped in the middle of the street and turned toward the ladies.

"Has the governor gotten rid of that criminal?" Florence asked.

"I was just shocked to hear that he would take a woman like that into his home, by himself - - after all that has been written about them," Molly added.

"Well?" Florence said when Avery and Gowen didn't respond.

Finally, Henry spoke up. "Lucas's car went off the road in the Mountains and plummeted down the Mountain."

"What?" the two women replied simultaneously.

"It's true," Bill said. "Bouchard's steering went out just as he was reaching the downhill curve near Baker Ridge."

"Well, the governor is okay, isn't he?" Molly asked.

Bill looked at Henry. "His car exploded on impact. I'm afraid nobody could be pulled from the wreckage."

"Are you saying Lucas Bouchard is dead?" Florence asked.

"An accident like that…the explosion…I'm afraid…" Henry said.

"Oh, my word!" Molly said, her hand covering her mouth.

All at once, to their right, they heard a loud and wailing scream coming from the Coulter Lumber office. Rushing toward the sound, they stopped on the porch when they saw Elizabeth Thornton inside, sitting on the floor, hysterical, and being held by Rosemary and Lee. Rosie motioned toward her nervous husband to get some water, but Elizabeth refused to be comforted, screaming in grief and shock with such intensity that Faith was called. Dr. Carter gave her something to sedate her, and they took her to the infirmary for observation.

Nathan lay on the floor until the sun started to go down, wholly unaware that the death of the governor had already reached the evening editions. His body felt heavy, crushed by his own misadventure and the weight of his tears, to where he had finally surrendered to sleep against the hardwood planks. Suddenly, the telephone rang, startling him awake. He crawled across the floor to answer, his hand trembling.

"Hello?"

"Yes, Nathan. Telephone call from Union City 450."

Grant's heart sank, and he felt a tightening grip in the pit of his stomach. He took a breath. "Put them through."

Florence waited the requisite time and hung up the line, waiting several seconds before she would sneak back in on the call. The call was short, Yost hearing only the last four sentences.

"The girl will be dropped off on Apple Orchard Road at the fork that leads to Jameson. You may pick her up there, unharmed. Your parents will remain tied up, and you can free them after you have Allie. Bring no one. This phone will no longer be operational after the call. Do not try to find me, or it will spell disaster for you and your family. Goodbye."

Nathan didn't say a word as more tears rolled down his cheek. He couldn't think. His heart was broken. But he knew he needed to move. And so, he did. Standing, he grabbed a jacket for himself and one for Allie in case she wasn't dressed properly and left the house, and Florence left the Mercantile and rushed to Bill's office.

In a wooded retreat twelve miles outside of Eagle Creek, a hooded monk named Brother John stood beside Lucas's bedside, checking his pulse. Parker Scott watched, waiting for any news on the condition of his friend, who had remained unconscious since the moment they found him lying on the hillside, thrown from his rolling automobile. Lucas's passenger, Edwin, was in even worse shape than he was, completely unresponsive, with a nasty head wound from which they feared he would not recover.

"How is he?" Park finally asked, staring at the bruised and bleeding governor.

"His vitals are strong," the soft-spoken monk said. "So, I think his injuries are mostly external, thank the Almighty. A dislocated shoulder, probable concussion, and I would imagine some cracked ribs at a minimum right now. It'll all depend on if he wakes up."

"If?"

"There's no way for me to tell how serious the concussion is just yet. There is no caving, just a little swelling at the site, so I'm hopeful."

"And Mitchell?"

"I really wish we could move him to another facility. The small infirmary the brothers have is fine for relatively minor incidents, but Mr. Mitchell is in much worse shape. He needs to be more stable before we even attempt to move him, and yet I'm afraid his injuries are so serious he could succumb. We just need to pray they both recover."

As if on cue, a stirring came from Lucas Bouchard's bed, and the governor opened his eyes.

Parker smiled. "Hey, friend. Welcome back."

Lucas stared at Park for the longest time and finally indicated that he was thirsty. Brother John got him a cup of water as Lucas tried to get his bearings.

"Where am I? What happened?"

Parker took the water from his friend after he had sipped a few painful drinks, and then he stood to help adjust Lucas's pillow to make him more comfortable. "Looks like someone tried to do you in. Your car wrecked in the Mountains."

Lucas closed his eyes, trying to remember. "I can't…."

"That's pretty normal, right John?"

"Yes," Brother John stated. "Quite."

Lucas shook his head. "A monk?"

Parker laughed. "Yeah, someone Walker knows. You're what…an army vet from the war?"

"Yes, I was a medic in the Army during the Great War. Superintendent Walker is an old friend of mine. When the war ended, I came back to this work."

Lucas nodded his head, shutting his eyes. "I feel tired."

"Then rest a while."

"Edwin?" he asked, eyes still closed.

Parker looked at John with concern. "He's resting too, friend. Don't worry about it. Just concentrate on getting well."

And with that, Lucas returned to sleep.

Back at Bill's office, Avery, Gowen, and Walker sat down to review yet another box of material on Hagerty Trust -specifically James Hagerty, the ringleader of a riotous gang that plagued Eagle Creek and Western Alberta in the late 1890s and early 1900s, culminating in a bank robbery in which the gang took off with $40,000 in unmarked bills before disappearing.

"The Hagerty Gang consisted of Jimmy Jr., a man named Lester Muldoon, Jim's sister Maddie, and a train robber named Miles Barlow, aka Babyface Barlow, aka The Peace River Pirate."

"I heard about him," Bill responded. "Didn't he get by with robbing the National Transcontinental Railway of a shipment of Gold from the Bank of Canada to the British Crown?"

"He did," Walker replied. "And they never found it. Found him – dead. But not the gold."

"So let me get this straight," Henry said. "An old Philly Gangster named Jimmy Hagerty left some sort of Trust to his kids from his illicit gambling earnings, and you mentioned he died in some bar fight in New York?"

"Correct."

"Then his children grew up and carried on the trade in Canada?"

"Yes. At least Jimmy did. Maddie was raised by her mother, who was the daughter of some politician. I think that's how come Jimmy got pardoned when he did. It was never fully proven the daughter was involved in the family trade, though she was around for a time. After the last bank robbery, Jimmy seems to have sent her to Paris. As far as I know, she's still there."

"Any images of these people?" Bill asked. "Would like to get some posters made up."

"Sure. I have some in here somewhere."

As Walker was thumbing through papers, Bill's office door swung open.

"Florence?" Bill said.

"Bill, Henry, something bad's going on, and it involves Nathan Grant."

Nathan and Newton made their way through the wooded terrain, still muddy from the earlier rains. It was a long ride from Hope Valley to the Orchard, but one Grant knew well. Still, his mind was distracted, and if you had asked him how he had gotten from point A to point B, he would not have been able to tell. Emotionally spent, he struggled with the divided worries of Allie's safety and what came after they went home. Certainly, they would know Bouchard's car had been tampered with once they gathered the evidence. Certainly, a forensics expert like Bill would find the clues. Certainly, he would hang. Then what would come of Allie? Of his Parents? Shame and heartache filled Grant's body, causing him almost physical pain with each step they took. He was a murderer. He had murdered a good man in cold blood. He deserved to pay. Life-for-life.

Back at the jail, Jeanette was seething. They had murdered the only man who had ever cared for her, and why? For money? She hadn't spent much time with the Hagertys since Nathan provided her name, but in the little time she had, she had learned a lot. Their network was loosely organized and widespread and encompassed all sorts of vice. There was gambling and bootlegging and out-and-out thievery, and they were dangerous. The leader of the group, Jimmy Hagerty, Jr. was a cold-hearted man, colder than his father had been. He had killed a train conductor in North Dakota around 1910 before escaping back over the Canadian Border, where he disappeared. His sister was a seemingly reluctant accomplice, though an accomplice she was. She was the one that Jeanette spoke to the most, the one who gave her, her orders. The goal was to control Bouchard, and Jeanette went along with it -yes, for money. But she never wanted Lucas dead. She never thought it could come to this. It shouldn't have come to this. They needed to pay.

Lee and Joseph sat in Elizabeth's living room discussing what funeral arrangements would need to be made as well as what arrangements should be made for little Jack in the short term.

"She wouldn't want him to see her like this," Lee explained to Joseph.

"Could we send the boy to her parents? Just for a few weeks while she recovers?"

"I think that's a good idea. Faith said she's received a terrible shock, likely related to the same type of shock she had when Jack died."

"It's more than that," Joseph said. "I'm afraid she had unfinished business with him."

"I think you're right."

The creek of the stairs caught the men's attention as Rosemary joined them.

"She's resting," she whispered. "I think I should stay here to look after her if that's okay."

"Of course, sweetheart," Lee replied. "Take all the time you think she needs."

She took a seat. "I knew that she and Nathan were having trouble. Something had happened with them. I'm not sure what. But they didn't seem as close as before. I'm thinking now it's because Elizabeth had realized she still loved Lucas. And now…she's lost. Lee, I have never seen her in such a state – not even with when Jack died. This may have broken her."

"Give it some time," Lee said. "Elizabeth's strong. It will take some time, but she loves her son, and she still has a job to do. I'm sure she'll be back."

Rosemary nodded. "She was clutching his photo – the one with her and little Jack from Thanksgiving. She was barely making sense. I wish I could help her."

"You are helping her," Joseph replied. "Just by being her friend – and praying for her. God can get her through this horrible time – and He will.

Allie shivered in the dark as she heard the sound of approaching hoofbeats from her spot in the thicket. She had been there for hours and was tired and cold and frightened beyond comprehension, having been taken there by her captors and left with only the words to stay put. Since that time, every sound around her terrified her. Was it a bear? A Mountain Lion? A snake? Crouching down, she stayed out of view until she heard Nathan's voice calling her name, and then she came running.

"Dad!"

"Allie!"

Nathan jumped down from Newton and embraced the trembling girl, holding her tightly as she wept openly in relief and despair.

"It's okay. You're safe now. I've got you. You're safe."

He lifted her up into the saddle with Newton and wrapped her up with the jacket he brought for her, and they rode silently to his parent's house to relieve them from their captivity. It was all so emotional, and for a short time, Grant was able to refocus on just Allie – his protective instinct kicking in. But once things had settled down and they sat in his parent's kitchen, Allie eating soup that Corinne Grant, Nathan's mother, had made for her, the horror of it all came crashing back.

"So, how did you get by with it?" Archie Grant asked.

"What?"

"The governor. Is he in hiding? How did you convince them he was dead?"

Nathan immediately looked away. "It's…um…it's complicated."

Allie looked over at him. "But he is okay, right? Governor Bouchard is alive, isn't he?"

Grant looked at his daughter and couldn't speak, though the expression in his eyes said a ton.

Allie looked at him with horror. "Dad? You didn't…did you?"

"Allie. They gave me no choice."

"Oh, my goodness!" Corinne said, sitting down as Allie and Archie stared at him, dumbfounded.

Finally, Allie pushed her food away. "I'm no longer hungry," she said, standing from her seat and turning to go. Nathan reached for her arm, and she yanked it away, crying. "Leave me alone." She ran to her room.

Corinne looked at Archie who motioned for her to go attend to Allie. Once she was gone, Archie turned to Nathan.

"Don't worry, son. We'll get you out of this."

"I should NOT be gotten out of this, Dad," he said, his eyes glistening. "I killed him. I weakened the tie rod on his car so that it would break under stress in the Mountains, and it worked like a charm. I had second thoughts, but I was too late, and now Lucas is dead because of me."

"Because you were put in an impossible situation, Nathan. Killing someone under duress…"

"Is still killing someone," Nathan replied. "What will happen to Allie now? They've destroyed me. I've destroyed myself. Dad, I'm going to jail. The punishment for murder is hanging."

"No!" Allie's voice cried out from her doorway as she ran and embraced Nathan. "No! They can't do that. No, you didn't mean it. You had to. Please, please, no!"

Grant held her as she sobbed against his chest, and he stared into space – her cries filling the room.

"They can't do that, can they?" Corinne asked Archie. "Not to our boy."

"No," Archie finally said. "We won't let them."

"Dad…"

"No, son…we'll lie. We are your alibi."

"But, I did it."

"They'll never prove it. Son, Allie needs you, and there is no sense in them taking both his life and yours. That would solve nothing and would not bring him back. We need to get our story straight. We were all together when he was killed."

"But, we weren't. I was in Hope Valley. Newton was outside my house. People are going to know."

"Please, Dad," Allie cried. "You have to lie to them. You can't let them take you. It wouldn't be right. Please….I lost my mom, and Dylan abandoned me. I can't lose you too."

Grant looked at his daughter, and tears flowed from his eyes. He closed his eyes and held her close.

"It's been the same number. Union City 450. Calling both Nathan and Edwin Mitchell."

"And you say you listened in?" Walker asked.

"I felt something was wrong. I felt it in my bones," Florence replied. "Tonight, when they called, they were threatening Nathan. I think they have Allie."

"Dear Heaven," Henry stated.

"Did you actually hear the threat?" Bill asked.

"Yes. They told him something about coming alone, or there would be repercussions for his whole family. Bill, do you think these are the people who are associated with Lucas's assassination?"

Avery pondered the thought. "It's possible. Nathan has been acting strange."

"Strange? How?" Walker asked.

"He lied about going on a mission the other day. Andrew Hargreaves confirmed it. Earlier today, when we passed his house, Newton was tied outside, but he didn't answer the door. I thought maybe he was visiting neighbors, but now I wonder."

"And he and Elizabeth broke up," Florence added.

Henry looked at Bill with concern. "Nathan wouldn't be involved in all this, would he?"

"No," Bill said. "He and Bouchard haven't gotten along, but no. I can't imagine him working with the likes of the Hagertys."

"Hagertys? Who are they?" Florence asked.

Bill looked over toward her. "We believe they're the ones who set Lucas up. Listen, call Union City and find out where that exchange went to. Find out who its registered to."

"Sure thing," Yost replied, turning and returning immediately to the mercantile.

"As for us, let's keep focusing on what we were doing. There has to be a clue here somewhere."

"Yes. Where were we?"

"Photographs," Henry replied.

Back at the Monastery, Lucas rested quietly until a groan was heard from Edwin Mitchell. He opened his eyes. "Is he…?" Lucas asked, wincing as he tried to move.

Park stood and checked on the man, confirming that for the first time that evening, he was showing signs of life. "He's moving." He leaned out the doorway, capturing the attention of one of the Monks outside. "Get Brother John."

Returning toward Mitchell, he knelt down even as Lucas painfully tried to sit up.

"Lucas! Stay still," Parker responded, trying to keep Bouchard from getting out of bed. "We don't need you injuring yourself more."

"But…I have to help him," Bouchard replied, partially under the influence of morphine, though lucid enough to be aware of where he was.

"No, you do not," Park replied, returning his focus to Mitchell. "Edwin…can you hear me?"

"Tell…got to…" the raspy Governor's assistant replied.

"What's going on?" Brother John stated, entering the room.

"Edwin appears to be waking up," Parker responded, then turning toward Bouchard, who was attempting to stand, " And, I need to get you to lay back down."

Lucas ignored him and stood, immediately grabbing his side as his broken ribs began to protest. Brother John grabbed a chair and sat it next to Edwin, then led Bouchard to it.

"Edwin…can you hear me?" Lucas said.

Dr. John checked Mitchell's pulse. "His heartbeat is erratic."

"L-Lucas…" Edwin breathed.

"I'm here," Bouchard replied. "We've been injured. We're safe, but…"

"D-danger…" Edwin wheezed, barely able to open his eyes, which were dilated due to the concussion.

"Don't try to talk, Edwin…"

"M-must. D-danger. Y-you…"

"No, Edwin, we're safe now. They tried, but they didn't kill us."

"W-won't stop. It's..her…She's one…"

"One? Who is she? One what?"

Mitchell remained silent.

"Do you think he knows something about this?" Park asked. Lucas shrugged.

"Who is she, Edwin?" Parker asked.

"Sister… paid me…sh-she wanted d-dirt …you were clean…I s-spied."

Lucas rubbed his forehead, trying to take in what was being said. "I forgive you, Edwin," he said, thinking that it would relieve the gravely injured man's conscience.

"I…I never thought…they'll kill…" Edwin said, gasping for air. "…kill you."

"It's okay, Edwin," Lucas said. "They tried, but…"

"N-not safe. Hagerty. She's one…"

"This woman is a Hagerty?"

"It's her…It's…it's M-Maddie."

"Maddie?" Lucas asked.

"Maddie?" Parker asked.

"It's Maddie…" Superintendent Walker said, handing Bill the photograph.

Bill's mouth dropped open, and he closed his eyes in dismay. "Oh, no. It's Madeleine St. John."